Effects of cytoprotective antioxidants on lymphocytes from representative mitochondrial neurodegenerative diseases

Two new aza analogues of the neuroprotective agent idebenone have been synthesized and characterized. Their antioxidant activity, and ability to augment ATP levels have been evaluated in several different cell lines having suboptimal mitochondrial function. Both compounds were found to be good ROS scavengers, and to protect the cells from oxidative stress induced by glutathione depletion. The compounds were more effective than idebenone in neurodegenerative disease cells. These novel pyrimidinol derivatives were also shown to augment ATP levels in coenzyme Q₁₀-deficient human lymphocytes. The more lipophilic side chains attached to the pyrimidinol redox core in these compounds resulted in less inhibition of the electron transport chain and improved antioxidant activity.     

Synthesis and evaluation of the antimalarial,anticancer, and caspase 3 activities of tetraoxane dimers

The synthesis of a range of mono spiro and dispiro 1,2,4,5-tetraoxane dimers is described. Selected molecules were examined in in vitro assays to determine their antimalarial and anticancer potential. Our studies reveal that several molecules possess potent nanomolar antimalarial and single digit micromolar antiproliferative IC₅₀s versus colon (HT29-AK and leukemia (HL60) cell lines.     

乌鲁木齐地区不同生境下土壤跳虫群落结构及多样性研究

为了解乌鲁木齐地区不同生境土壤跳虫群落结构及其多样性,研究土壤跳虫群落结构特征,了解不同生境差异对土壤跳虫群落结构的影响,分别在2008年4月、7月、9月和11月中旬对该区自然榆林、防护林、植物园、草地、居民点、废弃地及菜地等7种典型生境土壤跳虫群落特征进行了调查。共采集跳虫3728只,隶属于4目13科27属,其中伪亚跳属Pseudachorutes、球角跳属Hypogastrura、棘跳属Onychiurus、等节跳属Isotoma为优势类群,分别占总数的13.25%、12.31%、11.40%、10.03%,共占总数的47.00%。跳虫属Podura、长跳属Entomobrya、原等跳属Proisotoma、土跳属Tullbergia、驼跳属Cyphoderus、裸长角跳属Sinella、钩圆跳属Bourletiella、德跳属Desoria、小等节跳属Isotomiella、疣跳属Neanura、类符跳属Folsomina、符跳属Folsomia、刺驼跳属Cyphoderopsis及缺弹跳属Anuropho-rus等14属为常见类群,共占总数的47.65%,其余9属均为稀有类群,共占总数的5.35%。不同生境土壤跳虫的个体数和类群数差异较大(P<0.05),其中个体数顺序为自然榆林>防护林>草地>植物园>居民点>废弃地>菜地。跳虫个体密度和类群数在不同季节间差异明显(P<0.05),其中个体数顺序为9月>7月>4月>11月,Shan-non-Wiener多样性指数(H)在不同生境间均有显著差异(P<0.05),其顺序为植物园>防护林>自然榆林>草地>居民点>废弃地>菜地。Simpson优势度指数(C)为菜地>居民点>废弃地>草地>自然榆林>植物园>防护林。各生境间土壤跳虫群落的相似性较差,仅少数生境间相似性达到相似水平。研究表明不同生境植被类型是影响该区跳虫群落结构和多样性的主要因素。     

Is there really no place like home? Movement, site fidelity, and survival probability of translocated and resident turtles

Wildlife translocations, the deliberate movement of wild individuals from one part of their distribution to another, are increasingly being used as a conservation tool. Despite the popularity of translocations as a conservation technique, translocations are often not successful as a result of excessive movement, poor release site fidelity, and low survival. This study compares the movement patterns, site fidelity, and survival probability of resident and hard-released musk turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) in a complex of patchy distributed wetlands. Our results are different from most translocation studies as the majority of translocated turtles had movement (minimum convex polygon area, total distance moved, number of wetlands used, and the number of movement shifts between wetlands), release site fidelity, and wetland fidelity patterns that were similar to resident turtles. In addition, the survival probabilities of resident and translocated turtles were both high. We believe the combination of poor overland movement capabilities and the patchy distribution of wetlands surrounded by a strong boundary matrix of terrestrial habitat, potentially increased the costs of leaving the wetland. The high costs of travelling overland to more distant wetlands may have constrained the translocated turtles dispersal from the release site and increased release site fidelity. Our study suggests that hard-release translocations may be an effective conservation method for highly aquatic species unlikely to leave the wetland and travel long overland distances.     

