Study of genetic structure of Rutilus frisii kutum in Golestan province coastal waters using microsatellite markers

To determine the genetic diversity of Rutilus frisii kutum, 25 samples were collected from Gharesou and Gorgan-rud rivers in April 2008. The genomic DNA was extracted from the caudal fin using phenol- chloroform method and investigated with 10 microsatellite loci. All the 10 investigated loci were polymorphic and showed variability in the two populations of the rivers. The mean number of allele per locus at population level and the observed heterozygosity ranged from 4 to 13 and 0.22 to 1.00, respectively. The FST value between populations was 0.014 (P<0.05), and the analysis of genetic variation distribution indicated a very high within population variation (99%) while among population variation is low (1%). Highly significant deviation from hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed in both populations which can be attributed either to the presence of null alleles or to the genetic bottleneck. The results indicated a high level of genetic variation in this species and we concluded that there is more than one population of Rutilus frisii kutum in Golestan coastal waters

Aqueous extract of Echlum amoenum elevate CSF serotonin and dopamine level in depression rat

Based on a traditional belief, Echlum amoenum (Boraginaceae) dried flowers are used In Iran as an anxiolytic remedy and also as a mood enhancer. But Interfering mechanisms unknown, In this study, efficacy of an aqueous extract of E.amoenum in depressive rat was evaluated, using measurement the changes level CSF serotonin and dopamine as indicator mood. Four groups of male wistar rats each group of seven rats were enrolled in this study. Depressive induced with intraperitoneal injection of reserpine (5mg/kg) and assessment depression by swimming test, the next two weeks of oral performing aqueous extract Echlum amoenum, CSF serotonin and dopamine concentration of rats were measured using ELISA kit. Our finding indicated, performing aqueous extract Echlum amoenum increased CSF serotonin and dopamine concentration in depression rats. The level of CSF serotonin enhanced in control group receiving Echlum amoenum compared control group alone. These results showed the serious changes of neurotransmitters due to Echlum amoenum which can be translated as mood enhancer. It can be concluded, Echlum amoenum induce antidepressant effective In part by increasing level CSF serotonin and dopamine

Harnessing Information Technology to Inform Patients Facing Routine Decisions: Cancer Screening as a Test Case

PURPOSE Technology could transform routine decision making by anticipating patients’ information needs, assessing where patients are with decisions and preferences, personalizing educational experiences, facilitating patient-clinician information exchange, and supporting follow-up. This study evaluated whether patients and clinicians will use such a decision module and its impact on care, using 3 cancer screening decisions as test cases. METHODS Twelve practices with 55,453 patients using a patient portal participated in this prospective observational cohort study. Participation was open to patients who might face a cancer screening decision: women aged 40 to 49 who had not had a mammogram in 2 years, men aged 55 to 69 who had not had a prostate-specific antigen test in 2 years, and adults aged 50 to 74 overdue for colorectal cancer screening. Data sources included module responses, electronic health record data, and a postencounter survey. RESULTS In 1 year, one-fifth of the portal users (11,458 patients) faced a potential cancer screening decision. Among these patients, 20.6% started and 7.9% completed the decision module. Fully 47.2% of module completers shared responses with their clinician. After their next office visit, 57.8% of those surveyed thought their clinician had seen their responses, and many reported the module made their appointment more productive (40.7%), helped engage them in the decision (47.7%), broadened their knowledge (48.1%), and improved communication (37.5%). CONCLUSIONS Many patients face decisions that can be anticipated and proactively facilitated through technology. Although use of technology has the potential to make visits more efficient and effective, cultural, workflow, and technical changes are needed before it could be widely disseminated

Indole-3-carbinol suppresses NF-κB activity and stimulates the p53 pathway in pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) is the most common type of cancer in children. Dramatic improvements in primary therapy for childhood ALL have led to an overall cure rate of 80 , providing opportunities for innovative combined-modality strategies that would increase cure rates while reducing the toxic side effects of current intensive regimens. In this study, we report that indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a natural phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables, had anti-leukemic properties in BCP-ALL NALM-6 cells. I3C induced cell growth inhibition by G1 cell cycle arrest and triggered apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. p53, p21, and Bax proteins showed increased expression after I3C treatment. Real-time PCR analysis of pro-apoptotic p53 target genes revealed up-regulation of PUMA, NOXA, and Apaf-1. I3C also suppressed constitutive nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and inhibited the protein expression of NF-kappa B-regulated antiapoptotic (IAP1, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2, XIAP) and proliferative (c-Myc) gene products. Coadministration of I3C with the topoisomerase II inhibitor, doxorubicin, potentiates cytotoxic effects compared with either agent alone. Apoptosis induction by the drug combination was associated with enhanced caspase-9 activation and PARP cleavage. Furthermore, I3C abolished doxorubicin-induced NF-κB activity as evidenced by decreased nuclear accumulation of p65, inhibition of IκBα phosphorylation and its degradation, and decreased NF-κB DNA-binding activity. Western blot analysis revealed that doxorubicin-induced Bcl-2 protein expression was inhibited by I3C. Overall, our results indicated that using nontoxic agents, such as I3C, in combination with anthracyclines might provide a new insight into the development of novel combination therapies in childhood BCP-ALL. © 2015, International Society of Oncology and BioMarkers (ISOBM)

