Effects of Exogenous Application of Protocatechuic Acid and Vanillic Acid to Chlorophylls, Phenolics and Antioxidant Enzymes of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Submergence.

In this study, effects from application of protocatechuic acid (PA) and vanillic acid (VA) and their mixture on the submergence tolerance of rice were examined. The treatment of 0.01 mM PA and VA did not show significant increase of rice growth as compared to the controls. However, at higher concentrations (0.1-1.0 mM), rice shoot was elevated in submergence by 20.8-22.4%. The survival percentage of rice seedlings at any dose of PA, VA and their mixture was significantly higher than the controls. In general, the mixture of PA and VA was more active to promote shoot elongation and survival in submergence than sole treatment of either PA or VA. The amount of chlorophyll b by PA was significantly increased, while no change in chlorophyll a content was observed. VA remarkably reduced malondialdehyde quantity at three days of submergence, while no significant difference among treatment was observed in PA, the mixture, and respective controls. The two phenolic acids promoted contents of phenolics and flavonoids in rice leaves and roots, however the quantities of endogenous PA and VA in rice were not markedly differed after PA and VA treated on roots of rice seedlings. The ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were enhanced, while the expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes was favored. VA increased the expression level of ascorbate peroxidase genes in higher levels than PA and their mixture, while no significant difference was observed in the other genes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and peroxidase. Findings of this study showed that PA and VA increased the submergence tolerance of rice by promoting the photosynthetic and anti-oxidative processes in rice seedlings. The treatment of PA and VA mixture on seedling roots was potent to promote the submergence tolerance in rice.

A common variant near TGFBR3 is associated with primary open angle glaucoma.

Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), a major cause of blindness worldwide, is a complex disease with a significant genetic contribution. We performed Exome Array (Illumina) analysis on 3504 POAG cases and 9746 controls with replication of the most significant findings in 9173 POAG cases and 26 780 controls across 18 collections of Asian, African and European descent. Apart from confirming strong evidence of association at CDKN2B-AS1 (rs2157719 [G], odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, P = 2.81 × 10(-33)), we observed one SNP showing significant association to POAG (CDC7-TGFBR3 rs1192415, ORG-allele = 1.13, Pmeta = 1.60 × 10(-8)). This particular SNP has previously been shown to be strongly associated with optic disc area and vertical cup-to-disc ratio, which are regarded as glaucoma-related quantitative traits. Our study now extends this by directly implicating it in POAG disease pathogenesis.

The complete chloroplast genome of Durio zibethinus L. cultivar Ri6 (Helicteroideae, Malvaceae).

Durian, a member of the Malvaceae family, is famous for its delicious fruits, which have strong scents and are rich in nutrients. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the complete chloroplast genome of Durio zibethinus L. 1774 cultivar Ri6, a popular durian cultivar in Vietnam, using the Illumina Hiseq platform. The results showed a circular chloroplast genome composed of a large single copy of 96,115 bp, a small single copy of 20,819 bp, and two inverted repeat regions of 24,185 bp. This genome consisted of 79 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and four ribosomal RNA genes. The overall GC content of this genome was 35.7%. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from 78 protein-coding regions revealed monophyly of Durio species and a close relationship between D. zibethinus cultivar Ri6 and cultivar Mongthong. This study provides essential information for further studies examining genetic population, breedings, and species identification among Durio taxa and cultivars.

The complete chloroplast genome of Elephantopus scaber L. (Vernonioideae, Asteraceae), a useful ethnomedicinal plant in asia.

Elephantopus scaber L. is a useful medicinal plant and has been used as a traditional medicine for various diseases in Asia. In this study, we completed and characterized the chloroplast genome of E. scaber of which the length was 152,375 bp. This circular genome had a large-single copy (LSC, 83,520 bp), a small-single copy (SSC, 18,523 bp), and two inverted repeat regions (IR, 25,166 bp). There were 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes in the chloroplast genome of E. scaber. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from 80 protein-coding regions revealed a close relationship between E. scaber and Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob. and a sister relationship between Vernonioideae and Cichorioideae subfamilies. The genomic data of E. scaber provide useful information to explore the molecular evolution of not only Elephantopus genus but also the Asteraceae family.

