RECOMBINANT ERYTHROPOIETIN MITIGATES REPERFUSION INJURY IN NEONATAL RAT CARDIOMYOCYTES BY NOVEL MULTIPLE SIGNALLING PATHWAYS

Objective: Recombinant Human Erythropoietin (rhEPO) is strongly inferred to protect the cardiomyocytes from the reperfusion injury and our aim is to elucidate the cardioprotective effect and the exact mechanism behind the cardioprotection.Methods: Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NCM) exposed to Hypoxia/Reperfusion (H/R) with or without pretreatment using various concentrations of rhEPO. To determine the cell viability-MTT assay, Acridine orange and Ethidium Bromide (Ao/EtBr) staining was performed. To determine the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) and Rhodamine-123 was used. To determine the signaling pathways Western blot analysis of pAkt, pp38 MAPK, cytochrome-c were performed.Results: rhEPO was found to reduce the cell death by stabilizing ROS significantly, Δψm, cytochrome c release, and caspase-3. rhEPO, increases the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, Akt and BAD compared to H/R. Further myocytes blocked with Wortmannin (WT), and SB203580 showed increased caspase-3 activity.Conclusion: Hence we conclude from this study that rhEPO regulated the factors involved in reperfusion injury through modulation of Akt and p38 MAPK pathways

Boundary Terms and Junction Conditions for Generalized Scalar-Tensor Theories

We compute the boundary terms and junction conditions for Horndeski's panoptic class of scalar-tensor theories, and write the bulk and boundary equations of motion in explicitly second order form. We consider a number of special subclasses, including galileon theories, and present the corresponding formulae. Our analysis opens up of the possibility of studying tunnelling between vacua in generalized scalar-tensor theories, and braneworld dynamics. The latter follows because our results are independent of spacetime dimension.Comment: 13 pages, Equation corrected. Thanks to Tsutomu Kobayashi for informing us of the typ

Pleosporales

One hundred and five generic types of Pleosporales are described and illustrated. A brief introduction and detailed history with short notes on morphology, molecular phylogeny as well as a general conclusion of each genus are provided. For those genera where the type or a representative specimen is unavailable, a brief note is given. Altogether 174 genera of Pleosporales are treated. Phaeotrichaceae as well as Kriegeriella, Zeuctomorpha and Muroia are excluded from Pleosporales. Based on the multigene phylogenetic analysis, the suborder Massarineae is emended to accommodate five families, viz. Lentitheciaceae, Massarinaceae, Montagnulaceae, Morosphaeriaceae and Trematosphaeriaceae

How do surgeons decide? Conduit choice in coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the UK

OBJECTIVES Conduits used in coronary artery bypass grafting may have significant impact on outcomes, but evidence is mixed and there is large variation in practice. This study provides insights into the opinions of the UK surgeons on conduit use and their decision-making processes. METHODS A questionnaire was created using the Ottawa Decision Support Framework to elicit the importance that surgeons placed on bilateral internal mammary artery grafting, skeletonization, total arterial revascularization and sequential anastomoses on a scale of 1–10. Scores ≥8 were deemed ‘important’ and ≤3 ‘not important’. Surgeons were asked to specify changes to practice in frail patients or emergencies. Additional questions included conduit type used, factors affecting decision-making and vein harvesting methods. Questionnaires were administered in person with data analysed centrally. RESULTS Ninety-seven consultant cardiac surgeons from 25 centres responded. Thirty-two percent surgeons routinely used radial arteries and 36% used right internal mammary artery. High-quality evidence contributed most to decision-making receiving a total of 328/960 points, with consultant experience being the second (255/960 points). There was a bimodal distribution of perceived importance of bilateral internal mammary artery use, with 29 (30%) ‘important’ and ‘not important’ scores each. 23% of surgeons found total arterial revascularization important. Most surgeons (64%) preferred pedicled mammary arteries. Twenty-six percent of surgeons considered sequential grafting to be important. CONCLUSIONS Low uptake of total arterial revascularization and bilateral internal mammary artery among the UK consultants may be due to the lack of high-quality evidence demonstrating a significant benefit. It is also possible that reluctance to use certain conduits may stem from low levels of exposure to conduits or inadequate training, particularly given the importance of consultant experience on decision-making

What is Scirrhia?

The ascomycetous genus Scirrhia is presently treated as a member of Dothideomycetidae, though uncertainty remains as to which family it belongs in Capnodiales, Ascomycota. Recent collections on stems of a fern, Pteridium aquilinum (Dennstaedtiaceae) in Brazil, led to the discovery of a new species of Scirrhia, described here as S. brasiliensis. Based on DNA sequence data of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (LSU), Scirrhia is revealed to represent a member of Dothideomycetes, Capnodiales, Mycosphaerellaceae. Scirrhia is the first confirmed genus in Mycosphaerellaceae to have well developed pseudoparaphyses and a prominent hypostroma in which ascomata are arranged in parallel rows. Given the extremely slow growth rate and difficulty in obtaining cultures of S. brasiliensis on various growth media, it appears that Scirrhia represents a genus of potentially obligate plant pathogens within Mycosphaerellaceae

Retinoic Acid Mediates Regulation of Network Formation by COUP-TFII and VE-Cadherin Expression by TGFβ Receptor Kinase in Breast Cancer Cells

Tumor development, growth, and metastasis depend on the provision of an adequate vascular supply. This can be due to regulated angiogenesis, recruitment of circulating endothelial progenitors, and/or vascular transdifferentiation. Our previous studies showed that retinoic acid (RA) treatment converts a subset of breast cancer cells into cells with significant endothelial genotypic and phenotypic elements including marked induction of VE-cadherin, which was responsible for some but not all morphological changes. The present study demonstrates that of the endothelial-related genes induced by RA treatment, only a few were affected by knockdown of VE-cadherin, ruling it out as a regulator of the RA-induced endothelial genotypic switch. In contrast, knockdown of the RA-induced gene COUP-TFII prevented the formation of networks in Matrigel but had no effect on VE-cadherin induction or cell fusion. Two pan-kinase inhibitors markedly blocked RA-induced VE-cadherin expression and cell fusion. However, RA treatment resulted in a marked and broad reduction in tyrosine kinase activity. Several genes in the TGFβ signaling pathway were induced by RA, and specific inhibition of the TGFβ type I receptor blocked both RA-induced VE-cadherin expression and cell fusion. Together these data indicate a role for the TGFβ pathway and COUP-TFII in mediating the endothelial transdifferentiating properties of RA

Structural studies of T4S systems by electron microscopy

Abstract: Type IV secretion (T4S) systems are large dynamic nanomachines that transport DNA and/or proteins through the membranes of bacteria. Analysis of T4S system architecture is an extremely challenging task taking into account their multi protein organisation and lack of overall global symmetry. Nonetheless the last decade demonstrated an amazing progress achieved by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. In this review we present a structural analysis of this dynamic complex based on recent advances in biochemical, biophysical and structural studies