Localization of Newcastle Disease Virus (Ndv-Af2240) in 4T1 Xenotransplant Breast Cancer Balb/C Mice

In situ reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (in situ RT-PCR), polyclonal chicken antibody and goat anti-chicken antibody conjugated with fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and negative staining transmission electron microscopy (NSTEM) were carried out to detect the NDV-AF2240 in tumor, liver, brain and lung during intratumural injection in 4T1 xenotransplant breast tumor in female BALB/c mice. A total of 300 female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into 15 groups (5 non cancerous groups, 10 cancerous groups) consisting 20 mice per group. The normal control (NC), normal treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64HA units of NDV-AF2240 respectively named as N/NDV8, N/NDV16, N/NDV32 and N/NDV64. The mice in cancerous groups were initially inoculated sub-cutaneously with 4T1 cells; co-culture either with NDV AF2240 or/and tamoxifen. Cancerous groups were divided into cancer control (CC), cancer treated with only 5 μg/ml tamoxifen citrate (CT), cancer treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64HA units of NDV-AF2240 without tamoxifen respectively named C/NDV8, C/NDV16, C/NDV32, C/NDV64, cancer treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64HA units of NDV-AF2240 with tamoxifen respectively named as CT/NDV8, CT/NDV16, CT/NDV32 and CT/NDV64 daily for four weeks. The normal mice treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64 HA unit of NDVAF2240 did not affect its lifespan. All of the cancerous and non cancerous mice survived well and completed the 4-weeks treatment. Only 4 groups of mice developed tumor that was CC, CT, CT/CNDV32 and CT/NDV64, however these groups survived until end of the 4 weeks of treatment. Significant difference (p < 0.05) in mean body weight was found between N/NDV16, N/NDV64 and NC. Whereas, for the cancerous groups, mean body weight of the mice in CC group were significantly different (p<0.05) to compare with C/NDV8, C/NDV32, CT/NDV16, CT/NDV32 and CT/NDV64 groups. The mean tumour volume and mass of CT/NDV32 and CT/NDV64 were not significantly different (p> 0.05) to compare with each other and cancer control (CC), however, there was significant difference (p <.05) in the changes of tumour volume and mass over time. The CC and CT groups had a significantly (p<0.05) higher lung weight compared with the other groups. The CC group had a significantly (p<0.05) higher of liver weight compared with all groups. There was no significant (p>0.05) different in the brain weight between CC and all cancerous groups. To localize HN gene expression of NDV-AFF2240 in tissues, in situ RT-PCR was applied on formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections that were positive by negative staining transmission electron microscopy. The HN gene expression was detected in all the breast tumor cells. However, it was found mainly in the blood vessels of the brain, liver and lung. The intensity of the HN gene expression in all the organs within the same group is significantly similar except the breast tumor tissue. There was no significant different (p>0.05) in HN gene intensity between CT/NDV8 and CT/NDV16 groups, however, it was significantly different (p<0.05) compared to CT/NDV32 and CT/NDV64 groups. Virus dissemination seems to be determined by the infusion dose during intratumoral injection. β actin as internal control was expressed in breast cancer tissue, brain, lung and liver. In situ RT-PCR showed similar constant strong intensity of β actin gene expression in all mentioned tissues. Immunofluoresence and CLSM successfully detected the virus particles in tumor and all the organs of the cancerous groups during intratumoral injection. In tumor tissue the virus are found in the cells, whereas, in the lung, brain and liver are found mainly in the blood vessels. They are mainly found at the central vein (C.V.) and sinusoidal capillaries of the liver. This phenomenon was similar to results of in situ RT-PCR. Negative staining with transmission electron microscopy as a gold standard method was successfully used to detect the NDV-AF2240 at breast tumor, lung, liver and brain tissues during intratumoral injection in 4T1 xenotransplant breast cancer induced in mice. The results illustrated the presence of NDV-AF2240 in all organs of cancerous groups, but not in the normal groups treated with virus. The morphology of Newcastle disease virus was seen pleomorphic, spherical and ranging from 60-320 nm. The virion has an envelope and prominent surface projections. Occassionally, virions were seen to be rod in shape. Besides observing the whole virus, nucleocapsids which is confined in the virion was frequently detected outside the virion and are also seen filamentous. The findings of this study showed that NDV-AF2240 suppressed the growth of breast cancer and it is disseminated in blood vessels of the brain, lung and liver, however, found in the cells of the breast cance

Contingency Management in Power Systems and Demand Response Market for Ancillary Services in Smart Grids with High Renewable Energy Penetration.

