Molecular identification of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) “Deglet noor” pollinator through analysis of genetic diversity of Algerian male and female ecotypes using SSRs markers

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) “pollinator or dokkar” influences fruit's quality and quickness of maturity "metaxenia". This study characterizes the genetic diversity and the relationships between different Algerian ecotypes of dokkars. In addition, we report on the use of microsatellites to identify pollinators that are genetically the closest to “Deglet Noor” and “Ghars” cultivars. A total of 25 microsatellites were used on 50 accessions from Algeria, showed high genetic variability. The number of amplified alleles was 135 and ranged from 2 (PDCAT3) to 12 (DP 159), with an average of 5.44. The average of observed heterozygosity ranged between 0.026 (DP169) and 1.00 (PDCAT10, DP171, DP160, DP159, MPdCIR32 and MPdCIR10), with a mean of 0.688 indicating high diversity of date palm accessions. The average of expected heterozygosity was 0.436 and varied between 0.098 (PDCAT3) and 0.6 (PDCAT2). Almost Fis values were negative for markers except for DP 169. Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Averages (UPGMA) clustering highlighted close genetic relationships between male and female genotypes for “Deglet Noor” accessions and showed case of homonymy and presence of clones. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) showed pattern that evidences the genetic diversity existing among pollinators that allowed distinguishing them easily. The combination of two SSR allowed to unambiguously distinguish six dokkars. Overall, UPGMA and PCoA showed that accessions of same type were clustered according to their origin (Oasis). Among the 28 private alleles scored in this study, nine were scored for Deglet Noor". Bayesian analysis showed a conserved genetic structure mainly for "Deglet Noor". Our results suggest that specific SSR marker (MPDCIR35) that characterize both male and female individuals of "Deglet Noor", could be used as potential marker to select, at early stage of seedling, the closest pollinator to the female individual of this important commercial cultivar. In addition, MPdCIR25 represents potential marker to identify male individuals of "Ghars"

The effect of confined Longitudinal Optical Phonons on the Binding Energy of an impurity in CdSe Quantum Dot

Using a variational approach, the effect of the confined LO-phonon on the binding energy in CdSe Quantum Dot has been calculated. The charge-carrier-phonon coupling is treated within the adiabatic approximation. Our results show that the effect of the confined LO-phonon on the binding energy decreases with the dot size. However the correction of the confined LO-phonon to bound state energy increases with dot size.Using a variational approach, the effect of the confined LO-phonon on the binding energy in CdSe Quantum Dot has been calculated. The charge-carrier-phonon coupling is treated within the adiabatic approximation. Our results show that the effect of the confined LO-phonon on the binding energy decreases with the dot size. However the correction of the confined LO-phonon to bound state energy increases with dot size

Étude phytochimique et évaluation de l’activité anti-oxydante de Thymus CIliatus ssp. Coloratus

