scholarly journals A review on ethnopharmacological utility, traditional knowledge and phytochemistry of Aristolochia species in Assam, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 11027
Author(s):  
Punam J. BORAH ◽  
Dipankar BORAH ◽  
Udipta DAS ◽  
Tridip J. DAS ◽  
Ruma SARMA
Keyword(s):  
The Other ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Pharmacological Properties ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Literature Searches ◽  
Stomach Pain ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Medicinal Properties ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Aristolochia Species

Aristolochia L. (Aristolochiaceae) is widely used throughout South-East Asia for the treatment of several diseases. Different species of this genus are known by similar local names in Assam. This review aims to provide up-to-date information on Aristolochia species distributed in Assam, including its traditional uses, phytochemical and pharmacological properties, in exploring future therapeutic and scientific potentials. The information on ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacological aspects were collected by performing literature searches. Assam hosts a total of six species of Aristolochia. The taxonomy and distribution are presented. Traditionally the tubers are used by the local people to treat stomach pain, malaria, dysentery, high blood pressure, body pain, urinary tract infections, headache, impotency etc. It has considerable pharmacological properties including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-fertility, anti-venom, anti-diarrhoeal, anti-pruritic, anti-feedant and toxicological activities. Approximately a total of 200 compounds have been isolated from these species. So far, pharmacological investigations are only done on three Aristolochia species, whereas the other three are simultaneously used for the same purposes. Most of the medicinal properties attributed to these Aristolochia, have not yet been investigated and proven under a scientific study. This highlights the importance of Aristolochia as a valuable candidate for future studies.

Polymer-Graphene Nanoassemblies and their Applications in Cancer Theranostics

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
pp. 1340-1351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ponnurengam M. Sivakumar ◽  
Matin Islami ◽  
Ali Zarrabi ◽  
Arezoo Khosravi ◽  
Shohreh Peimanfard
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stability ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
The Other ◽  
Hydrophilic Polymer ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Normal Tissues ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Good Biocompatibility ◽  
Cancer Theranostics

Background and objective: Graphene-based nanomaterials have received increasing attention due to their unique physical-chemical properties including two-dimensional planar structure, large surface area, chemical and mechanical stability, superconductivity and good biocompatibility. On the other hand, graphene-based nanomaterials have been explored as theranostics agents, the combination of therapeutics and diagnostics. In recent years, grafting hydrophilic polymer moieties have been introduced as an efficient approach to improve the properties of graphene-based nanomaterials and obtain new nanoassemblies for cancer therapy. Methods and results: This review would illustrate biodistribution, cellular uptake and toxicity of polymergraphene nanoassemblies and summarize part of successes achieved in cancer treatment using such nanoassemblies. Conclusion: The observations showed successful targeting functionality of the polymer-GO conjugations and demonstrated a reduction of the side effects of anti-cancer drugs for normal tissues.

scholarly journals Differential Mechanisms of Cell Death Induced by HDAC Inhibitor SAHA and MDM2 Inhibitor RG7388 in MCF-7 Cells

Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umamaheswari Natarajan ◽  
Thiagarajan Venkatesan ◽  
Vijayaraghavan Radhakrishnan ◽  
Shila Samuel ◽  
Appu Rathinavelu
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Hdac Inhibitor ◽  
The Other ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
Cycle Arrest ◽  
Anti Cancer ◽  
Mcf 7

Gene expression is often altered by epigenetic modifications that can significantly influence the growth ability and progression of cancers. SAHA (Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, also known as Vorinostat), a well-known Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, can stop cancer growth and metastatic processes through epigenetic alterations. On the other hand, Letrozole is an aromatase inhibitor that can elicit strong anti-cancer effects on breast cancer through direct and indirect mechanisms. A newly developed inhibitor, RG7388 specific for an oncogene-derived protein called MDM2, is in clinical trials for the treatment of various cancers. In this paper, we performed assays to measure the effects of cell cycle arrest resulting from individual drug treatments or combination treatments with SAHA + letrozole and SAHA + RG7388, using the MCF-7 breast cancer cells. When SAHA was used individually, or in combination treatments with RG7388, a significant increase in the cytotoxic effect was obtained. Induction of cell cycle arrest by SAHA in cancer cells was evidenced by elevated p21 protein levels. In addition, SAHA treatment in MCF-7 cells showed significant up-regulation in phospho-RIP3 and MLKL levels. Our results confirmed that cell death caused by SAHA treatment was primarily through the induction of necroptosis. On the other hand, the RG7388 treatment was able to induce apoptosis by elevating BAX levels. It appears that, during combination treatments, with SAHA and RG7388, two parallel pathways might be induced simultaneously, that could lead to increased cancer cell death. SAHA appears to induce cell necroptosis in a p21-dependent manner, and RG7388 seems to induce apoptosis in a p21-independent manner, outlining differential mechanisms of cell death induction. However, further studies are needed to fully understand the intracellular mechanisms that are triggered by these two anti-cancer agents.

