Egg Membrane Research Articles

Female fertility and the mammalian egg's zona pellucida.

All mammalian eggs are surrounded by a relatively thick extracellular matrix (ECM) or zona pellucida (ZP) to which free-swimming sperm bind in a species-restricted manner during fertilization. The ZP consists of either three (e.g., Mus musculus) or four (e.g., Homo sapiens) glycosylated proteins, called ZP1-4. These proteins are unlike those found in somatic cell ECM, are encoded by single-copy genes on different chromosomes, and are well conserved among different mammals. Mammalian ZP proteins are synthesized as polypeptide precursors by growing oocytes that will become ovulated, unfertilized eggs. These precursors are processed to remove a signal-sequence and carboxy-terminal propeptide and are secreted into the extracellular space. Secreted ZP proteins assemble into long, crosslinked fibrils that exhibit a structural repeat due to the presence of ZP2-ZP3 dimers every 140 Å or so along fibrils. Fibrils are crosslinked by ZP1 and are oriented either perpendicular, parallel, or randomly to the plasma membrane of eggs depending on their position in the ZP. Free-swimming mouse sperm recognize and bind to ZP2 or ZP3 that serve as sperm receptors. Acrosome-intact sperm bind to ZP3 oligosaccharides and acrosome-reacted sperm bind to ZP2 polypeptide. ZP fibrils fail to assemble in the absence of either nascent ZP2 or ZP3 and results in mouse eggs that lack a ZP and female infertility. Gene sequence variations due to point, missense, or frameshift mutations in genes encoding ZP1-4 result in human eggs that lack a ZP or have an abnormal ZP and female infertility. These and other features of the mouse and human egg's ZP are discussed here.

A Simple Egg Membrane Patch Bridging Method for Repairing Tympanic Membrane Perforation

Objective: To analyze the clinical effect of a simple egg membrane patch bridging method in repairing tympanic membrane perforation. Methods: A total of 93 tympanic membrane perforation patients admitted to the hospital between September 2022 and October 2023 were selected and divided into two groups according to the random number table method. The control group implemented the conventional treatment (n = 46 cases), and the patch group adopted the simple egg membrane patch bridging method (n = 47 cases). The healing rate of the tympanic membrane, the air-bone gap, the air conduction hearing threshold, the dry ear rate, and the incidence of complications in both groups were compared before and after treatment. Results: The healing rate of the tympanic membrane in the patch group was significantly higher than that of the control group (95.75% vs. 76.09%), with P < 0.05; there was no difference in the air-bone gap and air conduction hearing threshold levels between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05), and the hearing indexes of the patch group were significantly lower than those of the control group 3 months after treatment (P < 0.05); the dry ear rate in the patch group was significantly higher than that of the control group after treatment (85.11% vs. 67.39%), and the total incidence of complications was also significantly lower than that of the control group (6.38% vs. 21.74%), with P < 0.05. Conclusion: The simple egg membrane patch bridging method is effective in repairing tympanic membrane perforation, which can effectively improve patients’ hearing levels and reduce the occurrence of post-treatment complications. Thus, it is worth popularizing and applying in the clinic.

The Effect of Synthetic Polyamine BPA-C8 on the Fertilization Process of Intact and Denuded Sea Urchin Eggs.

