Protease-activated-receptor-2 affects protease-activated-receptor-1-driven breast cancer

Mammalian protease-activated-receptor-1 and -2 (PAR₁ and PAR₂) are activated by proteases found in the flexible microenvironment of a tumor and play a central role in breast cancer. We propose in the present study that PAR₁ and PAR₂ act together as a functional unit during malignant and physiological invasion processes. This notion is supported by assessing pro-tumor functions in the presence of short hairpin; shRNA knocked-down hPar2 or by the use of a truncated PAR₂ devoid of the entire cytoplasmic tail. Silencing of hPar2 by shRNA-attenuated thrombin induced PAR₁ signaling as recapitulated by inhibiting the assembly of Etk/Bmx or Akt onto PAR₁-C-tail, by thrombin-instigated colony formation and invasion. Strikingly, shRNA-hPar2 also inhibited the TFLLRN selective PAR₁ pro-tumor functions. In addition, while evaluating the physiological invasion process of placenta extravillous trophoblast (EVT) organ culture, we observed inhibition of both thrombin or the selective PAR₁ ligand; TFLLRNPNDK induced EVT invasion by shRNA-hPar2 but not by scrambled shRNA-hPar2. In parallel, when a truncated PAR₂ was utilized in a xenograft mouse model, it inhibited PAR₁–PAR₂-driven tumor growth in vivo. Similarly, it also attenuated the interaction of Etk/Bmx with the PAR₁-C-tail in vitro and decreased markedly selective PAR₁-induced Matrigel invasion. Confocal images demonstrated co-localization of PAR₁ and PAR₂ in HEK293T cells over-expressing YFP-hPar2 and HA-hPar1. Co-immuno-precipitation analyses revealed PAR₁-PAR₂ complex formation but no PAR₁-CXCR4 complex was formed. Taken together, our observations show that PAR₁ and PAR₂ act as a functional unit in tumor development and placenta-uterus interactions. This conclusion may have significant consequences on future breast cancer therapeutic modalities and improved late pregnancy outcome.     

Spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Saudi Arabia: two new species,new records and a key to all known species

A total of 18 spider mite species belonging to 10 genera of the family Tetranychidae (Acari: Prostigmata) are reported from different provinces of Saudi Arabia (SA). Among these, two new species, Sonotetranychus madinahensis sp. nov. and Tetranychus salicornicus sp. nov., belonging to the subfamily Tetranychinae are described and illustrated. Also, five genera and 11 species are new to the mite fauna of SA. The distribution and host data of all recorded species in the current study are provided. A key to all spider mite species of SA is provided as well as a key to the species of the armenychus species group of the genus Tetranychus Dufour, based on males.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C41BB3ED-99D5-4DCF-B557-09526FA7D56B     

Analysis of mammalian brain architecture.

The mammalian brain is composed of several distinct parts which show different growth in evolution. Clark, Mitra and Wang found that the two main cortices of the brain - the cerebral (neo-) cortex and the cerebellum - show very different growth, and that whereas the ratio of neocortex volume to total brain volume increases with evolution, the cerebellum occupies a constant proportion in different species. Here I compare the surface areas of the two cortices in different species and find that these show a simple proportionality. Contrary to the conclusion drawn by Clark et al., this linear dependence of size implies that the two major cortices increase their computational capacity in parallel, suggesting a functional dependence of the one upon the other.     

First record of the genus Paragigagnathus Amitai and Grinberg, 1971 (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) from Saudi Arabia with description of a new species

The genus Paragigagnathus Amitai and Grinberg (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is reported for the first time from Saudi Arabia. Paragigagnathus desertorum (Amitai and Swirski) and P. insuetus (Livshitz and Kuznetsov) were collected from Acacia sp. (Fabaceae) and Tamarix sp. (Tamaricaceae), respectively. Paragigagnathus madinaensis n. sp. is described and illustrated. The new species was found on Tamarix sp. in association with Obdulia daadi Al-Gboory (Prostigmata: Tenuipalpidae) from Al-Riyadh and Al-Madina regions of Saudi Arabia.     

Fractional-order model of the disease Psoriasis: A control based mathematical approach

Autoimmune diseases are generated through irregular immune response of the human body. Psoriasis is one type of autoimmune chronic skin diseases that is differentiated by T-Cells mediated hyper-proliferation of epidermal Keratinocytes. Dendritic Cells and CD8⁺ T-Cells have a significant role for the occurrence of this disease. In this paper, the authors have developed a mathematical model of Psoriasis involving CD4⁺ T-Cells, Dendritic Cells, CD8⁺ T-Cells and Keratinocyte cell populations using the fractional differential equations with the effect of Cytokine release to observe the impact of memory on the cell-biological system. Using fractional calculus, the authors try to explore the suppressed memory, associated with the cell-biological system and to locate the position of Keratinocyte cell population as fractional derivative possess non-local property. Thus, the dynamics of Psoriasis can be predicted in a better way using fractional differential equations rather than its corresponding integer order model. Finally, the authors introduce drug into the system to obstruct the interaction between CD4⁺ T-Cells and Keratinocytes to restrict the disease Psoriasis. The authors derive the Euler-Lagrange conditions for the optimality of the drug induced system. Numerical simulations are made through Matlab by developing iterative schemes.     

CONCURRENT PRODUCTION ENGINEERING SYSTEM FOR BUFFER SIZE AND FLEXIBLE TRANSFER LINE LAYOUT DESIGN

In this paper we propose a COncurrent Production Engineering System （COPES） for the flexible transfer line （FTL） layout design in a restricted area. COPES first determines the buffer size in front of the bay of each machine tool in the FTL and then initializes a computer aided design （CAD） system to draw the FTL in a restricted area. We develop a set of modules systems which have been integrated into a single framework, in accordance with the practice of concurrent engineering. Concurrent engineering involves the cooperation of these activities. It＇s expected that the developed COPES can improve the cooperation between production engineers＇ and the plant designer. This can be done by enabling the production engineers＇ to make better decision regarding FTL buffer size.     

硫酸中香蕉皮还原低品位锰矿的浸出行为及动力学模型

Manganese was leached from a low-grade manganese ore (LGMO) using banana peel as the reductant in a dilute sulfuric acid medium. The effects of banana peel amount, H₂SO₄ concentration, reaction temperature, and time on Mn leaching from the complex LGMO were studied. A leaching efficiency of ~98% was achieved at a leaching time of 2 h, banana peel amount of 4 g, leaching temperature of 120°C, manganese ore amount of 5 g, and sulfuric acid concentration of 15vol%. The phase, microstructural, and chemical analyses of LGMO samples before and after the leaching process confirmed the successful leaching of manganese. Furthermore, the leaching process followed the shrinking core model and the leaching rate was controlled by a surface chemical reaction (1 ? (1 ? x)1/3 = kt) mechanism with an apparent activation energy of 40.19 kJ·mol?1.