Iron and Porphyrin Trafficking in Heme Biogenesis

Iron is an essential element for diverse biological functions. In mammals, the majority of iron is enclosed within a single prosthetic group: heme. In metazoans, heme is synthesized via a highly conserved and coordinated pathway within the mitochondria. However, iron is acquired from the environment and subsequently assimilated into various cellular pathways, including heme synthesis. Both iron and heme are toxic but essential cofactors. How is iron transported from the extracellular milieu to the mitochondria? How are heme and heme intermediates coordinated with iron transport? Although recent studies have answered some questions, several pieces of this intriguing puzzle remain unsolved.     

Disturbance-dependent Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis) predation on Larid chicks decreases with chick age

Predation is one of the key factors shaping the dynamics of animal populations. In birds, nest loss due to predation can be a significant cause of low reproductive success. Ground-nesting birds are among the bird groups most susceptible to predation, mainly because their nests are easily accessible to a broad suite of potential predators. For these birds, anthropogenic disturbances can generate changes in nest predation risk by altering their antipredator behaviour and also by altering the behaviour of the predator species, i.e. the predator becoming much more aware of predation opportunities due to frequent disturbances and/or motivated to repeat predation attempts when some are successful. To date, most previous studies investigating this have focused on a single effect, either predation or disturbance, on chick survival. It remains unknown how the risk of predation with and without disturbance varies with chick age. In this study, we used behavioural observations to assess how the interaction between predators and disturbance affects predation risk in chicks and how this interacts with chick age. Specifically, we investigated the effect of disturbance caused by humans and stray dogs on the predation of Slender-billed Gull Chroicocephalus genei chicks by Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis, and whether this depended on the age of the chicks. Our results revealed that disturbance had a significant positive effect on predation measures of Slender-billed Gull chicks by Yellow-legged Gulls, but that this effect was mediated both by disturbance type and the age of chicks. Stray dogs entering the colony had a stronger disturbance effect on chicks than passing humans, increasing predation risk by Yellow-legged Gulls. Our results also showed that chick age interacts with disturbance type to determine the predation risk. This is probably mediated by chicks' capacity to escape predation by gathering in a single large crèche that runs into the water when disturbed. To preserve Slender-billed Gull colonies in one of its few remaining breeding sites in Tunisia, and as gulls tend to react even when the disturbance occurs relatively far from the colonies, it is crucial to (1) restrict human access to dikes and islets where large colonies breed and (2) construct artificial islets attractive to gulls and inaccessible to stray dogs.     

Exploring the Therapeutic Properties of Alga-Based Silver Nanoparticles: Anticancer,Antibacterial, and Free Radical Scavenging Capabilities

The current study was designed to evaluate the antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activities of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) biosynthesized by Spirulina platensis extract. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The antioxidant activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were determined via DPPH radical scavenging assay while its anticancer activity was determined using the MTT assay. The antimicrobial activity of the biosynthesized AgNPs were analyzed by disc diffusion method. Spirulina platensis acts as a reducing and capping agent. The efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in inhibiting the growth of Gram-negative bacteria, specifically Acetobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus vulgaris, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was assessed by the utilisation of the diffusion method. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against many strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. The findings of the study revealed that when administered in doses of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, the largest observed zone of inhibition corresponded to measurements of 10.5 mm, 14 mm, and 16 mm, respectively. A zone of inhibition with dimensions of 8 mm, 10.5 mm, and 12 mm was detected during testing against Acetobacter at concentrations of 50 μl, 75 μl, and 100 μl, respectively. The findings also indicate that there is a positive correlation between the concentration of AgNP and the DPPH scavenging ability of silver nanoparticles. The percentage of inhibition observed at concentrations of 500 μg/ml, 400 μg/ml, 300 μg/ml, 200 μg/ml, and 100 μg/ml were recorded as 80±1.98, 61±1.98, 52±1.5, 42±1.99, and 36±1.97, respectively. In addition, it was observed that the silver nanoparticles exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity at a concentration of 500 g/ml, with a measured value of 80.89±1.99. The IC-50 values, representing the inhibitory concentration required to achieve 50 % inhibition, were found to be 8.16, 19.15, 30.14, 41.13, and 63.11 at inhibition levels of 36±1.97, 42±1.99, 52±1.5, 61±1.98, and 80±1.98, respectively.     

Anthropological studies among Libyans. Erythrocyte genetic factors,serum haptoglobin phenotypes and anthropometry

Anthropological studies were done on 1276 Libyans from the Mediterranean cities of Tripoli and Benghazi, and from Sabha southward in The Sahara. The incidences of hemoglobin (Hb)-S and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency were low in the coastal areas and significantly high in Sabha. Hb-C occurred sporadically in Tripoli and Sabha, and was absent from Benghazi in the east. One case of Hb-J Benghazi was noted. There were no significant differences in the ABO blood group and Rh₀ (D) type distributions in the three localities. G-6-PD gene Gd^A frequency was significantly high in Sabha. The lowest value of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6-PGD) gene PGD^A frequency and highest value of the gene PGD^C were in Sabha. Adenylate kinase (AK) gene AK² was only detectable in Tripoli. Acid phosphatase (AP) gene P^a frequency in Sabha was more than twice that in Tripoli and Benghazi, while P^c was distinctly lower in Sabha than in the northern cities. Haptoglobin gene Hp¹ frequency was almost identical in all areas. Anthropometric measurements revealed overall homogeneity of the three samples, closer similarity in the coastal region to adjacent North African populations, and Negroid influence in the Saharan Libyans. Anthropometry substantiated findings from blood markers.     

