Ribosomal Protein Cluster Organization in Asgard Archaea.

It has been proposed that the superphylum of Asgard Archaea may represent a historical link between the Archaea and Eukarya. Following the discovery of the Archaea, it was soon appreciated that archaeal ribosomes were more similar to those of Eukarya rather than Bacteria. Coupled with other eukaryotic-like features, it has been suggested that the Asgard Archaea may be directly linked to eukaryotes. However, the genomes of Bacteria and non-Asgard Archaea generally organize ribosome-related genes into clusters that likely function as operons. In contrast, eukaryotes typically do not employ an operon strategy. To gain further insight into conservation of the r-protein genes, the genome order of conserved ribosomal protein (r-protein) coding genes was identified in 17 Asgard genomes (thirteen complete genomes and four genomes with less than 20 contigs) and compared with those found previously in non-Asgard archaeal and bacterial genomes. A universal core of two clusters of 14 and 4 cooccurring r-proteins, respectively, was identified in both the Asgard and non-Asgard Archaea. The equivalent genes in the E. coli version of the cluster are found in the S10 and spc operons. The large cluster of 14 r-protein genes (uS19-uL22-uS3-uL29-uS17 from the S10 operon and uL14-uL24-uL5-uS14-uS8-uL6-uL18-uS5-uL30-uL15 from the spc operon) occurs as a complete set in the genomes of thirteen Asgard genomes (five Lokiarchaeotes, three Heimdallarchaeotes, one Odinarchaeote, and four Thorarchaeotes). Four less conserved clusters with partial bacterial equivalents were found in the Asgard. These were the L30e (str operon in Bacteria) cluster, the L18e (alpha operon in Bacteria) cluster, the S24e-S27ae-rpoE1 cluster, and the L31e, L12..L1 cluster. Finally, a new cluster referred to as L7ae was identified. In many cases, r-protein gene clusters/operons are less conserved in their organization in the Asgard group than in other Archaea. If this is generally true for nonribosomal gene clusters, the results may have implications for the history of genome organization. In particular, there may have been an early transition to or from the operon approach to genome organization. Other nonribosomal cellular features may support different relationships. For this reason, it may be important to consider ribosome features separately.

Freezing effect on the oleuropein content of olive leaves extracts obtained from microwave-assisted extraction.

This work aimed to investigate the effect of freezing on the oleuropein content obtained from olive leaves extracts. The extracts were obtained by microwave-assisted extraction using different solvents, pH, temperatures and microwave irradiation time. Afterward, HPLC was used to identify and quantify the amount of oleuropein in the extracts. A part of the extracts was immediately analyzed, and another was frozen for a week. The experimental results highlighted that the storage condition has a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the oleuropein content. Regardless of the extraction condition, the frozen storage was responsible for a decrease in the oleuropein content, ranging from 5.38 to 70.09%. These results indicate that it is important to consider the degradation of oleuropein in frozen olive leaf extracts so that subsequent applications are suitable.

Native valve endocarditis caused by Kocuria rosea complicated by peripheral mycotic aneurysm in an elderly host.

Infective endocarditis still remains a dreaded illness among treating physicians because of the disease course, its need for meticulous antibiotic management, complications, and overall morbidity. Peripheral mycotic aneurysms are a rarely reported complication of infective endocarditis. Mycotic aneurysms occur in about 5%-10% of cases of infective endocarditis, and most of them involve the intracranial vessels. Here, we report a case of native valve endocarditis in a 74-year-old man caused by Kocuria rosea. He presented with septic shock and acute kidney injury. His illness was complicated by a right popliteal artery mycotic aneurysm. He was treated with intravenous ceftriaxone and vancomycin. The mycotic aneurysm needed aneurysmectomy and anastomosis with a graft.

Lossless Compression on MRI Images Using SWT.

