The removal of sulfur by deep hydrodesulfurization is expensive and environmentally unfriendly. Additionally, sulfur is not separated completely from heterocyclic poly-aromatic compounds. In nature, several microorganisms (Rhodococcus erythropolis IGTS8, Gordonia sp., Bacillus sp., Mycobacterium sp., Paenibacillus sp. A11-2 etc.) have been reported to remove sulfur from petroleum fractions. All these microbes remove sulfur from recalcitrant organosulfur compounds via the 4S pathway, showing potential for some organosulfur compounds only. Activity up to 100 µM/g dry cell weights is needed to meet the current demand for desulfurization. The present review describes the desulfurization capability of various microorganisms acting on several kinds of sulfur sources. Genetic engineering approaches on Gordonia sp. and other species have revealed a variety of good substrate ranges of desulfurization, both for aliphatic and aromatic organosulfur compounds. Whole genome sequence analysis and 4S pathway inhibition by a pTeR group inhibitor have also been discussed. Now, emphasis is being placed on how to commercialize the microbes for industrial-level applications by incorporating biodesulfurization into hydrodesulfurization systems. Thus, this review summarizes the potentialities of microbes for desulfurization of petroleum. The information included in this review could be useful for researchers as well as the economical commercialization of bacteria in petroleum industries.

The aim of this study was to determine the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) class II (DRB1 and DQB1) alleles and haplotype frequency in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in the Sudanese population. The frequency of HLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 alleles and DRB1-DQB1 haplotypes were determined in 122 RA patients and 100 controls. HLA alleles were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) method. In RA patients, HLA-DRB1*04 and *10 alleles were high in frequency (9.6% vs 14.2%, P = 0.038 and P = 0.042, respectively), and dependently on anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) seropositivity (P = 0.044 and P = 0.027, respectively). In contrast, the frequency of the HLA-DRB1*07 allele was significantly low in patients than in controls (11.7% vs 5.0%, P = 0.010). Moreover, the HLA-DQB1*03 allele was strongly associated with RA risk (42.2%, P = 2.2x10^-8), whereas, HLA-DQB1*02 and *06 showed protective effects against RA (23.1% and 42.2%, P = 0.024 and P = 2.2x10^-6, respectively). Five different HLA haplotypes, DRB1*03-DQB1*03 (P = 0.00003), DRB1*04-DQB1*03 (P = 0.00014), DRB1*08-DQB1*03 (P = 0.027), DRB1*13-DQB1*02 (P = 0.004), and DRB1*13-DQB1*03 (P = 3.79x10^-8) were significantly associated with RA risk, while 3 protective haplotypes, DRB1*03-DQB1*02 (P_c = 0.008), DRB1*07-DQB1*02 (P_c = 0.004), and DRB1*13-DQB1*06 (P_c = 0.02) were identified. This is the first study determining the association between HLA class II alleles and haplotypes and RA risk in our population.

Https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28442 Mohammad Salman Akhtar, Naseem Akhter, Arshi Talat, Raed A. Alharbi, Abdulmajeed A.A. Sindi, Faisal Klufah, Hanan E. Alyahyawi, Abdulmohsen Alruwetei, Abrar...

The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) gene are directly associated with the progression and onset of various human cancers. These SNPs are important prognostic biomarkers for the prediction and early onset of cancer risk. The variant frequency of the CTLA-4 rs11571317 (−658 C/T) polymorphism may be affecting the various ethnic groups differently. In the present study, the allelic frequency distribution of −658 C/T polymorphism was assessed in the population of Saudi Arabia and compared with other world populations. The data from different cancers were extracted from case-control studies in the various ethnic groups by using PubMed (MEDLINE) and similar web databases. The frequency of CTLA-4 rs11571317 (−658 C/T) variant allele (T) was observed to be 25.5% and different frequencies were found significant for India (p = 0.001), USA (p = 0.03), and China (p = 0.04), when the prevalence of Saudi Arabian population was compared to that of other population groups. The current finding reveals that there is a distinct pattern of CTLA-4 rs11571317 (−658 C/T) polymorphism variant allele in the populations of Saudi Arabia, may be because of the differences in ethnicity. The observed findings can help in the assessment of the risk for the population harboring the risk allele of rs11571317 (−658 C/T) SNP and toward their subsequent susceptibility to cancer.

The study aimed to examine the physicochemical properties of moringa seeds and assess the oil extracted from the seeds. The seeds were collected from Eldamazine in the Blue Nile state and Alsamrab north of Khartoum. The oil extracted using hexane, the color of oil examined using a Lovibond tintometer, showed red and yellow colors (0.02, 3.9) for moringa and (2.3, 31.9) for olive oil respectively. Viscosity, density, and refractive index are (23.81, 0.90, 1.472 cp) for moringa oil and (73.5, 0.91, 1.551 cp) for olive oil, respectively. Chemical characteristics of moringa and olive are free fatty acid, peroxide value, iodine value, and saponification value (0.19%, 0.49 mg O2 /kg/oil 63.5 mg 1/kg/oil, 81.55 mg/ kg /oil, 172 mg KOH / kg oil). GLC was used to detect the fatty acid composition of moringa oil which are Palmitoleic acid (0.1860%), Palmitic acid (3.248%), Linoleic acid (0.0690%), Oleic acid (71.57%), Linolenic acid (6.725%), Stearic acid (7.127%), Arachidic acid (0.9820%), Gadoleic acid (3.842%), Behnic acid (5.973 %) and Arachidonic acid (0.2320 %). Moringa oil contained a high content of tocopherol (257 mg liter).

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) gene found in exon 1 are directly associated with the progression and onset of autoimmune disease and various human cancers. These SNPs are commonly known prognostic biomarkers for the prediction and early onset of cancer risk. The variant frequency of CTLA-4 rs231775 (+49 A>G) polymorphisms may affect the various ethnic groups differently. This study assessed the allelic frequency distribution of rs231775 (+49 A>G) polymorphisms in the Saudi Arabian population and compared it with other world populations. The data were extracted from case-control studies in several ethnic groups using PubMed (Medline) and similar web databases. The frequency of CTLA-4 rs231775 (+49 A>G) variant allele (G) was observed at 33.0% and different frequencies were found significant for Pakistan (p=0.02), China (p=0.05), China (p= 0.00), Iran (p=0.00), Poland (p=0.00), the USA (p=0.00) and Turkey (p=0.02) when the prevalence of Saudi Arabian population is compared to that of other populations. The observed finding reveals a distinct pattern of CTLA-4 rs231775 (+49 A>G) polymorphism variant allele in the populations of Saudi Arabia, maybe because of the differences in ethnicity. The observed findings can help assess the risk for the population harboring the risk allele of the rs231775 (+49 A>G) SNP and their subsequent susceptibility to cancer.