A genetic assay of three patients in the same family with Holt-Oram syndrome; a case report

Holt-Oram syndrome (HOS) is a developmental disorder inherited in an autosomal-dominant pattern. Affected organs are the heart and forelimbs with upper extremity skeletal defects and congenital heart malformation. In this study we present three cases of HOS in the same family. In one of these three individuals we detected a transition of C to T (CTG-GTT, V205V) in exon 7 of the TBX5 gene. This nucleotide change causes no amino acid change and potential pathologic effects remain unknown.Key Words: Holt-Oram syndrome, Congenital heart malformation, TBX5 gene     

Metapopulation Dynamics Enable Persistence of Influenza A,Including A/H5N1, in Poultry

Highly pathogenic influenza A/H5N1 has persistently but sporadically caused human illness and death since 1997. Yet it is still unclear how this pathogen is able to persist globally. While wild birds seem to be a genetic reservoir for influenza A, they do not seem to be the main source of human illness. Here, we highlight the role that domestic poultry may play in maintaining A/H5N1 globally, using theoretical models of spatial population structure in poultry populations. We find that a metapopulation of moderately sized poultry flocks can sustain the pathogen in a finite poultry population for over two years. Our results suggest that it is possible that moderately intensive backyard farms could sustain the pathogen indefinitely in real systems. This fits a pattern that has been observed from many empirical systems. Rather than just employing standard culling procedures to control the disease, our model suggests ways that poultry production systems may be modified.     

Design,Synthesis and Molecular Docking Studies of Some Tetrahydropyrimidine Derivatives as Possible Fascin Inhibitors

Eight derivatives of tetrahydropyrimidine scaffold were designed and prepared as hybrid compounds possessing the structural features of both monastrol as an anticancer drug and nifedipine as a fascin blocking agent. All of the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic potency and the ability to inhibit 4T1 breast cancer cells migration. Then, they were investigated in silico for their ability to inhibit the fascin protein using molecular docking simulation. The most potent compound was 4d and the weakest one was 4a according to the in vitro cytotoxicity assay. The corresponding IC₅₀ values were 193.70 and 248.75 μm , respectively. The least cytotoxic compound ( 4a ) was one of the strongest ones in binding to the fascin binding site according to the molecular docking results. 4a and 4e inhibited the 4T1 cells migration better than other compounds. They were more potent than nifedipine in inhibiting the migration process. In silico studies proved 4h to be the most potent fascin inhibitor in terms of ΔG_bind although it was not inhibiting migration. The controversy between the in vitro and in silico results may cancel the theory of the involvement of the fascin inhibition in the migration inhibition. However, the considerable antimigratory effects of some of the synthesized compounds encourage performing further in vivo experiments to introduce novel tumor metastasis inhibitors.     

Influence of nano‐zinc oxide on tropane alkaloid production,h6h gene transcription and antioxidant enzyme activity in Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. hairy roots

The use of nanotechnology and biotechnology to improve the production of plant bioactive compounds is growing. Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. is a major source of tropane alkaloids with a wide therapeutic use, including treatment of Parkinson's disease and to calm schizoid patients. In the present study, hairy roots were obtained from two‐week‐old cotyledon explants of H. reticulatus L. using the A7 strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The effects of different concentrations of the signaling molecule nano‐zinc oxide (ZnO) (0, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L), with three exposure times (24, 48 and 72 h), on the growth rate, antioxidant enzyme activity, total phenol contents (TPC), tropane alkaloid contents and hyoscyamine‐6‐beta‐hydroxylase (h6h) gene expression levels were investigated. Growth curve analysis revealed a decrease in fresh and dry weight of ZnO‐treated hairy roots compared to the control. ANOVA results showed that the antioxidant activity of the enzymes catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase was significantly higher in the ZnO‐treated hairy roots than in the control, as was the TPC. The highest levels of hyoscyamine (37%) and scopolamine (37.63%) were obtained in hairy roots treated with 100 mg/L of ZnO after 48 and 72 h, respectively. Semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR analysis revealed the highest h6h gene expression was in hairy roots treated with 100 mg/L of ZnO after 24 h. It can be concluded that ZnO is as an effective elicitor of tropane alkaloids such as hyoscyamine and scopolamine due to its enhancing effect on expression levels of the biosynthetic h6h gene.     

Description of a new pseudoscorpion species of the genus Amblyolpium Simon (Pseudoscorpiones: Garypinidae) from north-western Iran

A new species of pseudoscorpion, Amblyolpium atropatesi n. sp. is described and illustrated on the basis of the adult specimens extracted from soil by Berlese funnel.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0150B850-E80D-46F5-983C-7E958FE69B87     

Growth Behavior and Fatty Acid Production of Probiotics,Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactococcus lactis,at Different Concentrations of Fructooligosaccharide: Studies Validating Clinical Efficacy of Selected Synbiotics on Growth Performance of Caspian Roach (Rutilus frisii kutum) Fry

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Growth behavior and production of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) of two probiotics, Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactococcus lactis, each at...