Sea urchin eggs are covered with layers of extracellular matrix, namely, the vitelline layer (VL) and jelly coat (JC). It has been shown that sea urchin eggs' JC components serve as chemoattractants or ligands for the receptor on the fertilizing sperm to promote the acrosome reaction. Moreover, the egg's VL provides receptors for conspecific sperm to bind, and, to date, at least two sperm receptors have been identified on the surface of sea urchin eggs. Interestingly, however, according to our previous work, denuded sea urchin eggs devoid of the JC and VL do not fail to become fertilized by sperm. Instead, they are bound and penetratedby multiple sperm, raising the possibility that an alternative pathway independent of the VL-residing sperm receptor may be at work. In this research, we studied the roles of the JC and VL using intact and denuded eggs and the synthetic polyamine BPA-C8. BPA-C8 is known to bind to the negatively charged macromolecular complexes in the cells, such as the JC, VL, and the plasma membrane of echinoderm eggs, as well as to the actin filaments in fibroblasts. Our results showed that, when added to seawater, BPA-C8 significantly repressed the Ca2+ wave in the intact P. lividus eggs at fertilization. In eggs deprived of the VL and JC, BPA-C8 binds to the plasma membrane and increases fibrous structures connecting microvilli, thereby allowing the denuded eggs to revert towards monospermy at fertilization. However, the reduced Ca2+ signal in denuded eggs was nullified compared to the intact eggs because removing the JC and VL already decreased the Ca2+ wave. BPA-C8 does not cross the VL and the cell membrane of unfertilized sea urchin eggs to diffuse into the cytoplasm at variance with the fibroblasts. Indeed, the jasplakinolide-induced polymerization of subplasmalemmal actin filaments was inhibited in the eggs microinjected with BPA-C8, but not in the ones bath-incubated with the same dose of BPA-C8.

Formulation and Characterization of Emulgel Lornoxicam Containing Lemon Grass Oil as Penetration Enhancer.

Emulgel dosage form is an advanced form of transdermal drug de-livery. It is a combination of emulsion and gel in a definite ratio. Emulsions are incorporated into the gel with proper mixing. The emulsion present in emulgel can be either oil/water or water/oil, which is thickened by mixing it with a gelling agent. On the basis of the solubility of lornoxicam in various oils, a surfac-tant and a co-surfactant were selected for further research. For the preparation of emulgel, the emulsion was prepared with Smix (surfactant and co-surfactant) in a ratio of 1:2. The prepared emulsion was incorporated into different concentrations of carbapol 934 in a 1:1 ratio to make a homogenous emulgel. The emulgel was inspected visually to see if it had any phase behaviour, spreadabil-ity, or grittiness by applying it to a slide. All formulations were evaluated for pH, physical properties, drug content, spreadability, extrudability, swelling index, viscosity, and centrifu-gation. Franz diffusion cell was used to perform in-vitro release of formulation with the help of egg membrane. Among all formulations, F3 showed 83% release after 6 hours and showed acceptable physical properties like homogeneity, colour, consistency, pH value, spreadability, extrudability, and drug content. Thus, emulgel can be regarded as a more feasible drug delivery system for hy-drophobic drugs (lornoxicam) than the currently marketed formulation. Optimized emulgel formulation consists of a microemulsion of lornoxicam, 1 % of carbopol 934, propylene gly-col, sodium benzoate, lemon grass oil, glycerin, and distilled water. In the in-vitro release studies, pH 7.4 phosphate buffer emulgel formulation (F3) showed 83% after 6 hours. Emulgel was found to be stable under stable conditions. The emulgel of the poorly water-soluble drug (lornoxicam) was formulated. The components and their optimum ratio for the formulation of microemulsion were obtained by solubility studies and droplet size analysis. Thus, microemulsion can be regarded as a more feasible dose delivery system for lornoxicam than the currently marketed tablet, capsule, and injection formulations. Optimized microemulsion of lornoxicam was incorporated into the gel base. Therefore, it may be concluded that emulgel of lornoxicam can be used as a controlled-release dosage form of the drug for local application in rheumatoid arthritis.

Buoyancy and vertical distribution of haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) eggs during embryonic development: A comparison with cod (Gadus morhua)

AbstractVertical egg distributions are needed knowledge for understanding exposure to physical forcing, predation pressure, and modelling initial transport from the spawning areas. Egg density and size are the biotic factors determining vertical distributions while the ambient salinity and turbulent mixing are the physical factors contributing to their vertical distributions. Egg buoyancies and densities of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) have been extensively studied, while limited information on haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) egg density is available. This is the first comprehensive study on haddock egg densities in Norwegian waters. Eggs were collected from pairs of spawning fish caught at the coast of western Norway and inserted into a density gradient column where density was measured. The haddock eggs were neutrally buoyant at salinities ranging from 28.5 to 31. The density changed during egg development, and the results from the measurements were used to model the vertical distribution of the eggs. The simulations showed that the changes in buoyancy substantially affected vertical distributions. A comparison to previously published data on cod eggs showed that haddock eggs are considerably more buoyant than the cod eggs and are—particularly during calm wind conditions—confined to the surface layer to a larger extent than the cod eggs. The more buoyant attribute of the haddock eggs, together with the lipophilic surface of the egg membrane, is suggested to make haddock eggs more vulnerable to buoyant pollutants, like hydrocarbons.

