Transcriptional analysis of Rhazya stricta in response to jasmonic acid

BACKGROUND: Jasmonic acid (JA) is a signal transducer molecule that plays an important role in plant development and stress response; it can also efficiently stimulate secondary metabolism in plant cells. RESULTS: RNA-Seq technology was applied to identify differentially expressed genes and study the time course of gene expression in Rhazya stricta in response to JA. Of more than 288 million total reads, approximately 27% were mapped to genes in the reference genome. Genes involved during the secondary metabolite pathways were up- or downregulated when treated with JA in R. stricta. Functional annotation and pathway analysis of all up- and downregulated genes identified many biological processes and molecular functions. Jasmonic acid biosynthetic, cell wall organization, and chlorophyll metabolic processes were upregulated at days 2, 6, and 12, respectively. Similarly, the molecular functions of calcium-transporting ATPase activity, ADP binding, and protein kinase activity were also upregulated at days 2, 6, and 12, respectively. Time-dependent transcriptional gene expression analysis showed that JA can induce signaling in the phenylpropanoid and aromatic acid pathways. These pathways are responsible for the production of secondary metabolites, which are essential for the development and environmental defense mechanism of R. stricta during stress conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and aromatic acid synthesis pathways were upregulated during JA stress. However, monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) was unaffected by JA treatment. Hence, we can postulate that JA plays an important role in R. stricta during plant development and environmental stress conditions.

Role of Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and Three-Dimensional Doppler in Imaging of Endometrium for Diagnosis of Bleeding in Women with Post-Menopausal Bleeding.

Objective: To determine whether the Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and Three Dimensional Doppler have a role in detection of Endometrial lesions in woman with post menopausal bleeding. Methods: 36 woman in Zagazig University Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department outpatient clinics were recruited. Three-Dimensional Ultrasound and Doppler were done. Then after one week endometrial sampling was done & histological diagnosis was made. After tabulation, all data were analyzed using statistical procedures were carried with SPSS software. Result: Twenty four patients were negative for atypia or cancer and Twelve patients were positive for atypia or cancer. Mean age was 58.1 years in benign endometrium and 62.2 year in malignant endometrium (p=0.1). The mean BMI was 24 in benign and 31.75 in malignant endometrium (p<0.001). Mean endometrial thickness was 11.1 m.m in benign and 26 mm in malignant endometrium (p<0.001). The mean endometrial Volume was 5.6 cc in benign and 54.8cc in malignant endometrium (p<0.001). The VI was 2.24%and 19.5% in the two groups respectively (p<0.001). The FI was 6.7 and 27.2 in two groups respectively (p<0.001). The VFI was 3.3 and 11.5 in two groups respectively (p<0.001). In this study using endometrial volume, vascularization index percent (VI) %, flow index (FI) and vascularization-flow index (VFI) rather than endometrial thickness provided a greater sensitivity for predicting atypia or malignancy. Conclusion: The Three-Dimensional Ultrasound scanning of endometrial volume (3D-US) and Three-Dimensional Doppler Angiography (3D-DA) of the Vascular Indices (vascularization index percent, flow index, and vascularization-flow index), might predict endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding and thickened endometrium at baseline ultrasound scanning.

Study of serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 As A marker in rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis [RA] is a chronic, multisystem autoimmune disease which manifests itself in multiple joints of the body. It is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells such as monocytes and it is believed to be the result of a faulty immune response. Chemokines play a major role in selectively recruiting monocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, as well as in inducing chemotaxis through the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1/ CCL2] is one of the key chemokines that regulates migration and infiltration of monocytes/macrophages. Was to study the role of serum Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 [MCP-1] in patients with rheumatoid arthiritis as a diagnostic and prognostic marker and the possible association with disease activity. Forty rheumatoid arthritis diseased patients were selected, they were 3 males and 37 females. The patients were categorized into two groups according to activity of the disease regarding DAS score. Another 20 healthy subjects, 2 males and 18 females, with no history of rheumatoid disease were recruited as controls. This study showed a highly significant increase in MCP-1 and ESR in all rheumatoid arthritis patients group compared to control group. Correlation study of serum MCP-1 revealed a significant positive correlation between serum MCP-1 and ESR and DAS score in all patients versus the healthy group and a significant positive correlation between serum MCP-1 and ESR in the active group. Roc curve analysis was showing the diagnostic performance of serum MCP-1 in rheumatoid arthritis patients [active and inactive] versus the healthy control group, at a cut-off level of 52.5% ng/ml., the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value and positive predictive value were 98%, 93%, 93% and 98% respectively. Also, it shows the diagnostic performance of serum MCP-1 in discriminating active rheumatoid arthritis patients from the inactive group, at a cut-off level of 61ng/ml. Serum MCP-1 is one of the best indicator of clinical arthritic activity in RA patients. It represents a novel, independent indicator of clinical arthritic activity that also provides a good reflection of effect of treatment in rheumatoid arthritis patients