5,954 results match your criteria: "Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology[Affiliation]"

Various therapeutic targets and approaches are commonly employed in the management of Type 2 Diabetes. These encompass diverse groups of drugs that target different mechanisms involved in glucose regulation. Inhibition of the DPP-4 enzyme has been proven an excellent target for antidiabetic drug design.

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Prevalence of Wolbachia infection in field natural population of the apricot seed wasp Eurytoma samsonowi (Hymenoptera: Eurytomidae).

Int Microbiol

September 2024

Department of Biological Sciences and Plant Protection, High Agronomic Institute of Chott-Mariem, University of Sousse, 4042, Sousse, Tunisia.

Article Synopsis
  • Obligate endosymbiont bacteria in insects provide essential nutrients and help protect against diseases.
  • This study focused on identifying Wolbachia bacteria in the harmful apricot seed wasp, Eurytoma samsonowi, in Gafsa, Tunisia.
  • Results revealed Wolbachia was present in the wasp for the first time, with a notable difference in infection rates between males (5%) and females (59%), all belonging to supergroup B of Wolbachia.
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is a soil-borne fungus known for its aflatoxin contamination of agricultural products. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of 16 predicted aflatoxin-producing isolated from cashew nuts from coastal Kenya.

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Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt) is one of the most impactful diseases causing substantial losses in common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crops. In adult plants resistant to Pt, a horizontal adult plant resistance (APR) is observed: APR protects the plant against multiple pathogen races and is distinguished by durable persistence under production conditions.

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Background: Osteoarthritis is a prevalent joint disease affecting both humans and animals. It is characterized by articular cartilage degeneration and joint surface eburnation. Currently, no effective pharmacological treatment is available to restore the original function and structure of defective cartilage.

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Tick-borne pathogens are significant for human, veterinary, and wildlife health. Coxiella burnetii is an example that is widely distributed across various hosts and can cross species boundaries. In Pakistan, there is a scarcity of data regarding C.

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Bovine lactoferrin inhibits Plasmodium berghei growth by binding to heme.

Sci Rep

September 2024

Division of Molecular Functions of Food, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima, 890-0065, Japan.

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is a 77 kDa glycoprotein that is abundant in bovine breast milk and exerts various bioactive functions, including antibacterial and antiviral functions. Few studies have explored bLF activity against parasites. We found that bLF affects hemozoin synthesis by binding to heme, inhibiting heme iron polymerization necessary for Plasmodium berghei ANKA survival in infected erythrocytes, and also binds to hemozoin, causing it to disassemble.

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A diminutive chemical library of acyl thiotriazinoindole (ATTI) based bioactive scaffolds was synthesized, instigated by taking the economical starting material Isatin, through a series of five steps. Isatin was first nitrated followed by the attachment of pentyl moiety via nucleophilic substitution reaction. The obtained compound was reacted with thiosemicarbazide to obtain thiosemicarbazone derivative, which was eventually cyclized using basic conditions in water as solvent.

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Purpose: Glucose is the main energy substrate of tumor cells. This study aims to assess whether the transcriptional expression of glucose metabolism-related genes is associated with occult lymph node metastases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients.

Methods: We examined the transcriptional expression of a panel of glucose metabolism-related genes in a cohort of 53 patients with HNSCC without cervical lymph node involvement at the time of diagnosis (cN0) and subsequently treated with elective neck dissection.

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Many women have sought alternative therapies to address menopause. Recently, a multi-ingredient supplement (MIS) containing L-histidine, L-carnosine, L-serine, and L-cysteine has been shown to be effective at ameliorating hepatic steatosis (HS) in ovariectomized (OVX) rats, a postmenopausal oestrogen deficiency model. Considering that HS frequently accompanies obesity, which often occurs during menopause, we aimed to investigate the effects of this MIS for 8 weeks in OVX rats.

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Viral diseases of potatoes are among the main problems causing deterioration in the quality of tubers and loss of yield. The growth and development of potato plants largely depend on soil moisture. Prevention strategies require comprehensive protection against pathogens and abiotic stresses, including modeling the beneficial microbiome of agroecosystems combining microorganisms and immunostimulants.

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Silybin is a natural flavonolignan with potential anticancer, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties. In the present study, various loadings of silybin (1, 3, and 5 wt%) were encapsulated in poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) fibers by electrospinning, in order to produce new pharmaceutical composites with improved bioactive and drug delivery properties. The morphological characteristics of the composite fibrous structures were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the encapsulation efficiency and the release rate of silybin were quantified using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer.

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Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria remain a global public health issue due to the barrier imposed by their outer membrane and their propensity to form biofilms. It is becoming imperative to develop new antibacterial strategies. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of essential oil (OEO), alone and in combination with antibiotics, as well as its antibiofilm action against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative strains.

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Given the urgent need for novel methods to control the spread of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, this study presents a green synthesis approach to produce silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the bark extract from (Vell.) Brenan var. colubrina.