Ph.D. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2017

Effects of Berberzs Vulgarzs (L.)Fruit Extract on Antioxidantenzyme Activities, A-Fetoprotein Content and Histology of Hepatocarcinogenic Rats

The chemopreventive agent of Berberis vulgaris fruit extract in hepatocarcinogenesis female Sprague Dawley rats was studied to investigate the possible cancer preventive effect of the plant. Total antioxidant activity and phenolic content of BFE extracts were measured. 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical assay was used to determine antioxidant properties of barberry fruit by measuring the decrease in absorbance at 517 nm. In distilled water, BFE showed 82.52&0.64% free radical scavenging activity with an ECS0=0.65. In ethanol, BFE extract showed 73.62+1.88% free radical scavenging activity with an EC=0.658, BHT 67.50&53% (EC=0.612) and Vitamin C 88.56M.43% (EC=0.252), respectively. Meanwhile BFE in 80% methanol had the highest phenolic content (28000+500mg/100g) followed by extract in water (10000+400mg/100g). The Histological evaluation illustrated that there were significant changes in the lesion score of 50 and lOOmgkg/bodyweight BFE in the DABso and DABloo in portal and lobular region compared to DENIAAF control group. However, the liver of DAB2s showed significant changes in the lesion score only in the portal region not in the lobular region. The liver enzymes activity measured were xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes:garnma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST). Alpha feto protein(AFP) level was measured as a liver tumour marker. The results indicated that there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the activities of GGT and GST between DENIAAF rats and normal rats. In liver cancer rats treated with Berberis vulgaris, the activities of GST and GGT were significantly lower w0.05) compared with the DENIAAF group. The findings showed that BFE could reduce the activity of liver enzymes of rats during hepatocarcinogenesis. The results showed that the DENIAAF group had the least increase of body weight compared to other groups. The normal control and normal control treated with BFE had a significantly lower the liver weight to body weight (pc0.05) ratio compared with the DENIAAF group. The DENIAAF groups treated with BFE had a lower liver weight to body weight (p<0.05) ratio compared with the DENIAAF group (except DENIAAF treated with BFE25). The DENIAAF group showed the highest level of AFP (2.014 + 1.013 IUlml). Level of AFP in serum of rats in control, BFE groups (N&, NBS0, NBlO0) and in DEN rats treated with BFE at different doses (DABz5, DABSO and DABloo) were significantly lower (p<0.05) compared with the DENIAAFgroup. DENIAAF control treated with BFE showed significantly decrease in serum AFP concentration (as a tumor marker) compared with DENIAAF control group (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the RT-PCR analysis of hepatocytes illustrated the AFP gene expression in DENIAAF group only

Nanoparticles and plant Biotechnology

Among the advances in technology, nanotechnology has an important role. With increasing rate of population, traditional agriculture will not be accountable the population food needs. The use of plants to produce nanoparticles is a biological system, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The aim from nanotechnology in agriculture and biotechnology is development new methods for rapid diagnosis of plant diseases and needs with the use of biosensors, improving agricultural products, reduce environmental pollution, reduce costs, producing new products and engineered according to the increasing population. This review article provides an overview of the nanoparticles production in plants and their applications in agriculture, biotechnology, improved crops, and hazards of nanoparticles

Association of the human astrocyte elevated gene-1 promoter variants with susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma

Central role of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) in regulating diverse aspects of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis and association of its overexpression with HCC progression has been demonstrated. The positive regulatory regions of AEG-1 promoter contain several putative transcription factor binding sites critical for basal promoter activity. In this study, the aim was to explore the association of AEG-1 promoter variant with HCC. In this study, the human AEG-1 promoter including the region -538 to -42 was explored in 53 HCC patients and 108 healthy controls. The polymerase chain reaction-sequencing method was used for investigating AEG-1 promoter polymorphisms. A novel mutation in AEG-1 promoter in human HCC patients at a potential AP-2 binding site was explored. An A>C mutation was observed in -483 of AEG-1 promoter in 4 out of 53 HCC patients but not in 108 control individuals. Sequencing data showed genetic variations in 11 HCC patients and 3 healthy controls. Among them, one novel SNP was found in activator protein-1 (AP2), a transcription factor binding site (-483 A to C) that may be associated with the susceptibility to HCC (P = 0.012) but no associations were found for other observed variations. This mutation could be tumor-specific. AEG-1 promoter variant -483 A>C may be associated with the susceptibility to HCC in Iranian population. To our knowledge, this is the first study that has reported this association with the susceptibility to HCC. Therefore, further studies need to be conducted in larger sample sizes and other populations to validate these findings. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York

EGFR expression evaluation in esophageal cancer patients

Background and aims: Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In Iran, esophageal cancer is the second and third most common cancer in the men and women, respectively. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor of tyrosine kinase from the ErbB family, with its disorder in the pathophysiology of many epithelial malignancies, including esophageal cancer, and is the important agent in prognosis and clinical progression of the disease. In this research project, the EGFR expression was investigated in Iranian patients with esophageal cancer using the qRT-PCR. Methods: This research was a cohort historical study. Thirty paraffin-embedded tissue samples of normal esophageal and cancer tissues were analyzed to measure the EGFR expression. PCR reactions for EGFR and β-actin were carried out by Livac method. All data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: The results showed a significant difference between the EGFR expression in patients compared to control group (P<0.05). The EGFR overexpression in patients was 4.25 times higher compared to healthy group. Conclusion: EGFR increased in the patients compared to the control group, which may be used as a potential biomarker for esophageal cancer in the Iranian population

