Influence of Olive Cultivar on Oil Attributes in the Arid Region of Qom, Iran

Olive cultivation has economic and health implications. The quality of harvested oil is affected by the type of cultivar and the climate in which the trees are cultivated. This study was carried out to determine quality indices (peroxide value, K232, and K270), fatty acid composition, and pigment profiles in some cultivars grown in an arid region in central Iran. These are cultivated in completely different climatic conditions than the major olive growing areas of Iran. The results have illustrated that there are significant differences between the cultivars in oil quality, pigments content, and fatty acid composition. Oil quality of all studied cultivars falls within the established ranges for extra virgin olive oil. Oleic acid levels of the ‘Beledy’ and ‘Leccino’ cultivars are below the International Olive Council (IOC) established limit. Oils of the ‘Mari’, ‘Koroneiki’, and ‘Mission’ cultivars had the highest monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) content. However, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content for Mission oil was considerably higher than ‘Koroneiki’ and ‘Mari’ oils. The ratio of MUFA/PUFA for ‘Mari’ and ‘Koroneiki’ was higher among all the cultivars studied. Furthermore, these two cultivars presented higher oleic/linoleic acid ratio and lower Cox values. Based on our findings, ‘Mari’ and ‘Koroneiki’ are among the best performing cultivars for producing olive oil in intensely hot and arid regions

The effects of valproic acid on the mRNA expression of Natriuretic Peptide Receptor A and KQT-like subfamily Q-1 in human colon cancer cell lines

Aim and objectives: The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, Valproic Acid (VPA), causes growth inhibition and apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. HDAC inhibition is associated with the transcriptional regulation of Natriuretic Peptide Receptor-A (NPR-A). NPR-A regulates voltage-gated potassium channel, KQT-like subfamily Q, member 1 (KCNQ1). NPR-A and KCNQ1 are also involved in the initiation and propagation of cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the simultaneous expressional changes of NPR-A and KCNQ1 among VPA-treated colon cancer cells. Materials and methods: Human colorectal cancer cells were cultured and treated with increasing concentrations of VPA at different time points. MTT viability test was conducted to evaluate the growth inhibition. Real Time RT-PCR was used to quantify differential mRNA expression of NPR-A and KCNQ1 genes. Two-way ANOVA and bonferroni post-tests were used to analyze data statistically. Results: We showed that VPA treatment inhibits the growth of SW-480 cells more efficiently compared to HT-29. NPR-A and KCNQ1 genes were significantly upregulated upon VPA treatment in both cell lines (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: The alteration of NPR-A and KCNQ1 genes were more ordered among SW-480 cancer cells. The expressional changes of KCNQ1 and NPR-A among VPA treated human colon cancer cells follow the same pattern in similar combinations. VPA could regulate the expression of KCNQ1 through altering the mRNA expression of NPR-A

Evaluation of genetic diversity among Iranian pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars, using ISSR and RAPD markers

Considering the high level of morphological diversity in Iranian pomegranate cultivars, comparison of genetic variation among 24 pomegranate cultivars was evaluated using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. RAPD primers amplified 131 DNA fragments among which 29 were polymorphic (22.14%) and ISSR markers produced 173 amplification products, out of which 64 were polymorphic (37%). Mean PIC (polymorphic information content) was 0.128 for RAPD and 0.163 for ISSR. The results suggested that the ISSR markers produced much better reproducible bands and were more efficient in grouping cultivars. Pairwise similarity index values ranged from 0.353 to 1.0 (RAPD), 0.291 to 0.930 (ISSR) and mean similarity index values of 0.604 and 0.674 for RAPD and ISSR, respectively. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) for RAPD and ISSR data showed no significant differences among the geographical regions and juice acidity of the used cultivars (P>0.05) indicated that genetic and geographic distances were not correlated