Comparing combined laser iridoplasty and surgical iridectomy with trabeculectomy in treatment of refractory acute primary angle closure without significant cataract: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the safety and efficacy of combined laser iridoplasty followed by surgical iridectomy (LI-SI) versus trabeculectomy in the management of medically unresponsive acute primary angle closure (APAC) with minimal cataract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted among patients with medically unresponsive APAC without significant cataract. Study participants were randomized into: LI-SI or unaugmented trabeculectomy. Primary outcome of the study was the rate of post-operative surgical complications in the first 3 months after surgery. Secondary outcome assessed at 1 year was whether treatment was completely successful (IOP < 21 mmHg without IOP lowering drops), or partially successful (IOP < 21 mmHg with IOP lowering drops). Failure was defined as IOP ≥ 21 mmHg with IOP lowering drops. RESULTS: The study included 67 eyes of 67 patients (59 females/8 males = 7.4/1) who were randomized into 2 groups: LI-SI (Group 1, 37 eyes), and trabeculectomy (Group 2, 30 eyes). There was no statistical difference between the two groups at baseline. Overall, there were more post-operative complications in Group 1 versus Group 2 (45.9% versus 33.3% - p = 0.23), although all responded well to medical treatment and resolved without sequelae. Complete success was found in 97.1% (34/35 eyes) in Group 1 and 92.6% in group 2 (p = 0.19, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher rate of post-operative complications after LI-SI compared to trabeculectomy performed for medically unresponsive APAC with minimal cataract. Both procedures had similar surgical outcomes at 1 year.

Isolation and purification of potential weed inhibitors from Mimosa pigra L.

The diversity in structure and herbicidal properties detected in natural phytotoxic compounds could bring about advantages for development bio-herbicides. The present study was carried out search for potential weed inhibitors from the parts of Mimosa pigra L. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract of leaf of M. pigra showed inhibitory activity during the time that Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyardgrass) germinates and grows, which is greater than that of other extracts. From this active extract, potent growth inhibitors were isolated and identified by column chromatography (CC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C NMR). The six compounds were purified in this study namely: lupeol (C1, 13.2 mg), stigmastane-3,6-dione (C2, 14.7 mg), quercetin (C3, 20.2 mg), chrysoeriol (C4, 28 mg), methyl gallate (C5, 21.5 mg) and daucosterol (C6, 16.0 mg). The C2 (quercetin) compound completely inhibited the emergency, shoot height and root length of E. crus-galli at 1 mg/mL concentration (IC50 shoot height = 0.56 mg/mL). This was also the first study to report the isolation and allelopathic activity of lupeol, chrysoeriol and daucosterol from M. pigra leaf. Findings of this study highlighted that quercetin from M. pigra may become bio-herbicide to control barnyard grass and other grass weeds for the development of safe agriculture.

The insecticidal capacity of ethanol extract from Cascabela peruviana (L.) Lippold against fruit fly.

Cascabela peruviana (L.) Lippold (C. peruviana) has been extensively used for its antifungal and antibacterial properties. However, its role in anti-insect is still under investigation. To investigate the ability of the ethanol extract of C. peruviana against insects, we used the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) as a model to gain more insight into the toxic effects of this extract. We found that the ethanol extract from the stem and leaves of C. peruviana was effective against insects and contained polyphenol and flavonoid compounds. C. peruviana could induce mortality of 2nd-instar larvae and reduce growth and reproduction of fruit flies. Interestingly, the toxicity of C. peruviana extract has been remained to affect the development of the next generation of fruit flies. The locomotor activity and feeding ability of the F1 generation of this insect were significantly reduced by C. peruviana. In addition, flavonoids and polyphenols, as well as saponins and tannins were detected in the ethanol extract of C. peruviana. We assume that the ability of the extract of C. peruviana to control insects may be related to the presence of high levels of these compounds. The findings highlighted that the extract from the leaves of Cascabela peruviana has the potential to be used as an insecticide.

