Effective detection of proteins following electrophoresis using extracts of locally available food species

Procedures in life sciences research laboratories often require chemicals and plasticware that are costly, toxic or pose a risk to the environment. Therefore, sustainable alternatives would be of interest, provided that they generate suitable data quality. Coomassie blue and silver staining are the most widely used methods for detecting proteins following electrophoresis in the laboratory. However, their use presents challenges in terms of safety and waste management. In the current study, aqueous extracts were prepared from a series of common food species and evaluated as alternative stains for protein detection. Beets, blueberries, purple cabbage, raspberries and strawberries were employed to stain identical proteins separated under the same conditions in electrophoresis gels. Extracts of the first two species resulted in protein bands that were detectable through visible light transillumination, whereas extracts from all five species generated specific protein bands under ultraviolet light. The raspberry-derived extract was selected for further study based on the brightness of the fluorescent protein bands and minimal background staining. For both bovine serum albumin and lysozyme at 2.5 μg and 0.5 μg protein per band, the mean signal intensities obtained with raspberry extract staining were just below half of those obtained with Coomassie blue. Furthermore, the mean intensities using raspberry extract were equivalent to those obtained using Coomassie blue in the detection of 0.1 μg protein. Therefore, raspberry could be used to produce an effective stain for the routine laboratory analysis of proteins

Genetics of randomly bred cats support the cradle of cat domestication being in the Near East

Cat domestication likely initiated as a symbiotic relationship between wildcats (Felis silvestris subspecies) and the peoples of developing agrarian societies in the Fertile Crescent. As humans transitioned from hunter-gatherers to farmers ~12,000 years ago, bold wildcats likely capitalized on increased prey density (i.e., rodents). Humans benefited from the cats’ predation on these vermin. To refine the site(s) of cat domestication, over 1000 random-bred cats of primarily Eurasian descent were genotyped for single-nucleotide variants and short tandem repeats. The overall cat population structure suggested a single worldwide population with significant isolation by the distance of peripheral subpopulations. The cat population heterozygosity decreased as genetic distance from the proposed cat progenitor’s (F.s. lybica) natural habitat increased. Domestic cat origins are focused in the eastern Mediterranean Basin, spreading to nearby islands, and southernly via the Levantine coast into the Nile Valley. Cat population diversity supports the migration patterns of humans and other symbiotic species

Diversity of Y-chromosomal and mtDNA Markers Included in Mediscope Chip within Two Albanian Subpopulations from Croatia and Kosovo: Preliminary Data

The aim of this preliminary study is to analyze genetic specificity of Kosovo Albanians comparing with neighboring populations using new genetic tool - MEDISCOPE gene chip, to investigate the feasibility of this approach. We collected 37 DNA samples (9 Croats, 17 Albanians from Croatia and 11 Albanians from Kosovo) from unrelated males born in Croatia and Kosovo. Additionally, samples were expanded with female individuals and mtDNA analysis included a total of 61 samples (15 Croats, 23 Albanians from Croatia and 23 Albanians from Kosovo). This pilot study suggests that the usage of the MEDISCOPE chip could be recognized as an efficient tool within recognition of the population genetic specificity even within extremely small sample size

Branched-chain amino acid database integrated in MEDIPAD software as a tool for nutritional investigation of mediterranean populations

Branched-chained amino acids (BCAA) are essential dietary components for humans and can act as potential biomarkers for diabetes development. To efficiently estimate dietary intake, we developed a BCAA database for 1331 food items found in the French Centre d'Information sur la Qualité des Aliments (CIQUAL) food table by compiling BCAA content from international tables, published measurements, or by food similarity as well as by calculating 267 items from Greek, Turkish, Romanian, and Moroccan mixed dishes. The database embedded in MEDIPAD software capable of registering 24 h of dietary recalls (24HDR) with clinical and genetic data was evaluated based on archived 24HDR of the Saint Pierre Institute (France) from 2957 subjects, which indicated a BCAA content up to 4.2 g/100 g of food and differences among normal weight and obese subjects across BCAA quartiles. We also evaluated the database of 119 interviews of Romanians, Turkish and Albanians in Greece (27⁻65 years) during the MEDIGENE program, which indicated mean BCAA intake of 13.84 and 12.91 g/day in males and females, respectively, comparable to other studies. The MEDIPAD is user-friendly, multilingual, and secure software and with the BCAA database is suitable for conducting nutritional assessment in the Mediterranean area with particular facilities for food administration

Exploring the quality of life of cosmetic users: A cross-sectional analysis from eight Arab countries in the Middle East

