A study of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population is important due to high consanguineous marriage which may affect the power of discrimination of some loci. The genetic polymorphisms of 23 autosomal short tandem repeat loci including D3S1358, vWA, D16S539, CSF1PO, TPOX, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D2S441, D19S433, TH01, FGA, D22S1045, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D10S1248, D1S1656, D12S391, D2S1338, D6S1043, Penta D and Penta E were evaluated in 571 random unrelated UAE Arabs population. Blood samples were collected on FTA cards. Targeted loci were amplified using Verifiler? Express PCR Amplification Kit and run on the ABI 3500 Genetic analyzer. Arlequin and Forstat softwares were used to determine the forensic parameters and population structure analysis for 23 autosomal STRs. A total of 305 alleles were observed with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging between 0.000876 and 0.49387. Data of forensic parameters such as locus diversity ranged from 0.67406 (TPOX) to 0.9149 (Penta E). Results suggest that the 23 STR loci had a relatively high genetic variation, which was suitable for forensic personal identification and paternity testing in the UAE population. The significance of this work is to build an allelic frequency database aiding statistical evaluation of generated STR profiles in the corresponding populations.
Effective capture of cancer cells from whole peripheral blood samples, i.e. circulating tumor cells (CTCs), is still an existing limitation for liquid biopsy-based diagnostics. Microfluidic systems are widely adopted methods for isolating CTCs based on antigen-antibody interaction. However, they are known to be associated with several drawbacks, such as high shear stresses resulting from high flow resistance within the microscale channels, limited capture areas, restricted access to isolated cells, and limited post-processing possibilities. To tackle these issues, we developed a 3D-printed microfluidic probe (MFP) integrated with herringbone micro-mixing structures (HMFP) with the capacity to scan over antibody-functionalized glass slides. The tip surface was designed with 2-slitted apertures, one for injecting the cell suspension and the other for performing high flow rate aspiration to confine the flow. We performed a 3D finite element analysis and parametric study to optimize the HMFP?s design, compared experiments with simulations, and performed proof-of-concept cell capture experiments using breast cancer cell line MCF-7.
The Arabian Peninsula is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world, and with climate change, not only is it getting hotter, it is also getting drier. It may be that the desert species here are well-adapted to dry conditions, in which case they may be able to withstand the changes, but it may be that desert species already find conditions too dry, in which case they may be especially vulnerable. Here, we used data from 160 published studies to look at whether desert species and species from other biomes were living above or below their optimum rainfall. In all cases, the performance of desert species had a positive relationship with rainfall indicating that they were living below their optima. Across all the other biomes studied, we also found that conditions were more commonly too dry than too wet, even in tropical rainforests and wetlands. Deserts are the driest biomes of all, and as conditions on the Arabian Peninsula become even drier, our desert biodiversity could be especially vulnerable.
Many recent in vivo and in vitro studies have reported the potential hypoglycemic properties of camel milk. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these effects remain not completely understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of camel milk whey proteins (CMWPs) and one of its major proteins, lactoferrin (Lf), on the activation of the human insulin receptor (hIR) and its major downstream signaling pathways. As For this, we studied the activation of two major signaling proteins, Akt and ERK1/2 (for extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2), using SDS-PAGE and western blot. Our data indicate that CMWPs activate Akt and ERK1/2 in a similar way as the natural hormone insulin in both human embryonic kidney (HEK293) and hepatic carcinoma (HepG2) cells. Lf was shown to activate these pathways, but to a lower extent. Both of them also increased glucose uptake in HEK293 cells. However, this seems to occur in IR-independent manner. Our data will help to better understand the anti-diabetic properties of camel milk by identifying the putative hypoglycemic agent(s) and its/their plausible application in the treatment of diabetes.
Despite the fact that cervical cancer is a common health issue among women, there is no detailed information about its precancerous lesions. Since development of cancer involves some alterations in carbohydrate expressions, the aim of this study was to use lectin binding assay to identify carbohydrates associated with the cervical epithelial cells in normal mice and follow their alterations in mice developing cervical cancer. Carbohydrate expression will be correlated with cell proliferation and analysis of epithelial cell dynamics using continuous infusion of bromodeoxyuridine and immunohistochemistry. First, we histologically identified mice at different stages of the estrous cycle and then described the patterns of lectin binding in their cervical epithelium. Lectins specific for N-acetylglucosamine, mannose, glucose, and fucose bind to different regions of the cervical epithelium. Proliferating cells were confined to the basal layer of ectocervix, but were scattered along the glandular epithelium of the endocervix. Cell dynamic analysis showed that the epithelium regenerates in less than 8 days. These data will help in defining cellular alterations and precancerous lesions that lead to development of cervical cancer using a mouse model injected with the carcinogenic agent diethylstilbestrol.
