Ascorbic acid supplementation down-regulates the alcohol induced oxidative stress, hepatic stellate cell activation, cytotoxicity and mRNA levels of selected fibrotic genes in guinea pigs

Both oxidative stress and endotoxins mediated immunological reactions play a major role in the progression of alcoholic hepatic fibrosis. Ascorbic acid has been reported to reduce alcohol-induced toxicity and ascorbic acid levels are reduced in alcoholics. Hence, we investigated the hepatoprotective action of ascorbic acid in the reversal of alcohol-induced hepatic fibrosis in male guinea pigs (n = 36), and it was compared with the animals abstenting from alcohol treatment. In comparison with the alcohol abstention group, there was a reduction in the activities of toxicity markers and levels of lipid and protein peroxidation products, expression of α-SMA, caspase-3 activity and mRNA levels of CYP2E1, TGF-β(1), TNF-α and α(1)(I) collagen in liver of the ascorbic acid-supplemented group. The ascorbic acid content in liver was significantly reduced in the alcohol-treated guinea pigs. But it was reversed to normal level in the ascorbic acid-supplemented group. The anti-fibrotic action of ascorbic acid in the rapid regression of alcoholic liver fibrosis may be attributed to decrease in the oxidative stress, hepatic stellate cells activation, cytotoxicity and mRNA expression of fibrotic genes CYP2E1, TGF-β(1), TNF-α and α(1) (I) collagen in hepatic tissues.     

Non-specific immune response and disease resistance induced by Siegesbeckia glabrescens against Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Epinephelus bruneus

The immunomodulatory effect of Siegesbeckia glabrescens extract-supplementation diets on innate immune response and disease resistance of kelp grouper, Epinephelus bruneus against Vibrio parahaemolyticus at weeks 1, 2, and 4 is reported. The serum lysozyme activity was significantly enhanced with any enriched diet from weeks 1-4 when compared to control diet (0%). The alternative complement haemolytic activities significantly were enhanced with all enriched diets on weeks 2 and 4 whereas the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) was significantly enhanced only with 1.0% and 2.0% diets. The reactive nitrogen intermediate (RNI) value was significantly enhanced with any enriched diet on weeks 2 and 4, but on first week it did not differ from control. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) production significantly increased with 1.0% and 2.0% diets from second week onwards; with other enriched diets the increase manifested on fourth week; but during first week it did not vary from that of the control with any enriched diet. The protection in terms of cumulative mortality was the least being 25% and 20% when fed with 1.0% and 2.0% diets. The present results indicate that feeding kelp grouper with S. glabrescens extract enriched diet at 1.0% and 2.0% levels significantly enhance the immunological parameters, increase the disease resistance and minimize the cumulative mortality in E. bruneus against V. parahaemolyticus.     

Herbaceous plant diversity in forest ecosystems: patterns,mechanisms, and threats

Plant Ecology - Studies conducted in forests have resulted in much of the ecological theory we build upon today. However, our basic understanding of forest ecology comes almost exclusively from the...     

Philasterides dicentrarchi, a histophagous ciliate causing scuticociliatosis in olive flounder, Philasterides dicentrarchi--histopathology investigations

Philasterides dicentrarchi is a histophagous scuticociliate infecting Korean olive flounder farms in Jeju Island, South Korea, where it causes significant economic losses. However, the route of entry of these parasites in olive flounder is currently unknown. In the present study, we attempted experimental infection with different doses (concentrations) of P. dicentrarchi by intraperitoneal (IP) injection; maximum cumulative mortality of 95% was recorded on the administration of 2.1×10(8) ciliates/ml. In small size group (3 cm length, 24±2 gwt) the ciliates were found in connective tissues of muscle, fins, and nervous tissue while in large size group (5 cm length, 47±3 gwt), the ciliates were predominantly occurred with associated symptoms of liquefaction in the central nervous system. The major clinico-pathological manifestations were loss of scales, appearance of bleached spots that coalesced to form brownish patches, hemorrhagic, and severe dermal necrotic lesion. In addition there was degeneration of muscle fibers, necrosis of the hepatic parenchyma, and severe edema of the intestinal walls, extensive fouling, necrotic degeneration and hyperplasia in the gill bronchial epithelium. In this study, many ciliates were found in the blood vessel, brain, dorsal fins, muscle, kidney, and vertebra of infected flounder. The histopathological investigations are of significant importance in view of possible routes of entry into the host and doses of ciliates that trigger fast infection for potential utility of drugs as a strategy for the control of P. dicentrarchi in farmed olive flounder.     

