Serum organochlorine pesticides residues and risk of cancer: A case-control study

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are frequently used worldwide as insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and termiticides and have been associated with a variety of cancers in animal and human studies. In the present study, we examined residues of fourteen OCPs in the serum samples of diagnosed cancer patients and healthy residents of Karachi, Pakistan. A random collection of fasting blood samples was carried out from the donors with informed consent. Serum was separated within 2?h of blood collection and was then subjected to extraction with organic solvents followed by purification with florisil column. The final organic extract of each serum sample was processed with Gas Chromatograph coupled with Electron Capture Detector (GC-ECD). OCPs were detected in 97.59% of the cancer cases and 93.75% of the healthy subjects. Mean concentrations of total OCPs (ΣOCPs) was found elevated in the cancer group (0.606?mg/kg) compared with the control group (0.322?mg/kg). Endosulfan was the highest prevalent OCP with a mean concentration of 0.214?mg/kg in the cancer group and 0.166?mg/kg in the control group. The second most prevalent OCP was 4,4-DDE with a mean concentration of 0.131?mg/kg in the cancer group and 0.019?mg/kg in the control group. Highest level of ΣOCPs was detected in the breast cancer cases (20.411?mg/kg) with a mean level of (2.041?mg/kg). In light of the obtained results and available literature on the subject, it has been concluded that OCPs are positively associated with the risk of various cancers in humans.     

Impacts of very warm temperature on egg production rates of three Acartiidae (Crustacea,Copepoda) in a Northern African lagoon

The daily Egg Production Rate (EPR) of the three Acartiidae copepods namely Acartia clausi, Paracartia latisetosa and Paracartia grani in the North Lagoon of Tunis was compared to temperature and food availability every season from March, 2003 to February, 2004 corresponding to the major seasonal peaks of their abundance and over a 20-days period. The daily EPR was evaluated by assuming a direct correlation with chlorophyll a, particulate organic carbon (POC), and some easily extractable macromolecular compounds from the seston, such as proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. The results showed significant differences in EPR between seasons and species. Temperature and salinity negatively affected the fecundity of A. clausi and positively that of P. latisetosa and P. grani. The A. clausi EPR was supported by chlorophyll a and sestonic proteins while that of P. latisetosa and P. grani correlated with POC suggesting that these two taxa feed on microzooplankton and detritus more than on phytoplankton. Overall, EPR data showed potential population recruitment evidently the highest in P. latisetosa in summer, P. grani in autumn and A. clausi in winter. Our results indicate that temperature and food quality are the determining factors of both abundance and reproduction of the copepods under study.     

Precise editing of CLAVATA genes in Brassica napus L. regulates multilocular silique development

Multilocular silique is a desirable agricultural trait with great potential for the development of high‐yield varieties of Brassica. To date, no spontaneous or induced multilocular mutants have been reported in Brassica napus, which likely reflects its allotetraploid nature and the extremely low probability of the simultaneous random mutagenesis of multiple gene copies with functional redundancy. Here, we present evidence for the efficient knockout of rapeseed homologues of CLAVATA3 (CLV3) for a secreted peptide and its related receptors CLV1 and CLV2 in the CLV signalling pathway using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and achieved stable transmission of the mutations across three generations. Each BnCLV gene has two copies located in two subgenomes. The multilocular phenotype can be recovered only in knockout mutations of both copies of each BnCLV gene, illustrating that the simultaneous alteration of multiple gene copies by CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis has great potential in generating agronomically important mutations in rapeseed. The mutagenesis efficiency varied widely from 0% to 48.65% in T₀ with different single‐guide RNAs (sgRNAs), indicating that the appropriate selection of the sgRNA is important for effectively generating indels in rapeseed. The double mutation of BnCLV3 produced more leaves and multilocular siliques with a significantly higher number of seeds per silique and a higher seed weight than the wild‐type and single mutant plants, potentially contributing to increased seed production. We also assessed the efficiency of the horizontal transfer of Cas9/gRNA cassettes by pollination. Our findings reveal the potential for plant breeding strategies to improve yield traits in currently cultivated rapeseed varieties.     

Protective effects of plant-derived natural products on renal complications

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of renal failure worldwide. This debilitating disorder has several underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms, and therefore a variety of pharmacologic agents have been developed to prevent or treat diabetic nephropathy; however, synthetic drugs may possess unfavorable side effects. In response to this, the global use of herbal-based pharmacologic agents is increasing among diabetic patients. Numerous studies have reported therapeutic benefits of herbal-based compounds against diabetes-induced renal dysfunction. These agents can prevent renal dysfunction and improve renal function by blocking or suppressing deleterious pathways such as oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, necrosis, and nitric oxide deprivation that lead to vascular injuries. In the current study, we have reviewed the beneficial properties of the most common herbal agents used in renal complications and diabetic nephropathy.     

Solvothermal Preparation of ZnO Nanorods as Anode Material for Improved Cycle Life Zn/AgO Batteries

Nano materials with high surface area increase the kinetics and extent of the redox reactions, thus resulting in high power and energy densities. In this study high surface area zinc oxide nanorods have been synthesized by surfactant free ethylene glycol assisted solvothermal method. The nanorods thus prepared have diameters in the submicron range (300∼500 nm) with high aspect ratio. They have uniform geometry and well aligned direction. These nanorods are characterized by XRD, SEM, Specific Surface Area Analysis, solubility in alkaline medium, EDX analysis and galvanostatic charge/discharge studies in Zn/AgO batteries. The prepared zinc oxide nanorods have low solubility in alkaline medium with higher structural stability, which imparts the improved cycle life stability to Zn/AgO cells.     

