Search results for: cell connection

Authors: M. Maleczek, Leszek Bogdan, Kazimierz Drabczyk, Agnieszka Iwan

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Crystalline silicon (Si) solar cells are the main product in the market among the various photovoltaic technologies concerning such advantages as: material richness, high carrier mobilities, broad spectral absorption range and established technology. However, photovoltaic technology on the stiff substrates are heavier, more fragile and less cost-effective than devices on the flexible substrates to be applied in special applications. The main goal of our work was to incorporate silicon solar cells into various fabric, without any change of the electrical and mechanical parameters of devices. This work is realized for the GEKON project (No. GEKON2/O4/268473/23/2016) sponsored by The National Centre for Research and Development and The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. In our work, the polyamide or polyester fabrics were used as a flexible substrate in the created devices. Applied fabrics differ in tensile and tear strength. All investigated polyamide fabrics are resistant to weathering and UV, while polyester ones is resistant to ozone, water and ageing. The examined fabrics are tight at 100 cm water per 2 hours. In our work, commercial silicon solar cells with the size 156 × 156 mm were cut into nine parts (called single solar cells) by diamond saw and laser. Gap and edge after cutting of solar cells were checked by transmission electron microscope (TEM) to study morphology and quality of the prepared single solar cells. Modules with the size of 160 × 70 cm (containing about 80 single solar cells) were created and investigated by electrical and mechanical methods. Weight of constructed module is about 1.9 kg. Three types of solar cell architectures such as: -fabric/EVA/Si solar cell/EVA/film for lamination, -backsheet PET/EVA/Si solar cell/EVA/film for lamination, -fabric/EVA/Si solar cell/EVA/tempered glass, were investigated taking into consideration type of fabric and lamination process together with the size of solar cells. In investigated devices EVA, it is ethylene-vinyl acetate, while PET - polyethylene terephthalate. Depend on the lamination process and compatibility of textile with solar cell an efficiency of investigated flexible silicon solar cells was in the range of 9.44-16.64 %. Multi folding and unfolding of flexible module has no impact on its efficiency as was detected by Instron equipment. Power (P) of constructed solar module is 30 W, while voltage about 36 V. Finally, solar panel contains five modules with the polyamide fabric and tempered glass will be produced commercially for different applications (dual use).

Keywords: flexible devices, mechanical properties, silicon solar cells, textiles

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Authors: Allulu Yousef Alturki, Raghad Abdullah Alshafi, Sara Abdulaziz Alghashem, Sahar Saleh Alghamdi, Rasha Saad Suliman, Zeyad Alehaideb, Rizwan Ali

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Cancer is recognized as a worldwide public health concern. Therefore, there is a continuous quest to discover new effective medications with less side-effects. In recent years, researchers have shown an increased interest in medicinal plants as several plant species have shown promising biological activities. Thus, we seek to investigate three medicinal herbs that are commonly-found in the Middle Easternregion and yet have not been explored in depth, including plants belonging to the Rhamnaceae, Polygonaceae, and Apocynaceaeplant families. Initially, we investigated using three types of cancer cell lines for breast, colorectal, and liver cancers. We performed high Content Imaging (HCI)-Apoptosis Assay and ApoTox-Glo™ Triplex Assay on KAIMRC2 and HCT8 cell lines. The highest activity of HCI-Apoptosis Assay was with Calligonumcomosum and Ziziphusnummularia in ethanol, followed by Calotropis procera and Ziziphusnummularia in ethyl acetate. The IC50values for the families of Rhamnaceae, Polygonaceae, and Apocynaceae in HepG2 and HCT8 cell lines ranged from 0.089 to 9.84mg/mL and 0.080to 15.08mg/mL, respectively. Further screening was conducted on an additional two cell lines, namely the MDA-MB-231 and KAIMRC2, for selected seven extracts with the highest activity having IC50values ranged from 0.058 to0.51mg/mL and 0.029 to0.19mg/mL, respectively. Continuous scientific investigations to isolate and characterize the potent bioactive phytochemical(s) are warranted. Funding: The authors acknowledge financial support from King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Institutional Review Board Statement: The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Institutional Review Board of King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (SP21R/463/12, 24 January 2022). Acknowledgments: The authors want to express their gratitude to the College of Pharmacy (COP) at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC) for their continued support.

Keywords: rhamnaceae, polygonaceae, apocynaceae, natural products

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Authors: Priyanka Sharma, Rajeshwar Nath Srivastava

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Hydrogen has a high level of efficacy in suppressing tumour growth. The role of hydrogen in cancer treatment is unclear. This groundbreaking research will focus on the most effective therapeutic approach for osteosarcoma. Recent data reveals that hydrogen, a naturally occurring gaseous chemical, can protect cells from death. However, little is known about the signalling pathways that regulate cardiac cell death and individual apoptosis signalling by H2 and its downstream targets. According to certain research, the anti-tumor effect of H2 released by magnesium-based biomaterials is mediated by the P53-mediated lysosome-mitochondria apoptosis signalling pathway, bolstering the biomaterial's therapeutic potential as a localised anti-tumor treatment. The role of the H2 molecule in the signalling of apoptotic, autophagic, necroptotic, and pyroptotic cell death in Osteosarcoma is discussed in this paper. Potential Hydrogen-based therapy techniques will broaden the treatment horizon for Osteosarcoma.

Keywords: osteosarcoma, metastasis, hhydrogen, therapeutic

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Authors: Md. Najiur Rahman

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This hypothesis reveals a profound and symmetrical connection that goes beyond the boundaries of quantum physics and cosmology, revolutionizing our understanding of the fundamental building blocks of the cosmos, given its name ‘The Theory of the Mystery’. This theory has an elegantly simple equation, “R = ∆r / √∆m” which establishes a beautiful and well-crafted relationship between the radius (R) of an elementary particle or galaxy, the relative change in radius (∆r), and the mass difference (∆m) between related entities. It is fascinating to note that this formula presents a super synchronization, one which involves the convergence of every basic particle and any single celestial entity into perfect alignment with its respective mass and radius. In addition, we have a Supporting equation that defines the mass-radius connection of an entity by the equation: R=√m/N, where N is an empirically established constant, determined to be approximately 42.86 kg/m, representing the proportionality between mass and radius. It provides precise predictions, collects empirical evidence, and explores the far-reaching consequences of theories such as General Relativity. This elegant symmetry reveals a fundamental principle that underpins the cosmos: each component, whether small or large, follows a precise mass-radius relationship to exert gravity by a universal law. This hypothesis represents a transformative process towards a unified theory of physics, and the pursuit of experimental verification will show that each particle and galaxy is bound by gravity and plays a unique but harmonious role in shaping the universe. It promises to reveal the great symphony of the mighty cosmos. The predictive power of our hypothesis invites the exploration of entities at the farthest reaches of the cosmos, providing a bridge between the known and the unknown.

