Supraclavicularis proprius muscle associated with supraclavicular nerve entrapment

Entrapment neuropathy of the supraclavicular nerve is rare and, when it occurs, is usually attributable to branching of the nerve into narrow bony clavicular canals. We describe another mechanism for entrapment of this nerve with the aberrant muscle; supraclavicularis being found during the routine dissection of an embalmed 82-year-old cadaver. Our report details a unique location for this rare muscular variation whereby the muscle fibres originated posteriorly on the medial aspect of the clavicle before forming a muscular arch over the supraclavicular nerve and passing laterally towards the trapezius and acromion. We recommend that in clinical instances of otherwise unexplained unilateral clavicular pain or tenderness, nerve compression from the supraclavicularis muscle must be borne in mind.

Screening of Short Duration Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] Genotypes against Major Insect Pests

Ten promising short duration genotypes of pigeonpea were screened under field conditions for two years (2013-15) to identify sources of resistance against pod borers. On the basis of per cent pod damage and Pest Susceptibility Rating (PSR) index, genotypes PUSA-2012-1, PA 409, PA 406, AL1747 were found to be least susceptible (PSR= 4 to 5) while two genotypes, AL 1790 and AL 1770 were ascertained highly susceptible against pod borers having damage rating of 8 over the susceptible check cultivar (Manak). Phenol and flavonoid content present in the pod wall of all the test genotypes/cultivars were also estimated. Highest phenol and flavonoid content was recorded from PUSA-2012-1 while the lowest content was obtained from the genotype AL 1790. Correlation studies made with these biochemical constituents revealed a significant and negative association of pod damage (%) with phenol (r = -0.896**) and flavonoid (r = -0.872**) content in pod walls. Thus the genotypes having higher content of phenols and flavonoids in their pod walls offered resistance against pod borer complex

Population Dynamics of Lobster Moth, Neostauropus alternus Walker on Pigeonpea in Relation to Abiotic Factors of Pantnagar Region

Field experiments were carried out to study the population dynamics of Lobster moth (Neostauropus alternus Walker) on pigeonpea and its relation with different weather variables during kharif season of 2013-14 and 2014-15 under unprotected conditions at Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, India. The results revealed that the incidence of this insect commenced from the 34th standard week and it remained active up to 41st standard week of both the years. The insect showed one peak of its population during both the years. The maximum number of N. alternus was recorded on 37th standard week (5.6 larvae per plant) in 2013-14 while in 2014-15, population of N. alternus was highest in 38th standard week (4.8 larvae per plant). Correlation studies indicated that larval population of N. alternus exhibited a significant positive correlation with temperature whereas a significant negative correlation was established with relative humidity. Other abiotic factors had no significant effect on this insect pest population

Simple model of adsorption on external surface of carbon nanotubes: a new analytical approach basing on molecular simulation data

Nitrogen adsorption on carbon nanotubes is wide- ly studied because nitrogen adsorption isotherm measurement is a standard method applied for porosity characterization. A further reason is that carbon nanotubes are potential adsorbents for separation of nitrogen from oxygen in air. The study presented here describes the results of GCMC simulations of nitrogen (three site model) adsorption on single and multi walled closed nanotubes. The results obtained are described by a new adsorption isotherm model proposed in this study. The model can be treated as the tube analogue of the GAB isotherm taking into account the lateral adsorbate-adsorbate interactions. We show that the model describes the simulated data satisfactorily. Next this new approach is applied for a description of experimental data measured on different commercially available (and characterized using HRTEM) carbon nanotubes. We show that generally a quite good fit is observed and therefore it is suggested that the observed mechanism of adsorption in the studied materials is mainly determined by adsorption on tubes separated at large distances, so the tubes behave almost independently

Molecular Basis of ß-­arrestin Coupling to Formoterol-­Bound ß1-­adrenoceptor

The β1-adrenoceptor (β1AR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that couples1 to the heterotrimeric G protein Gs. G-protein-mediated signalling is terminated by phosphorylation of the C terminus of the receptor by GPCR kinases (GRKs) and by coupling of β-arrestin 1 (βarr1, also known as arrestin 2), which displaces Gs and induces signalling through the MAP kinase pathway2. The ability of synthetic agonists to induce signalling preferentially through either G proteins or arrestins-known as biased agonism3-is important in drug development, because the therapeutic effect may arise from only one signalling cascade, whereas the other pathway may mediate undesirable side effects4. To understand the molecular basis for arrestin coupling, here we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the β1AR-βarr1 complex in lipid nanodiscs bound to the biased agonist formoterol5, and the crystal structure of formoterol-bound β1AR coupled to the G-protein-mimetic nanobody6 Nb80. βarr1 couples to β1AR in a manner distinct to that7 of Gs coupling to β2AR-the finger loop of βarr1 occupies a narrower cleft on the intracellular surface, and is closer to transmembrane helix H7 of the receptor when compared with the C-terminal α5 helix of Gs. The conformation of the finger loop in βarr1 is different from that adopted by the finger loop of visual arrestin when it couples to rhodopsin8. β1AR coupled to βarr1 shows considerable differences in structure compared with β1AR coupled to Nb80, including an inward movement of extracellular loop 3 and the cytoplasmic ends of H5 and H6. We observe weakened interactions between formoterol and two serine residues in H5 at the orthosteric binding site of β1AR, and find that formoterol has a lower affinity for the β1AR-βarr1 complex than for the β1AR-Gs complex. The structural differences between these complexes of β1AR provide a foundation for the design of small molecules that could bias signalling in the β-adrenoceptors