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A member of the Phyllanthaceae family, is a well-known plant in the tribal areas of Sri Lanka, India's Shaurastra region, Australia, and Malaysia. This study provides information about , a plant with a wide range of therapeutic uses in India. Different extracts from the leaves and roots of were evaluated for their physical and chemical properties, preliminary phytochemical parameters, and pharmacological activities in the current study, followed by their fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Developing proteins with increased chemical space by expanding the amino acids alphabet has been an emerging technique to compete for the obstacle encountered by their need in various applications. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) catecholic unnatural amino acid is abundantly present in mussels foot proteins through post-translational modification of tyrosine to give a strong adhesion toward wet rocks. L-DOPA forms: bidentate coordination, H-bonding, metal-ligand complexes, long-ranged electrostatic, and van der Waals interactions a pair of donor hydroxyl groups.

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Effects of a High Trans Fatty Acid Diet on Kidney-, Liver-, and Heart-Associated Diseases in a Rabbit Model.

Metabolites

August 2024

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, AlBeheira, Egypt.

Article Synopsis
  • Trans fatty acids, particularly elaidic acid found in processed foods, can lead to serious liver, heart, and kidney disorders, including metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
  • A study on rabbits showed that those consuming Mujahid Ghee, high in elaidic acid, exhibited significantly higher levels of liver, heart, and kidney biomarkers compared to those consuming other fats like oleic acid or Kausar Ghee.
  • The study found that antioxidant enzyme activity was lower in rabbits consuming Mujahid Ghee, indicating that elaidic acid may worsen liver condition and contribute to heart and kidney issues.
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Dietary plants for oral cancer prevention and therapy: A review of preclinical and clinical studies.

Phytother Res

November 2024

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India.

Oral cancer is a disease with high mortality and rising incidence worldwide. Although fragmentary literature on the anti-oral cancer effects of plant products has been published, a comprehensive analysis is lacking. In this work, a critical and comprehensive evaluation of oral cancer preventative or therapeutic effects of dietary plants was conducted.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluates various deconvolution methods that estimate immune cell levels in tumor samples based on gene expression data during a DREAM Challenge.
  • While many established methods perform adequately for most immune cell types, they struggle with accurately assessing all states of functional CD8+ T cells.
  • Community-contributed methods, particularly a deep learning approach, have shown promising results and could enhance the development of deconvolution techniques, especially in identifying functional CD4+ T cell states.
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Genome Tunisia Project: paving the way for precision medicine in North Africa.

Genome Med

August 2024

Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Screening Processes, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.

Article Synopsis
  • The Genome Tunisia Project is a two-phase initiative (2022-2035) aimed at sequencing the Tunisian Genome and advancing personalized medicine in Tunisia, a diverse North African country affected by human migration patterns from various continents.
  • A multidisciplinary team of Tunisian experts is focused on addressing key priorities, such as determining the reference genome sequence, enhancing education and awareness, and improving infrastructure for personalized medicine integration.
  • The project involves collaboration among various stakeholders, including healthcare providers and policymakers, and aims to boost research and innovation in genomics while improving healthcare practices in the region.
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Bioactive plant waste components targeting oral bacterial pathogens as a promising strategy for biofilm eradication.

Front Chem

August 2024

Natural Products Research Lab, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

The significance of this study lies in its exploration of bioactive plant extracts as a promising avenue for combating oral bacterial pathogens, offering a novel strategy for biofilm eradication that could potentially revolutionize oral health treatments. Oral bacterial infections are common in diabetic patients; however, due to the development of resistance, treatment options are limited. Considering the excellent antimicrobial properties of phenolic compounds, we investigated them against isolated oral pathogens using and models.

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Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is becoming widespread and is associated with many kinds of additional severe diseases. The present study aimed to develop a methotrexate-loaded almond oil-based nanoemulsion formulation (MTX NE) for topical administration. The drug-loaded nanoemulsion formulation was prepared by high shear homogenization technique.

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Ca-dependent lipid preferences shape synaptotagmin-1 C2A and C2B dynamics: Insights from experiments and simulations.

Structure

October 2024

Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3a, 06120 Halle, Germany; Department of Chemistry - Biochemistry, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address:

Signal transmission between neurons requires exocytosis of neurotransmitters from the lumen of synaptic vesicles into the synaptic cleft. Following an influx of Ca, this process is facilitated by the Ca sensor synaptotagmin-1. The underlying mechanisms involve electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions tuning the lipid preferences of the two C2 domains of synaptotagmin-1; however, the details are still controversially discussed.

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Phosphofructokinase-1 in Cancer: A Promising Target for Diagnosis and Therapy.

Recent Pat Anticancer Drug Discov

August 2024

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, New York, USA.

Tumor cells have distorted enzymatic houses, which change the metabolic state from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis with high lactate levels in a hypoxic environment. Redrafting the metabolic profile is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Glycolytic enzyme amplification occurs in about 70% of all malignancies.

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