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Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... Jun 2024This study investigated the chemical constituents, antioxidant potential, and in vitro and in silico antidiabetic activity of Gymnema sylvestre. Column chromatography...
This study investigated the chemical constituents, antioxidant potential, and in vitro and in silico antidiabetic activity of Gymnema sylvestre. Column chromatography and spectroscopic techniques identified twelve compounds from the methanol extract, including 4 sterols (1-4), 5 triterpenoids (5-9), and 3 flavonoids (10-12). The chemophenetic significance of all compounds was also investigated. The antioxidant capacity of the extract and compounds (1-4) was evaluated using FRAP and DPPH assays. The extract exhibited strong free radical scavenging activity (IC = 48.34 µg/mL), while compounds (1-4) displayed varying degrees of efficacy (IC = 98.30-286.13 µg/mL). The FRAP assay indicated significant reducing power for both extract and compounds (58.54, 47.61, 56.61, and 49.11 mg Eq.VitC/g for extract and compounds 1 & 2, 3, and 4, respectively). The antidiabetic potential was assessed through α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzyme inhibition assays. The crude extract demonstrated the most potent inhibition (IC = 218.46 and 57.42 µg/mL for α-glucosidase and α-amylase respectively) suggesting its potential for managing postprandial hyperglycaemia. In silico studies employed molecular docking and dynamics simulations to elucidate the interactions between identified compounds and α-amylase/α-glucosidase enzymes. The results revealed promising binding affinities between the compounds and target enzymes, with compound 6 demonstrating the highest predicted inhibitory activity with -10 kcal/mol and -9.1 kcal/mol for α-amylase and α-glucosidase, respectively. This study highlights the presence of diverse bioactive compounds in Gymnema sylvestre. The extract exhibits antioxidant properties and inhibits carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, suggesting its potential as a complementary therapeutic approach for managing hyperglycaemia associated with type 2 diabetes.
PubMed: 38941896
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117043 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Jun 2024Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice, a global environmental issue, poses a significant threat to human health due to its widespread presence and potential transfer through... (Review)
Review
Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice, a global environmental issue, poses a significant threat to human health due to its widespread presence and potential transfer through the food chain. Selenium (Se), an essential micronutrient for humans and plants, can reduce Cd uptake in rice and alleviate Cd-induced toxicity. However, the effects and mechanisms of Se supplementation on rice performance in Cd-contaminated soil remain largely unknown. Here, a global meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the existing knowledge on the effects and mechanisms by which Se supplementation impacts rice growth and Cd accumulation. The result showed that Se supplementation has a significant positive impact on rice growth in Cd-contaminated soil. Specifically, Se supplementation decreased Cd accumulation in rice roots by 16.3 % (11.8-20.6 %), shoots by 24.6 % (19.9-29.1 %), and grain by 37.3 % (33.4-40.9 %), respectively. The grain Cd reduction was associated with Se dose and soil Cd contamination level but not Se type or application method. Se influences Cd accumulation in rice by regulating the expression of Cd transporter genes (OSLCT1, OSHMA2, and OSHMA3), enhancing Cd sequestration in the cell walls, and reducing Cd bioavailability in the soil. Importantly, Se treatment promoted Se enrichment in rice and alleviated oxidative damage associated with Cd exposure by stimulating photosynthesis and activating antioxidant enzymes. Overall, Se treatment mitigated the health hazard associated with Cd in rice grains, particularly in lightly contaminated soil. These findings reveal that Se supplementation is a promising strategy for simultaneous Cd reduction and Se enrichment in rice.
PubMed: 38941835
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135043 -
Journal of Hazardous Materials Jun 2024The orpiment (AsS) is an important secondary mineral in the geochemical process of arsenic (As) in the environment. The dissolution of orpiment has a close relationship...
The orpiment (AsS) is an important secondary mineral in the geochemical process of arsenic (As) in the environment. The dissolution of orpiment has a close relationship with the migration and transformation of As. The dissolved species of AsS is closely related to sulfide (S) in the anoxic and sulfidic environment. This paper focuses on the various As species formed when AsS dissolved in the presence and absence of excess S under anoxic conditions with simulation tests via X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), liquid chromatography with (hydride generation) atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry, and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that the As produced when AsS dissolved in the excess S contained a mixture of arsenite and thioarsenite (ThioAs). Based on the linear combination fitting, ThioAs is the dominant As species (88.2 %) with arsenite as the leftover component. However, the percentage of ThioAs decreased to 43.7 % if AsS dissolved in the absence of excess S, indicting ThioAs favored under sulfidic conditions. The findings may give further insights about the role and formation mechanism of ThioAs in the dissolution process of AsS. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: The dissolution of crystallization orpiment has a close relationship with the transport of As in the environment. Qualitatively and quantitatively identification of the dissolved species of AsS in the presence and absence of excess S may be helpful for a better understanding and predicting the fate of As. The formed trithioarsenite was the dominant dissolved species compared to arsenite in the sulfidic system. It has higher mobility than As and As, and has been found in many As-related adsorption/desorption and redox reactions. Therefore, great cautions should be given when choosing technologies to remediate the As contaminated soils and waters.
