ABSTRACT Introduction: The cytokine erythropoietin (EPO) is a crucial hormone for producing RBCs, which carry oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. Objective: This paper aimed to create an electrochemical detection based on Fe2O3-NiO nanoparticles and graphene oxide to measure EPO levels in athletes’ blood. Methods: On a glassy carbon electrode, Fe2O3-NiO@GO was synthesized using the electrochemical deposition method. Results: The Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE was validated by structural characterizations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE was found to be a suitable and stable erythropoietin biosensor with a linear range of 0-500 ng/l and a detection limit of 0.03ng/l in electrochemical tests using the DPV technique. Fe2O3-NiO@GO/erythropoietin was investigated as a biosensor for erythropoietin in athlete's plasma. Conclusion: The results showed that the values obtained for recovery (94.56% to 98.40) and RSD (2.01% to 3.22%) were acceptable, indicating that the suggested technique can be used as a practical erythropoietin biosensor in blood samples. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMEN Introducción: La citoquina eritropoyetina (EPO), se conoce como una hormona crucial para la producción de glóbulos rojos, que transportan la sangre oxigenada al resto del cuerpo. Objetivos: El objetivo de este trabajo fue crear una detección electroquímica basada en nanopartículas de Fe2O3-NiO y óxido de grafeno para medir los niveles de EPO en la sangre de los deportistas. Métodos: Sobre un electrodo de carbono vítreo, se sintetizó Fe2O3-NiO@GO mediante el método de deposición electroquímica. Resultados: El Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE fue validado por caracterizaciones estructurales mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM). El Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE resultó ser un biosensor de eritropoyetina adecuado y estable con un rango lineal de 0-500 ng/l y un límite de detección de 0,03ng/l en ensayos electroquímicos mediante la técnica DPV. Se investigó el uso de Fe2O3-NiO@GO/extropoietina como biosensor de eritropoyetina en el plasma de atletas. Conclusión: Los resultados mostraron que los valores obtenidos para la recuperación (94,56% a 98,40) y la RSD (2,01% a 3,22%) fueron aceptables, lo que indica que la técnica sugerida puede ser utilizada como un biosensor práctico de eritropoyetina en muestras de sangre. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

RESUMO Introdução: A citocina eritropoietina (EPO), é referida como um hormônio crucial para a produção de hemácias, que transportam o sangue oxigenado para o resto dos corpos. Objetivos: O objetivo deste trabalho foi criar uma detecção eletroquímica baseada em nanopartículas de Fe2O3-NiO e óxido de grafeno para medir os níveis de EPO no sangue dos atletas. Métodos: Em um eletrodo de carbono vítreo, o Fe2O3-NiO@GO foi sintetizado usando o método de deposição eletroquímica. Resultados: O Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE foi validado por caracterizações estruturais utilizando microscopia eletrônica de varredura (SEM). O Fe2O3-NiO@GO/GCE foi considerado um biosensor eritropoietina adequado e estável com uma faixa linear de 0-500 ng/l e um limite de detecção de 0,03ng/l em testes eletroquímicos utilizando a técnica DPV. O Fe2O3-NiO@GO/extropoietina foi investigado como um biosensor de eritropoietina no plasma do atleta. Conclusão: Os resultados mostraram que os valores obtidos para recuperação (94,56% a 98,40) e RSD (2,01% a 3,22%) foram aceitáveis, indicando que a técnica sugerida pode ser usada como um prático biosensor de eritropoietina em amostras de sangue. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

Abstract Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a maternally inherited trait that derives from the inability to produce functional pollen in higher plants. CMS results from recombination of the mitochondrial genome. However, understanding of the molecular mechanism of CMS in pepper is limited. In this study, comparative transcriptomic analyses were performed using a near-isogenic CMS line 14A (CMS-14A) and a maintainer line 14B (ML-14B) as experimental materials. A total of 17,349 differentially expressed genes were detected between CMS-14A and ML-14B at the PMC meiosis stage. Among them, six unigenes associated with CMS and 108 unigenes involved in energy metabolism were identified. The gene orf165 was found in CMS-14A. When orf165 was introduced into ML-14B, almost 30% of transgenic plants were CMS. In addition, orf165 expression in transgenic CMS plants resulted in abnormal function of some genes involved in energy metabolism. When orf165 in transgenic CMS plant was silenced, the resulted orf165-silenced plant was male fertile and the expression patterns of some genes associated with energy metabolism were similar to ML-14B. Thus, we confirmed that orf165 influenced CMS in pepper.

Abstract The measurement of gene expression can provide important information about gene function and the molecular basis for developmental processes. We analyzed the transcriptomes at three different developmental stages of pepper flower [sporogenous cell division, stage (B1); pollen mother cell meiosis, stage (B2); and open flower (B3)]. In the cDNA libraries for B1, B2, and B3: 82718, 77061, and 91491 unigenes were assembled, respectively. A total of 34,445 unigene sequences and 128 pathways were annotated by KEGG pathway analysis. Several genes associated with nectar biosynthesis and nectary development were identified, and 8,955, 12,182, and 23,667 DEGs were identified in the B2 vs B1, B3 vs B1, and B3 vs. B2 comparisons. DEGs were involved in various metabolic processes, including flower development, nectar biosynthesis, and nectary development. According to the RNA-seq data, all 13 selected DEGs showed similar expression patterns after q-PCR analysis. Sucrose-phosphatase, galactinol-sucrose galactosyltransferase, and sucrose synthase played very important roles in nectar biosynthesis, and CRABS CLAW could potentially be involved in mediating nectary development. A significant number of simple sequence repeat and single nucleotide polymorphism markers were predicted in the Capsicum annuum sequences. The new results provide valuable genetic information about flower development in pepper.

The Black Bridged Leaf Turtle, Cyclemys atripons (Testudines; Cryptodira; Geoemydidae), is a poorly known species within the genus Cyclemys. We determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the Cyclemys atripons mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and found it to be 16,500 base pairs (bp) in length, with the genome organization, gene order and base composition being identical to that of the typical vertebrate. However, unlike for most turtle mtDNA so far reported, an extra base was not found in the NADH3 gene. The C. atripons control region of mtDNA was 981 bp long. Comparisons with three other geoemydids showed that the C. atripons control region contained a highly variable region at the 3' end composed of AT enriched tandem repeats containing a fifteen-unit 5'-A (AT)3-3' variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs).

The Sox family of genes shares a high sequence similarity with the HMG box region of the human Y chromosomal gene, SRY. We used highly degenerate primers to clone and sequence seven Eremias breuchleyi Sox genes (EbSox2, EbSox3, EbSox4, EbSox11, EbSox12, EbSox14 and EbSox21). A database search for the cloned sequences revealed the following percentage identity with the homologous human SOX genes: EbSox2 = 96%, EbSox3 = 88%, EbSox4 = 94%, EbSox11 = 99%, EbSox12 = 96%, EbSox14 = 98%, EbSox21 = 97%. Cluster analysis indicates that they seem to belong to group B and group C of Sox gene family, respectively.