This study reflected on the relationship between contactin associated protein-like
2 gene (CNTNAP2) and autism spectrum disorders. The study includes forty autistic
patients and forty non autistic children as control groups (twenty unaffected sibling
and twenty unrelated children). DNA was extracted from Blood samples for
molecular detection of CNTNAP2 mutations associated with ASDs by using
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique and sequencing analysis. PCR reaction
was performed to amplify exon 20 of CNTNAP2 gene. The PCR results revealed that
identical bands related to exon 20 of CNTNAP2 gene were present in all samples.
Therefore, five samples (four from autistic patients and one from control sibling)
were selected for genotype analysis of CNTNAP2 (exon 20) by direct sequencing.
Genotype analysis revealed that there were no any variants in CNTNAP2 (exon 20),
but it shows that two different mutations were identified in non coding region
(introns) of the CNTNAP2 gene (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs),ID SNP:
rs3779032 A/G in 2118282 position and ID SNP: rs3779031 A/C in 2118436
position). rs3779031 A/C are located at intron 19 while SNP rs3779032 A/G are
located at intron 21. These mutations were seen only in autistic patients but not
present in control sample. The current study showed that two common SNPs
(rs3779031 and rs3779032) in CNTNAP2 were strongly associated with ASDs,
where the frequencies of these SNPs were relatively high. SNP rs3779032 were
identified in two autistic patients while rs3779031 were identified in three autistic
patients from four unrelated families with ASDs.
A total of 77 (35 female and 42 male) hard ticks samples were isolated from 22 long-eared hedgehog during January 2021 to May 2022. All animals were infested with one or two species of hard ticks with 100% infestation rate With the density of infestation mean of 3.5. The areas of collection were Baghdad, Wasit, Karbala and Al-Anbar provinces. Morphological study revealed that both species belonged to one genus of hard ticks: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Neumann, 1904) 50.64% and Rhipicephalus turanicus (Morel, 1969) 49.35%. The molecular investigation of current study revealed that the sensitive and specific PCR assay allowing rapid and reliable identification of Rhipicephalus sp. by the fragment size amp
... Show MoreAmong more than 200 different human papilloma viral genotypes, the association of low oncogenic risk-HPV genotypes have been recognized with a variety of oral, oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal benign tumors as well as non-neoplastic polyposis and papillomas and adenoid hypertrophy. This prospective case- control study aims to determine the rate of DNA detection of HPV genotype 6/11 in nasopharyngeal adeno- tonsillar tissues from a group of patients subjected to adenoctomy for adenoid hypertrophy . A total number of nasopharyngeal adeno-tonsillar tissue specimens from pediatric patients with adenoid hypertrophy were enrolled; 40 nasopharyngeal adeno-tonsillar tissues from patients with adenoid hypertrophy, and 20 normal nasal tissue specimen
... Show MoreBlastocystis is a ubiquitous human and animal protozoa that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract. Metronidazole is considered the standard drug for the treatment of Blastocystis infection; however, there is growing evidence of treatment failure, hazardous side effects, and appearance of strains resistant to metronidazole. In the last era, many studies have been implicated in the quest for new treatments for Blastocystis infection, especially natural products. Attention has been focused on the effect of Amygdalin (B17) and pumpkin seed on eradicating parasitic infections. The current work was built up to explore the in vitro efficacy of two natural compounds, Amygdalin (B17) and pumpkin seeds against
... Show MoreFourteen morphologically varied Ricinus communis L. seeds were collected from different localities in Egypt, El-Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Seed morphology and ITS barcoding analysis were performed to assess their diversity and phylogenetic relationship. Sequence’s alignment of nrITS region from different accessions display high levels of genetic similarities. Cluster analysis could not group different accessions according to their geographical distribution. Nevertheless, the genetic barcodes are interestingly matched with the morphological features of the Ricinus seeds. In conclusion, seed morphology proved to be a valuable tool in evaluating biodiversity and phylogenetic relationship in plant species with different loca
... Show MoreIn this study the activities of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) were evaluated, in addition to total protein and albumins in sera of sixty one subjects whose ages were ranged between(4-16) years. These subjects were, twenty eight major thalassemic patient (12 with splenectomy and 16 non splenectomy ) and fifteen with minor thalassemia. eighteen healty subjecte as control. The result revealed a significant elevation in the activities of both aminotransferases enzymes (AST and ALT) in the sera of all the alassmic patient groups compared with control. Also a significant increase in the activity of ALT in sera of non-splenectomy compared to splenectomy major thalassemic patient , which could be an indicative of th
... Show MoreNutrient enrichment of Sawa lake water was made using different nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations during autumn and spring at three stations. Different concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and N: P ratios were used to test variations in phytoplankton population dynamics. Nitrogen at a concentration of 25 µmole.l-1 and N: P ratio of 10:1 gave highest phytoplankton cell number at all stations and seasons. A total of 64 algal taxa dominated by Bacillariophyceae followed by Cyanophyceae and Chlorophyceae were identified. The values of Shannon index of diversity were more than one in the studied stations.