Gall Bladder Carcinoma Presenting with Spinal Metastasis: A Rare Phenomenon

Skeletal metastasis as a primary presentation of gall bladder carcinoma is rare. A 50-year-old lady presented with neck pain and weakness in her right upper limb of 3 months duration. Clinical and imaging work-up suggested locally advanced gall bladder carcinoma with metastasis to cervical vertebra and sternum. Only one case till date has been reported where the patient presented with neurological symptoms due to pathological fracture secondary to metastasis from an occult gall bladder carcinoma. Although rare, an occult gall bladder cancer may present with neurological symptoms due to pathological fracture of spine secondary to metastasis. We present a brief review of literature of patients who presented with skeletal metastases in clinically silent gall bladder malignancy. Palliative care issues in advanced gall bladder carcinoma have also been discussed.     

Post-translational control of cardiac hemodynamics through myosin binding protein C

Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) is an integral sarcomeric protein that associates with the thick, thin, and titin filament systems in the contractile apparatus. Three different isoforms of MyBP-C exist in mammalian muscle: slow skeletal (MyBPC1), fast skeletal (MyBP-C2, with several variants), and cardiac (cMyBP-C). Genetic screening studies show that mutations in MYBPC3 occur frequently and are responsible for as many as 30–35 % of identified cases of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The function of cMyBP-C is stringently regulated by its post-translational modification. In particular, the addition of phosphate groups occurs with high frequency on certain serine residues that are located in the cardiac-specific regulatory M domain. Phosphorylation of this domain has been extensively studied in vitro and in vivo. Phosphorylation of the M domain can regulate the manner in which actin and myosin interact, affecting the cross bridge cycle and ultimately, cardiac hemodynamics.     

Effect of volume of porogens on the porosity of PLGA scaffolds in pH-controlled environment

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a well-studied biodegradable polymer used in drug delivery and other medical applications such as in tissue regeneration. It is often necessary to impart porosity within the scaffold (microparticles) in order to promote the growth of tissue during the regeneration process. Sodium chloride and ammonium bicarbonate have been extensively used as porogens in the generation of porous microstructure. In this study, we compared the effect of volumes (250?μl, 500?μl and 750?μl) of two porogens, sodium chloride (1.71 M) and ammonium bicarbonate (1.71 M), on the porosity of PLGA microparticles.