الأخلاق العلاجية في المنظومة الفكرية للإمام علي (ع) بمحورية نهج البلاغة

سابقه و هدف: همان‌طور که جسم انسان به سلامتی نیاز دارد و گرفتار بیماری می‌شود، روح او نیز به مراقبت نیازمند است و همچون جسم گرفتار امراض نفسانی و اخلاقی می‌شود. در نگاه امام علی (ع) پیشگیری از بیماری در سلامت جسم حائز اهمیت است؛ اما آنچه از بیماری جسمانی مهم‌تر است، امراض روحانی است که بی درد و بدون سر و صدا انسان را گرفتار می‌کند. ازاین‌رو، هدف این پژوهش بررسی اخلاق‌درمانی در بیانات امام علی (ع) با محوریت نهج‌البلاغه بود. روش کار: این پژوهش از نوع تحلیلی-کتابخانه‌ای است که کلیدواژه‌های بیماری اخلاقی، بیماری جسمی و بیماری نفسانی و روحانی در سخنان امام علی (ع) در نهج‌البلاغه، شروح نهج‌البلاغه و کتب روایی مرتبط با فرمایش‌های امام همچون تحف‌العقول، غررالحکم و دررالکلم، عیون‌الحکم و المواعظ و... در منظومۀ فکری امام علی (ع) بررسی شده است. مؤلفان مقاله هیچ‌گونه تضاد منافعی گزارش نکرده‌اند. یافته‌ها: یافته‌ها نشان داده که در نگاه امام علی (ع) در کنار بیماری‌های جسمانی، امراض اخلاقی و روحانی نیز انسان را بیمار می‌کند و این نوع بیماری بدتر از بیماری جسمانی است و الگوهای اخلاقی، احساس حضور حضرت حق در زندگی و بهره‌گیری از آیات الهی، حس امیدواری و خوش‌بینی را در بیمار زنده می‌کند. نتیجه‌گیری: با بررسی سخنان امام علی (ع) در نهج‌البلاغه و دیگر کتب روایی مرتبط، مشخص شد انسان موجودی است که هم ساحت مادی و هم فرامادی دارد و کمالش در گرو تکامل روحانی و کسب فضایل اخلاقی است. همچنین مشخص شد در کنار بیماری‌های جسمانی، بیماری‌های اخلاقی نیز درمان‌شدنی است و حضرت به بُعد اخلاقی بیش از ابعاد جسمانی توجه داشته‌اند و بیشتر بیانات ایشان در جهت درمان بُعد اخلاقی انسان بوده است. &nbsp; استناد مقاله به این صورت است: Sobhani-Yamchi M, Olyanasab SZ, Davari-Chelaghaee A. Therapeutic Ethics in Imam Ali’s (pbuh) School of Thought. Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va salāmat. 2021;7(1):137-149. https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v7i1.26576Background and Objective: Just as the human body needs to be kept healthy and in inflicted bu diseases, human soul also needs attentionwhen the body suffers from mental and moral diseases. In Imam Ali's point of view, preventing diseases is important for physical health, but more important than physical illness is the spiritual illness that travels painlessly and quietly. The purpose of this study is to investigate the therapeutic ethics of Imam Ali's statements based on Nahj al-Balagha. Methods: This study is analytical/library-based and analyzes the key words like moral maladies, physical maladies, and spiritual maladies in Imam Ali's statements in Nahj al-Balagha, interpretations of Nahj al-Balagha, and narrative books related to Imam's words, like Tuhaf al-Uqul, Exalted aphorisms and Pearls of Speech, Uyoun Al-Hakam and Al-Mavaez. The authors have not reported any conflicts of interest. Results: The findings indicate that in Imam Ali's point of view, along with physical illnesses, moral and spiritual illnesses also make man ill and that