Human beta-defensin 1 circulating level and gene polymorphism in non-segmental vitiligo Egyptian patients.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is an acquired depigmented skin disorder. It has a genetic and autoimmune background. Human beta defensin-1(HBD-1) plus its gene polymorphism were linked to some autoimmune disorders. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the possible role of HBD-1 in the pathogenesis of non-segmental vitiligo (NSV) through evaluation of HBD-1 serum levels and its single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in patients having NSV, in addition, to correlating the results with the extent of vitiligo in those patients. METHODS: A current case-control study included 50 patients having NSV and 50 controls. The authors used Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) score to assess vitiligo severity and laboratory investigations to assess serum HBD-1 level using ELISA and defensin-beta1 (DEFB1) SNP using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). RESULTS: There were significantly lower HBD-1 serum levels in NSV cases than in controls (p < 0.001). There was a significant predominance of GG DEFB1 genotype and G allele in NSV patients in comparison to controls (p < 0.001). The levels of serum HBD-1 and DEFB1 genotypes were not associated or correlated significantly with any of the personal and clinical parameters of vitiligo patients. STUDY LIMITATION: The small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: DEFB1 gene polymorphism (GG genotype and G allele) may modulate vitiligo risk and contribute to vitiligo development in Egyptian populations. Decreased circulating HBD-1 levels might have an active role in vitiligo etiopathogenesis that could be mediated through its possible anti-inflammatory effects.

Role of MicroRNA-31 (miR-31) in Breast Carcinoma Diagnosis and Prognosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Breast cancer (BC) is among the most widespread malignant tumors in women. In the current study, we evaluated the role of miR-31 in BC patients and its relation to the different prognostic, clinical, and pathological features. PATIENTS AND METHODS: MiR-31 levels were determined by RT-PCR in BC and adjacent normal breast tissues from 100 BC patients. BC diagnosis was established through histopathological examinations. The expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptor in all tumors was determined using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: MiR-31 expression was reduced in BC tissues relative to adjacent healthy breast tissue (mean levels were 0.93 and 7.2, respectively). Also, the low expression of miR-31 in BC patients was significantly correlated with adverse clinical and pathological features such as: young patient's age, premenopausal status, infiltrative lobular carcinoma, ER and PR negative tumors, HER2 positive tumors, and advanced clinical stage. CONCLUSION: MiR-31 was expressed at low levels in BC tissues and correlated with adverse clinical and pathological features, and poor survival.

Knockdown of GmD53a confers strigolactones mediated rhizobia interaction and promotes nodulation in soybean.

BACKGROUND: Strigolactones (SLs) play a key role in modulating plant root growth, shoot branching, and plant-symbiont interaction. However, despite their significance, the components of SL biosynthesis and signaling in soybean and their role in soybean-rhizobia interaction is unknown. METHODS: In this study, we identified and functionally characterized the GmD53a from soybean. The GmD53a ORFs were amplified from root cDNA using primers for GmD53a RNA interference. To induce transgenic hairy roots of soybean, electric shock was used to transform pB7WG1WG2 vectors containing GmD53a knockdown and GUS into K599 strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The hairy roots and nodules were collected and examined for root nodules ratio and RNA was extracted after 4 weeks of rhizobia inoculation. RESULTS: A tissue-specific expression assay showed that GmD53a was differentially expressed in plant parts, predominantly in the stem and nodule. Furthermore, its expression was significantly up-regulated during rhizobia infection and varied with nodule formation. The GmD53a-knockdown chimerical plants were produced to further check its role in soybean nodulation in comparison with control GUS. In knockdown lines, the GmD53a (suppressor of strigolactone MAX2) has a higher number of nodules compared to control lines. Furthermore, the expression levels of several nodulation genes essential for initiation and formation of nodules were altered in GmD53a-knockdown lines. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that SL biosynthesis and signaling are not conserved but also have close interaction between SL and legume rhizobia.

Vibration, acoustic and emission characteristics of the chlorella vulgaris microalgae oil in compression ignition engine to mitigate environmental pollution.

The petroleum fuel demand with high price and its exhaustion imposes a pressure to find an alternative. The fossil fuel shortage has been deteriorating over the past few years, because of the rapid increase in population. Many attempts have been made to increase the quality of biofuel with additives. In this paper, two types of nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes (CNT) and alumina (Al2O3) in chlorella microalgae biofuel were analyzed by experimental method. The added CNT and alumina act as a catalyst that induces complete combustion with retarded emissions. In addition to above, the noise and vibration qualities are also measured. A series of test conducted using single cylinders, four stroke, naturally aspirated compression ignition diesel engine was run by using pure diesel and also different fuel blends 'such as B10CNT50A50 Chlorella (Microalgae Biodiesel 10% + Diesel 90% + CNT 50 ppm), B20CNT50A50 (Microalgae Biodiesel 20% + Diesel 80% + CNT 50 ppm + Al2O3 50 ppm) and B30CNT50A50 (Microalgae Biodiesel 30% + Diesel 70% + CNT 50 ppm + Al2O3 50 ppm). At a constant load condition, all experimental tests were conducted at four different speeds such as 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, 2500 rpm and 3000 rpm. The reference fuel of diesel B0 results was compared with blended fuel. From the results, it has been found that the nano additives of CNT and alumina reduced the greenhouse gas emissions of CO compared to plain diesel. Only considering the blended fuel, as the percentage of biofuel increases, the emission of nitric oxide and carbon dioxide is decreased with significant reduction in the amount of noise and vibration and also the combustion and performance qualities were also improved. The highest benefit in terms of all factors was achieved in the fuel blend of B30A50CNT50 amongst the other blends.

Comparison of cracking activity of the core-shell composite MCM-41/HY & MCM-48/HY catalysts in the synthesis of organic liquid fuel from Mahua oil.

A synergistic catalyst was architectured using the hydrothermal crystallization method. Mesoporous material with pore diameter less than 20 nm was grown on the microporous Zeolite HY. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, ICP-OES, BET, TPD, SEM and TEM techniques. The SEM picture portrayed excellent core - shell morphology and TEM analysis corresponded to the XRD reports. Mahua oil was cracked in a pilot scale reactor over the synthesized catalysts at an optimized reaction condition (Temperature: 400 οC; WHSV: 4.6 h-1). The gaseous and liquid products of reaction were analyzed by Residual Gas analyzer and GCMS respectively. The NMR spectral analysis of fuel showed low traces of aromatics. The produced fuel was analyzed for its significant properties like calorific value, fire point, flash point and viscosity.

Assessment of Glutathione Peroxidase-1 (GPX1) Gene Expression as a Specific Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a malignant tumor of the mesothelial lining of the thorax. It has been related to frequent exposure to asbestos. Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma is considered a criticizing problem for clinicians. Early diagnosis and sufficient surgical excision of MPM are considered the cornerstone success factors for the management of early MPM. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1) is an intracellular protein found to be extensively distributed in all cells, and it belongs to the GPX group. In the current study, we included ninety-eight patients with MPM that underwent surgery at the Zagazig University Hospital in Egypt. We assessed GPX1 gene expression level as it was thought to be related to pathogenicity of cancer in a variety of malignant tumors. We observed a significant elevation in GPX1-mRNA levels in MPM relative to the nearby normal pleural tissues. It was found to be of important diagnostic specificity in the differentiation of MPM from normal tissues. Moreover, we studied the survival of patients in correlation to the GPX1 expression levels and we reported that median overall survival was about 16 months in patients with high GPX1 expression levels, while it was found to be about 40 months in low GPX1 levels.