Circulating and local nuclear expression of survivin and fibulin-3 genes in discriminating benign from malignant respiratory diseases: correlation analysis

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis as well as a promoter of cell proliferation. Fibulin-3 is a matrix glycoprotein that displays potential for tumor suppression or propagation. The present study aimed to validate the expression levels of survivin and fibulin-3 in benign and malignant respiratory diseases. This case–control study included 219 patients categorized into five groups. Group A included 63 patients with lung cancer, group B included 63 patients with various benign lung diseases, group D included 45 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), and group E included 48 patients with various benign pleural diseases. Group C included 60 healthy individuals (control group). Serum survivin and fibulin-3 levels were measured by ELISA, whereas their nuclear expressions in the lung and pleura were assessed via Western blot analysis. The results showed significantly higher survivin serum levels and significantly lower fibulin-3 levels in group A compared with in group B and controls (P<0.001). There were significantly higher serum levels of survivin and fibulin-3 in group D compared with in group E and controls (P<0.001), consistent with observed nuclear survivin and fibulin-3 expression levels. Fibulin-3 was determined to have higher value than survivin in discriminating lung cancer from MPM (P<0.05). Survivin and fibulin-3 could be useful diagnostic markers for lung and pleural cancers, and fibulin-3 expression was particularly useful in differentiating lung cancer from MPM.     

Study of DYRK1B gene expression and its association with metabolic syndrome in a small cohort of Egyptians

Molecular Biology Reports - A cluster of many risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease is used to describe the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Moreover, genetic differences associated...     

Assessment of eye doses to staff involved in interventional cardiology procedures in Kuwait

In this study, which is the first of its kind in the gulf region, eye doses of interventional cardiologists and nurses were measured using active dosimeters for left and right eyes, in 60 percutaneous coronary interventions in three main hospitals in Kuwait. The dose given in terms of H_p(0.07) per procedure when ceiling suspended screens were used by main operators ranged from 18.5 to 30.3 µSv for the left eye and from 12.6 to 23.6 µSv for the right eye. Taking into account typical staff workload, the results show that the dose limit of 20 mSv/year to the eyes can be exceeded for interventional cardiologists in some situations, which demonstrates the need of using additional effective radiation protection tools, e.g. protective eye spectacles, in addition to the regular and proper use of ceiling suspended screens. With indications of increase in workload, the need for availability of a dedicated active dosimeter for the regular monitoring of eye doses is emphasized.

     

Lessons learned from the syndrome of oculopalatal tremor

Journal of Computational Neuroscience - The syndrome of oculopalatal tremor (OPT) featuring the olivo-cerebellar hypersychrony leads to disabling pendular nystagmus and palatal myoclonus. This rare...     

Lichenochemical Screening and Antioxidant Capacity of Four Tunisian Lichen Species

The phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of four Tunisian lichen species, Cladonia rangiformis, Flavoparmelia caperata, Squamarina cartilaginea and Xanthoria parietina, were determined in order to provide a better understanding of their lichenochemical composition. Powdered material of F. caperata was the richest in total phenolic content (956.68 μg GAE g⁻¹ DW) and S. cartilaginea in proanthocyanidin content (77.31 μg CE g⁻¹ DW), while the acetone extract of X. parietina showed the highest flavonoid content (9.56 μg CE g⁻¹ DW). The antioxidant capacity of all lichen extracts and crude material was evaluated by DPPH^. scavenging, iron-chelating, and iron-reducing powers. Results showed that methanol extracts of S. cartilaginea had the highest DPPH^. antioxidant capacity (IC₅₀=0.9 μg mL⁻¹) and the highest iron-reducing power was attributed to the acetone extract of this species. All extracts of all species were further screened by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear resonance spectroscopy (NMR); results showed an abundance of phenols, aromatic compounds, and fatty acids. Overall, our results showed that the investigated species are a rich source of potentially bioactive compounds with valuable properties.     