Subtractive Proteomics and Immuno-informatics Approaches for Multi-peptide Vaccine Prediction Against Klebsiella oxytoca and Validation Through In Silico Expression

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Klebsiella oxytoca is a gram-negative bacterium. It is opportunistic in nature and causes hospital acquired infections....     

Determination of plasma microRNA for early detection of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is the fourth most prevalent malignancy worldwide and remains the second most common cause of cancer-related death globally. Understanding the molecular structure of gastric carcinogenesis might identify new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this disease. Thus, early detection of gastric cancer is a key measure to reduce the mortality and improve the prognosis of gastric cancer. There have recently been several reports that microRNAs (miRNAs) circulate in highly stable, cell-free forms in blood. Because serum and plasma miRNAs are relatively easy to access, circulating miRNAs also have great potential to serve as non-invasive biomarkers. Although a number of miRNAs associated with gastric cancer have been identified, the underlying mechanism of these miRNAs in tumorigenesis and tumor progression remains to be investigated. The purpose of this study is to identify the potential of serum miRNAs as biomarkers for early detection of gastric cancer patients. RNA was isolated using the High Pure miRNA Isolation Kit (Roche) following the manufacturer’s protocol. cDNA and preamplification protocols were obtained from the isolated plasma miRNAs. The BioMark? 96.96 Dynamic Array (Fluidigm Corporation) for real-time qPCR was used to simultaneously quantite the expression of 740 miRNAs. All statistical analyses were performed using the Biogazelle’s qbase PLUS 2.0 software. In this study, among 740 miRNAs that we analyzed only miR-195-5p was significantly (p < 0.05, fold changes = 13, 3) down-regulated in gastric cancer patients compared with control. We demonstrated that miR-195-5p is a novel tumor suppressor miRNA and may contribute to gastric carcinogenesis. The miRNA expression profile described in this study should contribute to future studies on the role of miRNAs in gastric cancer.     

Follow‐up of atypia and follicular lesions of undetermined significance in thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology

N. Dincer, S. Balci, A. Yazgan, G. Guney, R. Ersoy, B. Cakir and G. Guler
Follow‐up of atypia and follicular lesions of undetermined significance in thyroid fine needle aspiration cytology Objective: To report our experience of atypia of undetermined significance (AUS)/follicular lesion of undetermined significance (FLUS) rate and outcome. Methods: Among 7658 patients with 19 569 nodules, 524 (2.7%) nodules were diagnosed as AUS/FLUS on fine needle aspiration (FNA). After exclusion of patients with simultaneous nodules that were suspicious for follicular neoplasm or malignancy or that were malignant, 368 (4.8%) patients were diagnosed as AUS/FLUS. The outcome of 146 patients who had undergone surgery or repeated fine needle aspirate at the time of preparation of this study was evaluated. The original FNAs were matched to repeated FNAs and thyroidectomy or diagnostic lobectomy specimens. Results: Seventy‐two (19.6%) of the 368 patients had directly undergone surgery, either a lobectomy or a thyroidectomy: of these, 27 (37.5%) had neoplastic nodules (21 were malignant). Seventy‐four (20.1%) of the 368 patients had repeat FNA. On second FNA, 47 of 74 (63.5%) were benign, three were suspicious for follicular neoplasm, one was malignant and 23 (31.1%) were non‐diagnostic. Four patients had a third FNA: two were AUS/FLUS, one was malignant and one non‐diagnostic. One patient had a fourth FNA, which was diagnosed as AUS/FLUS. Sixteen (21.6%) of 74 patients with repeat FNA had surgery: three of these had neoplastic nodules (two were malignant). Overall, 88 of the 368 (23.9%) patients had a thyroidectomy of which 30 (34.1%) were neoplastic and 23 (26.1%) malignant. The neoplastic rate for patients who were once diagnosed with AUS/FLUS was 8.2% and the malignancy rate 6.3%. The malignancy rate for patients on follow‐up at the time we prepared the study was 15.7% (23/146); 222 remained on follow‐up without surgery or repeat FNA or were managed elsewhere. Conclusions: Although in this category repeat FNA is expected rather than excision, we suggest evaluation of all AUS/FLUS patients in multidisciplinary meetings to decide management and recommend follow‐up of all patients with this diagnosis.     

Performances de la scintigraphie parathyroïdienne au 99mTc-Sestamibi dans l’hyperparathyroïdie secondaire (à propos de 20 cas)

Aim of the studyTo evaluate the performance of the ^99mTc-Sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy and to compare it with the performance of cervical ultrasonography in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism who are candidates for parathyroidectomy.Patients and methodsWe performed a retrospective study including 20 patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroid scintigraphy in the nuclear medicine department of Sfax, during the period between January 2009 and June 2012. Our two days protocol included dual-phase, MIBI/Tc subtraction and single photon emission photons (SPECT) techniques. We analyzed the results obtained from each technique alone, then from combinations thereof. For all patients, we have collected the surgical and histopathological data as well cervical ultrasound if available.ResultsThe subtraction technique was the best performing with a sensitivity of 47% and an accuracy of 55%. The combination of subtraction scintigraphy and SPECT has improved the sensitivity to 53%and accuracy to 57%. The combined lecture of ultrasound and scintigraphy has given the best performance with a sensitivity of 58%, a specificity of 83% and an accuracy of 66%.ConclusionParathyroid scintigraphy combining subtraction and SPECT showed better reliability. The coupling with ultrasound is essential to improve results. The poor performance of scintigraphy in secondary hyperparathyroidism implies that it should be required only to search for ectopic or supernumerary glands.