Comparison of genetic variation of ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) in the southern Caspian Sea and Ural River using PCR-RFLP

Genetic variation of ship sturgeon (Acipenser nudiventris) from the Caspian Sea was investigated using NADF15/6 gene and PCR-RFLP analysis. A total of 80 specimens of the fish were collected from the south Caspian Sea and the Ural River from Kazakhstan. mtDNA ND5i6 gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) digested using 39 Endonucleases Restriction Enzyme. Of the 39 enzymes, five showed polymorphism. Totally, ten composite haplotypes among 80 specimens were detected. Haplotype AAAAA showed maximum frequency (57.5%) whereas haplotypes BBAAA and BABAA showed minimum frequency (12%). Haplotype AAAAB was recognized specifically in Ural River specimens. Average haplotype and nucleotide diversity was 0.8516 and 0.007 respectively. Compared to other sturgeon species living in the Caspian Sea, nucleotide diversity of Ship Sturgeon was much lower (0.007). This may be due to smaller population size of this species. Monte-Carol simulation using 1000 interaction did not show any significant differences between haplotype distribution of the fish sampled in the south Caspian Sea (X^2=35.48 , P=0.74). However, we detected a significant difference between haplotype of Ship Sturgeon from Ural River and the south Caspian Sea. We conclude that Ship Sturgeon from Ural River is different from the fish in the south Caspian Sea and suggest CfrI31 enzyme as a molecular marker for population differentiation in the Caspian Sea

Cloning of the GH gene from the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) into a lentivial & none viral constructs and its expression in HEK cell lines

Caviar-producing fish with their economically valuable product are important in fisheries. The cDNA growth hormone (GH) of Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) was constructed using total RNA from pituitary glands. To construct the recombinant and active lentiviruses carring GH gene, this DNA sequence was inserted into the cloning vector pTZ57R/T and subsequently cutted from pTZ57R/T by endonuclease enzyme and incorporated into lentivirus vector pNL-EGFP/CMV-WPRE on upstream of an IRES cassette. We also insert a reporter EGFP gene downstream of IRES so transfection and transduction steps can be traced. Using this vector plus virus packaging and envelope vectors, HEK293T cells was co-transfected by DNA-Lipofectamine complexes method. Cell supernatant full of virions was collected 48 hours later and concentrated using Amicon columns to obtain a high-titer virus stock. Nearly 1/5 of this stock was applied to a new batch of cultured HEK-293T. After 72h expression of EGFP gene was detected and the cells was collected for further analysis. Total RNA of these transduced cells was extracted and GH mRNA expression was revealed by RT-PCR. Results showed that, lentiviral vectors (LV) as a gene transfer system provide efficient delivery, integration and long-term expression by establishing a stable provirus in target cells and could be important tool in aquaculture and fisheries biotechnology research to increase the growth rate of farmed fish by transferring growth hormone (GH) transgenes into fish

Cloning of the GH gene from the beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) into a lentivial & none viral constructs and it’s expression in HEK cell lines

Caviar-producing fish with their economically valuable product are important in fisheries. The cDNA growth hormone (GH) of Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) was constructed using total RNA from pituitary glands. To construct the recombinant and active lentiviruses carring GH gene, this DNA sequence was inserted into the cloning vector pTZ57R/T and subsequently cutted from pTZ57R/T by endonuclease enzyme and incorporated into lentivirus vector pNL-EGFP/CMV-WPRE on upstream of an IRES cassette. We also insert a reporter EGFP gene downstream of IRES so transfection and transduction steps can be traced. Using this vector plus virus packaging and envelope vectors, HEK293T cells was co-transfected by DNA-Lipofectamine complexes method. Cell supernatant full of virions was collected 48 hours later and concentrated using Amicon columns to obtain a high-titer virus stock. Nearly 1/5 of this stock was applied to a new batch of cultured HEK-293T. After 72h expression of EGFP gene was detected and the cells was collected for further analysis. Total RNA of these transduced cells was extracted and GH mRNA expression was revealed by RT-PCR. Results showed that, lentiviral vectors (LV) as a gene transfer system provide efficient delivery, integration and long-term expression by establishing a stable provirus in target cells and could be important tool in aquaculture and fisheries biotechnology research to increase the growth rate of farmed fish by transferring growth hormone (GH) transgenes into fish