Thymus ciliatus ssp. Coloratus, plante aromatique, spontanée et répandue en régions méditerranéennes et dans le nord de l’Algérie est très utilisée par les populations locales pour ses vertus médicinales. Les tests phytochimiques appliqués au Thymus ciliatus ssp coloratus ont montré la présence de quelques familles de composés chimiques et notamment les flavonoïdes. L'activité antioxydante in vitro de l’extrait de flavonoïdes a été évaluée par la technique de réduction du fer « FRAP » (ferric reducing antioxydant power) et par le test de DPPH. La première méthode a montré que la fraction acétate d’éthyle de la partie aérienne a une capacité à réduire le fer plus marquée que celles de l’acide ascorbique et le BHA et que celle des racines, est nettement inférieure. Quant aux fractions butanoliques des flavonoïdes de la partie aérienne et des racines, elles ont une capacité à réduire le fer largement inférieure à celles de l’acide ascorbique et le BHA. L’activité antioxydante, obtenue par la second procédé et relative à la fraction acétate d’éthyle des flavonoïdes de la partie aérienne de la plante est plus importante (I.C₅₀=0,85 mg/mL) que celles obtenues à partir d’antioxydants utilisés dans les industries alimentaire et pharmaceutique en l’occurrence l’acide ascorbique (I.C₅₀ = 1,12 mg/mL) et le BHA (I.C₅₀=1,61 mg/mL).Mots-clés : Thymus coloratus, activité antioxydant, flavonoïde, FRAP, DPPH.Phytochemical study and evaluation of the antioxidant activity of thymus ciliatus ssp. Coloratus Thymus ciliatus ssp. coloratus, aromatic plant, spontaneous and widespread in the Mediterranean and in northern Algeria is widely used by local people for its medicinal properties. Phytochemical tests applied for Thymus sciliatus ssp coloratus showed the presence of several families of chemical compounds including flavonoïds. The in vitro antioxidant activity of flavonoïds extract was evaluated by the iron reduction technique "FRAP" (ferric reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH test. The first method showed that the ethyl acetate fraction of the aerial part has an ability to reduce the iron greater than ascorbic acid and BHA and the roots, is significantly lower. As for butanol fractions of flavonoïds from the aerial part and roots, they have an ability to reduce iron significantly lower than those of ascorbic acid and BHA. The antioxidant activity obtained by the second method and on the ethyl acetate fraction of flavonoïds from the aerial part of the plant is more important (I.C₅₀ = 0.85 mg / mL) than those obtained from 'antioxidants used in food and pharmaceutical industries namely ascorbic acid (I.C₅₀ = 1.12 mg / mL) and BHA (I.C₅₀ = 1.61 mg / mL).Keywords : Thymus coloratus, antioxidant activity, flavonoïd, FRAP, DPPH

Comparing neuromotor functions in 45- and 65-year-old adults with 18-year-old adolescents

Aim: This cross-sectional analysis investigates how neuromotor functions of two independent cohorts of approximately 45- and 65-year-old individuals are different from 18-year-old adolescents using the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment-2 (ZNA-2). Methods: A total of 186 individuals of the Zurich Longitudinal Studies (ZLS) born in the 1950s (mean age 65.1 years, SD = 1.2 year, range of ages 59.0–67.5 years, n = 151, 82 males) and 1970s (mean age 43.6 years, SD = 1.3 year, range of ages 40.8–46.6 years, n = 35, 16 males) were tested with the ZNA-2 on 14 motor tasks combined in 5 motor components: fine motor, pure motor, balance, gross motor, and associated movements. Motor performance measures were converted into standard deviation scores (SDSs) using the normative data for 18-year-old individuals as reference. Results: The motor performance of the 45-year-old individuals was remarkably similar to that of the 18-year-olds (SDS from −0.22 to 0.25) apart from associated movements (−0.49 SDS). The 65-year-olds showed lower performance than the 18-year-olds in all components of the ZNA-2, with the smallest difference observed for associated movements (−0.67 SDS) and the largest for gross motor skills (−2.29 SDS). Higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with better performance on gross motor skills for 45-year-olds but with worse performance for 65-year-olds. More educational years had positive effects on gross motor skills for both ages. Interpretation: With the exception of associated movements, neuromotor functions as measured with the ZNA-2 are very similar in 45- and 18-year-olds. In contrast, at age 65 years, all neuromotor components show significantly lower function than the norm population at 18 years. Some evidence was found for the last-in-first-out hypothesis: the functions that developed later during adolescence, associated movements and gross motor skills, were the most vulnerable to age-related decline

Secular trends in physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence in children and adolescents born between 1978 and 1993

