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Background The binding of the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor (VWF) to platelet receptor glycoprotein (GP)Ibα defines the VWF activity in hemostasis. Recent studies suggest that sequences flanking A1 form cooperatively an autoinhibitory module (AIM) that reduces the accessibility of the GPIbα binding site on A1. Application of a tensile force induces unfolding of the AIM. Desialylation induces spontaneous binding of plasma VWF to platelets. Most O-glycans in VWF are located around the A1 domain. Removing certain O-glycans in the flanking sequences by site-directed mutagenesis enhances A1 binding to GPIbα and produces an effect similar to type 2B von Willebrand disease in animals. Objectives To understand if and how desialylation of O-glycans in the flanking sequences increases A1 activity. Methods A recombinant AIM-A1 fragment encompassing VWF residues 1238-1493 and only O-glycans was treated with neuraminidase to produce desialylated protein. The glycan structure, dynamics, stability, and function of the desialylated protein was characterized by biochemical and biophysical methods and compared to the sialylated fragment. Results Asialo-AIM-A1 exhibited increased binding activity and induced more apparent platelet aggregation than its sialylated counterpart. It exhibited a lower melting temperature, and increased hydrogen-deuterium exchange rates at residues near the secondary GPIbα binding site and the N-terminal flanking sequence. Asialo-AIM-A1 is less mechanically stable than sialo-AIM-A1, with its unstressed unfolding rate approximately 3-fold greater than the latter. Conclusions Desialylation of O-glycans around A1 increases its activity by destabilizing the AIM.

Toxicity and physiological alterations were determined in Pseudococcus viburni nymphs treated with Artemisia annua methanolic extract. The leaf dipping bioassay showed LC50 values of 0.287% and 0.194% 24 and 48 hours post-exposure. Activities of general esterases were significantly higher in the control nymphs than in those which had been treated except for the 48 h time interval using α-naphtyl acetate. The activity of glutathione S-transferase using CDNB (1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene) in the control nymphs, was significantly higher than in the control at both time intervals while no significant difference was observed after 24 h in addition to the higher enzymatic activity in the treated nymphs after 48 h. All three aminotransferases were significantly more active in the control nymphs except for time intervals of 24 h for γ-glutamyl transferase and 48 h for alanine aminotransferase. Higher activities of lactate dehydrogenase, acid- and alkaline phosphatase were found in the control nymphs than in treated nymphs for all time intervals. Activities of the enzymes involved in the antioxidant system including catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was increased in the treated nymphs compared to the control. Results of the current study demonstrated toxic effects of A. annua methanolic extract on P. viburni nymphs causing mortality and physiological turbulences.

Campylobacter jejuni is a significant cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide and all strains express an N-glycan that is added to at least 80 different proteins. We characterized 98 C. jejuni isolates from infants from seven low- and middle-income countries and identified 4 isolates unreactive with our N-glycan-specific antiserum that was raised against the C. jejuni heptasaccharide composed of GalNAc-GalNAc-GalNAc(Glc)-GalNAc-GalNAc-diNAcBac. Mass spectrometric analyses indicated these isolates express a hexasaccharide lacking the glucose branch. Although all 4 strains encode the PglI glucosyltransferase (GTase), one aspartate in the DXDD motif was missing, an alteration also present in ~4% of all available PglI sequences. Deleting this residue from an active PglI resulted in a non-functional GTase when the protein glycosylation system was reconstituted in E. coli, while replacement with Glu/Ala was not deleterious. Molecular modelling proposed a mechanism for how the DXDD residues and the structure/length beyond the motif influences activity. Mouse vaccination with an E. coli strain expressing the full-length heptasaccharide produced N-glycan-specific antibodies and a corresponding reduction in Campylobacter colonization and weight loss following challenge. However, the antibodies did not recognize the hexasaccharide and were unable to opsonize C. jejuni isolates lacking glucose suggesting this should be considered when designing N-glycan based vaccines to prevent campylobacteriosis.

Optogenetic methods have been widely used in rodent brains, but remain relatively under-developed for nonhuman primates such as rhesus macaques, an animal model with a large brain expressing sophisticated sensory, motor and cognitive behaviors. To address challenges in behavioral optogenetics in large brains, we developed Opto-Array, a chronically implantable array of light-emitting diodes for high-throughput optogenetic perturbation. We demonstrated that optogenetic silencing in the macaque primary visual cortex with the help of the Opto-Array results in reliable retinotopic visual deficits in a luminance discrimination task. We separately confirmed that Opto-Array illumination results in local neural silencing, and that behavioral effects are not due to tissue heating. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Opto-Array for behavioral optogenetic applications in large brains. An implantable array of LEDs called the Opto-Array facilitates optogenetic manipulations in the nonhuman primate brain.

Graphical abstract The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Similar to other coronaviruses, its particles are composed of four structural proteins: spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. S, E, and M proteins are glycosylated, and the N protein is phosphorylated. The S protein is involved in the interaction with the host receptor human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), which is also heavily glycosylated. Recent studies have revealed several other potential host receptors or factors that can increase or modulate the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Interestingly, most of these molecules bear carbohydrate residues. While glycans acquired by the viruses through the hijacking of the host machinery help the viruses in their infectivity, they also play roles in immune evasion or modulation. Glycans play complex roles in viral pathobiology, both on their own and in association with carrier biomolecules, such as proteins or glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Understanding these roles in detail can help in developing suitable strategies for prevention and therapy of COVID-19. In this review, we sought to emphasize the interplay of SARS-CoV-2 glycosylated proteins and their host receptors in viral attachment, entry, replication, and infection. Moreover, the implications for future therapeutic interventions targeting these glycosylated biomolecules are also discussed in detail.

This study deals with the length-weight relationship and relative condition factor (Kn) of 2480 specimens of Rhinomugil corsula (Hamilton, 1822), ranging from 3.5 cm to 29.5 cm total length and 0.40 g to 235.34 g weight, sampled monthly for two years period from March 2016 to February 2018 from the Sitakunda Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Arithmetic form of equations for length (TL) and weight (W) of fish showed curvilinear relationships in male: W=0.0081TL3.016, female: W= 0.0083TL3.058 and combined sex: W=0.0076TL3.052, while logarithmic scale showed linear relationships in male: LogW=-2.122+3.016LogTL, female: LogW=-2.09+3.058 TL and combined sex: LogW=-2.121+3.052TL. In all the cases the coefficient of correlations between length and weight were positive and highly significant (P

In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms associated with salinity tolerance, transcriptome analysis of a local salt-tolerant wheat landrace (i.e. Roshan) was performed under salt stress. Transcriptome sequencing yielded 137,508,542 clean reads using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. The results of two alignment programs, i.e. STAR and HISAT2, were used separately to perform the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using DESeq2. Finally, a total of 17,897 DEGs were identified by DESeq2. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses identified 108 GO terms and 62 significant KEGG pathways, of which ‘metabolic process’ and ‘metabolic pathways’ were the most abundant enriched term and pathway, respectively. Additionally, key salinity-tolerant genes, including asparagine synthetase, were also identified in the present study. Out of 87 identified families of transcription factors, GAI‐RGA ‐ and ‐SCR (GRAS) was one of the most important, which participates in signal transduction, and meristem maintenance and development. Eventually, to validate the gene expression levels, six DEGs were selected for a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and the results were in line with those of RNA-Seq. The findings of the current study can guide future genetic and molecular studies and allow a better understanding and improvement of salt tolerance in wheat.

