Transcription from the gene encoding the herpesvirus entry receptor nectin-1 (HveC) in nervous tissue of adult mouse

Hepatitis C virus core protein, in addition to being a component of the viral capsid, has a number of regulatory functions. Here we showed two bodies of evidence indicating that a fraction of the core protein species is a substrate of the ubiquitin (Ub)-proteasome pathway of targeted proteolysis. First, the core protein processing the C-terminal hydrophobic region is metabolically unstable, and incubation with a proteasome inhibitor led to a significant accumulation of the protein. Second, an in vivo ubiquitylation assay indicates conjugation of multi-Ub chain to the unstable core protein. In contrast, a stable form of core protein, p21, is also able to be ubiquitylated, but it links to a single or only a few Ub moiety. Therefore, processing event(s) at the C-terminal hydrophobic domain of HCV core protein may affect the ubiquitylation pathway, particularly the efficiency of the multi-Ub chain assembly, resulting in stable, matured core proteins.     

Pathological changes in broiler chickens fed ochratoxin A and inoculated with Escherichia coli.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ochratoxin A (OA) on Escherichia coli-challenged broiler chickens. One hundred and eighty-four one-day-old broiler chicks were divided into two groups of 92 chicks each, with one group fed a control mash diet and the other fed a mash diet containing 2 parts/10(6) OA. On day 14, each group was further subdivided into two groups with one group inoculated with E. coli O78 (1 x 10(7) colony-forming units/0.5 ml) by the intraperitoneal route, whereas the other group was not inoculated with E. coli. Four birds from each group were sacrificed at 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 days post-inoculation to record pathological changes in the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, bursa, spleen and thymus. E. coli infection induced perihepatitis and pericarditis in the liver and heart, respectively, in chickens infected with E. coli alone or in OA-fed birds from 1 day post-infection (DPI) onwards. At 1 DPI, a thin fibrin layer covered the liver and heart; however, at subsequent days, the layer became thicker. E. coli infection did not produce appreciable changes in the kidneys, bursa or thymus. However, there was congestion of the lungs along with mononuclear cell infiltration. Ochratoxin feeding induced changes from 10 DPI onwards in chicks fed OA alone and those infected with E. coli. The changes in kidneys included swollen proximal convoluted tubules, degeneration of tubular epithelium and interstitial nephritis. Degenerative changes and mononuclear cell infiltration were recorded in the liver. There was atrophy of the lymphoid organs along with depletion of lymphocytes. Gross and histopathological changes were more severe in chickens fed OA and inoculated with E. coli than the chickens fed OA alone or those infected with E. coli, indicating combined action of these two.     

Continuation Therapy After ECT for Delusional Depression: A Naturalistic Study of Prophylactic Treatments and Relapse

The study examines the naturalistic clinical course of 21 patients with delusional depression following their acute response to ECT. Their course is contrasted with that of 31 patients with delusional depression who acutely responded to medication treatment. They were treated for a minimum of 6 months (mean 3.5 years) with various continuation medications. Delusional depression is associated with a high rate of relapse, and some form of continuation therapy is clearly required. Akin to the acute treatment studies of delusional depression, prophylaxis with antidepressants alone is inadequate in preventing relapse in delusional depression patients.     

Application of Microalgal Physiological Response as Biomarker for Evaluating the Toxicity of the Textile Dye Alizarin Red S

Textile dyes are becoming a growing threat to the environment. This report presents the findings of the study on the toxicity of the textile dye Alizarin Red S on two freshwater microalgae. The acute toxicity assay revealed that 96-h EC₅₀ values of Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis were 29.81 mg/L and 18.94 mg/L respectively. The pigments chlorophyll-a, b and carotenoids in C. vulgaris on 96-h exposure to the dye were 2.91, 3.29 and 3.01 times lower in analogy to control whereas Spirulina platensis showed 2.89and 2.56 fold decrease in chlorophyll-a and carotenoid content than control. After the test period of 96-h with dye, the protein content of C. vulgaris and S. platensis were 2.33 and 1.77 times lower compared to the control. The growth inhibition rate, pigment as well as the protein content declined in compliance with the rise in dye concentration, which anticipate paradigm about the toxic effects of the textile dye.

     

Neuro-otological profile of Episodic Vertigo

Episodic Vertigo Comprises a large group of patients seen in any neurootology unit. A total of 118 subjects were reviewed who attended the neurootology unit. Vertigo of shorter duration was noted in 78 and of longer duration in 40 cases. 51 cases showed bilateral neurosensory deafness, 15 cases had bilateral and another one case had unilateral conductive loss. Spinovestibular tests were abnormal in all cases of vertigo of short duration but only 29 cases showed abnormal reflex in patients with a long duration of illness. Thermal vestibulometry revealed hyporeflexia in 33 cases, directional preponderance in 30 cases and 4 cases showed hyperreflexia 28 cases had peripheral lesions while 81 cases had central lesions. The acute cases showed significant improvement on follow up except cases with abnormality in thermal vestibulometry . The cases with positional nystagmus showed improvement with head and body balance exercises expect in those who received treatment with vestibulosedative and vestibular suppersive drugs. Hearing loss remained the same except in patients with middle ear disorders.     

Effect of aluminium impurities in the generator-produced pertechnetate-99m ion on thyroid scintigrams

Cases of reduced uptake of pertechnetate-99m ion in the thyroid gland due to the presence, in the injected solution, of aluminium species at concentrations higher than 4 g/cm³ are reported. This inconvenience can be avoided either by injecting chromatographically pure pertechnetate-99m ion or by allowing the eluate of high aluminium content to stand for about 4 h.     

Lifestyle, parity, menstrual and reproductive factors and risk of gallbladder cancer.

Together with thyroid cancer, cancer of the gallbladder is the only non-sex hormone-related cancer displaying a female preponderance, with incidence being 3-4 times more common among women. We carried out this study to evaluate the role of menstrual, reproductive and lifestyle factors in gallbladder carcinogenesis. A case-control study involving 64 newly diagnosed cases of gallbladder cancer and 101 cases of cholelithiasis was carried out. A detailed menstrual and reproductive history was illustrated beside detailed lifestyle history, in particular consumption of betel nut, tobacco and alcohol and smoking, odds ratio was calculated. Mean age of the patients with cancer was 51+/-1.2 years while it was 40.9+/-1.2 years for gallstones; 69% of cancer patients and 90% of gallstones patients were females. More than half of the cancer patients (53%) and 43% of the gallstone patients were illiterate. A past history of typhoid was present in 22% of cancer patients and 13% of gallstone patients, while 35% of cancer and 25% of gallstone patients were chewers, 18.1 and 9.9% were smokers, and 10% of cancer and 2% of gallstone patients consumed alcohol. Mean age of menarche was 13.4+/-1.2 years among female patients with cancer while it was 14.0+/-1.4 years for gallstone patients. Higher age at menarche (>13 years, OR 2.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16-5.3), higher number of childbirths(>3 births, OR 3.92; 95% CI 1.4-10.3), higher number of pregnancies (>3 pregnancies, OR 6.66, 95% CI 1.8-23.4), and higher age at last childbirth (>25 years, OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.04-8.5) were found to have significantly higher risk of developing gallbladder cancer. In conclusion, tobacco chewing and smoking are associated with increased odds of gallbladder cancer. Similarly early menarche, late menopause, multiple pregnancies and childbirth increased the risk of gallbladder cancer.