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The purpose of the present work was to identify the catalytic activity of AGXT2L1 and AGXT2L2, two closely related, putative pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent enzymes encoded by vertebrate genomes. The existence of bacterial homologues (40-50% identity with AGXT2L1 and AGXT2L2) forming bi- or tri-functional proteins with a putative kinase belonging to the family of aminoglycoside phosphotransferases suggested that AGXT2L1 and AGXT2L2 acted on phosphorylated and aminated compounds. Vertebrate genomes were found to encode a homologue (AGPHD1) of these putative bacterial kinases, which was therefore likely to phosphorylate an amino compound bearing a hydroxyl group. These and other considerations led us to hypothesize that AGPHD1 corresponded to 5-hydroxy-L-lysine kinase and that AGXT2L1 and AGXT2L2 catalyzed the pyridoxal-phosphate-dependent breakdown of phosphoethanolamine and 5-phosphohydroxy-L-lysine. The three recombinant human proteins were produced and purified to homogeneity. AGPHD1 was indeed found to catalyze the GTP-dependent phosphorylation of 5-hydroxy-L-lysine. The phosphorylation product made by this enzyme was metabolized by AGXT2L2, which converted it to ammonia, inorganic phosphate, and 2-aminoadipate semialdehyde. AGXT2L1 catalyzed a similar reaction on phosphoethanolamine, converting it to ammonia, inorganic phosphate, and acetaldehyde. AGPHD1 and AGXT2L2 are likely to be the mutated enzymes in 5-hydroxylysinuria and 5-phosphohydroxylysinuria, respectively. The high level of expression of AGXT2L1 in human brain, as well as data in the literature linking AGXT2L1 to schizophrenia and bipolar disorders, suggest that these diseases may involve a perturbation of brain phosphoethanolamine metabolism. AGXT2L1 and AGXT2L2, the first ammoniophospholyases to be identified, belong to a family of aminotransferases acting on ω-amines.

Frost resistant mutants of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis were investigated for the presence of CBF/DREB1 and COR15a gene products and induced frost resistance. Total RNA of clones was isolated after 3 h, 6 h, 24 h and 14 d acclimation at 4 °C and proteins and free proline were isolated after 14 d acclimation. cDNA was produced using RT-PCR and the first CBF gene in B. oleracea detected and did quantify. Through SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, the COR15a protein was detected for the first time in B. oleracea. The results confirmed the first report of the presence of BoCBF/DREB1 in B. oleracea and this only appeared under cold acclimation. The sequence analysis of predicted amino acids revealed a very high homology (90%) with CBF sequences of other Brassica species (BnCBF5/DREB1, BrDREB1 and BjDREB1B) and homology reduced to 67% when compared to plants other than Brassicas. BoCBF/DREB1 transcript levels increased up to 24 h acclimation and then declined. Some mutants showed BoCBF/DREB1 expression at 3 h while others only after 6 h and 24 h acclimation. The genotypes showed positive significant correlation between BoCBF/DREB1 expression and frost resistance (R(2) = 0.9343). The proline level under acclimation increased about 8 fold and demonstrated positive and significant correlation with BoCBF/DREB1 expression. Proline also showed positive and significant correlation with frost resistance under cold acclimation but very not under non-acclimation. All clones were positive for COR15a protein after 14 d cold acclimation and expression correlated with frost resistance. Under non-acclimation COR15a was constitutively expressed in 3 mutants., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

This investigation was made to examine the role of gibberellic acid (GA(3)), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and EDTA in improving phytoextraction of the Pb and plant growth on Pb added soil. GA(3), IAA and EDTA were applied separately and in combinations. GA(3) and IAA were applied as foliar spray and seed soaking. EDTA was applied in single and split doses. Analysis of the Pb in different parts of plant was carried out using atomic absorption/flame spectrophotometer. EDTA significantly reduced the plant growth and dry biomass, whereas GA(3) and IAA foliar spray increased it significantly when compared with control (only Pb added soil). In combined treatments of EDTA+GA(3) and EDTA+IAA, the growth and biomass was restored, which shows that GA(3) and IAA did compensate the negative effect of EDTA on plant growth. The separate treatments of EDTA, GA(3) and IAA increased the Pb uptake and translocation significantly moreover in combine treatments, synergistic effect was found and remarkable increase in Pb uptake and translocation into shoot was observed. EDTA increased the Pb uptake but declined the biomass; subsequently the total Pb accumulation was decreased in plant. The maximum total Pb was found in combined treatment of EDTA+GA(3). These findings suggest more investigation to find a combination of GA(3) with a very low concentration of EDTA, as in high concentration it causes soil and ground water pollution.

