p‐Doping and Fiber Spinning of Poly(heptadiyne)s

Poly(4,4‐bis[(3,5‐diethoxybenzoyloxy)methyl]‐1,6‐heptadiyne) is synthesized via cyclopolymerization using modified Grubbs‐ and Schrock‐type initiators. Doping with either I₂ or NO⁺ BF₄^? yields a conductive polymer with conductivity up to 1.4 × 10^?2 S cm^?1. The undoped amorphous conjugated polymer is spun into monofilament and multifilament fibers by a wet‐spinning process. Fibers are collected on bobbins with a draw down ratio of 12 resulting in fiber diameters under 60 μm, characterized by scanning electron microscopy. X‐ray diffraction data confirms that the amorphous structure of the polymer is preserved; no additional orientation of the polymer chains occurs during fiber spinning.

     

Fulminant type 1 diabetes occurring in a child in association with acute hepatitis A infection: case report and review of literature

Fulminant type 1 diabetes is a recently described form of T1DM presentation, reported mainly from Japan. This mode of presentation is very rare among Caucasians and is not reported from India before. We report a child presenting with fulminant type 1 DM in association with acute hepatitis A virus infection.     

Enhancement of cardiac function and suppression of heart failure progression by inhibition of protein phosphatase 1

Abnormal calcium cycling, characteristic of experimental and human heart failure, is associated with impaired sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake activity. This reflects decreases in the cAMP-pathway signaling and increases in type 1 phosphatase activity. The increased protein phosphatase 1 activity is partially due to dephosphorylation and inactivation of its inhibitor-1, promoting dephosphorylation of phospholamban and inhibition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-pump. Indeed, cardiac-specific expression of a constitutively active inhibitor-1 results in selective enhancement of phospholamban phosphorylation and augmented cardiac contractility at the cellular and intact animal levels. Furthermore, the beta-adrenergic response is enhanced in the transgenic hearts compared with wild types. On aortic constriction, the hypercontractile cardiac function is maintained, hypertrophy is attenuated and there is no decompensation in the transgenics compared with wild-type controls. Notably, acute adenoviral gene delivery of the active inhibitor-1, completely restores function and partially reverses remodeling, including normalization of the hyperactivated p38, in the setting of pre-existing heart failure. Thus, the inhibitor 1 of the type 1 phosphatase may represent an attractive new therapeutic target.     

Gender Incongruence: Gender Affirming Body Contouring and Physical Transformation in Transgender Individuals

There is a subset of transgender individuals, who after having undergone gender affirming surgeries want body contouring so that the overall body shape is congruent to the body image. Hormonal therapy can bring about a considerable change in the physical transformation. However, there is an increase in requests for specific body contouring procedures because of increased awareness in the society.There are significant differences between the skeletal as well as soft tissue characteristics of male and female body. Body contouring in transgender individuals can be achieved by altering the skeletal structure or the overlying soft tissues or combining both. In this article, we discuss body contouring as an adjunct to gender affirming surgeries, in both male to female and female to male transgender individuals.     

ASSESSMENT OF TISSUE OPTICAL CLEARING AS A FUNCTION OF GLUCOSE CONCENTRATION USING OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY

One of the major challenges in imaging biological tissues using optical techniques, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), is the lack of light penetration due to highly turbid structures within the tissue. Optical clearing techniques enable the biological samples to be more optically homogeneous, allowing for deeper penetration of light into the tissue. This study investigates the effect of optical clearing utilizing various concentrations of glucose solution (10%, 30%, and 50%) on porcine skin. A gold-plated mirror was imaged beneath the tissue and percentage clearing was determined by monitoring the change in reflected light intensity from the mirror over time. The ratio of percentage clearing per tissue thickness for 10%, 30% and 50% glucose was determined to be 4.7 ± 1.6% mm(-1) (n = 6), 10.6 ± 2.0% mm(-1) (n = 7) and 21.8 ± 2.2% mm(-1) (n = 5), respectively. It was concluded that while higher glucose concentration has the highest optical clearing effect, a suitable concentration should be chosen for the purpose of clearing, considering the osmotic stress on the tissue sample.     

Enhanced cardiac function in mice overexpressing protein phosphatase Inhibitor-2

OBJECTIVE: Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) has been implicated in the control of cardiac function. Cardiac specific overexpression of the catalytic subunit, PP1c, results in hypertrophy and depressed contractility. METHODS: To further address the role of PP1, transgenic mice (TG) were generated that overexpress in heart a functional COOH-terminally truncated form (amino acids 1-140) of the PP1 inhibitor-2 (I-2(140)). RESULTS: The TG hearts show increased levels of I-2(140) mRNA as well as protein and activity. No increase in absolute or relative heart weight was observed, nor any changes in gross pathology or increase in morbidity or mortality in the TG mice. Immunohistochemical and biochemical analyses revealed that expression of the I-2(140) protein is confined to cardiomyocytes where it is mainly localized in the cytosol. The total protein phosphatase (PP) activity was reduced by 80% in TG hearts as compared to wild-type littermates (WT). The PP1c mRNA level was the same in TG and WT, while the protein level was increased by approximately 7-fold in TG animals. The maximal rates of contraction (+dP/dt) and of relaxation (-dP/dt) were increased by 32% and 40%, respectively, in the intact catheterized TG mice compared to WT. However, the maximal contractile response to beta-adrenergic agonists was comparable in hearts from TG and WT mice. In isolated cardiomyocytes of TG mice, Ca2+transient amplitude was increased by 50% under basal conditions and by 60% upon rapid caffeine application. The phospholamban (PLB) protein level was unchanged whereas the basal phosphorylation of PLB at Ser(16) was significantly increased in TG hearts. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that I-2(140) overexpression results in decreased PP1 activity and enhanced contractility in the heart, underscoring the fundamental role of PP1 in cardiac function.     

Molecular basis of endothelial cell morphogenesis in three-dimensional extracellular matrices

Although many studies have focused on blood vessel development and new blood vessel formation associated with disease processes, the question of how endothelial cells (ECs) assemble into tubes in three dimensions (i.e., EC morphogenesis) remains unanswered. EC morphogenesis is particularly dependent on a signaling axis involving the extracellular matrix (ECM), integrins, and the cytoskeleton, which regulates EC shape changes and signals the pathways necessary for tube formation. Recent studies reveal that genes regulating this matrix-integrin-cytoskeletal (MIC) signaling axis are differentially expressed during EC morphogenesis. The Rho GTPases represent an important class of molecules involved in these events. Cdc42 and Rac1 are required for the process of EC intracellular vacuole formation and coalescence that regulates EC lumen formation in three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrices, while RhoA appears to stabilize capillary tube networks. Once EC tube networks are established, supporting cells, such as pericytes, are recruited to further stabilize these networks, perhaps by regulating EC basement membrane matrix assembly. Furthermore, we consider recent work showing that EC morphogenesis is balanced by a tendency for newly formed tubes to regress. This morphogenesis-regression balance is controlled by differential gene expression of such molecules as VEGF, angiopoietin-2, and PAI-1, as well as a plasmin- and matrix metalloproteinase-dependent mechanism that induces tube regression through degradation of ECM scaffolds that support EC-lined tubes. It is our hope that this review will stimulate increased interest and effort focused on the basic mechanisms regulating capillary tube formation and regression in 3D extracellular matrices.