Stem cells and fluid flow drive cyst formation in an invertebrate excretory organ.

Cystic kidney diseases (CKDs) affect millions of people worldwide. The defining pathological features are fluid-filled cysts developing from nephric tubules due to defective flow sensing, cell proliferation and differentiation. The underlying molecular mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood, and the derived excretory systems of established invertebrate models (Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster) are unsuitable to model CKDs. Systematic structure/function comparisons revealed that the combination of ultrafiltration and flow-associated filtrate modification that is central to CKD etiology is remarkably conserved between the planarian excretory system and the vertebrate nephron. Consistently, both RNA-mediated genetic interference (RNAi) of planarian orthologues of human CKD genes and inhibition of tubule flow led to tubular cystogenesis that share many features with vertebrate CKDs, suggesting deep mechanistic conservation. Our results demonstrate a common evolutionary origin of animal excretory systems and establish planarians as a novel and experimentally accessible invertebrate model for the study of human kidney pathologies

1-Methyl-4-[(E)-2-(2-thien­yl)­ethen­yl]­pyridinium 4-methyl­benzene­sulfonate1

In the title compound, C12H12NS+·C7H7O3S−, the cation exists in an E configuration with respect to the ethenyl C=C bond. The cation is essentially planar with a dihedral angle of 1.94 (10)° between the pyridinium and thio­phene rings. The benzene ring of the anion makes dihedral angles of 75.23 (10) and 76.83 (10)°, respectively, with the pyridinium and thio­phene rings. In the crystal structure, cations and anions form alternate layers parallel to the bc plane. Within each layer, both cations and anions are arranged into chains directed along the b axis. The cation chain and the anion chain are inter­connected by weak C—H⋯O inter­actions into a three-dimensional network. The crystal structure is further stabilized by C—H⋯π inter­actions

Performance analysis of smart optimization antenna for wireless networks

Antenna design has significantly advanced as a result of the widespread need for wireless communications and data substitution through wireless devices. The research article's goal is to provide a conceptual framework, difficulties, and opportunities for a source as well as a general overview of the antenna used in wireless communications applications. In this proposed research, we will go over a variety of topics related to mobile communication and fifth generation (5G) technologies, including its pros and benefits. A thorough comparison between the expected properties of the antennas and each generation, from 1st generation (1G) to 5G, is also included. This article also provides an overview of the investigated 5G technologies and various antenna designs

Dibromidobis(1-ethyl-2,6-dimethyl­pyridinium-4-olate-κO)zinc(II)

In the bioactive title compound, [ZnBr2(C9H13NO)2], the ZnII atom is coordinated in a distorted tetra­hedral arrangement by two Br− anions and the O atoms of two zwitterionic organic ligands. The pyridinium rings are almost planar [maximum deviations = 0.004 (4) and 0.003 (4) Å]. The ethyl groups are approximately perpendicular to the corresponding pyridinium ring planes [N—C—C—C = 88.8 (4)° in each ligand]. The packing of the mol­ecules is controlled by π–π inter­actions, with centroid–centroid distances of 3.625 (3) and 3.711 (2) Å, forming chains approximately parallel to (102). The crystal studied was non-merohedrally twinned (twin relationship between the domains 1 0 0, 0 1 0, −0.4672 −0.1864 −1 and batch scale factor of 7.39%)

Cytocompatibility and Dielectric Properties of Sr2+ Substituted Nano-Hydroxyapatite for Triggered Drug Release

Hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH) is a well-known bioceramics material used in medical applications because of its ability to form direct chemical bonds with living tissues. In this context, we investigate the biocompatibility and dielectric properties of Sr2+-substituted hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method. The influence of strontium on the crystal structure, functional group, morphological, electrical properties, and biocompatibility of as-synthesized nano-hydroxyapatite samples was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Dielectrical properties of the bioactive Sr-HA sample were investigated by a dielectric impedance spectroscopy method. The observed results illustrate the incorporation of Sr2+ ions in the apatite lattice could influence the pure HA properties, by reducing the crystallite size and crystallinity quite consistent with the morphology variation. The ac conductivity (σac) increased with an increasing applied frequency confirmed that prepared HA sample exhibited the universal power law nature. Further, the in vitro drug loading and release studies using doxycycline as a model drug demonstrate that the Sr2+ -HA nanoparticles show high drug adsorption capacity and sustained drug release. Thus, the improved bioceramics system could be a promising candidate for future biomedical applications

Hymenolepis diminuta infection in a school-going child: A rare case report

Hymenolepis diminuta (H. diminuta) is a common parasite of rats and mice. It is very rare among humans. The life cycle of this parasite is completed in two hosts. Human beings are accidentally infected due to ingestion of infected fleas. Most   of the time human infections are asymptomatic. We report a case of Hymenolepis diminuta infection in a school-going 10-year-old girl from a coastal village in south Tamil Nadu. Demonstration of H. diminuta eggs in the stool is the important diagnostic tool. Absence of polar filaments confirms the Hymenolepis diminuta. Praziquantal is the drug of choice

2-[(E)-2-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)ethen­yl]-1-methyl­pyridinium 4-methoxy­benzene­sulfonate

In the asymmetric unit of the title salt, C14H13ClN+·C7H7O4S−, there are two crystallographically independent mol­ecules for each component. Each cation adopts an E configuration with respect to the C=C bond and is slightly twisted; the dihedral angle between the pyridinium and benzene rings is 6.53 (7)° for one mol­ecule and 5.30 (7)° for the other. The meth­oxy groups in the anion mol­ecules are each twisted from the mean plane of benzene ring with torsion angles of 16.38 (19) and 4.32 (19)°. In the crystal structure, the cations are stacked in an anti­parallel manner along the a axis and the anions are linked together by C—H⋯O inter­actions into a layer parallel to (001). The anion layers are further linked to adjacent cations by C—H⋯O inter­actions. C—H⋯π inter­actions involving the benzene rings of both ions are also observed

In vitro exposure of tobacco specific nitrosamines decreases the rat lung phospholipids by enhanced phospholipase A(2) activity

Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) have implications in the pathogenesis of various lung diseases and conditions are prevalent even in non-smokers. N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) and 4-(methyl nitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) are potent pulmonary carcinogens present in tobacco product and are mainly responsible for lung cancer. TSNA reacts with pulmonary surfactants, and alters the surfactant phospholipid. The present study was undertaken to investigate the in vitro exposure of rat lung tissue slices to NNK or NNN and to monitor the phospholipid alteration by P-32]orthophosphate labeling. Phospholipid content decreased significantly in the presence of either NNK or NNN with concentration and time dependent manner. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the main phospholipid of lung and significant reduction was observed in PC similar to 61%, followed by phosphatidylglycerol (PG) with 100 mu M of NNK, whereas NNN treated tissues showed a reduction in phosphatidylserine (PS) similar to 60% and PC at 250 mu M concentration. The phospholipase A(2) assays and expression studies reveal that both compounds enhanced phospholipid hydrolysis, thereby reducing the phospholipid content. Collectively, our data demonstrated that both NNK and NNN significantly influenced the surfactant phospholipid level by enhanced phospholipase A(2) activity. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved