Notes

Urotensin 2 induces activation of NLRP3 and also pyroptosis through calcineurin throughout cardiomyocytes.
Cognitive impairment due to natural or surgical menopause is always associated with estrogen deficiency leading to reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Reduced BDNF levels in menopause affect neuronal maturation, survival, axonal and dendritic arborization and the maintenance of dendritic spine density. Conventional long-term estrogen replacement therapy reported causing the risk of venous thromboembolism and breast cancer. To overcome these undesirable effects, phytoestrogens have been used in menopause-induced condition without the risk of side effects. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of fenugreek seed extract (FG) either alone or in combination with choline-DHA on BDNF and dendritic arborization of pyramidal neurons in CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus in ovariectomized rats. Female Wistar rats of 9-10 months old were divided into six groups as normal control (NC); ovariectomy (OVX); OVX + FG; OVX + choline-DHA; OVX + FG + choline-DHA; and OVX + estradiol. All the groups, except NC, were ovariectomized. After 2 weeks of ovariectomy, dietary supplementation was initiated for a period of 30 days. After supplementation, behavioral studies, BDNF levels and dendritic arborization were estimated. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats showed reduced BDNF levels, dendritic branching points and dendritic intersections of pyramidal neurons in CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. OVX rats supplemented with FG with choline-DHA showed significantly improved BDNF levels, dendritic branching points and dendritic intersections. These results are demonstrating that FG with choline-DHA supplementation can be an alternative for estrogen replacement therapy to modulate menopause-induced learning and memory deficits.The application of next-generation sequencing tools revealed that the cystic fibrosis respiratory tract is a polymicrobial environment. We have characterized the airway bacterial microbiota of five adult patients with cystic fibrosis during a 14-month period by 16S rRNA tag sequencing using the Illumina technology. Microbial diversity, estimated by the Shannon index, varied among patient samples collected throughout the follow-up period. The beta diversity analysis revealed that the composition of the airway microbiota was highly specific for each patient, showing little variation among the samples of each patient analyzed over time. The composition of the bacterial microbiota did not reveal any emerging pathogen predictor of pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis or of its unfavorable clinical progress, except for unveiling the presence of anaerobic microorganisms, even without any established clinical association. Our results could potentialy help us to translate and develop strategies in response to the pathobiology of this disease, particularly because it represents an innovative approach for CF centers in Brazil.The aim of this experiment was to test the effect of yeast-fermented de-hulled rice (YDR) levels of protein-rich feed with different kinds of roughages on in vitro gas production, nutrient degradability, and rumen fermentation. The treatments were randomly assigned according to a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD). The two experimental factors were comprised of two roughages (R) (untreated rice straw (RS) and sweet grass hay (SGH)) and four ratios of roughage to yeast-fermented de-hulled rice (RYDR) (1000, 7525, 5050, and 2575). Thus, there were 8 treatment combinations. The results revealed that the interaction between R and RYDR ratios influenced on the gas production rate constant for the insoluble fraction ratio (c) (P less then  0.01). The in vitro dry mater degradability (IVDMD) was improved by SGH and RYDR ratios (P less then  0.05). Supplementation of YDR with both of roughage sources (RS and SGH) increased propionate (C3) (P less then  0.05) and total VFA production (P less then  0.01); both factors showed interactive effects on rumen methane production (P less then  0.01). Moreover, bacterial population was significantly increased by the SGHYDR ratios (P less then  0.05). Therefore, it could be summarized that supplementing YDR, an enriched protein source with SGHYDR ratio at 50-7550-25 ratio significantly enhanced nutrient degradability and in vitro rumen fermentation efficiency.The neurotrophic factor BDNF is an important regulator for the development of brain circuits, for synaptic and neuronal network plasticity, as well as for neuroregeneration and neuroprotection. Up- and downregulations of BDNF levels in human blood and tissue are associated with, e.g., neurodegenerative, neurological, or even cardiovascular diseases. The changes in BDNF concentration are caused by altered dynamics in BDNF expression and release. To understand the relevance of major variations of BDNF levels, detailed knowledge regarding physiological and pathophysiological stimuli affecting intra- and extracellular BDNF concentration is important. Most work addressing the molecular and cellular regulation of BDNF expression and release have been performed in neuronal preparations. Therefore, this review will summarize the stimuli inducing release of BDNF, as well as molecular mechanisms regulating the efficacy of BDNF release, with a focus on cells originating from the brain. Further, we will discuss the current knowledge about the distinct stimuli eliciting regulated release of BDNF under physiological conditions.Nowadays, one of the principal causes of death in the world is cancer. A series of 2-azetidinones containing anthraquinone moiety with various substituents were synthesized using [2 + 2] ketene-imine cycloaddition (Staudinger ketene-imine cycloaddition), and their cytotoxicity against some human cancer and normal cell lines was evaluated. Some of these hybrid compounds showed moderate to significant cytotoxicity against breast carcinoma (MCF7), colon carcinoma (HCT116), prostate carcinoma (PC3), and neuroblastoma (SKNMC) cell lines via MTT assay. Surprisingly, hybrid 