Dreams of Truck Drivers: A Test of the Continuity Hypothesis of Dreaming

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Schredl ◽  
Arthur Funkhouser ◽  
Nicole Arn
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Truck Drivers ◽  
The Other ◽  
Continuity Hypothesis ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Daytime Activity ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
The One ◽  
Dream Emotions ◽  
The Relationship

Empirical studies largely support the continuity hypothesis of dreaming. The present study investigated the frequency and emotional tone of dreams of truck drivers. On the one hand, the findings of the present study partly support the continuity regarding the time spent with driving/being in the truck and driving dreams and, on the other hand, a close relationship was found between daytime mood (feelings of stress, job satisfaction) and dream emotions, i.e., different dream characteristics were affected by different aspects of daytime activity. The results, thus, indicate that it is necessary to define very clearly how this continuity is to be conceptualized. The approach of formulating a mathematical model (cf. [1]) should be adopted in future studies in order to specify the factors and their magnitude in the relationship between waking and dreaming.

Cornus mas: a review on traditional uses and pharmacological properties

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Hosseinpour-Jaghdani ◽  
Tahoora Shomali ◽  
Sajedeh Gholipour-Shahraki ◽  
Mohammad Rahimi-Madiseh ◽  
Mahmoud Rafieian-Kopaei
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Pharmacological Properties ◽  
Traditional Uses ◽  
Cornus Mas ◽  
The World ◽  
Medicinal Properties

AbstractMedicinal plants that are used today have been known by people of ancient cultures around the world and have largely been considered due to their medicinal properties.

Psychophysical interactions with a double-slit interference pattern: Exploratory evidence of a causal influence

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-88
Author(s):  
Dean Radin ◽  
Helané Wahbeh ◽  
Leena Michel ◽  
Arnaud Delorme
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Interference Pattern ◽  
Type I Error ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
The Other ◽  
Type I ◽  
Fringe Visibility ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Double Slit

An experiment we conducted from 2012 to 2013, which had not been previously reported, was designed to explore possible psychophysical effects resulting from the interaction of a human mind with a quantum system. Participants focused their attention toward or away from the slits in a double-slit optical system to see if the interference pattern would be affected. Data were collected from 25 people in individual half-hour sessions; each person repeated the test ten times for a total of 250 planned sessions. “Sham” sessions designed to mimic the experimental sessions without observers present were run immediately before and after as controls. Based on the planned analysis, no evidence for a psychophysical effect was found. Because this experiment differed in two essential ways from similar, previously reported double-slit experiments, two exploratory analyses were developed, one based on a simple spectral analysis of the interference pattern and the other based on fringe visibility. For the experimental data, the outcome supported a pattern of results predicted by a causal psychophysical effect, with the spectral metric resulting in a 3.4 sigma effect (p = 0.0003), and the fringe visibility metric resulting in 7 of 22 fringes tested above 2.3 sigma after adjustment for type I error inflation, with one of those fringes at 4.3 sigma above chance (p = 0.00001). The same analyses applied to the sham data showed uniformly null outcomes. Other analyses exploring the potential that these results were due to mundane artifacts, such as fluctuations in temperature or vibration, showed no evidence of such influences. Future studies using the same protocols and analytical methods will be required to determine if these exploratory results are idiosyncratic or reflect a genuine psychophysical influence.

scholarly journals Rapid Detection and Evaluation of Clinical Characteristics of Emerging Multiple-Drug-Resistant Gram-Negative Rods Carrying the Metallo-β-Lactamase GeneblaIMP

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 2006-2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoichi Hirakata ◽  
Koichi Izumikawa ◽  
Toshiyuki Yamaguchi ◽  
Hiromu Takemura ◽  
Hironori Tanaka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resistance Gene ◽  
Rapid Detection ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
The Other ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Multiple Drug ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Multiple Drug Resistant ◽  
Tract Infections

