Effects of putrescine and ethephon on some oxidative stress enzyme activities and proline content in salt stressed spinach leaves

The effects of putrescine and ethephon on peroxidase (POD; EC 1.11.1.7), polyphenol oxidase (PPO; EC 1.14.18.1), catalase (CAT; EC 1.11.1.6) activities and proline content in spinach leaves under saline stress were investigated. In control conditions, putrescine increased PPO and CAT activities and proline content, but decreased POD activity. Ethephon increased these three enzyme activities but did not affect proline content. In saline conditions, putrescine increased POD and CAT activities and proline content, while it decreased PPO activity. Ethephon increased both PPO and CAT activities and proline content, but decreased POD activity. Putrescine and ethephon have opposite effects on the enzyme activities and proline accumulation because they acts as antagonists.     

Choline increases serum insulin in rat when injected intraperitoneally and augments basal and stimulated aceylcholine release from the rat minced pancreas in vitro.

Intraperitoneal injection of choline (30-90 mg.kg-1) produced a dose-dependent increase in serum insulin, glucose and choline levels in rats. The increase in serum insulin induced by choline (90 mg.kg-1) was blocked by pretreatment with the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists, atropine (2 mg.kg-1), pirenzepine (2 mg.kg-1) and 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine (2 mg.kg-1) or the ganglionic nicotinic receptor antagonist, hexamethonium (15 mg.kg-1). The effect of choline on serum insulin and glucose was enhanced by oral glucose administration (3 g.kg-1). Choline administration was associated with a significant (P < 0.001) increase in the acetylcholine content of pancreatic tissue. Choline (10-130 microm) increased basal and stimulated acetylcholine release but failed to evoke insulin release from the minced pancreas at considerably higher concentrations (0.1-10 mm). Hemicholium-3, a choline uptake inhibitor, attenuated the increase in acetylcholine release induced by choline augmentation. Choline (1-32 mm) inhibited [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding to the muscarinic receptors in the pancreatic homogenates. These data show that choline, a precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, increases serum insulin by indirectly stimulating peripheral acetylcholine receptors through the enhancement of acetylcholine synthesis and release.     

Evaluation of deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 (DMBT1) gene expression in bladder carcinoma cases: preliminary study

This study was undertaken to evaluate the expression of DMBT1 in bladder cancer and its correlation with clinico-pathological parameters analyzed in bladder carcinoma patients. We investigated DMBT1 in 56 paraffin embedded specimens of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. We assessed DMBT1 gene expression at mRNA level by RT-PCR. Our results show 100% expression of DMBT1 in bladder carcinoma samples. Due to this preliminary results; gene expression was compared to tumor grade, and a significant difference was detected between grade 1 and 3 (p?=?0.028). The down-regulation of DMBT1 gene expression in carcinomas suggests the possible role in bladder cancer.     

Intragenic duplication and divergence in the spectrin superfamily of proteins

Many structural, signaling, and adhesion molecules contain tandemly repeated amino acid motifs. The alpha-actinin/spectrin/dystrophin superfamily of F-actin-crosslinking proteins contains an array of triple alpha-helical motifs (spectrin repeats). We present here the complete sequence of the novel beta-spectrin isoform beta(Heavy)- spectrin (beta H). The sequence of beta H supports the origin of alpha- and beta-spectrins from a common ancestor, and we present a novel model for the origin of the spectrins from a homodimeric actin-crosslinking precursor. The pattern of similarity between the spectrin repeat units indicates that they have evolved by a series of nested, nonuniform duplications. Furthermore, the spectrins and dystrophins clearly have common ancestry, yet the repeat unit is of a different length in each family. Together, these observations suggest a dynamic period of increase in repeat number accompanied by homogenization within each array by concerted evolution. However, today, there is greater similarity of homologous repeats between species than there is across repeats within species, suggesting that concerted evolution ceased some time before the arthropod/vertebrate split. We propose a two-phase model for the evolution of the spectrin repeat arrays in which an initial phase of concerted evolution is subsequently retarded as each new protein becomes constrained to a specific length and the repeats diverge at the DNA level. This evolutionary model has general applicability to the origins of the many other proteins that have tandemly repeated motifs.      

Substituted polyaniline/chitosan composites: Synthesis and characterization

Substituted polyaniline/chitosan(PANIs/Ch) composites were chemically synthesized by using ammonium peroxydisulfate as oxidant and characterized by measurements of conductivity, FTIR, UV–vis, SEM and TGA techniques. FTIR spectra of the composites revealed that there is a strong interaction between substituted polyanilines and chitosan. Among the substituted polyaniline/chitosan composites synthesized, poly(N-ethylaniline)/chitosan PNEANI/Ch has the highest conductivity with a value of 1.68 × 10^?4 S/cm. The P2EANI/Ch composite exhibited higher thermal stability than the other composites. SEM images of the composites showed an agglomerated granular morphology of substituted polyaniline particles coated on the surface of chitosan.     

