3-Pyridinylboronic Acid Ameliorates Rotenone-Induced Oxidative Stress Through Nrf2 Target Genes in Zebrafish Embryos

Neurochemical Research - Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative diseases and research on potential therapeutic agents for PD continues. Rotenone is a...     

Seed priming with boron improves growth and yield of fine grain aromatic rice

Boron (B) is amongst the important micronutrients required for rice from start till physiological maturity. This study was conducted to explore the role of boron application in seedling emergence, leaf appearance and elongation, chlorophyll content, water relations and yield related traits of fine rice. Boron was applied as seed priming. For priming seeds of fine rice cultivars Super Basmati and Shaheen Basmati were soaked in 0.001 and 0.01?% aerated B solutions (w/v); while untreated dry seeds and water soaked (hydropriming) seeds were taken as control. Substantial improvement in seedling emergence was noted by seed priming in 0.001 and 0.01?% solutions. Rate of leaf emergence and elongation and tiller appearance were also improved in seedlings raised from seeds primed in 0.001?% B solution in the tested cultivars. Likewise, leaf chlorophyll contents were significantly improved by B especially with 0.001?% concentration; as was the case for water relations of rice cultivars. At final harvest, all yield contributing parameters were improved by B priming. Increase in yield was due to decrease in panicle sterility by B treatments. A linear increase in leaf and grain B contents was observed with increase in concentration of B priming solution. Overall, B application at very low rate substantially improved seedling emergence, leaf appearance and elongation, tillering, chlorophyll, water relations and yield related traits resulting in better yield and grain B contents. In this regard, seed priming offers an effective and pragmatic way of B application.     

Requirement for calcium ions in acetylcholine-stimulated phosphodiesteratic cleavage of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate in rabbit iris smooth muscle

1. The mechanism of acetylcholine-stimulated breakdown of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate and its dependence on extracellular Ca(2+) was investigated in the rabbit iris smooth muscle. 2. Acetylcholine (50mum) increased the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate in [(3)H]inositol-labelled muscle by 28% and the labelling of phosphatidylinositol by 24% of that of the control. Under the same experimental conditions there was a 33 and 48% increase in the production of (3)H-labelled inositol trisphosphate and inositol monophosphate respectively. Similarly carbamoylcholine and ionophore A23187 increased the production of these water-soluble inositol phosphates. Little change was observed in the (3)H radioactivity of inositol bisphosphate. 3. Both inositol trisphosphatase and inositol monophosphatase were demonstrated in subcellular fractions of this tissue and the specific activity of the former was severalfold higher than that of the latter. 4. The acetylcholine-stimulated production of inositol trisphosphate and inositol monophosphate was inhibited by atropine (20mum), but not tubocurarine (100mum); and it was abolished by depletion of extracellular Ca(2+) with EGTA, but restored on addition of low concentrations of Ca(2+) (20mum). 5. Calcium-antagonistic agents, such as verapamil (20mum), dibenamine (20mum) or La(3+) (2mm), also abolished the production of the water-soluble inositol phosphates in response to acetylcholine. 6. Release of inositol trisphosphate from exogenous phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate by iris muscle microsomal fraction (;microsomes') was stimulated by 43% in the presence of 50mum-Ca(2+). 7. The results indicate that increased Ca(2+) influx into the iris smooth muscle by acetylcholine and ionophore A23187 markedly activates phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate phosphodiesterase and subsequently increases the production of inositol trisphosphate and its hydrolytic product inositol monophosphate. The marked increase observed in the production of inositol monophosphate could also result from Ca(2+) activation of phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase. However, there was no concomitant decrease in the (3)H radioactivity of this phospholipid.     

Targeting KRAS Mutant Cancers with a Covalent G12C-Specific Inhibitor

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Identification of miRNA signatures and their therapeutic potentials in prostate cancer

Molecular Biology Reports - Herein, we identified miRNA signatures that were able to differentiate malignant prostate cancer from benign prostate hyperplasia and revealed the therapeutic potential...     

25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels in Turkish geriatric population: A nationwide study

BackgroundAcross the world, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) deficiency is a major health problem associated with many chronic diseases in the geriatric population. Prior to this study, there were no data regarding 25-OHD levels among individuals over the age of 65 in Turkey. The aim of this study was to assess 25-OHD levels and seasonal variations in these values among people over the age of 65 in Turkey.MethodsThis study included vitamin D measurements taken in 2016, 2017, and 2018 from the Turkish population over the age of 65. The age, gender, and seasonal average data of the study population were defined. The study data were obtained from the database of the Ministry of Health, and a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to assess the distribution of the data. Medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) were calculated for all categories, as the data were nonparametric.ResultsThe number of vitamin D measurements taken from the geriatric individuals included in this study was 305,329 for 2016, 576,452 for 2017, and 752,837 for 2018. The medians and IQRs of the 25-OHD levels in this population were 16 μg/L (IQR 7.45-24.55 μg/L) for 2016, 16.1 μg/L (IQR 7.8-24.4 μg/L) for 2017, and 16.4 μg/L (IQR 8.95-23.85 μg/L) for 2018.ConclusionsWhile the 25-OHD levels of older men tended to increase during the period of seasonal sunlight in Turkey, this variability was observed in elderly women. This suggests that older women tend to live more sedentary lives and have insufficient sun exposure. Overall, the median 25-OHD levels of individuals over the age of 65 tended to decrease each year.