Chemotactic inhibitors in sera of patients with neoplastic disease

Our objective was to define the functional characteristics of chemotactic inhibitors in sera of patients with various neoplastic diseases. Fifty-nine patients were studied: lung cancer (15), breast cancer (11), lymphoma (20), leukemia (13). Chemotaxis and random motility were measured using a modified agarose technique with C5a and a bacterial filtrate of E. coli as the chemoattractants. Two types of inhibitors were found: chemotactic factor inhibitors and cell-directed inhibitors. The type of inhibitor as well as the specificity of the inhibitor for the chemoattractant (C5a or bacterial filtrate) varied depending upon the underlying neoplasm. Cell-directed inhibitors were reversible and none of the inhibitors affected random motility. Contrary to previous reports, the chemotactic factor inhibitors were heat-stable (p less than 0.001). Morphometric analysis of inhibited and non-inhibited cells using scanning electron photomicrographs showed a significant alteration in shape of the inhibited cells (p less than 0.003). The results indicate greater heterogeneity of the chemotactic inhibitors than was previously thought, as well as a tumour-dependent specificity of the inhibitors for the chemoattractants.     

Validity and reliability of wheelchair sitting posture measures using Coach’s Eye in abled subjects

People in wheelchairs spend a long time in the sitting position and often incur alignment problems resulting in neck and back pain. This study: (1) assessed the validity/reliability of Coach’s Eye (CE) smart device application, (2) examined the effect of seat to back support angle adjustments on head, neck, and shoulder posture in the sitting position, and (3) compared changes in cervical rotation at each back support angle. Abled subjects sat in a wheelchair with back support angles positioned at 90°, 100°, and 110°. CE, as well as ImageJ software, was used to analyze three angles: sagittal head angle (SHA), cervical angle (CVA), and shoulder angle (SA). There were highly significant differences for CVA and SA (p < 0.001) among the three seat to back support angles. Validity of CE was examined by correlating CE with ImageJ scores. CE had high validity for all angles (r = 0.99, 0.98, 0.99 respectively, p < 0.001). Inter-rater reliability for SHA, CVA, and SA was high (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] ranged from 0.95 to 0.99). Head (CVA) and shoulder (SA) alignment was closest to neutral posture with back support angles set at 110° and 90°, respectively.     

Evaluations of HIV type 1 rev gene diversity and functional domains following perinatal transmission

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) rev exons 1 and 2 sequences were analyzed from six mother-infant pairs following perinatal transmission. The rev open reading frame was maintained with a frequency of 93.96% in six mother-infant pairs' sequences. There was a low degree of viral heterogeneity and estimates of genetic diversity in mother-infant pairs' rev sequences. However, the distances of rev sequences between epidemiologically unlinked individuals were greater than in epidemiologically linked mother-infant pairs. Furthermore, phylogenetic parameters revealed that the epidemiologically linked mother-infant pairs were closer evolutionarily to each other as compared with epidemiologically unlinked mother-infant pairs. Both mothers and infants were under positive selection pressure as determined by the ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions. The functional domains required for Rev activity, including nuclear export of RNA, RNA binding domain, and nuclear import signals, were conserved in all mother-infant pairs' sequences. The conservation of functional domains of rev and a low degree of heterogeneity following vertical transmission are consistent with an indispensable role of rev in the HIV-1 life cycle.     

Risk of renal cell carcinoma and polymorphism in phase I xenobiotic metabolizing CYP1A1 and CYP2D6 enzymes

