Environmental friendly pollution free bio-dyeing of wool with haar singhar (Coral Jasmine) flower extract.

The world's move towards revival of eco-labelled products has created a huge urge to explore new means which are healthier for the global community. Among such means, plant-based bio-pigments for coloration of matrix are gaining worldwide fame, particularly in the textile sector. For the purpose of appraising new source of eco-friendly dyes, using microwave irradiation techniques, Coral Jasmine flowers have been explored for the bio-dyeing of wool. The colorant was extracted in acidic medium owing to nature of fabric, and both stuffs have been exposed to microwave treatment up to 5 min. Bio-coloration of MW irradiated and unirradiated wool was done using MW irradiated and unirradiated extract for observing high yield. Central composite design (CCD) as statistical method was utilized to see the significance of dyeing parameters chosen for mordanting to develop colorfast shades. Different concentrations of sustainable chemicals and bio-mordants as per weight of fabric were employed to introduce new shades with improved colorfastness properties. International standard textile methods determining shade permanency (fastness) have been employed onto selected dyed-mordanted fabrics. Good yield of colorant was observed when MW irradiated wool fabric was dyed at 75 °C for 45 min with extract of 7 pH, having 1.5g/100 mL of salt solution; the promising color yield was observed. As per gray scale ratings observed after ISO standard methods, pine nut as bio-mordant and iron salt as chemical mordant have developed colorfast shades. Conclusively, it can be recommended that methods for the isolation of colorants from new dye yielding plants, MW heating method as suitable clean technology and medicinal-based bio-mordants should be employed for getting permanent gamutes.

Nonlinear EEG signatures of mind wandering during breath focus meditation.

In meditation practices that involve focused attention to a specific object, novice practitioners often experience moments of distraction (i.e., mind wandering). Previous studies have investigated the neural correlates of mind wandering during meditation practice through Electroencephalography (EEG) using linear metrics (e.g., oscillatory power). However, their results are not fully consistent. Since the brain is known to be a chaotic/nonlinear system, it is possible that linear metrics cannot fully capture complex dynamics present in the EEG signal. In this study, we assess whether nonlinear EEG signatures can be used to characterize mind wandering during breath focus meditation in novice practitioners. For that purpose, we adopted an experience sampling paradigm in which 25 participants were iteratively interrupted during meditation practice to report whether they were focusing on the breath or thinking about something else. We compared the complexity of EEG signals during mind wandering and breath focus states using three different algorithms: Higuchi's fractal dimension (HFD), Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC), and Sample entropy (SampEn). Our results showed that EEG complexity was generally reduced during mind wandering relative to breath focus states. We conclude that EEG complexity metrics are appropriate to disentangle mind wandering from breath focus states in novice meditation practitioners, and therefore, they could be used in future EEG neurofeedback protocols to facilitate meditation practice.

A multifunctional nanoplatform for improving microwave hyperthermia by a combination therapy of vessel disruptive agent and immune modulator.

Microwave (MW) hyperthermia is one of the safest and most efficient minimally invasive tumor treatment methods, it is restricted by the bottlenecks of the heat sink effect and ineffective immune activation. Herein, a multifunctional nano platform with the load of nano immune modulator bimetallic metal-organic framework (BM), tumor vessel destructive agent and prodrug for gas production is developed for improving MW hyperthermia. Specifically, the combretastatin A4 phosphate (CA4P) was a vessel destructive agent to reduce MW heat loss by destructing the tumor blood vessel. Moreover, the as designed BM can scavenge the endogenic reactive oxygen species, which is conducive to hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) that produced by bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3) to activate immune cells. Our in vivo experimental results demonstrate the destruction of tumor blood vessels coupled with the activated immune system results in the remarkable antitumor effect. This study provides an efficient strategy to improve MW hyperthermia by a combination of vasculature-targeting therapy with systemic immunity.

Phytocomplex Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Powdered Fruits and Leaves from Elaeagnus angustifolia.

