Investigation of Pulse electric field effect on HeLa cells alignment properties on extracellular matrix protein patterned surface

YesCell behavior in terms of adhesion, orientation and guidance, on extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules including collagen, fibronectin and laminin can be examined using micro contact printing (MCP). These cell adhesion proteins can direct cellular adhesion, migration, differentiation and network formation in-vitro. This study investigates the effect of microcontact printed ECM protein, namely fibronectin, on alignment and morphology of HeLa cells cultured in-vitro. Fibronectin was stamped on plain glass cover slips to create patterns of 25μm, 50μm and 100μm width. However, HeLa cells seeded on 50μm induced the best alignment on fibronectin pattern (7.66° ±1.55SD). As a consequence of this, 50μm wide fibronectin pattern was used to see how fibronectin induced cell guidance of HeLa cells was influenced by 100μs and single pulse electric fields (PEF) of 1kV/cm. The results indicates that cells aligned more under pulse electric field exposure (2.33° ±1.52SD) on fibronectin pattern substrate. Thus, PEF usage on biological cells would appear to enhance cell surface attachment and cell guidance. Understanding this further may have applications in enhancing tissue graft generation and potentially wound repair.Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia and UTHM Tier 1 Research Grant (U865

Trypanosomiasis in Rams in Kaduna State Nigeria

Rams meant for sale during the Eid-el-Kabir period in two markets were examined and screened for trypanosomes as part of a Participatory Disease Surveillance. Clinical examination of the animals revealed respiratory  infections. Focus group interviews using participatory epidemiological tools also confirmed respiratory problems as the chief clinical symptom of disease. A total of 65 animals were screened using the hematocrit, buffy coat methods as well as thin and thick blood smears. The role and effect of the disease entities in these animals were discussed.Key words: Trypanosomes, rams, livestock market, participatory  epidemiology, Nigeria

Assessment of anti-trypanosomal drug resistance in cattle of the Ladduga Grazing Reserve, Kachia, Nigeria

A survey was conducted to determine the occurrence and magnitude of antitrypanosomal drug resistance in cattle of the Ladduga Grazing Reserve. The 310 cattle used in the study were randomly selected from each of the 6 blocks of the reserve. Blood samples obtained by venipuncture from the cattle were examined for trypanosomes by the Buffy Coat Technique and a PCR-based assay technique. Naturally occurring trypanosomal infections, diagnosed microscopically, in the cattle (No. detected parasitaemic/No. examined) were 11/71 (block I), 14/60 (block II), 39/54 (block III), 42/50 (block IV), 21/43 (block V) and 29/29 (block VI). In this study, we applied a protocol for rapid detection of anti-trypanosomal drug resistance hotspots which involved the monitoring of all the 156 cattle detected parasitaemic that were divided into two equal groups of 78 subjects each and treated on day 0 with diminazene aceturate (7.0 mg/kg, i.m.) or isometamidium chloride (0.5 mg/kg, i.m.). All treated cattle subsequently detected parasitaemic when re-examined on day 14 received treatment with the other “sanative pair” drug (i.e. diminazene in those previously treated with isometamidium, and vice versa). All the cattle treated on day 14 and subsequently detected parasitaemic on day 28 were treated with the other “sanative pair” drug. The infections included single infections with Trypanosoma brucei (8.9%), T. congolense (46.2%) and T. vivax (3.8%), and mixed infections of T. brucei /T. congolense (28.9%), T. congolense /T. vivax (7.1%), T. brucei /T. vivax (0.6%), and T. brucei /T. congolense /T. vivax (5.1%). Regardless of the Trypanosoma spp. found and nature (single/multiple) of the infection, the overall treatment failure rate determined on day 14 was 20.3% for isometamidium and 10.7% for diminazene. Data determined on day 28 indicated overall failure rates of 40.5% for treatment with isometamidium and 7.3% for that with the “sanative pair”. Based on response to questionnaire surveys, the herdsmen indicated that they readily purchased and self-administered diminazene or isometamidium to their cattle although only 20% of the respondents appeared to use the correct dosages of the two drugs. Data from the study would contribute to the mapping and control of animal trypanosomiasis in Nigeria and the West African cotton belt

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease

Preparation of carboxylate derivatives of terpyridine via the furan pathway

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