The complete chloroplast genome of Mimosa pigra L. (Fabaceae), a notorious invasive plant.

Mimosa pigra L., also called the giant sensitive tree, is native to tropical America and has invaded Africa, Asia, and Australia. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome of M. pigra, which was 165,996 bp in length and composed of a large single-copy region (LSC; 93,299 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC; 17,989 bp) and two inverted repeat regions (IRs; 27,354 bp). The complete M. pigra chloroplast genome included 83 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs and 8 rRNAs. Phylogenetic analysis using the maximum likelihood method revealed the monophyly of M. pigra and related taxa of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. In comparison, the members of Papilionoideae were paraphyletic.

Brunner's gland hyperplasia associated with lipomatous pseudohypertrophy of the pancreas presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Brunner's gland hyperplasia (BGH) is a rare benign lesion of the duodenum. Lipomatous pseudohypertrophy (LiPH) of the pancreas is an extremely rare disease. Because each condition is rare, the probability of purely coincidental coexistence of both conditions is extremely low. CASE SUMMARY: We report a 26-year-old man presenting to our hospital with symptoms of recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a huge pedunculated polypoid lesion in the duodenum with bleeding at the base of the lesion. Histopathological examination of the duodenal biopsy specimens showed BGH. Besides, abdominal computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed marked fat replacement over the entire pancreas, confirmed by histopathological evaluation on percutaneous pancreatic biopsies. Based on the radiological and histological findings, LiPH of the pancreas and BGH were diagnosed. The patient refused any surgical intervention. Therefore, he was managed with supportive treatment. The patient's symptoms improved and there was no further bleeding. CONCLUSION: This is the first well-documented case showing the coexistence of LiPH of the pancreas and BGH.

Comparing the Safety and Efficacy of Phacogoniosynechialysis With Phacotrabeculectomy in the Management of Refractory Acute Primary Closure Angle Glaucoma With Cataract: A Multicenter Randomized Trial.

PRCIS: Combined phacoemulsification-goniosynechialysis (phaco-GSL) and unaugmented phacotrabeculectomy were both found to be effective in treating eyes with significant cataract and medically unresponsive acute primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG). Phaco-GSL seemed to be safer, with fewer surgical complications, and achieved better visual acuity than phacotrabeculectomy. OBJECTIVES: To compare the results of combined phaco-GSL with unaugmented phacotrabeculectomy in the management of eyes with medically unresponsive acute PACG and cataract. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH METHODS: This was a prospective randomized controlled trial involving patients with significant cataract and acute PACG who were not responsive to maximal medical therapy. Three ophthalmic centers in Hanoi, Vietnam, participated in this trial. Study subjects were randomized into 2 groups: phaco-GSL or phacotrabeculectomy. Of note, mitomycin-C or 5-fluorouracil were not used during trabeculectomy, but postoperative bleb needling with 5-fluorouracil injection(s) was allowed. The primary outcome of the study was the rate of postoperative surgical complications in the first 3 months after surgery. The secondary outcome, determined at 1 year, assessed whether treatment was completely successful [defined as intraocular pressure (IOP)<21 mm Hg without IOP-lowering drops], or partially successful (IOP<21 mm Hg with IOP-lowering drops). Treatment failure was defined as IOP≥21 mm Hg with maximal IOP-lowering drops. RESULTS: In total, 79 eyes from 79 patients (62 females, 17 males) were recruited (42 and 37 eyes in the phaco-GSL and phacotrabeculectomy groups, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups at baseline in terms of age, visual acuity, IOP, anterior angle width, or preoperative ultrasound biomicroscopy index. Postoperative complications in the first 3 months were seen more frequently in the phacotrabeculectomy group (62.2%) than in the phaco-GSL group (14.3%, P<0.01). At 1 year postsurgery, treatment was 100% successful in both groups, with no difference in the mean IOP (15.38±3.42 vs. 15.72±4.47 mm Hg). The visual field index improved significantly following surgery in both groups, but there was also no significant difference between the 2 groups. However, there was a significant difference in the best corrected visual acuity at 1 year, with patients in the phaco-GSL group achieving better vision (0.45±0.21 logMAR in the phaco-GSL group vs. 0.64±0.27 logMAR in the phacotrabeculectomy group, P=0.04). The mean angle width was also significantly larger in the phaco-GSL group than the phacotrabeculectomy group (2.34±0.33 vs. 1.25±0.41 Shaffer degrees). Similarly, on ultrasound biomicroscopy, the anterior chamber was deeper after 12 months (2.87±0.28 to 2.48±0.33 mm), and the mean trabecular-iris angle area was wider at 12 months (21.88±7.07 vs. 14.95±4.39 degrees) in the phaco-GSL than the phacotrabeculectomy group. CONCLUSIONS: Phaco-GSL and phacotrabeculectomy were both effective in treating medically unresponsive cases of acute PACG with cataracts. However, phaco-GSL showed better visual outcomes, wider drainage angles postsurgery, and fewer complications than phacotrabeculectomy.

