Deleterious effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in vitiligo patients

Vitiligo is a rare skin condition caused by an immune reaction. Vitiligo can occur anywhere on the body. This proposed explanation of vitiligo makes it clear that vitiligo is not linked to any other autoimmune diseases. The polymorphisms of some genes present in the immune system play a major function in susceptibility of vitiligo. Meta-analysis studies have shown that the Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion and deletion polymorphism is closely associated with vitiligo in many ethnicities. The connection between ACE gene and vitiligo is connected through the auto immune diseases and there are no genetic polymorphism studies have been carried out with ACE gene with vitiligo in the Saudi population. Previous studies show that vitiligo patients are more likely to also have an autoimmune disorder. The current study aims to investigate the I/D polymorphism in the ACE gene with diagnosed patients with vitiligo subjects. This is a case-control study carried out in the Saudi population with 100 vitiligo cases and 100 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed through polymerase chain reaction followed by 3% agarose gel electrophoresis. Genotype and allele frequencies were carried out with genetic mode of inheritances. Statistical analysis was performed considering p < 0.05 as significant association. There was a substantial difference in allele frequency distribution between vitiligo patients and healthy controls (OR-1.70 (95%CI: 1.14–2.53); p = 0.008). Additionally, DD genotype (OR-4.71 (95%CI: 1.42–15.61); p = 0.008) and recessive model (OR-2.66 (95%CI: 1.41–5.02); p = 0.002) was strongly associated. Both dominant and co-dominant showed the negative association (p > 0.05) when compared between the vitiligo cases and controls. The correlation between age and genotyping was performed with Anova analysis and current study results confirmed the substantial link between 11 and 20 years (p = 0.01) and 31–40 years (p = 0.04) with the defined age groups. In conclusion, in Saudi populations, the ACE gene I/D polymorphism was identified as being correlated with vitiligo. This is the first study in Saudi Arabia to report the risk factors of vitiligo with the ACE gene polymorphism.     

Temperature and pressure effects on C112S azurin: Volume,expansivity, and flexibility changes

The pressure‐induced unfolding of the mutant C112S azurin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was monitored both under steady state and dynamic conditions. The unfolding profiles were obtained by recording the spectral shift of the fluorescence emission as well as by phosphorescence intensity measurements. We evaluated the difference in free energy, ΔG, as a function of pressure and temperature. The dependence of ΔG on temperature showed concave profile at all pressures studied. A positive heat capacity change of about 4.3 kJ mol^?1 deg^?1 fitted all the curves. The volume change of the reaction showed a moderate dependence on temperature when compared with other proteins previously studied. The kinetic activation parameters (ΔV*, ΔH*, ΔS*) were obtained from upward and downward pressure‐jump experiments and used to characterize the volumetric and energetic properties of the transition state between native and unfolded protein. Our findings suggest that the folding and unfolding reaction paths passed through different transition states. The change in the phosphorescence lifetime with pressure pointed out that pressure‐induced unfolding occurred within two steps: the first leading to an increased protein flexibility, presumably caused by water penetration into the protein. Major structural changes of the tryptophan environment occurred in a second step at higher pressures. Proteins 2014; 82:1787–1798. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Changes in activity of antioxidant enzymes and photosynthetic machinery during acclimatization of micropropagated Cassia alata L. plantlets

The stimulatory effect of thidiazuron (TDZ) has been investigated in shoot multiplication for a simple, efficient, rapid, and commercially applicable regeneration protocol of an important medicinal plant, Cassia alata. Furthermore, the effects of an increased photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) on photosynthesis, the functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus, and the response of the antioxidant enzymatic system were studied during the ex vitro establishment of micropropagated plantlets. Multiple shoots were induced by culturing nodal explants excised from an aseptic seedling on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations (1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, or 10.0 μM) of TDZ for different treatment durations (2, 3, 4, or 6 wk). The highest number of shoots (17.9?±?0.3) and longest shoot length (4.6?±?0.1 cm) were achieved when explants were exposed to 5.0 μM TDZ for 4 wk and subsequently subcultured on growth regulator-free MS medium for 8 wk. In vitro rooting of isolated shoots was best achieved on full-strength MS medium containing 0.5 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The micropropagated shoots with well-developed roots were successfully established in pots containing Soilrite? followed by garden soil and grown in greenhouse with an 85% survival rate. During the acclimatization period, significant changes in the activity of the antioxidant enzymatic system were observed. An increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was measured throughout the acclimatization period. Likewise an upregulation of catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and glutathione reductase (GR) enzyme activities were also observed. Pigment (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids) content in ex vitro-formed leaves was significantly higher compared with those grown in vitro. These observed changes reflected the ability of plants to develop an antioxidant enzymatic defense system aiding in survival against oxidative stress and in reducing release of free radicals.     

Incidence and Characteristics of Acute Kidney Injury in Severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Aims

Acute kidney injury is a classical complication of diabetic ketoacidosis. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has reported the incidence and characteristics of acute kidney injury since the consensus definition was issued.

Methods

Retrospective study of all cases of severe diabetic ketoacidosis hospitalised consecutively in a medical surgical tertiary ICU during 10 years. Patients were dichotomised in with AKI and without AKI on admission according to the RIFLE classification. Clinical and biological parameters were compared in these populations. Risk factors of presenting AKI on admission were searched for.

