Notes

Story and also appearing therapeutics with regard to anatomical epilepsies.
Accuracy, sensitivity, simplicity, reproducibility, and low-cost are desirable requirements for genotoxicity assessment techniques. Here we describe a simple electrophoretic assay for genomic DNA lesions quantification (EAsy-GeL) based on subjecting DNA samples to rapid unwinding/renaturation treatments and neutral agarose gel electrophoresis. The experiments performed in this work involved different biological samples exposed to increasing environmental-simulated doses of ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation, such as Escherichia coli, human leukocytes, and isolated human genomic DNA. DNA extraction was carried out using a universal and low-cost protocol, which takes about 4 h. Before electrophoresis migration, DNA samples were kept into a neutral buffer to detect double-strand breaks (DSBs) or subjected to a 5-min step of alkaline unwinding and neutral renaturation to detect single-strand breaks (SSBs) or incubated with the DNA repair enzyme T4-endonuclease V for the detection of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) before the 5-min step of DNA unwinding/renaturation. Then, all DNA samples were separated by neutral agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA average length of each lane was calculated through the use of free software, and the frequency of DNA breaks per kbp was determined by a simple rule of three. Dose-response experiments allowed the quantification of different levels of DNA damage per electrophoretic run, varying from a constant and low amount of DSBs/SSBs to high and dose-dependent levels of CPDs. Compared with other assays based on alkaline unwinding and gel electrophoresis, EAsy-GeL has important advantages for both environmental monitoring and laboratory testing purposes. The simplicity and applicability of this protocol to other types of DNA lesions, biological models, and agents make it ideal for genotoxicity, DNA repair studies, as well as for assessing exposure risks to ecosystems and human health.In the present work, the effect of seed pre-soaking with gallic acid (GA; 3,4,5-triphydroxyl-benzoic acid) in conferring subsequent tolerance to Cd stress in sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seedlings was investigated. Exposing sunflower seedlings to increasing Cd concentrations (5, 10 and 20 μM) caused a gradual decrease in root and shoot biomass and increased the metal accumulation in both organs. Seed pretreatment with 75 µM GA significantly restricted Cd uptake, markedly alleviated Cd-induced plant growth inhibition, and mitigated the oxidative damages caused by this metal, as compared to plants directly exposed to Cd. GA pre-soaking prior to Cd stress also enhanced catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities, while inhibiting that of superoxide dismutase. Selleck HA130 This was associated with increased levels of total thiols and glutathione along with a decreased level of oxidized glutathione in leaves. Moreover, GA pre-soaking led to changes in leaf fatty acid composition of seedlings challenged with Cd, as evidenced by the higher total lipid content and lipid unsaturation degree. As a whole, this study provides strong arguments highlighting the potential role of GA as a growth promoter for sunflower seedlings submitted to Cd stress, notably by boosting the antioxidant defense system and improving leaf membrane stability.Human activities have generated air pollution, with extremely small particles (PM 2.5, particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter) and liquid droplets, which become a menace to human health. Among the pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which enhance the risks of pulmonary dysfunction and cancer development, have been extensively studied. Numerous studies have addressed the effects of PAHs on the respiratory system, whereas the effects on lung stem/progenitor cells remain unknown. Here, we provide evidence that benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a major toxic PAH, induces fibrotic changes with a loss of α-1,6-fucosylation in CD54+CD157+CD45- cells (lung stem cells). In studies with aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) antagonist, we found that these effects by BaP are independent of the canonical AHR pathway. In addition, these BaP-induced fibrotic changes are reduced by TGF-β antagonist, suggesting an alternative pathway of BaP toxicity is different from other PAH/AHR signaling pathways. Finally, it was observed that BaP impairs the spheroid formation and the podoplanin expression of CD54+CD157+CD45- cells, indicating that BaP suppresses the differentiation of lung stem cells. Taken together, our findings reveal specific BaP-induced injuries in CD54+CD157+CD45- cells.Organophosphorus pesticides are highly toxic phosphate compounds with the general structure of O = P(OR)3 and threaten human health seriously. Methyl parathion hydrolase from microbial is an important enzyme to degrade organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) into less toxic or nontoxic compounds like. p-nitrophenol and diethyl phosphate. Here, a gene encoding methyl parathion hydrolase from Azohydromonas australica was firstly cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant hydrolase showed its optimal pH and temperature at pH 9.5 and 50 °C. Leveraging 1 mM Mn2+, the enzyme activity was significantly enhanced by 29.3-fold, and the thermostability at 40 and 50 °C was also improved. The recombinant MPH showed the specific activity of 4.94 and 16.0 U/mg towards methyl parathion and paraoxon, respectively. Moreover, A. australica MPH could effectively degrade various of OPs pesticides including methyl parathion, paraoxon, dichlorvos and chlorpyrifos in a few minutes, suggesting a great potential in the bioremediation of OPs pesticides.Many microorganisms can produce intracellular and extracellular biopolymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Despite PHA's benefits, their widespread at the industrial level has not occurred due mainly to high production costs. PHA production under a biorefinery scheme is proposed to improve its economic viability. In this context, purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) are ideal candidates to produce PHA and other substances of economic interest. This review describes the PHA production by PNSB under different metabolic pathways, by using a wide range of wastes and under diverse operational conditions such as aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, irradiance level, light or dark conditions. Some strategies, such as controlling the feed regime, biofilm reactors, and open photobioreactors in outdoor conditions, were identified from the literature review as the approach needed to improve the process's economic viability when using mixed cultures of PNSB and wastes as substrates.
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