Medical image compression is one of the growing research fields in biomedical applications. Most medical images need to be compressed using lossless compression as each pixel information is valuable. With the wide pervasiveness of medical imaging applications in health-care settings and the increased interest in telemedicine technologies, it has become essential to reduce both storage and transmission bandwidth requirements needed for archival and communication of related data, preferably by employing lossless compression methods. Furthermore, providing random access as well as resolution and quality scalability to the compressed data has become of great utility. Random access refers to the ability to decode any section of the compressed image without having to decode the entire data set. The system proposes to implement a lossless codec using an entropy coder. 3D medical images are decomposed into 2D slices and subjected to 2D-stationary wavelet transform (SWT). The decimated coefficients are compressed in parallel using embedded block coding with optimized truncation of the embedded bit stream. These bit streams are decoded and reconstructed using inverse SWT. Finally, the compression ratio (CR) is evaluated to prove the efficiency of the proposal. As an enhancement, the proposed system concentrates on minimizing the computation time by introducing parallel computing on the arithmetic coding stage as it deals with multiple subslices.

An extensive analysis of artificial intelligence and segmentation methods transforming cancer recognition in medical imaging.

Recent advancements in computational intelligence, deep learning, and computer-aided detection have had a significant impact on the field of medical imaging. The task of image segmentation, which involves accurately interpreting and identifying the content of an image, has garnered much attention. The main objective of this task is to separate objects from the background, thereby simplifying and enhancing the significance of the image. However, existing methods for image segmentation have their limitations when applied to certain types of images. This survey paper aims to highlight the importance of image segmentation techniques by providing a thorough examination of their advantages and disadvantages. The accurate detection of cancer regions in medical images is crucial for ensuring effective treatment. In this study, we have also extensive analysis of Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems for cancer identification, with a focus on recent research advancements. The paper critically assesses various techniques for cancer detection and compares their effectiveness. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have attracted particular interest due to their ability to segment and classify medical images in large datasets, thanks to their capacity for self- learning and decision-making.

To Determine the PH of External Auditory Canal in Otitis Externa: A Prospective Observational Study in a Tertiary Health Care Centre.

Otitis externa is an inflammatory condition of the external auditory canal which occurs due to any trauma, changes in the PH of the skin of external auditory canal. The normal PH of the external auditory canal skin should be in the acidic medium. This inhibits the growth of certain infectious microorganisms. Once the external canal skin PH becomes alkaline, the chances of inflammation of the skin increases. To assess the pH of the external auditory canal in cases of otitis externa with secretion and compare the treatment efficacy of treating it with topical anti-inflammatory like ichthammol glycerine, topical steroid cream and oral antibiotics. A prospective observational study involved a total of 120 patients who came with symptoms and signs of external otitis. pH of external canal was measured during first visit and at 42 days. The patients were divided into three groups. First group was treated with Ichthammol glycerine, second group was treated with Ichthammol glycerine with topical steroid cream and third group was treated with oral antibiotics with topical steroid cream. Patients were analyzed based on severity score during first visit, at 7 days, at 21 days and 42 days. This study involved 64(53.3%) patients were male and 56(46.7%) were females. The mean age group involved in the study was 42.50 years. The mean PH value in the external auditory canal during the first visit was alkaline (6.09) and the mean PH value at 42 days was changed to acidic (4.95) which was statistically significant (p = 0.00). There was significant reduction in the severity score in the oral antibiotic with topical steroid cream, followed by IG with topical steroid cream followed by Ichthammol glycerine (p = 0.001). In this study we have analyzed the pH level favorable in causing otitis externa and the best available treatment for the same. It has been observed that the alkaline Ph is more favorable in causing otitis externa. Efficacy of Topical corticosteroid with antibiotics is maximum in the management of otitis externa.

Electricity generation from carbon monoxide in a single chamber microbial fuel cell.

Electricity production from carbon monoxide (CO) is demonstrated in a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a CoTMPP-based air cathode. The MFC was inoculated with anaerobic sludge and continuously sparged with CO as a sole carbon source. Volumetric power output was maximized at a CO flow rate of 4.8LLR(-1)d(-1) reaching 6.4mWLR(-1). Several soluble and gaseous degradation products including hydrogen, methane, and acetate were detected, resulting in a relatively low apparent Coulombic efficiency of 8.7%. Tests also demonstrated electricity production from hydrogen and acetate with the highest and fastest increase in voltage exhibited after acetate injection. It is hypothesized that electricity generation in a CO-fed MFC is accomplished by a consortium of carboxydotrophic and carbon monoxide - tolerant anodophilic microorganisms.

Distribution of poly(A)-containing RNA during normal pollen development and during induced pollen embryogenesis in Hyoscyamus niger.

