A correlation between BCL-2 modifying factor,p53 and livin gene expressions in cancer colon patients

Accumulating evidence has revealed that livin gene and BCL-2 modifying factor (BMF) gene are closely associated with the initiation and progression of colon carcinoma by activating or suppressing multiple malignant processes. Those genes that can detect colon - cancer are a promising approach for cancer screening and diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate correlation between livin, BMF and p53 genes expression in colon cancer tissues of patients included in the study, and their relationship with clinicopathological features and survival outcome in those patients. In this study, 50 pathologically diagnosed early cancer colon patients included and their tissue biopsy with 50 matched adjacent normal tissue, and 50 adenoma tissue specimens were analyzed for livin gene and BMF gene expressions using real time PCR. The relationship of those genes expressions with clinicopathological features, tumor markers, Time to Progression and overall survival for those patients were correlated in cancer colon group. In this study, there was a significant a reciprocal relationship between over expression of livin gene and down regulation of BMF and p53 genes in colon cancer cells. Livin mRNA was significantly higher, while BMF and p53 mRNA were significantly lower in colorectal cancer tissue compared to benign and normal colon tissue specimens (P < 0.001), however, this finding was absent between colon adenomas and normal mucosa. There was a significant association between up regulation of livin and down regulation of BMF and p53 expressions with more aggressive tumor (advanced TNM stage), rapid progression with metastasis and decreased overall survival in cancer colon patients, hence these genes can serve as significant prognostic markers of poor outcome in colon cancer patients. This work highlights the role of livin, BMF and p53 genes in colorectal tumorigenesis and the applicability of using those genes as a diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with colon carcinoma and as a good target for cancer colon treatment in the future.     

Biocides formulation of essential oils having antimicrobial activity

Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway, eucalyptus, geranium and lemon were tested for their antimicrobial activities against some plant pathogenic micro-organisms (Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternate, Penicilium italicum Penicilium digitatum and Botyritus cinerea). Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway were selected as an active ingredient for the formulation of biocides due to their efficiency in controlling the tested micro-organisms. Successful emulsifiable concentrates (biocides) were prepared from these oils using different emulsifiers (Emulgator B.L.M. Tween20 and Tween80) and different fixed oils (sesame, olive, cotton and soybean oils). Physico-chemical properties of the formulated biocide (spontaneous emulsification, emulsion stability test, cold stability and heat stability tests as well as viscosity, surface tension and pH) were measured. The prepared biocides were ready to be tested for application in a future work as a safe pesticide against different pathogens.     

Metagenomic insights into strategies of carbon conservation and unusual sulfur biogeochemistry in a hypersaline Antarctic lake

Organic Lake is a shallow, marine-derived hypersaline lake in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica that has the highest reported concentration of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in a natural body of water. To determine the composition and functional potential of the microbial community and learn about the unusual sulfur chemistry in Organic Lake, shotgun metagenomics was performed on size-fractionated samples collected along a depth profile. Eucaryal phytoflagellates were the main photosynthetic organisms. Bacteria were dominated by the globally distributed heterotrophic taxa Marinobacter, Roseovarius and Psychroflexus. The dominance of heterotrophic degradation, coupled with low fixation potential, indicates possible net carbon loss. However, abundant marker genes for aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur oxidation, rhodopsins and CO oxidation were also linked to the dominant heterotrophic bacteria, and indicate the use of photo- and lithoheterotrophy as mechanisms for conserving organic carbon. Similarly, a high genetic potential for the recycling of nitrogen compounds likely functions to retain fixed nitrogen in the lake. Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) lyase genes were abundant, indicating that DMSP is a significant carbon and energy source. Unlike marine environments, DMSP demethylases were less abundant, indicating that DMSP cleavage is the likely source of high DMS concentration. DMSP cleavage, carbon mixotrophy (photoheterotrophy and lithoheterotrophy) and nitrogen remineralization by dominant Organic Lake bacteria are potentially important adaptations to nutrient constraints. In particular, carbon mixotrophy relieves the extent of carbon oxidation for energy production, allowing more carbon to be used for biosynthetic processes. The study sheds light on how the microbial community has adapted to this unique Antarctic lake environment.     

