The role of fish-poultry integration on fish growth performance,yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa,Tanzania

Aquaculture practices from sub-Saharan Africa are characterised by low production, owing to improper technology. Production can be increased through integrating fish farming with other existing on-farm activities, particularly livestock husbandry. We assessed the role of fish-poultry integration on all male Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus growth performance, yields and economic benefits among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania. The study also compared phytoplankton species composition, abundance and biomass between the fish-poultry integration and non-integrated system. After 180 days of the experiment, all male O. niloticus cultured under fish-poultry integration exhibited significantly higher growth rates than those in the non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Gross fish yield (GFY), net fish yield (NFY) and net annual yields (NAY) obtained from fish-poultry integration were significantly higher than those from non-integrated system (p < 0.05). Partial enterprise budget analysis revealed that fish-poultry integration was more profitable than the non-integrated system. Moreover, fish-poultry integrated system produced significantly higher phytoplankton abundance and biomass than those from the non-integrated system. Results demonstrate that rural smallholder farmers can achieve higher growth rate, farm net yields and income by integrating all male O. niloticus with other on-farm activities than practising a stand-alone fish culture system.     

Genetic association analysis of KCNQ3 and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy in a South Indian population

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is a common subtype of idiopathic generalized epilepsy that shows a complex pattern of inheritance. We have tested the association between JME phenotype and an intragenic marker in KCNQ3 by using the transmission disequilibrium test in 119 probands and their parents. Mutations in KCNQ3 are known to cause benign familial neonatal convulsions and are involved in the physiologically important M current in neurons. Our results provide suggestive evidence of allelic association between JME and KCNQ3 (P-value=0.008) and raise an interesting possibility of a genetic contribution to JME, viz., of a gene that causes a monogenic form of human epilepsy.     

High-glucose-induced metallothionein expression in endothelial cells: an endothelin-mediated mechanism

Vascular endothelial cells areconstantly exposed to oxidative stress and must be protected byphysiological responses. In diabetes mellitus, endothelial cellpermeability is impaired and may be increased by high extracellularglucose concentrations. It has been postulated that metallothionein(MT) can protect endothelial cells from oxidative stress with itsincreased expression by cytokines, thrombin, and endothelin (ET)-1. Inthis study, we demonstrate that high glucose concentration can induceMT expression in endothelial cells through a distinct ET-dependentpathway. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) toincreasing concentrations of glucose resulted in a rapid dose-dependentincrease in MT-2 and ET-1 mRNA expression. MT expression may be furtheraugmented with addition of ET-1. Preincubation of the cells with thespecific ET_B antagonist BQ-788 blocked MT-2 mRNA expressionmore effectively than the ET_A inhibitor TBC-11251. Highglucose also increased immunoreactive MT protein expression and inducedtranslocation of MT into the perinuclear area. Perinuclear localizationof MT was related to high-glucose-induced reorganization of F-actin filaments. These results demonstrate that an increase in extracellular glucose in HUVEC can lead to a rapid dose-dependent increase in MT-2mRNA expression and to perinuclear localization of MT protein withchanges to the cytoskeleton. These effects are mediated via the ETreceptor-dependent pathway.

     

Changes in brain metallothionein and Zinc during development in transgenic mice

The developmental alterations in metallothionein (MT) proteins and zinc (Zn) were investigated in brains of two transgenic strains of mice. MT protein was measured by a cadmium binding assay and Zn by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. MT proteins were expressed at birth (day 1) both in MT-I overexpressing transgenic mouse (MT-I*) and MT-null (expressing only brain specific isoform, MT-III) transgenic mouse. MT proteins level (mainly MT-I) in MT-I* was 16.1 Μ-g/g at birth, and thereafter increased with age to a maximal adult level of 55.3 Μg/g (day 60). Zn level in MT-I* also increased from 8.43 Μg/g (day 1) to 20.7 Μg/g (day 60) with age. MT protein (MT-III) in MT-null mouse was 9.71 Μg/g at birth and remained relatively unchanged during development. Zn level in MT-null mouse at birth was 9.46 Μg/g and also remained unchanged during development. The similar alterations in MT isoforms and Zn in brain during development suggest that MT isoforms may act as a Zn binding protein.     