Taxonomic study of the tetrahedral, pentagonal and hexagonal spongy spumellarian Radiolaria from the middle Carnian (Late Triassic) of the Köseyahya nappe (Elbistan, SE Turkey) and other Triassic localities

This article is a taxonomic study of all spongy radiolarian taxa with five to six coplanar and four tetrahedrally disposed spines or spongy arms occurring in the middle Carnian from the Köseyahya section, near the town of Elbistan, SE Turkey. This fauna is characteristic of the Tetraporobrachia haeckeli radiolarian Zone, and comes from an 8 m thick succession of clayey–cherty limestones occurring at the lower part of the section. In addition, a few species from the Middle and Upper Triassic from other areas have been also included in this study to improve some generic diagnoses and to better understand the diversity and evolutionary trends of some genera, subfamilies and families. The taxonomy at the generic and suprageneric levels is based primarily on the types of microsphere. This new approach allowed new taxonomic arrangements of genera and suprageneric units, and suggested new and unexpected phylogenetic relationships among these radiolarians and between them and younger radiolarians. The authors discuss and describe 42 species, of which 36 are new, and 12 genera of which three are new (Charlottalum, Pentaspongodisculus, and Trimiducaella). The genera Pseudohagiastrum Pessagno, Natraglia Pessagno, Cantalum Pessagno and others are reinterpreted. All the genera studied, except Charlottalum, are assigned to three subfamilies, of which two (Pseudohagiastrinae and Trimiducinae) are new, and to two families (Angulobracchiidae and Relindellidae). The genus Charlottalum is described to replace the genus Cantalum, which has been erroneously used until present for Late Triassic pantanelliids with four tetrahedrally disposed three-bladed spines.     

Natural history of 11 cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome without intervention.

The natural history of 11 cases of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies has been reviewed. Seven cases before 28 weeks and four pregnancies after 28 weeks had been followed up without intervention. Eight cases had premature uterine contractions. All seven pregnancies before 28 weeks aborted, leading to a 100% mortality rate. After 28 weeks all mothers delivered live births. The diagnosis of TTTS before 28 weeks, and with premature uterine contraction, seems to be a poor prognostic sign.     

An epidermal cyst of the penis after distal hypospadias surgery: a case report

Background

Epidermoid cyst is a benign tumor that can occur anywhere in the body but is rarely seen in the penis. Congenital and previous penile surgeries have been reported to be involved in the etiology of the disease, which is usually asymptomatic. Here we describe a case of a patient with a penile epidermoid cyst, which occurred in the circumcision line on the left side of his penis, and urethral dehiscence following hypospadias surgery.

Case summary

A 3-year-old white boy who underwent primary distal hypospadias surgery 1.5?years ago presented with a slowly growing mass in the left ventrolateral portion of the penile circumcision line and urethral dehiscence. The histology of the excised mass revealed an epidermal inclusion cyst. Since then, he has remained healthy.

Conclusions

Epidermal inclusion cyst as a complication of hypospadias surgery is a very rare situation. The diagnosis is made histologically and surgical excision is sufficient for treatment.

     

Cell-to-cell and phloem-mediated transport of potato virus X. The role of virions

Movement-deficient potato virus X (PVX) mutants tagged with the green fluorescent protein were used to investigate the role of the coat protein (CP) and triple gene block (TGB) proteins in virus movement. Mutants lacking either a functional CP or TGB were restricted to single epidermal cells. Microinjection of dextran probes into cells infected with the mutants showed that an increase in the plasmodesmal size exclusion limit was dependent on one or more of the TGB proteins and was independent of CP. Fluorescently labeled CP that was injected into epidermal cells was confined to the injected cells, showing that the CP lacks an intrinsic transport function. In additional experiments, transgenic plants expressing the PVX CP were used as rootstocks and grafted with nontransformed scions. Inoculation of the PVX CP mutants to the transgenic rootstocks resulted in cell-to-cell and systemic movement within the transgenic tissue. Translocation of the CP mutants into sink leaves of the nontransgenic scions was also observed, but infection was restricted to cells close to major veins. These results indicate that the PVX CP is transported through the phloem, unloads into the vascular tissue, and subsequently is transported between cells during the course of infection. Evidence is presented that PVX uses a novel strategy for cell-to-cell movement involving the transport of filamentous virions through plasmodesmata.