Keywords: unified theory, quantum gravity, mass-radius relationship, dark matter, uniform gravity

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Authors: Nick Weir, Robert Stevens, Alan Hargreaves, Martin McGinnity, Chris Tinsley

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Hydrophobic materials have previously demonstrated the ability to elevate cell-cell interactions and promote the formation of neural networks whilst aligned nanofibers demonstrate the ability to induce extensive neurite outgrowth in an aligned manner. Hydrophobic materials typically elicit an immune response upon implantation and thus materials used for implantation are typically hydrophilic. Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is a hydrophobic, non-immunogenic, FDA approved material that can be electrospun to form aligned nanofibers. Primary rat cortical neurons cultured for 10 days on aligned PLLA nanofibers formed 3D cell clusters, approximately 800 microns in diameter. Neurites that extended from these clusters were highly aligned due to the alignment of the nanofibers they were cultured upon and fasciculation was also evident. Plasma treatment of the PLLA nanofibers prior to seeding of cells significantly reduced the hydrophobicity and abolished the cluster formation and neurite fasciculation, whilst reducing the extent and directionality of neurite outgrowth; it is proposed that hydrophobicity induces the changes to cellular behaviors. Aligned PLLA nanofibers induced the formation of a structure that mimics the grey-white matter compartmentalization that is observed in vivo and thus represents a step forward in generating organoids or biomaterial-based implants. Upon implantation into the brain, the biomaterial architectures described here may provide a useful platform for both brain repair and brain remodeling initiatives.

Keywords: hydrophobicity, nanofibers, neurite fasciculation, neurite outgrowth, PLLA

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Authors: Justyna Humięcka-Jakubowska

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1. Background in music analysis. Traditionally, when we think about a composer’s sketches, the chances are that we are thinking in terms of the working out of detail, rather than the evolution of an overall concept. Since music is a “time art’, it follows that questions of a form cannot be entirely detached from considerations of time. One could say that composers tend to regard time either as a place gradually and partially intuitively filled, or they can look for a specific strategy to occupy it. In my opinion, one thing that sheds light on Stockhausen's compositional thinking is his frequent use of 'form schemas', that is often a single-page representation of the entire structure of a piece. 2. Background in music technology. Sonic Visualiser is a program used to study a musical recording. It is an open source application for viewing, analysing, and annotating music audio files. It contains a number of visualisation tools, which are designed with useful default parameters for musical analysis. Additionally, the Vamp plugin format of SV supports to provide analysis such as for example structural segmentation. 3. Aims. The aim of my paper is to show how SV may be used to obtain a better understanding of the specific musical work, and how the compositional strategy does impact on musical structures and musical surfaces. I want to show that ‘traditional” music analytic methods don’t allow to indicate interrelationships between musical surface (which is perceived) and underlying musical/acoustical structure. 4. Main Contribution. Stockhausen had dealt with the most diverse musical problems by the most varied methods. A characteristic which he had never ceased to be placed at the center of his thought and works, it was the quest for a new balance founded upon an acute connection between speculation and intuition. In the case with Mikrophonie I (1964) for tam-tam and 6 players Stockhausen makes a distinction between the "connection scheme", which indicates the ground rules underlying all versions, and the form scheme, which is associated with a particular version. The preface to the published score includes both the connection scheme, and a single instance of a "form scheme", which is what one can hear on the CD recording. In the current study, the insight into the compositional strategy chosen by Stockhausen was been compared with auditory image, that is, with the perceived musical surface. Stockhausen's musical work is analyzed both in terms of melodic/voice and timbre evolution. 5. Implications The current study shows how musical structures have determined of musical surface. My general assumption is this, that while listening to music we can extract basic kinds of musical information from musical surfaces. It is shown that an interactive strategies of musical structure analysis can offer a very fruitful way of looking directly into certain structural features of music.

Keywords: automated analysis, composer's strategy, mikrophonie I, musical surface, stockhausen

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Authors: Renata Checiches, Thierry Coche, Nicolas F. Delahaye, Albert Linder, Fernando Ulloa Montoya, Olivier Gruselle, Karen Langfeld, An de Creus, Bart Spiessens, Vincent G. Brichard, Jamila Louahed, Frédéric F. Lehmann

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Background: The RNA-expression levels of cancer-testis antigens MAGE A3 and PRAME were determined in resected tissue from patients with primary non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and related to clinical outcome. EGFR, KRAS and BRAF mutation status was determined in a subset to investigate associations with MAGE A3 and PRAME expression. Methods: We conducted a single-centre, uncontrolled, retrospective study of 1260 tissue-bank samples from stage IA-III resected NSCLC. The prognostic value of antigen expression (qRT-PCR) was determined by hazard-ratio and Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: Thirty-seven percent (314/844) of tumours expressed MAGE-A3, 66% (723/1092) expressed PRAME and 31% (239/839) expressed both. Respective frequencies in squamous-cell tumours and adenocarcinomas were 43%/30% for MAGE A3 and 80%/44% for PRAME. No correlation with stage, tumour size or patient age was found. Overall, no prognostic value was identified for either antigen. A trend to poorer overall survival was associated with MAGE-A3 in stage IIIB and with PRAME in stage IB. EGFR and KRAS mutations were found in 10.1% (28/311) and 33.8% (97/311) of tumours, respectively. EGFR (but not KRAS) mutation status was negatively associated with PRAME expression. Conclusion: No clear prognostic value for either PRAME or MAGE A3 was observed in the overall population, although some observed trends may warrant further investigation.

