Pfaffia glomerata contains high levels of β-ecdysone, which has shown a range of beneficial pharmacological effects. The present study demonstrated that inflorescences of P. glomerata contain other ...important bioactive compounds in addition to β-ecdysone. The identification of compounds from inflorescences using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was performed for the first time. The eight compounds identified were β-ecdysone, flavonoid glycosides such as quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside and kaempferol-3-O-(6-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside, oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins such as ginsenoside Ro and chikusetsusaponin IV, in addition to oleanonic acid and gluconic acid. This study provided information on the phytochemicals contained in P. glomerata inflorescences revealing the potential application of this plant part as raw material for the phytotherapeutic and cosmetic industries.
Pesticide residues that contaminate the environment circulate within the hydrological cycle can accumulate within the food chain and cause problems to both environmental and human health. Microbes, ...however, are well known for their metabolic versatility and the ability to degrade chemically stable substances, including recalcitrant xenobiotics. The current study focused on bio-prospecting within Amazonian rainforest soils to find novel strains fungi capable of efficiently degrading the agriculturally and environmentally ubiquitous herbicide, glyphosate. Of 50 fungal strains isolated (using culture media supplemented with glyphosate as the sole carbon-substrate), the majority were Penicillium strains (60%) and the others were Aspergillus and Trichoderma strains (26 and 8%, respectively). All 50 fungal isolates could use glyphosate as a phosphorous source. Eight of these isolates grew better on glyphosate-supplemented media than on regular Czapek Dox medium. LC-MS revealed that glyphosate degradation by Penicillium 4A21 resulted in sarcosine and aminomethylphosphonic acid.
The emergence of bacterial resistance to antimicrobials poses a significant health threat. To address this issue, exploring the fungal diversity in freshwater environments in the Amazon Forest has ...potential in the search for new antimicrobials. This study aimed to investigate the production of antibacterial metabolites by aquatic fungi from Amazon lakes, specifically Lake Juá and Lake Maicá (Brazil-PA). The fungal isolates were obtained from wood fragments submerged in these lakes, and the ethyl acetate extracts were evaluated for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, S. aureus (MRSA), ATCC 43300, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and E. coli (ESBL) NCTC 13353. Additionally, toxicity of the extracts (EtOAc with antimicrobial activity) against human fibroblasts MRC-5 was investigated. The study identified 40 fungal strains with antimicrobial screening, and the ethyl acetate extracts of Fluviatispora C34, Helicascus C18, Monodictys C15, and Fusarium solani LM6281 exhibited antibacterial activity. F. solani LM6281 showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 50 µg/mL against S. aureus strains and MIC of 100 µg/mL against E. coli strains including ESBL. The cytotoxicity (IC50) of the extract (EtOAc) of F. solani LM6281 was 34.5 µg/mL. Preliminary studies of the TLC culture and RNM-H from the extract (EtOAc) of F. solani suggested the presence of substances from the class of terpenes, quinones, phenolics, and flavonoids. This study highlights the potential of submerged wood fungi in the Amazon region to produce antibacterial substances, thus identifying them as sources of novel bioactive compounds with potential use in the pharmaceutical industry and regional bioeconomy.
In modern dentistry, various techniques are being used to enhance longevity of a tooth implant. Among the most attractive solutions to promote the long-term stability of a dental implant, is the ...application of a protective coating on selected parts of the assembly.
In this paper, the use of 3-(glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane and tetraethyl orthosilicate (GPTMS/TEOS) sol-gel coating containing TiO2 nanoparticles is proposed as a locking agent to improve long-term stability of a dental implant. The concept is based on an approach used in machine industry, i.e. enhancing the frictional engagement between the mating parts and therefore preventing their unintentional loosening.
Compared with samples not subjected to surface modification, the proposed coating is effective in terms of improving the anti-loosening properties of the abutment screw. High locking efficacy of the sol-gel film, as well as its anti-wear performance, is achieved by the advantageous mechanical properties of the coating. Compared with a pure GPTMS/TEOS matrix, the incorporation of TiO2 NPs in the polymeric backbone results in an improvement of the resistance to hydrolytic degradation, as well as reduction of hardness and Young modulus of the coating.
