An insight to HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) pathogenesis; evidence from high-throughput data integration and meta-analysis

Background Human T-lymphotropic virus 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a progressive disease of the central nervous system that significantly affected spinal cord, nevertheless, the pathogenesis pathway and reliable biomarkers have not been well determined. This study aimed to employ high throughput meta-analysis to find major genes that are possibly involved in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. Results High-throughput statistical analyses identified 832, 49, and 22 differentially expressed genes for normal vs. ACs, normal vs. HAM/TSP, and ACs vs. HAM/TSP groups, respectively. The protein-protein interactions between DEGs were identified in STRING and further network analyses highlighted 24 and 6 hub genes for normal vs. HAM/TSP and ACs vs. HAM/TSP groups, respectively. Moreover, four biologically meaningful modules including 251 genes were identified for normal vs. ACs. Biological network analyses indicated the involvement of hub genes in many vital pathways like JAK-STAT signaling pathway, interferon, Interleukins, and immune pathways in the normal vs. HAM/TSP group and Metabolism of RNA, Viral mRNA Translation, Human T cell leukemia virus 1 infection, and Cell cycle in the normal vs. ACs group. Moreover, three major genes including STAT1, TAP1, and PSMB8 were identified by network analysis. Real-time PCR revealed the meaningful down-regulation of STAT1 in HAM/TSP samples than AC and normal samples (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively), up-regulation of PSMB8 in HAM/TSP samples than AC and normal samples (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01, respectively), and down-regulation of TAP1 in HAM/TSP samples than those in AC and normal samples (P = 0.008 and P = 0.02, respectively). No significant difference was found among three groups in terms of the percentage of T helper and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (P = 0.55 and P = 0.12). Conclusions High-throughput data integration disclosed novel hub genes involved in important pathways in virus infection and immune systems. The comprehensive studies are needed to improve our knowledge about the pathogenesis pathways and also biomarkers of complex diseases.Peer reviewe

25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016

Abstracts of the 25th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting: CNS-2016 Seogwipo City, Jeju-do, South Korea. 2–7 July 201

Population-level risks of alcohol consumption by amount, geography, age, sex, and year: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2020

Background The health risks associated with moderate alcohol consumption continue to be debated. Small amounts of alcohol might lower the risk of some health outcomes but increase the risk of others, suggesting that the overall risk depends, in part, on background disease rates, which vary by region, age, sex, and year. Methods For this analysis, we constructed burden-weighted dose–response relative risk curves across 22 health outcomes to estimate the theoretical minimum risk exposure level (TMREL) and non-drinker equivalence (NDE), the consumption level at which the health risk is equivalent to that of a non-drinker, using disease rates from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2020 for 21 regions, including 204 countries and territories, by 5-year age group, sex, and year for individuals aged 15–95 years and older from 1990 to 2020. Based on the NDE, we quantified the population consuming harmful amounts of alcohol. Findings The burden-weighted relative risk curves for alcohol use varied by region and age. Among individuals aged 15–39 years in 2020, the TMREL varied between 0 (95% uncertainty interval 0–0) and 0·603 (0·400–1·00) standard drinks per day, and the NDE varied between 0·002 (0–0) and 1·75 (0·698–4·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals aged 40 years and older, the burden-weighted relative risk curve was J-shaped for all regions, with a 2020 TMREL that ranged from 0·114 (0–0·403) to 1·87 (0·500–3·30) standard drinks per day and an NDE that ranged between 0·193 (0–0·900) and 6·94 (3·40–8·30) standard drinks per day. Among individuals consuming harmful amounts of alcohol in 2020, 59·1% (54·3–65·4) were aged 15–39 years and 76·9% (73·0–81·3) were male. Interpretation There is strong evidence to support recommendations on alcohol consumption varying by age and location. Stronger interventions, particularly those tailored towards younger individuals, are needed to reduce the substantial global health loss attributable to alcohol. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Evaluation of Grain Loss in Dِِifferent Methods of Canola Harvesting in Khorasan Region-Iran

