ANTICANCER, CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF TAMARIX APHYLLA, AND ANTIBACTERIAL SCREENING EFFICIENCY AGAINST MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT HUMAN PATHOGENS

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the anticancer, cytotoxic effect of Tamarix aphylla, and antibacterial effectiveness against 10 pathogenic bacteria that cause common and sometimes serious infections in human and animals.Methods: T. aphylla fresh and disease-free leaves were collected from the different geographical regions of Saudi Arabia. The anticancer, cytotoxic effect of T. aphylla leaves, and antibacterial screening efficiency against multidrug-resistant human pathogens were investigated in vitro using Vero cells as a normal cells and MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma cells).Results: T. aphylla leaf extracts exhibited a low cytotoxic effect on Vero cell line at high concentration, with an 50% cytotoxicity concentration value of >1000 μg/ml. The methanolic extract inhibited MCF-7 cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The methanol and ethanol extracts showed antibacterial activity with variable inhibition effects and differences in their activities against tested pathogenic bacteria ranging from very high inhibition (20.7±1.3 mm) to low (4±0.6 mm). The minimum inhibitory concentration of methanol and ethanol results showed no significant differences.Conclusions: The findings of this study conclude that the T. aphylla leaf extract had lower toxicity on normal cell line (low toxic plant) and significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cells. T. aphylla has potential antibacterial biomolecules against multidrug-resistant human pathogens

In Silico Characterization of a Cyclin Dependent Kinase -A (CDKA) and its Coding Gene in some Oryza Species

يعد الأرز طعاما أساسيا لمعظم سكان العالم. تساهم بروتينات الفسفرة المعتمدة على السيكلين من المجموعة (CDKA) A فى الإنتقال عبر المراحل المختلفة لدورة الخلية و كذلك تساهم فى تخليق الأمشاج. و قد هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى توصيف أحد هذه البروتينات و الجين المسئول عنها فى ,O. glumipatula ,O. barthii ,O. glaberrima ,O. sativa Indica Group  O. nivara ,O. brachyantha O. punctata ,O. longistaminata ,O. meridionalis و O. rufipogonبإستخدام التقنيات الحاسوبية. كشفت النتائج إختلافات فى بعض تتابعات الأحماض الأمينية التى تنظم عمل البروتين محل الدراسة  فى كلا من O. longistaminata و  O. brachyantha  و ذلك مقارنة بالبروتين ذاته فى باقى الأنواع. إفتقد البروتين محل الدراسة فى  O. longistaminata أحد تتابعات الأحماض الأمينية المسئولة عن تثبيط عمل البروتين كما لوحظ إختلاف فى تتابع الأحماض الأمينية المسئولة عن الإرتباط بالسيكلين (PSTAICE بدلا منPSTAIRE ) مما قد يسفر عن توصيف لمجموعة فرعية جديدة متفردة من هذه البروتينات. فى O. brachyanth تم تسجيل إختلاف فى تتابع الأحماض الأمينية بالموضع المسئول عن النشاط المرتبط بلسيكلين. توصى الدراسة بالأستفادة من الإختلافات سابقة الذكر فى التحكم فى الإنقسام الخلوى و النمو فى الأنواع المزروعة من جنس Oryza بإستخدام طرق التربية التقليدية او الطرائق الجزيئية.Rice (Oryza sativa) is a fundamental food for the majority of world population. Cyclin Dependent Kinase -A (CDKA) accelerates transition through different stages of cell cycle and contributes in gametes formation. In the present investigation, a CDKA encoding gene along with the corresponding protein were characterized in O. sativa Indica Group, O. glaberrima,  O. barthii, O. brachyantha, O. glumipatula, O. longistaminata, O. meridionalis, O. nivara, O. punctata and O. rufipogon using in silico analyses. The results reflected little variation in most species except O. longistaminata and O. brachyantha. Compared with the remaining species, O. longistaminata lacked a negative regulatory binding site and had a modified cyclin binding site (PSTAICE instead of PSTAIRE) that may lead to future characterization of a new distinct subclass of CDKAs. O. brachyantha had a modified SUC/CKS (suppressor of CDC2/cyclin dependent-kinase regulatory subunit)-binding motif. The observed variations can be exploited through traditional breeding or molecular approaches to manipulate cell division and growth of cultivated Oryza species

Evaluation of an offshore wind farm computational fluid dynamics model against operational site data

