The characterization of the p-type dystrophin transcript and promoter.

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) are caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. DMD is also associated with a variable degree of mental impairment. Several dystrophin transcripts are expressed in the brain including a novel transcript (P-type dystrophin) expressed specifically in Purkinje cells; its expression is controlled by an alternative promoter. This study shows that the P-type mRNA is also expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle but not in smooth muscle. Its first exon encodes a specific, short amino terminus that is highly conserved in mammals and to a lesser extent in chicken. The nucleotide sequence of the P-type first exon and putative promoter region is also conserved. In mice, the 5'-end of the P-type transcript was found to be structurally diverse arising from alternative splicing events at the 5'-UTR. This may occur separately or in combination with insertion of a part of intron I resulting in premature termination of translation. There are multiple transcription initiation sites, the predominant one being conserved in human and mouse. Moreover, alternative usage of ATG codons may result in alternative N-termini in rodents or short upstream open reading frames in other species. Several regulatory elements are conserved in different species. The TATA box found in human sequence is not conserved and is outside the region that directed CAT reporter gene expression in differentiated myotubes in culture

Effect of Humic Acid on Soil Properties and Productivity of Maize Irrigated with Saline Water

The aim of this search was to understand the effect of humic acid on soil properties and the growth and salinity tolerance of maize irrigated with saline water. The experiment was conducted in the Sabboura Research Station, Syria in 2019–2020. As treatments, humic acid was added to the soil at concentrations of 0, 1, and 2 g/L·m2, and the crop was irrigated using saline water with 0.5, 2, 4, and 6 ds/m salinity, measured by electrical conductivity (EC). The results showed that treatment with 2 ds/m irrigation water salinity and 2 g/L·m2 of humic acid achieved the highest fresh biomass production and plant height compared to the control and other treatments, while 4 ds/m irrigation water salinity and 0 g/L·m2 of humic acid gave the highest productivity measured by dry mass. In addition, the pH value increased up to 9.15 for the treatment with 6 ds/m irrigation water salinity and 2 g/L·m2 of humic acid, while the EC values increased with an increase in salinity in the irrigation water, and the highest value (2.59 ds/m) occurred in the treatment with 6 ds/m irrigation water salinity and 2 g/L·m2 of humic acid. The use of highly saline irrigation water (6 ds/m) led to an increase in EC and caused a noticeable decrease in plant height and fresh biomass accumulation in all treatments, indicating that maize cannot tolerate more than 6 ds/m irrigation water salinity

Evaluation of HIV Reporting Form in Sana’a City, Yemen, 2016

Yemen has witnessed a significant rise in AIDS-related deaths because of very poor access to antiretroviral treatment and because of the current war situation. This study aimed to assess the attributes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reporting form, including usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, and acceptability, which is used for reporting HIV cases in Sana’a, Yemen. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 311 physicians from public and private health facilities in Sana’a city. Physicians were interviewed using a structured questionnaire to assess the form’s attributes. The mean score was calculated for each attribute and converted to percentages which were interpreted as very poor, poor, average, good, and excellent. The usefulness overall score was 76%, indicating average usefulness. Of the total participants, 283 (91%) and 304 (97.7%) stated that the form is clear and easy to fill, respectively. More than two-thirds (68.5%) of physicians stated that the form ensures the privacy of the customer’s identity. The simplicity attribute score was 74.5%, indicating average simplicity. The overall flexibility was 69.2%, indicating average flexibility. A total of 175 (56%) physicians indicated that they are completely satisfied with the reporting form. The acceptability score was 75.2%, indicating that the HIV/AIDS reporting form of HIV is average in acceptability. The HIV/AIDS reporting form in Yemen was scored average in usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, and acceptability. Training health workers on using the reporting form would improve the performance of HIV/AIDS reporting. Moreover, the reporting form could be adapted to be integrated with other surveillance such as tuberculosis surveillance

Virulence factors and mechanisms of Aeromonas hydrophila infection in catfish Siluriformes: a review and bibliometric analysis

Aeromonas hydrophila, a gram-negative bacterium belonging to the Aeromonadaceae family, has significantly impacted global catfish production within the Siluriformes family, resulting in economic losses. Despite being recognized as part of the normal flora found in water systems and fish organs, the pathogenicity of A. hydrophila is often activated by the expression of virulence genes encoding toxins. To systematically gather reliable scientific studies on the virulence of A. hydrophila in catfish Siluriformes, the PRISMA method was employed, utilizing the Scopus database. Following the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 66 documents were scrutinized, and a bibliometric analysis was conducted using VOSviewer. Based on the keyword analysis, aerolysin toxin emerged as the most prevalent virulence factor, appearing in 64% (n = 42) of the papers, followed by hemolysin, enterotoxin, and biofilm. The analysis also revealed that the primary organs associated with infection were the kidney and liver, recognized as immune secretion organs, followed by the gills, intestine, skin, and mucus, identified as entry points. The major clinical signs of A. hydrophila infection included hemorrhage, lesion, ulceration, and septicemia. This study elucidates the scientific consensus on the infection mechanisms of A. hydrophila, covering entry points, adherence, and invasion. The ranked entry points and virulence factors identified herein offer valuable insights for designing novel treatments or preventive measures in catfish farming

Cardiotoxicity of FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitors: A rare but serious adverse event

Refractory cancer represents a challenge for oncologists in providing treatment options without excessive toxicity and has led to the investigation of immune mechanisms. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) directly interfere with the tumor cells' ability to evade the innate and adaptive immune system by targeting specific proteins such as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and programmed cell death protein-ligand 1 (PD-L1), which are involved as negative regulators of T-cell function. Their growing success has led to the investigation for frontline treatment in several types of cancers. Even though these ICIs have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of a variety of cancers, their use has been associated with the development of rare but severe adverse events. These events are the result of targeting specific checkpoint proteins on normal cells of the body as well as secondary downstream off-target effects on normal tissue. Similar to combined conventional cancer treatment, treating with combined ICIs are also associated with a higher risk of adverse events. Although cardiotoxicities related to immunotherapy are reportedly rare, they can be severe and associated with life-threatening conditions such as fulminant heart failure, hemodynamic instability, and cardiac arrest. Oncologists must carefully weigh the risk versus the therapeutic benefit of these agents in determining the best option for improving overall survival and minimizing morbidity and mortality of their patients. Our review focuses on the approved ICIs, their mechanism of action, their oncologic efficacy, and the associated potential for cardiovascular toxicity