Biochemistry Research International最新文献

{"title":"Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Ji-Gan Wang,&nbsp;Zhi-Juan Zhong,&nbsp;Meng Li,&nbsp;Jun Fu,&nbsp;Yu-Heng Su,&nbsp;You-Min Ping,&nbsp;Zi-Ji Xu,&nbsp;Hao Li,&nbsp;Yan-Hao Chen,&nbsp;Yu-Li Huang","doi":"10.1155/2021/5596727","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5596727","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to describe the clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children to provide a reference for clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employed a literature search of databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Johns Hopkins University for articles on COVID-19-related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children published between April 1, 2020, and January 15, 2021. High-quality articles were selected for analysis on the basis of their quality standard scores. Using R3.6.3 software, meta-analyses of random- or fixed-effects models were used to determine the prevalence of comorbidities. Subgroup analysis was also performed to determine heterogeneity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 57 articles (2,290 pediatric patients) were included in the study. <i>Clinical Manifestations</i>. :ncidences of fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, and musculoskeletal symptoms (myalgias or arthralgias) were 99.91% (95% CI: 99.67-100%), 82.72% (95% CI: 78.19-86.81%), 53.02% (45.28-60.68%), and 14.16% (95% CI: 8.4-21.12%), respectively. The incidences of rash, conjunctival injection, lymphadenopathy, dry cracked lips, neurologic symptoms (headache, altered mental status, or confusion), swollen hands and feet, typical Kawasaki disease, and atypical Kawasaki disease were 59.34% (95% CI: 54.73-63.87%), 55.23% (95% CI: 50.22-60.19%), 27.07% (95% CI: 19.87-34.93%), 46.37% (95% CI: 39.97-52.83%), 28.87% (95% CI: 22.76-35.40%), 28.75% (95% CI: 21.46-36.64%), 17.32% (95% CI: 15.44-19.29%), and 36.19% (95% CI: 21.90-51.86%), respectively. The incidences of coronary artery dilation, aneurysm, pericardial effusion, myocarditis, myocardial dysfunction, high troponin, and <i>N</i>-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide were 17.83%, 6.85%, 20.97%, 35.97%, 56.32%, 76.34%, and 86.65%, respectively. The incidences of reduced lymphocytes, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, elevated C-reactive protein, ferritin, LDH, interleukin-6, PCT, and FIB were 61.51%, 26.42%, 77.92%, 98.5%, 86.79%, 80.59%, 89.30%, 85.10%, and 87.01%, respectively. <i>PICU Hospitalization Rate and Mortality</i>. The incidences of PICU hospitalization or with shock were 72.79% and 55.68%, respectively. The mortality rate was 1.00%. <i>Conclusion and Relevance</i>. PICU hospitalization and shock rates of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children associated with COVID-19 were high, and its cumulative multiorgans and inflammatory indicators are increased, but if treated in time, the mortality rate was low.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8324361/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39273453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simultaneous Determination of 78 Compounds of <i>Rhodiola rosea</i> Extract by Supercritical CO₂-Extraction and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS Spectrometry.","authors":"Alexander M Zakharenko,&nbsp;Mayya P Razgonova,&nbsp;Konstantin S Pikula,&nbsp;Kirill S Golokhvast","doi":"10.1155/2021/9957490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9957490","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The plant <i>Rhodiola rosea</i> L. of family <i>Crassulaceae</i> was extracted using the supercritical CO₂-extraction method. Several experimental conditions were investigated in the pressure range of 200-500 bar, with the used volume of cosolvent ethanol in the amount of 1% in the liquid phase at a temperature in the range of 31-70°C. The most effective extraction conditions are pressure 350 bar and temperature 60°C. The extracts were analyzed by HPLC with MS/MS identification. 78 target analytes were isolated from <i>Rhodiola rosea</i> (Russia) using a series of column chromatography and mass spectrometry experiments. The results of the analysis showed a spectrum of the main active ingredients <i>Rh. rosea</i>: salidroside, rhodiolosides (B and C), rhodiosin, luteolin, catechin, quercetin, quercitrin, herbacetin, sacranoside A, vimalin, and others. In addition to the reported metabolites, 29 metabolites were newly annotated in <i>Rh. rosea.