Mutually beneficial pollinator diversity and crop yield outcomes in small and large farms.

Ecological intensification, or the improvement of crop yield through enhancement of biodiversity, may be a sustainable pathway toward greater food supplies. Such sustainable increases may be especially important for the 2 billion people reliant on small farms, many of which are undernourished, yet we know little about the efficacy of this approach. Using a coordinated protocol across regions and crops, we quantify to what degree enhancing pollinator density and richness can improve yields on 344 fields from 33 pollinator-dependent crop systems in small and large farms from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Low-level light-emitting diode therapy increases mRNA expressions of IL-10 and type I and III collagens on Achilles tendinitis in rats.

The present study investigated the effects of low-level light-emitting diode (LED) therapy (880 ± 10 nm) on interleukin (IL)-10 and type I and III collagen in an experimental model of Achilles tendinitis. Thirty male Wistar rats were separated into six groups (n = 5), three groups in the experimental period of 7 days, control group, tendinitis-induced group, and LED therapy group, and three groups in the experimental period of 14 days, tendinitis group, LED therapy group, and LED group with the therapy starting at the 7th day after tendinitis induction (LEDT delay). Tendinitis was induced in the right Achilles tendon using an intratendinous injection of 100 μL of collagenase.

Antiproliferative effect on HepaRG cell cultures of new calix[4]arenes. Part II.

Cell cycle progression is dependent on the intracellular iron level and chelators can lead to iron depletion and decrease cell proliferation. This antiproliferative effect can be inhibited by exogenous iron. In this work, we present the synthesis of some new synthetic calix[4]arene podands bearing diamino-tetraesters, diamino-tetraalcohols, diamino-tetraacid and tetraaryloxypentoxy groups at the lower rim, designed as potential iron chelators.

Antiproliferative effect on HepaRG cell cultures of new calix[4]arenes.

Cell cycle progression is dependent on the intracellular iron level, and chelators lead to iron depletion and decrease cell proliferation. This antiproliferative effect can be inhibited by exogenous iron. In this work, we present the synthesis of new synthetic calix[4]arene podands bearing alkyl acid and alkyl ester groups at the lower rim, designed as potential iron chelators.

Circular dichroism studies of type III collagen mimetic peptides with anti- or pro-aggregant activities on human platelets.

We report the synthesis of collagen related peptides containing the peptide sequence Lys-Hyp-Gly-Glu-Hyp-Gly-Pro-Lys. The anti-thrombotic activity effects of different glycine mutations in this sequence were studied in regard with their different adopted conformations. The biological results could be correlated to the glycine propensity to adopt a more stable polyproline II helix conformation.

Type III collagen mimetic peptides designed with anti- or pro-aggregant activities on human platelets.

We report the synthesis of collagen related peptides containing the peptide sequence Lys-Hyp-Gly-Glu-Hyp-Gly-Pro-Lys. The alpha-triple helix peptides behave as type III collagen analogues supporting platelet aggregation, while the homotrimer which does not exhibit a triple-helical conformation inhibits type III collagen-induced human platelet aggregation. The incorporation of the octapeptide sequence in type III collagen mimetic peptides may lead to the loss of the anti-thrombotic activity for a pro-thrombotic one.

Modulation of cell proliferation in rat liver cell cultures by new calix[4]arenes.

Cell cycle progression is dependent on intracellular iron level and chelators lead to iron depletion and decrease cell proliferation. This antiproliferative effect can be inhibited by exogenous iron. In this work, we present the synthesis of new synthetic calix[4]arene podands bearing two aspartic/glutamic acid, ornithine groups or hydrazide function at the lower rim, designed as potential iron chelators.

Antithrombotic effect of the type III collagen-related octapeptide (KOGEOGPK) in the mouse.

Platelet adhesion to subendothelial types I and III collagens exposed upon vascular injury plays a crucial role in hemostasis and thrombosis. We previously identified a KOGEOGPK sequence (O for hydroxyproline) within type III collagen interacting with platelets, and demonstrated a strong inhibitory effect of the KOGEOGPK peptide on human platelet interactions with type III collagen in vitro. In the present study, we tested the antithrombotic effect of KOGEOGPK in vivo.

The platelet receptor for type III collagen (TIIICBP) is present in platelet membrane lipid microdomains (rafts).

Platelet interactions with collagen are orchestrated by the presence or the migration of platelet receptor(s) for collagen into lipid rafts, which are specialized lipid microdomains from the platelet plasma membrane enriched in signalling proteins. Electron microscopy shows that in resting platelets, TIIICBP, a receptor specific for type III collagen, is present on the platelet membrane and associated with the open canalicular system, and redistributes to the platelet membrane upon platelet activation. After platelet lysis by 1% Triton X-100 and the separation of lipid rafts on a discontinuous sucrose gradient, TIIICBP is recovered in lipid raft-containing fractions and Triton X-100 insoluble fractions enriched in cytoskeleton proteins.

Triterpenoids from Brazilian Ilex species and their in vitro antitrypanosomal activity.

From the leaves of Ilex affinis and Ilex buxifolia, two adulterant species of "erva mate" (Ilex paraguariensis), three new triterpenoid glycosides were isolated. Affinoside 1 (3beta-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[2-O-acetyl-(1-->2]]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl pomolic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester, 1) was isolated from I. affinis, while buxifolioside I (28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester of (20S)-3alpha,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-ene-23,28-dioic acid, 7) and buxifolioside II (28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester of (20S)-3beta,19alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-24,28-dioic acid, 8) were isolated from I.