Natural glyceollin soybean extracts elicited with Aspergillus sojae reduce estrogen-dependent breast cancer growth in orally fed mice.

Previous studies have demonstrated antiestrogenic and antiproliferative effects of these molecules in breast cancer cells. Notably, we have reported that pure synthetic glyceollins I and II act through various pathways, including ERα, FOXM1, AhR, and HIF pathways to inhibit cell proliferation and migration. In this study, the potential antitumor activity of glyceollins enriched in crude soybean extracts, obtained by solid fermentation with Aspergillus sojae, was investigated in vivo on MCF-7 breast cancer cells implanted in the chorioallantoic membrane of the chick egg and on ovariectomized nude mice. The first trial showed a substantial reduction in the migration of MCF-7 cells treated with the natural extracts. However, the natural extracts significantly reduced the estrogen-dependent growth of transplanted tumors in orally fed nude mice. Our results showed that natural soybean extracts slightly but significantly reduced estrogen-dependent growth of the transplanted tumors in orally fed nude mice. These results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry of Ki-67 and histone H3S10 phosphorylation (H3S10P), revealing lower expression of these proliferation markers in the transplanted tumors from mice fed with the fermented extracts. Additionally, compared to the control animals, we observed a lower expression of angiogenesis markers such as CD31 and CD34. Surprisingly, transcriptomic analysis of RNA from transplanted MCF-7 cells revealed no differential gene expression. These results may suggest that orally consumed natural glyceollins exert biological effects throughout the body, acting indirectly to reduce tumor angiogenesis and consequently tumor volume. Overall, our results indicate that glyceollins, elicited components of the soy origin, hold potential therapeutic applications for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

Formulation and evaluation of bioadhesive buccal Films of Domperidone co-crystals by using Tamarind kernel powder as mucoadhesive polymer

As solubility plays key role in drug dissolution and bioavailability lots of techniques to enhance solubility are evolved. One of the techniques is co crystallization. The main aim of the work is to enhance the solubility of domperidone by co crystallization using coformers like Para amino benzoic acid and succinic acid. The cocrystals were evaluated for melting point and solubility enhancement. these cocrystals were used to prepare buccal films by solvent casting method. In the preparation of buccal films Tamarind kernel powder obtained from the seeds of Tamarind is used as mucoadhesive polymer and Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose as film former, Polyethylene glycol 6000 as plasticizer, dehydrated banana powder as super disintegrant, sodium saccharin as sweetener and mixture of ethanol and water as solvents. The mucoadhesive strength of Tamarind kernel powder was determined using modified physical balance method. Four buccal films were prepared in which PDBF1 and PDBF2 are the two buccal films prepared using cocrystals of domperidone and Para amino benzoic acid and other two buccal films SDBF1 and SDBF2 with cocrystals of domperidone and Succinic acid. The buccal films were evaluated for different tests like folding endurance, swelling index and Surface pH. In vitro diffusion studies were conducted by Franz diffusion cell using egg membrane as semipermeable membrane and phosphate buffer of pH 7.4. The buccal films prepared with cocrystals of domperidone and succinic acid at weight ratio 1:2 has shown 86%drug release. The work has concluded that there is fold increase in aqueous solubility of Domperidone and the optimized formula is SDBF2 and Tamarind kernel powder can be used as mucoadhesive polymer in novel drug delivery systems. Keywords: co crystals, solvent evaporation, muco adhesive, buccal films, solvent evaporation

Kaempferia galanga L. alleviates the expression of COX-2 and NF-kappaB-p65 in the oral mucosa ulcer of Wistar rats and exhibits no irritation toward the vascular membrane of chicken eggs and the skin of albino rabbits