Background The use of cosmetic products is growing in dominance in the Arab population, making it essential to measure its effects on users. The production of cosmetics has been largely driven by consumerism and a bid to keep abreast with the latest trends in the beauty industry with less attention on how the users' quality of life (QoL) is affected. Aims This study aims to investigate the effect of cosmetic products on users' quality of life in eight Arab countries. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out using an online data collection approach. A validated and specialist instrument tool called BeautyQoL, which consists of five domains and a total of 52 questions, was distributed to a sample of 2219 cosmetic users. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was done using SPSS® version 26.0. Results The mean age of participants was 34 ± 11.25 years, and more women were represented in the sample (71%) than men. The majority of respondents had oily skin type (39.6%) and tan skin tone (30.4%). QoL through cosmetic use is computed with a mean score of 51 out of 100. The users' mean score satisfaction from cosmetic use is centred on attractiveness (56.1), followed by self-confidence (51.8). Cosmetics have a statistically significant effect on participants who are young adults, women, single, and employed with high income. As the respondents' skin tone deepens from very fair to dark, the mean score for each domain significantly increases, whereas when skin type changes from very oily to dry, the mean score for each domain decreases. Conclusion The effect of cosmetics on the users' QoL is limited, contrary to the narrative commonly portrayed in cosmetics' advertisements. Therefore, the use of cosmetics among the Arab population should be from an informed perspective of their specific needs instead of conforming to the viral trends pedaled by influencers and bloggers on social media, which might be irrelevant for them.Open access publishing facilitated by Monash University, as part of the Wiley - Monash University agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. [Correction added on 5 July 2022, after first online publication: CAUL funding statement has been added.]Scopu

Anti-IL17 treatment ameliorates Down syndrome phenotypes in mice

Down syndrome (DS) is characterized by structural and functional anomalies that are present prenatally and that lead to intellectual disabilities. Later in life, the cognitive abilities of DS individuals progressively deteriorate due to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-associated neuropathology (i.e., ?-amyloid (A?) plaques, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), neurodegeneration, synaptic pathology, neuroinflammation and increased oxidative stress). Increasing evidence has shown that among these pathological processes, neuroinflammation plays a predominant role in AD etiopathology. In AD mouse models, increased neuroinflammation appears earlier than A? plaques and NFTs, and in DS and AD models, neuroinflammation exacerbates the levels of soluble and insoluble A? species, favoring neurodegeneration. The Ts65Dn (TS) mouse, the most commonly used murine model of DS, recapitulates many alterations present in both DS and AD individuals, including enhanced neuroinflammation. In this study, we observed an altered neuroinflammatory milieu in the hippocampus of the TS mouse model. Pro-inflammatory mediators that were elevated in the hippocampus of this model included pro-inflammatory cytokine IL17A, which has a fundamental role in mediating brain damage in neuroinflammatory processes. Here, we analyzed the ability of an anti-IL17A antibody to reduce the neuropathological alterations that are present in TS mice during early neurodevelopmental stages (i.e., hippocampal neurogenesis and hypocellularity) or that are aggravated in later-life stages (i.e., cognitive abilities, cholinergic neuronal loss and increased cellular senescence, APP expression, A? peptide expression and neuroinflammation). Administration of anti-IL17 for 5?months, starting at the age of 7?months, partially improved the cognitive abilities of the TS mice, reduced the expression of several pro-inflammatory cytokines and the density of activated microglia and normalized the APP and A?1-42 levels in the hippocampi of the TS mice. These results suggest that IL17-mediated neuroinflammation is involved in several AD phenotypes in TS mice and provide a new therapeutic target to reduce these pathological characteristics.This study was supported by the Jerome Lejeune Foundation, Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PSI-2016-76194-R, SAF2014-55088-R, SAF2016-75195-R, AEI/FEDER, EU) and Luchamos por la Vida Foundatio

The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts

Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species’ threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project – and avert – future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups – including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems – www.predicts.org.uk). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015

Role of branched-chain amino acids in the genetic determinism of insulin resistance