GEDAE-LaB: A Free Software to Calculate the Energy System Contributions during Exercise

Purpose

The aim of the current study is to describe the functionality of free software developed for energy system contributions and energy expenditure calculation during exercise, namely GEDAE-LaB.

Methods

Eleven participants performed the following tests: 1) a maximal cycling incremental test to measure the ventilatory threshold and maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O₂max); 2) a cycling workload constant test at moderate domain (90% ventilatory threshold); 3) a cycling workload constant test at severe domain (110% V˙O₂max). Oxygen uptake and plasma lactate were measured during the tests. The contributions of the aerobic (A_MET), anaerobic lactic (LA_MET), and anaerobic alactic (AL_MET) systems were calculated based on the oxygen uptake during exercise, the oxygen energy equivalents provided by lactate accumulation, and the fast component of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, respectively. In order to assess the intra-investigator variation, four different investigators performed the analyses independently using GEDAE-LaB. A direct comparison with commercial software was also provided.

Results

All subjects completed 10 min of exercise at moderate domain, while the time to exhaustion at severe domain was 144 ± 65 s. The A_MET, LA_MET, and AL_MET contributions during moderate domain were about 93, 2, and 5%, respectively. The A_MET, LA_MET, and AL_MET contributions during severe domain were about 66, 21, and 13%, respectively. No statistical differences were found between the energy system contributions and energy expenditure obtained by GEDAE-LaB and commercial software for both moderate and severe domains (P > 0.05). The ICC revealed that these estimates were highly reliable among the four investigators for both moderate and severe domains (all ICC ≥ 0.94).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that GEDAE-LaB is a free software easily comprehended by users minimally familiarized with adopted procedures for calculations of energetic profile using oxygen uptake and lactate accumulation during exercise. By providing availability of the software and its source code we hope to facilitate future related research.     

Germination of <i>Eryngium regnellii</i>: a major species for ecological restoration of plant-pollinator interactions in the Southern Pampas (Buenos Aires,Argentina)

Eryngium regnellii Malme belongs to the largest genera in the Apiaceae family, with 250 species worldwide and 65 represented in South America. It is a herbaceous species typical of hill plant communities, which, along with remnant grassland patches, are the most relevant natural habitats for the maintenance of diversity in the Southern Pampas. Eryngium regnellii is key to the maintenance of pollination mutualisms, being a generalist (displaying a diverse assemblage of pollinators) and ubiquitous species (present in all studied sierras). However, fragmentation of the Pampean landscape due to agricultural intensification has led to the loss of natural environments. Therefore, the reintroduction of E. regnellii in strategic places would facilitate the occurrence of wild pollinators, while favoring pollination services in the agroecosystem. The germination requirements of E. regnellii were studied because a better knowledge of the reproductive biology of this species would provide information relevant to its reproduction and reintroduction into degraded areas. Germination percentages and mean time to germination were evaluated, using one control and two pre-germination treatments: chemical scarification with sulfuric acid, and mechanical scarification with sand paper. Chemical scarified seeds did not germinate. Mechanically scarified and control seed groups showed no significant differences either in germination percentages (49% and 59% respectively) or in mean germination time (13 and 14 days, respectively). Results indicate that E. regnellii shows no physical dormancy, and does not require specific pre-germination treatments for germination under the studied laboratory conditions. The high germination capacity of E. regnellii, along with its ecological attributes, make it a potential species for restoring plant-pollinator interactions in the fragmented landscapes of the Southern Pampas.     

