Antioxidants and Oral Health

The oral cavity is ubiquitous of various bacteria due to steady assaults of various food substances, soft drinks, alcohol, tobacco products etc. Antioxidants are substances that inhibit oxidation and prevent the formation of free radicals, which are responsible for cellular damage. Since the oral tissues are vulnerable to cellular damage caused by free radicals and oxidation process hence maintenance, a good level of antioxidants is very essential to achieve optimal oral health. This review highlights the role of antioxidants in the prevention of oral diseases

A model to assess the technological level of small businesses

none2In this paper we present a three-dimensional framework (named Cu- be of Corporate Technological Level – CCTL) to evaluate the technological po- sition of small enterprises from different points of view. This framework has been developed from existing tools with similar goals, already proposed by oth- er authors. Compared to existing ones, this framework differs primarily for the inclusion of a collaborative perspective. It reflects the distinctive features of the latest interactive and web 2.0 tools (chat, blogs, forums, ...), that allow compa- nies to manage their relationships with the external stakeholders of the supply chain. The proposed framework has been applied to a sample of small business- es to test its validity. Some business cases with different positions in the Cube are described.This paper is the joint effort of the authors. Francesca Maria Cesaroni developed sections 1, 2 and 5 and Domenico Consoli sections 3 and 4.openF.M.Cesaroni; D.ConsoliCesaroni, FRANCESCA MARIA; D., Consol

Coffin-Siris syndrome with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>We report the case of an unusual association of Coffin-Siris syndrome with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome. This association has never previously been reported in the medical literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A nine-year-old Indian girl was referred to our hospital for growth retardation, mental retardation, lax joints, generalized hypertrichosis, and hypoplastic fifth fingernails and toenails. A thorough medical examination and evaluation revealed she had phenotypic features of Coffin-Siris syndrome, with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome on radiological evaluation. The karyotype of our patient was normal.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In an unexplained case of mental retardation with facies suggestive of Coffin-Siris syndrome, association with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome should be considered and the patient should be evaluated for the same. Both of these syndromes may have a common pathogenesis, as yet unknown. This case report has broad implications, as similar cases in future may give insights into the pathogenesis of both these syndromes.</p

CMB Telescopes and Optical Systems

The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is now firmly established as a fundamental and essential probe of the geometry, constituents, and birth of the Universe. The CMB is a potent observable because it can be measured with precision and accuracy. Just as importantly, theoretical models of the Universe can predict the characteristics of the CMB to high accuracy, and those predictions can be directly compared to observations. There are multiple aspects associated with making a precise measurement. In this review, we focus on optical components for the instrumentation used to measure the CMB polarization and temperature anisotropy. We begin with an overview of general considerations for CMB observations and discuss common concepts used in the community. We next consider a variety of alternatives available for a designer of a CMB telescope. Our discussion is guided by the ground and balloon-based instruments that have been implemented over the years. In the same vein, we compare the arc-minute resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). CMB interferometers are presented briefly. We conclude with a comparison of the four CMB satellites, Relikt, COBE, WMAP, and Planck, to demonstrate a remarkable evolution in design, sensitivity, resolution, and complexity over the past thirty years.Comment: To appear in: Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems (PSSS), Volume 1: Telescopes and Instrumentatio

Interaction of the tetracyclines with double-stranded RNAs of random base sequence: new perspectives on the target and mechanism of action

The 16S rRNA binding mechanism proposed for the antibacterial action of the tetracyclines does not explain their mechanism of action against non-bacterial pathogens. In addition, several contradictory base pairs have been proposed as their binding sites on the 16S rRNA. This study investigated the binding of minocycline and doxycycline to short double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) of random base sequences. These tetracyclines caused a dose-dependent decrease in the fluorescence intensities of 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM)-labelled dsRNA and ethidium bromide (EtBr)-stained dsRNA, indicating that both drugs bind to dsRNA of random base sequence in a manner that is competitive with the binding of EtBr and other nucleic acid ligands often used as stains. This effect was observable in the presence of Mg2+. The binding of the tetracyclines to dsRNA changed features of the fluorescence emission spectra of the drugs and the CD spectra of the RNA, and inhibited RNase III cleavage of the dsRNA. These results indicate that the double-stranded structures of RNAs may have a more important role in their interaction with the tetracyclines than the specific base pairs, which had hitherto been the subject of much investigation. Given the diverse functions of cellular RNAs, the binding of the tetracyclines to their double-stranded helixes may alter the normal processing and functioning of the various biological processes they regulate. This could help to explain the wide range of action of the tetracyclines against various pathogens and disease condition

A Systematic Analysis of Eluted Fraction of Plasma Post Immunoaffinity Depletion: Implications in Biomarker Discovery

Plasma is the most easily accessible source for biomarker discovery in clinical proteomics. However, identifying potential biomarkers from plasma is a challenge given the large dynamic range of proteins. The potential biomarkers in plasma are generally present at very low abundance levels and hence identification of these low abundance proteins necessitates the depletion of highly abundant proteins. Sample pre-fractionation using immuno-depletion of high abundance proteins using multi-affinity removal system (MARS) has been a popular method to deplete multiple high abundance proteins. However, depletion of these abundant proteins can result in concomitant removal of low abundant proteins. Although there are some reports suggesting the removal of non-targeted proteins, the predominant view is that number of such proteins is small. In this study, we identified proteins that are removed along with the targeted high abundant proteins. Three plasma samples were depleted using each of the three MARS (Hu-6, Hu-14 and Proteoprep 20) cartridges. The affinity bound fractions were subjected to gelC-MS using an LTQ-Orbitrap instrument. Using four database search algorithms including MassWiz (developed in house), we selected the peptides identified at <1% FDR. Peptides identified by at least two algorithms were selected for protein identification. After this rigorous bioinformatics analysis, we identified 101 proteins with high confidence. Thus, we believe that for biomarker discovery and proper quantitation of proteins, it might be better to study both bound and depleted fractions from any MARS depleted plasma sample

Grading of carotid artery stenosis with multidetector-row CT angiography: visual estimation or caliper measurements?

To assess the optimal method for grading carotid artery stenosis with computed tomographic angiography (CTA), we compared visual estimation to caliper measurements, and determined inter-observer variability and agreement relative to digital subtraction angiography (DSA). We included 46 patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis for whom CTA and DSA of 55 carotids was available. Stenosis quantification by CTA using visual estimation (CTAVE) (method 1) was compared with caliper measurements using subjectively optimized wide window settings (method 2) or predefined contrast-dependent narrow window settings (method 3). Measurements were independently performed by two radiologists and two residents. To determine accuracy and inter-observer variability, we calculated linear weighted kappa, performed a Bland-Altman analysis and calculated mean difference (bias) and standard deviation of differences (SDD). For inter-observer variability, kappa analysis was “very good” (0.85) for expert observers using CTAVE compared with “good” (0.61) for experts using DSA. Compared with DSA, method 1 led to overestimation (bias 5.8–8.0%, SDD 10.6–14.4), method 3 led to underestimation (bias −6.3 to −3.0%, SDD 13.0–18.1). Measurement variability between DSA and visual estimation on CTA (SDD 11.5) is close to the inter-observer variability of repeated measurements on DSA that we found in this study (SDD 11.6). For CTA of carotids, stenosis grading based on visual estimation provides better agreement to grading by DSA compared with stenosis grading based on caliper measurements