Mating behaviour and behavioural ecology of a Predatory Wasp,Symmorphus allobrogus (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera: Eumeninae)

This paper represents an attempt to investigate the mating behaviour of Symmorphus allobrogus, explaining the willingness of male to mount and copulate. The male displays including mode and frequency of antennation and position while copulating, the displays further comprises of intensity and frequency of rejecting behaviour. The presence of the male’s copulatory and postcopulatory courtship studies, understands the maintenance of monandry. The wasp has numerous secondary sexual characters, and the mating behaviour follows a phyletic and the specific sexual mating characters in context of sexual selection. The duration of mating phases and the number of male antennation series during precopulatory, copulatory and postcopulatory phases of mounting, differs significantly. Mating success depends mostly on the activities of male in the premounting phase and the behaviour of both sexes has a roughly equal importance for it in precopulatory phase. While during copulation, activity of male has little influence on its duration; however, behaviour of female has crucial effect, inducing its earlier termination.     

A new cloud-based classification methodology (CBCM) for efficient semantic web service discovery

Over the last decades, web services are used for performing specific tasks demanded by users. The most important task of service’s classification system is to match an anonymous input service with the stored pre-classified web services. The most challenging issue is that web services are currently organized and classified according to syntax while the context of the requested service is ignored. Due to this motivation, Cloud-based Classification Methodology is proposed as it presents a new methodology based on semantic web service’s classification. Furthermore, cloud computing is used for not only storing but also allocating the high scale of web services with both high availability and accessibility. Fog technology is employed to reduce the latency and to speed up response time. The experimental results using the suggested methodology show a better performance of the proposed system regarding both precision and accuracy in comparison with most of the methods discussed in the literature of the current study.

     

Effect of adding plyometric training to physical education sessions on specific biomechanical parameters in primary school girls

Objectives:The study aimed to determine the effect of adding a school-based plyometric training program (PMT) to physical education (PE) sessions on the strength, balance, and flexibility in primary school girls.Methods:Students from grades 3-6 were randomized equally to a plyometric or control group. In the control group, students took their regular PE classes twice a week. In the plyometric group, students performed PMT twice a week during the initial 20 minutes of every PE session. The Lido Linea closed kinetic chain isokinetic dynamometer, Star excursion balance test (SEBT), and sit-and-reach test were used to assess muscle strength, balance, and flexibility, respectively, before and after nine weeks of training.Results:The improvement in extension peak force (p=0.04) and extension total work (p<0.001) was more prevalent in the PMT group than in the control group. SEBT scores had improved significantly (p<0.05) for all directions in the PMT group, except in the anterior direction, which was highly significant (p<0.001). Hamstring and lower back flexibility had improved more in the PMT group than in the control group (p<0.001).Conclusion:Adding PMT to regular PE classes has a positive and notable effect on muscle strength, balance, and flexibility in primary school students.     

Botanical candidates from Saudi Arabian flora as potential therapeutics for Plasmodium infection

Malaria is a lethal parasitic disease affecting over two hundred million people worldwide and kills almost half a million people per year. Until now, there is no curative treatment for this disease that has a substantial morbidity. The available chemotherapeutic agents are unable to completely control the infection with the continuous appearance of drug resistance. Consequently, the search for new therapeutic agents with high safety profiles and low side effects is of paramount importance. Several natural products have been investigated and proven to have antimalarial effects either in vivo or in vitro. A large number of plants have been studied globally for their antimalarial activities. However, studies that have been conducted in this field in Saudi Arabia are not enough. This article presents global and local research on the need for novel natural antimalarial agents with a particular emphasis on studies involving plants from Saudi Arabian flora.     

On the macro-micro-morphology of organs of host invasion in hemiparasite Helicanthes elasticus (Desv.) Danser

Loranthaceae family includes hemiparasitic members which are seen invading a wide range of commercial crops. Helicanthes elasticus (Desv.) Danser is very common on mango trees. Though parasitic in nature, this mistletoe is also medicinally important as fetoprotective, against vesicular calculi and kidney infections. This study is an attempt to document macro-microscopical features of parasitic root, fruit and host-mistletoe tissue interaction in the haustorium of H. elasticus growing on mango stems. Collection, preservation, sectioning, staining and photomicrography of the root, fruit and host-mistletoe union were done as per standard methodologies of anatomical studies. Though there is resemblance to the normal roots in morphology as well as anatomy, the microscopic finding of large number of branched stone cells in the roots is interesting. The morpho-anatomical features recorded would help in understanding the infection biology of this mistletoe. The eradication during the earlier stages of its establishment from seed or from the root creeping over the surface of the host can help in controlling this parasite infection on commercially important host plants.