Protective potency of clove oil and its transcriptional down-regulation of Aeromonas sobria virulence genes in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus L.).

Disease episodes of fish caused by Aeromonas species are moved to the top list of limiting problems worldwide. The present study was planned to verify the in vitro antibacterial activities as well as the in vivo potential values of clove oil and ciprofloxacin against Aeromonas sobria in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). The in vitro phenotypic virulence activities and the successful amplification of aerolysin and hemolysin genes in the precisely identified A.

Potential effect of Olea europea leaves, Sonchus oleraceus leaves and Mangifera indica peel extracts on aromatase activity in human placental microsomes and CYP19A1 expression in MCF-7 cell line: Comparative study.

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) provide novel approaches to the adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers. In this study, different plant extracts from Olea europaea leaves (OLE), Sonchus oleraceus L. (SOE) and Mangifera indica peels (MPE) were prepared to identify phytoconstituents and measure antioxidant capacities.

Anabolic therapy with Equisetum arvense along with bone mineralising nutrients in ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis.

Objective: Equisetum arvense has been used to treat bone diseases. The traditional supplementation of calcium and Vitamin D for osteoporosis patients is insufficient considering the rise in patients every year. We have observed that extending the calcium and Vitamin D supplement with L-lysine, L-proline, L-arginine, and L-ascorbic acid (N) positively affects bone mineralization in ovariectomized rat.

Transcriptomic analysis of stage 1 versus advanced adult granulosa cell tumors.

Ovarian granulosa cell tumors (GCT) are hormonally-active neoplasms characterized, in the adult-subtype, by a mutation in the FOXL2 gene (C134W). They exhibit an indolent course with an unexplained propensity for late recurrence; ~80% of patients with aggressive, advanced stage tumors die from their disease; aside from surgery, therapeutic options are limited. To identify the molecular basis of advanced stage disease we have used whole transcriptome analysis of FOXL2 C134W mutation positive adult (a)GCT to identify genes that are differentially expressed between early (stage 1) and advanced (stage 3) aGCT.

The Effect of Selenium on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: An Experimental Study on a Transverse Rectus Abdominis Musculocutaneous Flap Model.

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate effects of selenium and enlighten the possible mechanism of action in a rat transverse musculocutaneous flap model following ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Materials And Methods: In this study, an experimental model, which mimicked free tissue transfer, was applied. Twenty-four male Wistar Albino rats were divided into a control group (N = 12), and a selenium treated group (N = 12).

SHV-129: A Gateway to Global Suppressors in the SHV β-Lactamase Family?

Enzymes are continually evolving in response to environmental pressures. In order to increase enzyme fitness, amino acid substitutions can occur leading to a changing function or an increased stability. These evolutionary drivers determine the activity of an enzyme and its success in future generations in response to changing conditions such as environmental stressors or to improve physiological function allowing continual persistence of the enzyme.

Targeting post-translational modifications of histones for cancer therapy.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) on histones including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, citrullination, ubiquitination, ADP ribosylation, and sumoylation, play important roles in different biological events including chromatin dynamics, DNA replication, and transcriptional regulation. Aberrant histones PTMs leads to abnormal gene expression and uncontrolled cell proliferation, followed by development of cancers. Therefore, targeting the enzymes required for specific histone PTMs holds a lot of potential for cancer treatment.

Natural products are the future of anticancer therapy: Preclinical and clinical advancements of Viscum album phytometabolites.

Cancer is a multifaceted and genomically complex disease. Research over the years has gradually provided a near complete resolution of cancer landscape and it is now known that genetic/epigenetic mutations, inactivation of tumor suppressors, Overexpression of oncogenes, spatio-temporally dysregulated intracellular signaling cascades, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), metastasis and loss of apoptosis are some of the most extensively studied biological mechanisms that underpin cancer development and progression. Increasingly it is being realized that current therapeutic interventions are becoming ineffective because of tumor heterogeneity and rapidly developing resistance against drugs.

Purification and dose-dependent toxicity study of abrin in swiss albino male mice.

Abrin, a phytotoxin obtained from the seeds of the Abrus precatorius plant, is highly toxic with an estimated human fatal dose of 0.1—1 μg/kg. In this study, abrin was purified and characterized through SDS PAGE and mass spectrometry analysis; further study on toxicity was carried out to investigate the alteration in biochemical, and hematological variables through histopathological observations in mice.

Influence of Internal DNA Pressure on Stability and Infectivity of Phage λ.

Viruses must remain infectious while in harsh extracellular environments. An important aspect of viral particle stability for double-stranded DNA viruses is the energetically unfavorable state of the tightly confined DNA chain within the virus capsid creating pressures of tens of atmospheres. Here, we study the influence of internal genome pressure on the thermal stability of viral particles.

Anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory properties of Zizyphus mauritiana root bark.

An allergy may sometimes be very dangerous and one of the main factors responsible for allergy is the complement system which can lead to a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Cycloxygenase-1 (COX-1), Cycloxygenase-2 (COX-2) and 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) trigger allergic and inflammatory reactions. A number of anti-allergic synthetic drugs are available but are costly and show many side effects.

Effect of Lead stress on phosphatase activity and reducing power assay of Triticum aestivum.

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic heavy metal for both plants and animals; the environment is increasingly polluted with heavy metals and reduces crop productivity. Plants possess homeostatic mechanisms that allow them to keep correct concentrations of essential metal ions in cellular compartments and to minimize the damaging effects of an excess of nonessential ones. One of their adverse effects on plants are the generation of harmful active oxygen species, leading to oxidative stress and the antioxidative activity seems to be of fundamental importance for adaptive response of plant against environmental stress.

Key residues of S. flexneri OmpA mediate infection by bacteriophage Sf6.

