Evaluation of the nasal mucociliary transport rate by rhinoscintigraphy before and after surgery in patients with deviated nasal septum

In this study, we have investigated the effect of nasal septal deviation (NSD) on nasal mucociliary activity and how does a septoplasty operation affecs the nasal mucociliary transport rate in the first and third months during the post-operative period. Twenty-two patients who were diagnosed with NSD and 22 healthy controls were studied using rhinoscintigraphy with Tc-99m-macroaggregated albumin (Tc-99m-MAA). On each case, the nasal mucociliary transport rate (NMTR) was measured pre-operatively only on five cases, on the first and third months of post-operative period. The NMTRs of patients with a deviated septum were significantly lower than the NMTRs of the healthy controls on both the convex and concave sides. Significant improvement was observed in the first post-operative month. On the concave and convex sides, the average postop third month post-operative NMTR value was higher than the first month post-operative NMTR values. It was concluded that the septoplasty operation improves reduced NMTRs after surgery. The effect of nasal surgery on nasal mucociliary activity may be more accurately evaluated in the third month than the first month of post-operative period

Binding of Tetracycline and Chlortetracycline to the Enzyme Trypsin: Spectroscopic and Molecular Modeling Investigations

Tetracycline (TC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) are common members of the widely used veterinary drug tetracyclines, the residue of which in the environment can enter human body, being potentially harmful. In this study, we establish a new strategy to probe the binding modes of TC and CTC with trypsin based on spectroscopic and computational modeling methods. Both TC and CTC can interact with trypsin with one binding site to form trypsin-TC (CTC) complex, mainly through van der Waals' interactions and hydrogen bonds with the affinity order: TC>CTC. The bound TC (CTC) can result in inhibition of trypsin activity with the inhibition order: CTC>TC. The secondary structure and the microenvironment of the tryptophan residues of trypsin were also changed. However, the effect of CTC on the secondary structure content of trypsin was contrary to that of TC. Both the molecular docking study and the trypsin activity experiment revealed that TC bound into S1 binding pocket, competitively inhibiting the enzyme activity, and CTC was a non-competitive inhibitor which bound to a non-active site of trypsin, different from TC due to the Cl atom on the benzene ring of CTC which hinders CTC entering into the S1 binding pocket. CTC does not hinder the binding of the enzyme substrate, but the CTC-trypsin-substrate ternary complex can not further decompose into the product. The work provides basic data for clarifying the binding mechanisms of TC (CTC) with trypsin and can help to comprehensively understanding of the enzyme toxicity of different members of tetracyclines in vivo

On the genome constitution and evolution of intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium: Poaceae, Triticeae)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The wheat tribe Triticeae (Poaceae) is a diverse group of grasses representing a textbook example of reticulate evolution. Apart from globally important grain crops, there are also wild grasses which are of great practical value. Allohexaploid intermediate wheatgrass, <it>Thinopyrum intermedium </it>(2n = 6x = 42), possesses many desirable agronomic traits that make it an invaluable source of genetic material useful in wheat improvement. Although the identification of its genomic components has been the object of considerable investigation, the complete genomic constitution and its potential variability are still being unravelled. To identify the genomic constitution of this allohexaploid, four accessions of intermediate wheatgrass from its native area were analysed by sequencing of chloroplast <it>trn</it>L-F and partial nuclear GBSSI, and genomic <it>in situ </it>hybridization.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results confirmed the allopolyploid origin of <it>Thinopyrum intermedium </it>and revealed new aspects in its genomic composition. Genomic heterogeneity suggests a more complex origin of the species than would be expected if it originated through allohexaploidy alone. While <it>Pseudoroegneria </it>is the most probable maternal parent of the accessions analysed, nuclear GBSSI sequences suggested the contribution of distinct lineages corresponding to the following present-day genera: <it>Pseudoroegneria</it>, <it>Dasypyrum</it>, <it>Taeniatherum</it>, <it>Aegilops </it>and <it>Thinopyrum</it>. Two subgenomes of the hexaploid have most probably been contributed by <it>Pseudoroegneria </it>and <it>Dasypyrum</it>, but the identity of the third subgenome remains unresolved satisfactorily. Possibly it is of hybridogenous origin, with contributions from <it>Thinopyrum </it>and <it>Aegilops</it>. Surprising diversity of GBSSI copies corresponding to a <it>Dasypyrum</it>-like progenitor indicates either multiple contributions from different sources close to <it>Dasypyrum </it>and maintenance of divergent copies or the presence of divergent paralogs, or a combination of both. <it>Taeniatherum</it>-like GBSSI copies are most probably pseudogenic, and the mode of their acquisition by <it>Th. intermedium </it>remains unclear.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Hybridization has played a key role in the evolution of the Triticeae. Transfer of genetic material via extensive interspecific hybridization and/or introgression could have enriched the species' gene pools significantly. We have shown that the genomic heterogeneity of intermediate wheatgrass is higher than has been previously assumed, which is of particular concern to wheat breeders, who frequently use it as a source of desirable traits in wheat improvement.</p

The Impact of eHealth on the Quality and Safety of Health Care: A Systematic Overview

Aziz Sheikh and colleagues report the findings of their systematic overview that assessed the impact of eHealth solutions on the quality and safety of health care

Scanning Electron Microscopic Observation Of The Brown Tumor Of The Head Of Mandible

Brown tumors are tumor-like, expansile osteolytic lesions of bone which are seen in both primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. They generally resolve after surgical treatment of the parathyroid adenoma. Here, we report a case of brown tumor of the mandible of a cadaver with its scanning electron microscopic observation and review of literature.Wo

Dietary arginine silicate inositol complex inhibits periodontal tissue loss in rats with ligature-induced periodontitis

Serkan Dundar,1 Abubekir Eltas,2 Sema S Hakki,3 Sıddık Malkoc,4 M Ozay Uslu,2 Mehmet Tuzcu,5 James Komorowski,6 I Hanifi Ozercan,7 Fatih Akdemir,8 Kazim Sahin9 1Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Firat University, Elazig, 2Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Inonu University, Malatya, 3Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Selcuk University, Konya, 4Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Inonu University, Malatya, 5Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey; 6Research &amp; Development, Nutrition 21 Inc., Purchase, NY, USA; 7Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, 8Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Fisheries, Inonu University, Malatya, 9Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey Abstract: The purpose of this study was to induce experimental periodontitis in rats previously fed diets containing arginine silicate inositol (ASI) complex and examine the biochemical, immunological, and radiological effects. Fifty two 8-week-old female Sprague Dawley rats were equally divided into four groups. The control group included those fed a standard rat diet with no operation performed during the experiment. The periodontitis, ASI I, and ASI II groups were subjected to experimental periodontitis induction for 11&nbsp;days after being fed a standard rat diet alone, a diet containing 1.81&nbsp;g/kg ASI complex, or a diet containing 3.62&nbsp;g/kg ASI complex, respectively, for 8&nbsp;weeks. Throughout the 11-day duration of periodontitis induction, all rats were fed standard feed. The rats were euthanized on the eleventh day, and their tissue and blood samples were collected. In the periodontitis group, elevated tissue destruction parameters and reduced tissue formation parameters were found, as compared to the ASI groups. Levels of enzymes, cytokines, and mediators associated with periodontal tissue destruction were lower in rats fed a diet containing ASI complex after experimental periodontitis. These results indicate that ASI complex could be an alternative agent for host modulation. Keywords: arginine silicate inositol complex, experimental periodontitis, host modulation, micro-computed tomography, periodontal infectio