Genetic polymorphism in melatonin receptor 1A and arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase and its impact on seasonal reproduction in Egyptian sheep breeds

This study was carried out to detect polymorphisms in the melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) and arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AA-NAT) genes and their association with reproductive traits. Blood samples of 126 animals from three Egyptian sheep breeds were collected. DNA was extracted and subjected to PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using the RsaI and SmaI enzymes. Two alleles (C and T) and three genotypes (CC, CT and TT) for MTNR1A and for AA-NAT (A and G; GG, GA and AA) were detected. The alleles C and A and the genotypes CT and GA showed the highest frequencies for the MTNR1A and AA-NAT genes, respectively. Association analysis of the MTNR1A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with ewe reproductive traits revealed significant associations in the Ossimi and Rahmani breeds with age at first lambing, and the C allele seemed to be the favorable allele. The results for the AA-NAT SNP demonstrated significant correlations in Ossimi with age at first lambing and litter size and in Rahmani with lambing interval; the G allele seemed to be the desirable allele. In the first conception season, ewes carrying CT exhibited a significantly lower age of first lambing in the unfavorable season. Additionally, GG ewes exhibited a significantly lower age of first lambing in the early favorable season, followed by the unfavorable season. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of these associations in Egyptian sheep breeds. In conclusion, the polymorphisms revealed in this study could be used as genetic markers to improve reproductive efficiency during the unfavorable season, and the obtained desirable genotypes could be considered in new genetic selection schemes.</p

Rapid regression of neurological symptoms in patients with metastasised ALK+ lung cancer who are treated with lorlatinib: a report of two cases

Contains fulltext : 208691.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Oral anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have shown significant benefit in the management of ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, almost all patients will experience disease progression after front-line ALK-TKIs such as crizotinib. Treatment with third generation ALK-TKI lorlatinib can have a significant clinical impact following disease progression, even in patients with a very poor performance status. Here, we review two clinical cases with metastatic ALK-rearranged NSCLC who had pulmonary disease control with first-generation ALK inhibitor. However, disease progressed rapidly in the central nervous system with severe neurological symptoms. Treatment with lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK-TKI, led to a rapid radiological and clinical cerebral response in both patients. Lorlatinib can overcome ALK resistance to crizotinib, and the presented cases suggest a potential role for lorlatinib in patients with rapidly progressive cerebral and leptomeningeal metastases

New Schottky diode based entirely on nickel aluminate spinel/p-silicon using the sol-gel spin coating approach

A new kind of p-type Schottky diode was successfully fabricated based entirely on Al/NiAl2O4/p-Si/Al spinel using the sol-gel spin coating approach. The estimated values of particle size and surface roughness of the as prepared NiAl2O4 film are found to be 168-362 nm and 27.735 nm, respectively. The electrical properties of the Al/NiAl2O4/p-Si/Al diode were characterized in terms of current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) techniques. The rectification ratio and ideality factor of the Al/NiAl2O 4/p-Si/Al diode is decreased by increasing temperature. It was observed that there is a difference between the ideality factor obtained from the forward bias semi-log I-V plot and dV/d(ln I) vs. I plot. The electrical parameters at room temperature of the as fabricated Al/NiAl2O 4/p-Si/Al diode such as built-in potential, acceptor concentration, barrier height different temperatures and frequencies were determined from the capacitance-voltage measurements. It is found that the values of the acceptor concentration are decreased, while the values of the built-in potential are increased with increasing frequencies of the diode. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.MMY-12.02The authors gratefully acknowledge and thank the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for the research group “Advances in composites, Synthesis and applications”. This work is as a result of international collaboration of the group with Prof. F. Yakuphanoglu. Prof. Dr. Farid El-Tantawy thanks to TUBİTAK for supporting under Fellowships for Visiting Scientists and Scientists on Sabbatical Leave. This study also supported by Fırat University under the project: MMY-12.02