The global incidence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis in 2018 reached 5–66 % of the population, while in Indonesia 8 %. Moreover, the prevalence of oral mucosal fibrosis and recurrent aphthous stomatitis among male doctors and nurses in China was 21.24 % and 24.27 %, respectively. Our previous study has shown that the ethanol extract of Kaempferia galanga L. rhizome (EKGR) revealed an accelerated wound-healing effect in the oral mucosa ulcer of Wistar rats. This study aims to explore the effects of EKGR on the expression of NF-kappaB-p65 and COX-2 in the tongue tissue of male Wistar rats by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry technique, its safety towards the vascular membrane of the egg chorioallantoic membrane, and its single-dose application on the skin of male rabbits. The rats were randomly assigned into 7 groups: the normal control; the negative control; the positive control (treated with triamcinolone acetonide); and 4 treatment groups of EKGR (0.5 %; 1 %; 2 %; 4 %). Western blot and immunohistochemistry methods were used to measure the expression of NF-kappaB-p65 and COX-2. The hen's egg test-chorioallantoic membrane assay was employed to predict the safety of EKGR towards the vascular membrane. Moreover, the effect of 200 mg/kg BW EKGR application on the dorsal skin of male albino rabbits was also evaluated. EKGR inhibits the expression of NF-kappaB-p65 and COX-2 as proven by WB and IHC results. In the HET-CAM assay, all concentrations of EKGR do not induce irritation responses, which elicits the safety of EKGR. The administration of EKGR causes mild irritation to the dorsal skin of male rabbits but does not induce erythema and edema, no significant changes in BW, no toxic effects on organ macroscopic examination or histopathology, and does not induce abnormalities in the hematological profile of male albino rabbits. EKGR has confirmed its anti-inflammatory activity by suppressing the expression of COX-2 and NF-kappaB-p65 in the oral mucosa ulcer of Wistar rats. EKGR is safe as it does not exhibit irritating potential and harmful effects.

Phylogenomic reconstruction influenced by assembly and annotation parameters: Using whole genome data to unravel the relationships of Spionidae (Annelida)

AbstractMost efforts at improving accuracy in phylogenomic reconstructions have focused on improving tree‐building methods or orthology determination. Even though the use of whole genome sequence or transcriptome data is increasing, the degree to which accurate genome assembly and annotation influence phylogenetic inference has not been well explored. Here, we use low‐coverage whole genome sequencing of spionid annelids to explore the impact of different assemblers and annotation strategies on tree reconstruction. We also produce a phylogenetic hypothesis that spans the breadth of Spionidae, examining the current systematics of the group, which is based on morphological parsimony analyses and classical taxonomy. Our results show that both assembly and annotation can have important consequences for the pool of loci that may be available for tree reconstruction. When an identical phylogenomic pipeline is used, differences in assembly and annotation can account for variation in reconstructed topologies. Interestingly, the completeness and depth of the data used for training annotation software (i.e. data from model systems) appear to be more important, by some measures, than the degree of phylogenetic relatedness of the organism from which training data are drawn. Despite variation in recovered topologies, the recognised subfamily Spioninae is nested within Nerininae, suggesting that diagnostic characters of Nerininae (e.g. thick egg membrane, short‐headed sperm) are symplesiomorphies of Spionidae rather than apomorphies of a particular subclade. With the increased use of genomic data, our results advocate for a broader consideration of how assembly and annotation may impact data matrices used in phylogenomic analyses.

Comparative Anti-inflammatory Activity of a Nanocomposite-Based Herbal Oral Rinse and a Commercial Oral Rinse.

