Insight into the biochemical and cell biological function of an intrinsically unstructured heat shock protein, Hsp12 of Ustilago maydis.

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) play diverse roles in the stress response and maintenance of cellular functions. The Ustilago maydis genome codes for few sHsps. Among these, Hsp12 has previously been demonstrated to be involved in the pathogenesis of the fungus by our group. In the present study we further investigated the biological function of the protein in the pathogenic development of U. maydis. Analysis of the primary amino acid sequence of Hsp12 in combination with spectroscopic methods to analyse secondary protein structures revealed an intrinsically disordered nature of the protein. We also carried out detailed analysis on the protein aggregation prevention activity associated with Hsp12. Our data suggest Hsp12 has trehalose-dependent protein aggregation prevention activity. Through assaying the interaction of Hsp12 with lipid membranes in vitro we also showed the ability of U. maydis Hsp12 to induce stability in lipid vesicles. U. maydis hsp12 deletion mutants exhibited defects in the endocytosis process and delayed completion of the pathogenic life cycle. Therefore, U. maydis Hsp12 contributes to the pathogenic development of the fungus through its ability to relieve proteotoxic stress during infection as well as its membrane-stabilizing function.

Psychological issues in head and neck cancer survivors: Need for addressal in rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation in head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors is a lengthy process, based on multiple correlates and is associated with multiple challenges. The authors have tried to depict the psychological issues associated with the rehabilitation of these patients. Problems and discussion: HNC survivors have to undergo a traumatic and stressful process on the path to recovery. They may face are disfigurement, body image disturbances and limitation of activities which increases likelihood of anxiety and depression. The psychological state in these patients affect treatment adherence, successful rehabilitation, morbidity and overall survival through a multifactorial mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: There is need for multidisciplinary care in rehabilitation of head and neck cancer patients to help them cope with stress. Inclusion of a psychiatrist in the rehabilitation team is likely to lead to early evaluation and addressal of mental health concerns and improve quality of life and chances of survival.

Periodontitis and oral Cancer-A striking link.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has become a major public health problem in the worldwide for its increasing incidence and mortality, especially in younger trends. Risk factors for OSCC apart from alcohol and tobacco use, include poor oral hygiene, inflammation caused by inadequately fitting dentures and other rough teeth surfaces, poor nutrition and some chronic infections caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses. Several studies have also found that the risk of developing OSCC may increase with periodontal disease (PD). In addition to reduce harm caused by tobacco, alcohol and betel quid it seems prudent to take measures to improve oral hygiene in periodontally compromised patients to minimize OSCC risks. This further intensifies the need for oral health education programs and large cohurt studies to edify individuals about the importance of regular oral health maintenance and routine dental care towards the prevention of oral diseases including OSCC.

The E-cigarette ban in India-A step in the right direction?

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a popular method to help quit tobacco smoking. However, there is a paucity of data in the literature on their safety and efficacy. Recently, the Indian Government has called for a ban on all e-cigarettes and taken steps to restrict access to vaping products from the market. This major decision was an attempt to safeguard the younger population from using e-cigarette and their possible longer-term addiction together with its promotions by domestic industries. In this article, we evaluate the role of e-cigarettes to help stop smoking tobacco cessation and consider the factors that have facilitated the ban on e-cigarettes in India.

Improvement of oral cancer screening quality and reach: The promise of artificial intelligence.

Oral cancer is easily detectable by physical (self) examination. However, many cases of oral cancer are detected late, which causes unnecessary morbidity and mortality. Screening of high-risk populations seems beneficial, but these populations are commonly located in regions with limited access to health care. The advent of information technology and its modern derivative artificial intelligence (AI) promises to improve oral cancer screening but to date, few efforts have been made to apply these techniques and relatively little research has been conducted to retrieve meaningful information from AI data. In this paper, we discuss the promise of AI to improve the quality and reach of oral cancer screening and its potential effect on improving mortality and unequal access to health care around the world.

Electronic cigarette use amongst youth: A threat to public health?

Electronic cigarettes is an unregulated commercially available nicotine dispensing tool. E-cigarettes contains nicotine which is a highly toxic chemical that can adversely affect any organ and is also potentially carcinogenic. Nicotine is the route to addiction and industry is using this drug to help people not forget tobacco. If not for nicotine these cigarettes will be useless. Thus it is just another way of keeping nicotine in blood to maintain cigarette smoking habits among existing customers and new way to attract young customers using technology to lure young minds, while serving purpose to deliver nicotine.

Molecular landscape of salivary gland cancers.

Accurate diagnosis of salivary gland tumors can be challenging because of the many diagnostic entities, the sometimes extensive morphologic overlap, and the rarity of most tumor types. The current understanding of molecular rearrangements in salivary gland tumor pathology, emphasizes the prospects for exploiting molecular alterations in salivary gland tumors for diagnosis and targeted therapy. As new targeted therapies emerge, it will become increasingly vital to incorporate appropriate molecular testing into the pathologic evaluation of salivary gland cancers.

Evaluation of Total Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A and Mi/fans-specific SIgA among Children having Dissimilar Caries Status.

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of dental caries has become quite a common phenomenon nowadays. The varying levels of salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) usually determine the progression of caries. The present study was aimed to determine the correlation between SIgA and mutans-specific antigen SIgA in children having different caries status. Scanning electron microscopic analysis was also completed to correlate the results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprised 60 subjects, who were divided into three groups depending on caries status. In all, saliva was collected to determine the level of SIgA and mutans-specific antigen SIgA using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria and method were used to evaluate dental caries. Bradford reagent was used to evaluate the levels of protein in the antigen. Furthermore, 20 sections of enamel were randomly obtained to estimate the severity of caries development among groups. RESULTS: Categorical characteristics among all groups were compared by basic statistical analysis and Chi-squared test. Mean age (years) was found to be 9.214 ± 2.28, 9.5 ± 2.51, and 10.2 ± 2.35 in groups I, II, and III respectively. Mutans-specific IgA level (|jg/mL) was 34.63 ± 7.46, 28.24 ± 4.52, and 23.56 ± 1.62 in groups I, II, and III respectively. Total SIgA (jg/mL) was 142.53 ± 22.4, 186.10 ± 24.70, and 214.8 ± 27.56 in groups I, II, and III respectively. Caries index was 6.74 ± 2.16, 2.32 ± 0.86, and 0 ± 0 in groups I, II, and III respectively. CONCLUSION: Immunoglobulin A is dominantly present in saliva and it plays a significant role in prevention of dental caries. Hence, dental caries is more likely to develop in subjects with low level of salivary IgA (high caries index). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: A low level of IgA may be associated with a high risk of developing dental caries. This association may possibly be useful in predicting the future caries status. Accordingly, suitable caries-preventive measures can be selected and employed.