Background. Although the automation of instruments has reduced the variability of results and errors of analysis, in some laboratories, repeating a test to confirm its accuracy is still performed for critical and noncritical results. However, the importance of repeat testing is not well established yet, and there are no clear criteria for repeating a test. Materials and Methods. In this cross-sectional study, all repeated tests for 26 biochemical analytes (i.e., albumin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), amylase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), bilirubin total (BT), bilirubin direct (BD), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), calcium, chloride (Cl), cholesterol total (CholT), creatine kinase (CK), creatinine (Cr), glucose, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), iron, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), LDL-c, lipase, magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (Ph), protein total (ProtT), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), triglyceride (TG), and uric acid) were assessed in both critical and noncritical ranges over two consecutive months (routine subjective test repeats in the first month and rule-based repeats in the second month). To determine the usefulness of test repeats, differences between the initial and verified results were compared with the allowable bias, and repeat testing was considered necessary if it exceeded the allowable bias range. All causes of repeat testing, including linearity flags, delta checks, clinically significant values, and critical values, were also documented. All data, including the cause of repeats, initial and verified results, time, and costs in the two consecutive months, were transferred to Microsoft Excel for analysis. For comparison of data between the months, Student’s t-test was used. Results. A total of 7714 repeat tests were performed over two consecutive months. Although a significant decline (38%) was found in repeated tests in the second month ( P

Background Spinach has high antioxidants and polyphenols and showed protective effects against liver diseases in experimental studies. We aimed to assess the association between dietary intake of spinach and odds of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a case–control study among Iranian adults. Methods Totally 225 newly diagnosed NAFLD patients and 450 controls, aged 20–60 years, were recruited in this study. Participants’ dietary intakes were collected using a valid and reliable 168-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The logistic regression test was used for assessing the association between total, raw, and boiled dietary spinach with the odds of NAFLD. Results The mean (SD) age and BMI of participants (53% male) were 38.1 (8.8) years and 26.8 (4.3) kg/m2, respectively. In the final adjusted model for potential confounders, the odds (95% CI) of NAFLD in individuals in the highest tertile of daily total and raw spinach intake was [0.36 (0.19–0.71), P_trend = 0.001] and [0.47 (0.24–0.89), P_trend = 0.008], respectively compared with those in the lowest tertile. Furthermore, in the adjusted analyses, an inverse association was observed between the highest yearly intake versus no raw spinach consumption and odds of NAFLD [(OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.96), P for trend = 0.013]. However, there was no significant association between higher boiled spinach intake and odds of NAFLD. Conclusions The present study found an inverse association between total and raw spinach intake with the odds of NAFLD.

For the removal of undesired fish species from aquaculture ponds, an alternative to synthetic toxins is the use of botanical toxicants which are biodegradable and environmentally safer. Toxicological effects of distilled water, 50% ethyl alcohol, methanol and acetone extracts of three indigenous plant seeds, Jatropha carcus (Linn.), Hydnocarpus wightianus (Blume) and Aleurites moluccana (Linn. Willd) were studied on the predatory fish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) under normal laboratory conditions. Depending upon the type of plants, extracts and concentrations, percentage mortality varied. Behavioral activities increased with increasing concentrations. During exposure, fish exhibited discolouration, gulping for air, erratic swimming, loss of reflex, slow movement and ultimately became motionless before death . The extent of toxicity of extracts for J. carcus, H. wightianus and A. moluccana on H. fossilis could be ranked in the order: Acetone > methanol > 50% ethyl alcohol > distilled water. On the basis of LC50 values the most toxic was acetone extract of J. carcus seeds and least toxic was distilled water extract of A. moluccana seeds. It is suggested that these plant seed extracts would be helpful in aquaculture to remove unwanted fish species from culture ponds. Bangladesh J. Zool. 48(2): 379-391, 2020

Cotton is one of the important crops that play an important role in creating a livelihood for rural people in many parts of Iran. Cotton production necessitates a large amount of resources (e.g., fossil energy and agrochemicals, all of which have the potential to damage the environment in various ways). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the environmental effects of cotton production in the South Khorasan Province of Iran. For this purpose, life cycle assessment (LCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques have been applied to investigate the environmental impacts of cotton production. LCA is a practical method to evaluate the environment on the product flow, in which all aspects of the product life cycle are examined by a comprehensive approach. Furthermore, combining the LCA method with other managerial strategies such as DEA could allow researchers to provide decision-makers with more practical and interpretable data. The findings of the efficiency test showed that the average technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency were 0.81, 0.92, and 0.87, respectively. Respiratory inorganics (i.e., respiratory effects resulting from winter smog caused by emissions of dust, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides to air) posed the greatest environmental burden in cotton production, followed by non-renewable energy, carcinogens, and global warming. In addition, the highest effects were on human health, and then, on resources and climate change. Energy, on-system pollution, and waste played a crucial role in the environmental impacts of cotton processing. This study suggests improving farmers' knowledge toward the optimum application of chemical fertilizers, or their substitution with green fertilizers, which reduces the environmental effect of growing cotton in the area.

Purpose Social indicators are not easy to be quantitatively analyzed, although at the local scale, the social impacts might be relevant and important. Using the existing approaches for both quantitative and semi-qualitative measurements, this study aims to assess the social impacts of a company working on algae production systems in Belgium through social life cycle analysis (SLCA). By highlighting the opportunities and challenges on the way of applying the existing SLCA approaches at company level, the objective of this study is to contribute to the development of a suitable and clear SLCA approach when a company is considered as the unit of analysis. Methods Based on the list of potential social impact categories suggested by the United Nations Environment Program/Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (UNEP/SETAC) guidelines (2009) for SLCA, three stakeholder groups (workers, consumers, and local community) and three subcategories associated with each stakeholder group were identified as the most relevant for carbon capture and utilization technologies. Company and sector level data were collected using existing documents and reports, and the data were analyzed and scored using a combined quantitative and semi-quantitative approach to develop a social assessment model for the case study. Results and discussion The company appears to perform well for all the evaluated social indicators except the one related to the subcategory "equal opportunity/discrimination for workers" for which the share of women employed is lower compared with the sector-level data. The results of our assessment were further discussed regarding the challenges and limitations of performing SLCA at the company level. Based on our experience, the validity of the outcomes is significantly influenced by the data availability, the generality of the indicators introduced within the UNEP/SETAC guidelines, and the subjectivity in data collection for the semi-quantitative assessment among others. Conclusions By highlighting the difficulties and challenges of applying the SLCA at the company level, our study provides a starting point for improving the quantitative assessment and monitoring social implications at the company level within a regional foreground in Europe.

