Resveratrol potentially increased the tumoricidal effect of doxorubicin on SKOV3 cancer stem cells in vitro

Ovarian cancer is associated with a high percentage of recurrence of tumor and resistance to chemotherapy. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) form a rare population with a significant capacity to begin and expand malignant diseases. Eliminating the drug resistance of CSCs by factors that have fewer side effects to the patient is vital. To investigate the effect of resveratrol (RES) and doxorubicin (DOX) on drug resistance and apoptosis of CSCs; at the first, isolation of CSCs from SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells and their dosage adjustment (IC₅₀) with RES and DOX was performed. Then, isolated CSCs were treated with RES and DOX IC ₅₀ of 55 and 250 nM, respectively. Subsequently, their effects on drug resistance and cell death were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction, rhodamine 123 uptakes. The results of the present study demonstrated that treatment of SKOV3 with 55 μM of RES and 250 nM of DOX simultaneously increased cell viability in CSCs to DOX after 24 and 48 hours by increasing the expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) and caspase-3 genes, and decreased the expression and function of multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1) genes indicated by intracellular the rhodamine 123 content. Treatment of RES could increase the activity of DOX cell viability in CSCs originated from SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma and decrease drug resistance capacity to DOX.     

A novel copper (II) complex activated both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in liver cancerous cells

Recent advances have put fundamental focus on the application of copper (II) (Cu [II]) complexes as agents for fighting against cancer. To determine whether [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex as a novel Cu complex can induce apoptosis in HepG2 as cancerous cells and L929 as normal cells via extrinsic or intrinsic apoptotic pathways, both cell lines were treated for 24 and 48 hours at IC₅₀ concentrations of [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex. Then, the expression of some apoptosis-related genes including p53, caspase-8, bcl-2, and bax were assayed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex seems to inhibit the expression of bcl-2 in complex-treated HepG2 cancerous cells following the 24- and 48-hour treatment. The complex upregulated the p53, bax, and caspase-8 genes, therefore treatment of HepG2 cancerous cells with [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex induces programmed cell death via the upregulation of relative bax/bcl-2 ratio. Finally, this copper complex triggered apoptosis in HepG2 cells via both intrinsic and extrinsic pathway, whereas treatment of normal L929 cells with this complex induce apoptosis only via intrinsic pathway with the upregulation of relative bax/bcl-2 ratio and does not affect the expression level of caspase-8 gene and does not trigger the extrinsic pathway. Finally, these results obtained from present study confirm the role of a novel Cu complex on the induction of apoptosis process in HepG2 and L929 cells by overexpression of bax, inhibition of bcl-2 and increase of the relative bax/bcl-2 ratio. These results support that the [Cu(L)(2imi)] complex is able to induce apoptosis in cancerous cells, therefore, it has a potential for development as a novel anticancer drug.     

Dietary nutraceuticals as backbone for bone health

Bone loss or osteoporosis, is a slow-progressing disease that results from dysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The FDA has approved number of drugs for bone loss prevention, nonetheless all are expensive and have multiple side effects. The nutraceuticals identified from dietary agents such as butein, cardamonin, coronarin D curcumin, diosgenin, embelin, gambogic acid, genistein, plumbagin, quercetin, reseveratrol, zerumbone and more, can modulate cell signaling pathways and reverse/slow down osteoporosis. Most of these nutraceuticals are inexpensive; show no side effect while still possessing anti-inflammatory properties. This review provides various mechanisms of osteoporosis and how nutraceuticals can potentially prevent the bone loss.     

Design,Synthesis, and Cholinesterase Inhibition Assay of Coumarin‐3‐carboxamide‐N‐morpholine Hybrids as New Anti‐Alzheimer Agents

A new series of coumarin‐3‐carboxamide‐N‐morpholine hybrids 5a – 5l was designed and synthesized as cholinesterases inhibitors. The synthetic approach for title compounds was started from the reaction between 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde derivatives and Meldrum's acid to afford corresponding coumarin‐3‐carboxylic acids. Then, amidation of the latter compounds with 2‐morpholinoethylamine or N‐(3‐aminopropyl)morpholine led to the formation of the compounds 5a – 5l . The in vitro inhibition screen against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) revealed that most of the synthesized compounds had potent AChE inhibitory while their BuChE inhibitions are moderate to weak. Among them, propylmorpholine derivative 5g (N‐[3‐(morpholin‐4‐yl)propyl]‐2‐oxo‐2H‐chromene‐3‐carboxamide) bearing an unsubstituted coumarin moiety and ethylmorpholine derivative 5d (6‐bromo‐N‐[2‐(morpholin‐4‐yl)ethyl]‐2‐oxo‐2H‐chromene‐3‐carboxamide) bearing a 6‐bromocoumarin moiety showed the most activity against AChE and BuChE, respectively. The inhibitory activity of compound 5g against AChE was 1.78 times more than that of rivastigmine and anti‐BuChE activity of compound 5d is approximately same as rivastigmine. Kinetic and docking studies confirmed the dual binding site ability of compound 5g to inhibit AChE.     

