The effect of selective noradrenergic denervation on thyrotropin secretion in the rat

The effect of DSP₄ [N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2 bromobenzylamine], a neurotoxin which selectively lesions noradrenergic projections from the locus coeruleus, on thyrotropin (TSH) secretion was investigated in the rat. DSP₄ treatment (60 mg/kg injected i.p. 10 days prior to experimentation) significantly decreased the noradrenaline (NA) content of the hippocampus, frontal cortex and hypothalamus of the rat brain. DSP₄ treatment did not affect the clonidine (250 g/kg, i.p.) or TSH-releasing-hormone (TRH 5 g/kg i.v.) induced stimulation or the isoproterenol induced inhibition of TSH secretion in the rat. These results suggest that the noradrenergic projection from the locus coeruleus to the hypothalamus does not play a significant role in the regulation of TSH secretion. Furthermore, the noradrenergic deficiency did not give rise to the development of the abnormal TSH response to TRH administration which is frequently observed in depression.     

A novel homozygous mutation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">SZT2</Emphasis> gene in Saudi family with developmental delay,macrocephaly and epilepsy

Epileptic encephalopathies are genetically heterogeneous disorders which leads to epilepsy and cause neurological disorders. Seizure threshold 2 (SZT2) gene located on chromosome 1p34.2 encodes protein mainly expressed predominantly in the parietal and frontal cortex and dorsal root ganglia in the brain. Previous studies in mice showed that mutation in this gene can confers low seizure threshold, enhance epileptogenesis and in human may leads to facial dysmorphism, intellectual disability, seizure and macrocephaly. Objective of this study was to find out novel gene or novel mutation related to the gene phenotype. We have identified a large consanguineous Saudi family segregating developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy, high forehead and macrocephaly. Exome sequencing was performed in affected siblings of the family to study the novel mutation. Whole exome sequencing data analysis, confirmed by subsequent Sanger sequencing validation study. Our results showed a novel homozygous mutation (c.9368G>A) in a substitution of a conserved glycine residue into a glutamic acid in the exon 67 of SZT2 gene. The mutation was ruled out in 100 unrelated healthy controls. The missense variant has not yet been reported as pathogenic in literature or variant databases. In conclusion, the here detected homozygous SZT2 variant might be the causative mutation that further explain epilepsy and developmental delay in this Saudi family.     

The effect of nasal polyposis related nasal obstruction on cognitive functions

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory mucosa of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. The aim of this study was investigate the effect of nasal obstruction related to chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis on cognitive functions. Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis causing bilateral total or near total nasal obstruction were enrolled in the study. Symptoms of nasal congestion, loss of smell, postnasal drip, headaches, snoring, concentration difficulties and blunted affect were evaluated by Visual Analog Scale. Brief symptom inventory test, Stroop test, visual aural digit span, serial digit learning test and P300 test were used to evaluate cognitive functions. Three months after treatment, the tests done before surgery were repeated and the results were compared. A total of 30 patients were included in the study. On the Visual Analog Scale, all symptoms showed significant postoperative improvement in all patients (p?<?0.001 for all symptoms). Preoperative nasal congestion accompanied with impaired concentration were detected in 27 patients (90%), and these symptoms recovered in all these patients after treatment (p?=?0.035) (correlation coefficient 0.4). Only 22 patients completed the neuropsychological tests. The mean preoperative Stroop test (23.16?±?5.30), visual aural digit span test (24.68?±?3.52), and serial digit learning test (16.18?±?5.35) scores were showed significant improvement compared with mean postoperative Stroop test (21.12?±?5.69), visual aural digit span test (26.45?±?2.98), and serial digit learning test (19.31?±?4.47) scores (p?=?0.047, p?=?0.022, p?=?0.005 respectively). The postoperative P300 latency values improved in 19 (63%) patients. The preoperative and postoperative latency values for P300 showed a significant difference (p?=?0.029), whereas the preoperative and postoperative amplitude values for P300 did not differ (p?=?0.096). In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) has negative effects on cognitive functions, such as the ability to focus and maintain concentration. These cognitive functions improve after the patients undergo endoscopic sinus surgery to treat their CRSwNP.     

