Imaging of hydrothermal altered zones in Wadi Al-Bana, in southern Yemen, using remote sensing techniques and very low frequency–electromagnetic data

© 2019, Saudi Society for Geosciences. Economic mineralization and hydrothermally altered zones are areas of great economic interests. This study focusses on hydrothermal altered zones of high mineralization potentials in Wadi Al-Bana, in southern Yemen. An azimuthal very low frequency–electromagnetic (AVLF-EM) data acquisition was conducted in search for mineralization in the study area. The study integrated observations from geophysical field data with others extracted from object-oriented principal component analysis (PCA) to better map and understand mineralization in the investigated area. This technique was applied to two data sets, ASTER and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) imagery. The results of PCA revealed high accuracy in detecting alteration minerals and for mapping zones of high concentration of these minerals. The PCA-based distribution of selected alteration zones correlated spatially with high conductivity anomalies in the subsurface that were detected by VLF measurements. Finally, a GIS model was built and successfully utilized to categorize the resulted altered zones, into three levels. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Genome-Wide Fitness and Expression Profiling Implicate Mga2 in Adaptation to Hydrogen Peroxide

Caloric restriction extends lifespan, an effect once thought to involve attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by aerobic metabolism. However, recent evidence suggests that caloric restriction may in fact raise ROS levels, which in turn provides protection from acute doses of oxidant through a process called adaptation. To shed light on the molecular mechanisms of adaptation, we designed a series of genome-wide deletion fitness and mRNA expression screens to identify genes involved in adaptation to hydrogen peroxide. Combined with known transcriptional interactions, the integrated data implicate Yap1 and Skn7 as central transcription factors of both the adaptive and acute oxidative responses. They also identify the transcription factors Mga2 and Rox1 as active exclusively in the adaptive response and show that Mga2 is essential for adaptation. These findings are striking because Mga2 and Rox1 have been thought to control the response to hypoxic, not oxidative, conditions. Expression profiling of mga2Δ and rox1Δ knockouts shows that these factors most strongly regulate targets in ergosterol, fatty-acid, and zinc metabolic pathways. Direct quantitation of ergosterol reveals that its basal concentration indeed depends on Mga2, but that Mga2 is not required for the decrease in ergosterol observed during adaptation

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules involved in the improvement of plant growth, health and nutrition

Bacteria-inducing legume nodules are known as rhizobia and belong to the class Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria. They promote the growth and nutrition of their respective legume hosts through atmospheric nitrogen fixation which takes place in the nodules induced in their roots or stems. In addition, rhizobia have other plant growth-promoting mechanisms, mainly solubilization of phosphate and production of indoleacetic acid, ACC deaminase and siderophores. Some of these mechanisms have been reported for strains of rhizobia which are also able to promote the growth of several nonlegumes, such as cereals, oilseeds and vegetables. Less studied are the mechanisms that have the rhizobia to promote the plant health; however, these bacteria are able to exert biocontrol of some phytopathogens and to induce the plant resistance. In this chapter, we revised the available data about the ability of the legume nodule-inducing bacteria for improving the plant growth, health and nutrition of both legumes and nonlegumes. These data showed that rhizobia meet all the requirements of sustainable agriculture to be used as bio-inoculants allowing the total or partial replacement of chemicals used for fertilization or protection of crops

Neuropathic changes in young type 2 diabetes mellitus related to high serum t-PA

Background and Aims: A substantial number of diabetic patients, diagnosed at relatively younger age, who don’t fit to typical type 2 and type 1 class of diabetes. These patients usually present with very high level of glycemia. The uniqueness of this group of patient provide the opportunity to explore the pathophysiology of nerve functional status at an early stage of diabetes. The present study was aimed to determine markers of endothelial dysfunction and evaluate nerve functional status of a group of newly diagnosed clinically uncomplicated young diabetic patients. Material and Methods: A total number of 32 (male-13 and female-19) newly diagnosed young (diabetes diagnosed under 30 yrs) were consecutively recruited from BIRDEM Out-patient department and 30 age-, BMI-matched healthy subjects with no family history of diabetes up to second generation served as controls. Serum fructosamine was measured by reduction test with NBT method. Serum C-peptide, endothelin-1 and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by ELISA and von Willebrand factor (vWF) by Radial Immunodiffusion (RID) methods. Urinary albumin measured by immunoturbidimetry method. Nerve functional status was evaluated by nerve conduction velocities (NCV), distal latencies (DL), compound muscle action potential (CAMP), F wave latencies (FWL), nerve action potential (SNAP) for motor and sensory nerve as appropriate following the standard protocol. Results: Severe hyperglycemia in the diabetic group was reflected in their mean (SD) fasting C-peptide and fructosamine level. Altered endothelial dysfunction, as evidenced by significantly high tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) (p&lt;0.001) in the diabetic group. Albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) was almost similar in the two groups. Ulnar distal latency was similar in both the groups. But its CAMP and NCV were significantly lower in the diabetic group (p&lt;0.02-0.001). Ulnar F wave latency were significantly higher (p=0.016) in the diabetic group. Ulnar sensory conduction parameters did not show any difference between two groups. Peroneal motor and sural sensory functional status of the diabetic subjects showed similar trend like that of ulnar motor and sensory status. Peroneal nerve motor NCV was significantly negatively correlated with fasting glucose [r=- 0.456, p=0.001]. Peroneal motor distal latency was significantly correlated with fasting fructosamine [r=0.439, p=0.012]. Fasting fructosamine showed significant negative correlation with motor peroneal NCV [r=-0.572, p=0.001], motor ulnar NCV [r=-0.468, p=0.007], both ulnar and sural sensory NAP (p=0.02 for both]. On the basis of F wave latency 53% of diabetic subjects had diabetic neuropathy and markedly higher t-PA compared to nonneuropathy groups (p=0.001). Conclusions: The data suggest that (i) Young type 2 diabetic subjects had endothelial dysfunction at the time of diagnosis even in the presence of normoalbuminuria state; (ii) Motor nerve conduction parameters are affected more than the sensory component; (iii) F wave latencies are more frequently and early to be involved in these subjects and linked to high serum t-PA. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v13i2.18302 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.13(2) 2014 p.190-197</jats:p

