Primary structure of myosin from the striated adductor muscle of the Atlantic scallop, Pecten maximus, and expression of the Regulatory Domain

We have determined the complete cDNA and deduced amino acid sequences of the heavy chain, regulatory light chain and essential light chain which constitute the molecular structure of myosin from the striated adductor muscle of the scallop, Pecten maximus. The deduced amino acid sequences of P. maximus regulatory light chain, essential light chain and heavy chain comprise 156, 156 and 1940 amino acids, respectively. These myosin peptide sequences, obtained from the most common of the eastern Atlantic scallops, are compared with those from three other molluscan myosins: the striated adductor muscles of Argopecten irradians and Placopecten magellanicus, and myosin from the siphon retractor muscle of the squid, Loligo pealei. The Pecten heavy chain sequence resembles those of the other two scallop sequences to a much greater extent as compared with the squid sequence, amino acid identities being 97.5% (A. irradians), 95.6% (P. magellanicus) and 73.6% (L. pealei), respectively. Myosin heavy chain residues that are known to be important for regulation are conserved in Pecten maximus. Using these Pecten sequences, we have overexpressed the regulatory light chain, and a combination of essential light chain and myosin heavy chain fragment, separately, in E. coli BL21 (DE3) prior to recombination, thereby producing Pecten regulatory domains without recourse to proteolytic digestion. The expressed regulatory domain was shown to undergo a calcium-dependent increase (7%) in intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence with a mid-point at a pCa of 6.6.     

Clinico-Radio-Histopathological Correlation by C-Arm Image-Guided Biopsy in Spinal Tuberculosis

Background/Purpose of the StudyC-arm-guided biopsy is a safe and effective technique for evaluating TB spine and is useful in planning therapy. The purpose of this study was to find a correlation between clinically and radiologically suspected TB spine and C-arm image-guided biopsy-proven cases and to study the complications encountered.MethodsAfter evaluating the clinical, laboratory, X-ray and MRI findings, 92 patients with provisionally diagnosed tubercular spine were subjected to C-arm image-guided biopsy.ResultsAmong our 92 cases, histopathology was positive in 55 cases (59.78%). Out of these 55 histologically positive cases, CBNAAT was positive in 42 cases and negative in the rest 13 cases. Overall, among the 92 cases, CBNAAT was positive in 51(55.43%) of cases, and out of these, histopathology turned out to be positive in 42 of cases. Out of 41 cases with negative CBNAAT, histopathology was suggestive of tuberculosis in 13. The strength of agreement between CBNAAT and histopathology was statistically significant (p < 0.0001; kappa = 0.511). No complication such as bleeding, nerve/cord injury, infection, injury to aorta or pneumothorax was encountered during and after the C-arm biopsy in any case.ConclusionC-arm image-guided biopsy is reasonably accurate and should be used as a tool for diagnosis of TB spine. We recommend histopathological examination as a key component for the diagnosis of TB spine, as it is precise and consumes relatively shorter time. CBNAAT is more rapid but is not a substitute for histopathology for spine TB diagnosis.     

A Study of Erosion–Corrosion Behaviour of Friction Stir-Processed Chromium-Reinforced NiAl Bronze Composite

Corrosion is frequently viewed as a catastrophic and unavoidable disaster in marine applications. Every year, a huge cost is incurred on the maintenance and repair of corrosion-affected equipment and machinery. In the marine environment, as-cast nickel–aluminium bronze (NAB) is susceptible to selective phase corrosion. To solve this problem, chromium-reinforced nickel–aluminium bronze was fabricated using the friction stir process (FSP) with improved microstructures and surface properties. A slurry erosion–corrosion test on as-cast and FSPed composites demonstrated that the developed surfaced composite has lower erosion and corrosion rates than the as-cast NAB alloy. The erosion–corrosion rate increased with a decrease in the impact angle from 90° to 30° for both as-cast NAB and prepared composites, exhibiting a shear mode of erosion. The specimens at impact angle 30° experienced more pitting action and higher mass loss compared with those at impact angle 90°. Due to increases in the mechanical properties, the FS-processed composite showed higher erosion resistance than the as-cast NAB alloy. Furthermore, corrosion behaviour was also studied via the static immersion corrosion test and electrochemical measurements under 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. In a static immersion corrosion test, the FSPed composite outperformed the as-cast NAB composite by a wide margin. The FSPed composite also demonstrated a reduced electrochemical corrosion rate, as revealed by the polarization curve and electrochemical impedance spectroscopic (EIS) data. This reduced rate is attributed to the formation of a Cr oxide film over its surface in the corrosive environment.     

