Antioxidative and <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> antiproliferative activity of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Arctium lappa</Emphasis> root extracts

Background  

Arctium lappa, known as burdock, is widely used in popular medicine for hypertension, gout, hepatitis and other inflammatory disorders. Pharmacological studies indicated that burdock roots have hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and antiproliferative activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate total phenolic content, radical scavenging activity by DPPH and in vitro antiproliferative activity of different A. lappa root extracts.     

Anticancer activity of a sub-fraction of dichloromethane extract of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Strobilanthes crispus</Emphasis> on human breast and prostate cancer cells <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

The leaves of Strobilanthes crispus (S. crispus) which is native to the regions of Madagascar to the Malay Archipelago, are used in folk medicine for their antidiabetic, diuretic, anticancer and blood pressure lowering properties. Crude extracts of this plant have been found to be cytotoxic to human cancer cell lines and protective against chemically-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. In this study, the cytotoxicity of various sub-fractions of dichloromethane extract isolated from the leaves of S. crispus was determined and the anticancer activity of one of the bioactive sub-fractions, SC/D-F9, was further analysed in breast and prostate cancer cell lines.     

First <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> isolation of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Neospora caninum</Emphasis> from a naturally infected adult dairy cow in Slovakia

The impact of in vitro isolation and molecular characterisation of Neospora caninum as well as sequence analyses was studied. The brain homogenate of a naturally Neospora-infected dairy cow (positive in ELISA and Western blot) was intraperitoneally inoculated into Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). The brain of gerbils on day 60 post-inoculation was homogenized, and, after trypsin-digestion, cultured on Vero cells. Neospora-like tachyzoites were first observed after 77 days of cultivation. The parasite was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using Neospora-specific primers Np21 and Np6. The PCR product of the first Slovak isolate (NC-SKB1) was subsequently sequenced and published in GenBank under accession number GU300774. Sequencing and BLAST search identified the isolate as N. caninum.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>In vitro</Emphasis> antiproliferative activity of partially purified <Emphasis Type=Italic>Trigona laeviceps</Emphasis> propolis from Thailand on human cancer cell lines

Background  

Cancers are some of the leading causes of human deaths worldwide and their relative importance continues to increase. Since an increasing proportion of cancer patients are acquiring resistance to traditional chemotherapeutic agents, it is necessary to search for new compounds that provide suitable specific antiproliferative affects that can be developed as anticancer agents. Propolis from the stingless bee, Trigona laeviceps, is one potential interesting source that is widely available and cultivatable (as bee hives) in Thailand.     

Preliminary phytochemical screening and <Emphasis Type=Italic>In vitro</Emphasis> antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Helichrysum longifolium</Emphasis> DC

Background  

Many oxidative stress related diseases are as a result of accumulation of free radicals in the body. A lot of researches are going on worldwide directed towards finding natural antioxidants of plants origins. The aims of this study were to evaluate in vitro antioxidant activities and to screen for phytochemical constituents of Helichrysum longifolium DC. [Family Asteraceae] aqueous crude extract.     

Effects of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Sophora japonica</Emphasis> flowers (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Huaihua</Emphasis>) on cerebral infarction

The dried flowers and buds of Sophora japonica are used as a medicinal herb in China, Japan and Korea to treat bleeding hemorrhoids and hematemesis. This article presents an overview of the effects of Sophora japonica on cerebral infarction based on literature searched from Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Sophora japonica contains both anti-hemorrhagic and anti-hemostatic substances. Sophora japonica reduces cerebral infarction partly as a result of its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities. Previous studies found that Sophora japonica reduced the size of cerebral infarction and neurological deficits and reduced microglial activation, interleukin-1β release and number of apoptotic cells in ischemia-reperfusion injured Sprague-Dawley rats. Further study is required to determine the relationship between Sophora japonica-mediated reduction in cerebral infarction size and the effects of Sophora japonica on platelet aggregation and cardiovascular function.     

Differentiating the growing nosocomial infectious threats <Emphasis Type=Italic>Ralstonia pickettii</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Ralstonia insidiosa</Emphasis>

Differentiation of the growing nosocomial infectious threats, Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa, based on nitrate reduction, desferrioxamine susceptibility, arabinose, N-acetyl-glucosamine and phenylacetate assimilation is described. These tests can be used for preliminary identification of Ralstonia pickettii and Ralstonia insidiosa resulting in more accurate identification of these species.     

Characterization of the siderophore transport protein AsbJ in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Aeromonas salmonicida</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type=Italic>salmonicida</Emphasis>

Iron is an important nutrient for all living systems. Bacteria have developed multiple mechanisms to obtain iron from the host. Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida produces catechol-type siderophore under iron starvation conditions. This study attempted to characterize and ascertain the role of a siderophore ABC transporter protein AsbJ in siderophore transporter system in this bacterial pathogen. Prediction of protein domains was carried out, and deleted asbJ gene mutant strain was constructed. Results showed that this protein contains special domain related to permease and ATP-binding protein, and it is essential for the siderophore transport process in this bacterial fish pathogen.     

Tian Xian Liquid (TXL) induces apoptosis in HT-29 colon cancer cell <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> and inhibits tumor growth <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vivo</Emphasis>

Background  

Tian Xian Liquid (TXL) is a Chinese medicine decoction and has been used as an anticancer dietary supplement. The present study aims to investigate the effects of TXL on the apoptosis of HT-29 cells and tumor growth in vivo.     