</i> There were flavonols: dihydroquercetin, acacetin, mearnsetin, and taxifolin-O-pentoside; flavones: apigenin-O-hexoside derivative, tricetin trimethyl ether 7-O-hexosyl-hexoside, tricin 7-O-glucoronyl-O-hexoside, tricin O-pentoside, and tricin-O-dihexoside; flavanones: eriodictyol-7-O-glucoside; flavan-3-ols: gallocatechin, hydroxycinnamic acid caffeoylmalic acid, and di-O-caffeoylquinic acid; coumarins: esculetin; esculin: fraxin; and lignans: hinokinin, pinoresinol, L-ascorbic acid, glucaric acid, palmitic acid, and linolenic acid. The results of supercritical CO₂-extraction from roots and rhizomes of <i>Rh. rosea</i>, in particular, indicate that the extract contained all biologically active components of the plant, as well as inert mixtures of extracted compositions.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8279876/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39220532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Recent Advances in Enzymes for the Bioremediation of Pollutants.","authors":"Seyyed Mojtaba Mousavi,&nbsp;Seyyed Alireza Hashemi,&nbsp;Seyed Mohammad Iman Moezzi,&nbsp;Navid Ravan,&nbsp;Ahmad Gholami,&nbsp;Chin Wei Lai,&nbsp;Wei-Hung Chiang,&nbsp;Navid Omidifar,&nbsp;Khadije Yousefi,&nbsp;Gity Behbudi","doi":"10.1155/2021/5599204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5599204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nowadays, pollution of the environment is a huge problem for humans and other organisms' health. Conventional methods of pollutant removal like membrane filtration or ion exchange are not efficient enough to lower the number of pollutants to standard levels. Biological methods, because of their higher efficiency and biocompatibility, are preferred for the remediation of pollutants. These cost-effective and environment-friendly methods of reducing pollutants are called bioremediation. In bioremediation methods, enzymes play the most crucial role. Enzymes can remedy different types of organic and inorganic pollutants, including PAHs, azo dyes, polymers, organocyanides, lead, chromium, and mercury. Different enzymes isolated from various species have been used for the bioremediation of pollutants. Discovering new enzymes and new subtypes with specific physicochemical characteristics would be a promising way to find more efficient and cost-effective tools for the remediation of pollutants.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8364428/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39319718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimalarial, Antioxidant, and Toxicological Evaluation of Extracts of <i>Celtis africana</i>, <i>Grosseria vignei</i>, <i>Physalis micrantha</i>, and <i>Stachytarpheta angustifolia</i>.","authors":"Michael Konney Laryea,&nbsp;Lawrence Sheringham Borquaye","doi":"10.1155/2021/9971857","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/9971857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In many parts of the world, malaria undoubtedly poses a serious threat to health care systems. Malaria treatment has increasingly become complicated, primarily due to the emergence of widespread resistance of the malaria parasites to cheap and affordable malaria therapeutics. The use of herbal remedies to treat various ailments, including malaria and malaria-like ailments in Ghana is common. We herein report on the antiplasmodial and antioxidant activities as well as toxicological evaluation of four medicinal plants (<i>Celtis africana</i>, <i>Grosseria vignei</i>, <i>Physalis micrantha</i>, and <i>Stachytarpheta angustifolia)</i> commonly used to treat malaria in Ghana. Following Soxhlet extraction of plant samples in ethanol, extracts were screened against <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> (3D7 strain) in an <i>in vitro</i> antiplasmodial assay. The phosphomolybdenum and DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2 picrylhydrazyl) assays were used to evaluate antioxidant activities while toxicity assessment was carried out in mice using the acute toxicity test and kidney and liver function tests. Extracts from <i>Celtis africana</i> and <i>Physalis micrantha</i> were very active towards the parasites with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀'s) of 29.1 and 3.5 <i>µ</i>g/mL, respectively. Extracts of <i>Grosseria vignei</i> and <i>Stachytarpheta angustifolia</i> were inactive, having IC₅₀ values greater than 50 <i>µ</i>g/mL. All extracts exhibited excellent total antioxidant capacities (>800 mg/g AAE) and good DPPH radical scavenging potential (IC₅₀ range of 300-900 <i>µ</i>g/mL). The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of all extracts in the toxicological evaluation was greater than 2000 mg/kg and there was no effect of extracts on the levels and activities of key biomarkers of liver and kidney function. The activities of these plants obtained in this study partly give credence to their folkloric use in herbal