Giant megacolon caused by anterior displacement of the anus in a 71-year-old woman

The patient was a 71-year-old woman who was referred to the general surgery clinic due to a severe colonic dilatation and a fecal mass that was found in her abdominopelvic CT scan, which was ordered by a nephrologist for approaching her right flank pain. The patient had experienced bloating and progressive abdominal distension in the year prior to the current visit. The last defecation had occurred approximately 20 days prior to the visit, and the last gas passage had occurred the day before the visit.&nbsp

A model of the factors predicting English language teacher immunity: A path analysis

Language teacher immunity, recently put forth by Hiver and Dornyei (2015), refers to “a robust armoring system that emerges in response to high-intensity threats and allows teachers to maintain professional equilibrium and instructional effectiveness” (Hiver, 2017, p. 669). Due to the pure novelty of this construct, its significance to the practice of teaching and rarity of research on it, the present study aimed to develop a model on the predictors of this newly-developed concept. Based on the theories in the related literature, a model was proposed in which four traits of six HEXACO personality traits, job insecurity, and reflective teaching were considered as predicting factors. Through running Path Analysis using AMOS with Maximum Likelihood Estimate on the quantitative data obtained from 483 English language teachers from Iran, a revised model was obtained in which agreeableness, extroversion and emotionality were proved to have effects on language teacher immunity indirectly through job insecurity and reflective teaching which had direct effects on it. The strongest paths were from Job Insecurity (JI) to Reflective Teaching (RT) and Language Teacher Immunity (LTI) with considerable negative regression weights meaning that JI can have negative effects on both of them. The findings of the current research provide implications for both teachers and teacher trainers, highlighting the predictors of teacher immunity

Transient Expression of a Recombinant Monoclonal Antibody in HEK293T Cells

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are considered the most important and financially successful category of the biopharmaceuticals. Extensive optimization of the expression vector, host system and culture parameters are required for the successful production of active monoclonal antibodies in mammalian cells. In this regards, transient expression enables rapid and cost-effective production of recombinant proteins for initial characterization. Methods: In the present study, an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) based bicistronic expression system has been evaluated for the transient expression of an anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody in mammalian cells. The IRES based bicistronic vector was generated through sequential cloning of the Light chain (LC), IRES, and Heavy chain (HC) in an intermediate vector and transfer of the resulting fragment to the expression vector. Transfection of the HEK293T cells was performed and antibody expression was analyzed in cell culture supernatant. Results: Restriction enzyme analysis indicated successful cloning of the antibody coding unit in the expression vector. Analysis of EGFP expression indicated successful transfection of the HEK293T cells. Production levels of 220 μg/L of antibody were achieved in HEK293T cells during three days of culture. Conclusion: Our results show the convenience and efficiency of the bicistronic expression system for transient expression of the whole monoclonal antibodies in mammalian cells

The CRISPR growth spurt: from bench to clinic on versatile small RNAs

Clustered Regulatory Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) in association with CRISPR associated protein (Cas) is an adaptive immune system, playing a pivotal role in the defense of bacteria and archaea. Ease of handling and cost effectiveness make CRISPR-Cas system an ideal programmable nuclease tool. Recent advances in understanding the CRISPR-Cas system have tremendously improved its efficiency. For instance, it is possible to recapitulate the chronicle CRISPR-Cas from its infancy and inaugurate a developed version by generating novel variants of Cas proteins, subduing off-target effects and optimization of innovative strategies. In summary, CRISPR-Cas system could be employed in a number of applications including providing model systems, rectification of detrimental mutations, and antiviral therapies

The Impact of CRISPR-Cas System on Antiviral Therapy

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein nuclease (Cas) is identified as an adaptive immune system in archaea and bacteria. Type II of this system, CRISPR-Cas9, is the most versatile form that has enabled facile and efficient targeted genome editing. Viral infections have serious impacts on global health and conventional antiviral therapies have not yielded a successful solution hitherto. The CRISPR-Cas9 system represents a promising tool for eliminating viral infections. In this review, we highlight 1) the recent progress of CRISPR-Cas technology in decoding and diagnosis of viral outbreaks, 2) its applications to eliminate viral infections in both pre-integration and provirus stages, and 3) various delivery systems that are employed to introduce the platform into target cells

Humanizing glycosylation pathways in eukaryotic expression systems

Glycosylation represents the most widespread posttranslational modifications, found in a broad spectrum of natural and therapeutic recombinant proteins. It highly affects bioactivity, site-specificity, stability, solubility, immunogenicity, and serum half-life of glycoproteins. Numerous expression hosts including yeasts, insect cells, transgenic plants, and mammalian cells have been explored for synthesizing therapeutic glycoproteins. However, glycosylation profile of eukaryotic expression systems differs from human. Glycosylation strategies have been proposed for humanizing the glycosylation pathways in expression hosts which is the main theme of this review. Besides, we also highlighted the glycosylation potential of protozoan parasites by emphasizing on the mammalian-like glycosylation potential of Leishmania tarentolae known as Leishmania expression system