Impatiens is an ornamental member of family Balsaminaceae. This plant mostly propagated by vegetative technique, which generally time wasting process. It is often multiplicities via seed but is barricaded by F1 seed sterility. In vitro culture of Impatiens walleriana has much significant function in fast proliferation with useful features and elicitation of healthful and disease-free plants. This experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of medium and different hormones on in vitro propagation of Impatiens walleriana by using a completely randomized design. MS medium was prepared along with various concentrations of BAP, TDZ and ZEA. Callus was induced and grew well in media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA + 1 mg/l BAP. In order to indirect propagation, explants were cultured in same media containing BAP, ZEA and TDZ in combination with NAA. These treatments have ability to organogenesis. The results revealed that the control treatment had the lowest effect on traits including shoot percentage, number of shoots, number of leaves, shoot length, fresh and dry weight, and it lead to maximum proliferations in medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l NAA + 1 mg/l BAP. The highest root length and rooting percentage was observed in 0.5 mg/l IBA + 0.5 mg/l BAP. In addition, the effect of mutation agents was studied. Aseptic samples were treated with γ- irradiation, Ethyl Methane Sulfonate and colchicines at growth chamber. Treatments with 30 and 60 grey respectively had the lower survival rate, growth rate and polyploidy while colchicines with 0.1 and 0.2 had the highest rats. Regarding to these, the present technique illustrate an effective system for in vitro reproduction of Impatiens walleriana by hypocotyls cultures. In addition, colchicines proved to be effective in induction of polyploidy in this plantlet.

Apolipoprotein J (ApoJ), or clusterin, is one of the main apolipoproteins in the brain. It is synthesized and released from astrocytes in a healthy brain, and its expression increases in neurodegenerative disorders. Genetic evidence has suggested an association between ApoJ polymorphism and the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-it is now considered the third main genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. However, the role of ApoJ overexpression in the state of disorder, toxicity, or protection is not yet clear. Since ApoJ plays different roles in AD, we review the function of ApoJ using different cell signaling pathways in AD and outline its paradoxical roles in AD. ApoJ helps in amyloid-beta (Aβ) clearance. Vice versa, ApoJ gene knock-out causes fibrillary Aβ reduction and prevents Aβ-induced neuron cell death. Understanding ApoJ, through various cellular signaling pathways, creates a new perspective on AD's cellular principles. The overall message is that ApoJ can be a valuable tool in controlling AD.

l-Asparaginase-fatty acid bioconjugate was prepared by coupling the carboxyl group of fatty acids to NH2 groups of lysine of the enzyme. In this study, the physicochemical properties of l-asparaginase were modified by incorporating surfactant with this amphiphilic structure. The preparation process of micellar nanocarrier was optimized by a systematic multi-criteria optimization approach in terms of particle size and enzyme activity. The final particle size, PDI, and enzyme activity were 387.6 ± 9.8 nm, 0.341 ± 0.031, and 92.1 ± 1.3%, respectively. Results are in an optimum condition. Furthermore, results showed that the optimized formulation is more resistant to proteolysis, is more stable at different pH (6.5 to 10), and has prolonged plasma half-life (56.8 h) in comparison to the native enzyme. Also, the longevity in the circulation by micellar nanocarriers was confirmed by the data on the pharmacokinetic study. This method can be used as a suitable method to provide a new formulation of l-asparaginase for the treatment of related diseases. Graphical abstract

Natural rubber is one of the most important polymers produced by plants, which contains cis-1,4-polyisoprene, protein and fatty acids. It has unique properties compared to synthetic rubber and has many different uses in industry. Here, natural rubber of Euphorbia macroclada was characterized due to its abundance in arid areas. Isolation of rubber was done using both acetone and hexane solvents. FT-IR and NMR further characterized and confirmed the structure of rubber as cis-1,4 polyisoprene. GPC analyses showed a molecular weight of 8.180E+2 with polydispersity of 1.287. These data is useful for better understanding of latex composition in family of Euphorbiaceae.

Various biological processes at the cellular level are regulated by glycosylation which is a highly microheterogeneous post-translational modification (PTM) on proteins and lipids. The dynamic nature of glycosylation can be studied through metabolic incorporation of non-natural sugars into glycan epitopes and their detection using bio-orthogonal probes. However, this approach possesses a significant drawback due to nonspecific background reactions and ambiguity of non-natural sugar metabolism. Here, we report a probe-free strategy for their direct detection by glycoproteomics and glycomics using mass spectrometry (MS). The method dramatically simplifies the detection of non-natural functional group bearing monosaccharides installed through promiscuous sialic acid, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine (GalNAc) and N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (GlcNAc) biosynthetic pathways. Multistage enrichment of glycoproteins by cellular fractionation, subsequent ZIC-HILIC (zwitterionic-hydrophilic interaction chromatography) based glycopeptide enrichment, and a spectral enrichment algorithm for the MS data processing enabled direct detection of non-natural monosaccharides that are incorporated at low abundance on the N/O-glycopeptides along with their natural counterparts. Our approach allowed the detection of both natural and non-natural sugar bearing glycopeptides, N- and O-glycopeptides, differentiation of non-natural monosaccharide types on the glycans and also their incorporation efficiency through quantitation. Through this, we could deduce interconversion of monosaccharides during their processing through glycan salvage pathway and subsequent incorporation into glycan chains. The study of glycosylation dynamics through this method can be conducted in high throughput, as few sample processing steps are involved, enabling understanding of glycosylation dynamics under various external stimuli and thereby could bolster the use of metabolic glycan engineering in glycosylation functional studies.

A biocomposite system incorporating sago starch and nano-chitosan (SS/NCS) were developed by casting and solvent evaporation method. The purpose of this experiment for characterization of the film based on sago starch (SS) with a variation of the addition of nano-chitosan (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8% by weight starch) and analyze its effect on mechanical properties, thermal properties, and morphological characteristics of mixed film (SS / NCS). Possible intermolecular interactions between SS and NCS were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the reduction of crystallinity in XRD. The experimental data showed that the incorporation of nano-chitosan resulted in an increase in film solubility, tensile strength and elongation at break and a decrease in Young’s modulus. Elongation at break of the (SS/NCS) films increased with increasing of nano-chitosan concentration. The water vapor permeability (WVP) of (SS/NCS) films increased with an increase of chitosan concentration and the same tendency observed for the moisture content. Based on thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the percentage of nano-chitosan content in starch-based films can increase thermal stability.. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows the surface morphology and interface of NCS/SS composite films and suggests sufficient homogenization of starch and chitosan in biodegradable composite films.