this type of disease is even worse than physical illness; ethical models, the sense of the presence of the Righteous in life, and the use of divine revelations, revive the patient's sense of hope and optimism. Conclusion: By examining Imam Ali's words in Nahj al-Balagha and other related narrative books, it found that human is a creature with both a material and immaterial nature and his perfection depends on spiritual development and acquisition of moral virtues. It was also found that in addition to physical illnesses, moral illnesses can also be treated and that Imam has been paying more attention to the moral dimension than the physical dimension, and most of his statements have been in line with the treatment of illnesses related to human's moral dimension. &nbsp; Please cite this article as: Sobhani-Yamchi M, Olyanasab SZ, Davari-Chelaghaee A. Therapeutic Ethics in Imam Ali’s (pbuh) School of Thought. Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va salāmat. 2021;7(1):137-149. https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v7i1.26576خلفية البحث وأهدافه: كما أن جسم الإنسان يحتاج للسلامة ويتعرض للمرض، فإن روحه أيضاً تحتاج إلى المراقبة فهي كالجسم تتعرض للأمراض النفسية والأخلاقية. ومن منظور الإمام علي (ع) فإن الوقاية من الأمراض لها أهميتها في سلامة الجسم، ولكن الأهم من الأمراض البدنية هي الأمراض النفسية التي تصيب الإنسان بدون ألم وليس لها صوت أو ضجيج. ومن هنا، فإن الهدف من هذه الدراسة مطالعة الأخلاق العلاجية في كلمات الإمام علي (ع) بمحورية نهج البلاغة. منهجية البحث: تعتبر هذه الدراسة من النوع التحليلي-المكتبي حيث قامت بالتحقيق في الكلمات المفتاحية: الأمراض الأخلاقية، والأمراض البدنية، والأمراض النفسية والروحية؛ وذلك في كلمات الإمام علي (ع) في نهج البلاغة وشروح نهج البلاغة والكتب الروائية المرتبطة بكلمات الإمام مثل تحف العقول وغرر الحكم ودرر الكلم، وعيون الحكم والمواعظ و... في المنظومة الفكرية للإمام علي (ع). ولم يلحظ مؤلفو المقالة أي تضارب للمصالح. الكشوفات: تشير المعطيات إلى أنه من منظار الإمام علي (ع) فإن الإنسان يُصاب بالأمراض الأخلاقية والنفسية أيضاً إلى جانب إصابته بالأمراض البدنية. وأن هذا النوع من المرض يعتبر أسوأ من المرض البدني. وأن القدوة الأخلاقية وإحساس حضور الله في الحياة والتنعم بالآيات الإلهية يؤثر في إحياء شعور الأمل والنظرة الإيجابية عند المريض. الاستنتاج: من خلال دراسة كلمات الإمام علي (ع) في نهج البلاغة وسائر الكتب الروائية المتعلقة بالموضوع فقد تبين أن الإنسان موجود له بُعد وراء مادي مضافاً إلى بُعده المادي، وأن كماله منوط بالتكامل الروحي وكسب الفضائل الأخلاقية. وقد تبين أن الأمراض الأخلاقية أبضاً قابلة للعلاج. وأنه عليه السلام يهتم بالبُعد الأخلاقي أكثر من اهتمامه بالأبعاد البدنية، وأن أغلب كلماته عليه السلام كانت تهدف إلى معالجة البُعد الأخلاقي للإنسان. &nbsp; يتم استناد المقالة على الترتيب التالي: Sobhani-Yamchi M, Olyanasab SZ, Davari-Chelaghaee A. Therapeutic Ethics in Imam Ali’s (pbuh) School of Thought. Journal of Pizhūhish dar dīn va salāmat. 2021;7(1):137-149. https://doi.org/10.22037/jrrh.v7i1.2657

