Abstract

Damage to CNS elements is caused by many neurologic diseases including cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, and has been attributed to dyshomeostasis of glutamate signalling. However, molecular mechanism remains elusive. This study was undertaken to elucidate the molecular role of glutamate transporter (GluT) signalling on injury mediated cellular damage using ex-vivo model of brain cultures. Cell injury was induced by transient deprivation of oxygen and glucose. Pharmacological inhibition of GluTs with DL-TBOA was initiated immediately after the end of cell injury. In this study, we detected cell mortality and apoptosis. Caspases, BCL-2 and BDNF transcripts were determined by Q-RT-PCR. Proliferation was detected by replicating cell DNA assay. GluT inhibition following injury was found to result in a further cellular damage as judged by ~ a 58% reduction in cell survival as well as ~ a 29% increase in apoptosis. There was an upregulation of caspase-1,-3,-8 and -9 transcripts. There was also further downregulation of BCL-2 and BDNF transcripts. In addition, there seemed to be proliferative cells increased significantly during the recovery phase. Our study shows that GluT signalling inhibition enhances cell death by a mechanism involving elaborating pro-death caspases or by suppressing anti-apoptotic BCL-2 and BDNF.

Abstract

The study of solvable groups has been, and continues to be, the most significant area of work in group theory. Our aim in this work is to classify groups of orderup to 200 in terms of solvability. Our starting point of this classification is to prove that any group with fewer than 60 elements is solvable. Finally, we will show that any group of order up to 200 and not 60, 120, 168, 180 is solvable.

Abstract

In this paper, we examine Golbasi's approach towards the commutativity in prime near-rings with generalized(σ,τ)- derivations, showing inconsistency in his proof due to its dependence on the implicit assumption of left and right distributivity. To make this proof correct and complete, we provide a more rigorous alternative proof based on a suitable extension of lemma given in [4].

Abstract

Damage to retina during development correlates with many ophthalmological pathologies, such as retinal dysplasia and degeneration. Virus-mediated gene transfer into identified retinal cells may offer a great potential for therapeutic interventions. This study describes a three-dimensional culture system of the embryonic chick retina. Samples from 17 and 19 days old retinae were isolated from eyeball and were cultured for up to 10 days. Selection of embryonic stage and specimen processing were optimized for culturing. The ability of a replication-deficient adenovirus vector (AVV) carrying an early cytomegalovirus (CMV) gene promoter to efficiently transfer a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene into the cultured embryonic chick retinae was analysed. The results indicated that retinal tissue slices did not show any change in their cytoarchitecture. The results also showed that the GFP expression was maximal about 24 hours after infection of retinal slices and were maintained for several days. They also showed that GFP expression was widespread in the retinal slices. Moreover, the results also showed that injecting of AVV did not show any detectable cytopathic effects - these were only observed for very high titres of infection. The approach developed here is a valuable tool that can be used to assess the effect of pharmacological manipulations on retinal cells and to transfer of effective therapeutic genes into the retina, which might also facilitate the search for understanding the mechanisms responsible to vision-related diseases and to identify potential therapeutic interventions.

Abstract

Mesozoic sedimentary rocks are exposed in Gharyan area NW Libya. The age of these rocks ranges from Ladinian/Carnian beds exposed in some hillocks in the foot plain of Jabal Nefusa around the city of Al Azizia up to Cenomanian Nalut ( previously Gharyan) formation over which the city of Gharyan is settled. The formations are composed of different lithological units, and are interbeded locally in some areas with igneous intrusions and extrusions along with some tectonic elements such as faults. Gamma rays are small bursts of very high frequency electromagnetic waves that are spontaneously emitted by the nuclei of some isotopes of some elements. Only a limited number of isotopes of the natural elements emit gamma rays; and among these, there are only three which are: Potassium (K), Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th). K is a major constituent of most rocks and is the predominant alteration element in most mineral deposits. Uranium and thorium are present in trace amounts, as mobile and immobile elements, respectively .As the concentration of these different radioelements varies between different rock types, we can use the information provided by a gamma-ray spectrometer to map the rocks. SPP2 Gamma Ray Scintillometer and RS320 Gamma Ray Spectrometr were used in this study to measure the gamma ray radioactivity of the different units of the geological formations in the area. The measured radioactivity range of the different units in the measured channels was: total radioactive channel (222 ppm -- 2920 ppm); potassium (0.3% - 7.3%), Uranium (0.7ppm -- 14.3ppm), Thorium (0.6ppm -- 23.7ppm), and total gamma ray scintilometry (15 c/s to 180 c/s). The measured geophysical radioactive data showed a very well accordance with the different geological units. This work is an attempt to denote the natural radioactivity of the lithological units exposed in jabal Nefusa in Gharyan area and it is the first is kind of such study and will serve as a guide line to any radioactivity survey or study that will be carried in the future in this area or the surrounding areas.

Abstract

Water deficit is a serious environmental factor limiting the growth and productivity of plants and agricultural crops worldwide. A number of these plants and crops own the ability to survive drought by altering the level of gene expression. Using Arabidopsis in studying gene function and regulation is of crucial importance to plant biotechnology. Our objective was to study the gene expression of C-repeat- Binding Factor 4/ Dehydration Responsive Element-binding Protein 1D (CBF4/DREB1D) (At5g51990) under drought using cbf4 mutant line (SALK_039486). Two separate experiments were performed. In the first one, plants of homozygous and wild type lines were grown on the same soil, and in the second one; plants of the two lines in parallel with Columbia 8 were grown on separate pots. The molecular analysis showed that the insert is located 52 bases downstream the gene and the mutant were segregated out in a different manner from the mendelian bases. The gene expression of CBF4 was greatly reduced in the mutant comparing to wild type but plant survival showed no significant differences between the different genotypes in both experiments. The mRNA detection indicates the role of CBF4 in drought stress response in Arabidopsis as the mutant showed gene down-regulation but this level was not low enough to affect plant survival.