Conductance oscillations of a spin-orbit stripe with polarized contacts

We investigate the linear conductance of a stripe of spin-orbit interaction in a 2D electron gas; that is, a 2D region of length $\ell$ along the transport direction and infinite in the transverse one in which a spin-orbit interaction of Rashba type is present. Polarization in the contacts is described by means of Zeeman fields. Our model predicts two types of conductance oscillations: Ramsauer oscillations in the minority spin transmission, when both spins can propagate, and Fano oscillations when only one spin propagates. The latter are due to the spin-orbit coupling with quasibound states of the non propagating spin. In the case of polarized contacts in antiparallel configuration Fano-like oscillations of the conductance are still made possible by the spin orbit coupling, even though no spin component is bound by the contacts. To describe these behaviors we propose a simplified model based on an ansatz wave function. In general, we find that the contribution for vanishing transverse momentum dominates and defines the conductance oscillations. Regarding the oscillations with Rashba coupling intensity, our model confirms the spin transistor behavior, but only for high degrees of polarization. Including a position dependent effective mass yields additional oscillations due to the mass jumps at the interfaces.Comment: 8.5 pages, 9 figure

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery III: Training and Robotic-Assisted Approaches.

Minimally invasive mitral valve operations are increasingly common in the United States, but robotic-assisted approaches have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons. This expert opinion reviews the state of the art and defines best practices, training, and techniques for developing a successful robotics program

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery I: Patient Selection, Evaluation, and Planning.

Widespread adoption of minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement may be fostered by practice consensus and standardization. This expert opinion, first of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices in patient evaluation and selection for minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and discusses preoperative planning for cannulation and myocardial protection

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery II: Surgical Technique and Postoperative Management.

Techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement continue to evolve. This expert opinion, the second of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices for nonrobotic, minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and for postoperative care after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery

Priprava, in vitro i in vivo evaluacija bioadhezivnih mikrosfera s algino-pektinom: ispitivanje utjecaja polimera pomoću multiple poredbene analize

Ionotropic gelation was used to entrap aceclofenac into algino-pectinate bioadhesive microspheres as a potential drug carrier for the oral delivery of this anti-inflammatory drug. Microspheres were investigated in vitro for possible sustained drug release and their use in vivo as a gastroprotective system for aceclofenac. Polymer concentration and polymer/drug ratio were analyzed for their influence on microsphere properties. The microspheres exhibited good bioadhesive property and showed high drug entrapment efficiency. Drug release profiles exhibited faster release of aceclofenac from alginate microspheres whereas algino-pectinate microspheres showed prolonged release. Dunett\u27s multiple comparison analyis suggested a significant difference in percent inhibition of paw edema when the optimized formulation was compared to pure drug. It was concluded that the algino-pectinate bioadhesive formulations exhibit promising properties of a sustained release form for aceclofenac and that they provide distinct tissue protection in the stomach.U radu je opisana priprava algino-pektinskih bioadhezivnih mikrosfera protuupalnog lijeka aceklofenaka metodom ionotropnog geliranja. In vitro je ispitivana mogućnost postupnog oslobađanja ljekovite tvari iz mikrosfera te mogućnost upotrebe mikrosfera kao gastroprotektivnog sustava za isporuku aceklofenaka in vivo. Ispitivan je utjecaj koncentracije polimera i omjera polimera i lijeka na svojstva mikrosfera. Mikrosfere su bile bioahezivne i sadržavale su veliki udio lijeka. Oslobađanje aceklofenaka iz alginatnih mikrosfera bilo je brže, a iz mikrosfera s algino-pektinom usporeno. Dunnetova multipla analiza ukazuje na značajnu razliku u postotku inhibicije edema šape kada se usporede optimizirana formulacija i čista ljekovita tvar. Može se zaključiti da su bioadhezivne mikrosfere s algino-pektinom povoljne za usporeno oslobađanje aceklofenaka te da pružaju umjerenu zaštitu sluznice želuca