The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the anti-inflammatory effects of two oral rinse formulations, a commercial oral rinse and anOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum(nanocomposites, NCs) oral rinse, using in vitro assays commonly employed to assess anti-inflammatory activity. The anti-inflammatory potential of the oral rinse formulations was assessed using bovine serum albumin (BSA) denaturation, egg albumin denaturation, and membrane stabilization assays. Diclofenac sodium was used as a reference standard in all assays. The inhibition percentages of BSA denaturationand egg albumin denaturation assays, as well as membrane stabilization effects, were measured at various concentrations of the oral rinse formulations. Both the commercial oral rinse and theOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimumoral rinse demonstrated significant inhibition of BSA denaturation, indicating their anti-inflammatory potential. TheOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum (NCs) oral rinse consistently showed higher inhibition percentages than the commercial oral rinse, suggesting stronger anti-inflammatory effects in this assay. In the egg albumin denaturation assay, both formulations exhibited inhibition of protein denaturation, with theOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum(NCs) oral rinse showing comparable or slightly higher inhibition percentages. The membrane stabilization assay further supported the anti-inflammatory properties of both formulations, with theOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum (NCs) oral rinse demonstrating efficacy comparable to diclofenac sodium. The results suggest thatOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum (NCs) oral rinse may possess stronger anti-inflammatory effects compared tocommercial oral rinse, as evidenced by higher inhibition percentages in the BSA denaturation assay. Both formulations showed promising anti-inflammatory activity in the egg albumin denaturation and membrane stabilization assays, indicating their potential for mitigating inflammation. TheOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum (NCs) oral rinse exhibits significant anti-inflammatory effects in vitro, potentially surpassing the efficacy of the commercial oral rinse. Further studies are needed to explore the clinical implications of these findings and to validate the anti-inflammatory properties of theOcimum tenuiflorum and Ocimum gratissimum (NCs) oral rinse in vivo.

Development and Evaluation of Celecoxib Emulgel by Using Natural Oil.

Emulgel combines the qualities of an emulsion with those of a gel. In order to create an emulgel w/o or o/w, emulsions have to be formulated, which are then combined with a gelling agent, resulting in a dual-control drug release. Celecoxib exhibits analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities and is used to treat osteoarthritis, severe pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and other medical conditions. Celecoxib Emulgel was developed and evaluated by using natural oil and carbopol- 940 as a gelling agent in different concentrations. The screening of various oils, co-surfactants and surfactants was performed to determine the solubility. The essential oils (eucalyptus oil and turpentine oil) were used as penetration modifiers. Studies on compatibility with polymers have been conducted, and the results indicate that there should be no physical or chemical interactions between the polymers and the drug substance. For the preparation of emulgel, various emulsions were prepared with Smix (cosurfactant and surfactant) ratios (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1). The selection of a gelling agent was done by incorporating the selected emulsion system ratio of 1:1 with the combinations of polymers carbapol 940, carbapol 934, and HPMC (0:1:0, 0:0.5:1, 0:0:3, 0.5:0:1, 1:0:0) gel base to make a homogenous emulgel. The emulgel was examined visually to see if it had any phase behaviour, feel, spreadability, and grittiness by applying its thin layer to a slide. Then, all six formulations of emulgel were prepared with the selected gelling agent. All emulgels were evaluated for pH, physical properties (consistency, homogeneity, colour, texture), drug content, spreadability, extrudability, swelling index, viscosity, stability and centrifugation. A Franz diffusion cell and an egg membrane were used to perform in-vitro drug release. Among all prepared formulations, EG1 had a better release, higher viscosity, higher drug content, and a higher swelling index than the others. The formulation EG1 showed higher drug release (91.25%) within 8 hours.

Transient square pulse-electric field induction of monosex-male reversal of the eggs of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L., Chitralada)