Identification of Microalgae by Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry Coupled with Multiple Nanomatrices

In this study, we demonstrate a simple method to identify microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SALDI-MS) using three different substrates: HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe nanostructures. The fragmentation/ionization processes of complex molecules in algae varied according to the heat absorption and transfer efficiency of the nanostructured matrices (NMs). Therefore, the mass spectra obtained for microalgae showed different patterns of m/z values for different NMs. The spectra contained both significant and nonsignificant peaks. Constructing a Venn diagram with the significant peaks obtained for algae when using HgSe, HgTe, and HgTeSe NMs in m/z ratio range 100–1000, a unique relationship among the three sets of values was obtained. This unique relationship of sets is different for each species of microalgae. Therefore, by observing the particular relationship of sets, we successfully identified different algae such as Isochrysis galbana, Emiliania huxleyi, Thalassiosira weissflogii, Nannochloris sp., Skeletonema cf. costatum, and Tetraselmis chui. This simple and cost-effective SALDI-MS analysis method coupled with multi-nanomaterials as substrates may be extended to identify other microalgae and microorganisms in real samples.

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Graphical Abstract Identification of microalgae by surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry coupled with three different mercury-based nanosubstrates

     

Preliminary investigations on the synthesis and antitumor activity of 3(2H)-furanones

Two triaryl-3(2H)-furanones were synthesized and their antitumor activity was evaluated. These compounds inhibited the proliferation of DLA cell line in vitro. In vivo studies also showed that these compounds were active against tumor cell proliferation.     

Does obstructive sleep apnea correlate with Epworth Sleepiness Scale in an Indian population?

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - Various demographic and clinical predictors attributing to the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Indian subjects have not been extensively studied....     

Role of phenolic O-H and methylene hydrogen on the free radical reactions and antioxidant activity of curcumin

To understand the relative importance of phenolic O-H and the CH-H hydrogen on the antioxidant activity and the free radical reactions of Curcumin, (1,7-bis[4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl]-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione), biochemical, physicochemical, and density functional theory (DFT) studies were carried out with curcumin and dimethoxy curcumin (1,7-bis[3, 4-dimethoxy phenyl]-1,6-heptadiene-3,5-dione). The antioxidant activity of these compounds was tested by following radiation-induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes, and the results suggested that at equal concentration, the efficiency to inhibit lipid peroxidation is changed from 82% with curcumin to 24% with dimethoxy curcumin. Kinetics of reaction of (2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) DPPH, a stable hydrogen abstracting free radical was tested with these two compounds using stopped-flow spectrometer and steady state spectrophotometer. The bimolecular rate constant for curcumin was found to be approximately 1800 times greater than that for the dimethoxy derivative. Cyclic voltammetry studies of these two systems indicated two closely lying oxidation peaks at 0.84 and 1.0 V vs. SCE for curcumin, while only one peak at 1.0 V vs. SCE was observed for dimethoxy curcumin. Pulse radiolysis induced one-electron oxidation of curcumin and dimethoxy curcumin was studied at neutral pH using (*)N(3) radicals. This reaction with curcumin produced phenoxyl radicals absorbing at 500 nm, while in the case of dimethoxy curcumin a very weak signal in the UV region was observed. These results suggest that, although the energetics to remove hydrogen from both phenolic OH and the CH(2) group of the beta-diketo structure are very close, the phenolic OH is essential for both antioxidant activity and free radical kinetics. This is further confirmed by DFT calculations where it is shown that the -OH hydrogen is more labile for abstraction compared to the -CH(2) hydrogen in curcumin. Based on various experimental and theoretical results it is definitely concluded that the phenolic OH plays a major role in the activity of curcumin.