Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) influenced seed development, grain quality, and remobilization by affecting the transcription of microRNA 171 (miR171), miR156, NAM, and SUT genes in wheat (Triticum aestivum): a biological advantage and risk assessment study

Limited studies have been conducted on the role of microRNAs (miRs) and transcription factors in regulating plant cell responses to nanoparticles. This study attempted to address whether the foliar application of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs; 0, 10, 25, and 50 mgL^-1) can affect miRs, gene expression, and wheat grain quality. The seedlings were sprayed with ZnONPs (0, 10, 25, and 50 mgL^-1) or bulk counterpart (BZnO) five times at 72 h intervals. The application of ZnONPs at 10 mgL^-1 increased the number of spikelets and seed weight, while the nano-supplement at 50 mgL^-1 was accompanied by severe restriction on developing spikes and grains. ZnONPs, in a dose-dependent manner, transcriptionally influenced miR156 and miR171. The expression of miR171 showed a similar trend to that of miR156. The ZnONPs at optimum concentration upregulated the NAM transcription factor and sucrose transporter (SUT) at transcriptional levels. However, the transcription of both NAM and SUT genes displayed a downward trend in response to the toxic dose of ZnONPs (50 mgL^-1). Utilization of ZnONPs increased proline and total soluble phenolic content. Monitoring the accumulation of carbohydrates, including fructan, glucose, fructose, and sucrose, revealed that ZnONPs at 10 mgL^-1 modified the source/sink communication and nutrient remobilization. The molecular and physiological data revealed that the expression of miR156 and miR171 is tightly linked to seed grain development, remobilization of carbohydrates, and genes involved in nutrient transportation. This study establishes a novel strategy for obtaining higher yields in crops. This biological risk assessment investigation also displays the potential hazard of applying ZnONPs at the flowering developmental phase.

Discrimination of normal and cancerous human skin tissues based on laser-induced spectral shift fluorescence microscopy

A homemade spectral shift fluorescence microscope (SSFM) is coupled with a spectrometer to record the spectral images of specimens based on the emission wavelength. Here a reliable diagnosis of neoplasia is achieved according to the spectral fluorescence properties of ex-vivo skin tissues after rhodamine6G (Rd6G) staining. It is shown that certain spectral shifts occur for nonmelanoma/melanoma lesions against normal/benign nevus, leading to spectral micrographs. In fact, there is a strong correlation between the emission wavelength and the sort of skin lesions, mainly due to the Rd6G interaction with the mitochondria of cancerous cells. The normal tissues generally enjoy a significant red shift regarding the laser line (37 nm). Conversely, plenty of fluorophores are conjugated to unhealthy cells giving rise to a relative blue shift i.e., typically SCC (6 nm), BCC (14 nm), and melanoma (19 nm) against healthy tissues. In other words, the redshift takes place with respect to the excitation wavelength i.e., melanoma (18 nm), BCC (23 nm), and SCC (31 nm) with respect to the laser line. Consequently, three data sets are available in the form of micrographs, addressing pixel-by-pixel signal intensity, emission wavelength, and fluorophore concentration of specimens for prompt diagnosis.

Metagenomic analysis of bacteria in stallion semen

Bacteria colonize stallion semen during collection and processing which may cause disease in inseminated females or negatively affect sperm quality during storage prior to insemination. Antibiotics are added to semen extenders to control the growth of these bacteria but may induce antimicrobial resistance. Research into alternatives to antibiotics for this purpose requires knowledge of which bacteria are present in semen. Not all bacteria in semen, however, can be identified by conventional microbiological techniques. The objectives of the study were to: i) determine which bacteria are present in stallion semen using metagenomics; and ii) investigate individual differences in bacterial content in semen from all stallions on one premises. Bacterial DNA was extracted from ejaculates from seven stallions (one ejaculate per stallion) and bacteria were identified using 16S sequencing. In total, 83 bacterial genera were identified, varying from 25 to 52 among different individuals. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.81212; P <  0.05) between the presence of Treponema spp. and Advenella spp. In conclusion, most of the bacteria present in stallion semen could be identified to genus level by 16S sequencing even when present at a low frequency. This method of identification may help to clarify individual variation in bacterial content and its potential effects on fertility.