Keywords: MAGE A3, PRAME, cancer-testis gene, NSCLC, survival, EGFR

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Authors: Anita Paddy, Millicent Obodai, Lebbaeus Asamani

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The management of sickle cell disease requires a multidisciplinary team for better outcomes. Thus, literature on the application of the biopsychosocial model for the management and explanation of chronic pain in sickle cell disease (SCD) and other chronic diseases abound. However, there is limited research on the use of the biopsychosocial model, together with a spiritual component (biopsychosocial-spiritual model). The study investigated the extent to which healthcare providers utilized the biopsychosocial-spiritual model in the management of chronic pain to improve the quality of life (QoL) of patients with SCD. This study employed the descriptive survey design involving a consecutive sampling of 261 patients with SCD who were between the ages of 18 to 79 years and were accessing hematological services at the Clinical Genetics Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. These patients willingly consented to participate in the study by appending their signatures. The theory of integrated quality of life, the gate control theory of pain and the biopsychosocial(spiritual) model were tested. An instrument for the biopsychosocial-spiritual model was developed, with a basis from the literature reviewed, while the World Health Organisation Quality of Life BREF (WHOQoLBref) and the spirituality rating scale were adapted and used for data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequencies, and percentages) and partial least square structural equation modeling. The study revealed that healthcare providers had a great leaning toward the biological domain of the model compared to the other domains. Hence, participants’ QoL was not fully improved as suggested by the biopsychosocial(spiritual) model. Again, the QoL and spirituality of patients with SCD were quite high. A significant negative impact of spirituality on QoL was also found. Finally, the biosocial domain of the biopsychosocial-spiritual model was the most significant predictor of QoL. It was recommended that policymakers train healthcare providers to integrate the psychosocial-spiritual component in health services. Also, education on SCD and its resultant impact from the domains of the model should be intensified while health practitioners consider utilizing these components fully in the management of the condition.

Keywords: biopsychosocial (spritual), sickle cell disease, quality of life, healthcare, accra

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Authors: Ghazala Yaqub, Zubi Sadiq, Almas Hamid, Saira Iqbal

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This paper is the very first report of three dual action hybrids synthesized by covalent linkage of carbazole based novel antibacterial compounds with efflux pump inhibitors i.e., indole acetic acid/gallic acid. Novel carbazole based antibacterial compounds were prepared first and then these were covalently linked with efflux pump inhibitors which leads to the successful formation of hybrids. All prepared compounds were evaluated for their bacterial cell killing capability against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pasteurella multocida and Bacillus subtilis. Compound were effective against all tested bacterial strains at different concentrations. But when these compounds were linked with efflux pump inhibitors they showed dramatic enhancement in their bacterial cell killing potential and minimum inhibitory concentration of all hybrids ranges from 7.250 µg/mL to 0.0283 µg/mL.

Keywords: antimicrobial assay, carbazole, dual action hybrids, efflux pump inhibitors

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Authors: Chen-En Lin, Lih-Rou Rau, Jiunn-Woei Liaw, Shiao-Wen Tsai

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The unique optical properties of plasmon resonance metallic particles have attracted considerable applications in the fields of physics, chemistry and biology. Metal-Enhanced Fluorescence (MEF) effect is one of the useful applications. MEF effect stated that fluorescence intensity can be quenched or be enhanced depending on the distance between fluorophores and the metal nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles have used widely in antibacterial studies. However, the major limitation for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in biomedical application is well-known cytotoxicity on cells. There were numerous literatures have been devoted to overcome the disadvantage. The aim of the study is to evaluate the cytotoxicity and biocompatibility of silica coated AgNPs against NIH-3T3 cells. The results were shown that NIH-3T3 cells started to detach, shrink, become rounded and finally be irregular in shape after 24 h of exposure at 10 µg/ml AgNPs. Besides, compared with untreated cells, the cell viability significantly decreased to 60% and 40% which were exposed to 10 µg/ml and 20 µg/ml AgNPs respectively. The result was consistent with previously reported findings that AgNPs induced cytotoxicity was concentration dependent. However, the morphology and cell viability of cells appeared similar to the control group when exposed to 20 µg/ml of silica coated AgNPs. We further utilized the dark-field hyperspectral imaging system to analysis the optical properties of the intracellular nanoparticles. The image displayed that the red shift of the surface plasmonic resonances band of the enclosed AgNPs further confirms the agglomerate of the AgNPs rather than their distribution in cytoplasm. In conclusion, the study demonstrated the silica coated of AgNPs showed well biocompatibility and significant lower cytotoxicity compared with bare AgNPs.

Keywords: silver nanoparticles, silica, cell viability, morphology

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Authors: Norihiro Kato, Yuriko Takayama

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Some gram-negative bacteria enable the simultaneous activation of gene expression involved in N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL) dependent cell-to-cell communication system. Such regulatory system for the bacterial group behavior is termed as quorum sensing (QS) because a diffusible AHL signal can accumulate around the cell during the increase of the cell density and trigger activation of the sequential QS process. By blocking the QS, the expression of diverse genes related to infection, antibiotic production, and biofilm formation is inhibited. Conditioning of QS by regulation of the DNA-receptor-AHL interaction is a potential target for enhancing host defenses against pathogenicity. We focused on engineered application of transcriptional regulator SpnR produced in opportunistic human pathogen Serratia marcescens. The SpnR can interact with AHL signals at an N-terminal domain and also with a promoter region of a QS target gene at a C-terminal domain. As the initial process of the QS activation, the SpnR forms a complex with the AHL to enhance the expression of pig cluster; the SpnR normally acts as an activator for the expression of the QS-dependent gene. In this research, we attempt to artificially control QS by changing the role of SpnR. The QS-dependent prodigiosin production is expected to inhibit by externally added SpnR in the culture broth of AS-1 strain because the AHL concentration was kept below the threshold by AHL-SpnR complex formation. Maltose-binding protein (MBP)-tagged SpnR (MBP-SpnR) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified using an affinity chromatography equipped with an amylose resin column. The specific interaction between AHL and MBP-SpnR was demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor. AHL with amino end-group was coupled with COOH-terminated self-assembled monolayer prepared on a gold electrode of 27-MHz quartz crystal sensor using water-soluble carbodiimide. After the injection of MBP-SpnR into a cup-type sensor cell filled with the buffer solution, time course of resonant frequency change (ΔFs) was determined. A decrease of ΔFs clearly showed the uptake of MBP-SpnR onto the AHL-immobilized electrode. Furthermore, no binding affinity was observed after the heat-inactivation of MBP-SpnR at 80ºC. These results suggest that MBP-SpnR possesses a specific affinity for AHL. MBP-SpnR was added to the culture medium as an AHL trap to study inhibitory effects on intracellularly accumulated prodigiosin. With approximately 2 µM MBP-SpnR, the amount of prodigiosin induced was half that of the control without any additives. In conclusion, the function of SpnR could be switched by adding it to the cell culture. Exogenously added MBP-SpnR possesses high affinity for AHL derived from cells and acts as an inhibitor of AHL-mediated QS.