Isolation and identification of herbivorous ciliates from contaminated microalgal cultures.

Ciliates are a common but understudied group of grazers that can invade microalgal cultures. To estimate the potential impact of ciliates on microalgal culture productivity, the identification of species that can invade these cultures is essential. Furthermore, isolation of these herbivorous ciliates allows to use them in experiments that investigate the impact of ciliate grazing on the productivity of microalgal cultures. The main aims of this study were to isolate and identify ciliates that invade cultures of the freshwater microalgae Chlorella and Chlamydomonas, and to establish a live collection of these ciliates for usage in future experiments. To this end, we optimized a method for isolating ciliates from contaminated microalgal cultures and we developed a new PCR primer set for amplifying the partial 18S rDNA of ciliates belonging to the classes Spirotrichea, Oligohymenophorea and Colpodea. As a result, we isolated 11 ciliates from microalgal enrichment cultures inoculated with non-sterile dust and various freshwater sources. Of these 11 species, 7 were found to be feeding on Chlamydomonas. Ciliate species that fed on Chlorella could not be isolated in this study. Ciliate species feeding on Chlamydomonas were identified based on a combination of morphological observations and molecular analyses of partial 18S rDNA sequences.

Efficacy of Phacoemulsification Alone vs Phacoemulsification With Goniosynechialysis in Patients With Primary Angle-Closure Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: The effectiveness of intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering phacoemulsification combined with goniosynechialysis (GSL) compared with phacoemulsification without GSL remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare the IOP outcome after 1 year in patients with synechial primary angle-closure disease (PACD) and cataract who underwent phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation (PEI) alone compared with PEI with GSL (PEI-GSL). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A multicenter randomized clinical trial was conducted from September 29, 2011, to March 16, 2015; data analysis was performed from April 1, 2015, to March 4, 2019. Patients with PACD, defined as primary angle closure or primary angle-closure glaucoma, and at least 90° peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) with cataract were included. Patients were randomized to undergo PEI alone or PEI-GSL. Patients were followed up for 1 year with standardized evaluations. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. INTERVENTIONS: Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation alone or with GSL. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Successful control of IOP at 12 months, defined as IOP 21 mm Hg or lower without use of topical IOP-lowering medications and a decrease in IOP of 20% or more from baseline IOP. RESULTS: Data from 78 patients (78 eyes) were analyzed. Of these, 37 patients were Chinese (47.4%) and 54 were women (69.2%); mean (SD) age was 67.7 (8.9) years. Mean deviation (SD) at baseline was -13.5 dB (9.4 dB). Forty patients were randomized to the PEI group and 38 to the PEI-GSL group. The mean (SD) IOP at baseline was 22.3 (8.5) mm Hg for the PEI group and 22.9 (5.3) mm Hg for the PEI-GSL group. At 1 year, the mean IOP was 14.3 (5.0) mm Hg for the PEI group and 15.9 (4.5) mm Hg for the PEI-GSL group. Successful control at 1 year occurred in 21 patients (52.5%) in the PEI group and 22 patients (57.9%) in the PEI-GSL group (mean difference, 5.4%; 95% CI, -18.0% to 28.2%; P = .63). In eyes that achieved successful control, mean IOP at 1 year was 12.5 (2.7) mm Hg (range, 7.0-19.0) for the PEI group and 13.6 (2.4) mm Hg (range, 9.0-18.0) for the PEI-GSL group. The number of medications at baseline and 1 year decreased from a mean of 2.2 (0.8) to 0.5 (0.9) in the PEI group and 1.9 (0.9) to 0.6 (1.2) in the PEI-GSL group (P < .001 for each), with a mean change difference of 0.4% (95% CI, -0.02% to 0.9%; P = .06). There were 3 postoperative complications (7.5%) in the PEI group and 3 (7.9%) in the PEI-GSL group. These included IOP spike (IOP≥30 mm Hg) (n = 3), excessive anterior chamber inflammation (n = 1), and posterior capsule opacification (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This randomized clinical trial was unable to show that PEI-GSL added additional IOP lowering compared with PEI alone in patients with PACD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02376725.