Fully ripe fruits and mature leaves of Elaeagnus angustifolia were harvested and analyzed by means of analytical and biological tests to better comprehend the chemical composition and therapeutic/nutraceutical potential of this plant. Fruits and leaves were dried and the obtained powders were analyzed to study their color character and (via headspace gas chromatography) describe the chemical profile. Subsequently, they were submitted to a chloroform-methanol extraction, to a hydroalcoholic extraction procedure assisted or not by microwaves, and to an extraction with supercritical CO2, assisted or not by ethanol as the co-solvent, to detect the polyphenolic and the volatile content. The resulting extracts were evaluated in terms of chlorophyll and carotenoid content, polyphenolic content, volatile fraction, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity, radical scavenging activity, and enzymatic inhibition activity. The results confirmed the correlation between the chemical composition and the high antioxidant potential of leaf extracts compared to the fruit extracts in terms of the phenolic and pigment content. A promising effect against tyrosinase emerged for all the extracts, suggesting a therapeutic/nutraceutical use for this plant. Conversely, the volatile content from both natural matrices was similar.

Microwave assisted high performance liquid chromatography for the separation of triacylglycerols in vegetable oils using an evaporative light scattering detector.

Microwave (MW) radiation was applied to perform the separation of triacylglycerols (TGs) in oil samples. The novelty of the work lies in the application of MW radiation to assist the separation of several non-polar compounds employing a totally organic mobile phase. Once the influence of the evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) variables on the sensitivity was optimized, the TGs separation was compared conditioning the column with either a conventional HPLC or a MW oven. Contrary to previous applications in which the mobile phase contained water, the improvement in sensitivity using MW was not as significant in comparison with conventional heating but it allowed a shortening in the retention times of several TGs in about 50% respect elution at room temperature. The method was finally applied for the quantification of most common TGs in almond, tiger nut, and argan oil.

Boswellia serrata oleo-gum-resin and ß-boswellic acid inhibits HSV-1 infection in vitro through modulation of NF-кB and p38 MAP kinase signaling.

BACKGROUND: Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), a highly contagious pathogen, is responsible for causing lifelong oral to genital infection in human. Boswellia serrata oleo-gum-resin possesses a strong traditional background of treating diverse skin ailments including infection but its effect on HSV-1 has not been examined yet. PURPOSE: To exploit its potential, we aimed to explore the antiviral activity of methanol extract of B. serrata oleo-gum-resin (BSE) and one of its major constituent ß-boswellic acid (BA) against HSV-1 along with the underlying mechanism of action involved. METHODS: BSE was subjected to RP-HPLC analysis to quantify the active constituent. Cytotoxicity (CC50) and antiviral activity were evaluated by MTT and plaque reduction assay, followed by the determination of median effective concentration (EC50). The mode of antiviral activity was assessed by time-of-addition assay and confirmed by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR). Further, the expressions of various cytokines were measured by RT-PCR, while the proteins by Western blot. RESULTS: BSE and BA potently inhibited wild-type and a clinical isolate of HSV-1 (EC50 5.2-6.2 and 12.1-14.63 µg/ml), with nearly-complete inhibition (EC99) at 10 and 30 µg/ml, respectively. The inhibitory effect was significant at 1 h post-infection and effective up to 4 h. Based on target analysis we examined the inhibition of NF-κB, essential for virus replication, and observed significant down-regulation of NF-κB, and p38 MAP-kinase activation, with reduced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6, involved in scheming NF-κB signaling. CONCLUSION: Thus, our results support the ethnomedicinal use of BSE in skin infection by inhibiting HSV-1 through the modulation of NF-κB and p38 MAPK pathway.

Generation and characterization of DOM in wastewater treatment processes.

Wastewater reuse for resolving water shortage is increasingly emphasized. The presence of DOM in wastewater is a main consideration for wastewater reuse. Therefore, systematic understanding of characteristic changes of DOM in different wastewater treatment processes is needed. As biotechnology together with disinfection operation has been used widely by WWTPs to treat wastewater, this review aims to introduce the recent advances in the effects of wastewater biological treatment and disinfection on the characteristics of DOM. Firstly, the composition of DOM in WWTPs is introduced. Then, the effects of wastewater treatments on hydrophobicity, MW distribution and optical characteristics of DOM and their correlations are reviewed. Also, the influences of wastewater treatments on biodegradability and biotoxicity of DOM are discussed. Finally, the environmental impact of effluent DOM is summarized. Since the discharge of wastewater effluent DOM to the environment not only influences nutrient uptake by bacteria, plankton and algae, and phototransformation rate of micropollutants in natural water, but also changes DOM level and physicochemical properties of soil.

