MAYER-ROKITANSKY-KUSTER-HAUSER (MRKH) SYNDROME TYPE 2: ATYPICAL PRESENTATION OF RARE CASE

Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a congenital malformation characterized by an absence of the vagina associated with a variable abnormality of the uterus and the urinary tract but functional ovaries. We are reporting atypical presentation of rare case. Patient had obstructed left inguinal hernia with genitourinary and skeletal deformity. Latter it diagnosed as Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome which is a rare disease

Expression and characterisation of αvβ5 integrin on intestinal macrophages

Macrophages play a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis in the intestine, but the underlying mechanisms have not yet been elucidated fully. Here we show for the first time that mature intestinal macrophages in mouse colon and small intestine express high levels of αvβ5 integrin, which acts as a receptor for the uptake of apoptotic cells and can activate molecules involved in several aspects of tissue homeostasis such as angiogenesis and remodelling of the extracellular matrix. αvβ5 is not expressed by other immune cells in the intestine, is already present on intestinal macrophages soon after birth, and its expression is not dependent on the microbiota. In adults, αvβ5 induces the differentiation of monocytes in response to the local environment and it confers intestinal macrophages with the ability to promote engulfment of apoptotic cells via engagement of the bridging molecule milk fat globule EGF‐like molecule 8. In the absence of αvβ5, there are fewer monocytes in the mucosa and mature intestinal macrophages have decreased expression of metalloproteases and interleukin 10. Mice lacking αvβ5 on haematopoietic cells show increased susceptibility to chemical colitis and we conclude that αvβ5 contributes to the tissue repair by regulating the homeostatic properties of intestinal macrophages

Cloning and Functional Studies of a Splice Variant of CYP26B1 Expressed in Vascular Cells

Background: All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) plays an essential role in the regulation of gene expression, cell growth and differentiation and is also important for normal cardiovascular development but may in turn be involved in cardiovascular diseases, i.e. atherosclerosis and restenosis. The cellular atRA levels are under strict control involving several cytochromes P450 isoforms (CYPs). CYP26 may be the most important regulator of atRA catabolism in vascular cells. The present study describes the molecular cloning, characterization and function of atRA-induced expression of a spliced variant of the CYP26B1 gene. Methodology/Principal Findings: The coding region of the spliced CYP26B1 lacking exon 2 was amplified from cDNA synthesized from atRA-treated human aortic smooth muscle cells and sequenced. Both the spliced variant and full length CYP26B1 was found to be expressed in cultured human endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and in normal and atherosclerotic vessel. atRA induced both variants of CYP26B1 in cultured vascular cells. Furthermore, the levels of spliced mRNA transcript were 4.5 times higher in the atherosclerotic lesion compared to normal arteries and the expression in the lesions was increased 20-fold upon atRA treatment. The spliced CYP26B1 still has the capability to degrade atRA, but at an initial rate one-third that of the corresponding full length enzyme. Transfection of COS-1 and THP-1 cells with the CYP26B1 spliced variant indicated either an increase or a decrease in the catabolism of atRA, probably depending on the expression of other atRA catabolizing enzymes in the cells. Conclusions/Significance: Vascular cells express the spliced variant of CYP26B1 lacking exon 2 and it is also increased in atherosclerotic lesions. The spliced variant displays a slower and reduced degradation of atRA as compared to the full-length enzyme. Further studies are needed, however, to clarify the substrate specificity and role of the CYP26B1 splice variant in health and disease

Recycling of waste PET for functionalised textile finishing

80-84The glycolysis of waste bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has been carried out at 190oC for 8 h with sodium acetate catalyst. Products of reaction are then characterised by spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and calorimetry. The bis-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) obtained from the reaction is formulated using an emulsifying and dispersing agent and further utilised as an antistatic finishing chemical for imparting functional effect on polyester textile. The application has been performed by padding polyester fabric with a solution containing antistatic agents of different concertations (10, 20 and 40 g/L), followed by drying at 110° C for 60 s and then thermoset at 170°C for 40 s. The treated fabric is compared with a commercial antistatic agent for functional performance and then evaluated in terms of absorbency, wicking height, charge decay time, and hand feel. The results show that the fabric finished with 20 g/L BHET based formulation performs better than the commercial antistatic agent finished fabric, and the waste PET bottles can be effectively utilised as a textile finishing chemical

Performance of Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) as Influenced by Different Planting Techniques and Nutrient Management Practices in Arid Western Rajasthan