The distribution of poly(A)-containing RNA [poly(A)+RNA] in pollen grains of Hyoscyamus niger during normal gametophytic development and embryogenic development induced by culture of anther segments was followed by in situ hybridization with [3H]-polyuridylic acid as a probe. No binding of the isotope occurred in pollen grains during the uninucleate phase of their development. Although [3H]polyuridylic acid binding sites were present in the generative and vegetative cells of maturing pollen grains, they almost completely disappeared from mature grains ready to germinate. During pollen germination, poly(A)+RNA formation was transient and was due to the activity of the generative nucleus, whereas the vegetative nucleus and the sperm cells failed to interact with the applied probe. In cultured anther segments, moderate amounts of poly(A)+RNA were detected in the uninucleate, nonvacuolate, embryogenically determined pollen grains. Poly(A)+RNA accumulation in these grains was sensitive to actinomycin D, suggesting that it represents newly transcribed mRNA. After the first haploid mitosis in the embryogenically determined pollen grains, only those grains in which the generative nucleus alone or along with the vegetative nucleus accumulated poly(A)+RNA in the surrounding cytoplasm were found to divide in the embryogenic pathway. Overall, the results suggest that, in contrast to normal gametophytic development, embryogenic development in the uninucleate pollen grains of cultured anther segments of H. niger is due to the transcriptional activation of an informational type of RNA. Subsequent divisions in the potentially embryogenic binucleate pollen grains appeared to be mediated by the continued synthesis of mRNA either in the generative nucleus or in both the generative and vegetative nuclei.

Patterns of DNA synthesis during pollen embryogenesis in henbane.

Continued DNA synthesis in the generative cell nucleus, followed by mitosis and cytokinesis, results in the formation of pollen embryoids in cultured anthers of H. niger. In contrast, the nucleus of the vegetative cell undergoes no DNA synthesis after it is cut off, or synthesizes DNA only during a limited number of cell cycles. DNA synthetic patterns in the generative and vegetative cell nuclei confirm the ontogeny of embryoids described in this plant.

Role of the generative cell in androgenesis in henbane.

When anthers of henbane containing uninucleate pollen grains were cultured, a large number of embryoids originated exclusively from the division of the generative cell. In a small proportion of pollen grains, both generative and vegetative cells contributed to embryoid formation. Embryogenesis by segmentation of the vegetative cell alone was rarely observed.

Variations in antibiotic use across India: multi-centre study through Global Point Prevalence survey.

The aim of the study was to assess antimicrobial prescribing patterns, and variation in practice, in India. A point prevalence survey (PPS) was conducted in October to December 2017 in 16 tertiary care hospitals across India. The survey included all inpatients receiving an antimicrobial on the day of PPS and collected data were analysed using a web-based application of the University of Antwerp. In all, 1750 patients were surveyed, of whom 1005 were receiving a total of 1578 antimicrobials. Among the antimicrobials prescribed, 26.87% were for community-acquired infections; 19.20% for hospital-acquired infections; 17.24% for medical prophylaxis; 28.70% for surgical prophylaxis; and 7.99% for other or undetermined reasons. Antibiotic prescribing quality indicators, such as reason in notes and post-prescription review score, were low. This PPS showed widespread antibiotic usage, underlining the need for antibiotic stewardship to promote evidence-based practice.

HOXBES2: a novel epididymal HOXB2 homeoprotein and its domain-specific association with spermatozoa.