Barley ß-glucan reduces blood cholesterol levels via interrupting bile acid metabolism.

Underlying mechanisms responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect of ß-glucan have been proposed, yet have not been fully demonstrated. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether the consumption of barley ß-glucan lowers cholesterol by affecting the cholesterol absorption, cholesterol synthesis or bile acid synthesis. In addition, this study was aimed to assess whether the underlying mechanisms are related to cholesterol 7α hydroxylase (CYP7A1) SNP rs3808607 as proposed by us earlier. In a controlled, randomised, cross-over study, participants with mild hypercholesterolaemia (n 30) were randomly assigned to receive breakfast containing 3 g high-molecular weight (HMW), 5 g low-molecular weight (LMW), 3 g LMW barley ß-glucan or a control diet, each for 5 weeks. Cholesterol absorption was determined by assessing the enrichment of circulating 13C-cholesterol over 96 h following oral administration; fractional rate of synthesis for cholesterol was assessed by measuring the incorporation rate of 2H derived from deuterium oxide within the body water pool into the erythrocyte cholesterol pool over 24 h; bile acid synthesis was determined by measuring serum 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one concentrations. Consumption of 3 g HMW ß-glucan decreased total cholesterol (TC) levels (P=0·029), but did not affect cholesterol absorption (P=0·25) or cholesterol synthesis (P=0·14). Increased bile acid synthesis after consumption of 3 g HMW ß-glucan was observed in all participants (P=0·049), and more pronounced in individuals carrying homozygous G of rs3808607 (P=0·033). In addition, a linear relationship between log (viscosity) of ß-glucan and serum 7α-HC concentration was observed in homozygous G allele carriers. Results indicate that increased bile acid synthesis rather than inhibition of cholesterol absorption or synthesis may be responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect of barley ß-glucan. The pronounced TC reduction in G allele carriers of rs3808607 observed in the previous study may be due to enhanced bile acid synthesis in response to high-viscosity ß-glucan consumption in those individuals.

Antibacterial activity of medicinal plants from The Physicians of Myddvai, a 14th century Welsh medical manuscript.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Antimicrobial drug resistance is a growing threat to global public health. Historical records and herbal texts relating to traditional Celtic medicine indicate an extensive pharmacopeia of plants for treating infections likely caused by microbes. However, a major barrier for successful integration of these remedies into mainstream practice is the current lack of accurate interpretation and scientific validation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the flora of the Isle of Arran, Scotland, via in situ targeted screening of 83 out of 138 plants identified in Meddygion Myddvai (a 14th century Welsh manuscript) to treat conditions related to microbial infections, and an additional 18 plants from modern ethnobotanical knowledge on the island (Scottish School of Herbal Medicine). In a follow-up proof-of-concept study, bioassay-guided fractionation was performed to identify bioactive constituents from two high scoring hits that inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) bacterial growth. RESULTS: 67 historical plants (80.7%) and 14 modern plants (77.8%) were found to have detectable levels of antimicrobial activity when tested using Mobile Discovery kits, with human saliva as a source of bacteria for screening. Sabinene, a natural bicyclic monoterpene from juniper "berries" (Juniperus communis L.) and alliin, a natural sulfoxide from garlic cloves (Allium sativum L.), were isolated and confirmed as primary antibacterial leads. CONCLUSION: Using historical medical sources such as those associated with traditional Celtic medicine to guide rigorous, evidence-based scientific investigation, provides additional leads for new and alternative bioactive molecules for combating bacterial diseases.

The alteration of mRNA expression of SOD and GPX genes, and proteins in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) under stress of NaCl and/or ZnO nanoparticles.

