Development of molecular marker linked to seed hardness in pomegranate using bulked segregant analysis

The pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the fruit species with the oldest cultural history. There are many traits to determine the quality of pomegranate fruits. Among them, soft-seeded feature of pomegranate fruit is important trait for the market value of the fruit. For this reason, the demand for pomegranate varieties with soft seeds has been increasing, especially in recent years. In this study, molecular markers associated with seed hardness were developed to distinguish pomegranate cultivars with soft-seeded feature based on genomic DNA at the early stages of the pomegranate breeding process. For this purpose, pomegranate genotypes and/or cultivars from the population involved in reciprocal crosses of hard-seeded Ernar, medium-hard-seeded Hicaznar, and soft-seeded Fellahyemez cultivars were grouped as soft-seeded or hard-seeded. Further, leaf samples were collected from individuals belonging to each group. Then, the genomic DNA was isolated from each plant separately, and equal amount of genomic DNA from individuals with the similar seed hardness were mixed for bulked segregant analysis (BSA). The bulked genomic DNAs of opposite characters were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using random decamer primers to develop random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with soft-seeded or hard-seeded pomegranates. A total of three RAPD markers were determined to distinguish the individuals having soft- or hard-seeded pomegranate genotypes and/or cultivars. As a result of the comparison of the DNA sequences of these RAPD markers, insertion-deletions (inDels) primers were designed to developed and validate a PCR assay to distinguish the soft- and hard-seeded pomegranate genotypes/cultivars from each other. The molecular markers developed in this study will enable us to distinguish soft-seeded pomegranate types easily in a short time at the early stages of the pomegranate breeding programs

Nerve conduction studies in the early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the importance of split-hand phenomenon

Aim: The heterogeneity of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) clinical phenotypes leads to difficulties in early diagnosis. The ‘split hand’ sign is defined as the thenar muscles that are more prominently affected by hypothenar. In this study, the results of the initial nerve conduction study of the patients were compared with those of the controls in order to increase the findings supporting early diagnosis. Material and Method: Seventy-five patients who were diagnosed with ALS in our clinic were included in the study. The initial ENMG findings of the patients were compared with those of 70 healthy controls: Distal motor latency (DML), the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude, velocity in the motor conduction of median, ulnar, peroneal and tibial nerves; distal latency, amplitude, velocity in sensorial conduction were evaluated. Ulnar/median DML and ulnar/median CMAP amplitude ratios were examined. Results: In ALS group, DMLs of the median, ulnar, peroneal, and tibial nerves were significantly longer, and CMAP amplitudes were significantly smaller than those of the controls. The sensory conductions of the median, ulnar, and sural nerves were not statistically different between the groups. The ulnar/median DML ratio of the patients was lower than the ratio of controls (0.73/0.80;p=0.003); while the ulnar/median CMAP amplitude ratio was greater (1.40/1.11; p=0.002). Conclusion: Prolonged DML and reduced amplitudes were observed in the motor nerve conduction of ALS patients in the early period. The results of the present study also support the presence of split-hand phenomenon even in early period of limb-onset ALS (both upper and lower). These findings suggest that nerve conduction studies and electrophysiologically detected split-hand sign are important clues for the early diagnosis of ALS in case of heterogeneous clinical phenotype

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives as possible anticancer agents

The synthesis of new N-(5-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-2-[(5-(substituted amino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)thio]acetamide derivatives and investigation of their anticancer activities were the aims of this work. All the new compounds’ structures were elucidated by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS spectral data. Anticancer activity studies of the compounds were evaluated against MCF-7 and A549 tumor cell lines. In addition, with the purpose of determining the selectivity of cytotoxic activities, the most active compound was screened against a healthy NIH3T3 cell line (mouse embryonic fibroblast cells). Among the tested compounds, compound 4y (N-(5-ethyl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)-2-((5-(p-tolylamino)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)thio)acetamide), showed promising cytotoxic activity against MCF7 cancer cell with an IC50 value of 0.084 ± 0.020 mmol L–1 and against A549 cancer cell with IC50 value of 0.034 ± 0.008 mmol L–1, compared with cisplatin. The aromatase inhibitory activity was evaluated for compound 4y on MCF-7 cell line showing promising activity with IC50 of 0.062 ± 0.004 mmol L–1

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction and serum levels of neurotoxic and neurotrophic cytokines in patients with cobalamin deficiency

neurotrophiccytokines epidermal growth factor (EGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a role in the pathogenesisof cobalamin (Cbl) deficiency-induced neuropathy. The aim of this study was to evaluate autonomicnervous system dysfunction and to look for any relationship between autonomic nervous systemdisturbances and serum cytokine levels (TNF

Protein S Deficiency and an Adult Case with Moyamoya Syndrome that Presented with Primary Intraventricular Haemorrhage

Background: Moyamoya syndrome associated with protein S deficiency is rarely encountered and is usually reported in paediatric cases with cerebral ischaemia. Case Report: A 32-year-old woman had symptoms of sudden-onset severe headache, projectile vomiting, impaired consciousness, and slight neck stiffness. The computed tomography scan of her brain showed primary intraventricular haemorrhage, and the subsequent four vessel cerebral angiographies revealed stage 3 to 4 Moyamoya disease according to Suzuki and Takaku’s angiographic classification. The coagulation profile showed the presence of protein S deficiency. The patient was treated with external ventricular drainage and conservative management until blood clot resolution. The patient was discharged with normal neurological examination findings after her initial impaired consciousness and orientation defect gradually recovered. Conclusion: This case report would alert physicians to the possible coexistence of Moyamoya syndrome and protein S deficiency, even in adult cases presenting with primary intraventricular haemorrhage

A Dyskinesia Case Induced by Pramipexole, Pregabalin and Gabapentin After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Drug-induced dyskinesias can be seen occasionally in clinical practice. Here we present a 70-year-old patient who developed a noticeable dyskinesia after the use of pramipexole, gabapentin, pregabalin respectively for the restless legs syndrome. Prior to this condition, he had been hospitalized in intensive care unit for the myocardial infarction required cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and he had been discharged with no neurological deficits. The case presented here is a good example indicating the importance of being alert for drug-induced dyskinesias after hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, even though everything else seems righ