Digit ratios by computer-assisted analysis confirm lack of anatomical evidence of prenatal androgen exposure in clinical phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We recently showed that women with four clinical phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) do not demonstrate anatomical evidence of elevated prenatal androgen exposure as judged by a lower ratio of the index (2D) to ring (4D) finger. However, those findings conflicted with a previous study where women with PCOS had lower right hand 2D:4D compared to healthy female controls. Both these studies used Vernier calipers to measure finger lengths - a method recently shown to be less reliable at obtaining finger length measurements than computer-assisted analysis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ninety-six women diagnosed with PCOS according to the 2003 Rotterdam criteria had their finger lengths measured with computer-assisted analysis. Participants were categorized into four recognized phenotypes of PCOS and their 2D:4D compared to healthy female controls (n = 48) and men (n = 50).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Digit ratios assessed by computer-assisted analysis in women with PCOS did not differ from female controls, but were significantly lower in men. When subjects were stratified by PCOS phenotype, 2D:4D did not differ among phenotypes or when compared to female controls.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Computer-assisted measurements validated that digit ratios of women with PCOS do not show anatomical evidence of increased prenatal androgen exposure.</p

Supplementary data for the article: Dinić, J.; Novaković, M.; Podolski-Renić, A.; Stojković, S.; Mandić, B.; Tešević, V.; Vajs, V.; Isaković, A.; Pešić, M. Antioxidative Activity of Diarylheptanoids from the Bark of Black Alder (Alnus Glutinosa) and Their Interaction with Anticancer Drugs. Planta Medica 2014, 80 (13), 1088–1096. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1382993

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1382993]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1845

Resistance to DNA Damaging agents produced invasive phenotype of rat glioma cells-characterization of a new in vivo model

Chemoresistance and invasion properties are severe limitations to efficient glioma therapy. Therefore, development of glioma in vivo models that more accurately resemble the situation observed in patients emerges. Previously, we established RC6 rat glioma cell line resistant to DNA damaging agents including antiglioma approved therapies such as 3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) and temozolomide (TMZ). Herein, we evaluated the invasiveness of RC6 cells in vitro and in a new orthotopic animal model. For comparison, we used C6 cells from which RC6 cells originated. Differences in cell growth properties were assessed by real-time cell analyzer. Cells’ invasive potential in vitro was studied in fluorescently labeled gelatin and by formation of multicellular spheroids in hydrogel. For animal studies, fluorescently labeled cells were inoculated into adult male Wistar rat brains. Consecutive coronal and sagittal brain sections were analyzed 10 and 25 days post-inoculation, while rats’ behavior was recorded during three days in the open field test starting from 25th day post-inoculation. We demonstrated that development of chemoresistance induced invasive phenotype of RC6 cells with significant behavioral impediments implying usefulness of orthotopic RC6 glioma allograft in preclinical studies for the examination of new approaches to counteract both chemoresistance and invasion of glioma cells

New Proposed Mechanism of Actin-Polymerization-Driven Motility

We present the first numerical simulation of actin-driven propulsion by elastic filaments. Specifically, we use a Brownian dynamics formulation of the dendritic nucleation model of actin-driven propulsion. We show that the model leads to a self-assembled network that exerts forces on a disk and pushes it with an average speed. This simulation approach is the first to observe a speed that varies non-monotonically with the concentration of branching proteins (Arp2/3), capping protein and depolymerization rate (ADF), in accord with experimental observations. Our results suggest a new interpretation of the origin of motility that can be tested readily by experiment.Comment: 31 pages, 5 figure

Supplementary material for the article: Dinić, J.; Novaković, M.; Podolski-Renić, A.; Vajs, V.; Tešević, V.; Isaković, A.; Pešić, M. Structural Differences in Diarylheptanoids Analogues from Alnus Viridis and Alnus Glutinosa Influence Their Activity and Selectivity towards Cancer Cells. Chemico-Biological Interactions 2016, 249, 36–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2016.02.019

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2016.02.019]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2066

Structural plasticity of the living kinetochore

The kinetochore is a large, evolutionarily conserved protein structure that connects chromosomes with microtubules. During chromosome segregation, outer kinetochore components track depolymerizing ends of microtubules to facilitate the separation of chromosomes into two cells. In budding yeast, each chromosome has a point centromere upon which a single kinetochore is built, which attaches to a single microtubule. This defined architecture facilitates quantitative examination of kinetochores during the cell cycle. Using three independent measures-calibrated imaging, FRAP, and photoconversion-we find that the Dam1 submodule is unchanged during anaphase, whereas MIND and Ndc80 submodules add copies to form an "anaphase configuration" kinetochore. Microtubule depolymerization and kinesin-related motors contribute to copy addition. Mathematical simulations indicate that the addition of microtubule attachments could facilitate tracking during rapid microtubule depolymerization. We speculate that the minimal kinetochore configuration, which exists from G1 through metaphase, allows for correction of misattachments. Our study provides insight into dynamics and plasticity of the kinetochore structure during chromosome segregation in living cells

Supplementary data for the article: Dinić, J.; Novaković, M.; Podolski-Renić, A.; Stojković, S.; Mandić, B.; Tešević, V.; Vajs, V.; Isaković, A.; Pešić, M. Antioxidative Activity of Diarylheptanoids from the Bark of Black Alder (Alnus Glutinosa) and Their Interaction with Anticancer Drugs. Planta Medica 2014, 80 (13), 1088–1096. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1382993

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1382993]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1845

Chapter 9 Moral Responsibility and the Justification of Policies to Preserve Antimicrobial Effectiveness

Restrictive policies that limit antimicrobial consumption, including therapeutically justified use, might be necessary to tackle the problem of antimicrobial resistance. We argue that such policies would be ethically justified when forgoing antimicrobials constitutes a form of easy rescue for an individual. These are cases of mild and self-limiting infections in otherwise healthy patients whose overall health is not significantly compromised by the infection. In such cases, restrictive policies would be ethically justified because they would coerce individuals into fulfilling a moral obligation they independently have. However, to ensure that such justification is the strongest possible, states also have the responsibility to ensure that forgoing antimicrobials is as easy as possible for patients by implementing adequate compensation measures