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•GTPSM/TEOS + TiO2 NPs coating as locking agent for dental implants•New method for coating fine and complex geometries with polysiloxanes•Coating improves long-term stability and wear resistance of implant abutments.•TiO2 NPs improve resistance to hydrolytic degradation of the coating.•With TiO2 NPs, more favourable mechanical properties of the coating are achieved.
In recent decades, there has been substantial growth in our understanding of the immune system and its role in tumor growth and overall survival. A central finding has been the cross-talk between ...tumor cells and the surrounding environment or stroma. This tumor stroma, comprised of various cells, and extracellular matrix (ECM), has been shown to aid in suppressing host immune responses against tumor cells. Through immunosuppressive cytokine secretion, metabolic alterations, and other mechanisms, the tumor stroma provides a complex network of safeguards for tumor proliferation. With recent advances in more effective, localized treatment, radiation therapy (XRT) has allowed for strategies that can effectively alter and ablate tumor stromal tissue. This includes promoting immunogenic cell death through tumor antigen release to increasing immune cell trafficking, XRT has a unique advantage against the tumoral immune evasion mechanisms that are orchestrated by stromal cells. Current studies are underway to elucidate pathways within the tumor stroma as potential targets for immunotherapy and chemoradiation. This review summarizes the effects of tumor stroma in tumor immune evasion, explains how XRT may help overcome these effects, with potential combinatorial approaches for future treatment modalities.
The association between hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been increasingly studied through early inflammatory biomarkers. The monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is the main ...chemokine implicated in the inflammatory endothelial process, attracting monocytes and macrophages to the atherosclerotic plaque.
We reviewed the main observational studies that have analyzed serum MCP-1 in patients with hypertension regardless of CVD, relating them to target organ damage (TOD).
As endothelial dysfunction continues and TOD accumulates, MCP-1 has been perpetuated at higher levels. The relationship between this chemokine and the increase in comorbidities, such as chronic kidney disease, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, became clearer from the observational studies. However, patients with such morbidities use medications with potential anti-inflammatory effects.
There is no normal threshold of MCP-1 for the healthy population, nor a uniform curve pattern, due to a balance between genetic factors, age, gender, comorbidities, TOD, and anti-inflammatory effects of drugs. In fact, MCP-1 seems to have a promising role as a tool for further improvement in cardiovascular risk stratification, as prognostic studies have demonstrated an association with fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes, regardless of other clinical and laboratory predictors.
Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are two distinct brain disorders but have a high rate of co-occurrence, suggesting shared pathogenic mechanisms. Neuroligins are cell adhesion molecules ...important in synaptic function and ASD, but their role in epilepsy remains unknown. In this study, we show that Neuroligin 2 (NLG2) knockout mice exhibit abnormal spike and wave discharges (SWDs) and behavioral arrests characteristic of absence seizures. The anti-absence seizure drug ethosuximide blocks SWDs and rescues behavioral arrests and social memory impairment in the knockout mice. Restoring GABAergic transmission either by optogenetic activation of the thalamic reticular nucleus (nRT) presynaptic terminals or postsynaptic NLG2 expression in the thalamic neurons reduces the SWDs and behavioral arrests in the knockout mice. These results indicate that NLG2-mediated GABAergic transmission at the nRT-thalamic circuit represents a common mechanism underlying both epileptic seizures and ASD.
Social interactions are essential to our mental health, and a deficit in social interactions is a hallmark characteristic of numerous brain disorders. Various subregions within the medial temporal ...lobe have been implicated in social memory, but the underlying mechanisms that tune these neural circuits remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that optical activation of excitatory entorhinal cortical perforant projections to the dentate gyrus (EC-DG) is necessary and sufficient for social memory retrieval. We further show that inducible disruption of p21-activated kinase (PAK) signaling, a key pathway important for cytoskeletal reorganization, in the EC-DG circuit leads to impairments in synaptic function and social recognition memory, and, importantly, optogenetic activation of the EC-DG terminals reverses the social memory deficits in the transgenic mice. These results provide compelling evidence that activation of the EC-DG pathway underlies social recognition memory recall and that PAK signaling may play a critical role in modulating this process.
