Chromosome aberrations in spermatogonia and sperm abnormalities in Curacron-treated mice

Curacron is an organophosphorus pesticide widely used in cotton fields. In order to assay its mutagenic potential in mammalian germ cells chromosomal aberrations in spermatogonial cells and sperm abnormalities were examined in mice after Curacron treatment. For studying chromosomal aberrations mice were treated both acutely (single treatment) and subacutely (for 5 consecutive days) with 3 dose levels of Curacron, 12, 36 and 72 mg/kg. Curacron was found to produce a significant increase in structural chromosomal aberrations after acute and subacute treatments. This increase was dose-dependent. A dose-dependent inhibition in mitotic activity in spermatogonia was also found. For studying sperm abnormalities mice were treated for 5 consecutive days with 20, 40 and 60 mg/kg. Morphological sperm abnormalities increased significantly after treatment with Curacron. The increase was dose-dependent. An inhibition of 40.2% in sperm count and of 74.5% in sperm motility occurred after treatment with 60 mg/kg Curacron. These results show that Curacron has a damaging effect on spermatogonial cells as well as on sperm morphology.     

Effect of caffeine on the post-thaw motility of buffalo spermatozoa

Buffalo semen was diluted (1:2) with lactose diluent containing caffeine (2, 4 and 6 mM). Diluted semen samples were frozen in a pellet form (0.15 ml), thawed 24 h after freezing in 2.9% sodium citrate for 30 sec and incubated at 37 degrees C for 3 h. Addition of caffeine to diluted buffalo semen before freezing resulted in a significant increase in the post-thaw motility of spermatozoa over the 3-h incubation period. When caffeine was added to the thawing medium, the post-thaw motility was further improved. Thus, the increase in motility due to caffiene treatment was even more pronounced than in samples treated with caffiene before freezing.     

MicroRNA signature in hepatocellular carcinoma patients: identification of potential markers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in liver pathologies and they are potential biomarkers for diagnosis of liver diseases progression. Changes in miRNA sera expression can be used as non-invasive biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of the study was to identify the miRNome profiling of HCC and its diagnostic value in distinguishing HCC from healthy individuals. Expression profiles of miRNAs in serum samples of 20 HCC patients and 10 healthy controls were detected. Whole miRNome profiling was done using next generation sequencing. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess the diagnostic performance of the deregulated miRNAs for discriminating HCC cases from healthy controls. MiRNA 142 was highly expressed in HCC (P value?=?0.023) while miRNAs 191, 22, and 126 were higher in the controls (P value?=?0.005, 0.034, 0.010 respectively). We have identified 5 novel miRNAs and they were highly expressed in HCC than controls. Analysis of ROC curve demonstrated that these deregulated miRNAs can be used as a reliable biomarker for detection of HCC with high diagnostic accuracy (AUC?=?0.93). We have detected a panel of serum miRNAs that can be used as a reliable noninvasive screening biomarker of HCC. The study recommends further research to shed light on a possible role of the newly discovered novel miRNAs in HCC pathogenesis.

     

Estimation of economic injury level of Aphis craccivora Koch. (Homoptera: Aphididae) infesting faba bean in new reclaimed area

This work was based on field screening procedure to detect the population density of Aphis craccivora for two successive seasons (2004–2005) and (2005–2006) to emphasis the relation between the economic injury level (EIL) and yield loss.

Results obtained showed that the equilibrium position (steady point) during the first and second season was 9.06 and 3.32 individuals/five leaflets, respectively, while the injury level was 3.4 and 1.16 individuals/leaflets. When the bean plant was subjected to three successive insecticidal applications during the early growing, season is sufficient to decrease the yield loss significantly (yield capacity 21.43 Ard./fed.) with comparing to untreated plant (14.98 Ard./fed.), while the plants exposure for one treatment was 17.36 Ard./fed. The EIL was 8.6 individual of aphids/plant depending on the market price of bean and control cost during the season.     

Evaluation of the Possible Epileptogenic Activity of Ciprofloxacin: The Role of Nigella sativa on Amino Acids Neurotransmitters

The neuroprotective effect of Nigella sativa (NS) on amino acid neurotransmitters alteration in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) and ciprofloxacin (CFX) treated rats in different brain regions was examined. The oral administration of NS induced an elevation in aspartate and glutamate contents, whereas the levels of GABA and glycine were decreased. Furthermore, the treated groups with PTZ and CFX caused a decrease in aspartate, glutamate and total antioxidant capacity levels, while the concentrations of GABA and glycine were increased after 14 days. Moreover, the pre- and post-treatment with NS in PTZ and CFX treated rats return the levels of these parameters near control values. So, it could be concluded that the treatment with CFX induced imbalance between the excitatory and the inhibitory amino acids which may lead to the initiation of epileptic seizures and the treatment with NS was found to ameliorate these neurological defects which reflect its potent antiepileptic activity.     

A novel fluorescent sensor based on electrosynthesized benzene sulfonic acid‐doped polypyrrole for determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II)

To develop conducting organic polymers (COPs) as luminescent sensors for determination of toxic heavy metals, a new benzene sulfonic acid‐doped polypyrrole (PPy‐BSA) thin film was electrochemically prepared by cyclic voltammetry (CV) on flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode in aqueous solution. PPy‐BSA film was characterized by FTIR spectrometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optical properties of PPy‐BSA were investigated by ultraviolet (UV)‐visible absorption and fluorescence spectrometry in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) diluted solutions. PPy‐BSA fluorescence spectra were strongly quenched upon increasing copper(II) ion (Cu²⁺) and lead(II) ion (Pb²⁺) concentrations in aqueous medium, and linear Stern–Volmer relationships were obtained, which indicated the existence of a main dynamic fluorescence quenching mechanism. BSA‐PPy sensor showed a high sensitivity for detection of both metallic ions, Cu²⁺ and Pb²⁺, with very low limit of detection values of 3.1 and 18.0 nM, respectively. The proposed quenching‐fluorimetric sensor might be applied to the determination of traces of toxic heavy metallic ions in water samples.     

Moringa oleifera Leaves Extract Protects Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles-Induced Nephrotoxicity via Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling and Amelioration of Oxidative Stress

Biological Trace Element Research - The efficacy of Moringa oleifera leaf extract (MO) in alleviating nephrotoxicity induced by titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) was studied. Rats were...     

Steroidal saponins from the aerial parts of Tribulus pentandrus Forssk

Seven new steroidal glycosides named pentandrosides A(1)-G(7) were isolated from the EtOH extract of the aerial parts of Tribulus pentandrus. Pentandrosides A(1)-E(5) possess cholestane aglycones, pentandroside F(6) a furostan-type aglycone and pentandroside G(7) an unusual acyloxypregnane aglycone probably derived from the degradation of a furostan skeleton. Structure elucidation of 1-7 was accomplished through the extensive use of 1D- and 2D NMR experiments including 1H-1H (DQF-COSY, 1D-TOCSY) and 1H-13C (HSQC, HMBC) spectroscopy along with ESIMS and HRESIMS.