Cognitive Effects of Almond Consumption: A Review of Animal Studies

Kawsar Alami, Zahra Nazari, Raheel Bayat, Aqdas Bayat, Somaya Qasemi, Fereshta Karimi, Maliha Sultani, Sayed Yousof Mousavi Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience Research Center, Kavosh Nonprofit Educational Research Institute, Kabul, AfghanistanCorrespondence: Sayed Yousof Mousavi, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Neuroscience Research Center, Kavosh Nonprofit Educational Research Institute, First Street of Karte 4, Kabul, 1004, Afghanistan, Tel +93705343480 ; Fax +93796850084, Email [email protected] and Background: Learning and memory are fundamental processes essential to human cognition. Memory disorders can greatly impact cognitive abilities and overall quality of life. Synthetic drugs are not always completely effective in the treatment of memory disorders and can have diverse side effects. As a result, the use of plants for treating various diseases, including those related to memory disorders, is common. Almond is a highly nutritious nut and has been used as a traditional remedy for a long time. They contain active compounds that have numerous biological effects on the entire body, particularly the nervous system. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review animal studies that have investigated the effects of almond intake on memory and its related disorders.Methods: In this study, a comprehensive search in several databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library was performed. The study included published articles featuring preclinical studies conducted on healthy animals or models with memory impairments. These studies employed specific controlled groups and evaluated memory-related parameters through behavioral tests or molecular investigations. Eleven original papers that met the criteria were selected from a total of 1190 identified articles and included in the study.Results: Almond consumption has been shown to have beneficial effects on learning and memory in healthy animals. Additionally, evidence suggests that consuming almonds can positively impact scopolamine-, cadmium-, chronic stress-, and high-fat diet-induced memory impairment in animal models.Conclusion: Based on available evidence, consuming dietary supplementation of almonds may have a significant role in brain processes, specifically the neuromodulatory systems. Consequently, incorporating almonds into one’s diet could potentially enhance memory function, making them a readily available and useful natural resource with both nutritional and therapeutic benefits. Keywords: Almond, Prunus amygdalus, Prunus dulcis, learning, memory, neuromodulatory system

Nestin, a neuroectodermal stem cell marker, is expressed by bovine sertoli cells

Nestin, an intermediate filament protein is expressed by neuroectodermal stem cells and tumors originating from cells of neuroectodermal and mesenchymal lineages. Nestin expression is prominent in embryos and remains upregulated until 3-6 weeks after birth but is downregulated afterward. Sertoli cells are nucleated somatic cells that are spanned in the seminiferous epithelium and play a critical role in supporting and controlling germ-cell development. In this context, we employed immunocytochemical, Western blot, and Flow cytometric analyses to demonstrate nestin expression in bovine sertoli cells. Immunostaining clearly showed that setoli cells express high levels of nestin, a result which was confirmed by Western blot analysis of purified cells. Intracellular staining of sertoli cells by flow cytometry revealed that around 74 of the cells express this marker. Given the high expression of vimentin by sertoli cells, it is proposed that the expression of nestin in these cells might be required for the formation of stable vimentin/nestin intermediate filament network. In light of these findings, it seems that sertoli cells of mature bull have potentiality of proliferation. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited

Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of the plasma of recovered COVID-19 patients for treating the patients admitted to the intensive care unit

The novel coronavirus has infected about 141 million people around the world. So far, about 80.4 million people have been discharged, and nearly 3.01 million people have died (an estimated mortality rate of 2.13). The study aimed to investigate the effect of plasma therapy from recovered COVID-19 patients to treat the patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital of Ilam in 2020. The present prospective study was conducted in 2019-2020. Overall, 57 cases of plasma therapy were analysed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model in STATA 12 software. The results showed in patients receiving plasma treatment, the hazard ratio was (HR = 0.68, 95 CI, 0.45-1.04), indicating a 32 lower risk of death in the COVID-19 patients who received plasma therapy compared to those who did not. However, this relationship does not reach statistical significance (p = 0.07). Plasma therapy seems to yield some efficacy among patients with severe COVID-19 and those who have no underlying diseases. It is recommended to be used in combination with pharmaceutical interventions, for example, Actemra, to assess its therapeutic efficiency. (c) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

The effect of vitamin D supplementation on flow-mediated dilatation, oxidized LDL and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 on type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension: A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial

Aims: Current study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension. Methods: In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, 44 patients were randomly divided into vitamin D group (2000 IU/d, n = 23) and placebo group (control, n = 21) for 12 weeks. Vascular function with FMD, Serum 25-OH vitamin D, oxLDL and ICAM1 were assessed at the baseline and after the intervention. Results: In intervention group serum level of vitamin D increased from 32.42 +/- 10.56 to 40.45 +/- 12.94 (p < 0.001). In the vitamin D group, oxLDL and ICAM1 significantly decreased and FMD increased significantly in both groups (p < 0.001). The level of oxLDL (p = 0.017) and ICAM1 (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the vitamin D group than the placebo group and FMD (p < 0.001) was significantly higher in the vitamin D group. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation of 2000 IU/d for 12 weeks can improve endothelial function and decrease ICAM1 and oxLDL in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertension. (C) 2021 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Thermally treated aluminium waste-filings, a low cost and efficient adsorbent for phosphorus removal from water

A facile strategy toward modification of aluminium filings (AF), a waste material from aluminium manufacturing industry, into a highly efficient adsorbent was examined. AF was simply treated with thermal modification to form a cheap adsorbent for Phosphorus (P) removal from aqueous solutions. The results showed that increasing the calcination temperature from 500 to 900 ˚C improved the P removal. P adsorption occurred quite fast and 70% of P removal observed in 15 minutes. Adsorption efficiency was increased by increasing pH, decreasing P initial concentration as well. The presence of coexisting anions, except HCO3-, showed a negligible effect on P adsorption by AF. Thermodynamic studies revealed that P adsorption onto AF was endothermic in nature. Kinetic modelling demonstrated that the adsorption rate was controlled by the chemisorption. The process also fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model, indicating that the process proceeds via monolayer coverage with 49.97 mg g-1 maximum monolayer capacity. Overall, in addition to beneficial environmental and economic aspects, the results demonstrated excellent adsorption characteristics which make thermally treated AF a promising adsorbent material for phosphorus removal from polluted streams.Thanks to research council of Gonabad University of Medical Science for its financial support.Peer Reviewe