La résistance à l’insuline (RI) est un processus biologique fondamental impliqué dans la plupart des maladies complexes avec un important impact dans la mortalité des populations humaines et qui reconnaît une composante génétique en interaction avec les facteurs nutritionnels. Les aminoacides ramifiés (BCAA) sont des composantes essentielles de notre diète et ont été reconnus comme de nouveaux acteurs dans la pathogénie de l’obésité et du diabète sucré soit comme des bio-marqueurs soit comme des régulateurs au niveau périphérique ou dans le système nerveux central. Ce travail a été proposé dans le cadre du projet Européen MEDIGENE (FP7-279171) visant le syndrome métabolique dans les populations Méditerranéennes. Dans ce contexte, nous avons utilisé une approche génétique combinant les SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) et la cartographie dense des haplotypes. Nous avons mis en évidence de nouveaux gènes dans les phases tardives du catabolisme des BCAA, bien que le signal d’association ait été en relation complexe avec les taux plasmatiques de BCAA et la mesure in vivo de la RI. Dans une approche similaire, nous avons identifié sur le chromosome 4p14 un nouveau locus en relation avec la RI et le système de récompense cérébral impliquant le fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21. Ces données ont soulevé l’intérêt pour une estimation rapide et efficace de l’apport en BCAA dans la diète nous emmenant à développer une nouvelle base de données du contenu des aliments en BCAA. Cette base est intégrée dans un nouveau logiciel pour le recueil des enquêtes alimentaires (rappels de 24h) et qui pourra être utilisée par des praticiens d’une manière sécurisée dans les pays de la Méditerranée, ouvrant ainsi de nouvelles perspectives en nutrigénomique.Insulin resistance (IR) is a fundamental biological process involved in majority of complex disorders with high impact on mortality of human populations and with a strong genetic component in interaction with nutritional factors. Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are essential components of human diet and recognized as new actors in pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes mellitus either as biomarkers or regulators at the peripheral systemic and nervous system. This work was proposed in the frame of the European project MEDIGENE (FP7-279171) studying the metabolic syndrome in several Mediterranean populations. In this context, we have used a genetic approach combining SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) and fine scale haplotype mapping. We identified new genes in the later steps of BCAA catabolism responsible for IR, albeit displaying a complex signal in relation with BCAA plasma levels and in vivo IR measured by minimal model. With a similar approach, we identified equally a new locus of Chromosome 4p14 for IR in cooperation with the cerebral rewarding system involving fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21 regulation. These data roused particular interest in estimating BCAA intake leading to the development of a novel database of BCAA content in food. This database is embedded in a new computer program for collecting dietary records (24HDR) and can be used securely by practitioners around Mediterranean countries and opening new perspectives in the nutrigenomic field

Vidareutbildning under arbetslivet : små och medelstora revisions- och redovisningsbyråers syn

In our study the purpose was to examine the influence of Continuing Professional Education on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. The study also aims to analyze possible similarities and differences in how small and medium sized auditing and accounting practices are affected of the requirements regarding Continuing Professional Education. In order to fulfill our purpose in the study we conducted interviews with auditors and accounting consultants on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. Totally did we conduct seven interviews with four auditors and three accounting consultants. The majority of auditors and accounting consultants we interviewed are satisfied with the current requirements on Continuing Professional Education and think they contribute to the increase of quality and status of the work tasks performed by auditors and accounting consultants. Respondents also stressed the importance of Continuing Professional Education to maintain and develop the skills among employees. Our respondents prefer two forms of Continuing Professional Education, namely intensive seminars and topical courses. Demand for intensive seminars and topical courses will probably continue to increase, given that these two forms makes it possible for small and medium sized practices to keep current in a time efficient and economical way. Our findings also show that auditors prefer a training where they start out as beginners and end as an expert. On the other hand accounting consultants focus on training that is practical and provides direct benefit to the everyday work

Vidareutbildning under arbetslivet : små och medelstora revisions- och redovisningsbyråers syn

In our study the purpose was to examine the influence of Continuing Professional Education on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. The study also aims to analyze possible similarities and differences in how small and medium sized auditing and accounting practices are affected of the requirements regarding Continuing Professional Education. In order to fulfill our purpose in the study we conducted interviews with auditors and accounting consultants on small and medium sized auditing- and accounting practices. Totally did we conduct seven interviews with four auditors and three accounting consultants. The majority of auditors and accounting consultants we interviewed are satisfied with the current requirements on Continuing Professional Education and think they contribute to the increase of quality and status of the work tasks performed by auditors and accounting consultants. Respondents also stressed the importance of Continuing Professional Education to maintain and develop the skills among employees. Our respondents prefer two forms of Continuing Professional Education, namely intensive seminars and topical courses. Demand for intensive seminars and topical courses will probably continue to increase, given that these two forms makes it possible for small and medium sized practices to keep current in a time efficient and economical way. Our findings also show that auditors prefer a training where they start out as beginners and end as an expert. On the other hand accounting consultants focus on training that is practical and provides direct benefit to the everyday work