Phosphate (P) and zinc (Zn) are essential plant nutrients required for nodulation, nitrogen-fixation, plant growth and yield. Mostly applied P and Zn nutrients in the soil are converted into unavailable form. A small number of soil microbes have the ability to transform unsolvable forms of P and Zn to an available form. P-Zn-solubilizing rhizobacteria are potential alternates for P and Zn supplement. In the present study, the effect of two P-Zn-solubilizing bacterial strains (Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 and Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5) was evaluated on the growth of chickpea plant. Both strains were purified from the rhizospheric soil of chickpea plant grown-up in sandy soil and rain-fed area (Thal desert). In vitro, both strains solubilize P and Zn as well both strain produce IAA and organic acids. In the field experiments, conducted in the rain-fed area, the positive influence of inoculation with both bacterial isolates AZ5 and AZ17 on chickpea growth was observed. The application of inoculum (strains AZ5 and AZ17) resulted in up to 17.47% and 17.34% increase in grain yield of both types of chickpea grown in fertilized and non-fertilized soil, respectively over non-inoculated control. Strain AZ5 was the most effective inoculum, increasing up to 17.47%, 16.04%, 26.32%, 22.53%, 26.12% and 22.59% in grain yield, straw weight, nodules number, dry weight of nodules, Zn uptake and P uptake respectively, over control. These results indicated that Pseudomonas sp. strain AZ5 and Bacillus sp. strain AZ17 can serve as effective microbial inocula for chickpea, particularly in the rain-fed area.

Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) develop in about 20–30% of breast cancer (BC) patients. BCBM are associated with dismal prognosis not at least due to lack of valuable molecular therapeutic targets. The aim of the study was to identify new molecular biomarkers and targets in BCBM by using complementary state-of-the-art techniques. We compared array expression profiles of three BCBM with 16 non-brain metastatic BC and 16 primary brain tumors (prBT) using a false discovery rate (FDR) p < 0.05 and fold change (FC) > 2. Biofunctional analysis was conducted on the differentially expressed probe sets. High-density arrays were employed to detect copy number variations (CNVs) and whole exome sequencing (WES) with paired-end reads of 150 bp was utilized to detect gene mutations in the three BCBM. The top 370 probe sets that were differentially expressed between BCBM and both BC and prBT were in the majority comparably overexpressed in BCBM and included, e.g. the coding genes BCL3, BNIP3, BNIP3P1, BRIP1, CASP14, CDC25A, DMBT1, IDH2, E2F1, MYCN, RAD51, RAD54L, and VDR. A number of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were comparably overexpressed in BCBM and included SNORA1, SNORA2A, SNORA9, SNORA10, SNORA22, SNORA24, SNORA30, SNORA37, SNORA38, SNORA52, SNORA71A, SNORA71B, SNORA71C, SNORD13P2, SNORD15A, SNORD34, SNORD35A, SNORD41, SNORD53, and SCARNA22. The top canonical pathway was entitled, role of BRCA1 in DNA damage response. Network analysis revealed key nodes as Akt, ERK1/2, NFkB, and Ras in a predicted activation stage. Downregulated genes in a data set that was shared between BCBM and prBT comprised, e.g. BC cell line invasion markers JUN, MMP3, TFF1, and HAS2. Important cancer genes affected by CNVs included TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2, ERBB2, IDH1, and IDH2. WES detected numerous mutations, some of which affecting BC associated genes as CDH1, HEPACAM, and LOXHD1. Using complementary molecular genetic techniques, this study identified shared and unshared molecular events in three highly aberrant BCBM emphasizing the challenge to detect new molecular biomarkers and targets with translational implications. Among new findings with the capacity to gain clinical relevance is the detection of overexpressed snoRNAs known to regulate some critical cellular functions as ribosome biogenesis.

Oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, and transaminase reactions are some of the mechanisms that can lead to liver dysfunction. A time‐dependent study was designed to evaluate the ability of silymarin (SLN) and glycyrrhizin (GLN) in different dosage regimens to lessen oxidative stress in the rats with hepatic injury caused by the hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride. Wistar male albino rats (n= 60) were randomly assigned to six groups. Group A served as a positive control while groups B, C, D, E, and F received a dose of CCl₄(50% solution of CCl₄in liquid paraffin, 2 mL/kg, intraperitoneally) twice a week to induce hepatic injury. Additionally, the animals received SLN and GLN in different doses for a period of six weeks. CCl₄was found to induce hepatic injury by significantly increasing serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances while decreasing total protein and the activities of reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. Treatment with various doses of SLN and GLN significantly reduced ALT, AST, ALP, and TBARS levels and increased GSH, SOD, and CAT levels. Our findings indicated that SLN and GLN have hepatoprotective effects against oxidative stress of the liver.

Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) and follicular adenoma (FA) are histologically closely related tumors and differential diagnosis remains challenging. RNA expression profiling is an established method to unravel molecular mechanisms underlying the histopathology of diseases.