Humanizing glycosylation pathways in eukaryotic expression systems

Glycosylation represents the most widespread posttranslational modifications, found in a broad spectrum of natural and therapeutic recombinant proteins. It highly affects bioactivity, site-specificity, stability, solubility, immunogenicity, and serum half-life of glycoproteins. Numerous expression hosts including yeasts, insect cells, transgenic plants, and mammalian cells have been explored for synthesizing therapeutic glycoproteins. However, glycosylation profile of eukaryotic expression systems differs from human. Glycosylation strategies have been proposed for humanizing the glycosylation pathways in expression hosts which is the main theme of this review. Besides, we also highlighted the glycosylation potential of protozoan parasites by emphasizing on the mammalian-like glycosylation potential of Leishmania tarentolae known as Leishmania expression system

Advance Trends in Targeting Homology-Directed Repair for Accurate Gene Editing: An Inclusive Review of Small Molecules and Modified CRISPR-Cas9 Systems

Introduction: Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat and its associated protein (CRISPR-Cas)-based technologies generate targeted modifications in host genome by inducing site-specific double-strand breaks (DSBs) that can serve as a substrate for homology-directed repair (HDR) in both in vitro and in vivo models. HDR pathway could enhance incorporation of exogenous DNA templates into the CRISPR-Cas9-mediated DSB site. Owing to low rate of HDR pathway, the efficiency of accurate genome editing is diminished. Enhancing the efficiency of HDR can provide fast, easy, and accurate technologies based on CRISPR-Cas9 technologies. Methods: The current study presents an overview of attempts conducted on the precise genome editing strategies based on small molecules and modified CRISPR-Cas9 systems. Results: In order to increase HDR rate in targeted cells, several logical strategies have been introduced such as generating CRISPR effector chimeric proteins, anti-CRISPR proteins, modified Cas9 with donor template, and using validated synthetic or natural small molecules for either inhibiting non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), stimulating HDR, or synchronizing cell cycle. Recently, high-throughput screening methods have been applied for identification of small molecules which along with the CRISPR system can regulate precise genome editing through HDR. Conclusion: The stimulation of HDR components or inhibiting NHEJ can increase the accuracy of CRISPR-Cas-mediated engineering systems. Generating chimeric programmable endonucleases provide this opportunity to direct DNA template close proximity of CRISPR-Cas-mediated DSB. Small molecules and their derivatives can also proficiently block or activate certain DNA repair pathways and bring up novel perspectives for increasing HDR efficiency, especially in human cells. Further, high throughput screening of small molecule libraries could result in more discoveries of promising chemicals that improve HDR efficiency and CRISPR-Cas9 systems

Patency rate and factors affecting the clinical outcome of patients with aortoiliac artery occlusion undergoing intra-arterial stenting

Background Occluding plaques are commonly found inthe infrarenal aorta and the iliac artery in patients with peripheralarterial disease (PAD). Aortoiliacocclusive disease(AIOD) occurs commonly in patients with PAD.Methods: This is a prospective study was carried out between2015 and 2017 in Sina hospital. Patients with occlusionin aortoiliac artery and its branches were included.Stent was placed for patients, if they had any obstructionor stenosis in aortoiliac artery in angiography. Patientswere examined in terms of clinical status and ABI calculationand underwent Color Doppler ultrasound of aortoiliacartery to determine patency rate at 1, 3, 12, and 24months after stent placement.Results: The mean age of patients was 64.60 (±10.41).The main symptoms of the patients were claudication(41.8%), ulcer (27.3%), pain at rest (20%), and gangrene(20%). The lesion was bilateral in 21 patients (38.2%).According to TASC stratification, lesions were of type A in26 patients (47.3%), type B in 4 patients (7.3%), type Cin 5 patients (9.1%), and type D in 20 patients (36.4%).The six-month, one-year, and two-year patency rates were89.1%, 83.6%, and 72.7%, respectively. The mean annualABI of patients was 0.79 (±0.11) and two year ABIwas 0.68 (±0.1).Conclusion: It seems that stenting and angioplasty areeffective in improving patients’ conditions and result in agood short and medium-term patency

Strontium isotope proxy of sedimentological records reveals uplift and erosion in the Southeastern Neo-Tethys ocean during the late Cretaceous

Abstract The mutual interplays between plate tectonic processes, orogenesis and continental uplift, high-flux magmatism, and high sedimentation rates can affect the geochemical signatures and composition of marine sediments. Here, we examine two major disconformities, the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary (CT-ES) and the middle Turonian (mT-ES) exposure surfaces, from the Upper Cretaceous sedimentary successions of the southeastern Neo-Tethys Ocean in the Zagros Basin (Iran). The disconformities are expressed as distinct positive peaks in rubidium (Rb) contents and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic ratios of carbonates. The 87Sr/86Sr values of samples bracketing the disconformities in seven well cores give average age ranges of 94.4–93.6 Ma for the CT-ES and 91–86 Ma for the mT-ES. These ages fall in the timespan of forearc/ophiolite formation through subduction initiation in the Neo-Tethys realm (southern margin of Eurasia), high convergence velocities between Arabia and Eurasia, and blueschist exhumation. All these processes involved buckling of the Neo-Tethyan lithosphere, initiating the Neo-Tethys closure and a high erosion rate on the Eurasian margin. The first two mechanisms exerted considerable compressional forces on the adjacent carbonate platforms, reactivated basement faults, and led to the uplift and erosion of the Arabian Plate, which provided the high contents of Rb and the high 87Sr/86Sr ratios in the carbonates