Development of a Teat Bio-sealant and Evaluation of its Technological and Functional Properties

A teat bio-sealant was developed using Weissella cibaria, and the bio-sealant’s technological and functional properties were assessed. The development included four experimental phases that were analyzed using independent experimental designs. Initially, sterilized or pasteurized Aloe vera gels were used, and the effect of heat treatment was investigated. In the second phase, the effects of time, storage temperature, and addition of cryopreservatives on the viability of the probiotic were observed. The third phase consisted of evaluating the synergistic effects of the cryopreservatives. The fourth phase involved selecting a material that would provide viscosity to the teat sealant. Technological and functional properties were measured in terms of viability of W. cibaria, and antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae was also analyzed. A mixture of milk powder and glycerol preserved this antimicrobial activity. Pullulan provided greater viscosity and maintained the technological and functional properties of the bio-sealant for 29 days. This teat bio-sealant can be used as an alternative for the prevention of bovine mastitis.     

Exonic Splicing Mutations Are More Prevalent than Currently Estimated and Can Be Predicted by Using In Silico Tools

The identification of a causal mutation is essential for molecular diagnosis and clinical management of many genetic disorders. However, even if next-generation exome sequencing has greatly improved the detection of nucleotide changes, the biological interpretation of most exonic variants remains challenging. Moreover, particular attention is typically given to protein-coding changes often neglecting the potential impact of exonic variants on RNA splicing. Here, we used the exon 10 of MLH1, a gene implicated in hereditary cancer, as a model system to assess the prevalence of RNA splicing mutations among all single-nucleotide variants identified in a given exon. We performed comprehensive minigene assays and analyzed patient’s RNA when available. Our study revealed a staggering number of splicing mutations in MLH1 exon 10 (77% of the 22 analyzed variants), including mutations directly affecting splice sites and, particularly, mutations altering potential splicing regulatory elements (ESRs). We then used this thoroughly characterized dataset, together with experimental data derived from previous studies on BRCA1, BRCA2, CFTR and NF1, to evaluate the predictive power of 3 in silico approaches recently described as promising tools for pinpointing ESR-mutations. Our results indicate that ΔtESRseq and ΔHZ_EI-based approaches not only discriminate which variants affect splicing, but also predict the direction and severity of the induced splicing defects. In contrast, the ΔΨ-based approach did not show a compelling predictive power. Our data indicates that exonic splicing mutations are more prevalent than currently appreciated and that they can now be predicted by using bioinformatics methods. These findings have implications for all genetically-caused diseases.     

Association of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis’ with Bermuda grass white leaf disease and its new hosts in Qassim province,Saudi Arabia

Typical symptoms of phytoplasma such as whitening of the leaves, shortening of the stolons on Bermuda grass, variegated leaves, yellows, stunting, little leaves and yellows on Giant reed, Cooba and sand olive shrub were observed in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia, during the autumn season of 2015. When tested for phytoplasma by universal primers P1/P7 followed by R16mF2/R16mR2, products of approximately 1400?bp (as expected) were amplified from 16 plants with symptoms but not from symptomless plants. Based on sequencing, phylogenetic analysis and virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns of the 16S rDNA F2nR2 fragments of seven Qassim phytoplasma isolates, bermuda grass isolates 170, 175 and 177, giant reed isolate 180, sand olive isolates 181 and 182 and cooba isolate 185, the associated phytoplasma was identified as a member of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis’ which belong to the 16SrXIV-A subgroup. The 16S rDNA gene sequences of seven Qassim phytoplasma isolates exhibited over 99.2% identity with members of ‘Ca. Phytoplasma cynodontis’ group of phytoplasmas. This is the first report of characterization of ‘Ca. phytoplasma cynodonties’ (16SrXIV) associated with Cynodon dactylon in Saudi Arabia and its new hosts, Dodonaea angustifolia, Arundo donax and Acacia salicia.