Plant-based expression system can be used to produce biopharmaceuticals with many potential advantages, but plants cannot be directly used to express functional human glycoproteins because of their differences in glycosylation abilities from mammals. To exploit a plant-based expression for producing recombinant human erythropoietin (rhuEPO), we glycoengineered tobacco plants by stably introducing seven to eight mammalian genes including a target human EPO into tobacco genome in order to generate capacities for β1,4-galactosylation, bisecting N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and sialylation. Wild type human β1,4-galactosyltransferase gene (GalT) or a chimeric GalT gene (ST/GalT) with GalT cytoplasmic-transmembrane-stem region (CTS) replaced by the CTS from the rat 2,6-sialyltransferase (ST) was co-expressed to produce rhuEPO bearing β1,4-galactose-extended N-glycan chains as well as to compare their β1,4-galactosylation efficiencies. Mammalian UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-acetylmannosamine kinase gene (GNE), N-acetylneuraminic acid phosphate synthase gene (NANS), CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthetase gene (CMAS), CMP-sialic acid transporter gene (CST) and α−2,6-sialyltransferase gene (ST) were co-expressed to build sialylation capacity in plants. In addition, the human MGAT3 encoding N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnTIII) was also co-expressed to produce N-glycan chains with bisecting GlcNAc. Our PCR and RT-PCR results demonstrated that the above transgenes were not only incorporated into tobacco genome but also properly transcribed. Both GalT and ST/GalT were found to add β1,4-galactose residues to the N-glycan chains, but the latter was more efficient. Furthermore, co-expressing MGAT3 could generate bisected GlcNAc. However, our current efforts did result in generating sialylation capacity. Created transgenic plants expressing EPO and ST/GalT could be used to produce rhuEPO with high proportion of β1,4-galactose-extended N-glycan chains for tissue protective purposes.

A major objective of synthetic glycobiology is to re-engineer existing cellular glycosylation pathways from the top down or construct non-natural ones from the bottom up for new and useful purposes. Here, we have developed a set of orthogonal pathways for eukaryotic O-linked protein glycosylation in Escherichia coli that installed the cancer-associated mucin-type glycans Tn, T, sialyl-Tn and sialyl-T onto serine residues in acceptor motifs derived from different human O-glycoproteins. These same glycoengineered bacteria were used to supply crude cell extracts enriched with glycosylation machinery that permitted cell-free construction of O-glycoproteins in a one-pot reaction. In addition, O-glycosylation-competent bacteria were able to generate an antigenically authentic Tn-MUC1 glycoform that exhibited reactivity with antibody 5E5, which specifically recognizes cancer-associated glycoforms of MUC1. We anticipate that the orthogonal glycoprotein biosynthesis pathways developed here will provide facile access to structurally diverse O-glycoforms for a range of important scientific and therapeutic applications.

Early life aversive experiences can trigger persistent deficits in neuronal signaling within the mesolimbic pathway, most notably in the dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). The identity of such cellular mechanisms currently appears as an important issue. To address this concern, we investigated whether early life maternal deprivation (MD) would affect the electrical activity of VTA DA neurons, via in vivo extracellular single-unit recording. Male Wistar rats were deprived of their dams for 3 h per day from postnatal days (PND) 1-14. Thereafter, the adult animals (PND 70-80) were tested for the discharge activity of putative VTA DA neurons. The VTA DA neurons displayed a decrease in firing rate and an increase in the variability of baseline discharge activity in deprived animals. MD also caused a decrease in burst firing of VTA DA neurons compared to control subjects. In summary, early life MD induces a hypoactive VTA DA system, which may contribute to lifespan psychopathologies.

Abundance and diversity of zooplankton with relation to physicochemical parameters in three ponds at Chittagong University campus was conducted for two years period from January 2017 to December 2018. A total of 72 samples were collected from the three ponds, whereby 33 zooplankton species belonging to five classes were identified. Among the 5 classes, Rotifera was the most dominant and abundant group which contributed 54.17%-72.73% of the total zooplankton population. The overall contribution of Rotifera was 72.73%, 54.17% and 61.90% in ponds 1, 2 and 3 respectively and among Rotifera, Brachionus was the most dominant and abundant genus. Copepoda (8.33- 14.29%) and Cladocera (9.09-25.0%) were moderately abundant and Nematoda (4.17-4.76%) and Protozoa (4.55-8.33%) were the least abundant groups in all the three ponds. Significant direct or inverse relationships of zooplankton were observed with some physicochemical parameters. Zooplankton in Pond 1 showed positive significant relationship with air temperature (r = 0.61, P

Xylans are a major component of plant cell walls. O-Acetyl moieties are the dominant backbone substituents of glucuronoxylan in dicots and play a major role in the polymer-polymer interactions that are crucial for wall architecture and normal plant development. Here, we describe the biochemical, structural, and mechanistic characterization of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) xylan O-acetyltransferase 1 (XOAT1), a member of the plant-specific Trichome Birefringence Like (TBL) family. Detailed characterization of XOAT1-catalyzed reactions by real-time NMR confirms that it exclusively catalyzes the 2-O-acetylation of xylan, followed by nonenzymatic acetyl migration to the O-3 position, resulting in products that are monoacetylated at both O-2 and O-3 positions. In addition, we report the crystal structure of the catalytic domain of XOAT1, which adopts a unique conformation that bears some similarities to the α/β/α topology of members of the GDSL-like lipase/acylhydrolase family. Finally, we use a combination of biochemical analyses, mutagenesis, and molecular simulations to show that XOAT1 catalyzes xylan acetylation through formation of an acyl-enzyme intermediate, Ac–Ser-216, by a double displacement bi-bi mechanism involving a Ser-His-Asp catalytic triad and unconventionally uses an Arg residue in the formation of an oxyanion hole.

Sialic acid is a common terminal residue of glycans on proteins and acidic sphingolipids such as gangliosides and has important biological functions. The sialylation process is controlled by more than 20 different sialyltransferases, many of which exhibit overlapping functions. Thus, it is difficult to determine the overall biological function of sialylation by targeted deletion of individual sialyltransferases. To address this issue, we established a mouse line with the Slc35a1 gene flanked by loxP sites. Slc35a1 encodes the cytidine-5’-monophosphate (CMP)-sialic acid transporter that transports CMP-sialic acid from the cytoplasm into the Golgi apparatus for sialylation. Here we report our study regarding the role of sialylation on megakaryocytes and platelets using a mouse line with significantly reduced sialylation in megakaryocytes and platelets (Plt Slc35a1– /–). The major phenotype of Plt Slc35a1–/– mice was thrombocytopenia. The number of bone marrow megakaryocytes in Plt Slc35a1–/– mice was reduced, and megakaryocyte maturation was also impaired. In addition, an increased number of desialylated platelets was cleared by Küpffer cells in the liver of Plt Slc35a1–/– mice. This study provides new insights into the role of sialylation in platelet homeostasis and the mechanisms of thrombocytopenia in diseases associated with platelet desialylation, such as immune thrombocytopenia and a rare congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG), SLC35A1-CDG, which is caused by SLC35A1 mutations.