The sperm from the testis acquires complete fertilizing ability and forward progressive motility following its transit through the epididymis. Acquisition of these characteristics results from the modification of the sperm proteome following interactions with epididymal secretions. In our attempts to identify epididymis-specific sperm plasma membrane proteins, a partial 2.83-kb clone was identified by immunoscreening a monkey epididymal cDNA library with an agglutinating monoclonal antibody raised against washed human spermatozoa. The sequence of the 2.83-kb clone exhibited homology to the region between 1 and 1097 bp of the homeobox gene, Hoxb2. This sequence was found to be species conserved, as revealed by RT-PCR analysis. To obtain a full-length clone of the sequence, 5' RACE-PCR (rapid amplification of cDNA ends PCR) was carried out using rat epididymal RNA as the template. It resulted in a full-length 1.657-kb cDNA encoding a 32.9-kDa putative protein. The protein designated HOXBES2 exhibited homology to the conserved 61-amino acid homeodomain region of the HOXB2 homeoprotein. However, characteristic differences were noted in its amino and carboxyl termini compared with HOXB2. A putative 30-kDa protein was detected in the tissue extracts from adult rat epididymis and caudal spermatozoa, and a 37-kDa protein was detected in the rat embryo when probed with a polyclonal antibody against HOXB2 protein. Multiple tissue Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis further indicated its expression in the cytoplasm of the principal and basal epithelial cells, with maximal expression in the distal epididymal segments. Northern blot analysis detected a single approximately 2.5-kb transcript from the adult epididymis. Indirect immunofluorescence localized the protein to the acrosome, midpiece, and equatorial segments of rat caudal and ejaculated human and monkey spermatozoa, respectively. In conclusion, we have identified and characterized a novel epididymal homeoprotein different from HOXB2 protein and hereafter referred to as HOXBES2, (HOXB2 homeodomain containing epididymis-specific sperm protein) with a probable role in fertilization.

Cryptococcal Infection in Transplant Kidney Manifesting as Chronic Allograft Dysfunction.

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are a significant cause of morbidity in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Common causes among them are Aspergillus, Candida, and Cryptococcus. Antifungal prophylaxis has led to decrease in overall incidence of IFI; however, there is very little decline in the incidence of Cryptococcal infections of SOT recipients because effective prophylaxis is not available against this infectious agent. Spectrum of manifestation of Cryptococcal infection varies in immunocompetent and immunocompromised host with subclinical and self-limiting with lungs being the primary site in immunocompetent and central nervous system as the most common site in an immunocompromised host. Other preferred sites are cutaneous, pulmonary, urinary tract (prostate) and the bone. Herein, we describe a young adult renal transplant recipient male diagnosed as a rare case of biopsy proven Cryptococcal infection in transplant kidney manifesting as chronic allograft dysfunction.

Development and validation of a questionnaire to measure preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy: EXPECT questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to design and validate the questionnaire for capturing palliative chemotherapy-related preferences and expectations. DESIGN: Single arm, unicentric, prospective observational study. METHODS: EXPECT questionnaire was designed to capture preferences and expectations of patients undergoing palliative chemotherapy. This questionnaire underwent a linguistic validation and then was tested in patients. Ten patients are undergoing chemotherapy for solid tumors who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria self-administered the EXPECT questionnaire in regional language. After filling this questionnaire, they self-administered quick questionnaire-10 (QQ-10). SPSS version 16 (IBM New York) was used for analysis. Completion rate of EXPECT questionnaire was calculated. The feasibility, face validity, utility and time taken for completion of EXPECT questionnaire was also assessed. RESULTS: The completion rate of this questionnaire was 100%. All patients completed questionnaire within 5 min. The QQ-10 tool confirmed the feasibility, face validity and utility of the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: EXPECT questionnaire was validated in the regional language, and it's an effective tool for capturing patient's preferences and expectation from chemotherapy.

Characterization of cDNA encoding a human sperm membrane protein sharing homology with Huntington protein.

In our earlier study, we have reported the identification and characterization of a 57-kDa sperm membrane protein from human spermatozoa. The protein was found to be localized on the acrosome in acrosome intact spermatozoa and shifted to equatorial region after acrosomal induction. Further, we demonstrated that it plays a critical role in sperm--egg binding and fusion. Since the protein was found to be either absent or poorly expressed on the spermatozoa from infertile men, we designated it as Fertility Associated Sperm Antigen (FASA). A human epididymal cDNA library in Lambda-ZAP vector was screened with a polyclonal antibody raised against FASA. A clone was obtained with an insert of approximately 1.9 kb cDNA. The sequence showed 99% homology with a part of the human chromosome 11. EST database showed that a portion of 1.9 kb gene has 87% homology to gene encoding Huntington disease protein (HDP). The mutated form of this protein is responsible for Huntington's disease (HD) and is found in the brain cells of HD patients.

