Spatial distribution and diversity of commercial demersal fish species in the shelf waters of the Caspian Sea

The Caspian Sea (CS) is a unique ecosystem known for its several fish species, especially sturgeons. To exhaustively manage the fish stocks of this ecosystem, detailed knowledge of species composition, abundance, distribution, and the habitat traits of the living organisms is necessary. This study analyzed the diversity, spatial, and seasonal distribution of commercial demersal fish species, and examined the relationships between community structure and environmental variability in Iranian shelf waters of the CS. For this purpose, seasonally fish sampling took place between 2009 and 2011 with a bottom trawl. Among 11 fish species captured, Chelon spp., Rutilus kutum, and Vimba vimba showed the highest abundances (i.e. 88.49%, 10.67%, and 0.69%, respectively). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed differences in commercial fish assemblages (abundance and species richness) according to seasons and regions. Distance-based Linear Model (DisTLM) showed that eight environmental variables display significant linear relationships with the fauna resemblance matrix (p < .05). Based on AIC criteria, the combination of silt&clay, TOM, longitude, depth, bottom, and surface temperature used to build the parsimonious DisTLM model explain 67.03% of the total variability. The results revealed a biogeographical and temporal gradient from the west to the east and summer to winter, in terms of commercial demersal fish assemblages and species diversity, as a consequence of different geomorphological, bottom substratum conditions and benthic communities.     

Surface Engineering of TiO2 ETL for Highly Efficient and Hysteresis‐Less Planar Perovskite Solar Cell (21.4%) with Enhanced Open‐Circuit Voltage and Stability

Interfacial studies and band alignment engineering on the electron transport layer (ETL) play a key role for fabrication of high‐performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, an amorphous layer of SnO₂ (a‐SnO₂) between the TiO₂ ETL and the perovskite absorber is inserted and the charge transport properties of the device are studied. The double‐layer structure of TiO₂ compact layer (c‐TiO₂) and a‐SnO₂ ETL leads to modification of interface energetics, resulting in improved charge collection and decreased carrier recombination in PSCs. The optimized device based on a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL shows a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 21.4% as compared to 19.33% for c‐TiO₂ based device. Moreover, the modified device demonstrates a maximum open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.223 V with 387 mV loss in potential, which is among the highest reported value for PSCs with negligible hysteresis. The stability results show that the device on c‐TiO₂/a‐SnO₂ retains about 91% of its initial PCE value after 500 h light illumination, which is higher than pure c‐TiO₂ (67%) based devices. Interestingly, using a‐SnO₂/c‐TiO₂ ETL the PCE loss was only 10% of initial value under continuous UV light illumination after 30 h, which is higher than that of c‐TiO₂ based device (28% PCE loss).     

pUB2380: characterization of a ColD-like resistance plasmid

A detailed analysis of the mobilizable, ColE1-like resistance plasmid, pUB2380, is reported. The 8.5-kb genome encodes six (possibly seven) major functions: (1) a ColD-like origin of replication, oriV, with associated replication functions, RNAI and RNAII; (2) a set of active mobilization functions highly homologous to that of ColE1, including the origin of transfer, oriT; (3) a ColE1-like multimer resolution site (cer); (4) a kanamycin-resistance determinant, aph, encoding an aminoglycoside-3'-phosphotransferase type 1; (5) an insertion sequence, IS1294; and (6) two genes, probably cotranscribed, of unknown function(s). The GC content of the various parts of the genome indicates that the plasmid is a hybrid structure assembled from DNA from at least three different sources, of which the replication region, the mobilization functions, and the resistance gene are likely to have originated in the enterobacteriaceae.     