Modelling wind turbine wake effects at a range of wind speeds and directions with actuator disk (AD) models can provide insight but also be challenging. With any model it is important to quantify the level of error, but this can also present a challenge when comparing a steady-state model to measurement data with scatter. This paper models wind flow in a wind farm at a range of wind speeds and directions using an AD implementation. The results from these models are compared to data collected from the actual farm being modelled. An extensive comparison is conducted, constituted from 35 cases where two turbulence models, the standard k-ε and k-ω SST are evaluated. The steps taken in building the models as well as processes for comparing the AD computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results to real-world data using the regression models of ensemble bagging and Gaussian process are outlined. Turbine performance data and boundary conditions are determined using the site data. Modifications to an existing opensource AD code are shown so that the predetermined turbine performance can be implemented into the CFD model. Steady state solutions are obtained with the OpenFOAM CFD solver. Results are compared in terms of velocity deficit at the measurement locations. Using the standard k-ε model, a mean absolute error for all cases together of roughly 8% can be achieved, but this error changes for different directions and methods of evaluating it

The Sorcerer Scholar: Sirāj al-Dīn al-Sakkākī between Grammar and Grimoire

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Gerlach PressSirāj al-Dīn al-Sakkākī is the author of two books—one famous, and one now virtually unknown. If we read his famous work on language, the Miftāḥ al-‘ulūm, in dialogue with his neglected work on magic, the Kitāb al-Shāmil, a powerful picture emerges of the author himself. We can see in both the Miftāḥ and in the Shāmil that Sakkākī constructs his authority in the turbulent world he lived in by presenting himself both as a master of the Arabic language (necessary to understand the word of God) and a master of dangerous occult sciences. He presents both subjects as the exclusive domain of a talented and privileged few. His own background as a Persian-speaking metalworker nevertheless remains apparent, as we see him wrestle with the power of language and magic, and the sources from which this power is derived.Leverhulme Trus

Differential Dynamic Changes of Reduced Trait Model for Analyzing the Plastic Response to Drought Phases: A Case Study in Spring Wheat

Current limited water availability due to climate changes results in severe drought stress and desiccation in plants. Phenotyping drought tolerance remains challenging. In particular, our knowledge about the discriminating power of traits for capturing a plastic phenotype in high-throughput settings is scant. The study is designed to investigate the differential performance and broad-sense heritability of a battery set of morphological, physiological, and cellular traits to understand the adaptive phenotypic response to drought in spring wheat during the tillering stage. The potential of peroxisome abundance to predict the adaptive response under severe drought was assessed using a high-throughput technique for peroxisome quantification in plants. The research dissected the dynamic changes of some phenological traits during three successive phases of drought using two contrasting genotypes of adaptability to drought. The research demonstrates 5 main findings: (1) a reduction of the overall dimension of the phenological traits for robust phenotyping of the adaptive performance under drought; (2) the abundance of peroxisomes in response to drought correlate negatively with grain yield; (3) the efficiency of ROS homeostasis through peroxisome proliferation which seems to be genetically programmed; and (4) the dynamics of ROS homeostasis seems to be timing dependent mechanism, the tolerant genotype response is earlier than the susceptible genotype. This work will contribute to the identification of robust plastic phenotypic tools and the understanding of the mechanisms for adaptive behavior under drought conditions.Summary statementThis study presents the estimated broad-sense heritability of 24 phenological traits under drought compared with non-stressed conditions. The results demonstrated a reduced model of the overall dimension of the phenological traits for phenotyping drought tolerant response including a novel trait (peroxisome abundance). Also, it displays that the adaptive mechanism through peroxisomes proliferation that is a genetic-dependent manner and related to the stress phase, since tolerant plants can sense the stress and maintain the cellular balance earlier than the sensitive plants

Superparasitism and Population Regulation of the Mosquito-Parasitic Mermithid Nematodes Romanomermis iyengari and Strelkovimermis spiculatus