Gram-negative rods (GNR) carrying the transferable carbapenem resistance gene blaIMP, includingPseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens, have been isolated from more than 20 hospitals in Japan. Although the emergence of such multiple-drug-resistant bacteria is of utmost clinical concern, little information in regard to the distribution ofblaIMP-positive GNR in hospitals and the clinical characteristics of infected patients is available. To address this, a system for the rapid detection of theblaIMP gene with a simple DNA preparation and by enzymatic detection of PCR products was developed. A total of 933 ceftazidime-resistant strains of GNR isolated between 1991 and 1996 at Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan, were screened for theblaIMP gene; 80 isolates were positive, including 53 P. aeruginosa isolates, 13 other glucose-nonfermenting bacteria, 13 S. marcescens isolates, and 1 Citrobacter freundii isolate. Most of the patients from whom blaIMP-positive organisms were isolated had malignant diseases (53.8%). The organisms caused urinary tract infections, pneumonia, or other infections in 46.3% of the patients, while they were just colonizing the other patients evaluated. It was possible that blaIMP-positive P. aeruginosa strains contributed to the death of four patients, while the other infections caused by GNR carryingblaIMP were not lethal. DNA fingerprinting analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis suggested the cross transmission of strains within the hospital. The isolates were ceftazidime resistant and were frequently resistant to other antibiotics. Although no particular means of pathogenesis ofblaIMP-positive GNR is evident at present, the rapid detection of such strains is necessary to help with infection control practices for the prevention of their dissemination and the transmission of the resistance gene to other pathogenic bacteria.

scholarly journals Complete genome of Pieris rapae, a resilient alien, a cabbage pest, and a source of anti-cancer proteins

F1000Research ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 2631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinhui Shen ◽  
Qian Cong ◽  
Lisa N. Kinch ◽  
Dominika Borek ◽  
Zbyszek Otwinowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complete Genome ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Reference Genome ◽  
Pieris Rapae ◽  
Defense Mechanism ◽  
Butterfly Species ◽  
Computational Simulations ◽  
Median Length ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Anti Cancer

The Small Cabbage White (Pieris rapae) is originally a Eurasian butterfly. Being accidentally introduced into North America, Australia, and New Zealand a century or more ago, it spread throughout the continents and rapidly established as one of the most abundant butterfly species. Although it is a serious pest of cabbage and other mustard family plants with its caterpillars reducing crops to stems, it is also a source of pierisin, a protein unique to the Whites that shows cytotoxicity to cancer cells. To better understand the unusual biology of this omnipresent agriculturally and medically important butterfly, we sequenced and annotated the complete genome from USA specimens. At 246 Mbp, it is among the smallest Lepidoptera genomes reported to date. While 1.5% positions in the genome are heterozygous, they are distributed highly non-randomly along the scaffolds, and nearly 20% of longer than 1000 base-pair segments are SNP-free (median length: 38000 bp). Computational simulations of population evolutionary history suggest that American populations started from a very small number of introduced individuals, possibly a single fertilized female, which is in agreement with historical literature. Comparison to other Lepidoptera genomes reveals several unique families of proteins that may contribute to the unusual resilience of Pieris. The nitrile-specifier proteins divert the plant defense chemicals to non-toxic products. The apoptosis-inducing pierisins could offer a defense mechanism against parasitic wasps. While only two pierisins from Pieris rapae were characterized before, the genome sequence revealed eight, offering additional candidates as anti-cancer drugs. The reference genome we obtained lays the foundation for future studies of the Cabbage White and other Pieridae species.

scholarly journals Examining Teachers’ Roles in Online Learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Qiang Huang
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
The Other ◽  
Teacher Roles ◽  
Learning Context ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Managerial Role ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Diverse Learning ◽  
Enhanced Learning

<p>Online learning has been used in the literature to cover diverse learning contexts ranging from blended learning, distance learning, virtual learning and web-enhanced learning. Many aspects of online learning have become the focuses of research and teacher roles are one of them. The present study, therefore, intends to examine how 153 university students perceived the roles of their teachers in online learning of a blended English course by using a 27-item and 5-Likert-scale questionnaire (the STRI). Results of statistical analyses showed that the Cronbach’s Alpha value of the entire questionnaire was .955 and those of the three sub-roles were all above .891, indicating that both the questionnaire and the three factors of sub-roles were reliable and valid. Further analyses revealed that the three sub-roles of teachers, i.e., the cognitive role, the affective role and the managerial role, were significantly different from each other. Among them, the means of the managerial role was significantly higher than that of the cognitive role while the means of the affective role was the lowest. Results of descriptive statistics also revealed that keeping a record of students’ learning in the managerial role was quite notable for students. The findings suggest that the roles of teachers in online learning as a whole were reduced. However, the managerial role was more notable than the other two roles and the affective role was the least impactful in the online learning context in this study. The researcher believes that these findings may offer some insights to classroom implications and provide the basis for future studies of comparing teacher roles across different educational contexts.</p>

scholarly journals A Review of Recent Phytomedicinal Investigations and the Need for DNA Barcoding of Endemic Plants of Northern Cyprus