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•Activation of the EC-DG circuit is necessary and sufficient for social memory recall•Disruption of PAK signaling within the EC-DG circuit specifically impairs social memory•Disruption of PAK signaling impairs neurotransmitter release at the EC-DG terminals•Synaptic activation of the EC-DG terminals reverses social memory impairments
Leung et al. reveal the role of the entorhinal cortical pathway to the dentate gyrus and PAK (p21-activated kinase) in social recognition memory. The study provides insight into the understanding of social memory and suggests that manipulations of this pathway may be beneficial in improving social memory in brain disorders.
Failure of dental implants treatment is frequently the result of bacterial colonization of implants followed by diseases like peri-implantitis. Recent studies have been made regarding the surface ...treatment of implants components, namely abutments that are in the interface of the living tissue with the implant. This work aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial profile of a silane-based coating with TiO2 adapted to an abutment screw, that was also developed as an anti-loosening agent, to prevent adhesion and migration of Gram + and Gram-bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, respectively.
Direct contact antimicrobial studies were conducted on coated and uncoated samples by resazurin fluorescent assay and cytotoxicity assessment was done via MTT indirect method on days 1 and 4. Sterilizations studies by FTIR analysis were also performed to understand the ideal balance between sterilization efficacy and coating functionality subjecting the samples to ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation, and autoclave sterilization, before antimicrobial testing. The implant system as a whole was also studied for its ability to block bacterial migration and preventing microleakage as well as an assessment of initial bacterial adhesion evaluated by scanning electron microscopy.
Direct contact studies performed on coated samples showed a very high antimicrobial activity, while cytotoxicity assays revealed the coating to be safe and non-leachable. Sterilizations studies showed that the antimicrobial features of the coating were preserved and interchangeable regardless of the sterilization method. The implant system migration studies demonstrated that the implant system works as an efficient barrier for the studied bacteria.
The acquired results clearly show that it is possible to obtain a highly functional coating with obvious and marked antimicrobial features that together with an abutment that prevents bacterial migration and versatility in sterilization methodology has a very high potential in the dental implant field.
Background
Many studies of epilepsy in veterinary medicine use subjective data (eg, caregiver‐derived histories) to determine seizure frequency. Conversely, in people, objective data from ...electroencephalography (EEG) are mainly used to diagnose epilepsy, measure seizure frequency and evaluate efficacy of antiseizure drugs. These EEG data minimize the possibility of the underreporting of seizures, a known phenomenon in human epileptology.
Objective
To evaluate the correlation between reported seizure frequency and EEG frequency of ictal paroxysmal discharges (PDs) and to determine whether seizure underreporting phenomenon exists in veterinary epileptology.
Animals
Thirty‐three ambulatory video‐EEG recordings in dogs showing ≥1 ictal PD, excluding dogs with status epilepticus.
Methods
Retrospective observational study. Ictal PDs were counted manually over the entire recording to obtain the frequency of EEG seizures. Caregiver‐reported seizure frequency from the medical record was categorized into weekly, daily, hourly, and per minute seizure groupings. The Spearman rank test was used for correlation analysis.
Results
The coefficient value (rs) comparing reported seizure to EEG‐confirmed ictal PD frequencies was 0.39 (95% confidence interval CI = 0.048‐0.64, P = .03). Other rs values comparing history against various seizure types were: 0.36 for motor seizures and 0.37 for nonmotor (absence) seizures.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
A weak correlation was found between the frequency of reported seizures from caregivers (subjective data) and ictal PDs on EEG (objective data). Subjective data may not be reliable enough to determine true seizure frequency given the discrepancy with EEG‐confirmed seizure frequency. Confirmation of the seizure underreporting phenomenon in dogs by prospective study should be carried out.
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