Superparasitism is a common phenomenon in mosquito-parasitic mermithid nematodes. Multiple nematodes are needed in a single host to produce males. Host selection behavior and intraspecific competition among Romanomermis iyengari and Strelkovimermis spiculatus were investigated against their host, Culex pipiens pipiens in laboratory experiments. In a choice assay between previously infected and uninfected host larvae, infectious preparasites of both nematode species could distinguish not only between infected and uninfected hosts, but even between different parasite loads in showing a strong preference for uninfected hosts or hosts with a low parasite load. Host heart rate declined briefly immediately after parasitism. Superparasitism resulted in increased parasite mortality. Scramble competition within mosquito larvae for limited host nutrients, coupled with a skewed sex ratio favoring males, is assumed to lead to parasite population decline and subsequently toward host-parasite population equilibrium. The ability of mermithid preparasites to accurately assess parasite load likely plays an important role in host population dynamics and regulation

Occurrence of the invasion associated marker (iam) in Campylobacter jejuni isolated from cattle

Background The invasion associated marker (iam) has been detected in the majority of invasive Campylobacter jejuni retrieved from humans. Furthermore, the detection of iam in C. jejuni isolated from two important hosts, humans and chickens, suggested a role for this marker in C. jejuni\u27s colonization of multiple hosts. However, no data exist regarding the occurrence of this marker in C. jejuni isolated from non-poultry food-animals such as cattle, an increasingly important source for human infections. Since little is known about the genetics associated with C. jejuni\u27s capability for colonizing physiologically disparate hosts, we investigated the occurrence of the iam in C. jejuni isolated from cattle and assessed the potential of iam-containing cattle and human isolates for chicken colonization and human cell invasion. Results Simultaneous RAPD typing and iam-specific PCR analysis of 129 C. jejuni isolated from 1171 cattle fecal samples showed that 8 (6.2%) of the isolates were iam-positive, while 7 (54%) of human-associated isolates were iam-positive. The iam sequences were mostly heterogeneous and occurred in diverse genetic backgrounds. All iam-positive isolates were motile and possessed important genes (cadF, ciaB, cdtB) associated with adhesion and virulence. Although certain iam-containing isolates invaded and survived in INT-407 cells in high numbers and successfully colonized live chickens, there was no clear association between the occurrence, allelic sequence, and expression levels of the iam and the aforementioned phenotypes. Conclusions We show that the prevalence of iam in cattle C. jejuni is relatively lower as compared to isolates occurring in humans and chickens. In addition, iam was polymorphic and certain alleles occur in cattle isolates that were capable of colonizing and invading chickens and human intestinal cells, respectively. However, the iam did not appear to contribute to the cattle-associated C. jejuni\u27s potential for invasion and intracellular survival in human intestinal cells as well as chicken colonization

Underwater Multi-Node Radio Communication Solutions for Planetary Exploration

The exploration of the presumably life harboring subsurface ocean of Europa will provide scientists with extensive new knowledge in the search for extraterrestrial life. A highly miniaturized payload is required to penetrate a narrow passage through the thick ice crust covering Europa's surface. Underwater wireless communications may be the most viable means of communication for such exploratory missions, accounting for size and weight restrictions. This presents a challenge to achieve satisfactory data rates and a range that permits autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to communicate within their region of operation, as well as with a surface lander or orbiter. This work presents thorough prototype experimentation on an underwater communication system established between several nodes using RF signals. During an eight-week internship experience at NASA's Ames Research Center in September-October 2014, our team developed a Europa exploration mission concept, built representative hardware, and carried out tests to assess the feasibility of key aspects of the concept. Experiments demonstrating the viability of RF communication underwater comprised inspecting the effect of depth and horizontal distance on signal strength as well as the optimum positioning of antennas. To test the system's performance, two submersibles were designed and built. A commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) was also modified and used as a main communication node. The two submersibles were wirelessly connected and accommodated sensors capable of characterizing water properties and equipped with 2.4 GHz, 1 mW transceivers to communicate the measured data. The communication procedure is that the main communication node requests the collected data from the two submersibles when in range and receives it instantly through RF. This work models what may take place during an actual mission to Europa. The developed mission concept involved a hybrid communication system consisting of acoustic and RF signals to enhance the capability of the nodes to communicate over greater distances. The AUVs will need to avoid obstacles and maneuver around to collect data based on predefined algorithms. Thus, they will be provided with two positioning systems; the inertial navigation system, backed with an acoustic positioning system to mitigate drift. The AUVs divide the ocean into planes and explore along circular paths increasing in diameter with depth. Moreover, they make use of miniaturized sensors to map the surrounding environment. In this paper, the ROV and the submersibles are described, along with sections explaining the mechanism of communication and the testing procedures conducted to yield results