medicines and suggest that they could provide promising lead compounds for malaria drug discovery programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8245231/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39181847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antibiofilm Activity of Extract and a Compound Isolated from <i>Triumfetta welwitschii</i> against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>.","authors":"Molly Mombeshora,&nbsp;Godloves Fru Chi,&nbsp;Stanley Mukanganyama","doi":"10.1155/2021/9946183","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/9946183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Triumfetta welwitschii</i> has been used as a traditional medicine in Africa. It is documented as a rich source of phytochemicals with antibacterial activities. To further explore the antibacterial potential of these phytochemical components, the phytochemical profile of the dichloromethane: methanol leaf extract from <i>T</i>. <i>welwitschii</i> was investigated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Compounds were isolated from the extract using column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. Compound B1 was isolated from the fraction eluted by 90 hexane:10 ethyl acetate using column chromatography. The antibacterial activity of B1 against <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> was evaluated <i>in vitro</i> using the broth microdilution method and the iodonitrotetrazolium (INT) colorimetric assay. The antibiofilm activities of the extract and B1 against <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> were determined by quantifying the biofilms using crystal violet. The effect of the extract and B1 on capsular polysaccharide and extracellular DNA content of biofilm formed by <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> was determined using phenol-sulphuric acid and propidium iodide, respectively. A total of 28 peaks were detected and identified using UPLC-MS/MS. The three most abundant phytochemicals identified were catechin, umbelliferone, and a luteolin derivative. B1 showed antibacterial activity against <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) value of 25 <i>μ</i>g/ml. Only 38% and 6% of the biofilms were formed in the presence of the extract and B1, respectively. The extract and B1 reduced the capsular polysaccharide content in biofilms formed in <i>P</i>. <i>aeruginosa</i> by 40% and 65%, respectively. The extract and B1 significantly reduced the extracellular DNA content of biofilms by 29% and 72%, respectively. The results of this study provide evidence of the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of B1 and leaf extracts from <i>T</i>. <i>welwitschii</i>. Future work should identify the chemical structure of B1 using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8219467/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39081943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of the Essential Oils of <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> G. Don (African Star Apple).","authors":"Daniel Nartey,&nbsp;Joseph Nana Gyesi,&nbsp;Lawrence Sheringham Borquaye","doi":"10.1155/2021/9911713","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/9911713","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The volatile compounds of the fruit and leaf essential oils of the African star fruit, <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> G. Don, were characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in this study. The antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antioxidant activities of the essential oils were also investigated. Thirty-five and thirty-four compounds, representing 97.84% and 97.87%, were identified in the leaf and fruit essential oils, respectively. The antimicrobial activity of the oils was evaluated <i>in vitro</i> against eight pathogens using the broth microdilution method. The fruit essential oil exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in the antimicrobial susceptibility test, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.195 to 6.250 mg/mL, while the leaf essential oils showed antimicrobial activity with MICs in the range of 6.875-13.750 mg/mL. The antibiofilm activity was assessed via the crystal violet staining assay, with <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> as the model organism. The concentrations of the leaf and fruit essential oil required for half-maximal inhibition of biofilm formation (BIC₅₀) were 6.97 ± 0.56 and 4.78 ± 0.21 mg/mL, respectively. In evaluating antioxidant activity, the total antioxidant capacity obtained from the phosphomolybdenum assay was 104.8 ± 2.4 and 101.6 ± 0.8 <i>μ</i>g/g AAE for leaf and fruit essential oils, respectively. The IC₅₀ values obtained from the hydrogen peroxide scavenging, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, and inhibition of lipid peroxidation assays were 301.8 ± 0.7 and 669.2 ± 2.1 <i>μ</i>g/mL, 1048.0 ± 0.3 and 1454.0 ± 0.3 <i>μ</i>g/mL, and 460.1 ± 2.7 and 457.4 ± 0.3 <i>μ</i>g/mL for both leaf and fruit essential oils, respectively. The results obtained in this study suggest that the leaf and fruit essential oil of <i>Chrysophyllum albidum</i> G. Don could find potential use in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries as preservative and pharmaceutical agents.