A simple and efficient method for cytoplasmic production of human enterokinase light chain in E. coli

Key points 1. Combining several parameters suggested in different papers in one experiment to get the active enzyme. 2. Decreasing the temperature of induction and the amount of inducer and using a chaperone-like tag simultaneously to help the protein folding system of the bacteria. 3. Using a statistical method (RSM) to analyze a number of treatments and prediction of the most effective ones to optimize the expression system

RNA-Seq transcriptome profiling of immature grain wheat is a technique for understanding comparative modeling of baking quality

Abstract Improving the baking quality is a primary challenge in the wheat flour production value chain, as baking quality represents a crucial factor in determining its overall value. In the present study, we conducted a comparative RNA-Seq analysis on the high baking quality mutant “O-64.1.10” genotype and its low baking quality wild type "Omid" cultivar to recognize potential genes associated with bread quality. The cDNA libraries were constructed from immature grains that were 15 days post-anthesis, with an average of 16.24 and 18.97 million paired-end short-read sequences in the mutant and wild-type, respectively. A total number of 733 transcripts with differential expression were identified, 585 genes up-regulated and 188 genes down-regulated in the “O-64.1.10” genotype compared to the “Omid”. In addition, the families of HSF, bZIP, C2C2-Dof, B3-ARF, BES1, C3H, GRF, HB-HD-ZIP, PLATZ, MADS-MIKC, GARP-G2-like, NAC, OFP and TUB were appeared as the key transcription factors with specific expression in the “O-64.1.10” genotype. At the same time, pathways related to baking quality were identified through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Collectively, we found that the endoplasmic network, metabolic pathways, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, hormone signaling pathway, B group vitamins, protein pathways, pathways associated with carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as the biosynthesis and metabolism of various amino acids, have a great deal of potential to play a significant role in the baking quality. Ultimately, the RNA-seq results were confirmed using quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR for some hub genes such as alpha-gliadin, low molecular weight glutenin subunit and terpene synthase (gibberellin) and as a resource for future study, 127 EST-SSR primers were generated using RNA-seq data

Identification of Apo- Carotenoids' Crocin and Crocetin Isomers in Saffron Crude Extracts by HPLC Coupled to Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization and High Resolution Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

The main metabolites in saffron are the Apo- carotenoids’ Crocin and Crocetin. Color intensity and quality of saffron mostly depend on the presence of Crocins that are glycosylated steric form of Crocetin by glycosyltransferase enzyme. The aim of this study is the characterization of these metabolites in methanolic and chloroformic extracts of saffron stigmas during anthesis stage by LC-APCI-MS. Identification of cis and trans isomers of Crocin and Crocetin was done by three parameters such as mass spectra registered in the negative ion mode, retention time and absorption ratio related to each metabolites. The variability of these parameters made it possible to detect the Crocins isomer with regard to the attached position and the number of UDP- glucose and Gentiobiosyl molecules to Crocetin structure. Crocins was the mainly detected components as there are polar components that are classified in the carotenoeids groups and the strified form of Crocetin Glucose (β-D-Glucopyranosyl) and Gentiobiose (β-D-Glucopyranosyl-D-Glucose). Also doubly charged ions were found for trans-isomers of Crocin-4, due to the high symmetry of their molecules. Based on the data gathered, the applied chromatograph Machin in this project is accurate and it is most sensitive tools to investigate about plants’ natural components like saffron, also the used APCI-MS in negative ions mode is the most efficient method to distinguish different steric forms of Crocin based on the ion’s fragments related to united reduction of glycosyl and gentiobiosyl as well as molecular fractions

Augmenting the Antitumor Efficacy of Natural Killer Cells via SynNotch Receptor Engineering for Targeted IL-12 Secretion

Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial components of innate immunity, known for their potent tumor surveillance abilities. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have shown promise in cancer targeting, but optimizing CAR designs for NK cell functionality remains challenging. CAR-NK cells have gained attention for their potential to reduce side effects and enable scalable production in cancer immunotherapy. This study aimed to enhance NK cell anti-tumor activity by incorporating PD1-synthetic Notch (synNotch) receptors. A chimeric receptor was designed using UniProt database sequences, and 3D structure models were generated for optimization. Lentiviral transduction was used to introduce PD1-Syn receptors into NK cells. The expression of PD1-Syn receptors on NK cell surfaces was assessed. Engineered NK cells were co-cultured with PDL1+ breast cancer cells to evaluate their cytotoxic activity and ability to produce interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interferon-gamma (IFNγ) upon interaction with the target cells. This study successfully expressed the PD1-Syn receptors on NK cells. CAR-NK cells secreted IL-12 and exhibited target-dependent IFNγ production when engaging PDL1+ cells. Their cytotoxic activity was significantly enhanced in a target-dependent manner. This study demonstrates the potential of synNotch receptor-engineered NK cells in enhancing anti-tumor responses, especially in breast cancer cases with high PDL1 expression

November 30, 2013 (Pages 7000-7060)

Additional file 3: Figure S3. Melt curve analysis of ten candidate reference genes in a root samples