The productivity of arid region is much lower and resource degradation is much faster comparatively other ecosystem due to aberrant climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Lower production in arid region is due to lower nutrient and water holding capacity of soil, erratic rainfall pattern and inappropriate crop management practices. Therefore, present study was conducted with six planting techniques and four nutrient management practices in split plot design and replicated thrice, to find outsuitable planting techniques and nutrient management practices and their influence on growth, productivity of pearl millet in arid western Rajasthan.Results of the study showed that pit planting technique treatment PT6 noted taller plant over rest of the treatments during 2018 and 2019. Among various planting techniques, pit technique realized significantly higher relative growth rate(RGR) as compared ridge planting (PT2 and PT3) and direct seed sowing (PT1) also. However, pit planting technique PT4 recorded highest RGR of 1.87 & 1.77 g g-1 day-1during 20 days after sowing/transplanting (DAS/DAT) to 40 DAS/DAT and 2.26 & 2.23 g g-1 day-1during 40 DAS/DAT to at harvest during 2018 and 2019, respectively, which registered significantly edge over rest all treatments of sowing/transplanting. Though ridge planting techniques PT2 and PT3, computed significantly highest crop growth rate (CGR) as compared to rest all planting treatments yet formerly both treatment remained statistically at par with each other.  Pearl millet planted by pit planting technique PT6 recorded highest grain yield during both the years. Moreover, growth parameters and grain yield also increased with increasing dose of nutrients fromnutrient management practice NMP1 to nutrient management practiceNMP3 over control (NMP0). Highest plant height, crop growth rate (g m-1 day-1) and relative growth rate (g g-1 day-1) at different intervals and grain yieldwere recorded maximum in nutrient management practice NMP3, while minimum values of all above parameters were observed in no fertilization control (NMP0) treatment during individual years of 2018 and 2019

Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) Mediates Increased Inflammation and Colonization of Bladder Epithelial Cells during a Uropathogenic <i>E. coli</i> Infection In Vitro

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections in humans and are often caused by uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC). Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a proinflammatory metabolite that has been linked to vascular inflammation, atherosclerosis, and chronic kidney disease. As of today, no studies have investigated the effects of TMAO on infectious diseases like UTIs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether TMAO can aggravate bacterial colonization and the release of inflammatory mediators from bladder epithelial cells during a UPEC infection. We found that TMAO aggravated the release of several key cytokines (IL-1β and IL-6) and chemokines (IL-8, CXCL1 and CXCL6) from bladder epithelial cells during a CFT073 infection. We also found that CFT073 and TMAO mediate increased release of IL-8 from bladder epithelial cells via ERK 1/2 signaling and not bacterial growth. Furthermore, we showed that TMAO enhances UPEC colonization of bladder epithelial cells. The data suggest that TMAO may also play a role in infectious diseases. Our results can be the basis of further research to investigate the link between diet, gut microbiota, and urinary tract infection

Позаклітинний синтез наночастинок оксиду цинку з використанням термогалотолерантного штаму Aeribacillus pallidus SJP 27: характеристика та антибактеріальний потенціал

В роботі повідомляється про позаклітинний синтез наночастинок (NPs) оксиду цинку (ZnO) з використанням бактеріального ізоляту Aeribacillus pallidus штаму SJP 27 (обліковий номер MW148443) із зразка ґрунту посушливих і напівпосушливих районів великої індійської пустелі Тар. Бактеріальні клітини вирощували протягом ночі при 60 °C, включаючи галотолерантність 5 % w/v NaCl. Фізикохімічні характеристики ZnO NPs вивчалися за допомогою УФ-видимої спектроскопії (UV-Vis), інфрачервоної спектроскопії з перетворенням Фур'є (FTIR) та скануючої електронної мікроскопії (SEM). Антимікробна активність синтезованих ZnO NPs була підтверджена мінімальною інгібуючою концентрацією кишкової палички Escherichia coli (8 мг/мл) та золотистого стафілокока Staphylococcus aureus (4 мг/мл). Це дослідження стимулює використання бактеріальних ізолятів для позаклітинного синтезу ZnO NPs. Наскільки нам відомо, це перше з коли-небудь опублікованих досліджень термогалотолеранту Aeribacillus pallidus для позаклітинного синтезу, зокрема, ZnO NPs.The current work reports the extracellular synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) using the bacterial isolate Aeribacillus pallidus strain SJP 27 (Accession No. MW148443) from soil sample of arid and semi-arid regions of the Great Indian Thar desert. Bacterial cells were grown overnight at 60 °C incorporating a halo-tolerance of 5 % w/v NaCl. Physiochemical characterization of ZnO NPs were carried out using UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The antimicrobial activity of synthesized ZnO NPs was confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Escherichia coli (8 mg/ml) and Staphylococcus aureus (4 mg/ml). The present study encourages the use of bacterial isolates for the extracellular synthesis of ZnO NPs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ever reported study of a thermo-halotolerant, Aeribacillus pallidus for extracellular synthesis of ZnO NPs in particular

The Fibrotic Effects of TMAO on Human Renal Fibroblasts Is Mediated by NLRP3, Caspase-1 and the PERK/Akt/mTOR Pathway

Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a product of gut microbiota metabolism, has previously been shown to be implicated in chronic kidney disease. A high TMAO-containing diet has been found to cause tubulointerstitial renal fibrosis in mice. However, today there are no data linking specific molecular pathways with the effect of TMAO on human renal fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the fibrotic effects of TMAO on renal fibroblasts and to elucidate the molecular pathways involved. We found that TMAO promoted renal fibroblast activation and fibroblast proliferation via the PERK/Akt/mTOR pathway, NLRP3, and caspase-1 signaling. We also found that TMAO increased the total collagen production from renal fibroblasts via the PERK/Akt/mTOR pathway. However, TMAO did not induce fibronectin or TGF-β1 release from renal fibroblasts. We have unraveled that the PERK/Akt/mTOR pathway, NLRP3, and caspase-1 mediates TMAO’s fibrotic effect on human renal fibroblasts. Our results can pave the way for future research to further clarify the molecular mechanism behind TMAO’s effects and to identify novel therapeutic targets in the context of chronic kidney disease