Keywords: intracellular signaling, microbial biotechnology, quorum sensing, transcriptional regulator

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Authors: Bharat Mishra, Sanjay Kumar Awasthi, Raj Kumar Rajak

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The devices, which convert the energy in the form of electricity from organic matters, are called microbial fuel cell (MFC). Recently, MFCs have been given a lot of attention due to their mild operating conditions, and various types of biodegradable substrates have been used in the form of fuel. Traditional MFCs were included in anode and cathode chambers, but there are single chamber MFCs. Microorganisms actively catabolize substrate, and bioelectricities are produced. In the field of power generation from non-conventional sources, apart from the benefits of this technique, it is still facing practical constraints such as low potential and power. In this study, most suitable, natural, low cost MFCs components are electrodes (anode and cathode), organic substrates, membranes and its design is selected on the basis of maximum potential (voltage) as an electrical parameter, which indicates a vital role of affecting factor in MFC for sustainable power production.

Keywords: substrates, electrodes, membranes, MFCs design, voltage

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Authors: M. Rajasekar, K. Suresh

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Diosmin is a flavonoid, most abundantly found in many citrus fruits. As a flavonoid, it possesses a multitude of biological activities including anti-hyperglycemic, anti-lipid peroxidative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-mutagenic properties. At this point, we established the anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing activities of diosmin in Hep-2 and KB cells. Diosmin has cytotoxic effects through inhibiting cellular proliferation of Hep-2 and KB cells, which leads to the induction of apoptosis, as apparent by an increase in the fraction of cells in the sub-G1phase of the cell cycle. Results exposed that inhibition of cell proliferation is associated with regulation of the Interleukins/STAT pathway. In addition, Diosmin treatment with Hep-2 and KB cells actively stimulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. And also an imbalance in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio triggered the caspase cascade and shifting the balance in favor of apoptosis. These observations conclude that Diosmin induce apoptosis via Interleukins /STAT-mediated pathway.

Keywords: diosmin, apoptosis, antioxidant, STAT pathway

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Authors: Yakup Sahin, Naim Suleyman Ting, Ismail Aksoy

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A 1 kW power factor correction boost converter with an active snubber cell is presented in this paper. In the converter, the main switch turns on under zero voltage transition (ZVT) and turns off under zero current transition (ZCT) without any additional voltage or current stress. The auxiliary switch turns on and off under zero current switching (ZCS). Besides, the main diode turns on under ZVS and turns off under ZCS. The output current and voltage are controlled by the PFC converter in wide line and load range. The simulation results of converter are obtained for 1 kW and 100 kHz. One of the most important feature of the given converter is that it has direct power transfer as well as excellent soft switching techniques. Also, the converter has 0.99 power factor with the sinusoidal input current shape.

Keywords: power factor correction, direct power transfer, zero-voltage transition, zero-current transition, soft switching

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Authors: Fengmei Li, Li Xu, Guoliang Xia

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Lysozyme is a catalytic enzyme that performs bacterial cell lysis by cleaving the β-1,4-glycosidic bond between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine of peptidoglycan in cell walls. In the present study, an invertebrate-type (i-type) lysozyme gene was cloned from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis (designated as EsLysozyme) based on PCR-based rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) technology. The full-length cDNA of EsLysozyme was of 831 bp. SMART and SIGNALP 3.0 program analysis revealed that EsLysozyme contained a signal peptide and a destabilase domain. The five amino acid residues (Tyr63, Trp64, Tyr91, His110, Pro114) and the conserved motif GSLSCG(P/Y)FQI and CL(E/L/R/H)C(I/M)C in i-type lysozymes were also found in EsLysozyme. The high similarity of EsLysozyme with L. vannamei lysozymes and phylogenetic analysis suggested that EsLysozyme should be a new member of i-type lysozyme family.

Keywords: i-type lysozyme, Eriocheir sinensis, cloning, characterization

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Authors: Omolola Ojetayo, Emmanuel Garuba, Obinna Ajunwa, Abiodun A. Onilude

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Introduction: Biofilm is a functional community of microorganisms that are associated with a surface or an interface. These adherent cells become embedded within an extracellular matrix composed of polymeric substances, i.e., biofilms refer to biological deposits consisting of both microbes and their extracellular products on biotic and abiotic surfaces. Despite their detrimental effects in medicine, biofilms as natural cell immobilization have found several applications in biotechnology, such as in the treatment of wastewater, bioremediation and biodegradation, desulfurization of gas, and conversion of agro-derived materials into alcohols and organic acids. The means of enhancing immobilized cells have been chemical-inductive, and this affects the medium composition and final product. Physical factors including electrical, magnetic, and electromagnetic flux have shown potential for enhancing biofilms depending on the bacterial species, nature, and intensity of emitted signals, the duration of exposure, and substratum used. However, the concept of cell immobilisation by electrical and magnetic induction is still underexplored. Methods: To assess the effects of physical factors on biofilm formation, six American typed culture collection (Acetobacter aceti ATCC15973, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC9027, Serratia marcescens ATCC14756, Gluconobacter oxydans ATCC19357, Rhodobacter sphaeroides ATCC17023, and Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633) were used. Standard culture techniques for bacterial cells were adopted. Natural autoimmobilisation potentials of test bacteria were carried out by simple biofilms ring formation on tubes, while crystal violet binding assay techniques were adopted in the characterisation of biofilm quantity. Electroinduction of bacterial cells by direct current (DC) application in cell broth, static magnetic field exposure, and electromagnetic flux were carried out, and autoimmobilisation of cells in a biofilm pattern was determined on various substrata tested, including wood, glass, steel, polyvinylchloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate. Biot Savart law was used in quantifying magnetic field intensity, and statistical analyses of data obtained were carried out using the analyses of variance (ANOVA) as well as other statistical tools. Results: Biofilm formation by the selected test bacteria was enhanced by the physical factors applied. Electromagnetic induction had the greatest effect on biofilm formation, with magnetic induction producing the least effect across all substrata used. Microbial cell-cell communication could be a possible means via which physical signals affected the cells in a polarisable manner. Conclusion: The enhancement of biofilm formation by bacteria using physical factors has shown that their inherent capability as a cell immobilization method can be further optimised for industrial applications. A possible relationship between the presence of voltage-dependent channels, mechanosensitive channels, and bacterial biofilms could shed more light on this phenomenon.

