Vascular gene polymorphisms (EDNRA -231 G>A and APOE HhaI) and risk for migraine

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder, and hence, any alteration in vascular endothelial function by either the endothelin system or the apolipoproteins may contribute to its pathophysiology. Thus, we investigated the role of EDNRA -231 G>A and APOE HhaI polymorphism for a possible association with migraine. Genotyping of 613 subjects consisting of 217 migraine subjects, 217 healthy controls (HC), and 179 subjects with tension-type headache was performed using the standard PCR-RFLP method. Data were analyzed by taking the Bonferroni-corrected p-values into account. We found significant difference in the frequency of EDNRA AA genotype between migraine subjects when compared with HC (p-value?=?0.005; OR?=?2.542; confidence interval [CI]?=?1.329-4.863). A similar trend was shown by female migraine subjects at genotype and allele levels. The association of EDNRA -231 G>A polymorphism with migraine fit a recessive model (migraine vs. HC, p-value?=?0.002; OR?=?1.917; CI?=?2.268-2.898). Female migraineurs without aura (MO) followed a similar trend. In the case of APOE HhaI polymorphism, E3E4 and E2E3 genotypes conferred risk when taken together in case of migraine versus HC (p-value?=?0.005; OR?=?2.715; CI?=?1.342-5.490) and migraine with aura (MA) versus HC (p-value?=?0.004; OR?=?3.422; CI?=?7.992). The risk was also seen after stratification on the basis of gender in female migraineurs (total migraine and MA). The interaction of EDNRA and APOE genotypes did not show further significance. The AA genotype and A allele of EDNRA -231 G>A polymorphism conferred risk for total migraine and MO. In APOE HhaI polymorphism, E3E4 and E2E3 conferred risk when taken together in total migraine and MA.     

Macrophage-Specific Targeting of Isoniazid Through Mannosylated Gelatin Microspheres

Active targeting of drug molecules can be achieved by effective attachment of suitable ligands to the surface of carriers. The present work was attempted to prepare mannosylated gelatin microspheres (m-GMs) so as to achieve targeted delivery of isoniazid (INH) to alveolar macrophages (AMs) and maintain its therapeutic concentration for prolonged period of time. Microspheres were prepared by emulsification solvent extraction method and evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, drug release, ex vivo drug uptake by AMs and pharmacokinetic characteristics. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis confirmed that mannosylation took place through Schiff base formation between aldehyde and amino groups of mannose and gelatin, respectively. Prepared microspheres offered suitable physicochemical characteristics for their delivery to AMs. Their average size was about 4 μm and drug entrapment efficiency of 56% was achieved with them. Ex vivo uptake results indicated that in comparison to plain microspheres, m-GMs were selectively uptaken and were found to be associated with phago-lysosomal vesicles of AMs. Pharmacokinetic studies showed the formulation could maintain the therapeutic concentration of INH for prolonged period of time even with a reduced clinical dose. m-GMs were found to be stable in broncheo-alveolar lavage fluid. The study concluded that ligand decorated carriers could be a potential strategy to improve the therapeutic properties of INH.     

900-MHz microwave radiation promotes oxidation in rat brain

Recently, there have been several reports referring to detrimental effects due to radio frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) exposure. Special attention was given to investigate the effect of mobile phone exposure on the rat brain. Since the integrative mechanism of the entire body lies in the brain, it is suggestive to analyze its biochemical aspects. For this, 35-day old Wistar rats were exposed to a mobile phone for 2?h per day for a duration of 45 days where specific absorption rate (SAR) was 0.9?W/Kg. Animals were divided in two groups: sham exposed (n?=?6) and exposed group (n?=?6). Our observations indicate a significant decrease (P?相似文献   

Review of the continental Oriental species of Lilioceris Reitter (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Criocerinae) closely related to Lilioceris impressa (F.)