Effect of Fe ion implantation on the thermoelectric properties and electronic structures of CoSb3 thin films

In the present study, thin films of single-phase CoSb₃ were deposited onto Si(100) substrates via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method using a polycrystalline target of CoSb₃. These films were implanted by 120 keV Fe-ions with three different fluences: 1 × 10¹⁵, 2.5 × 10¹⁵ and 5 × 10¹⁵ ions per cm². All films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Rutherford backscattering (RBS) spectrometry and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). XRD data revealed that the ion implantation decreased the crystalline nature of these films, which are recovered after the rapid thermal annealing process. The Seebeck coefficient S vary with the fluences in the temperature range of 300 K to 420 K, and is found to be highest (i.e., 254 μV K⁻¹) at 420 K for the film implanted with 1 × 10¹⁵ ions per cm². The high S and low resistivity lead to the highest power factor for the film implanted with 1 × 10¹⁵ ions per cm² (i.e., 700 μW m⁻¹ K⁻²) at 420 K. The changing of the sign of S from negative for the pristine film to positive for the Fe-implanted samples confirm that the Fe ions are electrically active and act as electron acceptors by replacing the Co atoms. XAS measurements confirm that the Fe ions occupied the Co site in the cubic frame of the skutterudite and exist in the 3+ oxidation state in this structure.

The power factor for the Fe ion-implanted samples is greater than that of the pristine sample with a value of 700 mW m⁻¹ K⁻² at 420 K for the I_1E15A sample.

Evaluation of Diversity Based on Morphological Variabilities and ISSR Molecular Markers in Iranian Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Accessions to Select and Introduce Cold-Tolerant Genotypes

The main goals of the present study were to screen Iranian common bermudagrasses to find cold-tolerant accessions and evaluate their genetic and morphological variabilities. In this study, 49 accessions were collected from 18 provinces of Iran. One foreign cultivar of common bermudagrass was used as control. Morphological variation was evaluated based on 14 morphological traits to give information about taxonomic position of Iranian common bermudagrass. Data from morphological traits were evaluated to categorize all accessions as either cold sensitive or tolerant using hierarchical clustering with Ward's method in SPSS software. Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers were employed to evaluate genetic variability of accessions. The results of our taxonomic investigation support the existence of two varieties of Cynodon dactylon in Iran: var. dactylon (hairless plant) and var. villosous (plant with hairs at leaf underside and/or upper side surfaces or exterior surfaces of sheath). All 15 primers amplified and gave clear and highly reproducible DNA fragments. In total, 152 fragments were produced, of which 144 (94.73%) being polymorphic. The polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.700 to 0.928. The average PIC value obtained with 15 ISSR primers was 0.800, which shows that all primers were informative. Probability identity (PI) and discriminating power between all primers ranged from 0.029 to 0.185 and 0.815 to 0.971, respectively. Genetic data were converted into a binary data matrix. NTSYS software was used for data analysis. Clustering was done by the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages and principle coordinate analysis, separated the accessions into six main clusters. According to both morphological and genetic diversity investigations of accessions, they can be clustered into three groups: cold sensitive, cold semi-tolerant, and cold tolerant. The most cold-tolerant accessions were: Taft, Malayear, Gorgan, Safashahr, Naein, Aligoudarz, and the foreign cultivar. This study may provide useful information for further breeding programs on common bermudagrass. Selected genotypes can be evaluated for other abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity.

DFT/TD-semiempirical study on the structural and electronic properties and absorption spectra of supramolecular fullerene-porphyrine-metalloporphyrine triads based dye-sensitized solar cells

In the present work density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent semiempirical ZNIDO/S (TD-ZNIDO/S) methods have been used to investigate the ground state geometries, electronic structures and excited state properties of triad systems. The influences of the type of metal in the porphyrin ring, change in bridge position and porphyrine-ZnP duplicate on the energies of frontier molecular orbital and UV-Vis spectra has been studied. Geometry optimization, the energy levels and electron density of the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) and the Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbital (LUMO), chemical hardness (η), electrophilicity index (ω), electron accepting power (ω⁺) were calculated using ZINDO/S method to predict which molecule is the most efficient with a great capability to be used as a triad molecule in solar industry. Moreover the light harvesting efficiency (LHE) was calculated by means of the oscillator strengths which are obtained by TD-ZINDO/S calculation. Theoretical studies of the electronic spectra by ZINDO/S method were helpful in interpreting the observed electronic transitions. This aspect was systematically explored in a series of C₆₀-Porphyrine-Metalloporphyrine (C₆₀-P-Mp) triad system with M being Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, and Zn. Generally, transition metal coordination compounds are used as effective sensitizers, due to their intense charge-transfer absorption over the whole visible range and highly efficient metal-to-ligand charge transfer. We aim to optimize the performance of the title solar cells by altering the frontier orbital energy gaps. The results reveal that cell efficiency can be enhanced by metal functionalization of the free base porphyrin. Ti-porphyrin was found to be the most efficient dye sensitizer for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on C₆₀-P-Mptriad system due to C₆₀-Por-TiP complex has lower chemical hardness, gap energy and chemical potential as well as higher electron accepting power among other complexes. In addition, the performance of solar cells favors better with doubly and increasing the π conjugated of the bridge.