IntroductionHuman physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence have been documented as increasing for over 100 years. Comparing the timing of secular trends in these characteristics could provide insight into what underlies them. However, they have not been examined in parallel in the same cohort during different developmental phases. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine secular trends in body height, weight, and head circumference, biological maturation, and intelligence by assessing these traits concurrently at four points during development: the ages of 4, 9, 14, and 18 years.MethodsData derived from growth measures, bone age as an indicator of biological maturation, and full-scale intelligence tests were drawn from 236 participants of the Zurich Longitudinal Studies born between 1978 and 1993. In addition, birth weight was analyzed as an indicator of prenatal conditions.ResultsSecular trends for height and weight at 4 years were positive (0.35 SD increase per decade for height and an insignificant 0.27 SD increase per decade for weight) and remained similar at 9 and 14 years (height: 0.46 SD and 0.38 SD increase per decade; weight: 0.51 SD and 0.51 SD increase per decade, respectively) as well as for weight at age 18 years (0.36 SD increase per decade). In contrast, the secular trend in height was no longer evident at age 18 years (0.09 SD increase per decade). Secular trends for biological maturation at 14 years were similar to those of height and weight (0.54 SD increase per decade). At 18 years, the trend was non-significant (0.38 SD increase per decade). For intelligence, a positive secular trend was found at 4 years (0.54 SD increase per decade). In contrast, negative secular trends were observed at 9 years (0.54 SD decrease per decade) and 14 years (0.60 SD decrease per decade). No secular trend was observed at any of the four ages for head circumference (0.01, 0.24, 0.17, and − 0.04 SD increase per decade, respectively) and birth weight (0.01 SD decrease per decade).DiscussionThe different patterns of changes in physical growth, biological maturation, and intelligence between 1978 and 1993 indicate that distinct mechanisms underlie these secular trends

Secular trends in motor performance in Swiss children and adolescents from 1983 to 2018

Introduction: Environmental changes, including globalization, urbanization, social and cultural changes in society, and exposure to modern digital technology undoubtedly have an impact on children's activity and lifestyle behavior. In fact, marked reductions in children's physical activity levels have been reported over the years and sedentary behavior has increased around the world. The question arises whether these environmental changes had an impact on general motor performance in children and adolescents. The study aimed to investigate secular trends of motor performance in Swiss children and adolescents, aged between 7 and 18 years, over a period of 35 years from 1983 to 2018. Methods: Longitudinal data on the five motor components of the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment (ZNA) - pure motor (PM), fine motor (FM), dynamic balance (DB), static balance (SB), and contralateral associated movements (CAM) - were pooled with cross-sectional data on PM and FM from eight ZNA studies between 1983 and 2018. Regression models were used to estimate the effect of the year of birth on motor performance and body mass index (BMI) measurements. Models were adjusted for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Results: The secular trend estimates in standard deviation scores (SDS) per 10 years were - 0.06 [-0.33; 0.22, 95% Confidence Interval] for PM, -0.11 [-0.41; 0.20] for FM, -0.38 [-0.66; -0.09] for DB (-0.42 when controlled for BMI), -0.21 [-0.47; 0.06] for SB, and - 0.01 [-0.32; 0.31] for CAM. The mean change in BMI data was positive with 0.30 SDS [0.07; 0.53] over 10 years. Discussion: Despite substantial societal changes since the 1980s, motor performance has remained relatively stable across generations. No secular trend was found in FM, PM, SB, and CAM over a period of 35 years. A secular trend in DB was present independent of the secular trend in body mass index

Development of a LAMP assay for detection of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs using conjunctival swab samples

Background: Leishmania infantum infections in dogs play a crucial role in the transmission of pathogens causing visceral leishmaniasis to humans in the Gansu province, northwest China. To be able to control zoonotic transmission of the parasite to humans, a non-invasive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to specifically detect L. infantum infections in dogs was developed. Methods: The primers used in the LAMP assay were designed to target kinetoplast DNA minicircle sequences of the L. infantum isolate MCAN/CN/90/SC and tested using DNA isolated from promastigotes of different Leishmania species. The LAMP assay was evaluated with conjunctional swab samples obtained from 111 and 33 dogs living in an endemic and a non-endemic region of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis in the Gansu province, respectively. The LAMP assay was also compared with conventional PCR, ELISA and microscopy using conjunctional swab, serum and bone marrow samples from the dogs, respectively. Results: The LAMP assay detected 1 fg of L. infantum DNA purified from cultured promastigotes which was 10-fold more sensitive than a conventional PCR test using Leishmania genus-specific primers. No cross reaction was observed with DNA isolated from promastigotes of L. donovani, L. major, L. tropica, and L. braziliensis, and the L. infantum reference strain MHOM/TN/80/IPT1. The L. infantum-positive rates obtained for field-collected samples were 61.3%, 58.6%, 40.5% and 10.8% by LAMP, PCR, ELISA and microscopy, respectively. As only one out of the 33 samples from control dogs from the non-endemic region of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis was positive by the LAMP assay and the PCR test, the observed true negative rate (specificity) was 97% for both methods. Conclusion: This study has shown that the non-invasive, conjunctional swab-based LAMP assay developed was more sensitive in the detection of leishmaniasis in dogs than PCR, ELISA and microscopy. The findings indicate that the LAMP assay is a sensitive and specific method for the field surveillance of domestic dogs, particularly of asymptomatic canines, in ZVL-endemic areas in western China