Ultrasound Biomicroscopic Diagnosis of Angle-closure Mechanisms in Vietnamese Subjects With Unilateral Angle-closure Glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the mechanisms of angle closure in the fellow eyes of Vietnamese subjects with unilateral primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) before and after prophylactic laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI). DESIGN: This is a prospective observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients diagnosed with PACG in one eye and primary angle-closure suspect (PACS) in the other eye were included in this study, conducted from January 2014 to October 2014 at Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 112 PACS fellow eyes of 112 patients presenting with unilateral PACG were evaluated. All subjects underwent standard ophthalmic clinical examination and UBM imaging a week before and after LPI. On the basis of UBM images, the angle-closure mechanism was defined according to the classification of Svend Vedel Kessing and John Thygesen as pupillary block (PB), plateau iris (PI), and mixed pattern. RESULTS: The proportion of PACS subjects who showed PB was 86.6%, while 13.4% showed a PI configuration before LPI. After LPI the pre-LPI PB group was reclassified, with 55.4% showing pure PB, and 31.3% showing mixed mechanisms (PB and PI). The proportion of patients with PI remained unchanged (13.4%) even after LPI. After the LPI, the angle opening significantly increased in the PB subgroup (14.01±2.43 degrees, P<0.01) and reclassified mixed group (6.34±1.71 degrees, P<0.01) but remained almost unchanged in the PI group (1.81±0.98 degrees, P>0.05). CONCLUSION: On the basis of the UBM criteria, PI was found in 13.4% of PACS fellow eyes of Vietnamese subjects with PACG. The clinical and UBM features of patients showing PI before LPI remained almost unchanged after the procedure. The proportion of patients showing PB pre-LPI reduced from 86.6% to 55.4% showing the important role of mixed mechanisms in PACG.

Phenolic Compositions and Antioxidant Properties in Bark, Flower, Inner Skin, Kernel and Leaf Extracts of Castanea crenata Sieb. et Zucc.

In this study, different plant parts (barks, flowers, inner skins, kernels and leaves) of Castanea crenata (Japanese chestnut) were analyzed for total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS), reducing power, and ß-carotene bleaching methods. The highest total phenolic and tannin contents were found in the inner skins (1034 ± 7.21 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 253.89 ± 5.59 mg catechin equivalent/g extract, respectively). The maximum total flavonoid content was observed in the flowers (147.41 ± 1.61 mg rutin equivalent/g extract). The inner skins showed the strongest antioxidant activities in all evaluated assays. Thirteen phenolic acids and eight flavonoids were detected and quantified for the first time. Major phenolic acids were gallic, ellagic, sinapic, and p-coumaric acids, while the principal flavonoids were myricetin and isoquercitrin. The inner skin extract was further fractionated by column chromatography to yield four fractions, of which fraction F3 exhibited the most remarkable DPPH scavenging capacity. These results suggest that C. crenata provides promising antioxidant capacities, and is a potential natural preservative agent in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Potential Use of Plant Waste from the Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian "V3") as an Antioxidant Source.