Exploring the abundance and DNA barcode information of eight parasitoid wasps species (Hymenoptera), the natural enemies of the important pest of oil palm,bagworm, Metisa plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) toward the biocontrol approach and it's application in Malaysia

Parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera) play a significant role in reducing the pest population of the bagworm species Metisa plana. This study presents the abundance and DNA barcoding information of eight parasitoid wasps species, Dolichogenidea metesae (47%), Brachymeria carinata (19%), Buysmania oxymora (12%), Goryphus bunoh (7%), Pediobius anomalus (5%), Eupelmus cotoxanthae (2%), Apanteles aluella (5%), Apanteles sp.1 (3%) and that emerged from M. plana collected from three highly infested oil palm plantations in Selangor (west), Perak (north) and Johor (south) in Peninsular Malaysia. Samples of infested M. plana were collected from the field and reared in a rearing room. The parasitoid wasp species D. metesae recorded the highest emergence numbers and the broadest presence in all the sampling sites. The relationships among the parasitoids species were estimated and visualized using Neighbor Joining (NJ) phylogenetic analyses with the Ceraphronidae family as an outgroup. The resulting NJ tree showed that the identified parasitoid wasps were successfully classified into specific species and supported with bootstraps values between 55% to 100%. This study provides important information on potential biological control agents for M. plana that may be useful for the Malaysian oil palm industry.     

Effect of different proportion of sulphur treatments on the contents of glucosinolate in kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) commonly consumed in Republic of Korea

Kale (Brassica oleracea L. Acephala Group) is the rich source of medicinal value sulphur compounds, glucosinolates (GLSs). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different proportion of sulphur (S) supplementation levels on the accumulation of GLSs in the leaves of the kale cultivar ('TBC'). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation method guided to identify and quantify six GSLs including three aliphatic (progoitrin, sinigrin and gluconapin) and three indolyl (glucobrassicin, 4-methoxyglucobrassicin and neoglucobrasscin) respectively. Analysis of these distinct levels of S supplementation revealed that the accumulation of individual and total GLSs was directly proportional to the S concentration. The maximum levels of total GLSs (26.8 µmol/g DW) and glucobrassicin (9.98 µmol/g DW) were found in lower and upper parts of the leaves supplemented with 1 mM and 2 mM S, respectively. Interestingly, aliphatic GSLs were noted predominant in all the parts (50.1, 59.3 and 56% of total GSLs). Among the aliphatic and indolyl GSLs, sinigrin and glucobrassicin account 35.3 and 30.88% of the total GSLs. From this study, it is concluded that supply of S enhance the GSLs accumulation in kale.     

Two new species of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium solani</Emphasis> species complex isolated from compost and hibiscus (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hibiscus</Emphasis> sp.)

Two new species in the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are described and introduced. The new taxa are represented by German isolates CBS 142481 and CBS 142480 collected from commercial yard waste compost and vascular tissue of a wilting branch of hibiscus, respectively. The phylogenetic relationships of the collected strains to one another and within the FSSC were evaluated based on DNA sequences of 6 gene loci. Due to the limited sequence data available for reference strains in GenBank, however, a multi-gene phylogenetic analysis included partial sequences for the internal transcribed spacer region and intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) and the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2). Morphological and molecular phylogenetic data independently showed that these strains are distinct populations of the FSSC, nested within Clade 3. Thus, we introduce Fusarium stercicola and Fusarium witzenhausenense as novel species in the complex. In addition, 19 plant species of 7 legume genera were evaluated for their potential to host the newly described taxa. Eighteen plant species were successfully colonized, with 6 and 9 of these being symptomatic hosts for F. stercicola and F. witzenhausenense, respectively. As plants of the family Fabaceae are very distant to the originally sourced material from which the new taxa were recovered, our results suggest that F. stercicola and F. witzenhausenense are not host-specific and are ecologically fit to sustain stable populations in variety of habitats.     

