Gene encoding the mouse sulphamidase: cDNA cloning, structure, and chromosomal mapping

Sulphamidase is an exoglycosidase involved in the degradation of heparan sulfate. Lack of sulphamidase activity leads to the lysosomal storage disorder Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (Sanfilippo type A OMIM No. 252900). At present there are no naturally occurring small animal models of this disease that could be of fundamental importance to study the pathophysiology of the disease and to try therapeutic strategies. Cloning of the mouse gene is an important step to create a mouse model for this common mucopolysaccharidosis. We have isolated and sequenced the gene encoding mouse sulphamidase. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences of human and mouse sulphamidase showed 88% identity and 93% similarity. The exon-intron structure of the gene has been determined with the mouse 10-kb gene divided in 8 exons. The mouse sulphamidase gene (Sgsh) was mapped to the distal end of Chromosome (Chr) 11, in a region that is homologous with a segment of human Chr 17 containing the orthologous human gene. Received: 26 July 1999 / Accepted: 3 February 2000     

Risk Evaluation of Heavy Metals and Metalloids Toxicity through Polluted Vegetables from Waste Water Irrigated Area of Punjab,Pakistan: Implications for Public Health

Rapid urbanization has no doubt provided prosperity to inhabitants but on the other hand, it has caused severe environmental problems, particularly soil and water pollution. This research was done to determine the magnitude of metal and metalloid contamination at two sites in soil and a potential vegetable crop, sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) irrigated with wastewater in the region of Sargodha, Pakistan. The results demonstrated that the metal and metalloid levels in the soil samples were relatively below the respective maximum permissible limits of various metals analyzed. Transfer factor for metal contents was greater at site-II than that observed at site-I. Health risk was also worked out due to the inhabitants' intake of L. cylindrica irrigated with municipal wastewater. At both sites, the health risk index was greater than 1 due to Mn, Mo, Pb, Cd, Cu and As, and Ni at site-1 and Zn at site-II, whereas less than 1 due to Fe, Se, and Co. It was concluded that the dietary intake of L. cylindrica was not free of risk for inhabitants around the sampling sites. To reduce the health risk effects, it is suggested to treat the industrial wastes properly and phyto-extract the overload of heavy metals and metalloids from polluted sites. But with increase in vegetable consumption by the community the situation could worsen in the future.     

Fossil Tragelaphini (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) from the Late Pliocene Hadar Formation,Afar Regional State,Ethiopia

The fossil tragelaphins from the late Pliocene of Hadar are described. These are Tragelaphus lockwoodi, new species, and Tragelaphus aff. T. nakuae. Tragelaphus lockwoodi bears long horns that define one complete spiral and that are mediolaterally compressed at the base. In these and other morphological characteristics it approaches the greater kudu, T. strepsiceros, and makes a good ancestral candidate for this living species. The Hadar T. aff. T. nakuae is similar to other specimens of this species from sites >2.8 Ma in East Africa and demonstrates well the major differences between the earlier and later representatives of this taxon. The sizes and morphological variation in the large Hadar T. aff. T. nakuae sample supports the idea that female individuals of this species were horned as is the case today in the elands and the bongo. Tragelaphus lockwoodi is present only in the lower beds of the Hadar Formation, and in small numbers, while T. aff. T. nakuae is recovered in relative abundance from throughout the ca. 3.4-ca. 2.9 Ma sequence.     

Synthesis of a novel nanocomposite containing chitosan as a three-dimensional printed wound dressing technique: Emphasis on gene expression

In this study, a highly porous three-dimensional (3D)-printed wound healing core/shell scaffold fabricated using poly-lactic acid (PLA). The core of scaffold was composed of hyaluronic acid (HA), copper carbon dots (Cu-CDs), rosmarinic acid, and chitosan hydrogel. Cu-CDs were synthesized using ammonium hydrogen citrate under hydrothermal conditions. Formulation containing 1 mg ml⁻¹concentration of Cu-CDs showed an excellent antibacterial activity against gram bacteria. At 0.25 mg ml⁻¹ of Cu-CDs concentration, scaffold had a good biocompatibility as confirmed by cytotoxicity assay on L929 fibroblast stem cells. in vivo wound healing experiments on groups of rats revealed that after 15 days of treatment, the optimal formulation of composite scaffold significantly improves the wound healing process compared to the PLA scaffold. This finding was confirmed by histological analysis and the relative expression of PDGF, TGF-β, and MMP-1 genes. The biocompatible antibacterial CU-CDS/PLA/HA/chitosan/rosmarinic acid nanocomposite is a promising wound healing scaffold which highly accelerates the process of skin regeneration.     

Nucleoside transport in mammalian cell membranes. III. Kinetic and chemical modification studies of cytosine-arabinoside and uridine transport in hamster cells in culture

Transport of the nucleoside analog cytosine-arabinoside (CAR) in transformed hamster cells in culture has been studied in conditions of minimal metabolic conversion. Uptake (zero-trans in) properties at 20 degrees C over a limited range of CAR concentrations were characterized by a Km of 350 micrometer and a maximal velocity (V) of 780 micrometer.min-1 (V/Km = 2.28 min-1). Equilibrium exhcange at 20 degrees C over a wider range of concentrations was best described by a saturable component with a Km of 500 micrometer and a v of 1230 micrometer.min-1 (V/Km = 2.26 min-1) and either a saturable component of high Km or a nonsaturable component of k = 0.3 min-1. For the saturable component, the v/Km values were similar in both procedures. CAR transport was inhibited by various metabolizable nucleosides. Uptake of some of these nucleosides was inhibited by CAR. CAR transport and uridine uptake were inhibited in a reversible but partially competitive fashion by high affinity probes like S-(p-nitrobenzyl-6-mercaptoinosine (NBMI) (Ki less than 0.5 nM) and in an irreversible fashion by SH reagents such as N-ethylmaleiimide (NEM). The organomercurial p-hydroxymercuribenzene sulfonate (pMBS) markedly stimulated transport of these nucleosides, but also markedly potentiated the inhibitory effects of either NBMI or NEM. The effects are interpreted either in terms of models which invoke allosteric properties or in terms of two transport systems which display distinct chemical susceptibilities to externally added probes.     

Iron stocks and risk of anemia in twins

This study aims to compare the risk of anemia by iron deficiency in mothers and infants of twin and single pregnancy. It concerned 33 couples of twins and 31 control, all 97 being term newborns. At birth, ferritinemia is significantly lower in twins, and reticulocytes count is significantly higher; their mothers have a significantly lower hemoglobin level and higher reticulocytes percentage and count. At 3 and 6 months, hemoglobin level and mean corpuscular hemoglobin are significantly lower in twins, as at 6 months ferritinemia is significantly lower in twins. Iron stocks constituted in utero are significantly lower in twin pregnancy, and this study support the early preventive iron treatment in twins.