We present an alternative technique of monosex-male reversal for Nile tilapia using transient square pulse-electric field inductions to enhance sex reversal rate of tilapia eggs by methyltestosterone (Oreochromis niloticus L., Chitralada). Male tilapia is preferred for aquaculture because of better size and growth rate. The egg membrane was permeabilised by an electric field pulse allowing a minimalized androgen hormone dose of 17alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) (μg l−1 concentration) to achieve monosex sex-male reversal. The technique achieved large-scale inductions of 2000 eggs rather than for individual eggs and was aimed at commercialization (Thailand petty patent no. 13516). The eggs of O. niloticus obtained from our parent breeding stocks were carefully selected to be in the segmentation-pharyngula stage (2–3 dpf - day post fertilization) for electrical inductions in a pulsed-electric field generated between narrow parallel-plate electrodes. The electrodes were powered with an adjustable signal pulse-generator (SPG) developed for on-site operations. The induction medium was prepared using HEPES buffer mixed with a minimized concentration of MT. We experimentally optimized inductions by adjusting the number of square wave pulses, pulse amplitude, pulse durations (period) and a mark-space ratio (pulse width: negative half of period) for the optimum results. A dose of 350 V (electric field intensities of 87.50 kV m−1) of 3 square pulses with 100 μs pulse-period (50:50 mark space ratio) gave the maximum rate of male-sex reversal rate (MSR) of 89.42 ± 2.28 (SD)%, hatching rate (HR) of 93.33 ± 0.58% and survival rate (SR) of 87.49 ± 1.71%, respectively. The off-spring rate (OSR) or sex ratio of the controls were 59.71 ± 3.00% male and 46.33 ± 1.53% female from a hatching rate (HR) of 91.33 ± 1.53% and a survival rate (SR) of 85.08 ± 4.16%, respectively.

Egg membrane as a training model for microsurgery

Teaching microsurgery is limited by the availability of appropriate training models. In-vivo models, such as rats, remain the gold standard, but ethical and economic limitations restrict their use for initial training. This study investigated the feasibility of using egg membrane as an inert model, an accessible and economical alternative for introduction to microsurgery.The specifications for inert models include ease of access, low cost, high reproducibility and realistic reproduction of relevant characteristics. Fourteen microsurgery students assessed egg membrane as an inert training model on a 10-item questionnaire evaluating the specifications for use in microsurgery teaching.Easy access to the material and the ease with which it could be set up were evaluated positively. Dissection of the membrane added an educational dimension, distinguishing this model from other inert alternatives. On the other hand, the flexibility of the egg membrane and its resistance to the passage of the needle or the tightening of the thread were generally considered to be different from the in-vivo arterial wall.In conclusion, egg membrane as an inert model offers a practical, economical alternative in microsurgery training despite a lack of fidelity in reproducing the most relevant characteristics of the arterial wall. This model is more suited to the initial phase of learning microsurgery: in particular, working under a microscope, eye/hand coordination, tremor management and digital dexterity.

Immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities of hydro-ethanolic extract of Securidaca longipedunculata Fresen leaves

Introduction: The use of Securidaca longipedunculata for solving health problems related to immunological disorders is long-standing. The immunomodulatory activity associated with the anti-inflammatory effect of S. longipedunculata has not yet been elucidated by scientific research. The aim of our study is to show that the leaves of S. longipedunculata can solve problems related to immunodeficiency and inflammation. Methods: The phytochemical compounds of the plant were carried out by solubility tests. The anti-inflammatory activity of the plant was evaluated by the chicken egg albumin denaturation inhibition, membrane stabilization, and C-reactive protein (CRP) tests. The 2,2-diphenyl1-picrylhydrazyl, total antioxidant capacity, and inhibition of lipoperoxidation tests were performed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the plant. Immunosuppression was induced in rats by cyclophosphamide. The immunomodulatory activity of S. longipedunculata was studied by blood count. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) titration showed the effect of S. longipedunculata on the energy balance. Results: The extract contained polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins. The tests of albumin denaturation inhibition, membrane stabilisation, CRP, total antioxidant capacity, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl revealed that the extract had anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The blood count results revealed that the extract non-significantly increased the number of leukocytes except in the case of neutrophils and monocytes at a dose of 400 mg/kg (P<0.05). The extract also restored the energy balance in the rats according to the LDH results. Conclusion: This study reveals that the hydro-ethanolic extract of S. longipedunculata leaves has potential immunostimulant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Secretome from Magnetically Stimulated Muscle Exhibits Anticancer Potency: Novel Preconditioning Methodology Highlighting HTRA1 Action.

