Involvement of Cd Bioaccumulation in Spinal Deformities Occurrence in Natural Populations of Mediterranean Killifish

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible influence of environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd) on the spinal deformities occurrence in the Mediterranean killifish, Aphanius fasciatus (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae). For this purpose, some indicators of skeletal bone mineralization, Cd, and calcium (Ca) concentrations in spinal column as well as bioaccumulation of Cd from the water and the sediment have been compared in normal and deformed fish collected from polluted (S1) and nonpolluted (S2) areas in the Gulf of Gabès in Tunisia. When compared to the normal fish, the deformed fish showed signs of spinal column demineralization such as significant decrease in the ash weight/dry weight ratio, percentage of nonorganic components content, and Ca concentration. Cd concentrations in spinal column and liver were significantly higher in deformed fish than in normal fish. A highly significant negative correlation (r = −0.915, p < 0.01) between Cd and Ca concentrations was noted in spinal column of deformed fish. Bioaccumulation factors of Cd in the liver from the water and the sediment in deformed fish were also significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than in normal fish from S1 and S2. These findings suggest that the ability to accumulate large amount of Cd may represent a potential risk to induce spinal deformities in natural populations of Mediterranean killifish.     

Structure–activity relationship studies of curcumin analogues

Two series of curcumin analogues, a total of twenty-four compounds, were synthesized and evaluated. The most potent compound, compound 23, showed potent growth inhibitory activities on both prostate and breast cancer lines with IC₅₀ values in sub-micromolar range, fifty times more potent than curcumin. Curcumin analogues might be potential anti-tumor agents for breast and prostate cancers.     

Evidence for non-disomic inheritance in a Citrus interspecific tetraploid somatic hybrid between C. reticulata and C. limon using SSR markers and cytogenetic analysis

Artificial tetraploid somatic hybrids have been developed for sterile triploid citrus breeding by sexual hybridization between diploid and tetraploid somatic hybrids. The genetic structure of diploid gametes produced by tetraploid genotypes depends on the mode of chromosome association at meiosis. In order to evaluate tetraploid inheritance in a tetraploid interspecific somatic hybrid between mandarin and lemon, we performed segregation studies using cytogenetic and single sequence repeat molecular markers. Cytogenetic analysis of meiosis in the somatic hybrid revealed 11% tetravalents and 76% bivalents. Inheritance of the tetraploid hybrid was analyzed by genotyping the triploid progeny derived from a cross between a diploid pummelo and the tetraploid somatic hybrid, in order to derive genotypes of the meiospores produced by the tetraploid. A likelihood-based approach was used to distinguish between disomic, tetrasomic, and intermediate inheritance models and to estimate the double reduction rate. In agreement with expectations based the cytogenetic data, marker segregation was largely compatible with tetrasomic and inheritance intermediate between disomic and tetrasomic, with some evidence for preferential pairing of homoeologous chromosomes. This has important implications for the design of breeding programs that involve tetraploid hybrids, and underscores the need to consider inheritance models that are intermediate between disomic and tetrasomic.     

The effect of terrorist events on media portrayals of Islam and Muslims: evidence from New York Times headlines, 1985–2013

This article examines whether media portrayals of Islam and Muslims are overwhelmingly negative, whether they have evolved over time, and what factors most consistently affect their tone. We analyse every fourth New York Times headline about Islam or Muslims between 1985 and 2013. We find that headlines have not been predominantly negative. In addition, New York Times headlines about Islam and Muslims have become more positive over the long term, even after the 9/11 attacks. Most counter-intuitively, we find that terrorist attacks have had a systematic positive effect on headline tone. During the first four weeks after each Islamist terrorist attack on an American target, the tone of New York Times headlines became significantly more positive compared to the four weeks prior to the attack. However, over the subsequent few months, coverage reverted back toward the tone that prevailed during the weeks before the event.     

Diversity of Sterol Composition in Tunisian Pistacia lentiscus Seed Oil

Pistacia lentiscus L. seed oil is used in some Mediterranean forest area for culinary and medicinal purposes. In this study, we aim to examine, for the first time, the effect of growing area on sterol content of Pistacia lentiscus seed oil. Fruits were harvested from 13 different sites located in northern and central Tunisia. Gas chromatography‐flame‐ionization detection (GC‐FID) was used to quantify sterols and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify them. The major sterol identified was β‐sitosterol with a value ranging from 854.12 to 1224.09 mg/kg of oil, thus making up more than 54% of the total sterols. The other two main sterols were cycloartenol (11%) and 24‐methylene‐cycloartenol (5%). Statistical results revealed that growing location significantly (P < 0.001) affected phytosterol levels in these oils.     