Comparing neuromotor functions in 45- and 65-year-old adults with 18-year-old adolescents

AimThis cross-sectional analysis investigates how neuromotor functions of two independent cohorts of approximately 45- and 65-year-old individuals are different from 18-year-old adolescents using the Zurich Neuromotor Assessment-2 (ZNA-2).MethodsA total of 186 individuals of the Zurich Longitudinal Studies (ZLS) born in the 1950s (mean age 65.1 years, SD = 1.2 year, range of ages 59.0–67.5 years, n = 151, 82 males) and 1970s (mean age 43.6 years, SD = 1.3 year, range of ages 40.8–46.6 years, n = 35, 16 males) were tested with the ZNA-2 on 14 motor tasks combined in 5 motor components: fine motor, pure motor, balance, gross motor, and associated movements. Motor performance measures were converted into standard deviation scores (SDSs) using the normative data for 18-year-old individuals as reference.ResultsThe motor performance of the 45-year-old individuals was remarkably similar to that of the 18-year-olds (SDS from −0.22 to 0.25) apart from associated movements (−0.49 SDS). The 65-year-olds showed lower performance than the 18-year-olds in all components of the ZNA-2, with the smallest difference observed for associated movements (−0.67 SDS) and the largest for gross motor skills (−2.29 SDS). Higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with better performance on gross motor skills for 45-year-olds but with worse performance for 65-year-olds. More educational years had positive effects on gross motor skills for both ages.InterpretationWith the exception of associated movements, neuromotor functions as measured with the ZNA-2 are very similar in 45- and 18-year-olds. In contrast, at age 65 years, all neuromotor components show significantly lower function than the norm population at 18 years. Some evidence was found for the last-in-first-out hypothesis: the functions that developed later during adolescence, associated movements and gross motor skills, were the most vulnerable to age-related decline

Mutations in the Mitochondrial Citrate Carrier SLC25A1 are Associated with Impaired Neuromuscular Transmission.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Congenital myasthenic syndromes are rare inherited disorders characterized by fatigable weakness caused by malfunction of the neuromuscular junction. We performed whole exome sequencing to unravel the genetic aetiology in an English sib pair with clinical features suggestive of congenital myasthenia. METHODS: We used homozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing to identify the candidate gene variants. Mutant protein expression and function were assessed in vitro and a knockdown zebrafish model was generated to assess neuromuscular junction development. RESULTS: We identified a novel homozygous missense mutation in the SLC25A1 gene, encoding the mitochondrial citrate carrier. Mutant SLC25A1 showed abnormal carrier function. SLC25A1 has recently been linked to a severe, often lethal clinical phenotype. Our patients had a milder phenotype presenting primarily as a neuromuscular (NMJ) junction defect. Of note, a previously reported patient with different compound heterozygous missense mutations of SLC25A1 has since been shown to suffer from a neuromuscular transmission defect. Using knockdown of SLC25A1 expression in zebrafish, we were able to mirror the human disease in terms of variable brain, eye and cardiac involvement. Importantly, we show clear abnormalities in the neuromuscular junction, regardless of the severity of the phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the axonal outgrowth defects seen in SLC25A1 knockdown zebrafish, we hypothesize that the neuromuscular junction impairment may be related to pre-synaptic nerve terminal abnormalities. Our findings highlight the complex machinery required to ensure efficient neuromuscular function, beyond the proteomes exclusive to the neuromuscular synapse