Population structure of Caspian roach (Rutilus Rutilus caspicus) in southern coasts of Caspian Sea using micro satellite maker

Caspian roach is regarded as a valuable bony fish that has economic importance in southern parts of Caspian Sea. Investigations show that natural reproduction of this species has been declining during recent years. Restocking of this fish is achieved by the way of artificial reproduction. Loss of genetic stock of this species is of great concern. In the current study, in order to study the population structure of roach, 54 individuals were captured from Gomishan and Anzali wetlands (27 individuals from each region) in April 2007. Genomic DNA was extracted using phenol-chloroform method and investigated by 10 microsatellite loci. The genetic diversity of two regions [(Gomishan: average number of alleles, Na= 11.4, average effective number of alleles, Ne= 7.92, observed heterozygosity, Ho= 0.69 and expected heterozygosity, He= 0.85) (Anzali: Na= 10.2, Ne= 7.38, Ho= 0.71 and He= 0.84)] were not statistically different (P>0.05). Analysis of molecular variance showed high genetic diversity (%95) within populations. The Fst value was 0.046, indicating low genetic differentiation among Anzali and Gomishan regions. In this study, 10 of 20 (10 loci × 2 populations) tests showed significant deviation (P≤ 0.005) from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium due to the heterozygosity deficiency. Results from UPGMA cluster analysis, based on Nei´s genetic distance, showed that the regions are probably separated from each other

An iterative method for time optimal control of dynamic systems

An iterative method for time optimal control of a general type of dynamic systems is proposed, subject to limited control inputs. This method uses the indirect solution of open-loop optimal control problem. The necessary conditions for optimality are derived from Pontryagin's minimum principle and the obtained equations lead to a nonlinear two point boundary value problem (TPBVP). Since there are many difficulties in finding the switching points and in solving the resulted TPBVP, a simple iterative method based on solving the minimum energy solution is proposed. The method does not need finding the switching point so that the resulted TPBVP can be solved by usual algorithms such as shooting and collocation. Also, since the solution of TPBVPs is sensitive to initial guess, a short procedure for making the proper initial guess is introduced. To this end, the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated using time optimal solution of some systems: harmonic oscillator, robotic arm, double spring-mass problem with coulomb friction and F-8 aircraft

Use of high hydrostatic pressure to inactivate natural contaminating microorganisms and inoculated E. coli O157:H7 on Hermetia illucens larvae

Financial support of the project AGL2013-48993-C2-2-R and AGL2017-86840-C2-2-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness and FEDER funds and acknowledge BioFlyTech, S.L. (Alicante, Spain) for rearing insects and supplying the samples.Peer reviewe

Flux regulation for torque-controlled robotics actuators

Upon the employment of robots in applications beyond traditional industries, the need for development of torque-controlled actuators has become more evident. To exploit the full capacity of torque/motion actuators, it is essential to regulate the motor flux in demand. Despite many studies in this area, major research in flux control has been dedicated to speed control. This work targets to present a novel and robust field weakening strategy for surface mounted permanent magnet motors (SPMSMs) when only a torque reference is given so that the motor velocity can adapt to operating conditions. The concept of proposed approach is elaborated and described qualitatively and mathematically. This work analyses the robustness of proposed approach to variation in motor parameters, and compares it with the performance of another approach in simulation and experimental results

Isolation and long-term culture of neural stem cells from Acipenser persicus (Borodin, 1897)

In the present study, an in vitro brain cell culture was developed from neural cells of Persian sturgeon (Acipenser persicus). The tissue samples collected from the anterior, middle and posterior regions of the brain were cultivated separately in DMEM/F12 medium supplemented with 15 fetal bovine serum, antibiotic and antimycotic. The medium was refreshed every 3 days. The cells became confluent after about 3 weeks from the initial time of seeding. The cultured cells from the posterior part of the brain showed high potential of proliferation as they had been passaged 16 times in more than 11 months. To determine optimal temperature, the brain cells were incubated at four temperatures including; 20, 22, 25 and 28°C. The best cultivation temperature was obtained at 25°C. The cultured cells from posterior part of the brain were cryopreserved successfully and the survival rate was 70 after thawing. Immunocytochemistry using antibody against nesting showed that some cells were immunopositive for nesting. Finally, these results suggested that cell cultures from posterior part of the Persian sturgeon brain with high proliferation capacity can be useful for research on brain cells in A. persicus in the future. © 2018 Iranian Fisheries Research Organization. All rights reserved