The objective of the present study was to develop an effective protocol for optimum callus induction and complete plant regeneration for four varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L.) i.e., Super Basmati, Basmati-370, Basmati-371 and Fakhre Malakand. Calli were induced from mature seed scutelum. The Murashige and Skoog (MS) and Chu's N6 media containing hormone 2, 4-D (2, 4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) in different concentrations were used for callus induction. Fakhre Malakand produced maximum calli on N6 media containing 3 mg L(-1) 2,4-D. while other three varieties showed maximum callus induction on N6 media containing 2.5 mg L(-1) 2,4-D. N6 media was found better than MS media for callus induction. For complete plant regeneration the calli of two varieties i.e., Basmati-370 and Basmati-371 were plated on N6 media containing different concentrations of NAA (1-Naphthalene acetic acid) and BAP (6-benzyl aminopurine). The maximum regeneration frequency (%) was observed on N6 media containing NAA 1 mg L(-1) and BAP 2.5 mg L(-1). It took 27-30 days for the callus to regenerate into a complete plant. Basmati-370 produced 4-7 plantlets per callus whereas Basmati-371 produced 4-8 plantlets per callus with regeneration frequencies of 61 and 69%, respectively.

A green house study was conducted at the University of Malakand, NWFP, Pakistan to evaluate the effect of marble industry effluent on soil pH, germination, post germinative growth and productivity of maize. The experiment was conducted in triplicate form for each treatment and tape water was used as control (T0). Effluents were diluted with tap water at concentration of 20% (T1), 40% (T2), 60% (T3), 80% (T4) and also used 100% (T5) concentration in 4 kg soil pot(-1) and plants were grown for 90 days. Results showed that there was a linear increase in pH of soil with increase in effluent concentration while germination, root length and stem girth was enhanced and found maximum at 40% concentration of effluent applied. The shoot length and root dry biomass was depressed as compared to control. It is concluded from the present study that marble industry effluent can be used as a fertilizer in low concentration especially for highly acidic soil but there is still need to carry out series of greenhouse and field trials to ascertain the fertilizer potentials of this effluent for maize crop.

The participants were 111 Kuwaiti boys and girls and 59 mothers assessed in 1993 and 2003 to determine exposure to war-related trauma during the Iraqi occupation and subsequent psychological distress. Children were classified into four groups based on what happened to their fathers during the occupation: killed, missing, arrested, or unharmed. The results indicate that the group whose fathers were arrested had the highest level of posttraumatic stress symptoms and the highest level of depression and anxiety in 2003. In 1993, the highest levels of depression for children and their mothers were observed in those whose fathers-husbands were killed or missing relative to controls. Long-term effects of war-related trauma in children may be influenced by the war experience of their fathers.

Typhoid fever is endemic in Pakistan. Most patients are children. As the symptoms and signs are often unspecific, it is difficult to diagnose typhoid fever without blood culture. We retrospectively reviewed 51 cases of typhoid fever who were all admitted from 1 June through 31 August 2002. Sixteen cases were positive by blood culture and confirmed as typhoid fever. All cases had Salmonella typhi. Although 16 cases were culture-negative, they were clinically diagnosed as typhoid fever. The remaining 19 cases were clinically diagnosed without blood culture. The clinical features of the culture-confirmed cases were more severe than the culture-negative cases. Mesenteric lymphadenopathy was very frequently detected with ultrasonography, in both culture-confirmed and culture-negative cases. The rates of detecting mesenteric lymphadenopathy were 69% and 63%, respectively. Meanwhile, the rate in non-typhoid fever patients was 5.5%. It was considered that detecting mesenteric lymphadenopathy with ultrasonography was very useful in the diagosis of typhoid fever in endemic areas.

Background: Symptomatic cholelithiasis occurs in pregnancy in our patient population, some of whom are diabetic. But its management remains controversial. How common is the problem? Is our current policy of management appropriate for our patients?, Patients and Methods: The management of 162 pregnant patients admitted over a ten-year period with symptomatic cholelithiasis was evaluated in a retrospective study. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A, 58 patients with diabetes mellitus, and Group B, 104 nondiabetic patients., Results: Symptomatic cholelithiasis occurred in only 0.3% of our pregnant patients. Of 162 patients, 148 (91.4%) had successful conservative (nonsurgical) management. There was no fetal loss, premature birth, maternal morbidity or mortality. Fourteen patients who had failure of conservative treatment had surgical management. When the postpartum cholecystectomy hospitalization days were added to the total days of admission for the nonoperative cases, there was a significant difference in the mean total number of days of hospitalizations between the surgical cases, 12.4 days, and the nonsurgical cases, 20.5 days (P<0.001), but not in the mean number of hospitalizations, 2.3 versus 3.3., Conclusion: Our current policy of conservative management seems optimal. It has, however, been achieved at the price per patient of 8 extra days of hospitalization. In keeping with recent improvements in surgery and the advent of laparoscopic surgery, a more cost-efficient approach would suggest a more aggressive policy.