Retrospective audit of clinico-pathologic features and treatment outcomes in a cohort of elderly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients in a tertiary cancer center.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited data from India regarding elderly non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) patients. Hence, this audit was planned to study the clinic-pathological features and treatment outcomes in elderly NHL patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of all NHL patients above age of 59 years treated at the author's institute, between December 2010 and December 2013 was done. Case records were reviewed for baseline details, staging details, prognostic factors, treatment delivered, response, toxicity and efficacy. SPSS version 16 (IBM, Newyork) was used for analysis. Descriptive statistics was performed. Kaplan-Meir survival analysis was done for estimation of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Univariate analysis was done for identifying factors affecting PFS and OS. RESULTS: Out of 141 NHL patients, 67 patients were identified subjected to the inclusion criteria. The median age was 68 years (60-92). Majority were B-cell NHL (86.6%). The commonest subtype in B-cell was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (55.2%). Fifty-four patients took treatment. The treatment intent was curative in 41 patients (61.2%). Among the patients receiving curative treatment, 16 patients couldn't receive treatment in accordance with NCCN guidelines due to financial issues. Two years PFS was 55%. Two years PFS for B-cell NHL and T-cell NHL were 55% and 50% respectively (P = 0.982). Two years PFS for standard Rx and nonstandard Rx were 62% and 50% respectively, but it didn't reach statistical significance (P = 0.537). Two years OS for the entire cohort was 84%. CONCLUSION: Standard treatment in accordance with guidelines can be delivered in elderly patients irrespective of age. There is a need for creating financial assistance for patients, so that potentially curative treatments are not denied.

Patterns of care in geriatric cancer patients - An audit from a rural based hospital cancer registry in Kerala.

BACKGROUND: There is deficit of data from India on elderly patients with cancer. Comprehensive geriatric assessment may lead to a better decision making capacity in this population. However, routine implementation of such assessment is resource consuming. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of care in elderly patients treated at a tertiary rural cancer center in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with age 70 or above with solid tumors without any definitive treatment prior to the registration at our center and registered between 01/01/2010 and 31/12/2011 were selected for this study. The baseline demographic pattern and the pattern of care of treatment were analyzed. SPSS version 16 (IBM Inc, Armonk, New York, U.S.) was used for analysis. Descriptive data are provided. RESULTS: A total of 761 patients were evaluable subject to the aforementioned inclusion criteria. The median age of this cohort was 75 years (70-95 years). The most frequent primary sites of malignancies in 451 males were head neck (32.4%), lung (23.3%) and gastrointestinal (23.3%). In 310 females, the most common sites were head neck (31.6%), gynecological (18.4%) and gastrointestinal (24.5%). 228 (30%) of the patients had localized disease, 376 (49.4%) had loco-regionally advanced disease and 145 (19.1%) had distant metastases at presentation. 334 (46.32%) of patients were treated with curative intent. On logistic regression analysis the factors that predicted use of curative intent treatment were age <75 years, performance status 0-1, primary site and clinical extent of disease. CONCLUSION: Routine comprehensive geriatric assessment needs to be implemented in our setting as almost 50% of our geriatric patients undergo curative intent treatment.

Some reflections on double fertilization, from its discovery to the present.

The fusion of one sperm with the egg cell to form the embryo and of the other sperm with the polar fusion nucleus to give rise to the endosperm ('double fertilization') was discovered by Nawaschin in 1898 in the liliaceous plants, Lilium martagon and Fritillaria tenella. The occurrence of two fusion events analogous to double fertilization has recently been described in some gymnosperm species although the product of the second fusion is a transient embryo, rather than the endosperm as in angiosperms. Recent investigations in angiosperms describe the cell biology and nuclear cytology of double fertilization and the successful in vitro demonstration of the two fusion events using isolated egg cells, central cells, and sperm cells and the development of the fusion products into the embryo and endosperm. Molecular and genetic studies on the component elements of double fertilization have focused on the identification of mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana that display developmental patterns in the seed that result in autonomous endosperm development and even partial embryogenesis in the absence of fertilization. Characterization of the genes and their protein products has provided evidence for a predominant effect of maternal gametophytic genes and of silencing of paternal genes during double fertilization. Contents Summary 565 I. Introduction 566 II. Discovery of double fertilization 566 III. Seed development without double fertilization 568 IV. A case for double fertilization in gymnosperms 570 V. Structural and cytological perspectives on double fertilization 571 VI. In vitro double fertilization 575 VII. Genetic and molecular perspectives 576 VIII. Concluding comments 578 Acknowledgements 579 References 579.