Molecular basis of antigenic drift in Influenza A/H3N2 strains (1968-2007) in the light of antigenantibody interactions

The emergence of new strains of Influenza virus have caused several pandemics over the last hundred years with the latest being the H1N1 Swine flu pandemic of 2009. The Hemagglutinin (HA) protein of the Influenza virus is the primary target of human immune system and is responsible for generation of protective antibodies in humans. Mutations in this protein results in change in antigenic regions (antigenic drift) which consequently leads to loss of immunity in hosts even in vaccinated population (herd immunity). This necessitates periodic changes in the Influenza vaccine composition. In this paper, we investigate the molecular basis of the reported loss of herd immunity in vaccinated population (vaccine component: Influenza A/X-31/1968 (H3N2)) which resulted in the outbreak due to strain Influenza A/Port Chalmers/1/1973 (H3N2). Also, the effects of antigenic drift in HA protein (H3N2 vaccine strains 1968-2007) on the 3D structures as well as interactions with BH151, a 1968 antibody, has been studied. Rigid body molecular docking protocol has been used to study the antigen-antibody interactions. We believe that the present study will help in better understanding of host-pathogen interactions at the molecular level.     

Ligand-dependent differences in estrogen receptor beta-interacting proteins identified in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponds to estrogenic responses

Background

A recent epidemiological study demonstrated a reduced risk of lung cancer mortality in breast cancer patients using antiestrogens. These and other data implicate a role for estrogens in lung cancer, particularly nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Approximately 61% of human NSCLC tumors express nuclear estrogen receptor β (ERβ); however, the role of ERβ and estrogens in NSCLC is likely to be multifactorial. Here we tested the hypothesis that proteins interacting with ERβ in human lung adenocarcinoma cells that respond proliferatively to estradiol (E₂) are distinct from those in non-E₂-responsive cells.

Methods

FLAG affinity purification of FLAG-ERβ-interacting proteins was used to isolate ERβ-interacting proteins in whole cell extracts from E₂ proliferative H1793 and non-E₂-proliferative A549 lung adenocarcinoma cell lines. Following trypsin digestion, proteins were identified using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Proteomic data were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Select results were confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation.

Results

LC-MS/MS identified 27 non-redundant ERβ-interacting proteins. ERβ-interacting proteins included hsp70, hsp60, vimentin, histones and calmodulin. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of the ERβ-interacting proteins revealed differences in molecular and functional networks between H1793 and A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments in these and other lung adenocarcinoma cells confirmed that ERβ and EGFR interact in a gender-dependent manner and in response to E₂ or EGF. BRCA1 interacted with ERβ in A549 cell lines and in human lung adenocarcinoma tumors, but not normal lung tissue.

Conclusion

Our results identify specific differences in ERβ-interacting proteins in lung adenocarcinoma cells corresponding to ligand-dependent differences in estrogenic responses.

     

Level of daily physical activity in individuals with COPD compared with healthy controls

Background

Persons with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), performing some level of regular physical activity, have a lower risk of both COPD-related hospital admissions and mortality. COPD patients of all stages seem to benefit from exercise training programs, thereby improving with respect to both exercise tolerance and symptoms of dyspnea and fatigue. Physical inactivity, which becomes more severe with increasing age, is a point of concern in healthy older adults. COPD might worsen this scenario, but it is unclear to what degree. This literature review aims to present the extent of the impact of COPD on objectively-measured daily physical activity (DPA). The focus is on the extent of the impact that COPD has on duration, intensity, and counts of DPA, as well as whether the severity of the disease has an additional influence on DPA.

Results

A literature review was performed in the databases PubMed [MEDLINE], Picarta, PEDRO, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google scholar. After screening, 11 studies were identified as being relevant for comparison between COPD patients and healthy controls with respect to duration, intensity, and counts of DPA. Four more studies were found to be relevant to address the subject of the influence the severity of the disease may have on DPA. The average percentage of DPA of COPD patients vs. healthy control subjects for duration was 57%, for intensity 75%, and for activity counts 56%. Correlations of DPA and severity of the disease were low and/or not significant.

Conclusions

From the results of this review, it appears that patients with COPD have a significantly reduced duration, intensity, and counts of DPA when compared to healthy control subjects. The intensity of DPA seems to be less affected by COPD than duration and counts. Judging from the results, it seems that severity of COPD is not strongly correlated with level of DPA. Future research should focus in more detail on the relation between COPD and duration, intensity, and counts of DPA, as well as the effect of disease severity on DPA, so that these relations become more understandable.     

GObar: A Gene Ontology based analysis and visualization tool for gene sets

Background  

Microarray experiments, as well as other genomic analyses, often result in large gene sets containing up to several hundred genes. The biological significance of such sets of genes is, usually, not readily apparent.