Microplastics are seen as an emerging environmental pollutant. Microbeads found in facial scrubs and toothpastes are a source of microplastics in the aquatic environment. While a number of countries such as UK, USA and Sweden banned microbeads in rinse-off cosmetics, the self-same companies that sell polymeric microbead-free cosmetics in those countries continue selling microbead-containing cosmetics in countries where no such ban exists. For this reason, we have investigated eight different facial scrubs commercially available in the United Arab Emirates for microbeads. Cosmetics were extracted with hot water and partially treated with Fenton reagent (FeSO4+H2O2). Solids were collected on ash-less Schleich 1505 filters or 0.45 ?m Millipore filter paper. An attempt has been made to measure the size distribution of the microbeads in each product using an optical microscope with FIJI software? (ImageJ?) and to quantify the total number of microbeads present in each product. The microbeads were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The spectra were matched with the OMNIC 9? polymer library to identify the type of polymers present in each sample. It was found that only a minority of cosmetics contained polyethylene or polypropylene microbeads. The rest were made of other, often more degradable materials such as microcrystalline cellulose or peach pit derived abrasives.
Obesity is increasing among children in United Arab Emirates. Few data were available on its impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Study aimed to identify prevalence of dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia and cross-sectional relation of these CVD risks with overweight and obesity among children. A cross-sectional study estimate CVD risk factors in random sample of 234 aged 6 to 11 in UAE. Nurses administered questionnaire to parents for sociodemographic and lifestyle variables. Blood pressure, weight, height, waist and hip circumference measured and fasting blood sample. Body-mass index at the 85th percentile or higher classified overweight and obese. Dyslipidemia classified with cholesterol (TC ?200 mg/ dl), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C <40 mg/dl), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C ?130 mg/dl) and triglycerides (TG?150 mg/dl). Systolic and diastolic BP ?90th percentiles, considered elevated blood pressure. Average age 8.7 (?1.3) years and 51.7?males. High proportion were overweight (15.4%) and obese (10.1%). Low HDL-C (47.4%), elevated TG (6.8%), blood pressure (20.5%) and fasting glucose (1.7%). After controlling for age and gender, participants with overweight and obesity were more likely to have elevated cardiovascular risk factors. Overweight and obesity in children was associated with an increased prevalence of CVD risk factors
A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the potential relationship between depersonalization and sleep. This study was designed to assess if sleep was related to subjective episodes of depersonalization. Zayed University female students were recruited to participate in the study. All willing volunteers provided written informed consent (n=100) and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as well as the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS). A total of 64 participants agreed to wear wrist actigraphy for two consecutive days/nights and data were collected from 37 participants. The results showed that PSQI global score was positively correlated with both CDS frequency and CDS total score, where r=0.22, p<0.05 and r=0.21, p<0.05, respectively. However, actigraphy estimated sleep was not significantly associated with depersonalization. It was concluded that subjective sleep quality might be related to episodes of depersonalization disorder, but this needs to be conformed in a larger sample and other populations.
Date palm trees in the UAE suffer from serious disease called Fusairum wilt or sudden decline syndrome (SDS) which is characterized by whitening on one side of the rachis, progressing from the base to the apex of the leaf until the whole leaf dies. The internal disease symptoms are characterized by reddish roots and highly colored vascular bundles causing wilting and death of the tree. Three Fusarium spp. (F. oxysporum, F. proliferatum and F. solani) were isolated from infected root tissues, and it was found that F. solani was the main causal agent of SDS on date palm in the UAE. These three species were identified based on their cultural, morphological characteristics and in addition the internal transcribed spacer regions and large subunit of the ribosomal RNA (ITS/ LSU rRNA) gene complex of the pathogens was further sequenced. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that the main causal agent of SDS on date palm in the UAE was F. solani. Under greenhouse conditions the application of Cidely? Top (difenoconazole and cyflufenamid) significantly reduced the fungal mycelial growth in vitro and reduced SDS development on date palm seedlings preinoculated with F. solani. This current study is the first report confirming that the fungicide Cidely? Top is strongly effective against SDS and can be used to control this disease on date palm trees.
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is spanning across 3 to 4 Mb on chromosome 6p21.3 and includes 300 genes. These genes are involved in self recognition (HLA), inflammation (TNF) and immune process of complement cascade (C4, C2 and Bf). In the 60 years since its discovery, the HLA system has been studied extensively for many populations including Caucasians and Asians. It remains the most important genetic factor that determines compatibility between transplant patients and potential donors. Advances in molecular techniques have identified an extended list of autoimmune diseases (AD) that are associated with HLA genetic variants. The most frequent autoimmune diseases present in Gulf Arabian countries include Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). In populations of many countries of the greater middle east (GME), human haplotypes remain poorly characterized, and hence the associations with disease is less clearly defined in this part of the world. This review systematically compiled publications from laboratories that have reported on HLA associated-diseases in the Arabian population.