Human breast milk is an incredibly rich and complex biofluid composed of proteins, lipids and complex carbohydrates, including a diverse repertoire of free human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). Strikingly, HMOs are not digested by the infant but function as prebiotics for bacterial strains associated with numerous benefits. Considering the broad variety of beneficial effects of HMOs, and the vast number of factors that affect breast milk composition, the analysis of HMO diversity and complexity is of utmost relevance. Using human milk samples from a cohort of Bangladeshi mothers participating in a study on malnutrition and stunting in children, we have characterized breast milk oligosaccharide composition by means of permethylation followed by liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. This approach identified over 100 different glycoforms and showed a wide diversity of milk composition, with a predominance of fucosylated and sialylated HMOs over nonmodified HMOs. We observed that these samples contain on average 80 HMOs, with the highest permethylated masses detected being >5000 mass units. Here we report an easily implemented method developed for the separation, characterization and relative quantitation of large arrays of HMOs, including higher molecular weight sialylated HMOs. Our ultimate goal is to create a simple, high-throughput method, which can be used for full characterization of sialylated and/or fucosylated HMOs. These results demonstrate how current analytical techniques can be applied to characterize human milk composition, providing new tools to help the scientific community shed new light on the impact of HMOs during infant development.

Colorectal cancer is one of the most important malignancies in the classification of gastrointestinal cancers. One of the predisposing factors at molecular level for this cancer is via WNT signaling which is associated with the vast numbers of different genes. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate whether Adenomatous Polyposis Coli gene (APC) mutation of rs41115in two locations such as 132.002 and 131.989 acts as a trigger or cause of colorectal cancer. Relatively, 30 blood samples of colorectal cancer patients and 30 normal blood samples as control group after colonoscopy and also confirmation of pathology report at Rohani Hospital in Babol (Iran) were investigated. The primers were designed in order to be included the rs41115 to identify the particular polymorphisms of gene. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR direct sequencing method) was used. Conclusively, deletion of adenine in two specific locations such as 131.989 and 132.002 has been identified, but there was no relationship between rs41115 polymorphisms located in adenomatous polyposis coli gene and colorectal cancer. RESUMO O câncer colorretal é uma das neoplasias malignas mais importantes na classificação dos cânceres gastrointestinais. Um dos fatores predisponentes no âmbito molecular para esse câncer é através da via de sinalização WNT, que está associada a um grande número de genes diferentes. Portanto, neste estudo, objetivamos investigar se a mutação rs41115 do gene da polipose adenomatosa do cólon (Adenomatous Polyposis Coli - APC) em dois locais como 132.002 e 131.989 atua como gatilho ou como causa do câncer colorretal. Relativamente, 30 amostras de sangue de pacientes com câncer colorretal e 30 amostras de sangue normal (grupo controle) foram analisadas após a colonoscopia, bem como a confirmação do laudo da patologia no Rohani Hospital em Babol (Irã). Os primers foram projetados de modo a incluir o rs41115 para identificar os polimorfismos particulares do gene. A reação em cadeia da polimerase (método de sequenciamento direto por PCR) foi utilizada. Conclusivamente, a deleção de adenina em dois locais específicos, como 131.989 e 132.002, foi identificada, mas não houve relação entre o polimorfismo rs41115 localizado no gene da polipose adenomatosa do cólon e o câncer colorretal.

The programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein has emerged as a predictive cancer biomarker and sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade-based cancer immunotherapies. Current technologies for the detection of protein-based biomarkers, including the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), have limitations such as low sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) in addition to degradation of antibodies in exposure to environmental changes such as temperature and pH. To address these issues, we have proposed a metal-organic framework (MOF)-based ELISA for the detection of the PD-L1. A protective coating based on Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework 8 (ZIF-8) MOF thin film and polydopamine-polyethylenimine (PDA-PEI) was introduced on an ELISA plate for the improvement of antibody immobilization. Sensitivity and LOD of the resulting platform were compared with a conventional ELISA kit, and the bioactivity of the antibody in the proposed immunoassay was investigated in response to various pH and temperature values. The LOD and sensitivity of the MOF-based PD-L1 ELISA were 225 and 15.12 times higher, respectively, compared with those of the commercial ELISA kit. The antibody@ZIF-8/PDA-PEI was stable up to 55 °C and the pH range 5-10. The proposed platform can provide sensitive detection for target proteins, in addition to being resistant to elevated temperature and pH. The proposed MOF-based ELISA has significant potential for the clinical and diagnostic studies.

Contains fulltext : 239574.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Open science initiatives are creating opportunities to increase research coordination and impact in nonhuman primate (NHP) imaging. The PRIMatE Data and Resource Exchange community recently developed a collaboration-based strategic plan to advance NHP imaging as an integrative approach for multiscale neuroscience. 5 p.

This study was conducted to determine indices and components of economic sustainability assessment in the pastoral units of Sahand summer rangelands. The method was based on descriptive-analytical survey (experts and researchers) with questionnaires. Analysis of variance showed that the mean values of economic components are significantly different from each other and the efficiency component has the highest mean value (0.57). The analysis of rangeland pastoral unitswith the technique for order-preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) indicated that from an economic sustainability standpoint, Garehgol (Ci = 0.519) and Badir Khan (Ci = 0.129), pastoral units ranked first and last, respectively. This study provides a clear understanding of existing resources and opportunities for policy makers that is crucial to approach economic sustainable development. Accordingly, this study can help better define sustainable development goals and monitor the progress of achieving them. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification of physiological modulators of nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) activity is paramount for understanding the link between metabolism and transcriptional networks that orchestrate development and cellular physiology. Using libraries of metabolic enzymes alongside their substrates and products, we identify 1-deoxysphingosines as modulators of NR2F1/2 (COUP-TFs) activity, which are orphan NHRs critical for development of the nervous system, heart, veins, and lymphatic vessels. We show that these non-canonical alanine-based sphingolipids bind to the NR2F1/2 ligand binding domains (LBDs) and modulate their transcriptional activity in cell-based assays at physiological concentrations. Furthermore, inhibition of sphingolipid biosynthesis phenocopies NR2F1/2 deficiency in endothelium and cardiomyocytes, while increases in 1-deoxysphingosine levels activate NR2F1/2-dependent differentiation programs. Our findings suggest that 1-deoxysphingosines are found in tissues at concentrations high enough to have a physiological function as regulators of NR2F1/2-mediated transcription.

International audience; Microalgae are photosynthetic organisms widely distributed in nature and serve as a sustainable source of bioproducts. Their carbohydrate components are also promising candidates for bioenergy production and bioremediation, but the structural characterization of these heterogeneous polymers in cells remains a formidable problem. Here we present a widely applicable protocol for identifying and quantifying the glycan content using magic-angle-spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy, with validation from glycosyl linkage and composition analysis deduced from mass-spectrometry (MS). Two-dimensional 13 C− 13 C correlation ssNMR spectra of a uniformly 13 C-labeled green microalga Parachlorella beijerinckii reveal that starch is the most abundant polysaccharide in a naturally cellulose-deficient strain, and this polymer adopts a well-organized and highly rigid structure in the cell. Some xyloses are present in both the mobile and rigid domains of the cell wall, with their chemical shifts partially aligned with the flat-ribbon 2-fold xylan identified in plants. Surprisingly, most other carbohydrates are largely mobile, regardless of their distribution in glycolipids or cell walls. These structural insights correlate with the high digestibility of this cellulose-deficient strain, and the in-cell ssNMR methods will facilitate the investigations of other economically important algae species.

