Characterization of the collagen synthesized by cultured human smooth muscle cells from fetal and adult aorta.

Smooth muscle cells were grown from explants of the tunica media of fetal and adult human aorta. Collagen was isolated after incubation with [14C]glycine and was characterized by ion-exchange chromatography. All cells investigated synthesized two types of collagen: Type I (chain composition [alpha1(I)]2alpha2) and type III (chain composition [alpha1(III)]3). The collagen made by cells from adult donors contained approximately 70% type I and 30% type III collagen. This corresponds to the collagen composition in teh original tissue. No age-relate change in the type I/type III ratio was found with cells from donors between 9 and 67 years of age. On the other hand, the type III portion of the collagen made by fetal cells was markedly less (about 15-20% of total collagen).     

Export of dissolved iron from river catchments in northeast Japan

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - This study investigated the export of dissolved iron (DFe) from river catchments with emphasis on land use and land cover (LULC). The DFe concentrations were...     

Novel chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids as potent anti-inflammatory via inhibition of prostaglandin E2 and inducible NO synthase activities: design,synthesis, molecular docking studies and ADMET prediction

Two series of chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids 4a–f and 6a–f were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against iNOS and PGE2. The most potent derivatives were further checked for their in vivo anti-inflammatory activity utilising carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d were proved to be the most effective inhibitors of PGE2, LPS-induced NO production, iNOS activity. Moreover, 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d showed significant oedema inhibition ranging from 62.21% to 78.51%, compared to indomethacin (56.27 ± 2.14%) and celecoxib (12.32%). Additionally, 4c, 6a and 6e displayed good COX2 inhibitory activity while 4c, 6a and 6c exhibited the highest 5LOX inhibitory activity. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d fit nicely into the pocket of iNOS protein (PDB ID: 1r35) via the important amino acid residues. Prediction of physicochemical parameters exhibited that 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d had acceptable physicochemical parameters and drug-likeness. The results indicated that chalcone/aryl carboximidamides 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d, in particular 4d and 6d, could be used as promising lead candidates as potent anti-inflammatory agents.     

Tristetraprolin Mediates Radiation-Induced TNF-α Production in Lung Macrophages

The efficacy of radiation therapy for lung cancer is limited by radiation-induced lung toxicity (RILT). Although tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signaling plays a critical role in RILT, the molecular regulators of radiation-induced TNF-α production remain unknown. We investigated the role of a major TNF-α regulator, Tristetraprolin (TTP), in radiation-induced TNF-α production by macrophages. For in vitro studies we irradiated (4 Gy) either a mouse lung macrophage cell line, MH-S or macrophages isolated from TTP knockout mice, and studied the effects of radiation on TTP and TNF-α levels. To study the in vivo relevance, mouse lungs were irradiated with a single dose (15 Gy) and assessed at varying times for TTP alterations. Irradiation of MH-S cells caused TTP to undergo an inhibitory phosphorylation at Ser-178 and proteasome-mediated degradation, which resulted in increased TNF-α mRNA stabilization and secretion. Similarly, MH-S cells treated with TTP siRNA or macrophages isolated from ttp (−/−) mice had higher basal levels of TNF-α, which was increased minimally after irradiation. Conversely, cells overexpressing TTP mutants defective in undergoing phosphorylation released significantly lower levels of TNF-α. Inhibition of p38, a known kinase for TTP, by either siRNA or a small molecule inhibitor abrogated radiation-induced TNF-α release by MH-S cells. Lung irradiation induced TTP^Ser178 phosphorylation and protein degradation and a simultaneous increase in TNF-α production in C57BL/6 mice starting 24 h post-radiation. In conclusion, irradiation of lung macrophages causes TTP inactivation via p38-mediated phosphorylation and proteasome-mediated degradation, leading to TNF-α production. These findings suggest that agents capable of blocking TTP phosphorylation or stabilizing TTP after irradiation could decrease RILT.     

Antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin and ellagic acid against diarrheic Aeromonas hydrophila in a murine model

Aims

The present study is designed to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo bactericidal and immunomodulating activities of hesperidin (HES) and ellagic acid (EA) against Aeromonas hydrophila. A hydrophila, an uncommon human pathogen, can cause invasive infections in immunocompromised individuals and common clinical presentations in acute gastrointestinal illness, soft-tissue infections and sepsis. The antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants against A. hydrophila have received only cursory attention.