This research was conducted to exploit the waste of used plant parts from the widely marketed moth orchid cultivar (Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian "V3"). Various extracts of roots, stems, and leaves were evaluated for total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity. The bound extract from stems contained the highest total phenolics (5.092 ± 0.739 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/g DW (dry weight)). The maximum total flavonoids (2.218 ± 0.021 mg RE (rutin equivalent)/g DW) were found in the hexane extract of leaves. Ethyl acetate extract from roots showed the greatest antioxidant activity compared to other extracts. Of these extracts, the IC50 values of these samples were 0.070 mg/mL, and 0.450 mg/mL in a free radical 1,-diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reducing power method, respectively. The lipid peroxidation inhibition (LPI) was found to be 94.2% using the ß-carotene bleaching method. Five phenolic compounds including caffeic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, ellagic acid, and cinnamic acid were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is suggested that the roots of the hybrid Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian "V3" cultivar may be exploited as an effective source of antioxidants.

Probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Vietnamese sour-fermented fish product

Aims@#To isolate and characterize the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from the “mam chua ca ro” (sour fermented fish) in the South of Vietnam and investigate their potential anti-bacterial properties.@*Methodology and results@#Four LAB strains (MCR1, MCR2, MCR3 and MCR4) were isolated from the "mam chua ca ro" product and their anti-bacterial activity was determined using the spot assay and the paper disc diffusion method. The isolated LABs can inhibit Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Staphyloccocus aureus ATCC 25923 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus BV016 and produce bacteriocin to control the growth of E. coli ATCC 25922 and S. aureus ATCC 25923, except V. parahaemolyticus. MCR2 was chosen to sequence 16S rRNA of Pediococcus acidilactic.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#On the basis of their prominent anti-pathogenic bacteria activity, LAB strains isolated from Vietnamese sour-fermented fish products were verified as prospective probiotics.

Genetic association study of exfoliation syndrome identifies a protective rare variant at LOXL1 and five new susceptibility loci.

Exfoliation syndrome (XFS) is the most common known risk factor for secondary glaucoma and a major cause of blindness worldwide. Variants in two genes, LOXL1 and CACNA1A, have previously been associated with XFS. To further elucidate the genetic basis of XFS, we collected a global sample of XFS cases to refine the association at LOXL1, which previously showed inconsistent results across populations, and to identify new variants associated with XFS. We identified a rare protective allele at LOXL1 (p.Phe407, odds ratio (OR) = 25, P = 2.9 × 10-14) through deep resequencing of XFS cases and controls from nine countries. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of XFS cases and controls from 24 countries followed by replication in 18 countries identified seven genome-wide significant loci (P < 5 × 10-8). We identified association signals at 13q12 (POMP), 11q23.3 (TMEM136), 6p21 (AGPAT1), 3p24 (RBMS3) and 5q23 (near SEMA6A). These findings provide biological insights into the pathology of XFS and highlight a potential role for naturally occurring rare LOXL1 variants in disease biology.

Phenolic Profiles and Antioxidant Activity of Germinated Legumes.