Questionable papers in citation databases as an issue for literature review

In recent years, the academic world has been faced with much academic misconduct. Examples involve plagiarizing papers, manipulating data, and launching predatory or hijacked journals. The literature exposing these activities is growing exponentially, and so is the presentation of criteria or guidelines for counteracting the problem. Most of the research is focused on predatory or hijacked journal detection and providing suitable warnings. Overlooked in all this is the fact that papers published in these journals are questionable, but nevertheless show up in standard citation databases. We need some way to flag them so future researchers will be aware of their questionable nature and prevent their use in literature review.     

Variation in Essential Oil Yield and Composition of Dorema aucheri Boiss., an Endemic Medicinal Plant Collected from Wild Populations in Natural Habitats

In the present research, variability in essential oil (EO) composition of five Dorema aucheri populations collected from natural habitats in different regions of Iran, were investigated. The EO content of populations varied from 0.28 to 0.68%. According to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, β‐caryophyllene (7.17 – 35.73%), thymol (23.45 – 29.64%), β‐gurjunene (2.58 – 5.89%), carvacrol (1.32 – 2.67%) and cuparene (1.97 – 2.98%) were the major components. Hierarchical cluster, principal component and canonical correspondence analyses classified the studied populations into three groups based on major EO components. The environmental parameters of the collected sites were also evaluated. According to the results, it might be suggested that sandy soils with high mean annual precipitation were major environmental factors influencing the amount of β‐caryophyllene, while thymol, cuparene and caryophyllen oxide increased in silty and clay soils. Finally, the population collected in high altitudes and clay soils had higher amount of β‐gurjunene.     

Head Movements Evoked in Alert Rhesus Monkey by Vestibular Prosthesis Stimulation: Implications for Postural and Gaze Stabilization

The vestibular system detects motion of the head in space and in turn generates reflexes that are vital for our daily activities. The eye movements produced by the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) play an essential role in stabilizing the visual axis (gaze), while vestibulo-spinal reflexes ensure the maintenance of head and body posture. The neuronal pathways from the vestibular periphery to the cervical spinal cord potentially serve a dual role, since they function to stabilize the head relative to inertial space and could thus contribute to gaze (eye-in-head + head-in-space) and posture stabilization. To date, however, the functional significance of vestibular-neck pathways in alert primates remains a matter of debate. Here we used a vestibular prosthesis to 1) quantify vestibularly-driven head movements in primates, and 2) assess whether these evoked head movements make a significant contribution to gaze as well as postural stabilization. We stimulated electrodes implanted in the horizontal semicircular canal of alert rhesus monkeys, and measured the head and eye movements evoked during a 100ms time period for which the contribution of longer latency voluntary inputs to the neck would be minimal. Our results show that prosthetic stimulation evoked significant head movements with latencies consistent with known vestibulo-spinal pathways. Furthermore, while the evoked head movements were substantially smaller than the coincidently evoked eye movements, they made a significant contribution to gaze stabilization, complementing the VOR to ensure that the appropriate gaze response is achieved. We speculate that analogous compensatory head movements will be evoked when implanted prosthetic devices are transitioned to human patients.     

Interactive Effects Between Reindeer and Habitat Fertility Drive Soil Nutrient Availabilities in Arctic Tundra

Herbivores impact nutrient availability and cycling, and the net effect of herbivory on soil nutrients is generally assumed to be positive in nutrient-rich environments and negative in nutrient-poor ones. This is, however, far from a uniform pattern, and there is a recognized need to investigate any interactive effects of herbivory and habitat fertility (i.e., plant C/N ratios) on soil nutrient availabilities. We determined long-term effects of reindeer on soil extractable nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and their net mineralization rates along a fertility gradient of plant carbon (C) to N and P ratios in arctic tundra. Our results showed that reindeer had a positive effect on soil N in the more nutrient-poor sites and a negative effect on soil P in the more nutrient-rich sites, which contrasts from the general consensus. The increase in N availability was linked to a decrease in plant and litter C/N ratios, suggesting that a shift in vegetation composition toward more graminoids favors higher N cycling. Soil P availability was not as closely linked to the vegetation and is likely regulated more by herbivore-induced changes in soil physical and chemical properties. The changes in soil extractable N and P resulted in higher soil N/P ratios, suggesting that reindeer could drive the vegetation toward P-limitation. This research highlights the importance of including both the elements N and P and conducting studies along environmental gradients in order to better understand the interactive effects of herbivory and habitat fertility on nutrient cycling and primary production.     

A checklist of the genus Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera: Pipunculidae) from the Middle East with the description of a new species

A checklist of 39 species of the genus Tomosvaryella Aczél (Diptera, Pipunculidae) known from the Middle East is provided. A new species, T. hamata Majnon Jahromi &; Kehlmaier sp. n. is described from southern Iran and diagnostic characters of male and female terminalia are illustrated. Tomosvaryella dentiterebra (Collin, 1949 Collin, J. E. (1949): Results of the Armstrong College Expedition to Siwa Oasis (Libyan Desert), 1935, under the leadership of Prof. J. Orner-Cooper. Diptera Empididae, Dolichopodidae, Aschiza and Acalypterae. Bulletin de la Societe Fouad I^erd'Entomologie, 33, 75–225. [Google Scholar]) is redescribed and male and female terminalia are illustrated for the first time. A phylogenetic maximum-likelihood analysis and uncorrected pairwise genetic distances of 18 out of 22 Iranian species of Tomosvaryella based on DNA barcodes of the mitochondrial COI gene are presented and also discussed.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF8C116D-0C92-431A-B52C-11F3711B6A62