Five cultivars of tomato having different levels of salt stress tolerance were exposed to different treatments of NaCl (0, 3 and 6 g L-1) and ZnO-NPs (0, 15 and 30 mg L-1). Treatments with NaCl at both 3 and 6 g L-1 suppressed the mRNA levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) genes in all cultivars while plants treated with ZnO-NPs in the presence of NaCl, showed increments in the mRNA expression levels. This indicated that ZnO-NPs had a positive response on plant metabolism under salt stress. Superior expression levels of mRNA were observed in the salt tolerant cultivars, Sandpoint and Edkawy while the lowest level was detected in the salt sensitive cultivar, Anna Aasa. SDS-PAGE showed clear differences in patterns of protein expression among the cultivars. A negative protein marker for salt sensitivity and ZnO-NPs was detected in cv. Anna Aasa at a molecular weight of 19.162 kDa, while the tolerant cultivar Edkawy had two positive markers at molecular weights of 74.991 and 79.735 kDa.

Microwave treatment of dairy manure for resource recovery: Reaction kinetics and energy analysis.

A newly designed continuous-flow 915 MHz microwave wastewater treatment system was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the microwave enhanced advanced oxidation process (MW/H2O2-AOP) for treating dairy manure. After the treatment, about 84% of total phosphorus and 45% of total chemical oxygen demand were solubilized with the highest H2O2 dosage (0.4% H2O2 per %TS). The reaction kinetics of soluble chemical oxygen demand revealed activation energy to be in the range of 5-22 kJ mole-1. The energy required by the processes was approximately 0.16 kWh per liter of dairy manure heated. A higher H2O2 dosage used in the system had a better process performance in terms of solids solubilization, reaction kinetics, and energy consumption. Cost-benefit analysis for a farm-scale MW/H2O2-AOP treatment system was also presented. The results obtained from this study would provide the basic knowledge for designing an effective farm-scale dairy manure treatment system.

Encapsulating Ionic Liquid and Fe3O4 Nanoparticles in Gelatin Microcapsules as Microwave Susceptible Agent for MR Imaging-guided Tumor Thermotherapy.

The combination of therapies and monitoring the treatment process has become a new concept in cancer therapy. Herein, gelatin-based microcapsules have been first reported to be used as microwave (MW) susceptible agent and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging contrast agent for cancer MW thermotherapy. Using the simple coacervation methods, ionic liquid (IL) and Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were wrapped in microcapsules, and these microcapsules showed good heating efficacy in vitro under MW irradiation. The results of cell tests indicated that gelatin/IL@Fe3O4 microcapsules possessed excellent compatibility in physiological environments, and they could effectively kill cancer cells with exposure to MW. The ICR mice bearing H22 tumors treated with gelatin/IL@Fe3O4 microcapsules were obtained an outstanding MW thermotherapy efficacy with 100% tumor elimination under ultralow density irradiation (1.8 W/cm(2), 450 MHz). In addition, the applicability of the microcapsules as an efficient contrast agent for MR imaging in vivo was evident. Therefore, these multifunctional microcapsules have a great potential for MR imaging-guided MW thermotherapy.

Estrogen, vascular estrogen receptor and hormone therapy in postmenopausal vascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is less common in premenopausal women than men of the same age or postmenopausal women, suggesting vascular benefits of estrogen. Estrogen activates estrogen receptors ERα, ERß and GPR30 in endothelium and vascular smooth muscle (VSM), which trigger downstream signaling pathways and lead to genomic and non-genomic vascular effects such as vasodilation, decreased VSM contraction and growth and reduced vascular remodeling. However, randomized clinical trials (RCTs), such as the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and Heart and Estrogen/progestin Replacement Study (HERS), have shown little vascular benefits and even adverse events with menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), likely due to factors related to the MHT used, ER profile, and RCT design. Some MHT forms, dose, combinations or route of administration may have inadequate vascular effects. Age-related changes in ER amount, distribution, integrity and post-ER signaling could alter the vascular response to MHT. The subject's age, preexisting CVD, and hormone environment could also reduce the effects of MHT. Further evaluation of natural and synthetic estrogens, phytoestrogens, and selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs), and the design of appropriate MHT combinations, dose, route and 'timing' could improve the effectiveness of conventional MHT and provide alternative therapies in the peri-menopausal period. Targeting ER using specific ER agonists, localized MHT delivery, and activation of specific post-ER signaling pathways could counter age-related changes in ER. Examination of the hormone environment and conditions associated with hormone imbalance such as polycystic ovary syndrome may reveal the causes of abnormal hormone-receptor interactions. Consideration of these factors in new RCTs such as the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) could enhance the vascular benefits of estrogen in postmenopausal CVD.

