In this research, degradation of methylene blue as a dye pollutant was investigated in the presence of TiO 2 nanopowders using photolysis and sonolysis systems separately and simultaneously. Effect of different parameters such as catalyst dosage, initial concentration of dye, UV power, pH and type of catalyst on the removal efficiency was ascertained. The results showed that basic pH is proper for the photocatalytic removal of the dye. Furthermore higher UV power and lower initial concentration of dye leads to higher removal percent. Moreover TiO 2 showed more photocatalytic activity than ZnO in the nanopowder form. The experimental kinetic data followed the pseudo-first order model in both photocatlytic and sonophotocatalytic processes but the rate constant of sonophotocatalysis is higher than it at photocatalysis process. Finally the reaction order of the rate law respect to nanocatalyst dosage in photocatalysis process is obtained 1.45. High activation energy of this process shows its high sensitivity to temperature.
Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is the most frequent progressive autosomal recessive disorder associated with unstable expansion of GAA trinucleotide repeats in the first intron of the FXN gene, which encodes for the mitochondrial frataxin protein. The number of repeats correlates with disease severity, where impaired transcription of the FXN gene results in reduced expression of the frataxin protein. Gene expression studies provide insights into disease pathogenicity and identify potential biomarkers, an important goal of translational research in neurodegenerative diseases. Here, using real-time PCR (RT-PCR), the expression profiles of mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) genes that encode for the mitochondrial subunits of respiratory oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex I in the blood panels of 21 FRDA patients and 24 healthy controls were investigated. Here, the expression pattern of mtDNA-encoded complex I subunits was distinctly different from the expression pattern of nDNA-encoded complex I subunits, where significant (p<0.05) down-regulation of the mitochondrial ND2, ND4L, and ND6 complex I genes, compared to controls, were observed. In addition, the expression pattern of one nDNA-encoded gene, NDUFA1, was significantly (p<0.05) down-regulated compared to control. These findings suggest, for the first time, that the regulation of complex I subunit expression in FRDA is complex, rather than merely being a reflection of global co-regulation, and may provide important clues toward novel therapeutic strategies for FRDA and mitochondrial complex I deficiency.
Some experiments which are done on the effect of saffron extract and its constituents on different aspects of morphine dependency in different geographical regions have shown that the extract of saffron, as well as its crocin constituent, are effective in the prevention of withdrawal signs in morphinedependent mice. 2 However, because the previous studies have shown that climate changes, geographical situations, and many other factors, make a great impact on the composition of a plant and thereby on its biological activity, 3,24 this question comes up that Afghan native saffron despite its impression by climate and geographical conditions, what effects will it have on withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent rats. This study wants to focus on this question, so, is going to investigate the effect of aqueous extract of Afghan saffron on morphine-dependent rats, using the behavioral method of counting the naloxoneinduced withdrawal signs.
Mitochondrial respiratory chain deficiencies are a group of more than 100 disorders of adults and children, with highly variable phenotypes. The high prevalence of mitochondrial disorders (MIDs) urges the clinician to diagnose these disorders accurately, which is difficult in the light of highly variable and overlapping phenotypes, transmission patterns and molecular backgrounds. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) is an important endocrine and paracrine regulator of metabolic homeostasis. The FGF-21 transcript is reported to be abundantly expressed in liver, but little is known about the regulation of FGF-21 expression in other tissues. FGF-21 could play a role in the metabolic alterations that are often associated with mitochondrial diseases. The aim of this study was to show the association of the FGF-21 biomarker with human primary MIDs and secondary MIDs in suspected patients in Iran. Serum FGF-21 levels were determined using ELISA in 47 mitochondrial patients, including 32 with primary MIDs, 15 patients with Friedreich ataxia as a secondary MID and 30 control subjects. Serum FGF-21 levels were significantly higher in subjects with the primary MIDs (p < 0.05), compared to subjects without MIDs. However, serum FGF-21 levels did not show significant increase in subjects with FA as a secondary MID. There is an association between increasing concentrations of FGF-21 with mitochondrial diseases, suggesting FGF-21 as a biomarker for diagnosis of primary MIDs in humans. However, this biomarker is not appropriate for the diagnosis of FA.
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