PubMed: 38941833
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134989 -
Marine Pollution Bulletin Jun 2024This study assessed the ecological health of waters within the Saudi Arabian Exclusive Economic Zone, by utilizing benthic biotic indices with a marine monitoring... (Review)
Review
This study assessed the ecological health of waters within the Saudi Arabian Exclusive Economic Zone, by utilizing benthic biotic indices with a marine monitoring dataset covering the years 2013 to 2018. This comprehensive evaluation covered a vast expanse, encompassing 67 distinctive sampling locations characterized by a wide range of depth and salinity gradients. The study examined spatial fluctuations in the benthic community and assessed potential correlations with environmental variables, including salinity, depth, sediment texture, total organic carbon, and other relevant factors. The macrobenthic density varied across the study sites, with an average density of 566 ± 120 ind.m. The Shannon diversity index ranged from 3.21 and 5.90, with an average of 4.70 ± 0.52. Based on the average AMBI values, all the locations were categorized as either slightly disturbed or undisturbed. Additionally, the M-AMBI analysis indicated that 95.5 % sites were in good or high ecological status.
PubMed: 38941805
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116571 -
Clinical Nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Jun 2024An increasing amount of evidence suggests that migraine is a response to cerebral energy deficiencies or oxidative stress levels that exceed antioxidant capacity....
BACKGROUND
An increasing amount of evidence suggests that migraine is a response to cerebral energy deficiencies or oxidative stress levels that exceed antioxidant capacity. Current pharmacological options are inadequate in treating patients with chronic migraine, and a growing interest focuses on nutritional approaches as non-pharmacological treatments. The ketogenic diet, mimicking fasting that leads to an elevation of ketone bodies, is a therapeutic intervention targeting cerebral metabolism that has recently shown great promise in the prevention of migraines. Moreover, Mediterranean elements like vegetables, nuts, herbs, spices, and olive oil that are sources of anti-inflammatory elements (omega-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins, essential minerals, and probiotics) may create a positive brain environment by reducing imbalance in the gut microbiome.
METHODS
On the basis of these indications, a combined Mediterranean-ketogenic diet was administered to chronic migraine patients for 4 (T1) and 8 weeks (T2), and anthropometric estimations were collected at T1 and T2 while biochemical parameters at only T2.
RESULTS
A significant reduction (p < 0.01) in migraine frequency and intensity was detected as early as 4 weeks of dietary intervention, which was associated with a reduced fat mass (p < 0.001) as well as Homa index (p < 0.05) and insulin levels (p < 0.01) after 8 weeks.
CONCLUSION
Overall, Mediterranean-ketogenic diet may be considered an effective non-pharmacological intervention for migraine, with positive outcomes on body composition.
PubMed: 38941791
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.06.015 -
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Jun 2024The Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact, a rapid color shift, appears on pathological mineralizations and is theorized to arise from scattering off micron-sized...
The Doppler ultrasound twinkling artifact, a rapid color shift, appears on pathological mineralizations and is theorized to arise from scattering off micron-sized crevice microbubbles. However, the influence of crevice number and size as well as the bubble dynamics on twinkling is not well-understood. Cylinders with diameters of 0.8-1.2 µm and depths of 1 µm were etched into a silicon wafer and crevice bubbles were driven at 0.75, 2.5, and 5.0 MHz while monitoring with high-speed photography. Experimental results were compared to a derived crevice bubble model. On three separate wafers, cylindrical crevices (10 or 100) with diameters of 1, 10, or 100 µm and depths of 10 µm were etched and imaged with a research ultrasound system in Doppler mode at 5, 7.8, and 18.5 MHz. Within the pressure ranges studied here (∼1MPa), no bubble oscillation was observed for the 0.8-1.2 µm crevice bubbles which matched computational results. Crevices with 1 and 10 µm diameters produced more twinkling than 100 µm crevices at 5 and 7.8 MHz. In contrast, 100 µm crevices produced more twinkling than 1 or 10 µm crevices at 18.5 MHz (p < 0.001 in all cases). These results provide better insight into how crevice bubbles cause twinkling on pathological mineralizations.
PubMed: 38941704
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.106971 -
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jun 2024Following ion-adsorption rare earth mining, the residual tailings experience considerable heavy metal contamination and gradually evolve into a pollution source....
Following ion-adsorption rare earth mining, the residual tailings experience considerable heavy metal contamination and gradually evolve into a pollution source. Therefore, the leaching characteristics and environmental impact of heavy metals in ion-adsorption rare earth tailings require immediate and thorough investigation. This study adopted batch and column experiments to investigate the leaching behaviour of heavy metals in tailings and assess the impact of tailings on paddy soil, thereby providing a scientific basis for environmental protection in mining areas. The results showed that Mn, Zn, and Pb contents were 431.67, 155.05, and 264.33 mg·kg, respectively, which were several times higher than their respective background values, thereby indicating significant heavy metal contamination in the tailings. The batch leaching experiment indicated that Mn and Pb were priority control heavy metals. Heavy metals were divided into fast and slow leaching stages. The Mn and Pb leaching concentrations far exceeded environmental limits. The DoseResp model perfectly fitted the leaching of all heavy metals from the tailings (R > 0.99). In conjunction with the findings of the column experiment and correlation analysis, the chemical form, rainfall pH, ammonia nitrogen, and mineral properties were identified as the primary factors controlling heavy metal release from tailings. Rainfall primarily caused heavy metal migration in the acid-extraction form from the tailings. The tailing leachate not only introduced heavy metals into the paddy soil but also caused the transformation of the chemical form of heavy metals in the paddy soil, further exacerbating the environmental risk posed by heavy metals. The study findings are significant for environmental conservation in mining areas and implementing environmentally friendly practices in rare earth mining.