Preliminary survey of length correlation in Pinctada fucata pearl oyster and evaluation of its muscle

61 specimens of pearl oyster (Pinctada fucata) were collected from Bandar-e-Nakhyloo in Hormozgan Province and were subjected to biometrical measurements. The measurements carried out included dorsoventrally and anterior posterior measurements along with hinge length, thickness, muscle weight, oyster weight without shell, total body mass excluding gill, and total body mass. The maximum correlation coefficient (r=0.69) was observed between total oyster weight and its weight without shell. In contrast, the least correlation coefficient (r=0.04) was found between thickness and muscle weight. It was revealed that the correlation between total oyster weight and hinge length follows a curvilinear pattern (r=0.34). Additionally correlation between dorsoventrally measurement and total oyster weight showed a similar pattern (r=0.52). An estimate of available oyster muscle for conserving is given in the paper. Also, frequency, body weight without shell, muscle weight, dorsoventrally measurements, total body mass including gill, total oyster weight, and finally correlation between dorsoventrally measurements and total weight are shown in diagrams

Autonomni solarno-vodikov energetski sustav

U radu je izveden i analiziran sunčevo-vodikov autonomni sustav za snabdijevanje električnom energijom izolirane realne pasivne kuće u realnim klimatskim uvjetima, energijom za osobni transport i sustavom za grijanje i hlađenje. \Napravljena je simulacija i analiza modela autonomnog sustava za proizvodnju električne energije zasnovanog samo na obnovljivom izvoru energije (sunčevom zračenju) koji uključuje i vodikov podsustav za pohranu energije. Pretpostavljene su komercijalno dobavljiva pasivna kuća smještena na otoku Hvaru u Hrvatskoj, i realne komercijalno dobavljive komponente (fotonaponski modul, svežanj gorivnih članaka i elektrolizator). Da bi se smanjila kompleksnost modeliranja i simulacije, izvršeno je modeliranje, simulacija i dan prikaz rezultata samo za dinamiku električno - vodikovog sustava. Umjesto simulacije dinamike grijanja i hlađenja kuće izvršen je samo proračun stacionarnog stanja u Excelu. Električko-vodikov sustav sastavljen je od PV polja koje je integrirano s elektrolizatorom, rezervoarom za pohranu u kojem se pohranjuje vodik u formi komprimiranog plina i svežnjem PEM gorivnih članaka. Takav sustav ne ispušta štetne tvari i prihvatljiv je za okolinu. Matlab-Simulink računalni program korišten je u projektiranju sustava i analizu funkcioniranja električko-vodikovog sustava tokom jednog određenog dana. Analiza je provedena na temelju tri pretpostavljena scenarija da bi se simulirale različite situacije (sa i bez sunčevog zračenja, uz visoke i niske potrebe korisnika za električnom energijom) i time provjerio regulacijski sustav. Rezultati simulacije pokazuju da koncept, projekt, matematički modeli i Simulink sheme funkcioniraju kako je zamišljeno. Sve to može biti korišteno kao vrijedan alat kod projektiranja autonomnog električno-vodikovog sustava za pasivnu kuću

Dissemination of Newcastle disease virus (NDV-AF2240) in liver during intratumoral injection of xenotransplant breast cancer in BALB/c mice.

Objective: Newcastle disease virus (NDV) or avian paramyxovirus type1 possesses several unique properties that make it an excellent anticancer agent. The hemagglutinin neuraminidase (HN) protein of NDV plays an important role in viral infection. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the dissemination of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) AF2240 strain in the liver during intratumoral injection in 4T1 breast cancer in female BALB/c mice. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into 10 cancerous groups consisting of 20 mice per group. The mice were initially induced with 104 4T1 cells, NDV-AF2240 and tamoxifen co-culture. Cancerous groups were divided into: cancer control (CC), cancer treated with 0.5 μg/ml tamoxifen citrate (CT), cancer treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64HA units of NDV-AF2240 (respectively named C/NDV8, C/NDV16, C/NDV32, C/NDV64), cancer treated with 8, 16, 32 and 64HA units of NDV-AF2240 and tamoxifen (respectively as CT/NDV8, CT/NDV16, CT/ NDV32 and CT/NDV64 daily for four weeks). In situ reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (In situ RT-PCR), negative staining electron microscopy (NSEM), polyclonal chicken antibody and goat anti-chicken antibody conjugated with fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used to detect the virus in the tumor and liver. Results: In situ RT-PCR, NSEM and CLSM successfully detected NDV-AF2240 in tumor cells and liver. Conclusion: The findings showed NDV-AF2240 disseminated into liver during intratumoral injection