2020 ◽  
pp. 61-70
Author(s):  
Dudu Özkum Yavuz ◽  
Mustapha Bulama- Modu
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Pharmacological Properties ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Dna Barcodes ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Ovid Medline ◽  
Northern Cyprus ◽  
Medicinal Properties

Aims: To review the phytomedicinal researches on endemic plants of Northern Cyprus and to assess the plants of their DNA barcoding status. Study Design: A review. Methodology: This work reviewed available and accessible original articles in EBSCO, Ovid MEDLINE®, PubMed®, ScienceDirectTM, Scopus® and Web of ScienceTM databases on phytomedicinal investigations and BOLD System, MMDBD version 1.5 and GenBank® on DNA barcodes of the endemic plants of Northern Cyprus until May, 2020. Using keywords searches related to phytochemistry, biological activity and DNA barcoding, DNA Sequences and the data obtain evaluated and the information that does not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. We believe that this information would tentatively help researchers to ethically explore these plants for their Medicinal and Aromatic potentials. Results: Only 6 of the 20 endemic plants of Northern Cyprus were phytopharmaceutically investigated, while DNA sequences of 5 were found to be deposited in the publicly accessible databases accounting for 30% and 25% of the total plants respectively. Conclusion: Endemism is related to uniqueness in features including the phytomedicinal features, thus Northern Cyprus endemic plants hold ample of such. However the results of this review showed that only few were harnessed for their medicinal properties and hence the need for their pharmacological properties and comprehensive barcoding for proper authentication, detection of adulteration, and quality control.

scholarly journals The iron-responsive genome of the chiton Acanthopleura granulata

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Varney ◽  
Daniel I. Speiser ◽  
Carmel McDougall ◽  
Bernard M. Degnan ◽  
Kevin M. Kocot
Keyword(s):  
Iron Transport ◽  
West Indian ◽  
The Other ◽  
The West ◽  
Major Clade ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
Molluscan Evolution ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTMolluscs biomineralize structures that vary in composition, form, and function, prompting questions about the genetic mechanisms responsible for their production and the evolution of these mechanisms. Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) are a promising system for studies of biomineralization because they build a range of calcified structures including shell plates and spine- or scale-like sclerites. Chitons also harden the calcified teeth of their rasp-like radula with a coat of iron (as magnetite). Here we present the genome of the West Indian fuzzy chiton Acanthopleura granulata, the first from any aculiferan mollusc. The A. granulata genome contains homologs of many biomineralization genes identified previously in conchiferan molluscs. We expected chitons to lack genes previously identified from pathways conchiferans use to make biominerals like calcite and nacre because chitons do not use these materials in their shells. Surprisingly, the A. granulata genome has homologs of many of these genes, suggesting that the ancestral mollusc had a more diverse biomineralization toolkit than expected. The A. granulata genome has features that may be specialized for iron biomineralization, including a higher proportion of genes regulated directly by iron than other molluscs. A. granulata also produces two isoforms of soma-like ferritin: one is regulated by iron and similar in sequence to the soma-like ferritins of other molluscs, and the other is constitutively translated and is not found in other molluscs. The A. granulata genome is a resource for future studies of molluscan evolution and biomineralization.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTChitons are molluscs that make shell plates, spine- or scale-like sclerites, and iron-coated teeth. Currently, all molluscs with sequenced genomes lie within one major clade (Conchifera). Sequencing the genome of a representative from the other major clade (Aculifera) helps us learn about the origins and evolution of molluscan traits. The genome of the West Indian Fuzzy Chiton, Acanthopleura granulata, reveals chitons have homologs of many genes other molluscs use to make shells, suggesting all molluscs share some shell-making pathways. The genome of A. granulata has more genes that may be regulated directly by iron than other molluscs, and chitons produce a unique isoform of a major iron-transport protein (ferritin), suggesting that chitons have genomic specializations that contribute to their production of iron-coated teeth.

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