Briefly (10 min) exposing C2C12 myotubes to low amplitude (1.5 mT) pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) generated a conditioned media (pCM) that was capable of mitigating breast cancer cell growth, migration, and invasiveness in vitro, whereas the conditioned media harvested from unexposed myotubes, representing constitutively released secretome (cCM), was less effective. Administering pCM to breast cancer microtumors engrafted onto the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggs reduced tumor volume and vascularity. Blood serum collected from PEMF-exposed or exercised mice allayed breast cancer cell growth, migration, and invasiveness. A secretome preconditioning methodology is presented that accentuates the graded anticancer potencies of both the cCM and pCM harvested from myotubes, demonstrating an adaptive response to pCM administered during early myogenesis that emulated secretome-based exercise adaptations observed in vivo. HTRA1 was shown to be upregulated in pCM and was demonstrated to be necessary and sufficient for the anticancer potency of the pCM; recombinant HTRA1 added to basal media recapitulated the anticancer effects of pCM and antibody-based absorption of HTRA1 from pCM precluded its anticancer effects. Brief and non-invasive PEMF stimulation may represent a method to commandeer the secretome response of muscle, both in vitro and in vivo, for clinical exploitation in breast and other cancers.

Impact of nutrition intervention on the nutritional status and cognitive function among children (6-12 years) – An Interventional Study from South India

Aim: The aim of this study was to prepare Methotrexate and triherbal loaded topical emulgels for anti-arthritic activity. Methods: The above sources are subjected to soxhlation and aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of the above three will be prepared. The extracts will be prepared by proper maceration in suitable solvents in required proportions. The resultant extract will be converted into emulgel as follows: The gel portion of the emulgel will be made by dissolving carbopol-934 in cold water with constant stirring at a moderate speed until uniform mixture is obtained. The pH was then adjusted to 6–6.5 using triethanolamine (TEA). Tween 80 was dissolved in distilled water to prepare the aqueous phase of the emulsion while for the preparation of the oil phase of the emulsion; span 80 was dissolved in liquid paraffin. To preserve the emulsion, benzalkonium chloride was dissolved in water and the suitable amounts of extracts and methotrexate is dissolved in ethanol then both solutions are mixed with the aqueous phase. Both the aqueous and the oil phase were heated in a water bath at 70 °C separately. Then the oil phase was added drop wise to the aqueous phase with continuous stirring using homogenizer at speed of 3000 rpm for 10 min then cold to room temperature. At the end the gel and emulsion portions were mixed in 1:1 ratio with moderately stirring to prepare emulgel. The preparation is made viscous to be spreadable on the skin sufficiently without friction by trial-and-error way of mixing different proportions of gelling polymers. The formulation thus prepared is subjected to suitable characterization and evaluation studies and the optimized formulation is reported after obtaining results. Results: Drug-polymer compatibility studies (FT-IR and DSC) showed no incompatibility between the drug and polymer. In- vitro permeation studies though egg membrane showed good drug release in the range of 78.91 to 98.92% over a period of 2 hours. The best formulation was found to be F3 showing in-vitro drug release of 98.92%. The correlation and coefficient (R2) values obtained from the kinetic equation shows the drug release from all the formulation (F1-F9) follow zero order drug release mechanism. Conclusion: It can be concluded that Methotrexate and Triherbal loaded Topical emulgels could be a better formulation approach for Anti-arthritic activity.

Development and optimization of Clitoria teratea synthesized silver nanoparticles and its application to nanogel systems for wound healing

Objective The present research deals with sequential optimization strategy based on Central Composite Design to optimize the process variables for efficient production of Clitoria teratea (CLT) synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using biological synthesis. Methods Two substantial factors influencing the dependent variables viz UV-visible absorbance, particle size, zeta potential and polydispersity index (PDI) were identified as NaOH concentration, RH concentration, temperature as independent variables. In-vitro and ex-vivo studies of prepared CLT-AgNPs gel and marketed gel were carried out using dialysis membrane and egg membrane, respectively. In addition, antimicrobial study was also performed on the bacterial strains. Results The particles size (114 nm), PDI (0.45), and zeta potential (−29.5 mV) of optimized formulation were found, respectively. In-vitro profile of AgNPs from prepared CLT-AgNPs gel was noted (95.6%) in 8 h. It was found that the prepared CLT-AgNPs gel stimulates fibroblast and agranulocytosis development resulting better and timely wound healing. Conclusions The prepared CLT-AgNPs gel can be as a potential substitute in the management and treatment of acute and chronic wounds.