Many viruses, including bacteriophage, have the inherent ability to utilize several types of proteinaceous receptors as an attachment mechanism to infect cells, yet the molecular mechanisms that drive receptor binding have not been elucidated. Using bacteriophage Sf6 and its host, Shigella flexneri, we investigated how Sf6 utilizes outer membrane protein A (OmpA) for infection. Specifically, we identified that surface loops of OmpA mediate Shigella infection.

Thiolated pyrimidine nucleotides may interfere thiol groups concentrated at lipid rafts of HIV-1 infected cells.

Upon HIV infection, cells become activated and cell surface thiols are present in increased number. Earlier we demonstrated in vitro anti-HIV effect of thiolated pyrimidine nucleotide UD29, which interferes thiol function. To further analyse the redox processes required for HIV-1 entry and infection, toxicity assays were performed using HIV-1 infected monolayer HeLaCD4-LTR/ β-gal cells and suspension H9 T cells treated with several thiolated nucleotide derivatives of UD29.

In vitro effects of doxorubicin and deracoxib on oxidative-stress-related parameters in canine mammary carcinoma cells.

The present study evaluated the effects of doxorubicin (DOX) and deracoxib (DER), as single agents and in combination treatments, on antioxidant parameters in the canine mammary carcinoma cell line CMT-U27. The cells were exposed to DOX and DER for 24, 48 and 72 h. The viability and malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and total glutathione (GSH) activities of CMT-U27 cells were determined.

The impact of dehydroepiandrosterone on indomethacin-induced gastric lesions in rats.

Unlabelled: Gastric ulcer is a common gastrointestinal disease. One suggested mechanism is increased oxidative stress. Puplished data showed that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) may limit oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation.

Molecular recognition in a diverse set of protein-ligand interactions studied with molecular dynamics simulations and end-point free energy calculations.

End-point free energy calculations using MM-GBSA and MM-PBSA provide a detailed understanding of molecular recognition in protein-ligand interactions. The binding free energy can be used to rank-order protein-ligand structures in virtual screening for compound or target identification. Here, we carry out free energy calculations for a diverse set of 11 proteins bound to 14 small molecules using extensive explicit-solvent MD simulations.

Tackling the aging process with bio-molecules: a possible role for caloric restriction, food-derived nutrients, vitamins, amino acids, peptides, and minerals.

Aging is a multifactorial process leading to general deterioration in many tissues and organs, accompanied by an increased incidence and severity of a wide variety of chronic, incurable, and often fatal diseases. A possibility of slowing down the aging process and improving the quality of life in old age by nutritional intervention has renewed the interest of the scientific world in anti-aging therapies. These include potential dietary interventions, adherence to nutrition, hormonal and cell-based therapies, genetic manipulations, and anti-aging supplements or nutrients.

The Protein Structure Initiative: achievements and visions for the future.

The Protein Structure Initiative (PSI) was established in 2000 by the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences with the long-term goal of providing 3D (three-dimensional) structural information for most proteins in nature. As advances in genomic sequencing, bioinformatics, homology modelling, and methods for rapid determination of 3D structures of proteins by X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) converged, it was proposed that our understanding of the biology of protein structure and evolution could be greatly enabled by 'genomic-scale' protein structure determination. Over the past 12 years, the PSI has evolved from a testing bed for new methods of sample and structure production to a core component of a wide range of biology programs.

Evaluation of Cissus quadrangularis extracts as an inhibitor of COX, 5-LOX, and proinflammatory mediators.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cissus quadrangularis is an ancient medicinal plant. It is an active ingredient of one Ayurvedic formula called "Laksha Gogglu". Its stem is used in food preparation in India.

Osteopontin plays an anti-nucleation role in cholesterol gallstone formation.

Aim:   To investigate the role of osteopontin in cholesterol gallstone formation.

Methods:   Nucleation time was determined in model and human gallbladder bile in vitro. Effect of osteopontin on vesicles of bile was investigated via transmission electron microscopy.

A combination of green tea extract, specific nutrient mixture and quercetin: An effective intervention treatment for the regression of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced mammary tumors in Wistar rats.

Mammary tumors were developed by intraperitoneal injection of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) in 21-day-old, sexually immature female Wistar rats. Injection of MNU was repeated 14 weeks after the first one. When palpable tumors were evident in all of the rats, various dietary treatments were initiated for a period of 8 weeks.

Studies on the effects of oral administration of nutrient mixture, quercetin and red onions on the bioavailability of epigallocatechin gallate from green tea extract.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a main anticancer component in green tea, has a poor bioavailability in rats and humans due to oxidation, metabolism and its efflux. It was hypothesized that nutrients that address these problems might result in increased bioavailability. Plasma concentrations of EGCG at various time intervals were determined to calculate and compare the pharmacokinetic parameters after oral administration of green tea extract (GTE) or GTE as a nutrient mixture (E) or E + quercetin (Q)/red onions.

Nitrite/nitrate and malondialdehyde levels in nasal polyp.

The aim of this study was to examine the pathophysiological role of NO (nitric oxide) and MDA (malondialdehyde) in tissue in patients with nasal polyposis. We measured nitrite/nitrate (Nitrite/Nitrate; NO2-/NO3-) and MDA in tissue and plasma of NP patients (n=20) and controls (n=20). MDA level expressed as the concentration of substances reacting to thiobarbituric acid and production of NO (concentration of nitrite/nitrate in plasma) by the Griess reaction were determined.

Cancer phytotherapeutics: role for flavonoids at the cellular level.

Dietary foods and fruits possess an array of flavonoids with unique chemical structure and diverse bioactivities relevant to cancer. Numerous epidemiological studies have validated the inverse relation between the consumption of flavonoids and the risk of cancer. Flavonoids possess cancer blocking and suppressing effects.