Keywords: bacteria, biofilm, cell immobilization, electromagnetic induction, substrata

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Authors: Jessy Mattar, Mohamad Turk, Maurice Nonus, Nikolai Lebovka, Henri El Zakhem, Eugene Vorobiev

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The effects of electro-stimulation of S. cerevisiae cells in colloidal suspension by Pulsed Electric Fields ‎‎(PEF) with electric field strength E = 20 – 2000 V.cm-1 and effective PEF treatment time tPEF = 10^−5 – 1 s were ‎investigated. The applied experimental procedure includes variations in the preliminary fermentation time and ‎electro-stimulation by PEF-treatment. Plate counting was performed.‎ At relatively high electric fields (E ≥ 1000 V.cm-1) and moderate PEF treatment time (tPEF > 100 µs), the ‎extraction of ionic components from yeast was observed by conductivity measurements, which can be related to ‎electroporation of cell membranes. Cell counting revealed a dependency of the colonies’ size on the time of ‎preliminary fermentation tf and the power consumption W, however no dependencies were noticeable by varying the initial yeast concentration in the treated suspensions.‎

Keywords: intensification, yeast, fermentation, electroporation, biotechnology

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Authors: Muhammad Yasir, Debarun Dutta, Mark Willcox

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Biomaterial-associated infections are a multi-billion dollar burden globally. Antimicrobial peptide-based coatings may be able to prevent such infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action surface bound peptides (AMPs) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa 6294. Melimine and Mel4 were covalently attached to glass coverslips using azido-benzoic acid. Attachment was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. P. aeruginosa was allowed to attach to AMP-coated glass for up to 6 hours. The effect of the surface-bound AMPs on bacterial cell membranes was evaluated using the dyes DiSC3-(5), Sytox green, SYTO 9 and propidium iodide with fluorescence microscopy. Release of cytoplasmic materials ATP and DNA/RNA were determined in the surrounding fluid. The amount of cell death was estimated by agar plate counts. The AMPs were successfully covalently bound to the glass as demonstrated by increases in %nitrogen of 3.6% (melimine) and 2.3% (Mel4) compared to controls. Immobilized peptides disrupted the cytoplasmic membrane potential of P. aeruginosa within 10 min. This was followed by the release of ATP after 2 h. Membrane permeabilization started at 3 h of contact with glass coated AMPs. There was a significant number of bacteria (59% for melimine; 36% for Mel-4) with damaged membranes after 4 h of contact. At the 6 h time point, release of DNA occurred with melimine releasing 2 times the amount of DNA/RNA than Mel4 surfaces (p < 0.05). Surface bound AMPs were able to disrupt cell membranes with subsequent release of cytoplasmic materials, and ultimately resulting in bacterial death.

Keywords: biomaterials, immobilized antimicrobial peptides, P. aeruginosa, mode of action

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Authors: Abdar Ali, Rizwan Ullah, Zahid Ullah

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This paper focuses on the study of DC-to-DC converters, which are suitable for low-voltage high-power applications. The output voltages generated by renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic arrays and fuel cell stacks are generally low and required to be increased to high voltage levels. Development of DC-to-DC converters, which provide high step-up voltage conversion ratios with high efficiencies and low voltage stresses is one of the main issues in the development of renewable energy systems. A procedure for three converters-conventional DC-to-DC converter, interleaved boost converter, and isolated flyback based converter, is illustrated for a given set of specifications. The selection among the converters for the given application is based on the voltage conversion ratio, efficiency, and voltage stresses.

Keywords: flyback converter, interleaved boost, photovoltaic array, fuel cell, switch stress, voltage conversion ratio, renewable energy

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Authors: Vahid Anari, Leila Shahmohammadi

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Diagnosing and interpreting manually from a large cohort dataset of immunohistochemically stained tissue of tumors using an optical microscope involves subjectivity and also is tedious for pathologist specialists. Moreover, digital pathology today represents more of an evolution than a revolution in pathology. In this paper, we develop and test an unsupervised algorithm that can automatically enhance the IHC image of a meningioma tumor and classify cells into positive (proliferative) and negative (normal) cells. A dataset including 150 images is used to test the scheme. In addition, a new adaptive color image enhancement method is proposed based on a vector directional filter (VDF) and statistical properties of filtering the window. Since the cells are distinguishable by the human eye, the accuracy and stability of the algorithm are quantitatively compared through application to a wide variety of real images.

Keywords: digital pathology, cell segmentation, immunohistochemically, noise reduction

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Authors: Abhivardhan, Ritu Agarwal

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The role of entrepreneurial ethics is connected with materializing the core components of human life, and the flexible and gullible attributions dominate the materialization of human lifestyle and outreach in the age of the internet and globalization. One of the key bi-products of the age of information – Artificial Intelligence has become a relevant mechanism to materialize and understand human empathy and originality via various algorithmic policing methodologies with specific intricacies. Since it has a special connection with ethnocentrism – it has the potential to influence the approach of international law and politics owed to the rise of and approach towards perception and communication via populism in progressive and third world countries. The paper argues about the cultural persona of artificial intelligence, and its ontological resemblance in human life is connected with the ethnocentric treatment of cyberspace, with an analysis of the influence of the ethics of entrepreneurship in international politics. The paper further provides an analysis of fake news and misinformation as the sub-strata of communication strategies involving populism determined as a communication strategy and about the legal case of constitutional redemption in recent legislative developments in Europe, the U.S, and Asia with reference to certain important strategies, policy documentation, declarations, and legal instruments. The paper concludes that the capillaries of the anthropomorphic developments of cultural perception via towards artificial intelligence have a hidden and unstable connection with the common approach of entrepreneurial ethics, which influences populism to disrupt the peaceful order of international politics via some minor backlashes in the technological, legal and social realm of human life. Suggestions with the conclusion are hereby provided.

