Phenotypic, Genomic, and Transcriptomic Heterogeneity in a Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the suitability of the MIA PaCa-2 cell line for studying pancreatic cancer intratumor heterogeneity, we aim to further characterize the nature of MIA PaCa-2 cells' phenotypic, genomic, and transcriptomic heterogeneity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MIA PaCa-2 single-cell clones were established through flow cytometry. For the phenotypic study, we quantified the cellular morphology, proliferation rate, migration potential, and drug sensitivity of the clones. The chromosome copy number and transcriptomic profiles were quantified using SNPa and RNA-seq, respectively. RESULTS: Four MIA PaCa-2 clones showed distinctive phenotypes, with differences in cellular morphology, proliferation rate, migration potential, and drug sensitivity. We also observed a degree of genomic variations between these clones in form of chromosome copy number alterations and single nucleotide variations, suggesting the genomic heterogeneity of the population, and the intrinsic genomic instability of MIA PaCa-2 cells. Lastly, transcriptomic analysis of the clones also revealed gene expression profile differences between the clones, including the uniquely regulated ITGAV , which dictates the morphology of MIA PaCa-2 clones. CONCLUSIONS: MIA PaCa-2 is comprised of cells with distinctive phenotypes, heterogeneous genomes, and differential transcriptomic profiles, suggesting its suitability as a model to study the underlying mechanisms behind pancreatic cancer heterogeneity.

Knowledge on mucormycosis among nursing Indian students in the state of Gujarat.

The disorder known as angio-invasive mucormycosis is characterized by tissue necrosis and infarction. The Mucorales order of saprophytic fungi is responsible for its development. It is unclear how widespread mucormycosis is in India due to a lack of population-based investigations. Diabetes mellitus is the risk factor that occurs the most frequently, followed by solid organ transplant and hematological cancer. The present study has been carried out to assess the knowledge regarding mucormycosis among nursing students from Nootan College of Nursing, Visnagar, Gujarat. For this we have selected 100 students by using the probability sampling technique. Structured questions were used to assess the knowledge of nursing students regarding mucormycosis. The Score was categorized as poor, average and good. The results show that 45(45%) of the nursing students having poor knowledge, 35(35%) of them were having average knowledge, 20(20%) of them were having good knowledge. There is an association between gender, program and their level of knowledge. Most of the students having poor knowledge regarding mucormycosis and we need to create awareness regarding mucormycosis to Nursing students.

Pressure induced elastic softening in framework aluminosilicate- albite (NaAlSi3O8).

Albite (NaAlSi3O8) is an aluminosilicate mineral. Its crystal structure consists of 3-D framework of Al and Si tetrahedral units. We have used Density Functional Theory to investigate the high-pressure behavior of the crystal structure and how it affects the elasticity of albite. Our results indicate elastic softening between 6-8 GPa. This is observed in all the individual elastic stiffness components. Our analysis indicates that the softening is due to the response of the three-dimensional tetrahedral framework, in particular by the pressure dependent changes in the tetrahedral tilts. At pressure <6 GPa, the PAW-GGA can be described by a Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with = 687.4 Å3, = 51.7 GPa, and = 4.7. The shear modulus and its pressure derivative are = 33.7 GPa, and = 2.9. At 1 bar, the azimuthal compressional and shear wave anisotropy = 42.8%, and = 50.1%. We also investigate the densification of albite to a mixture of jadeite and quartz. The transformation is likely to cause a discontinuity in density, compressional, and shear wave velocity across the crust and mantle. This could partially account for the Mohorovicic discontinuity in thickened continental crustal regions.