Isolation and in silico functional analysis of MtATP6, a 6-kDa subunit of mitochondrial F₁F0-ATP synthase, in response to abiotic stress

Mitochondrial F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase is a key enzymatic complex of energy metabolism that provides ATP for the cell. Subunits of this enzyme over-express under stress conditions. Little is known about the structure and regulatory mechanism of the F(0) portion of this enzyme. We isolated the full-length coding sequence of the RMtATP6 gene from rice and wheat, and partial sequences from Aegilops crassa and Triticum monococcum (Poaceae). We found that the sequence of rice RMtATP6 is 1965 bp long and contains two exons and one intron in 3'-UTR. Then, we analyzed the 2000-bp upstream region of the initiation codon ATG of the RMtATP6 and AtMtATP6, as promoter. The RMtATP6 coding sequence was found to be much conserved in the different plant species, possibly because of its key role under stress conditions. Promoter analysis demonstrated that RMtATP6 and AtMtATP6 include cis-acting elements such as ABRE, MYC/MYB, GT element in the upstream region, which respond to abscisic acid stress hormone and might show vital its roles in biotic and abiotic tolerance as an early-stress responsive gene. A mitochondrial signal peptide of 30 amino acids in length and an N-terminal cleavage site between amino acids 20 and 21 were discovered in RMtATP6. In addition, we found a transmembrane domain with an alpha helix structure that possibly passed through the mitochondrial inner membrane and established the 6-kDa subunit in the F(0) portion of the enzyme complex. Apparently, under stress conditions, with increasing ATP consumption by the cell, the 6-kDa subunit accumulates; by switching on F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase it provides additional energy needed for cell homeostasis.

Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite as a plant gene delivery vector trans-activated by taxonomically diverse geminiviruses

Cotton leaf curl Multan betasatellite (CLCuMB) replicates in tobacco, tomato and datura plants in the presence of the helper viruses tomato leaf curl virus-Australia, Iranian isolates of tomato yellow leaf curl virus, tomato leaf curl Karnataka virus, and beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV). Infectious recombinant CLCuMB constructs were made in which segments of either the CaMV 35S or the petunia ChsA promoter replaced the CLCuMB βC1 ORF, and these were designated pBinβΔC1-35S and pBinβΔC1-ChsA, respectively. Inoculation of tobacco plants containing a functional 35S-GUS transgene with pBinβΔC1-35S, and normal petunia plants with pBinβΔC1-ChsA, in the presence of helper viruses resulted in silencing of GUS and ChsA activities in transgenic tobacco and non-transgenic petunia plants, respectively. Replication of CLCuMB with different geminiviruses, especially BSCTV, a curtovirus with a broad host range, makes it a valuable gene delivery vector to the large number of host plant species of geminiviruses that support CLCuMB.

Difficult airway equipment in obstetric units in the republic of Ireland: results of a national survey

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Difficult intubation in obstetric units has been identified as a major contributory factor to anaesthesia related maternal morbidity and mortality. Availability of equipment for management of a difficult airway is associated with reduced maternal complications. The purpose of our survey was to describe the availability of difficult airway equipment in Irish Obstetric Units.

METHODS

A telephone survey was conducted in which all respondents were asked whether they housed basic airway equipment, alternative ventilation and alternative intubation equipment within or close to their obstetric unit.

RESULTS

The most important finding of this study is that all the obstetric units in Ireland hold at least one alternative device for both ventilation and intubation. The most common alternative ventilation device was the laryngeal mask airway and the most common alternative intubating device was the surgical airway device.