Antitumor activity against murine lymphoma L5178Y model of proteins from cacao (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Theobroma cacao</Emphasis> L.) seeds in relation with <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> antioxidant activity

Background  

Recently, proteins and peptides have become an added value to foodstuffs due to new knowledge about its structural analyses as related to antioxidant and anticancer activity. Our goal was to evaluate if protein fractions from cacao seeds show antitumor activity on lymphoma murine L5178Y model. The antioxidant activity of these fractions was also evaluated with the aim of finding a correlation with the antitumor activity.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>In situ</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>ex vivo</Emphasis> evaluation of a wireless magnetoelastic biliary stent monitoring system

This paper presents the in situ and ex vivo evaluation of a system that wirelessly monitors the accumulation of intimal tissue and sludge in a biliary stent. The sensing element, located within the stent, is a magnetoelastic resonator that is queried by a wireless radio frequency signal. The in situ testing uses a commercially-available self-expanding biliary stent enhanced with a 1 mm × 25 mm magnetoelastic ribbon sensor (formed from Metglas™ 2605SA1). The stent has a conformal magnetic layer (consisting of strontium ferrite particles suspended in polydimethylsiloxane) that biases the sensor. The external interrogation module is able to acquire a signal from the sensor from a distance of at least 5 cm while the sensor is implanted in a porcine carcass and loaded with biological fluids. The ex vivo testing uses bile harvested from the porcine carcass. The response of a 1 mm × 25 mm magnetoelastic ribbon sensor is first calibrated with fluids of known density and viscosity, and the calibrated sensor is used to estimate that the viscosity of the harvested bile is 2.7–3.7 cP. The test results presented in this paper illustrate the fundamental usability of the system when the sensor is implanted, loaded by biological fluids, and interrogated in a surgical setup.     

Hollow fiber integrated microfluidic platforms for <Emphasis Type=Italic>in vitro</Emphasis> Co-culture of multiple cell types

This study demonstrates a rapid prototyping approach for fabricating and integrating porous hollow fibers (HFs) into microfluidic device. Integration of HF can enhance mass transfer and recapitulate tubular shapes for tissue-engineered environments. We demonstrate the integration of single or multiple HFs, which can give the users the flexibility to control the total surface area for tissue development. We also present three microfluidic designs to enable different co-culture conditions such as the ability to co-culture multiple cell types simultaneously on a flat and tubular surface, or inside the lumen of multiple HFs. Additionally, we introduce a pressurized cell seeding process that can allow the cells to uniformly adhere on the inner surface of HFs without losing their viabilities. Co-cultures of lung epithelial cells and microvascular endothelial cells were demonstrated on the different platforms for at least five days. Overall, these platforms provide new opportunities for co-culturing of multiple cell types in a single device to reconstruct native tissue micro-environment for biomedical and tissue engineering research.     

Description of a new species of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Haemoproteus</Emphasis> (Haemosporidia,Apicomplexa) from an Orange-tufted Sunbird <Emphasis Type=Italic>Nectarinia osea</Emphasis>

Haemoproteus osea sp. nov. is described from the blood of Nectarinia osea, sunbird species, endemic to Israel and the Red Sea zone of Arabia. Infection was found only in one out of 44 birds, in Eilat, at the north end of Gulf of Aqaba; level of parasitaemia was 0.07%. Young gametocytes adhere alongside the nucleus. The gametocytes extend alongside the erythrocyte nucleus, filling the entire space to the erythrocyte envelope and only slightly impose over the tip of the erythrocyte nucleus. Mean nuclear displacement ratio is 0.75. H. osea differs from H. sequeirae Tendeiro, 1947 in having the microgametocyte cytoplasm blue staining, similarly to the macrogametocyte, rather than reddish white, and also in causing less evident displacement of the erythrocyte nucleus.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Pseudopecoelus sosoae</Emphasis> sp. nov. and <Emphasis Type=Italic>P. sewelli</Emphasis> (Digenea,Opecoelidae) from the deep-sea fish <Emphasis Type=Italic>Neoscombrops pacificus</Emphasis> (Perciformes,Acropomatidae) off New Caledonia

Pseudopecoelus sosoae sp. nov. and P. sewelli Bray, 1990 are described from the rare fish Neoscombrops pacificus from the deep-sea (about 200–400 m) off Nouméa, New Caledonia, the southernmost report of this fish species. A visual key based on 12 characters is presented, which shows that P. sosoae is distinguished from the most similar species (P. vulgaris, P. elongatus, P. priacanthi, P. akamachi and P. sphyraenae) by its very large eggs, elongate body and unlobed gonads. P. sewelli has a similar shape, but much smaller eggs and lobed gonads.     

Molecular cytogenetic mapping of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cucumis sativus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>C. melo</Emphasis> using highly repetitive DNA sequences

Chromosomes often serve as one of the most important molecular aspects of studying the evolution of species. Indeed, most of the crucial mutations that led to differentiation of species during the evolution have occurred at the chromosomal level. Furthermore, the analysis of pachytene chromosomes appears to be an invaluable tool for the study of evolution due to its effectiveness in chromosome identification and precise physical gene mapping. By applying fluorescence in situ hybridization of 45S rDNA and CsCent1 probes to cucumber pachytene chromosomes, here, we demonstrate that cucumber chromosomes 1 and 2 may have evolved from fusions of ancestral karyotype with chromosome number n = 12. This conclusion is further supported by the centromeric sequence similarity between cucumber and melon, which suggests that these sequences evolved from a common ancestor. It may be after or during speciation that these sequences were specifically amplified, after which they diverged and specific sequence variants were homogenized. Additionally, a structural change on the centromeric region of cucumber chromosome 4 was revealed by fiber-FISH using the mitochondrial-related repetitive sequences, BAC-E38 and CsCent1. These showed the former sequences being integrated into the latter in multiple regions. The data presented here are useful resources for comparative genomics and cytogenetics of Cucumis and, in particular, the ongoing genome sequencing project of cucumber.