The progressive increase in sporadic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) observed in industrialized countries supports the opinion that certain carcinogens present in the environment (tobacco smoke, drugs, pollutants, and dietary constituents) may affect the occurrence and progression of this disease in developing countries like India. The polymorphism of the enzymes involved in metabolism of such environmental factors may, therefore, confer variable propensity to RCC. The possible association between RCC and a polymorphism of the CYP1A1 and CYP2D6 genes specific to the Indian population was examined using peripheral blood DNA from 196 RCC cases and 250 population controls with detailed data of clinicopathologic characteristics for the disease. The CYP1A1 (val) “variant” genotype, which contains at least 1 copy of the CYP1A1 variant alleles, was found to be associated with a 2.03-fold [GG ver. AA/AG, unadjusted OR = 2.03; 95%CI = 1.233–3.342; P = 0.005] increase in the risk of RCC. There was also a significant association (p^trend = 0.034) between higher frequency of RCC subjects containing at least of copy of the CYP1A1 (val) “variant” genotype with III or IV Fuhrman's grade. Whereas, the CYP2D6 polymorphism did not show any association with RCC risk [TT ver. CT/CC, unadjusted OR = 95%CI = 1.233–3.342; P = 0.005]. There was a significant association (p^trend = 0.001) between the poor metabolizer CYP2D6 (TT) and progression towards higher pathological stage of RCC. Our data demonstrate for the first time a significant association between pharmacogenetic polymorphisms of CYP1A1 and risk of RCC development in the Indian population. The findings suggest that inter-individual variation in the phase I metabolic enzymes involved in the fictionalization and detoxification of specific xenobiotics is an important susceptibility factor for development and progression of RCC in Indians.     

PVA-PEG physically cross-linked hydrogel film as a wound dressing: experimental design and optimization

The development of hydrogel films as wound healing dressings is of a great interest owing to their biological tissue-like nature. Polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene glycol (PVA/PEG) hydrogels loaded with asiaticoside, a standardized rich fraction of Centella asiatica, were successfully developed using the freeze–thaw method. Response surface methodology with Box–Behnken experimental design was employed to optimize the hydrogels. The hydrogels were characterized and optimized by gel fraction, swelling behavior, water vapor transmission rate and mechanical strength. The formulation with 8% PVA, 5% PEG 400 and five consecutive freeze–thaw cycles was selected as the optimized formulation and was further characterized by its drug release, rheological study, morphology, cytotoxicity and microbial studies. The optimized formulation showed more than 90% drug release at 12?hours. The rheological properties exhibited that the formulation has viscoelastic behavior and remains stable upon storage. Cell culture studies confirmed the biocompatible nature of the optimized hydrogel formulation. In the microbial limit tests, the optimized hydrogel showed no microbial growth. The developed optimized PVA/PEG hydrogel using freeze–thaw method was swellable, elastic, safe, and it can be considered as a promising new wound dressing formulation.     

Correction: Acridinedione as selective flouride ion chemosensor: a detailed spectroscopic and quantum mechanical investigation

Correction for ‘Acridinedione as selective flouride ion chemosensor: a detailed spectroscopic and quantum mechanical investigation’ by Nafees Iqbal et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 1993–2003.

The authors regret that the interpretation of the fluorescence spectra of compound 7i published in the original article was incorrect. In the original article, it was reported that upon excitation at 380 nm, the fluorescence spectrum of compound 7i showed two emission bands at 450 nm and 770 nm (Fig. 5b of the original article). The signal at 770 nm (previously reported as an emission band), is instead a second order diffraction (an artefact of diffraction grating/spectrofluorometer monochromator), as revealed from the literature.^1,2 The authors thank a reader for highlighting this mistake.The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.     

Review of the prevalence,diagnostics, and containment measures of the current mpox outbreak

Monkeypox(mpox), is a disease from the Poxviridae family that can cause several serious medical issues. This mini-review sought to analyze the existing literature regarding the current mpox outbreak with a focus on the prevalence, diagnostics, and containment measures. Mpox cases have been reported to World Health Organization(WHO) from 85 Member States in all six WHO regions during the period of January 1, 2022, through August 3, 2022. Standardized or optimized guidelines for the clinical care ...     

Tubal assessment tests: still have not found what we are looking for

Interest in tubal assessment is as old as interest in fertility and infertility. The Fallopian tube is a particularly complex structure and, as such, an ideal method for its clinical assessment is very difficult to obtain. As a result, a number of different methods have been suggested. Some of these methods are more complementary to each other rather than potential substitutes for one another. Some have been used for many years with a clear evidence base for their performance as diagnostic tests. For other, relatively new tests, very little evidence about their performance is available. Research is moving from a purely anatomical approach (are the tubes open or blocked?) to encompassing functional enquiry (are the open tubes functional and, if not, are there interventions with which fertility performance can be improved?). The available evidence, or lack thereof, for the most commonly used tubal assessment tests is reviewed in this paper. Many questions remain, which, despite the increasing success of IVF, will continue to challenge and stimulate specialists and the public, who are interested in ways to maximize spontaneous as opposed to assisted fertility.