Methylation assessment of two DKK2 and DKK4 genes in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most important types of oral malignancies. DKK gene family members as well as DKK2/4 have critical roles in regulation of Wnt signaling as one of the main determining pathway in oral carcinogenesis. This study aimed to identify promoter methylation status of DKK2/4 genes to provide possible biomarkers for early detection and treatment of OSCC patients. Methods: A case control study was performed on 31 fresh tissues obtained from oral cavity of patients affect-ed by OSCC and 31 fresh corresponding tissues from normal healthy controls in Tehran and, between the years of 2016-2018. Purified DNA from tissue samples was subjected to bisulfite treatment and then methyla-tion specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP-PCR) was carried out on treated DNA samples. Results: DKK4 promoter was methylated in none of OSCC samples while it was methylated in 16.1% of healthy controls. 16.1% of OSCC samples were detected to be semimethylated and 22.6% of healthy normal samples were methylated for DKK2 promoter gene. Meaningful difference was found in DKK4 promoter methylation among OSCC patients and healthy controls. Significant correlation was found between DKK4 promoter methylation and tumor grade. The age of all enrolled samples was demonstrated to have strong effect on promoter methylation of studied genes. Conclusion: Hypomethylation of DKK2 and DKK4 genes in higher grades of OSCC samples may indicate the pivotal role of their expression in tumor cells invasion and progression through modulation of Wnt signaling pathway. Further study required to determine simultaneous expression of those genes and Wnt signaling ele-ments at mRNA and protein levels

Equilibrium configurations of two charged masses in General Relativity

An asymptotically flat static solution of Einstein-Maxwell equations which describes the field of two non-extreme Reissner - Nordstr\"om sources in equilibrium is presented. It is expressed in terms of physical parameters of the sources (their masses, charges and separating distance). Very simple analytical forms were found for the solution as well as for the equilibrium condition which guarantees the absence of any struts on the symmetry axis. This condition shows that the equilibrium is not possible for two black holes or for two naked singularities. However, in the case when one of the sources is a black hole and another one is a naked singularity, the equilibrium is possible at some distance separating the sources. It is interesting that for appropriately chosen parameters even a Schwarzschild black hole together with a naked singularity can be "suspended" freely in the superposition of their fields.Comment: 4 pages; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Вентиляция и механика дыхания у больных хронической обструктивной болезнью легких при разном положении тела

The aim of this work was to study changes in mechanical lung properties in cases of COPD in general and in different zones depending on the body position.Materials and methods. The research was performed in 37 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the vertical and horizontal positions (VP and HP).Results. The analysis of integral respiration mechanics has revealed a reduction in dynamic lung compliance and an increase in total non-elastic lung resistance during expiration (TNRexp) in HP vs. VP. At the same time, despite the increase in TNRexp in HP, the total work of breathing did not increase. Unlike healthy individuals, the COPD patients were characterized by the absence of differences in regional mechanical properties in both VP and HP. There were no differences in the respiration mechanics of the left lung, and the zones of the right lung only differed in the parameters of regional non-elastic work of breathing (NWBr ) that was increasing from top downwards: the indicators of NWBr during expiration and NWBr in the lower zone were higher as opposed to those of the upper zone in VP. As for HP, NWBr during inspiration, NWBr during expiration and NWBr were higher.Conclusion. The data obtained contradict the prevailing opinion about an escalation in regional differences in ventilation and respiration mechanics under the influence of emerging focal and diffuse inflammatorysclerotic pathological changes in lungs and emphysema. Целью данной работы являлось изучение особенностей изменения механических свойств легких при хронической обструктивной болезни легких (ХОБЛ) в целом и по зонам в зависимости от положения тела.Материалы и методы. Исследование выполнено у 37 пациентов с ХОБЛ в вертикальном и горизонтальном положениях (ВП и ГП).Результаты. При исследовании интегральной механики дыхания было установлено снижение динамической растяжимости и повышение общего неэластического сопротивления легких на выдохе в ГП по сравнению с ВП. При этом, несмотря на повышение значений общего неэластического сопротивления на выдохе (ОНСвыд) в горизонтальном положении, не отмечалось увеличения общей работы дыхания. У пациентов с ХОБЛ, в отличие от здоровых лиц, регистрировалось исчезновение различий регионарных механических характеристик как в ВП, так и ГП тела. Отсутствовали различия в механике дыхания верхних, средних и нижних регионов левого легкого, зоны правого легкого различались лишь по показателям регионарной неэластической работы дыхания (НРДр ), которые увеличивались по направлению сверху вниз. В нижней зоне по сравнению с верхней большие значения показателей НРДр на вдохе (НРДвдр ) и НРДр на выдохе (НРДвыдр ) отмечены при ВП и ГП тела.Заключение. Полученные данные противоречат доминирующему мнению об усугублении регионарных различий вентиляции и механики дыхания под влиянием развивающихся в легких очаговых и диффузных воспалительно-склеротических патологических изменений и эмфиземы.

Utilizing Three Different Biochars for Attenuation of Toxic Acidic Mine Spoils Reflected by Lixiviate Quality Vis-a-Vis Phyto-Toxicity on Ocimum sanctum and Cassia angustifolia

Acidic mine rejects of pyretic sulphur coal mines were treated with biochar prepared from different feedstocks (distilled waste of Cymbopogonflexuosus (lemongrass) and Cymbopogonwinterianus (Citronella) and the bark of Eucalyptuscitriodora. The quality of lixiviate collected at three intervals (0, 15, and 30 days) from each treated and untreated mine waste was examined, and holy basil (Ocimumsanctum) and East Indian senna (Cassiaangustifolia) bioassays were carried out. Results indicate that all three biochars improve the lixiviate quality, i.e., Enhanced the pH of lixiviate up to 3 units and reduces phytotoxicity. However, their magnitude of impact on lixiviates quality and phytotoxicity was different. The biochar prepared from the distilled waste of Cymbopogonflexuosus showed more promising results. The neutralizing capacity and dissolved organic carbon content were the significant factors for the discrimination of the amendments. The tolerance of O. sanctum and C. angustifolia was significantly different from each other for a particular treatment