Bioactive compounds, which are naturally produced in plants, have been concerned with the food and pharmaceutical industries because of the pharmacological effects on humans. In this study, the individual phenolics of six legumes during germination and antioxidant capacity from sprout extracts were determined. It was found that the phenolic content significantly increased during germination in all legumes. Peanuts showed the strongest antioxidant capacity in both the DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) method and the reducing power assay (32.51% and 84.48%, respectively). A total of 13 phenolic acids were detected and quantified. There were 11 phenolic constituents identified in adzuki beans; 10 in soybeans; 9 in black beans, mung beans, and white cowpeas; and 7 compounds in peanuts. Sinapic acid and cinnamic acid were detected in all six legume sprouts, and their quantities in germinated peanuts were the highest (247.9 µg·g-1 and 62.9 µg·g-1, respectively). The study reveals that, among the investigated legumes, germinated peanuts and soybeans obtained maximum phenolics and antioxidant capacity.

CYP1B1 and MYOC Mutations in Vietnamese Primary Congenital Glaucoma Patients.

PURPOSE: Primary congenital glaucoma (PCG, OMIM 231300), the most common glaucoma in infancy, is caused by developmental defects in the anterior chamber angle. The 3 implicated genes are cytochrome P450 family I subfamily B polypeptide 1 (CYP1B1), latent transforming growth factor ß-binding protein 2 (LTBP2), and myocilin (MYOC). In this study, we sought to determine CYP1B1 and MYOC sequence variations in a Vietnamese cohort of index cases with PCG and their families. METHODS: Thirty Vietnamese subjects with PCG and 120 normal Vietnamese subjects were recruited. PCG was defined by the presence of at least 2 of the following clinical manifestations: increased corneal diameter (>10 mm at birth), corneal edema, Haab's striae, optic disc changes, and absence of other ocular or systemic diseases associated with childhood glaucoma. The coding exons, intron and exon boundaries, and untranslated regions of CYP1B1 and MYOC genes were PCR amplified and subjected to bidirectional sequencing in all subjects. RESULTS: We identified 2 homozygous and 3 heterozygous CYP1B1 sequence alterations in our study subjects. Among the 5 mutations identified, 2 (p.H279L and p.L283F) were novel mutations, whereas 3 (p.A121_S122insDRPAFA, p.L107V, and p.V320L) had been previously reported in PCG cases. None of these mutations was observed in any of the 120 controls. Haplotypes generated with 6 non-disease-causing intragenic single nucleotide polymorphisms detected in CYP1B1 indicated that the most common haplotype in Vietnamese population is similar to that found in Chinese and Japanese. The genotype-phenotype correlation showed no significant difference between mutation and no-mutation groups for quantitative clinical features (presenting intraocular pressure, corneal diameter, number of surgeries performed, the cup-to-disc ratio) as well as for qualitative factors (bilateral cases, phenotype severity, and the prognosis) (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Five out of 30 families with PCG (16.7%) had disease attributable to CYP1B1 alterations suggesting that CYP1B1 is not the major gene causing PCG in Vietnamese unlike in the case of Arab or Romany patients. This percentage is similar to that detected in studies of Japanese and Chinese patients with sporadic PCG. PCG has proven to be an ocular disease of genetic heterogeneity, calling for further studies to identify novel genes causing this disease.

Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Phalaenopsis Orchid Hybrids.

Phalaenopsis spp. is the most commercially and economically important orchid, but their plant parts are often left unused, which has caused environmental problems. To date, reports on phytochemical analyses were most available on endangered and medicinal orchids. The present study was conducted to determine the total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of ethanol extracts prepared from leaves and roots of six commercial hybrid Phalaenopsis spp. Leaf extracts of "Chian Xen Queen" contained the highest total phenolics with a value of 11.52 ± 0.43 mg gallic acid equivalent per g dry weight and the highest total flavonoids (4.98 ± 0.27 mg rutin equivalent per g dry weight). The antioxidant activity of root extracts evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging assay and ß-carotene bleaching method was higher than those of the leaf extracts. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified, namely, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, and ellagic acid. Ferulic, p-coumaric and sinapic acids were concentrated largely in the roots. The results suggested that the root extracts from hybrid Phalaenopsis spp. could be a potential source of natural antioxidants. This study also helps to reduce the amount of this orchid waste in industrial production, as its roots can be exploited for pharmaceutical purposes.