The Prooxidant Action of Dietary Antioxidants Leading to Cellular DNA Breakage and Anticancer Effects: Implications for Chemotherapeutic Action Against Cancer

Plant-derived dietary antioxidants have attracted considerable interest in recent past for their ability to induce apoptosis and regression of tumors in animal models. While it is believed that the antioxidant properties of these agents may contribute to lowering the risk of cancer induction by impeding oxidative injury to DNA, it could not account for apoptosis induction and chemotherapeutic observations. In this article, we show that dietary antioxidants can alternatively switch to a prooxidant action in the presence of transition metals such as copper. Such a prooxidant action leads to strand breaks in cellular DNA and growth inhibition in cancer cells. Further, the cellular DNA breakage and anticancer effects were found to be significantly enhanced in the presence of copper ions. Moreover, inhibition of antioxidant-induced DNA strand breaks and oxidative stress by Cu(I)-specific chelators bathocuproine and neocuproine demonstrated the role of endogenous copper in the induction of the prooxidant mechanism. Since it is well established that tissue, cellular, and serum copper levels are considerably elevated in various malignancies, such a prooxidant cytotoxic mechanism better explains the anticancer activity of dietary antioxidants against cancer cells.     

Prey selection and food habits of three sympatric large carnivores in a tropical lowland forest of the Eastern Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot

Prey selection and the feeding habits of tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus and Asiatic wild dog Cuon alpinus were investigated from June 2009 to December 2011 in Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh. A total of 422 scats were analyzed of which, 109 scats were of tigers, 150 were of leopard and 163 scats were of dholes. Multinomial Likelihood ratio test was used to estimate the prey selectivity of predators and Ivlev index, Pianka index were used to estimate prey preference and overlap respectively. Biomass consumption for three sympatric predators varied from 254.3 kg for dholes to 599.1 kg for tigers. Sambar, barking deer, wild pig were preyed more than their availability by all the predators. Ivlev index shows barking deer and sambar were preferred more than available prey for tiger where as leopard preferred sambar more than available and avoided barking deer. Dhole preferred more than available wild pig and barking deer. There was a high overlap between tiger–leopard (85.3%) and tiger–dhole (77.5%). To the best of our understanding, this study provides the first reliable information on prey selection and food habits of sympatric large carnivores in a protected area of Eastern Himalayan tropical rainforest.     

Den shifting by wolves in semi-wild landscapes in the Deccan Plateau, Maharashtra, India

Reproductive success is crucial for the survival and persistence of any species. The Deccan Biogeographic Zone of India is the stronghold of a population of the Indian wolf Canis lupus pallipes . Gaining a better understanding of the den-use pattern of wolves in different areas in this zone is thus vital for their conservation and management. The wolves excavated multiple dens in our study sites and kept shifting their litters among them. Major disturbance factors around denning sites were active stone quarries, traffic, crop harvesting and livestock movement. One wolf pack used 14 dens in four breeding seasons. Discriminant function analysis indicated that den shifting by wolves was not entirely governed by disturbance levels at den sites. Increasing age of pups was one of the main factors associated with den shifting rather than the magnitude of disturbance ( χ ²=34.26, d.f.=12, P <0.001). Tolerance to disturbance around dens during the early stages of pup development was negatively correlated ( r =−0.519, P <0.05) with availability of water and age of pups ( r =−0.613, P <0.01). Excavation of multiple dens by wolves was apparently related to den shifting, which seemingly is a survival strategy of wolves in these semi-wild human-dominated landscapes in the Deccan Biogeographic Zone. Principal components analysis indicated that during the initial stages of pup development, nature of the land, den orientation and distance of the den from roads were important cues in addition to age category of pups for den shifting. The analysis also suggested that factors such as distance of the new den where pups are to be transferred, distance from water source and availability of fox Vulpes bengalensis holes for den use were also important.     

Tc1/Tc2 ratio in the inflammatory process in patients with Behçet's disease

BACKGROUND: Peripheral blood CD8+ T cells expressing interferon gamma and interleukin-4 (IL-4), and lacking CD28 molecules, were responsible for the dynamic interplay between peripheral blood and inflammatory sites. INTRODUCTION: The aim of the current study was to define in Behçet''s disease (BD), CD8+ T-cell subsets using CD28 and CD11b monoclonal antibodies, and the characterization of the Tc1/Tc2 ratio and perforin expression. METHODS: Flow cytometry was used for intracytoplasmic cytokines and perforin expression. Effector cells were investigated by adhesion of CD8+ T cells to human microvascular endothelial cells and by chemotaxis using beta-chemokine. RESULTS: Interferon-gamma-producing CD8+ T cells in active and remission BD patients were increased, which induce a significant increase of the Tc1:Tc2 ratio in BD. CD8(+)CD28(-)CD11b+ T cells were found to be more expanded in BD patients than in age-matched healthy controls. The expression of CD11b molecules in active BD allowed to CD8(+)CD28+/CD8(+)CD28- subsets to adhere to human microvascular endothelial cells, with more efficiency in BD. Using MIP-1alpha, we observed that the migratory process of CD28(-)CD11b(+) is more important in BD. CD28(-)CD11b+ exhibited an increased perforin expression in BD patients. CONCLUSION: Taken together these results suggest the presence of immune activation, probably in response to a profound inflammation affecting BD patients. The physiopathological significance of these results were toward autoimmune diseases and/or infectious process.