Dinoflagellate Endosymbiont of the Soft Coral Stichodactyla haddoni Saville-Kent Collected from the Coast of Hormuz Island,Strait of Hormuz

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - An endosymbiotic dinoflagellate isolated from the soft coral Stichodactyla haddoni from the coast of Hormuz Island, Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, has been...     

A comparative assessment of morphological and molecular characterization among three Ziziphus species

Genetic variability of 84 accessions of three Ziziphus species including Z. spina-christi, Z. nummularia and Z. mauritiana were analyzed using a combination of morphological traits and translation initiation codon (ATG) polymorphism. Both morphological and molecular data revealed a high level of inter and intra specific variations among the accessions. Accordingly, 90.49% of amplified fragments were polymorphic among the accessions with the mean values of 0.37 for polymorphic information content (PIC), 3.31 for resolving power (RP), and 1.95 for marker index (MI). The phylogenetic clustering clearly delineated the entire germplasm into three well supported distinct clusters according to the species sources. According to the Nei''s genetic identity, Z. spina-christi and Z. nummularia were the most similar species and had high differentiation with Z. mauritiana. Moreover, the highest values for Shannon’s information index (I = 0.505) and gene diversity (h = 0.347) were recorded in Z. spina-christi indicating there is higher genetic diversity compared with two other species. Four private alleles were identified in two species which could be beneficial for accessions authentication in argumentative situations. Moreover, results of the Mantel test showed there were moderate correlation between molecular and morphological matrices. In addition, estimation of bivariate correlations revealed there were significant positive and negative correlations between different variables, which offer a practical application of this information during phenotype based selection in ber improvement programs. The results of this investigation highlight the efficiency of translation initiation codon polymorphism for genetic characterization and accurate authentication of Ziziphus accessions as well as detecting and tagging morphologically important traits in this genus that would be helpful for implementation of effective conservation strategies and even broaden current genetic diversity.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01000-7.     

Kinetics of peroxidases in guinea pig bone marrow under immunostimulation.

Eosinophil peroxidase and myeloperoxidase play an important role in the host defense. Both enzymes are present in bone marrow, synthesized by blood progenitor cells. This research investigated the kinetic properties of peroxidases under immunostimulation in guinea pig bone marrow. Results suggest that there are at least two myeloperoxidase isozymes and at least three eosinophil peroxidase isozymes in guinea pig bone marrow and that some of these isozymes are expressed upon immunostimulation.     

AChemS: the beginning. Association for Chemoreception Sciences

This paper unfolds the events, the people and the times that led up to the founding of AChemS and fashioned its character during its early formative years. It describes the path over which AChemS came, going from the original assertions and denials for the need of such an organization to its later inception and nascent development. This narration highlights such topics as the debate over the need for AChemS, the role of National Science Foundation in the founding of AChemS, the derivation of the Association's name, the choice of Sarasota and the Hyatt House as the meeting site, the generation of the programs for the early annual meetings, the adoption of the bylaws, the process of incorporation and tax deferment, and the birth of the Givaudan Lectureship. Most emphatically highlighted, however, is the enthusiasm, commitment and hard work that the members of the chemosensory research community displayed in bringing AChemS to fruition.      

Levels of formaldehyde in residential indoor air of Gonabad,Iran

Abstract

Human health has been identified to be affected more significantly by indoor air quality. Among numerous pollutants present in indoor air, formaldehyde (FA) is of great concern because of its highly hazardous nature. The concentrations of FA were determined from 20 newly decorated homes in the city of Gonabad, Iran during 2015. It was found that the indoor air levels of FA in all the sampled houses were exceptionally high in the range of 21 to 360 µg/m³ (mean of 149.3 µg/m³). If the 24-h average concentrations of FA measured from those sites were concerned, nearly 40% of them were seen to exceed the WHO guideline values (i.e., 100 µg/m³). One of the important reasons for the high concentrations could be low air exchange rates in those houses (e.g., from 0.18 to 0.37?h^?1), high levels of humidity in the newly decorating houses and stronger sources in the indoor environment. Furthermore, its pollution in homes with natural ventilation was seen to be much higher than those of mechanical ventilation. Due to high levels of indoor FA, more effective control procedures should be developed and employed to reduce the risk associated with formaldehyde exposure.     

Evaluation of the Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Anthropometric Indicators and Dietary Intake of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background:Various studies have shown that diabetes and its complications are associated with vitamin D deficiency. Due to the possible role of vitamin D in reducing the complications of diabetes and the high prevalence of its deficiency in Iran, this study was designed to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on anthropometric indices and dietary intake of patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods:This randomized clinical trial (RCT) study was performed on 74 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Patients randomly divided into two groups to receive vitamin D (VD) supplementation (100 μg or 4000 IU/day) or placebo for three months, randomization was based on the permutated-block method. Anthropometric indices including body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and physical activity, dietary intake were assessed by validated methods at the beginning and end of the trial.Results:VD supplementation had not any significant differences in anthropometric indices, dietary intake and physical activity between the two groups.Conclusion:Finally, it can be concluded, receiving 100 micrograms/day of VD for three months had no favourable effects on patients with T2DM.Key Words: Anthropometric indices, Diabetes Mellitus, Dietary intake, Vitamin D     

An updated overview of the application of CAR-T cell therapy in neurological diseases

Genetically modified immune cells, especially CAR-T cells, have captured the attention of scientists over the past 10 years. In the fight against cancer, these cells have a special place. Treatment for hematological cancers, autoimmune disorders, and cancers must include CAR-T cell therapy. Determining the therapeutic targets, side effects, and use of CAR-T cells in neurological disorders, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, is the goal of this study. Due to advancements in genetic engineering, CAR-T cells have become crucial in treating some neurological disorders. CAR-T cells have demonstrated a positive role in treating neurological cancers like Glioblastoma and Neuroblastoma due to their ability to cross the blood–brain barrier and use diverse targets. However, CAR-T cell therapy for MS diseases is being researched and could be a potential treatment option. This study aimed to access the most recent studies and scientific articles in the field of CAR-T cells in neurological diseases and/or disorders.