There are two methods to be used to harvest canola crop, namely direct and indirect methods; each method having it’s own procedure. The most common procedure prefered by Iranian farmers in direct harvesting is using combine with either conventional or canola  head, while in indirect harvesting windrower is used prior to pick the rows up with grain harvester which is equipped with pickup head. The main objective of  the present study was to evaluate grain losses in above mentioned methods and proposing an appropriate method for Khorasan region. Experiments in direct harvesting included three levels of grain moisture content, namely %15, %12 and %9. In indirect harvesting, crop was cut by windrower at three levels of grain moisture content of %40, %35 and %30. Then a grain combine with pick-up head was used for picking the rows when the moisture level reduced to 11%. Results showed  that using a grain combine equipped with the canola  header, was relatively more efficient than other harvesting methods, while the total losses in this method was much higher. The lowest loss in direct and indirect methods occurred at grain moisture contents of 12 and 40% for direct and indirect harvesting, respectively

Antibacterial evaluation and preliminary phytochemical screening of selected ferns from Iran

Background and objectives: The main aims of this study have been finding out the antibacterial activity and preliminary phytochemical screening of some fern species. Methods: The antimicrobial activity of the methanol extracts of Polypodium interjectum Shivas, Polystichum woronowii Fomin, Polystichum aculeatum (L.) Roth., Dryopteris affinis (Lowe) Fraser-Jenk, Athyrium filix-femina (L.) Roth, Asplenium scolopendrium L., Asplenium adiantum-nigrum L. and Pteris cretica L., was screened by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values against two Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, using standard assays. Besides, the phytochemical evaluation and measurement of the total flavonoid contents were also performed. Results: The maximum activity was exhibited by the extract of Dryopteris affinis with MIC value of 2 µg/mL. Polystichum aculeatum showed the same antibacterial potential against S. aureus. Some of the extracts had strong antibacterial activity (2-8 µg/mL) and others demonstrated moderate activity. Phytochemical analyses showed the presence of some important secondary metabolites in Iranian fern species. Triterpenoids and polyphenols were present in rhizome and aerial part of all plants. Total flavonoid contents range was 1.66 to 44.22 mg of catechin equivalents per gram of dry extract. Conclusion: Findings indicated that Iranian ferns have good antibacterial potential and could be a suitable source for antibiotic drug discovery

Evaluating the Different Levels of Diaminozied on the Five Mini-Tuber Potato Cultivars produced by Tissue Culture under Greenhouse Condition

To evaluate the effect of different levels of diaminozied on the potato cultivars mini-tubers produced by tissue culture under greenhouse condition a factorial an experiment on the base of completely randomized design in three replications was performed at the Ardabil Villkige Company Greenhouse in 2010. The first factor consisted of four levels of diaminozied, as plant growth regulator, (0, 40, 80 and 120 mg.L-1) and the second factor of five cultivars of virus-free potato (Satina, Savalan, Marfona, Agria and Cesear). Virus-free plantlets were transferred to isolated greenhouse and planted in 20×20×15 cm in plastic pots beds made by 1:1 volume of Biolan peat moss and perlite. During growth period traits like plant height, leaf and stem number per plant, mini-tuber weight and number per plant and square meter, and mini-tuber size were average measured. The analysis of variance showed significant differences among different levels of diaminozied for leaf number per plant, mini-tuber weight and its number per square meter, tuber average size in all cultivars under study. The interaction of diaminozied by cultivars showed significant difference as to leaf number per plant, mini-tuber weight, its number per square meter and average tuber size. Cesear and Marfona cultivars produced higher mini-tuber weight and tuber number per square meter by applying 40 mg.L-1 diaminozied. The correlation was significant and positive between mini-tuber number per square meter with mini-tuber weight per square meter and root length. It was also significant and positive between mini-tuber weight per square meter with plant height and average mini-tuber size. The results of multi regression analysis indicated that mini-tuber weight per square meter, average tuber size, plant height and root length were effective on changes of the mini-tuber number. The highest positive direct effect on number of mini-tuber per square meter was due to the plant height and the less negative direct effect to the mini-tuber weight per square meter