In-silico characterization and structure-based functional annotation of a hypothetical protein from Campylobacter jejuni involved in propionate catabolism

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the most prevalent organisms associated with foodborne illness across the globe causing campylobacteriosis and gastritis. Many proteins of C. jejuni are still unidentified. The purpose of this study was to determine the structure and function of a non-annotated hypothetical protein (HP) from C. jejuni. A number of properties like physiochemical characteristics, 3D structure, and functional annotation of the HP (accession No. CAG2129885.1) were predicted using various bioinformatics tools followed by further validation and quality assessment. Moreover, the protein-protein interactions and active site were obtained from the STRING and CASTp server, respectively. The hypothesized protein possesses various characteristics including an acidic pH, thermal stability, water solubility, and cytoplasmic distribution. While alpha-helix and random coil structures are the most prominent structural components of this protein, most of it is formed of helices and coils. Along with expected quality, the 3D model has been found to be novel. This study has identified the potential role of the HP in 2-methylcitric acid cycle and propionate catabolism. Furthermore, protein-protein interactions revealed several significant functional partners. The in-silico characterization of this protein will assist to understand its molecular mechanism of action better. The methodology of this study would also serve as the basis for additional research into proteomic and genomic data for functional potential identification.

Lateral Mass Screw Fixation in the Cervical Spine: Introducing a New Technique

Methods@#From January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2018, 176 patients who were scheduled to undergo lateral mass screw fixation were enrolled. They were randomized into two groups; we inserted lateral mass screws using our new technique for one group and by using the classical Magerl technique for the other group. Intraoperative measurements were used to assess the bone-screw interface length. Postoperative radiography and postoperative computed tomography were performed to assess the trajectory of the screws. @*Results@#Total 88 patients were included in the study group, including 68 men. The control group included 65 men. The most common indication for surgery was cervical spondylotic myelopathy. The average bi-cortical length that was measured intraoperatively was 19.9 mm in the study group and 16.3 mm in the control group. This was significantly different from the average lengths of screws in the control group. @*Conclusions@#The trajectory that involves an entry point as close as possible to the posterior inferior medial angle of the lateral mass cuboid and traverses a distance of about 20 mm to obtain a bi-cortical purchase in the diagonally opposite angle may provide a much better and firmer bony purchase in the lateral mass than conventional points of entry and trajectories.

Bilateral Accessory C1 and C2 Facet Joints; Clinical, Neuroradiological and Peroperative Findings in an Adult with Quadriparesis

Objectives Accessory C1 and C2 facet joints are very rare. Only few cases were reported in the literature.We report a case of bilateral accessory facets in an adult with special attention to clinical, neuroradiological, as well as peroperative findings. Case report A 37-year-old male presented with progressive quadriparesis. Radiology revealed bilateral posterior accessory C1 and C2 facet joints compressing the spinal cord with craniovertebral junction (CVJ) instability. Both accessory C1 and C2 facets with the posterior arch of the C1 were removed. Lateral mass screws and plates fixation at the C1 and C2 level, as well as fusion, were performed. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well. Conclusion In accessory C1 and C2 facet joints, when symptomatic, neuroradiological findings can guide to the proper diagnosis, to pathological understanding, and, ultimately, to management strategy.

Frequency & Pattern of Chronic Rheumatic Heart Disease in Patient Undergoing Echocardiography: Experience in a Tertiary Level Hospital of Bangladesh