CONCLUSIONS

Irish Obstetric Units are well equipped according to the international guidelines for difficult intubation equipment. However, we believe that this situation could be further improved by training inexperienced anaesthetists in the use of the Intubating Laryngeal Mask and by the increased use of portable trolleys.

A combination of lidocaine and nitrous oxide in oxygen is more effective in preventing pain on propofol injection than either treatment alone

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Propofol is an intravenous (i.v.) anaesthetic agent that possesses many of the qualities of an ideal anaesthetic agent. The most significant side-effect associated with propofol is pain on injection. Despite optimal therapy, the incidence of pain on propofol injection remains a problem. This prospective, randomized, double blinded study evaluated the effect of three different treatment strategies in decreasing pain on propofol injection.

METHODS

We studied 102 adult, ASA I-II patients, scheduled for elective surgical procedures. Combination of i.v. lidocaine and nitrous oxide (N2O) in oxygen (O2) inhalation pre-treatment was compared with either treatment alone in the prevention of pain on propofol injection. A standard propofol injection technique and scoring system, to measure the pain on injection was used.

RESULTS

Demographic variables were similar between the groups. The incidence of no pain on propofol injection was similar in the lidocaine and N2O groups (63.6% vs. 57.5%) (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17-0.29, P = 0.61). Combination therapy was associated with a greater incidence of no pain on injection (84% vs. 63.6%) (95% CI: 0.06-0.48, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Combination of i.v. lidocaine and N2O in O2 inhalation pre-treatment is more effective than either treatment alone in decreasing pain on propofol injection.

Does routine home visiting improve the return rate and outcome of DOTS patients who delay treatment?

Overa period of 6 months the effect of home visits on compliance with directly observed therapy, short course [DOTS], was studied on 480 new smear-positive tuberculosis patients who had delayed collecting their drugs on one occasion. Patients registered at 15 tuberculosis treatment centers in Baghdad, Iraq, were randomized to an intervention group [receiving home visits from trained personnel] or a control group. Home visits were highly effective in improving the return to treatment of patients who were late for treatment [231/240, 96.3%]. The intervention group showed a higher treatment success rate [94.2% versus 76.7%], lower default rate [0.8% versus 10.0%] and higher smear conversion rate after the end of treatment [92.9% versus 75.0%] than controls. Home visiting by trained personnel significantly improves patient compliance with DOTS

Does routine home visiting improve the return rate and outcome of DOTS patients who delay treatment?

Over a period of 6 months the effect of home visits on compliance with directly observed therapy, short course (DOTS), was studied on 480 new smear-positive tuberculosis patients who had delayed collecting their drugs on one occasion. Patients registered at 15 tuberculosis treatment centres in Baghdad, Iraq, were randomized to an intervention group (receiving home visits from trained personnel) or a control group. Home visits were highly effective in improving the return to treatment of patients who were late for treatment (231/240, 96.3%). The intervention group showed a higher treatment success rate (94.2% versus 76.7%), lower default rate (0.8% versus 10.0%) and higher smear conversion rate after the end of treatment (92.9% versus 75.0%) than controls. Home visiting by trained personnel significantly improves patient compliance with DOTS.

A prospective, randomised trial of preoperative rectal diclofenac: Are we closing the gate after the horse has gone?

BACKGROUND

Diclofenac sodium is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent commonly used to provide analgesia post-surgery. It is common clinical practice to administer a diclofenac suppository at induction to contribute to pre-emptive analgesia (PEA). Diclofenac takes up to 30 minutes to attain maximal plasma level after rectal administration.

AIM

To compare post-operative analgesia in patients who received diclofenac 30-45 minutes preoperatively, or at induction of anaesthesia.

METHODS

A prospective, randomised, double-blind controlled trial in 157 patients undergoing varicose vein surgery. Group A (control) received a rectal placebo 30-45 minutes preoperatively, group B received diclofenac 100 mg 30-45 minutes preoperatively and group C received placebo 30-45 minutes preoperatively and diclofenac 100 mg at induction. Outcome measures were Visual Analogue Scores (VAS) and requirement for rescue analgesia.

RESULTS

Patients in group A had significantly poorer analgesia than patients in groups B and C. There were no significant differences in VAS values and requirements for rescue analgesia between groups B and C 3-4 hours and 18-22 hours postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

For patients undergoing varicose vein surgery preoperative administration of rectal diclofenac significantly improves post-operative analgesia and this effect is independent of whether it is given at induction or 30-45 minutes preoperatively.