Criocerine leaf beetles found in Nepal feeding on Dioscorea bulbifera (L.), an invasive weed of Asian origin, were identified as Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto based on a synopsis of the Oriental Lilioceris species and review of the Lilioceris impressa species group. All the continental, Oriental species included in the group are diagnosed and illustrated, and a key for their identification is provided. Species status of Lilioceris thibetana Pic, 1916 is resurrected. The following new synonyms are proposed: Lilioceris coomani (Pic, 1928) = Lilioceris egena (Weise, 1922), and Lilioceris subcostata (Pic, 1921a), Lilioceris laticornis (Gressit, 1942), Lilioceris inflaticornis Gressit & Kimoto, 1961, and Lilioceris maai Gressit & Kimoto, 1961 = Lilioceris impressa (Fabricius, 1787). Lectotypes of the following species are designated: Lilioceris coomani Pic, 1928; Lilioceris impressa (Fabricius, 1787); Lilioceris laosensis (Pic, 1916); Lilioceris malabarica (Jacoby, 1904); Lilioceris ruficornis (Pic, 1921b); Lilioceris subcostata (Pic, 1921a); Lilioceris thibetana (Pic, 1916); and Lilioceris unicolor (Hope, 1831).     

datPAV--an online processing, analysis and visualization tool for exploratory investigation of experimental data

SUMMARY: Data processing, analysis and visualization (datPAV) is an exploratory tool that allows experimentalist to quickly assess the general characteristics of the data. This platform-independent software is designed as a generic tool to process and visualize data matrices. This tool explores organization of the data, detect errors and support basic statistical analyses. Processed data can be reused whereby different step-by-step data processing/analysis workflows can be created to carry out detailed investigation. The visualization option provides publication-ready graphics. Applications of this tool are demonstrated at the web site for three cases of metabolomics, environmental and hydrodynamic data analysis. AVAILABILITY: datPAV is available free for academic use at http://www.sdwa.nus.edu.sg/datPAV/.     

Post-transcriptional regulation of human cathepsin L expression

The expression of cathepsin L, a lysosomal protease, is known to be elevated in cancer and other pathologies. Multiple splice variants of human cathepsin L with variable 5'UTRs exist, which encode for the same protein. Previously we have observed that variant hCATL A (bearing the longest 5'UTR) was translated in vitro with significantly lower efficiency than variant hCATL AIII (bearing the shortest 5'UTR). Contrary to these findings, results of the present study reveal that in cancer cells, hCATL A mRNA exhibits higher translatability in spite of having lower stability than AIII. This is the first report demonstrating a highly contrasting trend in translation efficiencies of hCATL variants in rabbit reticulocytes and live cells. Expression from chimeric mRNAs containing 5'UTRs of A or AIII upstream to luciferase reporter cDNA established the A UTR to be the sole determinant for this effect. Transient transfections of bicistronic plasmids and mRNAs confirmed the presence of a functional Internal Ribosome Entry Site in this UTR. Our data suggest that differential stability and translation initiation modes mediated by the 5'UTRs of human cathepsin L variants are involved in regulating its expression.     

Complete genome sequence of Rhodospirillum rubrum type strain (S1)

Rhodospirillum rubrum (Esmarch 1887) Molisch 1907 is the type species of the genus Rhodospirillum, which is the type genus of the family Rhodospirillaceae in the class Alphaproteobacteria. The species is of special interest because it is an anoxygenic phototroph that produces extracellular elemental sulfur (instead of oxygen) while harvesting light. It contains one of the most simple photosynthetic systems currently known, lacking light harvesting complex 2. Strain S1(T) can grow on carbon monoxide as sole energy source. With currently over 1,750 PubMed entries, R. rubrum is one of the most intensively studied microbial species, in particular for physiological and genetic studies. Next to R. centenum strain SW, the genome sequence of strain S1(T) is only the second genome of a member of the genus Rhodospirillum to be published, but the first type strain genome from the genus. The 4,352,825 bp long chromosome and 53,732 bp plasmid with a total of 3,850 protein-coding and 83 RNA genes were sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute Program DOEM 2002.