Nitrate reductase activity,biomass, yield,and quality in cotton in response to nitrogen fertilization

In the production of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), nitrogen fertilization is one of the most costly crop practices, but important to reach high yields. However, high nitrogen (N) content in plants does not always translate into a high fibre production. One way of assessing the efficiency of the N fertilizer is through the enzymatic activity of the nitrate reductase (NR). This is a key enzyme in N assimilation, whose activity is regulated by a number of endogenous and exogenous factors that determine yield. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of N fertilization on yield, fibre quality, biomass, and NR enzymatic activity in vivo in the cotton variety Fiber Max 989. The evaluated application rates were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg/ha of N, using urea as a source (46% N) in a randomizedblock design with three replicates. At harvest, the maximum yield of seed cotton and the greatest accumulation of total foliar biomass through time was reached after applying 150 kg N/ha. The different N-application rates did not affect the components of cotton-fibre quality. The activity of endogenous NR was greater on plants where 150 kg N/ha were applied. The highest cotton yield and N contents were obtained on these plants. Therefore, the NR activity in vivo could be used as a bioindicator of the N nutritional level in cotton.     

Effect of Time of Day on Performance,Hormonal and Metabolic Response during a 1000-M Cycling Time Trial

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of time of day on performance, pacing, and hormonal and metabolic responses during a 1000-m cycling time-trial. Nine male, recreational cyclists visited the laboratory four times. During the 1^st visit the participants performed an incremental test and during the 2^nd visit they performed a 1000-m cycling familiarization trial. On the 3^rd and 4^th visits, the participants performed a 1000-m TT at either 8 am or 6 pm, in randomized, repeated-measures, crossover design. The time to complete the time trial was lower in the evening than in the morning (88.2±8.7 versus 94.7±10.9 s, respectively, p<0.05), but there was no significant different in pacing. However, oxygen uptake and aerobic mechanical power output at 600 and 1000 m tended to be higher in the evening (p<0.07 and 0.09, respectively). There was also a main effect of time of day for insulin, cortisol, and total and free testosterone concentration, which were all higher in the morning (+60%, +26%, +31% and +22%, respectively, p<0.05). The growth hormone, was twofold higher in the evening (p<0.05). The plasma glucose was ∼11% lower in the morning (p<0.05). Glucagon, norepinephrine, epinephrine and lactate were similar for the morning and evening trials (p>0.05), but the norepinephrine response to the exercise was increased in the morning (+46%, p<0.05), and it was accompanied by a 5-fold increase in the response of glucose. Muscle recruitment, as measured by electromyography, was similar between morning and evening trials (p>0.05). Our findings suggest that performance was improved in the evening, and it was accompanied by an improved hormonal and metabolic milieu.     

Is the COL5A1 rs12722 Gene Polymorphism Associated with Running Economy?

The COL5A1 rs12722 polymorphism is considered to be a novel genetic marker for endurance running performance. It has been postulated that COL5A1 rs12722 may influence the elasticity of tendons and the energetic cost of running. To date, there are no experimental data in the literature supporting the relationship between range of motion, running economy, and the COL5A1 rs12722 gene polymorphism. Therefore, the main purpose of the current study was to analyze the influence of the COL5A1rs12722 polymorphism on running economy and range of motion. One hundred and fifty (n = 150) physically active young men performed the following tests: a) a maximal incremental treadmill test, b) two constant-speed running tests (10 km•h⁻¹ and 12 km•h⁻¹) to determine the running economy, and c) a sit-and-reach test to determine the range of motion. All of the subjects were genotyped for the COL5A1 rs12722 single-nucleotide polymorphism. The genotype frequencies were TT = 27.9%, CT = 55.8%, and CC = 16.3%. There were no significant differences between COL5A1 genotypes for running economy measured at 10 km•h⁻¹ (p = 0.232) and 12 km•h⁻¹ (p = 0.259). Similarly, there were no significant differences between COL5A1 genotypes for range of motion (p = 0.337). These findings suggest that the previous relationship reported between COL5A1 rs12722 genotypes and running endurance performance might not be mediated by the energetic cost of running.