Relative shifts in mobility in anionic peroxidase isoenzymes between stem base and apex of flax genotrophs

Anionic peroxidase isoenzymes, separated on acrylamide gels, were examined in two flax genotrophs and in their reciprocal F₂ hybrids. Isoenzyme 1 exhibited a significant difference in R_m between stem base and apex and there was a gradient of decreasing R_m and activity between base and apex. Isoenzyme 2 displayed only the activity gradient. The parents differed significantly in the R_m's and activities of isoenzymes 1 and 2, and the F₂'s showed complete dominance of the L parent for R_m, with activities being approximately intermediate.     

HPV16-E7 Protein T Cell Epitope Prediction and Global Therapeutic Peptide Vaccine Design Based on Human Leukocyte Antigen Frequency: An In-Silico Study

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Cervical cancer is the second most common leading cause of women's death due to cancer worldwide, about 528,000 patients’...     

Hepatitis C virus genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection in southern Iran from 2016 to 2019

Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). The treatment of HCV infection has become more complicated due to various genotypes and subtypes of HCV. The treatment of HCV has made significant advances with direct-acting antivirals. However, for the choice of medicine or the combination of drugs for hepatitis C, it is imperative to detect and discriminate the crucial HCV genotypes. The main objective of this study was to determine the pattern of circulating HCV genotypes in southern Iran, from 2016 until 2019. The other aim of the study was to determine possible associations of patients’ risk factors with HCV genotypes. A total of 803 serum samples were collected in 4 years (2016–2019) from patients with HCV antibody positive results. A total of 728 serum samples were HCV-RNA positive. The prevalence of HCV genotypes was detected using the genotype-specific RT-PCR test for serum samples obtained from 615 patients. The HCV genotype 1 (G1) was the most prevalent (48.8%) genotype in the area, with G1a, G1b, and mixed G1a/b representing 38.4%, 10.1%, and 0.3%, respectively. Genotype 3a was the next most prevalent (47.2%). Mixed genotypes 1a/3a were detected in 22 (3.6%) and finally G4 was found in 3 (0.5%) patients. The other HCV genotypes were not detected in any patient. Genotype 1 (1a and 1b alone, 1a/1b and 1a/3a coinfections) is the most prevalent HCV genotype in southern Iran. HCV G1 shows a significantly higher rate in people under 40 years old.     

Application of Bacillus pumilus as a potential biocontrol agent of Fusarium wilt of tomato

The current study aimed at evaluating the possibility of native Bacillus pumilus species to control Fusarium wilt in tomato and examine its effect on plant growth. Biocontrol traits of B. pumilus strains, biofilm assay, root colonisation and in vivo studies under pot conditions were determined. Strain ToIrMA-KC806242 formed biofilm efficiently and could colonise and survive on tomato rhizosphere (3.1 × 10⁴ CFU/g of root). The amount of auxin production was recorded 29.7 μg/ml at the 96th hour of incubation. Siderophore production was determined positive, while ToIrMA was not able to solubilise phosphate compounds or produce cyanide hydrogen. Statistical analysis of data revealed that the increase in root and shoot length was recorded 60 and 84%, respectively, over control. In addition, about 73% reduction in disease incidence was determined in vivo experiments. In conclusion, this study suggests B. pumilus ToIrMA strain as a possible biocontrol agent in the field experiments.     

Mesenchymal stem cells contribute to endogenous FVIII:c production

Besides the liver, it has been difficult to identify which organ(s) and/or cellular component(s) contribute significantly to the production of human FVIII:c (FVIII). Thus far, only endothelial cells have been shown to constitute a robust extrahepatic source of FVIII, possibly explaining both the diverse presence of FVIII mRNA in the body, and the observed increase in FVIII levels during liver failure. Here, we investigate whether human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), ubiquitously present in different organs, could also contribute to FVIII production. MSC isolated from human lung, liver, brain, and bone marrow expressed FVIII message as determined by quantitative‐RT‐PCR. Using an antibody specific for FVIII, confocal microscopy, and umbilical cord‐derived endothelial cells (HUVEC) as a negative control, we demonstrated that, in MSC, FVIII protein was not stored in granules; rather, it localized to the perinuclear region. Furthermore, functional FVIII was detected in MSC supernatants and cell lysates by aPTT and chromogenic assays. These results demonstrate that MSC can contribute at low levels to the functional FVIII pool, and advance the understanding of the physiology of FVIII production and secretion. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Automated Characterization and Parameter-Free Classification of Cell Tracks Based on Local Migration Behavior

Cell migration is the driving force behind the dynamics of many diverse biological processes. Even though microscopy experiments are routinely performed today by which populations of cells are visualized in space and time, valuable information contained in image data is often disregarded because statistical analyses are performed at the level of cell populations rather than at the single-cell level. Image-based systems biology is a modern approach that aims at quantitatively analyzing and modeling biological processes by developing novel strategies and tools for the interpretation of image data. In this study, we take first steps towards a fully automated characterization and parameter-free classification of cell track data that can be generally applied to tracked objects as obtained from image data. The requirements to achieve this aim include: (i) combination of different measures for single cell tracks, such as the confinement ratio and the asphericity of the track volume, and (ii) computation of these measures in a staggered fashion to retrieve local information from all possible combinations of track segments. We demonstrate for a population of synthetic cell tracks as well as for in vitro neutrophil tracks obtained from microscopy experiment that the information contained in the track data is fully exploited in this way and does not require any prior knowledge, which keeps the analysis unbiased and general. The identification of cells that show the same type of migration behavior within the population of all cells is achieved via agglomerative hierarchical clustering of cell tracks in the parameter space of the staggered measures. The recognition of characteristic patterns is highly desired to advance our knowledge about the dynamics of biological processes.     

Mathematical modeling of cell growth in a 3D scaffold and validation of static and dynamic cultures

Tissue engineering, an immensely important field in contemporary clinical practices, aims at the repair or replacement of damaged tissues. The mathematical model proposed herein shows the distribution and growth of cells in their characteristic time in a 3D scaffold model. This study contributes to the progress of simulation techniques in static and dynamic cultures of bone tissue. Brinkman, nutrient transport, and cell growth equations are brought together to quantify the growth behavior of cells. However, when a static culture is being studied, the Brinkman equation is eliminated. The model was validated by experimental cell culture using 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and scanning electron microscopy. Then, static and dynamic cultures were compared to assess the cell density and cell distribution in the scaffold. Cell counting after 21 days of cell culture showed that the number of cells increased 42‐fold in static and 53.5‐fold in dynamic cultures, which was in good agreement with our model estimations (37‐fold increase in the number of cells in static and 49‐fold increase in dynamic cultures). In conclusion, our mathematical model could predict cell distribution and growth in the scaffold.