Characterisation and toxicological assessment of Neutral Methacrylate Copolymer for GRAS evaluation.

Neutral Methacrylate Copolymer is a fully polymerised copolymer used in the pharmaceutical industry to permit pH-independent delayed release of active ingredients from oral dosage forms. This function has potential use with food supplements and this article describes available information on the safety of the substance. Oral administration of radiolabelled copolymer to rats resulted in the detection of chemically unchanged copolymer in the faeces, with negligible absorption. Safety studies revealed no adverse toxicity following repeated administration at doses of up to 2000 mg/kg bw/d in a sub-chronic study in rats or 250 mg/kg bw/d in a sub-chronic study in dogs. No reproductive toxicity occurred at up to 2000 mg/kg bw/d in rats or rabbits. The substance shows no evidence of genotoxicity, has low acute toxicity and no irritation or sensitisation potential. An ADI value of 20 mg/kg bw was concluded from two alternative approaches. Daily exposure from use in dietary supplements is estimated as up to 10.0 mg/kg bw in adults and 13.3 mg/kg bw in children. There would therefore appear to be no safety concerns under the intended conditions of use. The information provided is intended to support an evaluation that the substance may be "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS).

Novel polymorphisms in UTR and coding region of inducible heat shock protein 70.1 gene in tropically adapted Indian zebu cattle (Bos indicus) and riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

Due to evolutionary divergence, cattle (taurine, and indicine) and buffalo are speculated to have different responses to heat stress condition. Variation in candidate genes associated with a heat-shock response may provide an insight into the dissimilarity and suggest targets for intervention. The present work was undertaken to characterize one of the inducible heat shock protein genes promoter and coding regions in diverse breeds of Indian zebu cattle and buffaloes. The genomic DNA from a panel of 117 unrelated animals representing 14 diversified native cattle breeds and 6 buffalo breeds were utilized to determine the complete sequence and gene diversity of HSP70.1 gene. The coding region of HSP70.1 gene in Indian zebu cattle, Bos taurus and buffalo was similar in length (1,926 bp) encoding a HSP70 protein of 641 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight (Mw) of 70.26 kDa. However buffalo had a longer 5' and 3' untranslated region (UTR) of 204 and 293 nucleotides respectively, in comparison to Indian zebu cattle and Bos taurus wherein length of 5' and 3'-UTR was 172 and 286 nucleotides, respectively. The increased length of buffalo HSP70.1 gene compared to indicine and taurine gene was due to two insertions each in 5' and 3'-UTR. Comparative sequence analysis of cattle (taurine and indicine) and buffalo HSP70.1 gene revealed a total of 54 gene variations (50 SNPs and 4 INDELs) among the three species in the HSP70.1 gene. The minor allele frequencies of these nucleotide variations varied from 0.03 to 0.5 with an average of 0.26. Among the 14 B. indicus cattle breeds studied, a total of 19 polymorphic sites were identified: 4 in the 5'-UTR and 15 in the coding region (of these 2 were non-synonymous). Analysis among buffalo breeds revealed 15 SNPs throughout the gene: 6 at the 5' flanking region and 9 in the coding region. In bubaline 5'-UTR, 2 additional putative transcription factor binding sites (Elk-1 and C-Re1) were identified, other than three common sites (CP2, HSE and Pax-4) observed across all the analyzed animals. No polymorphism was found within the 3'-UTR of Indian cattle or buffalo as it was found to be monomorphic. The promoter sequences generated in 117 individuals showed a rich array of sequence elements known to be involved in transcription regulation. A total of 11 nucleotide changes were observed in the promoter sequence across the analyzed species, 3 of these changes were located within the potential transcription factor binding domains. We also identified 4 microsatellite markers within the buffalo HSP70.1 gene and 3 microsatellites within bovine HSP70.1. The present study identified several distinct changes across indicine, taurine and bubaline HSP70.1 genes that could further be evaluated as molecular markers for thermotolerance.