NOPR Collection:

Serum neuron-specific enolase and S-100β levels as prognostic follow-up markers for oxygen administered carbon monoxide intoxication cases

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Serum neuron-specific enolase and S-100β levels as prognostic follow-up markers for oxygen administered carbon monoxide intoxication cases Authors: Yildirim, Ali Osman; Eroglu, Murat; Kaldirim, Umit; Eyi, Yusuf Emrah; Simsek, Kemal; Durusu, Murat; Yamanel, Levent; Arziman, Ibrahim; Tuncer, Salim Kemal; Toygar, Mehmet; Balkan, Arzu; Cayci, Tuncer; Demirbas, Seref; Oter, Sukru; Bilgi, Cumhur Abstract: Serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S-100β levels are considered novel biochemical markers of neuronal cell injury. In this study, the initial and post-treatment levels of NSE and S-100β were compared in carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning patients, who received normorbaric oxygen (NBO) or hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy. Forty consecutive patients with acute CO poisoning were enrolled in this prospective, observational study. According to their clinical symptoms and observations, twenty patients were treated with NBO, and the other twenty with HBO. Serum S-100β and NSE levels were measured both at time of admission and 6 h later (post-treatment). Serum NSE and S-100β values decreased significantly in both of the therapeutic modalities. The initial and post-treatment values of NSE and S-100β in NBO or HBO patients were comparable. A clear negative correlation was observed between the decrease of NSE and S-100β levels and initial blood carboxyhemoglobin levels. In conclusion, the present results suggested the use of serum S-100β and NSE levels as indicators for brain injury. Due to the significant increase of their values with oxygen therapy, they may also be useful as prognostic follow-up markers. However, the current findings reflected no difference between the efficacy of NBO or HBO therapy. Page(s): 29-33

Rapid and simple method of photobleaching to reduce background autofluorescence in lung tissue sections

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Rapid and simple method of photobleaching to reduce background autofluorescence in lung tissue sections Authors: Kumar, B Santhosh; Sandhyamani, S; Nazeer, Shaiju S; Jayasree, R S Abstract: Autofluorescence exhibited by tissues often interferes with immunofluorescence. Using imaging and spectral analysis, we observed remarkable reduction of autofluorescence of formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissues irradiated with light prior to incubation with immunofluorescent dyes. The technique of photobleaching offers significant improvement in the quality and specificity of immunofluorescence. This has the potential for better techniques for disease diagnosis. Page(s): 107-110

Evaluation of different protein extraction methods for banana (Musa spp.) root proteome analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: Evaluation of different protein extraction methods for banana (Musa spp.) root proteome analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis Authors: Vaganan, M Mayil; Sarumathi, S; Nandakumar, A; Ravi, I; Mustaffa, M M Abstract: Four protocols viz., the trichloroacetic acid-acetone (TCA), phenol-ammonium acetate (PAA), phenol/SDS-ammonium acetate (PSA) and trisbase-acetone (TBA) were evaluated with modifications for protein extraction from banana (Grand Naine) roots, considered as recalcitrant tissues for proteomic analysis. The two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) separated proteins were compared based on protein yield, number of resolved proteins, sum of spot quantity, average spot intensity and proteins resolved in 4-7 pI range. The PAA protocol yielded more proteins (0.89 mg/g of tissues) and protein spots (584) in 2-DE gel than TCA and other protocols. Also, the PAA protocol was superior in terms of sum of total spot quantity and average spot intensity than TCA and other protocols, suggesting phenol as extractant and ammonium acetate as precipitant of proteins were the most suitable for banana rooteomics analysis by 2-DE. In addition, 1:3 ratios of root tissue to extraction buffer and overnight protein precipitation were most efficient to obtain maximum protein yield. Page(s): 101-106

In silico structural and functional analysis of protein encoded by wheat early salt-stress response gene (WESR3)

Sun, 01 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Title: In silico structural and functional analysis of protein encoded by wheat early salt-stress response gene (WESR3) Authors: Mishra, A K; Tandon, Gitanjali; Sharma, Rajendra; Chandrasekharan, H; Pandey, P S Abstract: Salt stress is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Wheat early salt-stress response gene (WESR3) is one of the major salt stress genes, which is affected in the first phase of salt stress. In this study, sequence and structural analysis of protein coded by WESR3 gene was carried out using various bioinformatics tools. Sequence analysis of WESR3 protein revealed the presence of highly conserved regions of Mlo gene family. Three-dimensional modeling was carried out to elucidate its structure and its active site. The sequence analysis revealed that WESR3 protein might be involved in fungal pathogen attack pathway. Thus, in addition to its involvement in abiotic stresses, it also seemed to play an important part in biotic stress pathways. Out of the three modeled protein structures obtained from I-TASSER, HHPred and QUARK, the I-TASSER protein model was the best model based on high confidence score and lesser number of bad contacts. The Ramchandran plot analysis also showed that all amino acid residues of I-TASSER model lie in the allowed region and thus indicating towards the overall good quality of the predicted model. Seventeen active sites were predicted in the protein bearing resemblance to the Mlo family conserved regions. In conclusion, a detailed analysis of WESR3 protein suggested an important role of WESR3 in biotic and abiotic stress. These results aid to the experimental data and help to build up a complete view of WESR3 proteins and their role in plant stress response. Page(s): 95-100