Rheumatic heart disease & rheumatic fever is important public health issue. overall incidence and prevalence of acute rheumatic fever is in downtrend in Bangladesh. But exact incidence & prevalence of chronic rheumatic heart disease (CRHD) is unknown. Objective: We wanted to find out prevalence of CRHD among adult patients undergoing echocardiography in a tertiary level hospital of Bangladesh. Methods: The study was conducted in the department of cardiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka between January 2018 to December 2018. Echocardiography was done with VividE9® machine. Patients who underwent echocardiography for various indication on indoor and outdoor basis were screened for this study. Among them 1000 male & female patients, age between 18-65 years who had their echo done by the investigators were enrolled for analysis. CRHD was defined as per latest echocardiography guideline. Frequency & pattern of CRHD were calculated. Results: Out of 1000 patients 74 cases were diagnosed as CRHD (7.4%), among them 52 patients were female. Mitral stenosis (MS) was found in 28.3% cases, Isolated mitral regurgitation (MR) in 5.4%, MS with MR in 18.9%, Aortic stenosis (AS) in 8.1%, Aortic regurgitation (AR) in 10.85%, AS with AR in 13.5%, involvement of both aortic & mitral valve in 27%, involvement of mitral, aortic & tricuspid valve in 1.3%. Conclusion: Findings of the study will help to set public health programs for primary & secondary prevention of CRHD. Further population-based study is required to know the exact prevalence of the disease.

N-acetyl-D-glucosamine kinase interacts with dynein light-chain roadblock type 1 at Golgi outposts in neuronal dendritic branch points

N-acetylglucosamine kinase (GlcNAc kinase or NAGK) is a ubiquitously expressed enzyme in mammalian cells. Recent studies have shown that NAGK has an essential structural, non-enzymatic role in the upregulation of dendritogenesis. In this study, we conducted yeast two-hybrid screening to search for NAGK-binding proteins and found a specific interaction between NAGK and dynein light-chain roadblock type 1 (DYNLRB1). Immunocytochemistry (ICC) on hippocampal neurons using antibodies against NAGK and DYNLRB1 or dynein heavy chain showed some colocalization, which was increased by treating the live cells with a crosslinker. A proximity ligation assay (PLA) of NAGK-dynein followed by tubulin ICC showed the localization of PLA signals on microtubule fibers at dendritic branch points. NAGK-dynein PLA combined with Golgi ICC showed the colocalization of PLA signals with somal Golgi facing the apical dendrite and with Golgi outposts in dendritic branch points and distensions. NAGK-Golgi PLA followed by tubulin or DYNLRB1 ICC showed that PLA signals colocalize with DYNLRB1 at dendritic branch points and at somal Golgi, indicating a tripartite interaction between NAGK, dynein and Golgi. Finally, the ectopic introduction of a small peptide derived from the C-terminal amino acids 74-96 of DYNLRB1 resulted in the stunting of hippocampal neuron dendrites in culture. Our data indicate that the NAGK-dynein-Golgi tripartite interaction at dendritic branch points functions to regulate dendritic growth and/or branching.

Antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of different fractions of coccinia cordifolia L. on normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

The present study was carried out to observe the antidiabetic and hypolipidemic effects of petroleum-ether, ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions isolated from ethanolic extract of the leaves of Coccinia cordifolia Linn. [150 mg/kg body weight] on normal and streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats for one day experiment. Single doses [150 mg/kg, i.p.] of C. cordifolia extracts were given to normal and diabetic rats. The fasting blood glucose [FBG], serum triglyceride [TG] and serum total cholesterol [TC] levels were investigated in normal and STZ-diabetic rats on 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 16, and 24[th] hours. In normoglycemic rats the pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions of C. cordifolia reduced blood glucose level significantly [39.66% and 40.68% at 16[th] and 24[th] hour respectively]. In the STZ-diabetic rats pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions also reduced blood glucose level significantly [50.39% and 50% at 10[th] and 24[th] hour respectively]. Ethyl acetate fraction is most effective which reduced total cholesterol level by 31.04% and 36.69% in normal and STZ-diabetic rats respectively. Ethyl acetate fraction reduced triglyceride level by 43.82% and 42.01% in normal and STZ-diabetic rats respectively. Our results indicate that pet-ether and ethyl acetate fractions of C. cordifolia have potentiality against diabetes

Stability study of ambroxol hydrochloride sustained release pellets coated with acrylic polymer