4gh with the best anticancer activity demonstrated very good antibacterial and antifungal activities. This compound was selected to study to test on human fibroblast (Hu02) normal cell and comparison with doxorubicin. While 2-azetidinone 4gh represented similar cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines compared to doxorubicin, the 2-azetidinone demonstrated lower cytotoxicity against human fibroblast (Hu02) than doxorubicin. Further real-time PCR investigation displayed the expression of Bcl-xl, KI-67, TPX2 and BAX genes were significantly increased or decreased as desired in the cancer cell lines studied by treatment with doxorubicin or 2-azetidinone-anthraquinone 4gh. Molecular docking studies represented that hybrid 4gh strongly fitted the active site of topoisomerase II (PDB 4G0V) with hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions.Cell growth and product formation are two critical processes in polysaccharide welan biosynthesis, but the conflict between them is often encountered. In this study, a temperature-dependent strategy was designed for two-stage welan production through overexpressing heat shock proteins in Sphingomonas sp. The first stage was cell growth phase with higher TCA cycle activity at 42 °C; the second stage was welan formation phase with higher precursor synthesis pathway activity at 37 °C. The highest welan concentration 37.5 g/L was achieved after two-stage process. Ultimately, this strategy accumulated welan yield of 79.2 g/100 g glucose and productivity of 0.62 g/L/h at 60 h, which were the best reported results so far. The duration of fermentation was shortened. Besides, rheological behavior of welan gum solutions remained stable at wide range of temperature, pH, and NaCl. These results indicated that this approach efficiently improved welan synthesis.Astaxanthin (Ast) is an effective neuroprotective and antioxidant compound used to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, the underlying in vivo molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, we report that Ast can activate the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in the 8-month-old APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of AD. Our results suggest that Ast could ameliorate the cognitive defects in APP/PS1 mice by activating the mTOR pathway. Moreover, mTOR activation perturbed the mitochondrial dynamics, increased the synaptic plasticity after 21 days of treatment with Ast (10 mg/kg/day), and increased the expression of Aβ-degrading enzymes, mitochondrial fusion, and synapse-associated proteins and decreased the expression of mitochondrial fission proteins. Intraperitoneal injection of the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, abolished the effects of Ast. In conclusion, Ast activates the mTOR pathway, which is necessary for mitochondrial dynamics and synaptic plasticity, leading to improved learning and memory. Our results support the use of Ast for the treatment of cognitive deficits. Graphical abstract In summary, Ast ameliorates cognitive deficits via facilitating the mTOR-dependent mitochondrial dynamics and synaptic damage, and reducing Aβ accumulation. This model supports the use of Ast for the treatment of cognitive deficits.Recently, due to the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, the global environment has changed dramatically. As a result, climate change, global warming, and environmental degradation-like issues have been raised. Presumably, human beings, as well as the agricultural ecosystem, become most vulnerable to these issues. In this context, the study focuses on the nexus between Indian's agricultural ecosystem and carbon dioxide emission. For the purpose of this study, annual time series data over the time span from 1990 to 2014 was used. The modern techniques, for instance, Johansen, ARDL, and Granger causality, were employed. The Johansen test and ARDL model suggest that carbon dioxide emissions and agricultural ecosystems are co-integrated. In the short run, the ARDL model suggests that a 1% increase in biomass-burned crop residues, total pesticides, and stock of livestock would increase carbon dioxide emissions by 0.26, 0.3, and 6.58% respectively. The residual diagnostics tests suggest that the ARDL model is stable, reliable, and credible in the present form. The results of the granger causality show that a unidirectional causality was found between carbon dioxide and total heads of livestock, all animal manure applied to the soil, agricultural technology, and total pesticide used in the agricultural sector. In contrast, bidirectional causality was found between the production of biomass-burned crop residues and carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, it is suggested that the government should take preemptive action to reduce the risk of environmental pollution and degradation through synchronized strategies particularly by reducing the amount of biomass-burned crop residues and usage of total pesticides in the country.Species of Fe in the sediments from 21 sections of the Yellow River have been analyzed utilizing the so-called sequential extraction approach. selleck products The correlation between iron and phosphorus was analyzed, and the risk of release phosphorus was predicted. The results show that the content of residual iron (Feresidual) in the sediments is the highest, accounting for more than 92.55% of total iron (∑Fe) (the sum of the iron contents in each form is the total iron). Ca-bound phosphorous (PCa) is equal to the sum of authigenic calcium and phosphorus (Paut) and detritus calcium phosphorus (PDe), accounting for more than 73.01% of ∑P, in which PDe accounts for more than 90.91% of PCa, which is the main component of PCa and the main component of ∑P; Fewater in sediments is closely related to Porg, and Feex is closely related to Pex and PAl, which is an important factor to control the release of endogenous phosphorus. The extremely significant positive correlation between Feresidual and Paut and PDe in sediments is that they are affected by complex geological conditions in the Yellow River Basin.
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