Fine needle aspiration cytology of primary lymphoid lesions of the orbit: report of four cases

BACKGROUND: The role offine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in diagnosis and differentiation of primary orbital lymphoid lesions is debatable, and little literature exists on cytodiagnosis of orbital lymphoid lesions. CASES: Four patients with orbital lesions underwent routine FNAC. In 3 cases, histopathologic examination was performed with immunohistochemistry (IHC). Cytologic features and diag- noses were correlated with histopathologic diagnoses. Two were cytologically diagnosed with low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 2 with pseudolymphoma and inflammatory pseudotumor, respectively. Of the 2 cases of histologically diagnosed NHL, 1 had concordant diagnosis and the other had a jalse negative diagnosis of pseudolymphoma; both showed significant increase in mast cells, with neoplastie lymphoid cells exhibiting a higher N:C ratio and coarser chromatin texture. The case cytologically interpreted as suspicious for NHL was identified as a psetedolymphoma on histology (false positive). The case of inflammatory pseudotumor, in which hiopiy was not peiformned, responded well to corticosteroids, strengthening the cytologic diagnosis. CONCLUSION: FNAC diagnosis and differentiation of benign vs. malignant primacy orbital lymphoid lesions is often difficult. Careful cytologic interpretation with respect to certain subtle cytologic details is needed in minimizing false positive or false negative diagnoses. In difficult situations, IHC using suitable immunomarkers proves highly useful.     

Evaluation of lead and chromium tolerance and accumulation level in Gomphrena celosoides: a novel metal accumulator from lead acid battery waste contaminated site in Nigeria

Abstract

Biology, tolerance, and metal (Pb and Cr) accumulating ability of Gomphrena celosoides were studied under hydroponic conditions. The seedlings were raised in Hoagland’s solution containing different concentrations of Pb (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, and 5000?mg l^?1) and Cr (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 300, and 400?mg l^?1). Biomass and metal accumulation in different plant parts were determined at seven (7) and fourteen (14) days after stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities, protein, and proline contents were estimated in stressed and unstressed plants. Gomphrena celosoides was able to tolerate Pb and Cr concentrations up to 4000 and 100?mg l^?1, respectively in hydroponic solution. Metal accumulation was concentration and duration dependent with the highest Pb (21,127.90 and 117,985.29?mg kg^?1) and Cr (3130.85 and 2428.90?mg kg^?1) in shoot and root, respectively found in the plants exposed to 5000?mg l^?1 Pb and 400?mg l^?1 Cr for 14?days. Proline, antioxidant enzyme activities, and protein contents were the highest in plant exposed to higher Pb and Cr concentrations for 7 and 14?days. Gomphrena celosoides could be considered as Pb and Cr accumulator with proline and increase in antioxidant enzyme activities being the tolerance mechanisms.     

Combinations of Ashwagandha Leaf Extracts Protect Brain-Derived Cells against Oxidative Stress and Induce Differentiation

Background

Ashwagandha, a traditional Indian herb, has been known for its variety of therapeutic activities. We earlier demonstrated anticancer activities in the alcoholic and water extracts of the leaves that were mediated by activation of tumor suppressor functions and oxidative stress in cancer cells. Low doses of these extracts were shown to possess neuroprotective activities in vitro and in vivo assays.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We used cultured glioblastoma and neuroblastoma cells to examine the effect of extracts (alcoholic and water) as well as their bioactive components for neuroprotective activities against oxidative stress. Various biochemical and imaging assays on the marker proteins of glial and neuronal cells were performed along with their survival profiles in control, stressed and recovered conditions. We found that the extracts and one of the purified components, withanone, when used at a low dose, protected the glial and neuronal cells from oxidative as well as glutamate insult, and induced their differentiation per se. Furthermore, the combinations of extracts and active component were highly potent endorsing the therapeutic merit of the combinational approach.

Conclusion

Ashwagandha leaf derived bioactive compounds have neuroprotective potential and may serve as supplement for brain health.     

Non-specific immune parameters of brood Indian major carp Labeo rohita and their seasonal variations

Different non-specific immune parameters and their seasonal changes in brood Indian major carp Labeo rohita reared in two major freshwater aquaculture regions of India viz. West Bengal and Orissa were investigated. It was undertaken for 2 consecutive years and included three main seasons of a year such as summer (March-May), rainy (July-September) and winter (November-January). Total serum protein, albumin and globulin levels were not significantly different throughout the year (p>0.01). Serum lysozyme and myeloperoxidase activities were lower (7.26+/-0.87mg/ml and, 0.54+/-0.11 OD, respectively) in winter as compared to any other season of the year. The bacterial agglutination titer was higher (p<0.01) in the rainy season (8.70+/-1.70) compared to summer and winter seasons (3.40+/-0.60 and 4.00+/-0.89, respectively). Haemagglutination and haemolytic activities did not vary (p>0.01) throughout the year. In blood smears, lymphocyte percentage was higher (75-80%) as compared to those of neutrophil (10-15%) and monocytes (5-10%) but eosinophilic granulocytes were present only in few cases. The differential leucocyte count did not vary significantly (p>0.05) in any season. This study indicated that certain non-specific immune parameters of this species can be modulated at certain times of the year.     