Keywords: ethnocentrism, perception politics, populism, international law, slacktivism, artificial intelligence ethics, enculturation

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Authors: Purva Nemavarkar, Badri Narain Pandey, Jitendra Kumar

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Introduction: The objective was to understand the effect of various radioprotectors on DNA damage repair enzyme and survival in gamma-irradiated wild and cdc mutants of S. pombe (fission yeast) cultured under permissive and restrictive conditions. DNA repair process, as influenced by radioprotectors, was measured by activity of DNA polymerase in the cells. The use of single cell gel electrophoresis assay (SCGE) or Comet Assay to follow gamma-irradiation induced DNA damage and effect of radioprotectors was employed. In addition, studying the effect of caffeine at different concentrations on S-phase of cell cycle was also delineated. Materials and Methods: S. pombe cells grown at permissive temperature (250C) and/or restrictive temperature (360C) were followed by gamma-radiation. Percentage survival and activity of DNA Polymerase (yPol II) were determined after post-irradiation incubation (5 h) with radioprotectors such as Caffeine, Curcumin, Disulphiram, and Ellagic acid (the dose depending on individual D 37 values). The gamma-irradiated yeast cells (with and without the radioprotectors) were spheroplasted by enzyme glusulase and subjected to electrophoresis. Radio-resistant cells were obtained by arresting cells in S-phase using transient treatment of hydroxyurea (HU) and studying the effect of caffeine at different concentrations on S-phase of cell cycle. Results: The mutants of S. pombe showed insignificant difference in survival when grown under permissive conditions. However, growth of these cells under restrictive temperature leads to arrest in specific phases of cell cycle in different cdc mutants (cdc10: G1 arrest, cdc22: early S arrest, cdc17: late S arrest, cdc25: G2 arrest). All the cdc mutants showed decrease in survival after gamma radiation when grown at permissive and restrictive temperatures. Inclusion of the radioprotectors at respective concentrations during post irradiation incubation showed increase in survival of cells. Activity of DNA polymerase enzyme (yPol II) was increased significantly in cdc mutant cells exposed to gamma-radiation. Following SCGE, a linear relationship was observed between doses of irradiation and the tail moments of comets. The radioprotection of the fission yeast by radioprotectors can be seen by the reduced tail moments of the yeast comets. Caffeine also exhibited its radio-protective ability in radio-resistant S-phase cells obtained after HU treatment. Conclusions: The radioprotectors offered notable radioprotection in cdc mutants when added during irradiation. The present study showed activation of DNA damage repair enzyme (yPol II) and an increase in survival after treatment of radioprotectors in gamma irradiated wild type and cdc mutants of S. pombe cells. Results presented here showed feasibility of applying SCGE in fission yeast to follow DNA damage and radioprotection at high doses, which are not feasible with other eukaryotes. Inclusion of caffeine at 1mM concentration to S phase cells offered protection and did not decrease the cell viability. It can be proved that at minimal concentration, caffeine offered marked radioprotection.

Keywords: radiation protection, cell cycle, fission yeast, comet assay, s-phase, DNA repair, radioprotectors, caffeine, curcumin, SCGE

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Authors: Kirti Hira, A. Sajeli Begum, S. Mahibalan, Poorna Chandra Rao

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Introduction: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Although existing therapy effectively kills cancer cells, they do affect normal growing cells leading to many undesirable side effects. Hence there is need to develop effective as well as safe drug molecules to combat cancer, which is possible through phyto-research. The currently available plant-derived blockbuster drugs are the example for this. In view of this, an investigation was done to identify cytotoxic lead molecules from Hedyotis umbellata (Family Rubiaceae), a widely distributed weed in India. Materials and Methods: The methanolic extract of the whole plant of H. umbellata (MHU), prepared through Soxhlet extraction method was further fractionated with diethyl ether and n-butanol, successively. MHU, ether fraction (EMHU) and butanol fraction (BMHU) were lyophilized and were tested for the cytotoxic effect using 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cell lines. The potentially active EMHU was subjected to chromatographic purification using normal-phase silica columns, in order to isolate the responsible bioactive compounds. The isolated pure compounds were tested for their cytotoxic effect by MTT assay against A549 cells. Compound-3, which was found to be most active, was characterized using IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR and MS analysis. The study was further extended to decipher the mechanism of action of cytotoxicity of compound-3 against A549 cells through various in vitro cellular models. Cell cycle analysis was done using flow cytometry following PI (Propidium Iodide) staining. Protein analysis was done using Western blot technique. Results: Among MHU, EMHU, and BMHU, the non-polar fraction EMHU demonstrated a significant dose-dependent cytotoxic effect with IC50 of 67.7μg/ml. Chromatography of EMHU yielded seven compounds. MTT assay of isolated compounds explored compound-3 as potentially active one, which inhibited the growth of A549 cells with IC50value of 14.2μM. Further, compound-3 was identified as cedrelopsin, a coumarin derivative having molecular weight of 260. Results of in vitro mechanistic studies explained that cedrelopsin induced cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase and down-regulated the expression of G2/M regulatory proteins such as cyclin B1, cdc2, and cdc25C, dose dependently. This is the first report that explores the cytotoxic mechanism of cedrelopsin. Conclusion: Thus a potential small lead molecule, cedrelopsin isolated from H. umbellata, showing antiproliferative effect mediated by G2/M arrest in A549 cells was discovered. The effect of cedrelopsin against other cancer cell lines followed by in vivo studies can be performed in future to develop a new drug candidate.