Study of EEG Findings in Patients Referred from Psychiatrists

EEG is not so commonly used in patients attending psychiatry  department. It is predominantly required to rule out any  organic cause behind the behavioral changes. Purpose of  this study was to assess the referred cases from psychiatry  department and determine the clinical factors associated with  an abnormal EEG in patients with psychiatric problem. We  retrospectively reviewed and analyzed the data of all the cases  referred to EEG lab. of Dept. of Neurology, Dhaka Medical  College Hospital from psychiatrist. A total of 50 patients from  July 2009 to January 2011 were selected. From the EEG  register following information were noted eg. age, sex,  socioeconomic status, habitat, rural or urban, clinical  features, associated features, probable clinical diagnosis and  EEG findings. The results showed that most of the patients  belonged to age group 11-20years, comprising 46 % (n-23),  66% (n-33) were female. Though the total rate of abnormal  EEG in psychiatry patients are low (n-20). 44% of the patients  having seizure as the presenting complaint had the largest  number of EEG abnormality (n-16), p value &lt;.001. Patients  with primary psychiatric disorders did not have any  epileptiform activity (n-22). Where as most of the patients (n-  27) who were undiagnosed at the time of referral had the  largest number of EEG abnormality (n-19), p value&lt;.002.  So any patient presenting to psychiatry department with  seizure disorder or any patient with diagnostic confusion  should be evaluated with EEG. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbcps.v30i1.11363 J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2012; 30: 24-29</jats:p

In vivo

Biodegradable implants are promising drug delivery systems for sustained release ocular drug delivery with the benefits such as minimum systemic side effects, constant drug concentration at the target site and getting cleared without surgical removal. Dry eye syndrome (DES) is a common disease characterized with the changes in ocular epithelia surface and results in inflammatory reaction that might lead to blindness. Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a cyclic peptide that is frequently employed for the treatment of DES and it needs to be applied several times a day in tear drops form. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vivo behavior and efficacy of the developed nano-decorated subconjunctival implant systems for sustained release CsA delivery. Biodegradable Poly--caprolactone (PCL) implant or micro-fiber implants containing CsA loaded poly-lactide-co-glycolide (85:15) (PLGA) or PCL nanoparticles were prepared in order to achieve sustained release. Two of the formulations PCL-PLGA-NP-F and PCL-PCL-NP-I were selected for in vivo evaluation based on their in vitro characteristics determined in our previous study. In this study, formulations were implanted to Swiss Albino mice with induced dry eye syndrome to investigate the ocular distribution of CsA following subconjunctival implantation and to evaluate the efficacy. Tissue distribution study indicated that CsA was present in ocular tissues such as cornea, sclera and lens even 90 days after the application and blood CsA levels were found lower than ocular tissues. Efficacy studies also showed that application of CsA-loaded fiber implant formulation resulted in faster recovery based on their staining scores

Distribution of Heavy Metals in Surface Sediments of the Bay of Bengal Coast The concentrations of major (

) elements in the surficial sediments were studied in an attempt to establish their concentration in the Bengal coast. It was revealed that the majority of the trace elements have been introduced into the Bengal marine from the riverine inflows that are also affected by the impact of industrial, ship breaking yard, gas production plant, and urban wastes. The concentration of heavy metals was measured using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray fluorescence instruments. The highest concentrations for several trace elements were thus recorded which generally decrease with distance from the coast. It was observed that the heavy metal concentrations in the sediments generally met the criteria of international marine sediment quality. However, both the contamination factor and pollution load index values suggested the elevation of some metals&apos; concentrations in the region. Constant monitoring of the Bengal coast water quality needs to be recorded with a view to minimizing the risk of health of the population and the detrimental impacts on the aquatic ecosystem