Enhancing gingival biotype through chorion membrane with innovative step in periodontal pocket therapy

A thick gingival biotype is a requisite for good periodontal health. It has important role in resisting trauma and subsequent gingival recession. The gingival thickness is a significant predictor of clinical outcome of periodontal surgeries. Various surgical procedures are used to increase the gingival thickness. The present study incorporated the innovative step of placement of chorion membrane to objectively evaluate the increase in thickness of gingival biotype during periodontal pocket therapy. The patients in age group between 25 and 45 years with chronic periodontitis, indicated for flap surgery were selected for the study. The sites with pocket depth of 6–8 mm in the mandibular anterior teeth were divided into test and control sites. Periodontal flap surgery was carried at both the sites and chorion membrane was placed at the test sites. The gingival thickness measurement was assessed using a markings marked on injection needle, these markings were read using digital vernier caliper, pre and post operatively. The baseline values of gingival thickness at test site (1.04 ± 0.19 at mid buccal region, 1.24 ± 0.20 at mid papillary) and control site (0.94 ± 0.11 at mid buccal region, 1.14 ± 0.11 at mid papillary region) showed no statistically significant difference. At test sites, 6 weeks post treatment (1.36 ± 0.16 at mid buccal region and 1.48 ± 0.17 at mid papillary region) as compared to control sites (1.06 ± 0.11 at mid buccal region, 1.24 ± 0.11 at mid papillary) showed statistically significant increase in gingival thickness (p ≤ 0.05*). The innovative step of placement of chorion membrane during periodontal pocket therapy facilitated increase in the gingival thickness in the areas with thin gingival biotype.     

Metagenomic investigation of the geologically unique Hellenic Volcanic Arc reveals a distinctive ecosystem with unexpected physiology

Hydrothermal vents represent a deep, hot, aphotic biosphere where chemosynthetic primary producers, fuelled by chemicals from Earth's subsurface, form the basis of life. In this study, we examined microbial mats from two distinct volcanic sites within the Hellenic Volcanic Arc (HVA). The HVA is geologically and ecologically unique, with reported emissions of CO₂‐saturated fluids at temperatures up to 220°C and a notable absence of macrofauna. Metagenomic data reveals highly complex prokaryotic communities composed of chemolithoautotrophs, some methanotrophs, and to our surprise, heterotrophs capable of anaerobic degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons. Our data suggest that aromatic hydrocarbons may indeed be a significant source of carbon in these sites, and instigate additional research into the nature and origin of these compounds in the HVA. Novel physiology was assigned to several uncultured prokaryotic lineages; most notably, a SAR406 representative is attributed with a role in anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation. This dataset, the largest to date from submarine volcanic ecosystems, constitutes a significant resource of novel genes and pathways with potential biotechnological applications.     

Discovery and SAR of 2-amino-5-(thioaryl)thiazoles as potent and selective Itk inhibitors

A series of structurally novel aminothiazole based small molecule inhibitors of Itk were prepared to elucidate their structure-activity relationships (SARs), selectivity, and cell activity in inhibiting IL-2 secretion in a Jurkat T-cell assay. Compound 3 is identified as a potent and selective Itk inhibitor which inhibits anti-TCR antibody induced IL-2 production in mice in vivo and was previously reported to reduce lung inflammation in a mouse model of ovalbumin induced allergy/asthma.     

Characterization of frankial strains isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippophae salicifolia</Emphasis> D. Don,based on physiological,SDS–PAGE of whole cell proteins and RAPD PCR analyses

Different Frankia strains (HsIi2, HsIi4, HsIi5, HsIi8, HsIi9, HsIi10, HsIi11, HsIi12, HsIi13, HsIi14) nodulating Hippophae salicifolia D. Don, were characterized on the basis of physiological, biochemical and molecular attributes. Results suggest that the physiological approaches i.e., nitrogenase activity, glutamine synthetase (GS) activity and ammonia excretion are strain specific. The highest rate of nitrogen fixation and maximum production of ammonia with low GS makes the strain HsIi11, a suitable biofertilizer as compared to other strains. Analysis of total protein pattern (SDS–PAGE) revealed that the most closely related strains HsIi10 and HsIi4 were found to be most distantly related to the most similar strains HsIi14, HsIi5, HsIi13, HsIi11 and HsIi12. RAPD PCR analyses with an arbitrary primer 1253 produced distinct, unique and specific DNA fingerprints for each of the Frankia strain and 100% polymorphism was observed which uncovers the genetic diversity. These approaches might be helpful in rapid identification, in designing the marker for the specific strains as well as in improving nitrogen fixation in agroforestry.     

Nitric Oxide Down-Regulates Topoisomerase I and Induces Camptothecin Resistance in Human Breast MCF-7 Tumor Cells

Camptothecin (CPT), a topoisomerase I poison, is an important drug for the treatment of solid tumors in the clinic. Nitric oxide (^·NO), a physiological signaling molecule, is involved in many cellular functions, including cell proliferation, survival and death. We have previously shown that ^·NO plays a significant role in the detoxification of etoposide (VP-16), a topoisomerase II poison in vitro and in human melanoma cells. ^·NO/^·NO-derived species are reported to modulate activity of several important cellular proteins. As topoisomerases contain a number of free sulfhydryl groups which may be targets of ^·NO/^·NO-derived species, we have investigated the roles of ^·NO/^·NO-derived species in the stability and activity of topo I. Here we show that ^·NO/^·NO-derived species induces a significant down-regulation of topoisomerase I protein via the ubiquitin/26S proteasome pathway in human colon (HT-29) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cell lines. Importantly, ^·NO treatment induced a significant resistance to CPT only in MCF-7 cells. This resistance to CPT did not result from loss of topoisomerase I activity as there were no differences in topoisomerase I-induced DNA cleavage in vitro or in tumor cells, but resulted from the stabilization/induction of bcl2 protein. This up-regulation of bcl2 protein in MCF-7 cells was wtp53 dependent as pifithrine-α, a small molecule inhibitor of wtp53 function, completely reversed CPT resistance, suggesting that wtp53 and bcl2 proteins played important roles in CPT resistance. Because tumors in vivo are heterogeneous and contaminated by infiltrating macrophages, ^·NO-induced down-regulation of topoisomerase I protein combined with bcl2 protein stabilization could render certain tumors highly resistant to CPT and drugs derived from it in the clinic.