Effects of paraoxon and ethylparathion on choline oxidase from Alcaligenes species: inhibition and denaturation

The kinetics and thermodynamics of the effects of paraoxon (POX) and ethylparathion (EPA) on choline oxidase (ChOx) were studied. Lineweaver–Burk plots of initial velocity data showed a parallel pattern indicating uncompetitive inhibition versus choline. The inhibition constant (K_I) obtained from the secondary plots for POX and EPA were 0.14 ± 0.01 and 0.48 ± 0.05 mM, respectively, suggesting that POX is a more potent inhibitor of ChOx than EPA. UV absorption was used to monitor the denaturation of ChOx by POX and EPA. A decrease in FAD fluorescence associated with the interaction of POX and EPA with ChOx suggested a tertiary structural change. Interaction of the enzyme molecule with POX or EPA resulted in inhibition and subsequently denaturation of the enzyme. The results indicate that inhibition and denaturation of the enzyme by POX and EPA are linked, but not parallel events, with inhibition occurring at lower concentrations with respect to denaturation. This suggests that the loss of initial velocity of the enzyme is an active site specific effect and not due to global conformational changes induced by the inhibitors.     

Frequency of myasthenic crisis in relation to thymectomy in generalized myasthenia gravis: A 17-year experience

Background  

Myasthenic crisis is the most serious life-threatening event in generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term impact of thymectomy on rate and severity of these attacks in Iranian patients.     

Effects of Cymbopogon citratus and Ferula assa-foetida extracts on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity

Many of CNS diseases can lead to a great quantity of release of glutamate and the extreme glutamate induces neuronal cell damage and death. Here, we wanted to investigate the effects of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil and Ferula assa-foetida extracts treatment on glutamate-induced cell damage in a primary culture of rat cerebellar granule neurons. Cerebellums were collected from 7-d rat brains and cerebellar granule neurons were obtained after 8-d culture. CGN cells were treated with C. citratus essential oil and F. assa-foetida extracts at concentration of 100 μg/ml before, after, and during exposure to 30 μM glutamate. The cellular viability was evaluated by 3-(4, 5-dimethytthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) staining. The flow cytometry assay was used to examine cell cycle and apoptosis. MTT assay showed a glutamate-induced reduction in cellular viability while treatment with C. citratus essential oil and F. assa-foetida extracts before, during, and after exposure to glutamate was increased. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that F. assa-foetida extracts treatment significantly (p?<?0.001) attenuated glutamate-induced apoptotic/necrotic cell death and the necrotic rate was decreased by C. citratus essential oil treatment compared to glutamate group, significantly (p?<?0.001). The results show that C. citratus essential oil and F. assa-foetida extracts display neuroprotective effects in glutamate-induced neurotoxicity. These extracts exert antiapoptotic activity in cerebellar granule neurons due to cell cycle arrest in G0G1 phase, which explain the beneficial effects of C. citratus essential oil and F. assa-foetida extracts as therapies for neurologic disorders.     

Role of lysine-256 in Citrobacter freundii tyrosine phenol-lyase in monovalent cation activation

Tyrosine phenol-lyase (TPL) from Citrobacter freundii is dependent on monovalent cations, K(+) or NH(4)(+), for high activity. We have shown previously that Glu-69, which is a ligand to the bound cation, is important in monovalent cation binding and activation [Sundararaju, B., Chen, H., Shillcutt, S., and Phillips, R. S. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 8546-8555]. Lys-256 is located in the monovalent cation binding site of TPL, where it forms a hydrogen bond with a structural water bound to the cation. This lysine residue is highly conserved in sequences of TPL and the paralogue, tryptophan indole-lyase. We have now prepared K256A, K256H, K256R, and E69D/K256R mutant TPLs to probe the role of Lys-256 in monovalent cation binding and activation. K256A and K256H TPLs have low activity (k(cat)/K(m) values of 0.01-0.1%), are not activated by monovalent cations, and do not exhibit fluorescence emission at 500 nm from the PLP cofactor. In contrast, K256R TPL has higher activity (k(cat)/K(m) about 10% of wild-type TPL), is activated by K(+), and exhibits fluorescence emission from the PLP cofactor. K256A, K256H, and K256R TPLs bind PLP somewhat weaker than wild-type TPL. E69D/K256R TPL was prepared to determine if the guanidine side chain could substitute for the monovalent cation. This mutant TPL has wild-type activity with S-Et-L-Cys or S-(o-nitrophenyl)-L-Cys but has no detectable activity with L-Tyr. E69D/K256R TPL is not activated by monovalent cations and does not show PLP fluorescence. In contrast to wild-type and other mutant TPLs, PLP binding to E69D/K256R is very slow, requiring several hours of incubation to obtain 1 mol of PLP per subunit. Thus, E69D/K256R TPL appears to have altered dynamics. All of the mutant TPLs react with inhibitors, L-Ala, L-Met, and L-Phe, to form equilibrating mixtures of external aldimine and quinonoid intermediates. Thus, Lys-256 is not the base which removes the alpha-proton during catalysis. The results show that the function of Lys-256 in TPL is in monovalent cation binding and activation.     