Evaluating the Effect of Tideglusib-Loaded Bioactive Glass Nanoparticles as a Potential Dentine Regenerative Material

Dental pulp treatment is the least intrusive procedure currently available for preserving the vitality of the pulp. Several studies are underway to improve the bioactivity of pulp capping materials. Tideglusib isa potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and a regenerative drug developed against Alzheimer’s disease and has been shown to be effective in the treatment of dental cavities. However, its bioactive properties encapsulated within the nanoparticles as a component of pulp capping material are largely unknown. In this study, tideglusib-loaded bioactive glass nanoparticles were synthesized (tideglusib-BgNPs) and mixed at various concentrations into the calcium silicate cement to testits physiomechanical and bioactivitiescompared with biodentine (control). The calcium silicate cement with 10wgt% tideglusib-BgNPs showed comparable physiomechanical properties to that of biodentine. Additionally, the assessment of cytotoxicity and bioactivity (cell proliferation, wound healing, and cell migration assays) showed increased bioactivity in terms of better wound healing, increased proliferation, and better migration of human dental pulp stem cells than biodentine. These findings suggest new opportunities to use tideglusib-BgNPs in pulp therapy.     

Molecular and Immunological Characterization of Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70) Gene from Buffalo

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is a predominant member of the HSP family of proteins, which play a variety of functions in the cells and are responsible for cytoprotection under stress conditions. The present study was characterized by HSP70 (orf) in buffalo (Buablus bubalis). Genomic DNA was isolated from lymphocytes and that was used for PCR amplification of HSP70 gene. Polymerase chain reaction product (1,926 bp) was cloned in pGEM-T easy vector and sequenced. Sequence analysis revealed 1,926 bp long open reading frame of HSP70 gene encoding 641 amino acids in buffalo. The amino acid sequence showed 98 % identity with Bos taurus, Bos indicus, Yak, Capra hircus and 90–95 % identity with Camelus dromedaries, Felis catus, Canis familiaris, Sus scrofa, and Homo sapiens. The expression of this gene was in prokaryotic expression vector pPRoExHTa producing a recombinant protein of ~70 kDa, which is detected by SDS-PAGE. The tagged protein purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions was confirmed by western blotting using Ni-NTA HRP conjugate and 4 chloro-1-naphthol as substrate. Recombinant HSP70 was injected in mice and antiserum contained polyclonal antibody, which was detected by western blot. The recombinant HSP70 protein obtained may be used for the development of an assay for detection of thermal stress.     

Palliative care experience of US adult nephrology fellows: a national survey

Palliative care (PC) training and experience of United States (US) adult nephrology fellows was not known. It was also not clear whether nephrology fellows in the US undergo formal training in PC medicine during fellowship. To gain a better understanding of the clinical training and experience of US adult nephrology fellows in PC medicine, we conducted a national survey in March 2012. An anonymous on-line survey was sent to US adult nephrology fellows via nephrology fellowship training program directors. Fellows were asked several PC medicine experience and training questions. A total of 105 US adult nephrology fellows responded to our survey (11% response rate). Majority of the respondents (94%) were from university-based fellowship programs. Over two-thirds (72%) of the fellows had no formal PC medicine rotation during their medical school. Half (53%) of the respondents had no formal PC elective experience during residency. Although nearly 90% of the fellows had a division or department of PC medicine at their institution, only 46.9% had formal didactic PC medicine experience. Over 80% of the respondent's program did not offer formal clinical training or rotation in PC medicine during fellowship. While 90% of the responding fellows felt most comfortable with either writing dialysis orders in the chronic outpatient unit, seeing an ICU consult or writing continuous dialysis orders in the ICU, only 35% of them felt most comfortable “not offering” dialysis to a patient in the ICU with multi-organ failure. Nearly one out of five fellows surveyed felt obligated to offer dialysis to every patient regardless of benefit. Over two-thirds (67%) of the respondents thought that a formal rotation in PC medicine during fellowship would be helpful to them. To enhance clinical competency and confidence in PC medicine, a formal PC rotation during fellowship should be highly considered by nephrology training community.     

A neglected case of rare palsy of the descending branch of the posterior interosseous nerve due to penetrating injury

Traumatic palsy of the descending branch of the posterior interosseous nerve (PIN) is rare. Traumatic palsy usually involves the entire PIN around the elbow, leading to finger drop with loss of extension of all fingers and thumb. In the literature, to the best of our knowledge, only one case of traumatic palsy of the descending branch of the PIN due to penetrating injury is reported [1]. We report a neglected, rare case with complete loss of thumb extension and weakness in index finger extension following penetrating injury to the forearm. Our report shows that to diagnose the lesion site in partial PIN palsy, detailed knowledge of the PIN branching pattern is necessary.