Salicylic Acid-Mediated Enhancement of Photosynthesis Attributes and Antioxidant Capacity Contributes to Yield Improvement of Maize Plants Under Salt Stress

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Addressing salinity-induced crop losses is a prime concern of modern agriculture to sustain agricultural productivity, thereby contributing to global food...     

Halophytes-associated endophytic and rhizospheric bacteria: diversity,antagonism and metabolite production

In Saudi Arabia, halophytes occupy tidal and intertidal forest ecosystems. They and their associated microflora have immense potential to yield novel and important useful natural products. Three halophytes (Avicennia marina, Halocnemum strobilaceum, Zygophyllum qatarense) were targeted for the isolation and identification of populations of endophytic and rhizospheric bacteria having antimicrobial potential. A total 554 bacterial isolates were initially screened against oomycetes fungal pathogens, Phytophthora capsici and Pythium ultimum. Of these, only 57 rhizospheric and endophytic bacteria exhibited inhibition against the targeted bioassay oomycetes. Tentative identification of the bacteria was on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences which revealed 92–100% sequence identity to type strains of related species and placed these organisms in six major classes: Actinobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, α-Proteobacteria, Flavobacteriia and β-Proteobacteria. When checked for lytic enzyme production, mostly the isolates of Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were potential enzyme producers. Detection of secondary metabolite biosynthetic genes – type I polyketide synthases, type II polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases – confirmed that 21 (35.5%) isolates were positive for at least one type of the biosynthetic gene. In order to identify metabolites, three isolates, Alteromonas australica (EA73), Aidingimonas halophila (EA105) and Halomonas zincidurans (EA127), were selected and subjected to chemical analyses using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Both analyses showed the presence of different bioactive compounds in the culture extracts of isolates some of which are already reported for their diverse biological activities such as 2, 4-Diacetylphloroglucinol. Our results demonstrated that halophytes represent an important source of potentially active bacteria producing antifungal metabolites of medical significance.     

Proof of concept in utilizing <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-trans</Emphasis> surface display system of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lactobacillus plantarum</Emphasis> as mucosal tuberculosis vaccine via oral administration in mice

Background

Tuberculosis is one of the most common and deadliest infectious diseases worldwide affecting almost a third of the world’s population. Although this disease is being prevented and controlled by the Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) vaccine, the protective efficacy is highly variable and substandard (0–80%) in adults. Therefore, novel and effective tuberculosis vaccine that can overcome the limitations from BCG vaccine need to be developed.

Results

A novel approach of utilizing an in-trans protein surface display system of Lactobacillus plantarum carrying and displaying combination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis subunit epitope antigens (Ag85B, CFP-10, ESAT-6, Rv0475 and Rv2031c) fused with LysM anchor motif designated as ACERL was constructed, cloned and expressed in Esherichia coli Rossetta expression host. Subsequently the binding capability of ACERL to the cell wall of L. plantarum was examined via the immunofluorescence microscopy and whole cell ELISA where successful attachment and consistent stability of cell wall binding up to 4 days was determined. The immunization of the developed vaccine of L. plantarum surface displaying ACERL (Lp ACERL) via the oral route was studied in mice for its immunogenicity effects. Lp ACERL immunization was able to invoke significant immune responses that favor the Th1 type cytokine response of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-2 as indicated by the outcome from the cytokine profiling of spleen, lung, gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and the re-stimulation of the splenocytes from the immunized mice. Co-administration of an adjuvant consisting of Lactococcus lactis secreting mouse IL-12 (LcIL-12) with Lp ACERL was also investigated. It was shown that the addition of LcIL-12 was able to further generate significant Th1 type cytokines immune responses, similar or better than that of Lp ACERL alone which can be observed from the cytokine profiling of the immunized mice’s spleen, lung and GIT.

Conclusions

This study represents a proof of concept in the development of L. plantarum as a carrier for a non-genetically modified organism (GMO) tuberculosis vaccine, which may be the strategy in the future for tuberculosis vaccine development.