Biosynthesis of macromolecules requires precursors such as sugars or amino acids, originating from exogenous/dietary sources, reutilization/salvage of degraded molecules or de novo synthesis. Since these sources are assumed to contribute to one homogenous pool, their individual contributions are often overlooked. Protein glycosylation uses monosaccharides from all the above sources to produce nucleotide sugars required to assemble hundreds of distinct glycans. Here we demonstrate that cells identify the origin/heritage of the monosaccharide, fucose, for glycosylation. We measured the contribution of GDP-fucose from each of these sources for glycan synthesis and found that different fucosyltransferases, individual glycoproteins, and linkage-specific fucose residues identify and select different GDP-fucose pools dependent on their heritage. This supports the hypothesis that GDP-fucose exists in multiple, distinct pools, not as a single homogenous pool. The selection is tightly regulated since the overall pool size remains constant. We present novel perspectives on monosaccharide metabolism, which may have general applicability.

Background Terrestrial plant biomass is the primary renewable carbon feedstock for enabling transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) by the cellulolytic thermophile Clostridium thermocellum offers a single step microbial platform for production of biofuels and biochemicals via simultaneous solubilization of carbohydrates from lignocellulosic biomass and conversion to products. Here, solubilization of cell wall cellulosic, hemicellulosic, and pectic polysaccharides in the liquor and solid residues generated during CBP of poplar biomass by C. thermocellum was analyzed. Results The total amount of biomass solubilized in the C. thermocellum DSM1313 fermentation platform was 5.8, 10.3, and 13.7% of milled non-pretreated poplar after 24, 48, and 120 h, respectively. These results demonstrate solubilization of 24% cellulose and 17% non-cellulosic sugars after 120 h, consistent with prior reports. The net solubilization of non-cellulosic sugars by C. thermocellum (after correcting for the uninoculated control fermentations) was 13 to 36% of arabinose (Ara), xylose (Xyl), galactose (Gal), mannose (Man), and glucose (Glc); and 15% and 3% of fucose and glucuronic acid, respectively. No rhamnose was solubilized and 71% of the galacturonic acid (GalA) was solubilized. These results indicate that C. thermocellum may be selective for the types and/or rate of solubilization of the non-cellulosic wall polymers. Xyl, Man, and Glc were found to accumulate in the fermentation liquor at levels greater than in uninoculated control fermentations, whereas Ara and Gal did not accumulate, suggesting that C. thermocellum solubilizes both hemicelluloses and pectins but utilizes them differently. After five days of fermentation, the relative amount of Rha in the solid residues increased 21% indicating that the Rha-containing polymer rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) was not effectively solubilized by C. thermocellum CBP, a result confirmed by immunoassays. Comparison of the sugars in the liquor versus solid residue showed that C. thermocellum solubilized hemicellulosic xylan and mannan, but did not fully utilize them, solubilized and appeared to utilize pectic homogalacturonan, and did not solubilize RG-I. Conclusions The significant relative increase in RG-I in poplar solid residues following CBP indicates that C. thermocellum did not solubilize RG-I. These results support the hypothesis that this pectic glycan may be one barrier for efficient solubilization of poplar by C. thermocellum.

Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, also known as citrus greening disease, was first reported in the US in 2005. Since then, the disease has decimated the citrus industry in Florida, resulting in billions of dollars in crop losses and the destruction of thousands of acres of citrus groves. The causative agent of citrus greening disease is the phloem limited pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. As it has not been cultured, very little is known about the structural biology of the organism. Liberibacter are part of the Rhizobiaceae family, which includes nitrogen-fixing symbionts of legumes as well as the Agrobacterium plant pathogens. To better understand the Liberibacter genus, a closely related culturable bacterium (Liberibacter crescens or Lcr) has attracted attention as a model organism for structural and functional genomics of Liberibacters. Given that the structure of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria plays a crucial role in mediating host-pathogen interactions, we sought to characterize the LPS from Lcr. We found that the major lipid A component of the LPS consisted of a pentaacylated molecule with a β-6-GlcN disaccharide backbone lacking phosphate. The polysaccharide portion of the LPS was unusual compared to previously described members of the Rhizobiaceae family in that it contained ribofuranosyl residues. The LPS structure presented here allows us to extrapolate known LPS structure/function relationships to members of the Liberibacter genus which cannot yet be cultured. It also offers insights into the biology of the organism and how they manage to effectively attack citrus trees.

Drought tolerance is a polygenic trait and is considered as one of the most important limiting factors to productivity of wheat and other crops around the world. Identifying drought-responsive genes using quantitative trait loci (QTL) and association analysis is one of the ways of developing drought tolerance cultivars. In order to detect QTLs for terminal drought tolerance in wheat, QTL analyses were conducted using an F12 recombinant inbred line population. A total of 53 main effects QTLs on 15 different chromosomes and 12 QTL by QTL (QQ) interactions on 13 different chromosomes were detected for yield, yield components and some agronomic traits using composite interval mapping and mixed-model based composite interval mapping analysis. The most significant QTL for grain yield was QYld.1A1 on 1A1, explaining 19.7% of the phenotypic variance under terminal drought stress. In addition, a QTL hot-spot region including important QTLs for grain yield, biological yield, grain number per spike, thousand grain weight, spike length, spike weight, stem weight and plant height was identified in the same region on chromosome 1B and clustered within the marker interval between wpt-3465 and wpt-2019. The DArT marker Wpt-5801 at the position of 67.7 cM showed linkage with all traits using single marker regression analysis. The BLAST search of markers sequences on the wheat genome identified 390 gene stable identifiers. Gene ontology analysis showed that the most dominant terms were ‘binding’ and ‘single-organism catabolic process’ for molecular function and biological process categories, respectively. This QTL hot-spot region with nine important QTLs could be used to improve drought tolerance after validation.

The global climate is changing, and farmers must increase their adaptive capacity to avoid negative impacts. This study aimed to examine the adaptive capacity of farmers' household to tolerate climate changes and identify factors affecting the climate in Hamadan province, Iran. The adaptive capacity was evaluated quantitatively by using 23 indicators and was categorized into high, moderate, low, and very low adaptive capacity. The study was based on a cross sectional survey and was conducted with a random sample of 280 household farmers distributed in five counties of Hamadan province in the west of the country whose climatic data revealed signs of climate change. The result showed that farmers' negative perception toward climate change generally increases during dry seasons and decreases when the precipitation and water resources are more available. Regarding the available information, only 15% of farmers had a high level of adaptive capacity, while 10% of them were highly adapted, and 27.5% showed a very low level of adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacity in the current study was influenced by some socio-economic variables including total farm size, irrigated farm size, number of agricultural land plots, and perception and knowledge of climate change.