Methods

We examined the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values in vitro. Moreover, the effects of HES and EA against bacterial colonization were studied in vivo. Also, humoral immune response was tested against A. hydrophila-LPS or A. hydrophila-ECP antigen preparations and the intestinal histopathological alterations were studied.

Results

Data revealed that the treatments with HES and EA each had antimicrobial activities against A. hydrophila. Both HES and EA treatments significantly increased anti-LPS IgM levels and reduced anti-LPS and anti-ECP IgA levels to their normal values in comparison to the infected group, which recorded significantly elevated levels two week post-infection. In conclusion, the present data suggest that HES and EA have antimicrobial and immunomodulating activities against murine A. hydrophila infections.

Significant

These data warrant clinical studies to delineate HES and EA roles in human infectious diseases.     

Anatomical study of the skull of amphisbaenian Diplometopon zarudnyi (Squamata,Amphisbaenia)

This study investigates the amphisbaenian species skull which includes cranium, lower jaw and hyoid apparatus. The medial dorsal bones comprise the premaxilla, nasal, frontal and parietal. The premaxilla carries a large medial tooth and two lateral ones. The nasals are paired bones and separated by longitudinal suture. Bones of circumorbital series are frontal, orbitosphenoid and maxilla. The occipital ring consists of basioccipital, supraoccipital and exooccipital. Supraoccipital and basioccipital are single bones while the exo-occipitals are paired. The bones of the palate comprise premaxilla, maxilla, septomaxilla, palatine, pterygoid, ectopterygoid, basisphenoid, parasphenoid, orbitosphenoid and laterosphenoid. Prevomer and pterygoid teeth are absent. Palatine represent by two separate bones. The temporal bones are clearly visible. The lower jaw consists of the dentary, articular, coronoid, supra-angular, angular and splenial. The hyoid apparatus is represented by a Y-shaped structure. The mandible is long and is suspended from the braincase via relatively short quadrate. There is an extensive contact between the long angular and the large triangular coronoid. Thus inter-mandibular joint is bridged completely by the angular and consequently, the lower jaws are relatively rigid and kinetic. The maxillae are suspended from the braincase largely by ligaments and muscles rather than through bony articulation. In conclusion, the skull shape affects feeding strategy in Diplometopon zarudnyi. The prey is ingested and transported via a rapid maxillary raking mechanism.     

Development and validation of high-throughput liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for simultaneous quantification of loratadine and desloratadine in human plasma

As a continuation of effort to improve our high flow on-line bioanalytical approach for high-throughput quantification of drugs and metabolites in plasma by high-throughput liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HTLC-MS/MS), we have developed a simple, sensitive and reliable method for simultaneous quantification of loratadine and desloratadine in human plasma. We have performed on-line coupling of extraction with Cyclone P 50 mm x 0.5 mm 50 microm HTLC column and chromatographic separation is performed with Zorbax XDB C18 50 mm x 2.1 mm 5 microm, followed by quantification with mass detector. The method is validated and showed good performances in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, accuracy and stability. A marked improvement in sample throughput efficiency is realized with this method and the proposed method will be useful for pharmacokinetic and/or bioequivalence studies.     

Monitoring of co-infection virus and virus-like naturally in sweet pepper plant

Eight sweet pepper plant samples showing viral and viral like symptoms were collected from open field and used for detecting viral infections through biological, serological and biochemical methods. DAS-ELISA, DBIA and TPIA have relative effectiveness for detecting parenchymal viruses (CMV, TMV and PVY) and vascular virus (TYLCV), and the DAS-ELISA and TPIA are found more efficient (87.5%) than DBIA (78.1%). The examined leaf samples were found co-infected with different mixed types of viruses including (CMV, TMV, PVY and TYLCV), (CMV, PVY and TYLCV), (TMV, PVY and TYLCV) and (TMV and TYLCV) that enhanced different degrees of severe external symptoms. There are 2 out of 8 samples infected with Phytoplasma sp. by Diene’s stain and PCR using generated 16S rDNA gene primer with expected amplicon size of 680?bp. The co-infections with various viruses and phytoplasma has 12.5% frequency that reduced the levels of protein content, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activity quantitatively and qualitatively in 2 samples in comparison with other mixed categories. The sweet pepper plant can be considered as a reservoir for parenchymal and vascular viruses and Phytoplasma sp. due to the synergistic and antagonistic effects causing unusual and unpredictable biological and epidemiological, viral and viral-like via host biochemical effects.