Isolation of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus from Chorio-allantoic Membrane of SPF Chicken Eggs inoculated with Fowl Pox Virus.

Fowl Pox Viruses (FPV) infect chickens and turkeys giving rise to pock lesions on various body parts like combs, wattles, legs, shanks, eyes, mouth etc. The birds, affected with FPV, also show anemia and ruffled appearance which are clinical symptoms of Reticuloendotheliosis. Interestingly, the field strains of FPV are integrated with the provirus of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus (REV). Due to this integration, the infected birds, upon replication of FPV, give rise to free REV virions, causing severe immunosuppression and anemia. Pox scabs, collected from the infected birds, not only show positive PCR results upon performing FPV-specific 4b core protein gene PCR but also show positive results for the PCR of REV-specific env gene and FPV-REV 5'LTR junction. Homogenized suspension of the pock lesions, upon inoculating to the Chorio-allantoic Membrane (CAM) of 10 days old specific pathogen-free embryonated chicken eggs, produces characteristic pock lesions in serial passages. But the lesions also harbor REV mRNA or free virion, which can be identified by performing REV-specific env gene PCR using REV RNA from FPV-infected CAMs. The study suggests successful replication and availability of REV mRNA and free virion alongside the FPV virus, although the CAM is an ill-suited medium for any retroviral (like REV) growth and replication.

Molecular dynamics of JUNO-IZUMO1 complexation suggests biologically relevant mechanisms in fertilization

JUNO-IZUMO1 binding is the first known physical link created between the sperm and egg membranes in fertilization, however, how this initiates sperm-egg fusion remains elusive. As advanced structural insights will help to combat the infertility crisis, or advance fertility control, we employed all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) to derive dynamic structural insights that are difficult to obtain experimentally. We found that the hydrated JUNO-IZUMO1 interface is composed of a large set of short-lived non-covalent interactions. The contact interface is destabilized by strategically located point mutations, as well as by Zn2+ ions, which shift IZUMO1 into the non-binding “boomerang” conformation. We hypothesize that the latter might explain how the transient zinc spark, as released after sperm entry into the oocyte, might contribute to block polyspermy. To address a second mystery, we performed another set of simulations, as it was previously suggested that JUNO in solution is unable to bind to folate despite it belonging to the folate receptor family. MD now suggests that JUNO complexation with IZUMO1 opens up the binding pocket thereby enabling folate insertion. Our MD simulations thus provide crucial new hypotheses how the dynamics of the JUNO-IZUMO1 complex upon solvation might regulate fertility.

Isolation, identification, molecular and pathogenicity characteristics of an infectious laryngotracheitis virus from Hubei province, China

Multiple outbreaks of avian infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) in chickens, both domestically and internationally, have been directly correlate to widespread vaccine use in affected countries and regions. Phylogenetic and recombination event analyses have demonstrated that avian infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV) field strains are progressively evolving toward the chicken embryo-origin (CEO) vaccine strain. Even with standardized biosecurity measures and effective prevention and control strategies implemented on large-scale farms, continuous ILT outbreaks result in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. These outbreaks undoubtedly hinder efforts to control and eradicate ILTV in the future. In this study, an ILTV isolate was successfully obtained by laboratory PCR detection and virus isolation from chickens that exhibited dyspnea and depression on a broiler farm in Hubei Province, China. The isolated strain exhibited robust propagation on chorioallantoic membranes of embryonated eggs, but failed to establish effective infection in chicken hepatocellular carcinoma (LMH) cells. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a unique T441P point mutation in the gJ protein of the isolate. Animal experiments confirmed the virulence of this strain, as it induced mortality in 6-wk-old chickens. This study expands current understanding of the epidemiology, genetic variations, and pathogenicity of ILTV isolates circulating domestically, contributing to the elucidate of ILTV molecular basis of pathogenicity and development of vaccine.