Keywords: A549, cedrelopsin, G2/M phase, Hedyotis umbellata

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Authors: Seyedeh Nasim Mirbahari, Taha Azad, Mehdi Totonchi

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Oncolytic viruses, which only replicate in tumor cells, are being extensively studied for their use in cancer therapy. A particular virus known as the vaccinia virus, a member of the poxvirus family, has demonstrated oncolytic abilities glioma. Treating Glioma with traditional methods such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy is quite challenging. Even though oncolytic viruses have shown immense potential in cancer treatment, their effectiveness in glioblastoma treatment is still low. Therefore, there is a need to improve and optimize immunotherapies for better results. In this study, we have designed oncoVV-TT, which can more effectively target tumor cells while minimizing replication in normal cells by replacing the thymidine kinase gene with a luc-p2a-GFP gene expression cassette. Human glioblastoma cell line U251 MG, rat glioblastoma cell line C6, and non-tumor cell line HFF were plated at 105 cells in a 12-well plates in 2 mL of DMEM-F2 medium with 10% FBS added to each well. Then incubated at 37°C. After 16 hours, the cells were treated with oncoVV-TT at an MOI of 0.01, 0.1 and left in the incubator for a further 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours. Viral replication assay, fluorescence imaging and viability tests, including trypan blue and crystal violet, were conducted to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of oncoVV-TT. The finding shows that oncoVV-TT had significantly higher cytotoxic activity and proliferation rates in tumor cells in a dose and time-dependent manner, with the strongest effect observed in U251 MG. To conclude, oncoVV-TT has the potential to be a promising oncolytic virus for cancer treatment, with a more cytotoxic effect in human glioblastoma cells versus rat glioma cells. To assess the effectiveness of vaccinia virus-mediated viral therapy, we have tested U251mg and C6 tumor cell lines taken from human and rat gliomas, respectively. The study evaluated oncoVV-TT's ability to replicate and lyse cells and analyzed the survival rates of the tested cell lines when treated with different doses of oncoVV-TT. Additionally, we compared the sensitivity of human and mouse glioma cell lines to the oncolytic vaccinia virus. All experiments regarding viruses were conducted under biosafety level 2. We engineered a Vaccinia-based oncolytic virus called oncoVV-TT to replicate specifically in tumor cells. To propagate the oncoVV-TT virus, HeLa cells (5 × 104/well) were plated in 24-well plates and incubated overnight to attach to the bottom of the wells. Subsequently, 10 MOI virus was added. After 48 h, cells were harvested by scraping, and viruses were collected by 3 sequential freezing and thawing cycles followed by removal of cell debris by centrifugation (1500 rpm, 5 min). The supernatant was stored at −80 ◦C for the following experiments. To measure the replication of the virus in Hela, cells (5 × 104/well) were plated in 24-well plates and incubated overnight to attach to the bottom of the wells. Subsequently, 5 MOI virus or equal dilution of PBS was added. At the treatment time of 0 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h and 96 h, the viral titers were determined under the fluorescence microscope (BZ-X700; Keyence, Osaka, Japan). Fluorescence intensity was quantified using the imagej software according to the manufacturer’s protocol. For the isolation of single-virus clones, HeLa cells seeded in six-well plates (5×105 cells/well). After 24 h (100% confluent), the cells were infected with a 10-fold dilution series of TianTan green fluorescent protein (GFP)virus and incubated for 4 h. To examine the cytotoxic effect of oncoVV-TT virus ofn U251mg and C6 cell, trypan blue and crystal violet assay was used.

Keywords: oncolytic virus, immune therapy, glioma, vaccinia virus

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Authors: Valeria Arcucci, Musarat Ishaq, Steven A. Stacker, Greg J. Goodall, Marc G. Achen

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Metastasis is the lethal aspect of cancer for most patients. Remodelling of lymphatic vessels associated with a tumour is a key initial step in metastasis because it facilitates the entry of cancer cells into the lymphatic vasculature and their spread to lymph nodes and distant organs. Although it is clear that vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), such as VEGF-C and VEGF-D, are key drivers of lymphatic remodelling, the means by which many signaling pathways in endothelial cells are coordinately regulated to drive growth and remodelling of lymphatics in cancer is not understood. We seek to understand the broader molecular mechanisms that control cancer metastasis, and are focusing on microRNAs, which coordinately regulate signaling pathways involved in complex biological responses in health and disease. Here, using small RNA sequencing, we found that a specific microRNA, miR-132, is upregulated in expression in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) in response to the lymphangiogenic growth factors. Interestingly, ectopic expression of miR-132 in LECs in vitro stimulated proliferation and tube formation of these cells. Moreover, miR-132 is expressed in lymphatic vessels of a subset of human breast tumours which were previously found to express high levels of VEGF-D by immunohistochemical analysis on tumour tissue microarrays. In order to dissect the complexity of regulation by miR-132 in lymphatic biology, we performed Argonaute HITS-CLIP, which led us to identify the miR-132-mRNA interactome in LECs. We found that this microRNA in LECs is involved in the control of many different pathways mainly involved in cell proliferation and regulation of the extracellular matrix and cell-cell junctions. We are now exploring the functional significance of miR-132 targets in the biology of LECs using biochemical techniques, functional in vitro cell assays and in vivo lymphangiogenesis assays. This project will ultimately define the molecular regulation of lymphatic remodelling by miR-132, and thereby identify potential therapeutic targets for drugs designed to restrict the growth and remodelling of tumour lymphatics resulting in metastatic spread.

Keywords: argonaute HITS-CLIP, cancer, lymphatic remodelling, miR-132, VEGF

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Authors: Hyuk Sang Yoo, Young Ju Son, Wei Mao, Myung Gu Kang, Sol Lee

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Biomedical applications of electrospun nanofibrous meshes have been received tremendous attentions because of their unique structures and versatilities as biomaterials. Incorporation of growth factors in fibrous meshes can be performed by surface-modification and encapsulation. Those growth factors stimulate differentiation and proliferation of specific types of cells and thus lead tissue regenerations of specific cell types. Topographical cues of electrospun nanofibrous meshes also increase differentiation of specific cell types according to alignments of fibrous structures. Wound healing treatments of diabetic ulcers were performed using nanofibrous meshes encapsulating multiple growth factors. Aligned nanofibrous meshes and those with random configuration were compared for differentiating mesenchymal stem cells into neuronal cells. Thus, nanofibrous meshes can be applied to drug delivery carriers and matrix for promoting cellular proliferation.