Objective: To investigate the incidence of leukocytospermia and relation to T helper cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-4 (IL-4), antisperm antibodies and antioxidant activity., Design: Semen samples from 176 infertile men and 24 fertile controls were investigated., Methodology: The protocol included tubal patency test, hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy and dye test and ovulation through mid-luteal phase progesterone for the wives. The husbands had semen analysis, cytomorphology evaluation and semen culture. Seminal TNFalpha and IL-4, antisperm antibodies, total antioxidant activity, superoxide dismutase and zinc were determined., Results: Leukocytospermia occurred in 44.3% of the infertile men compared to 12.5% of the fertile men (P<0.01). Thirty-six (20.5%) men had pathogenic bacterial organisms which constituted 46.2% of those with leukocytospermia. Sperm parameters were worse with leukocytospermia in terms of sperm count (P<0.01), total motility progressive motility (P<0.01), morphology, asthenozoospermia, sperm membrane integrity and antisperm antibodies. TNFalpha and IL-4 had an inverse relationship; the expression of TNFalpha was higher with leukocytospermia and bacteriospermia (P<0.001), while IL-4 was higher in fertile controls (P<0.005). Incidence of antisperm antibodies was higher with leukocytospermia. Total antioxidant activity, superoxide dismutase and zinc were lower with leukocytospermia., Conclusion: Leukocytospermia impairs sperm function through reduced antioxidant activity and enhanced T helper 1 modulation.

The initial 300 patients whose symptomatic cholelithiasis was managed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) were matched to and compared with 300 patients managed by open cholecystectomy (OC) during the 30 months prior to the introduction of LC. Of the 300 LC attempted 292 (97.3%) were successful with conversion to OC rate of 2.7%. Besides the obviously better cosmetic results, LC patients had less post operative pain, mean doses of opiates needed 0.01 versus 5 for OC (p < 0.0001), were discharged earlier from the hospital, mean 3.1 days versus 8 days for OC (p < 0.001) and had less postoperative complications 4% versus 11% for OC. We conclude that not only is LC a better operation than OC, but also that in the regional referral centres such as ours, LC can safely supplant OC as the preferred modality for the management of symptomatic cholelithiasis.

We studied some of the factors associated with gallstones in a sub population of Saudi women who presented with cholelithiasis at a rather young age, 17-30 years. We determined the weight, height, ideal weight, overweight, Quetelet index, ideal Quetelet index, and parity in 152 such women designated the study group and in another aged matched group of 152 women without biliary disease designated the control group. Although the mean weights of both groups were greater than ideal, the mean weight, level of overweight, and mean Quetelet index in the study group were greater than those of the controls at virtually all age groups (p > 0.001). In the study group, comparison of the 17-25 year olds with the 26-30 year olds showed close similarity in weight, Q index, and level of overweight (p = 0.50). There was no significant difference in parity between the study group and the controls. We conclude that obesity is a significant factor in the development of cholelithiasis in Saudi women who develop symptomatic gallstones in the age group 17-30 years.

This study examined a stratified random sample of 233 Kuwaiti 8- to 12-year-old boys and girls, in order to assess their level of exposure to violence during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and its relation to psychological and cognitive performance 1 year after the crisis. Children were assessed on intelligence, posttraumatic stress, and depression, and were interviewed about their crisis experience. No significant decline in intelligence scores was detected after the crisis. A difference in level of parental depression was found between those who stayed in Kuwait as compared to those who were out for all or part of the crisis. Depression in children was low but associated with the level of exposure to violence as reported in the interview, and greater levels of posttraumatic stress. The results support the hypothesis that acute trauma resulting from exposure to violence is related to posttraumatic stress in children.

Tested hypotheses about the role of social support in the relation between trauma from the Gulf crisis experience and psychological or health distress 2 years after the crisis. Participants were 151 Kuwaiti boys and girls exposed to high or low levels of trauma during the crisis. Participants were administered the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Index (PTSDI), Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), and measures of social support and health complaints. Children exposed to high levels of trauma had higher PTSDI and CDI scores and more health complaints than controls. Social support did not mediate the relation between trauma and distress. However, social support and sex functioned jointly as moderators of trauma on distress. Social support was shown to buffer the effect of trauma in girls but not in boys. Boys, however, reported lower levels of support than girls. The findings underscore the importance of the appropriate model specification in studies of stress and social support.

During a three-year period, 336029 children were accorded ambulatory care and 40 492 children were admitted to the Institute of Child Health, Kabul, for in-patient treatment. Sixty-three per cent were boys. Three-quarters (75.3%) were under five years of age and provided 81.7% of the overall mortality. Children with acute gastroenteritis and respiratory infections together accounted for 49.9% of all admissions and 34.5% of all deaths. Malnutrition of varying degrees was a core problem and was seen in 67% of hospitalized children. The infectious diseases as a single group accounted for 70.7% of the morbidity and 71.9% of the mortality. Septicaemia and infections of the central nervous system were associated with the highest case fatality rates, especially among newborn babies. Six-target diseases and accidents accounted respectively for 10.4 and 9.7% of all deaths. Sixty-three per cent of children died within 24 hours of admission and the majority of deaths occurred after regular hospital working hours. In order to safeguard the well being of children in Afghanistan, and to reduce their morbidity and mortality, it will be mandatory to ensure effective delivery of primary health care, improve nutritional standards, provide safe drinking water, immunize the vulnerable population, make free elementary education universal and improve the lot of women and future mothers.