PubMed: 38941660
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116642 -
Current Sports Medicine Reports Jul 2024Female wrestling has grown exponentially over the past decade. Within the United States, 46 states now recognize female high school wrestling, and 153 colleges have... (Review)
Review
Female wrestling has grown exponentially over the past decade. Within the United States, 46 states now recognize female high school wrestling, and 153 colleges have programs. It is on track to become an NCAA championship-level sport in 2026. A primary health and safety risk among this cohort pertains to rapid weight loss strategies. These can lead to intentional caloric restriction and decreased body fatness, with the perceived goal of attaining a competitive advantage. Low energy availability and low body fatness are associated with a number of health concerns including menstrual dysfunction and loss of bone mineral density in girls and women. The current recommendation of 12% as a minimum for percentage body fat is very likely too low, opening the door for health perturbations among this population. The minimum threshold might more appropriately fall within the range of 18% to 20%. Body fat assessment methods, primarily skinfold measures that are used to guide weight class selection, have not been adequately validated among this population and therefore should be an area of research focus, while also exploring alternative assessment techniques. Further, we recommend that weight cycling, restrictive energy intake, and intentional dehydration be avoided. Research should assess the effects of frequent weight cycling (to "make weight") and prolonged periods of low body fat on the reproductive and bone health of these athletes. Finally, research and clinical evaluations on female wrestlers are limited, and we offer a list of research priorities for future investigation into this contemporary issue.
Topics: Humans; Female; Wrestling; Bone Density; Weight Loss; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 38941548
DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000001183 -
Journal of Experimental Botany Jun 2024Plants use a combination of sophisticated local and systemic pathways to optimize growth depending on heterogeneous nutrient availability in the soil. Legume plants can...
Plants use a combination of sophisticated local and systemic pathways to optimize growth depending on heterogeneous nutrient availability in the soil. Legume plants can acquire mineral nitrogen (N) either through their roots or via a symbiotic interaction with N-fixing rhizobia bacteria housed in so-called root nodules. To identify shoot-to-root systemic signals acting in Medicago truncatula plants at N-deficit or N-satiety, plants were grown in a split-root experimental design, in which either high or low N was provided to a half of the root system, allowing the analysis of systemic pathways independently of any local N response. Among the plant hormone families analyzed, the cytokinin trans-Zeatin accumulated in plants at N-satiety. Cytokinin application by petiole feeding led to an inhibition of both root growth and nodulation. In addition, an exhaustive analysis of miRNAs revealed that miR2111 accumulates systemically under N-deficit in both shoots and non-treated distant roots, whereas a miRNA related to inorganic Phosphate (Pi)-acquisition, the miR399, does so in plants grown at N-satiety. These two accumulation patterns are dependent on CRA2 (Compact Root Architecture 2), a receptor required for CEP (C-terminally Encoded Peptide) signaling. Constitutive ectopic expression of the miR399 reduced nodule numbers and root biomass depending on Pi availability, suggesting that the miR399-dependent Pi-acquisition regulatory module controlled by N-availability affects the development of the whole legume plant root system.
PubMed: 38941269
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae281 -
Chemphyschem : a European Journal of... Jun 2024It is known that various polysulfide species determine the color of sodalite-group minerals (haüyne, lazurite, slyudyankaite), and that heating induces their...
It is known that various polysulfide species determine the color of sodalite-group minerals (haüyne, lazurite, slyudyankaite), and that heating induces their transformations and color change, but the mechanisms of the transitions are unknown. A prominent example is the decay of cyclic S6 molecule. Using density-functional simulations, we explore its main decay pathways into the most probable final reaction products (the pairs of radical anions S3•-+ S3•- and S2•- + S4•-). It was found that the most favorable reaction path involves initial capture of one electron by the S6 molecule, which greatly facilitates its decay of S6 and leads to the opening of the S6 cycle, and subsequent decomposition of the thus formed chain radical anion, with a limiting energy barrier of ~0.4 eV. Neutral polysulfide molecules capture one electron with a significant energy reduction. The radical anions Sn•- (n = 2 - 6) are the most stable ones among corresponding species with the same n values and different charges. The capture of the second electron by S6•- occurs with a huge energy barrier (~2 eV). The results of the DFT calculations are in agreement with experimental data on the products of thermal conversions of extra-framework S-bearing groups in sodalite-group minerals.
PubMed: 38941264
DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202400532