Differential physiological and antioxidative responses to drought stress and recovery among four contrasting Argania spinosa ecotypes

Our study was undertaken to ascertain whether the change of the water status and the activation of superoxide dismutase and their isoenzymes in Argan tree can support edaphic drought tolerance and its recovery under rehydration. An experiment was conducted on four contrasting ecotypes of Argania spinosa plants: two contrasting coastal ecotypes (Admine (Adm) and Rabia (Rab)) and two contrasting inland ecotypes (Aoulouz (Alz) and Lakhssas (Lks)). Drought stress significantly decreased the leaf water potential and stomatal conductance in the four contrasted ecotypes. In terms of biochemical responses, significant accumulation of carbonyl groups, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radical has been recorded in the leaves of stressed plants reflecting oxidative stress. In parallel, the activities of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) and their isoenzymes Cu/Zn-SOD, Cu/Zn-SOD and Fe-SOD were also found to have increased to scavenging ROS and protecting the cell against induced oxidative stress. The recovery kinetics of A. spinosa, as a response to rehydration, were significant and rapid. According to the traits having the most discriminating power, both inland ecotypes (Lks and Alz) showed a better upregulation of its protective mechanisms compared to coastal ecotypes (Rab and Adm). All these adaptive traits make the inland ecotypes as an elite resource of drought tolerance and might become the new focus of domestication research of argan tree in arid and semi-arid environments.     

Exogenous application of β-sitosterol mediated growth and yield improvement in water-stressed wheat (Triticum aestivum) involves up-regulated antioxidant system

Journal of Plant Research - Water stress reduces crop production significantly, and climate change has further aggravated the problem mainly in arid and semi-arid regions. This was the first study...     

ETB receptor polymorphism is associated with airway obstruction

Background

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has become an important modality for the evaluation and management of patients with a diverse array of medical problems. However, interpreting these tests is often difficult and time consuming, requiring significant expertise.

Methods

We created a computer software program (XINT) that assists in CPET interpretation. The program uses an integrative approach as recommended in the Official Statement of the American Thoracic Society/American College of Chest Physicians (ATS/ACCP) on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. In this paper we discuss the principles behind the software. We also provide the detailed logic in an accompanying file (Additional File 1). The actual program and the open source code are also available free over the Internet at http://www.xint.org. For convenience, the required download files can also be accessed from this article.

Results

To test the clinical usefulness of XINT, we present the computer generated interpretations of the case studies discussed in the ATS/ACCP document in another accompanying file (Additional File 2). We believe the interpretations are consistent with the document's criteria and the interpretations given by the expert panel.

Conclusion

Computers have become an integral part of modern life. Peer-reviewed scientific journals are now able to present not just medical concepts and experimental studies, but actual functioning medical interpretive software. This has enormous potential to improve medical diagnoses and patient care. We believe XINT is such a program that will give clinically useful interpretations when used by the medical community at large.     

Heme oxygenase inhibits human airway smooth muscle proliferation via a bilirubin-dependent modulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the heme oxygenase (HO) pathway could modulate proliferation of airway smooth muscle (ASM) and the mechanism(s) involved in this phenomenon. In cultured human ASM cells, 10% fetal calf serum or 50 ng/ml platelet-derived growth factor AB induced cell proliferation, extracellular and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Pharmacological HO-1 induction (by 10 microm hemin or by 20 microm cobalt-protoporphyrin) and HO inhibition (by 25 microm tin-protoporphyrin or by an antisense oligonucleotide), respectively, reduced and enhanced significantly both cell proliferation and ROS production. Neither the carbon monoxide scavenger myoglobin (5-20 microm) nor the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo-[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one could reverse ASM proliferation induced by tin-protoporphyrin, making a role of the CO-cGMP pathway in HO-modulated proliferation unlikely. By contrast, bilirubin (1 microm) and the antioxidant N-acetyl-cysteine (1 mm) significantly reduced mitogen-induced cell proliferation, ROS production, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Furthermore, both bilirubin and N-acetyl-cysteine and the ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 significantly reversed the effects of HO inhibition on ASM proliferation. These results could be relevant to ASM alterations observed in asthma because activation of the HO pathway prevented the increase in bronchial smooth muscle area induced by repeated ovalbumin challenge in immunized guinea pigs, whereas inhibition of HO had the opposite effect. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for an antiproliferative effect of the HO pathway in ASM in vitro and in vivo through a bilirubin-mediated redox modulation of phosphorylation of ERK1/2.