Comparative study on gonad development in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in fresh and brackish water in the Yazd Province

Rainbow trout (Oncorhylichus mikiss) weidting 200±5 grams were used in this study to compare their gonad development in fresh and brackish water in Yazd Province. The culture period lasted 140 days from October to March 2003 during which time the temperature 03.8+0.6), pH (8.18±0.12) and dissolved oxygen (6.2+0.11) of fresh and brackish water were kept nearly constant. The salinity of fresh and brackish water was 0.4 -0.5 and 14.3-14.7ppt respectively. The fish were fed common commercial trout food (Chineh GFT2) based on temperature and biomass. Histological studies indicated that the gonad development is accelerated in brackish water where the males mature two month eal her than those reared in freshwater. The gonadosomatic index (G51) also affirmed the gonad development (P<0.05)

Investigation of the Ds1D_{s1} structure via BcB_c to Ds1l+l−/ννˉD_{s1} l^+l^-/\nu\bar\nu transitions in QCD

We investigate the structure of the $D_{s1}(2460,2536) (J^P=1^+)$ mesons via analyzing the semileptonic $B_{c}\to D_{s1}l^+l^-$, $l=\tau, \mu, e$ and $B_{c}\to D_{s1}\nu\bar{\nu}$ transitions in the framework of the three--point QCD sum rules. We consider the $D_{s1}$ meson in two ways, the pure $|c\bar{s}>$ state and then as a mixture of two $|^3P_1>$ and $|^1P_1>$ states. Such type rare transitions take place at loop level by electroweak penguin and weak box diagrams in the standard model via the flavor changing neutral current transition of $b \to s$. The relevant form factors are calculated taking into account the gluon condensate contributions. These form factors are numerically obtained for $|c\bar s>$ case and plotted in terms of the unknown mixing angle $\theta_s$, when the $D_{s1}$ meson are considered as mixture of two $|^3P_1>$ and $|^1P_1>$ states. The obtained results for the form factors are used to evaluate the decay rates and branching ratios. Any future experimental measurement on these form factors as well as decay rates and branching fractions and their comparison with the obtained results in the present work can give considerable information about the structure of this meson and the mixing angle $\theta_s$.Comment: 33 Pages, 11 Figures and 5 Table

gDs∗DK∗(892)g_{D^{\ast}_{s}D K^{\ast}(892)} and gBs∗BK∗(892)g_{B^{\ast}_{s}B K^{\ast}(892)} coupling constants in QCD sum rules

The coupling constants $g_{D^{\ast}_{s}D K^{\ast}(892)}$ and $g_{B^{\ast}_{s}B K^{\ast}(892)}$ are calculated in the framework of three-point QCD sum rules. The correlation functions responsible for these coupling constants are evaluated considering contributions of both $D(B)$ and $K^*(892)$ mesons as off-shell states, but in the absence of radiative corrections. The results, $g_{D^{\ast}_{s}D K^{\ast}(892)}=(4.31\pm1.42) GeV^{-1}$ and $g_{B^{\ast}_{s}B K^{\ast}(892)}=(3.24\pm1.08) GeV^{-1}$ are obtained for the considered strong coupling constants.Comment: 13 Pages and 11 Figure

Assessment of genetic diversity among some Iranian hazelnut genotypes using SSR markers

Abstract Studying genetic diversity is a preliminary step for conservation and utilization of germplasm. Talesh hills, located in Guilan province in northern part of Iran, are one of the main areas for natural distribution of hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). Hazelnut trees in Talesh Mountains are a wild population (land race) and obtained from open-pollinated seedling. In this research, a population including 90 hazelnut samples was studied using 15 microsatellite markers. Totally, 98 polymorphic alleles were detected with an average of 6.53 alleles per locus. The lowest numbers of 3 alleles were observed in CaC-B005 and CaC-C114 and the highest number of 12 alleles in CaC-C101 locus. The average effective number of alleles (3.75), mean expected heterozygosity of (He=0.70) and average observed heterozygosity of (Ho=0.62) were estimated for studied loci. All loci showed high PIC with an average of 0.72 that the highest amount detected in CaC-B011 and CaC-B101 loci with values of 0.85 and 0.84, respectively. A dendrogram was generated by UPGMA clustering method that placed the 90 accessions into 7 main loose groups. According to the results a high genetic diversity was found in the studied population that mainly related to the hazelnut pollination nature that shows sporophytic incompatibility system enhancing out-crossing in natural populations

The ESR1 (6q25) locus is associated with calcaneal ultrasound parameters and radial volumetric bone mineral density in European men

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Purpose:&lt;/b&gt; Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 6q25, which incorporates the oestrogen receptor alpha gene (ESR1), as a quantitative trait locus for areal bone mineral density (BMD(a)) of the hip and lumbar spine. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of this locus on other bone health outcomes; calcaneal ultrasound (QUS) parameters, radial peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) parameters and markers of bone turnover in a population sample of European men.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; Eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the 6q25 locus were genotyped in men aged 40-79 years from 7 European countries, participating in the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). The associations between SNPs and measured bone parameters were tested under an additive genetic model adjusting for centre using linear regression.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; 2468 men, mean (SD) aged 59.9 (11.1) years had QUS measurements performed and bone turnover marker levels measured. A subset of 628 men had DXA and pQCT measurements. Multiple independent SNPs showed significant associations with BMD using all three measurement techniques. Most notably, rs1999805 was associated with a 0.10 SD (95%CI 0.05, 0.16; p = 0.0001) lower estimated BMD at the calcaneus, a 0.14 SD (95%CI 0.05, 0.24; p = 0.004) lower total hip BMD(a), a 0.12 SD (95%CI 0.02, 0.23; p = 0.026) lower lumbar spine BMD(a) and a 0.18 SD (95%CI 0.06, 0.29; p = 0.003) lower trabecular BMD at the distal radius for each copy of the minor allele. There was no association with serum levels of bone turnover markers and a single SNP which was associated with cortical density was also associated with cortical BMC and thickness.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; Our data replicate previous associations found between SNPs in the 6q25 locus and BMD(a) at the hip and extend these data to include associations with calcaneal ultrasound parameters and radial volumetric BMD.&lt;/p&gt