Biomolecular recognition in DNA tagged CdSe nanowires

DNA template driven CdSe nanobeads (NBs) and nanowires (NWs) have been synthesized by an electrodeposition technique. The synthesis protocol has yielded randomly oriented cubic CdSe NBs with mean size 3.0 nm in presence of single stranded DNA, poly G(30). Monocrystalline cubic CdSe NWs of width 4.0 nm with string-like morphology have been achieved when synthesized in presence of both poly G(30) and its conjugate, poly C(30). Optical absorption of CdSe NBs show a blue shift of 0.8 eV and long wavelength tailing where as NWs show steep increase of absorption in shorter wavelength regime accompanied by a further blue shift. DNA tags to the NBs or NWs have been confirmed from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. Biomolecular recognition with CdSe NWs have been established by photoluminescence measurements.     

A rationally engineered small antimicrobial peptide with potent antibacterial activity

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent pandemic declared by the WHO that requires urgent attention in the post-COVID world. AMR is a critical public health concern worldwide, potentially affecting people at different stages of life, including the veterinary and agriculture industries. Notably, very few new-age antimicrobial agents are in the current developmental pipeline. Thus, the design, discovery, and development of new antimicrobial agents are required to address the menace of AMR. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important class of antimicrobial agents for combating AMR due to their broad-spectrum activity and ability to evade AMR through a multimodal mechanism of action. However, molecular size, aggregability, proteolytic degradation, cytotoxicity, and hemolysis activity significantly limit the clinical application of natural AMPs. The de novo design and engineering of a short synthetic amphipathic AMP (≤16 aa, Mol. Wt. ≤ 2 kDa) with an unusual architecture comprised of coded and noncoded amino acids (NCAAs) is presented here, which demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against a few selected bacterial strains mentioned in the WHO priority list. The designer AMP is conformationally ordered in solution and effectively permeabilizes the outer and inner membranes, leading to bacterial growth inhibition and death. Additionally, the peptide is resistant to proteolysis and has negligible cytotoxicity and hemolysis activity up to 150 μM toward cultured human cell lines and erythrocytes. The designer AMP is unique and appears to be a potent therapeutic candidate, which can be subsequently subjected to preclinical studies to explicitly understand and address the menace of AMR.     

Cellular sequestration of cadmium in the hyperaccumulator plant species Sedum alfredii

Spatial imaging of cadmium (Cd) in the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii was investigated in vivo by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and x-ray microfluorescence imaging. Preferential Cd accumulation in the pith and cortex was observed in stems of the Cd hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE), whereas Cd was restricted to the vascular bundles in its contrasting nonhyperaccumulating ecotype. Cd concentrations of up to 15,000 μg g(-1) were measured in the pith cells, which was many fold higher than the concentrations in the stem epidermis and vascular bundles in the HE plants. In the leaves of the HE, Cd was mainly localized to the mesophyll and vascular cells rather than the epidermis. The distribution pattern of Cd in both stems and leaves of the HE was very similar to calcium but not zinc, irrespective of Cd exposure levels. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy analysis showed that Cd in the stems and leaves of the HE was mainly associated with oxygen ligands, and a larger proportion (about 70% in leaves and 47% in stems) of Cd was bound with malic acid, which was the major organic acid in the shoots of the plants. These results indicate that a majority of Cd in HE accumulates in the parenchyma cells, especially in stems, and is likely associated with calcium pathways and bound with organic acid (malate), which is indicative of a critical role of vacuolar sequestration of Cd in the HE S. alfredii.     

Analysis of genetic diversity in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.Walp.) cultivars with random amplified polymorphic DNA markers

The genetic diversity among ten Indian cultivars of cowpea was analyzed using 18 sets of RAPD markers. A total of 181 bands with an average of 15 bands per primer were obtained. Out of 181 bands, 148 showed polymorphism (81.7%). The variation in genetic diversity among these cultivars ranged from 0.1742 to 0.4054. Cluster analysis based on Jaccard’s similarity coefficient using UPGMA with high bootstrap values revealed two distinct clusters I and II comprised of two and seven cultivars, respectively. Cluster II was further differentiated into various subclusters. Cultivar IC-9883 was found to be unique based on its altogether distinct position in the dendrogram and two-dimensional space projections.     

Stage-specific signaling through TGFβ family members and WNT regulates patterning and pancreatic specification of human pluripotent stem cells

The generation of insulin-producing β-cells from human pluripotent stem cells is dependent on efficient endoderm induction and appropriate patterning and specification of this germ layer to a pancreatic fate. In this study, we elucidated the temporal requirements for TGFβ family members and canonical WNT signaling at these developmental stages and show that the duration of nodal/activin A signaling plays a pivotal role in establishing an appropriate definitive endoderm population for specification to the pancreatic lineage. WNT signaling was found to induce a posterior endoderm fate and at optimal concentrations enhanced the development of pancreatic lineage cells. Inhibition of the BMP signaling pathway at specific stages was essential for the generation of insulin-expressing cells and the extent of BMP inhibition required varied widely among the cell lines tested. Optimal stage-specific manipulation of these pathways resulted in a striking 250-fold increase in the levels of insulin expression and yielded populations containing up to 25% C-peptide+ cells.