Larvicidal effects of distilled water, 50% ethyl alcohol, acetone and methanol extracts on seed of four plants viz. Sinapis alba (Linn.), Carica papaya (Linn.), Momordica charantia (Linn.) and Capsicum annuum (Linn.) were studied upon the mosquito larvae of Anopheles annularis Vander Wulp and Culex quinquefasciatus Say under normal laboratory conditions with average temperature and relative humidity of 31.1oC and 57.6%, respectively. Percentage mortality, probit mortality, chi-square and ANOVA values for the larvae, extracts and concentrations were calculated for 24 hours exposure period. Mortality was dose dependent. The values of LC50 of the seeds of S. alba on An. annularis at the application doses for the distilled water, 50% ethyl alcohol, acetone and methanol extracts were 3431.791, 1038.363, 1254.810 and 2269.975 ppm, respectively; for C. papaya were 804.008, 403.294, 597.165 and 573.241 ppm, respectively; for M. charantia were 10593.241, 5017.710, 5650.191 and 6075.204 ppm, respectively; and for C. annuum were 1274.968, 4637.201, 1604.852 and 1905.692 ppm, respectively. The values of LC50 of S. alba seeds on Cx. quinquefasciatus at the application doses for the distilled water, 50% ethyl alcohol, acetone and methanol extracts were 1415.311, 432.996, 569.701 and 770.250 ppm, respectively; for C. papaya were 705.599, 385.688, 341.003 and 481.067 ppm, respectively; for M. charantia were 7764.154, 4496.464, 5353.759 and 5825.031 ppm, respectively; and for C. annuum were 2173.631, 1311.538, 78.748 and 182.869 ppm, respectively. Of the four plant seed extracts, C. papaya seed extracts were the most toxic for both the mosquito species. J. Biodivers. Conserv. Bioresour. Manag. 2019, 5(2): 41-52

The harsh environments of desert areas lead to natural selection of resistant creatures with obvious characteristics. This experiment looked for salt-tolerant fungi from native halophyte plants. Forty fungi isolated from three halophyte plant families that were collected from desert areas of Yazd Province in Iran, and the most tolerant isolates were selected at concentrations of 1, 2, 3, 3.5 and 4 molar sodium chloride. Five selected superior isolates were assigned to the phylum Ascomycota based on internal transcribed spacers sequences and β-tubulin gene, as well as morphological characteristics of the genus and species. Aspergillus terreus showed superiority in terms of enzymes and antibacterial properties than other isolates. Other isolates were Acremonium, Paecilomyces, Microascus and Monosorascus. Aspergillus terreus also showed antifungal effects against Aspergillus fumigatus, a human pathogen.

Microbial interaction with the host through sensing receptors, including SIGNR1, sustains intestinal homeostasis against pathogenic inflammation. The newly discovered commensal Propionibacterium strain, P. UF1, regulates the intestinal immunity against pathogen challenge. However, the molecular events driving intestinal phagocytic cell response, including colonic dendritic cells (DCs), by this bacterium are still elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the glycosylation of bacterial large surface layer protein A (LspA) by protein O-mannosyltransferase 1 (Pmt1) regulates the interaction with SIGNR1, resulting in the control of DC transcriptomic and metabolomic machineries. Programmed DCs promote protective T cell response to intestinal Listeria infection and resist chemically induced colitis in mice. Thus, our findings may highlight a novel molecular mechanism by which commensal surface glycosylation interacting with SIGNR1 directs the intestinal homeostasis to potentially protect the host against proinflammatory signals inducing colonic tissue damage.

Davood Azadi,1,2 Tahereh Motallebirad,1 Kazem Ghaffari,1 Dariuosh Shokri,3 Fatemeh Rezaei1 1Department of Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran; 2Molecular Medicine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran; 3Department of Biology and Microbiology, Shahid Ashrafi Isfahani University, Isfahan, IranCorrespondence: Davood AzadiKhomein University of Medical Sciences, Gods Street, Khomein, IranTel +98-8646224143Email Davood.azadi@gmail.comBackground: Actinomycetes widely exist in nature and these species cause infections in immunocompromised and healthy patients, although they are frequently found as members of the normal microbiota of humans and animals. These subsequent infections are often misdiagnosed as malignancy and tuberculosis. Due to this issue, the present study aimed to determine the presence and diversity of actinomycetes species causing infections in Iranian patients.Materials and Methods: A total of 79 clinical samples collected from five hospitals in Markazi province were analyzed for the existence of actinomycetes using standard protocols for isolation and characterization of the isolates. The conventional tests were used for preliminary identification, the PCR amplification of hsp65 gene, the specific region of the 16S rRNA, and sequence analyses of 16S rRNA were applied for the genus and species identification. MICs of the antimicrobial agent were determined by the broth microdilution method and interpreted according to the NCCLS guidelines.Results: A total of 17 (21.51%) actinomycetes isolates were recovered from clinical samples. In other analyzed samples, eight (10.12%) gram-positive, 12 (15.18) gram-negative bacteria, and six (7.6) fungi isolates were recovered. The most prevalent actinomycetes species were M. fortuitum (17.64%), N. Mexicana and S. heliomycini (11.76% each), and 10 species, ie, N. farcinica, M. lehmannii, M. flavescens, Arthrobacter crystalopoetis, N. neocaledoniensis, M. phocaicum, M. abscessus, M. arupense, M. setense, and N. cyriacigeorgica made up the single isolates. Results of DST illustrated that all of the isolates were susceptible to Amikacin, Levofloxacin, Ofloxacin, and Ciprofloxacin, whereas all of them were resistant to Rifampicin and Doxycycline.Conclusion: In conclusion, increasing isolation of actinomycetes found in various clinical cases merits special attention by health authorities in developing countries. In health centers, action should be taken to increase awareness of appropriate diagnostic criteria and management guidelines for actinomycetes diseases. Furthermore, an increase in the number as well as the quality of national and regional reference laboratories may facilitate more accurate diagnosis of actinomycetes diseases.Keywords: actinomycetes, 16SrRNA, drug susceptibility pattern, immunocompromised

A broad-based interlaboratory study of glycosylation profiles of a reference and modified IgG antibody involving 103 reports from 76 laboratories., Graphical Abstract Highlights A broad-based interlaboratory study of the glycosylation of a reference antibody: NISTmAb. 103 reports were received from 76 diverse laboratories worldwide. Analysis involved two samples, the NISTmAb and an enzymatically modified sample, enabling within-lab separation of random and systematic errors using the “Youden two-sample” method. Consensus values were derived and similar performance across all experimental methods was noted., Glycosylation is a topic of intense current interest in the development of biopharmaceuticals because it is related to drug safety and efficacy. This work describes results of an interlaboratory study on the glycosylation of the Primary Sample (PS) of NISTmAb, a monoclonal antibody reference material. Seventy-six laboratories from industry, university, research, government, and hospital sectors in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia submitted a total of 103 reports on glycan distributions. The principal objective of this study was to report and compare results for the full range of analytical methods presently used in the glycosylation analysis of mAbs. Therefore, participation was unrestricted, with laboratories choosing their own measurement techniques. Protein glycosylation was determined in various ways, including at the level of intact mAb, protein fragments, glycopeptides, or released glycans, using a wide variety of methods for derivatization, separation, identification, and quantification. Consequently, the diversity of results was enormous, with the number of glycan compositions identified by each laboratory ranging from 4 to 48. In total, one hundred sixteen glycan compositions were reported, of which 57 compositions could be assigned consensus abundance values. These consensus medians provide community-derived values for NISTmAb PS. Agreement with the consensus medians did not depend on the specific method or laboratory type. The study provides a view of the current state-of-the-art for biologic glycosylation measurement and suggests a clear need for harmonization of glycosylation analysis methods.