Keywords: nanofiber, tissue, mesh, drug

Procedia PDF Downloads 339

Authors: Fitri Ayu, Nadia, Tanti, Putri, Fatkhan, Pasid Harlisa, Suparmi

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Acne is a skin abnormal conditions experienced by many teens, this is caused by various factors such as the climate is hot, humid and excessive sun exposure can aggravate acne because it will lead to excess oil production. Flavonoids form complex compounds against extracellular proteins that disrupt the integrity of bacterial cell membrane in a way denature bacterial cell proteins and bacterial cell membrane damage. This study aimed to test the antibacterial activity of corn silk extract with a concentration of 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 %, 50 %, 60 %, 70 %, 80 %, 90 % and 100 % in vitro by measuring the inhibition of the growth of bacteria Propionibacterium acne, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis then compared with the standard antibiotic clindamycin. Extracts tested by Disk Diffusion Method, in which the blank disc soaked with their respective corn silk extract concentration for 15-30 minutes and then the medium of bacteria that have been planted with Propionibacterium acne, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermis in the given disk that already contains extracts with various concentration. Incubated for 24 hours and then measured the growth inhibition zone Propionibacterium acne, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Corn silk contains flavonoids, is shown by the test of flavonoids in corn silk extract by using a tube heating and without heating. Flavonoid in corn silk potentially as anti acne by inhibiting the growth of bacteria that cause acne. Corn silk extract concentration which has the highest antibacterial activity is then performed in a cream formulation and evaluation test of physical and chemical properties of the resulting cream preparation.

Keywords: antibacterial, flavonoid, corn silk, acne

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Authors: Marcin Szlachetka, Mateusz Paszko, Grzegorz Baranski

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This paper discusses the AVL EXCITE Designer simulation research into loads applied to main and crank bearings in the compression-ignition two-stroke engine. There was created a model of engine lubrication system which covers the part of this system related to particular nodes of a bearing system, i.e. a connection of main bearings in an engine block with a crankshaft, a connection of crank pins with a connecting rod. The analysis focused on the load given as a distribution of hydrodynamic oil film pressure corresponding different values of radial internal clearance. There was also studied the impact of gas force on minimal oil film thickness in main and crank bearings versus crankshaft rotational speed. Our model calculates oil film parameters, an oil film pressure distribution, an oil temperature change and dimensions of bearings as well as an oil temperature distribution on surfaces of bearing seats. Accordingly, it was possible to select, for example, a correct clearance for each of the node bearings. The research was performed for several values of engine crankshaft speed ranging from 800 RPM to 4000 RPM. Bearing oil pressure was changed according to engine speed ranging between 1 bar and 5 bar and an oil temperature of 90°C. The main bearing clearances made initially for the calculation and research were: 0.015 mm, 0.025 mm, 0.035 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm. The oil used for the research corresponded the SAE 5W-40 classification. The paper presents the selected research results referring to certain specific operating points and bearing radial internal clearances. Acknowledgement: This work has been realized in the cooperation with The Construction Office of WSK ‘PZL-KALISZ’ S.A. and is part of Grant Agreement No. POIR.01.02.00-00-0002/15 financed by the Polish National Centre for Research and Development.

Keywords: crank bearings, diesel engine, oil film, two-stroke engine

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Authors: Hani Belhadj, Daoud Harzallah, Seddik Khennouf, Saliha Dahamna, Mouloud Ghadbane

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In this study, Lactobacillus strains isolated from pollen were identified by means of phenotypic and genotypic methods, At pH 2, most strains proved to be acid resistants, with losses in cell viability ranging from 0.77 to 4.04 Log orders. In addition, at pH 3 all strains could grew and resist the acidic conditions, with losses in cell viability ranging from 0.40 to 3.61 Log orders. It seems that, 0.3% and 0.5% of bile salts does not affect greatly the survival of most strains, excluding Lactobacillus sp. BH1398. Survival ranged from 81.0±3.5 to 93.5±3.9%. In contrast, in the presence of 1.0% bile salts, survival of five strains was decreased by more than 50%. Lactobacillus fermentum BH1509 was considered the most tolerant strain (77.5% for 1% bile) followed by Lactobacillus plantarum BH1541 (59.9% for 1% bile). Furthermore, all strains were resistant to colistine, clindamycine, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacine, but most of the strains were susceptible to Peniciline, Oxacillin, Oxytetracyclin, and Amoxicillin. Functionally interesting Lactobacillus isolates may be used in the future as probiotic cultures for manufacturing fermented foods and as bioactive delivery systems.

Keywords: probiotics, lactobacillus, pollen, bile, acid tolerance

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Authors: Shahzad Bhatti, M. Aslamkhan, Sana Abbas, Marcella Attimonelli, Hikmet Hakan Aydin, Erica Martinha Silva de Souza,

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Despite being situated at the crossroad of Asia, Pakistan has gained crucial importance because of its pivotal role in subsequent migratory events. To highlight the genetic footprints and to contribute an enigmatic picture of the relative population expansion pattern among four major Pashtun tribes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa viz., Bangash, Khattak, Mahsuds and Orakzai, the complete mitochondrial control region of 100 Pashtun were analyzed. All Pashtun tribes studied here revealed high genetic diversity; that was comparable to the other Central Asian, Southeast Asian and European populations. The configuration of genetic variation and heterogeneity further unveiled through Multidimensional Scaling, Principal Component Analysis, and phylogenetic analysis. The results revealed that the Pashtun is a composite mosaic of West Eurasian ancestry of numerous geographic origin. They received substantial gene flow during different invasions and have a high element of the Western provenance. The most common haplogroups reported in this study are: South Asian haplogroup M (28%) and R (8%); whereas, West Asians haplogroups are present, albeit in high frequencies (67%) and widespread over all; HV (15%), U (17%), H (9%), J (8%), K (8%), W (4%), N (3%) and T (3%). Herein we linked the unexplored genetic connection between Ashkenazi Jews and Pashtun. The presence of specific haplotypes J1b (4%) and K1a1b1a (5%) point to a genetic connection of Jewish conglomeration with Khattak tribe. This was a result of an ancient genetic influx in the early Neolithic period that led to the formation of a diverse genetic substratum in present day Pashtun.

Keywords: mtDNA haplogroups, control region, Pakistan, KPK, ethnicity

Procedia PDF Downloads 481