Plant Biology

Estrogen receptor α (ERα) is an important target for the design of drugs such as tamoxifen (2a) and fulvestrant (5). Three series of ER-ligands based on the benzoxepin scaffold structure were synthesized: series I containing an acrylic acid, series II with an acrylamide, and series III with a saturated carboxylic acid substituent. These compounds were shown to be high affinity ligands for the ER with nanomolar IC50 binding values. Series I acrylic acid ligands were generally ERα selective. In particular, compound 13e featuring a phenylpenta-2,4-dienoic acid substituent was shown to be antiproliferative and downregulated ERα and ERβ expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Interestingly, from series III, the phenoxybutyric acid derivative compound 22 was not antiproliferative and selectively downregulated ERβ. A docking study of the benzoxepin ligands was undertaken. Compound 13e is a promising lead for development as a clinically relevant SERD, while compound 22 will be a useful exp...

Because Artemisia vulgaris L. and Artemisia alba Turra are traditional medicinal plants used for the treatment of different diseases, we evaluated the cytotoxic/apoptotic activity of ethyl acetate extracts from these natural products against human colon cancer cells SW-480. The extracts contained a large amount of the total polyphenols and flavonoids. The phenolic profile showed the presence of phenolic acids (gallic, p-coumaric, vanillic, and ferulic acids) and flavonoids (rutin, myricetin, luteolin, quercetin, and apigenin). 3-[4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay indicated that antiproliferative activities of both A. vulgaris and A. alba extracts increased with the extension of time exposure, with decreasing IC50 values. Mitomycin C (MMC) alone had antiproliferative activity, but in combination with plant extracts caused stronger effect with lower IC50 values. Flow cytometry analyses showed that A. alba extract induced higher percentage of SW-480 cells ...

Four species of giant clams,Tridacna maxima, T. squamosa, T. derasaandT. crocea, were cultured in outdoor raceways for 364 days at the Waikīkī Aquarium and the Oceanic Institute on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, USA.  Growth of each species was compared among individuals grown with and without supplemental phytoplankton feeding, and directly on the substrate or mounted on concrete plugs in low pH, high nutrient seawater.  Among clams cultured with and without supplemental phytoplankton (Chaetocerosspp.), feeding resulted in significantly lower mortality in all species butT. deresa, whereas growth was significantly higher among fed clams for all species exceptT. squamosa. Tridacna derasashowed roughly a three-fold increase in growth when fed (88.5 g ± 4.4 SD) than when unfed (26.0 g ± 2.1 SD), whereasT. maximagrowth was substantially lower, but nearly 10-fold greater in response to feeding (9.0 g ± 1.9 SD). The overall mortality rate of juvenile clams was significantly lower in the fe...

Citrus Psorosis Virus (CPsV) can be detected by ELISA, but current protocols use polyclonal antisera. The availability of these antisera is limited, and new production is hampered by difficulties met with purification of the virus. Several specific monoclonal antibodies were recently produced, and we report how those have been successfully utilized for the development of an all-monoclonal antibody-based ELISA kit.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Bradyrhizobium japonicum SAY3-7, Bradyrhizobium elkanii BLY3-8, and Streptomyces griseoflavus P4 on the symbiotic effectiveness of soybeans before biofertiliser production, to produce biofertiliser containing the studied three strains (SAY3-7, BLY3-8, and P4), to test the effectiveness of the biofertiliser on soybean varieties, and to assess the varietal effects and interaction effects between variety and biofertiliser on plant growth, nodulation, nitrogen fixation, nutrient absorption, and seed yield. Nitrogen fixation was measured using the acetylene reduction assay and ureide methods. Contents of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) were also measured to calculate their uptakes. In this study, synergistic effects of nitrogen fixation were induced by combined inoculation with SAY3-7, BLY3-8 and P4 in all tested soybean varieties. Therefore, we assumed that an effective biofertiliser could be produced using these effective bacteria (SA...

Background Pediatric gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis is an unusual fungal infection caused by Basidiobolus ranarum, an environmental saprophyte found worldwide. Typically, basidiobolomycosis presents as a subcutaneous infection or soft tissue tumor-like lesion, and rarely involves the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis is most common in young infants. It has no definitive clinical presentation, and almost all cases are misdiagnosed during the initial presentation. Case presentation We report the case of a 4-year-old Saudi boy who presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss. Ultrasonography revealed a target sign. Based on the ultrasonography findings, surgery was performed, which revealed the presence of intussusception. Eventually, the patient was diagnosed with intussusception secondary to intra-abdominal basidiobolomycosis based on the histological findings. The patient was readmitted and intravenous vo...

Marijuana is the most widespread abused, trafficked, and consumed drug in America. Although according to federal law, the use, consumption, and distribution of marijuana are illegal, approximately two-thirds of the State Governments in the U.S. and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for either medical or recreational purposes. Due to the passing of new controversial marijuana legislation at the state levels of government, which started with the passing of Amendments 64 and Initiative 502, respectively, in Colorado and Washington in 2012, the federal government is faced with many challenges associated with enforcing and preventing the illegal diversion of marijuana and marijuana products. Although state legislation may be passed to legalize marijuana for particular jurisdictions, under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), distribution and possession of marijuana is still illegal on a federal level, and marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Contr...

The striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus is an important freshwater fish cultured in many countries where the collection of wild brooders is still widely practiced. Global farming development of this species makes use of significant natural resources that pose challenges for the genetic diversity of striped catfish. Hence, this study aims to conduct a systematic genetic diversity assessment of wild and farmed catfish stocks collected from four major pangasius-farming countries, using a new genotyping by sequencing platform known as DArT-seq technology. Our population genomic analyses using 7263 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) after high-quality-control showed that there were two distinct populations of striped catfish in the lower Mekong river: (i) wild catfish from Thailand and (ii) catfish from Cambodia and Vietnam. The genetic diversity was greatest (0.363) in the wild stock from Thailand, but it was lower in farmed and wild stocks in other countries (0.049 to 0.088...

Among the mycoparasites, Ampelomyces strains are studied in detail, particularly regarding their use as biocontrol agents (BCAs) of powdery mildew (PM) fungi, including their potential to replace conventional agrochemicals. Ampelomyces strains are characterized morphologically; their ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) regions and actin gene (ACT) fragments were sequenced and their mycoparasitic activity was analyzed. In the interaction between Ampelomyces strains and PM fungi, the spores of the mycoparasites germinate on plant leaves, and their hyphae then penetrate the hyphae of PM fungi. Ampelomyces hyphae continue their growth internally, initiating the atrophy of PM conidiophores and eventually their complete collapse. Following the successful destruction of PM hyphae by Ampelomyces, the mycoparasite produces new intracellular pycnidia in PM conidiophores. The progeny spores released by mature pycnidia become the sources of subsequent infections of intact PM hy...

Traditional medicine has provided a number of therapeutic solutions for the control of infectious agents, cancers, and other diseases. After screening a wide variety of Colombian plant extracts, we have identified promising antileishmanial activity in ethanol extracts from Ocotea macrophylla (Lauraceae) and Zanthoxyllum monophyllum (Rutaceae). In this study, we evaluated the in vitro activity of two ethanol extracts, one from Ocotea macrophylla and the other from Zanthoxyllum monophyllum and one alkaloid fraction of ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum, on peritoneal macrophages isolated from golden Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with Leishmania panamensis and Leishmania major promastigotes. All of the extracts studied displayed promising (≥2) selectivity indices (S/I), the most significant of which were for ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum against Leishmania panamensis (S/I=12) and alkaloid fraction of ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum a...