Longitudinal range expansion and cryptic eastern species in the western Palaearctic oak gallwasp, Andricus coriarius

The oak gallwasp Andricus coriarius is distributed across the Western Palaearctic from Morocco to Iran. It belongs to a clade of host-alternating Andricus species that requires host oaks in two sections of Quercus subgenus Quercus to complete its lifecycle, a requirement that has restricted the historic distribution and dispersal of members of this clade. Here we present nuclear and mitochondrial sequence evidence from the entire geographic range of A. coriarius to investigate the genetic legacy of longitudinal range expansion. We show A. coriarius as currently understood to be para- or polyphyletic, with three evolutionarily independent (but partially sympatric) lineages that diverged c. 10 million years ago (mya). The similarities in gall structure that have justified recognition of single species to date thus represent either strong conservation of an ancestral state or striking convergence. All three lineages originated in areas to the east of Europe, underlining the significance of Turkey, Iran and the Levant as 'cradles' of gallwasp evolution. One of the three lineages gave rise to all European populations, and range expansion from a putative Eastern origin to the present distribution is predicted to have occurred around 1.6 mya.     

Disinfection of Contaminated Water by Using Solar Irradiation

Contaminated water causes an estimated 6 to 60 billion cases of gastrointestinal illness annually. The majority of these cases occur in rural areas of developing nations where the water supply remains polluted and adequate sanitation is unavailable. A portable, low-cost, and low-maintenance solar unit to disinfect unpotable water has been designed and tested. The solar disinfection unit was tested with both river water and partially processed water from two wastewater treatment plants. In less than 30 min in midday sunlight, the unit eradicated more than 4 log₁₀ U (99.99%) of bacteria contained in highly contaminated water samples. The solar disinfection unit has been field tested by Centro Panamericano de Ingenieria Sanitaria y Ciencias del Ambiente in Lima, Peru. At moderate light intensity, the solar disinfection unit was capable of reducing the bacterial load in a controlled contaminated water sample by 4 log₁₀ U and disinfected approximately 1 liter of water in 30 min.     

Analysis of p53 expression in partial hydatidiform mole and hydropic abortion

Background

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by abnormal trophoblast tissue. Molar and non-molar hydropic placental changes are the most common forms of GTD. Differential diagnosis of GTD is sometimes problematic. Recently, p53 expression was identified as a good marker for distinguishing GTD types.

Aims

Comparison of p53 expression in partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) and hydropic abortion.

Methods

In this prospective cross-sectional study, molar and non-molar hydropic pregnancy specimens were collected. Immunohistochemical staining, based on the Labeled Streptavidin Biotin (LSAB) technique, was carried out on multiple 4 mm paraffin block sections prepared from formalin-fixed trophoblastic tissues. Polymer-based Envision was used to assess p53 tumor suppressor protein immunoreactivity. p53 expression was then compared between both groups.

Results

In the study, 40 patients were included: 20 with confirmed PHM and 20 with hydropic pregnancy. p53 protein was positive in 60% of patients with PHM and 25% of patients with hydropic pregnancy. The p53 positive rate was significantly higher in patients with PHM (p = 0.027). Moreover, patients with PHM had a significantly high grade of staining (p<0.001).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that immunohistochemical analysis of p53 protein can be used to distinguish PHM and hydropic pregnancy.