Results

Ninety-four patients were included in the study. According to the RIFLE criteria, 47 patients (50%) presented acute kidney injury on admission; most of them were in the risk class (51%). At 12 and 24 hours, the percentage of AKI patients decreased to 26% and 27% respectively. During the first 24 hours, 3 patients needed renal replacement therapy. Acute renal failure on admission was associated with a more advanced age, SAPS 2 and more severe biological impairments. Treatments were not different between groups except for insulin infusion. Logistic regression found 3 risk factors of presenting AKI on admission: age (odds ratio 1.060 [1.020–1.100], p<0.01), blood glucose (odds ratio 1.101 [1.039–1.166], p<0.01) and serum protein (odds ratio 0.928 [0.865–0.997], p = 0.04).

Conclusions

Acute kidney injury is frequently associated with severe diabetic ketoacidosis on admission in ICU. Most of the time, this AKI is transient and characterised by a volume-responsiveness to fluid infusion used in DKA treatment. Age, blood glucose and serum protein are associated to the occurrence of AKI on ICU admission.     

Biodegradation Kinetics of Naphthalene in Soil Medium Using Pleurotus Ostreatus in Batch Mode with Addition of Fibrous Biomass as a Nutrient

The efficiency and kinetics of naphthalene biodegradation in a soil medium using Pleurotus ostreatus (a type of white rot fungus) in batch mode with and without the addition of oil palm fiber (OPF) as a nutrient are evaluated in this study. Three batches are considered in the biodegradation study: (i) control—spiked soil; (ii) spiked soil with fungus; and (iii) spiked soil with both fungus and OPF. Biodegradation is conducted over a period of 22 days for which soil naphthalene concentrations are determined with respect to microwave extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The results indicate that inoculation with Pleurotus ostreatus significantly enhances soil naphthalene biodegradation to 84%, which is further enhanced upon the addition of OPF to 98% with respect to the degradation rate. The high carbon content in OPF (>40%) affords it the capacity to be a viable nutrient supplement for Pleurotus ostreatus, thereby enhancing the potential of Pleurotus ostreatus in the biodegradation of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and indicating the potential of OPF as a nutrient for PAH biodegradation. A relationship between OPF mass and the biodegradation rate constant has been determined to be linear according to the following equation: k = 0.0429 × OPF + 0.1291.     

Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G. Nicholson,a potential halophytic ornamental plant: Growth and physiological adaptations

Exploration and cultivation of salt tolerant plants is a very effective strategy for utilization of salt affected soils. In this investigation, physiological traits that are conducive for salt tolerance of the ornamental plant Alternanthera bettzickiana, Amaranthaceae, were explored. A. bettzickiana was grown on soil substrate having six salinity levels (2.86, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 dS m⁻¹). It was observed that this plant can grow even at a salinity level of 40 dS m⁻¹. The survival rate of this plant was 75, 42 and 0% at salinity levels of 30, 40 and 50 dS m⁻¹, respectively. A. bettzickiana plants produced 30.3% less biomass than controls at the salinity level of 20 dS m⁻¹ and even less under still higher salt stress. Photosynthesis continued even at the salinity level of 40 dS m⁻¹, though its rate was reduced to 59% in plants exposed to such salinity relative to plants not affected by salinity. Total soluble proteins values in leaf and stem showed a gradual increase when plants were exposed to increasing salt stress. Plants growing at the high salinity level showed highest decrease in leaf nitrate reductase activity. A. bettzickiana plants accumulated less Na⁺ in shoot as compared to root when grown under salt stress. It can be characterized as a salt-tolerant glycophyte that could be used for greening of salt affected soils.     

Attraction of the West Indian fruit fly to mango fruit volatiles

In this study, we investigated the attraction of West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (Diptera: Tephritidae), to volatiles of three mango [Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae)] cultivars in field cage tests. The number of flies captured with Multilure traps baited with Amate mature green mangoes was significantly higher than that captured in traps baited with Coche and Ataulfo fruits. There was no significant difference between the number of flies captured in traps baited with Coche or Ataulfo mangoes. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of mango fruit volatiles identified 24, 22, and 19 compounds for Amate, Ataulfo, and Coche mango cultivars, respectively. A principal component analysis of the volatiles revealed that the Amate mango was more distant from the Ataulfo mango, and the latter cultivar was closer to the Coche mango. The compounds myrcene, α‐pinene, β‐selinene, and trans‐β‐ocimene were the most abundant in Amate mangoes, whereas 3‐carene, β‐selinene, terpinolene, and α‐pinene were the predominant compounds of Ataulfo cultivars. In the Coche mango, the predominant compounds were 3‐carene, β‐selinene, terpinolene, and limonene. Traps baited with a blend of myrcene, α‐pinene, and trans‐β‐ocimene captured more A. obliqua females and males than control traps. Flies were more attracted to the Super Q volatile extracts of Amate mango than to the three‐component blend formulated in a ratio of 1:1:1. However, there was no significant difference between the number of flies caught by traps baited with Amate mango extracts and that caught by traps baited with the three‐blend component when this was formulated according to the relative proportions in the mango extracts. Traps baited with myrcene, the major component, caught fewer flies than traps baited with Amate mango extracts.