Population dynamics of the mullet species, Rhinomugil corsula, was studied, using FiSAT-II program, with the length-frequency data of 2480 fish specimens. The asymptotic length (L∞) and growth coefficient (K) of this fish were estimated to be 31.4 cm and 1.0/year, respectively. The instantaneous rate of natural mortality (M), fishing mortality (F) and total mortality (Z) were estimated to be 1.73, 1.20 and 2.93, respectively. The recruitment pattern of the species was prolonged with two peaks, major peak during June to December and a minor peak during January to April. The L25, L50 and L75 were found to be 8.61, 10.42 and 12.23 cm, respectively. The relative yield per recruit (Yʹ/R) and biomass per recruit (Bʹ/R) were 0.751 and 1.731, respectively. The value of exploitation (E) was found to be 0.41 which indicated that R. corsula was not over fished (E > 0.50) in the study area. The maximum exploitation (Emax) value was 0.55. The growth performance index (ϕ´ = 2.99) of R. corsula in the Sitakunda coast of the Bay of Bengal was found to be moderate. Bangladesh J. Zool. 47(2): 305-314, 2019

The presence and diversity of mycobacteria that are capable of survival in a harsh and adverse condition, such as hospital environments, have not been comprehensively studied. This study aimed to assess the frequency and diversity of mycobacteria in hospital soil and dust of a developing country using a combination of molecular and conventional methods. A total of 318 hospital dust and soil samples collected from 38 hospitals were analysed using standard protocols for characterization of mycobacteria. The conventional tests were used for preliminary identification and Runyon’s classification, the PCR amplification of the hsp65 gene and sequence analyses of 16SrRNA were applied for genus and species identification. In total, 28 samples (8.8 %) were positive for mycobacteria. The isolates included 33 mycobacteria species including 19 rapidly growing and 14 slowly growing organisms. The most prevalent species were M. setense and M. lentiflavum, five isolates (15.1 %) each, M. fortuitum, four isolates (12.12 %) and M. kumamotonense and M. massiliense/abscessus complex three isolates (9.1 %) each, M. arupense and M. frederiksbergense, two isolates (6 %) each. The remaining isolates consisted the single strains of eight various mycobacterium species, the results of our study revealed that soil and dust in hospitals can be the reservoir of mycobacteria. This reaffirms the fact that these organisms due to intrinsic resistance can persist in hospitals and create a threat to patient’s health, in particular to those who suffer from weakness of immunity.

Background Toxoplasmosis is one of the most common comorbidities in HIV-positive patients with CD4+ T lymphocytes below 200 cells/μl. Early diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis reduces the mortality rate in HIV-positive people. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in HIV-positive patients in northwest Iran using serological and molecular methods. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study included 124 HIV-positive outpatients and was conducted from January to May 2016. Anti-T. gondii IgM and IgG antibodies were detected from sera samples by chemiluminescence, while buffy coat samples were analyzed by RT-PCR for DNA detection. Patients’ socioepidemiological data were collected. Results Using chemiluminescence, 47/124 samples (37.9%) were positive for anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibodies, 2/124 samples (1.62%) were positive for IgM antibodies while 2/124 samples (1.62%) contained both IgM and IgG. There were no IgM-positive or IgG-negative patients. RT-PCR revealed four (3.22%) positive samples. On the basis of the results, a statistically significant relationship was found between anti-Toxoplasma IgG antibody seropositivity and residence (p=0.012). Conclusions The study showed a relatively low seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG and IgM antibodies in HIV-positive patients in northwest Iran, while the prevalence was much higher in other regions of Iran. However, regular screening for T. gondii antibodies and early initiation of therapy are very important to decrease the mortality rate in HIV-positive patients.

Male flower induction and androgenesis in three genotypes of cucumber (Cucumis sativus), two Beth alpha F1 hybrids (BT1 and BT2, gynoecious) and Dastgerdi (DTG, monoecious), were evaluated....

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is one of the neglected chronic inflammatory disorders which has not efficient treatment. These patients were susceptible to various infectious diseases because of their changes in immuneresponse. Also, HS pathogenesis remains unclear and its report can create novel insight into mechanism and pathogenesis of this infection. Moreover, given that different susceptibility patterns of Pseudomonas spp this species should be identified to the species level; molecular methods are rapid, inexpensive, and reliable method for identification of infectious agents to the species level and appropriate treatment of infections.

Due to the growing population, crop production is one of the essential needs of the society. Since soil and water salinity can have a great impact on the crop yield loss; so, the appropriate irrigation method can be applied to reduce these effects. In this study, the system dynamics model was developed using VENSIM. The model simulated the effect of salinity and water stress on the crop yield, moisture and salinity of the root zone. In order to calibrate and validate the model results, 9 treatments data were collected from the Right Abshar Irrigation Network, on the Zayandehrud basin. After statistical analysis and calculation of RMSE index and the standard error, the fit between the measured and simulated crop yield, the moisture and salinity of root zone was calculated. The average of these indexes for all treatments was 2776.98 kg/ha and 0.07 for crop yield, 0.026 and 0.09 for soil moisture and final, 0.54 dS/m and 0.08 for the salinity of root zone, respectively. The results showed that the model could be calibrated accurately and completely in estimating the crop yield with the reasonable accuracy.

The proteoglycan Syndecan-2 (Sdc2) has been implicated in regulation of cytoskeleton organization, integrin signaling and developmental angiogenesis in zebrafish. Here we report that mice with global and inducible endothelial-specific deletion of Sdc2 display marked angiogenic and arteriogenic defects and impaired VEGFA165 signaling. No such abnormalities are observed in mice with deletion of the closely related Syndecan-4 (Sdc4) gene. These differences are due to a significantly higher 6-O sulfation level in Sdc2 versus Sdc4 heparan sulfate (HS) chains, leading to an increase in VEGFA165 binding sites and formation of a ternary Sdc2-VEGFA165-VEGFR2 complex which enhances VEGFR2 activation. The increased Sdc2 HS chains 6-O sulfation is driven by a specific N-terminal domain sequence; the insertion of this sequence in Sdc4 N-terminal domain increases 6-O sulfation of its HS chains and promotes Sdc2-VEGFA165-VEGFR2 complex formation. This demonstrates the existence of core protein-determined HS sulfation patterns that regulate specific biological activities., Proteoglycans are glycosylated proteins that play a number of structural and signalling functions. Here, Corti, Wang et al. show that the N-terminal sequence of proteoglycan Syndecan-2 selectively increases 6-O sulfation of its heparan sulfate chains, and that this promotes formation of a ternary Sdc2/VEGFA/VEGFR2 complex leading to increased angiogenesis.