Albumin binding, antioxidant and antibacterial effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles

Herein, the interaction of CeO2 NPs with HSA was explored by fluorescence, CD, UVevis and molecular docking studies. Afterwards, the antioxidant activity of CeO2 NPs against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in BM-MSCs were explored by MTT, ROS and apoptosis assays. Antibacterial assay was also done on two Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Fluorescence study showed that the interaction of CeO2 NPs with HSA occurs through static quenching and hydrophilic interactions are involved in the spontaneous complex formation. The theoretical study also revealed that the distribution of hydrophilic residues of HSA is dominant in the binding site. CD and UVevis techniques also revealed that the ellipticity changes and Tm of HSA, respectively did not alter significantly in the presence of CeO2 NPs. Cellular assays depicted that CeO2 NPs did not induce cytotoxicity against BM-MSC up to 50 mg/ml for 24 h and pretreatment of cells with CeO2 NPs can reduce the cell mortality, ROS production and apoptosis in BM-MSC exposed to oxidative stress. The antibacterial assay revealed that CeO2 NPs have a significant antibacterial effect against all studied bacterial strains. This study may provide useful details about the biomedical applications of CeO2 NPs

Vitamin K1 As A Potential Molecule For Reducing Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes-Stimulated α-Synuclein Structural Changes And Cytotoxicity

Aims: Different kinds of vitamins can be used as promising candidates to mitigate the structural changes of proteins and associated cytotoxicity stimulated by NPs. Therefore, the structural changes of α-syn molecules and their associated cytotoxicity in the presence of SWCNTs either alone or co-incubated with vitamin K1 were studied by spectroscopic, bioinformatical, and cellular assays. Methods: Intrinsic and ThT fluorescence, CD, and Congo red absorption spectroscopic approaches as well as TEM investigation, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics were used to explore the protective effect of vitamin K1 on the structural changes of α-syn induced by SWCNTs. The cytotoxicity of α-syn/SWCNTs co-incubated with vitamin K1 against SHSY5Y cells was also carried out by MTT, LDH, and caspase-3 assays. Results: Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that vitamin K1 has a significant effect in reducing SWCNT-induced fluorescence quenching and aggregation of α- syn. CD, Congo red adsorption, and TEM investigations determined that co-incubation of α- syn with vitamin K1 inhibited the propensity of α-syn into the structural changes and amorphous aggregation in the presence of SWCNT. Docking studies determined the occupation of preferred docked site of SWCNT by vitamin K1 on α- syn conformation. A molecular dynamics study also showed that vitamin K1 reduced the structural changes of α- syn induced by SWCNT. Cellular data exhibited that the cytotoxicity of α- syn co-incubated with vitamin K1 in the presence of SWCNTs is less than the outcomes obtained in the absence of the vitamin K1. Conclusion: It may be concluded that vitamin K1 decreases the propensity of α- syn aggregation in the presence of SWCNTs and induction of cytotoxicity

Growth Hormone Protects Against Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss in States of Low Circulating Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1)*

Early after estrogen loss in postmenopausal women and ovariectomy (OVX) of animals, accelerated endosteal bone resorption leads to marrow expansion of long bone shafts that reduce mechanical integrity. Both growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) are potent regulators of bone remodeling processes. To investigate the role of the GH/IGF-1 axis with estrogen deficiency, we used the liver IGF-1-deficient (LID) mouse. Contrary to deficits in controls, OVX of LID mice resulted in maintenance of cortical bone mechanical integrity primarily owing to an enhanced periosteal expansion affect on cross-sectional structure (total area and cortical width). The serum balance in LID that favors GH over IGF-1 diminished the effects of ablated ovarian function on numbers of osteoclast precursors in the marrow and viability of osteocytes within the cortical matrix and led to less endosteal resorption in addition to greater periosteal bone formation. Interactions between estrogen and the GH/IGF-1 system as related to bone remodeling provide a pathway to minimize degeneration of bone tissue structure and osteoporotic fracture. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Researc

Cancer Treatment and Bone Health

Considerable advances in oncology over recent decades have led to improved survival, while raising concerns about long-term consequences of anticancer treatments. In patients with breast or prostate malignancies, bone health is a major issue due to the high risk of bone metastases and the frequent prolonged use of hormone therapies that alter physiological bone turnover, leading to increased fracture risk. Thus, the onset of cancer treatment-induced bone loss (CTIBL) should be considered by clinicians and recent guidelines should be routinely applied to these patients. In particular, baseline and periodic follow-up evaluations of bone health parameters enable the identification of patients at high risk of osteoporosis and fractures, which can be prevented by the use of bone-targeting agents (BTAs), calcium and vitamin D supplementation and modifications of lifestyle. This review will focus upon the pathophysiology of breast and prostate cancer treatment-induced bone loss and the most recent evidence about effective preventive and therapeutic strategies