The aim of the present study is to perform stability study of Ambroxol Hydrochloride sustained release pellets stored in different storage conditions. The drug loaded beads were prepared by Extrusion-Spheronization technology then coated with ammonio methacrylate copolymer Type A [Eudragit RL 30 D] and ammonio methacrylate copolymer Type B [Eudragit RS 30 D] at a ratio of 2:3 [8% polymer by weight on dry basis] in Fluid Bed Coater [Wurster column]. Stability study of pellets was performed as capsule dosage form in Aluminium-PVDC packaging mode at room temperature, 40°C, 40°C/75%RH and 30°C/70%RH for three months. After one month the shape and size of the pellets was changed in all conditions. The color of the pellets remains unchanged up to the 2nd month in all conditions except at 40°C/75%RH and in this case some pellets become brown. But after 3[rd] month, pellets become brownish in all conditions except at room temperature. At RT the color of pellets remains unchanged during the stability study. The mean drug content decreased gradually in all conditions. In acid media the initial drug release was 23% but after 1[st] month it was decreased to 13-15% in all conditions. In the buffer media [pH 6.8] the drug release was increased a little bit in all conditions except at 30°C/70%RH with the passes of storage time. Stability studies at 30°C/70%RH revealed consistent drug release [f2 > 50] throughout the stability period. The physical properties of pellets as well as the in vitro release profile of the drug was found to be a function of the different storage conditions as well as the physico-chemical nature of the polymers

Oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] in normal control and glucose induced hyperglycemic rats with Coccinia Cordifolia L. and Catharanthus roseus L

The aim of this study is to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions isolated from ethanolic extracts of Coccinia cordifolia and Catharanthus roseus on normal control and orally glucose-induced hyperglycemic rats. Single doses [150 mg/kg] of different fractions of C. cordifolia and C. roseus extracts were intraperitonelly administered. The serum blood glucose level was obtained by pricking the tail vein using glucometer at time 0, 30, 60, 90, 150 and 270 minutes.In the orally glucose induced hyperglycemic rats, chloroform-coccinia [CHCl[3]-CC] fraction showed maximum reduction of blood glucose level by 21.94% on 60 minute of the experiment. On the other hand maximum reduction [p<0.05] of 17.92% was observed for petroleum ether-catharanthus [PET-CR] on 30 minute of the experiment. Metformin HCl was used as standard drug.Our results indicate that the CHCl[3]-CC fraction is relatively more potent than other fractions of C. cordifolia. Similarly the PET-CR is found to be better than other fractions of catharanthus. Phytochemical screening test results showed that chloroform fraction of C. cordifolia contain saponins and flavonoids compounds, which are known to be hypoglycemic. On the other hand petroleum ether fraction of C. roseus contains tannins, flavonoids and alkaloid compounds produced varying degree of blood sugar reduction. On the pharmacological point of view C. cordifolia and C. roseus appears to be a valuable plant, which can be useful, at least as an adjunct, in the therapy of diabetes

Efficacy of strain RB51 vaccine in protecting infection and vertical transmission against Brucella abortus in Sprague-Dawley rats

Immunizing animals in the wild against Brucella (B.) abortus is essential to control bovine brucellosis because cattle can get the disease through close contact with infected wildlife. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effectiveness of the B. abortus strain RB51 vaccine in protecting infection as well as vertical transmission in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats against B. abortus biotype 1. Virgin female SD rats (n = 48) two months of age were divided into two groups: one group (n = 24) received RB51 vaccine intraperitoneally with 3 x 10(10) colony forming units (CFU) and the other group (n = 24) was used as non-vaccinated control. Non-vaccinated and RB51-vaccinated rats were challenged with 1.5 x 10(9) CFU of virulent B. abortus biotype 1 six weeks after vaccination. Three weeks after challenge, all rats were bred. Verification of RB51-vaccine induced protection in SD rats was determined by bacteriological, serological and molecular screening of maternal and fetal tissues at necropsy. The RB51 vaccine elicited 81.25% protection in SD rats against infection with B. abortus biotype 1. Offspring from rats vaccinated with RB51 had a decreased (p < 0.05) prevalence of vertical transmission of B. abortus biotype 1 compared to the offspring from non-vaccinated rats (20.23% and 87.50%, respectively). This is the first report of RB51 vaccination efficacy against the vertical transmission of B. abortus in the SD rat model.