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8213500/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39069243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salt Used for the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP) in Rural Schools of Limpopo Province, South Africa, has Adequate Levels of Iodine.","authors":"Mpho Ramugondo, Lindelani Fhumudzani Mushaphi, Ngoako Solomon Mabapa","doi":"10.1155/2021/5522575","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/5522575","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Salt iodisation is considered the most effective long-term public health intervention for achieving optimal iodine nutrition. Effective salt iodisation is a prerequisite for the sustainable elimination of iodine deficiency disorders. The aim of this study was to determine iodine concentration of salt used for the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in 359 food handlers from Vhembe and Mopani districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The questionnaire was administered to solicit data on demographic information, general questions on salt fortification, and iodine nutrition knowledge. After the interviews, two tablespoons of salt used for the NSNP food preparation was collected from 318 schools in small zip-lock plastic bags. The salt samples were coded and stored at room temperature and protected from light and moisture until the time of analysis. Salt iodine concentrations were determined at the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom by means of the iCheck test method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median iodine concentration of both Mopani (31.65 ppm) and Vhembe (32.56 ppm) districts signified adequate iodine levels. Of 318 salt samples, 113 (71%) samples in Mopani and 104 (65%) in Vhembe had an iodine concentration of 15-64 ppm. A few (6%) food handlers in Mopani and almost half (45.9%) in Vhembe could correctly identify iodated salt as the main source of iodine. Almost half of the food handlers (%) in Mopani and 36.5% in Vhembe did not know which part of body needs iodine for functioning.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>More than 20 years after the implementation of the USI program, the result of the study shows that the international goal of 90% coverage is still far from being realised.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2021-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8187043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39029533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of the Hydroalcoholic Extract of Watercress on the Levels of Protein Carbonyl, Inflammatory Markers, and Vitamin E in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients.","authors":"Moslem Sedaghattalab,&nbsp;Marzieh Razazan,&nbsp;Mohsen Shahpari,&nbsp;Nahid Azarmehr,&nbsp;Rozina Abbasi Larki,&nbsp;Hossein Sadeghi,&nbsp;Arash Asfaram,&nbsp;Tahere Taheri,&nbsp;Aminollah Pourshohod,&nbsp;Zahra Moslemi,&nbsp;Kazem Abbaszadeh-Goudarzi,&nbsp;Amir Hossein Doustimotlagh","doi":"10.1155/2021/5588464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5588464","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Chronic kidney disorder is a main public health concern. Inflammatory processes and oxidative stress are common in end-stage renal disease patients. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of watercress (WC) on the inflammatory cytokines and protein carbonyl (PCO) contents in chronic hemodialysis patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a double-blind randomized clinical trial performed on 46 hemodialysis patients. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: intervention group (500 mg hydroalcoholic extract of WC every day for 4 weeks) and control group (500 mg of white flour every night for 4 weeks). The blood samples were taken to determine the levels of vitamin E, PCO, and inflammatory cytokines at baseline and the end of treatment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Forty-five patients completed the study (22 patients in the intervention group and 23 patients in the control group). There was a significant reduction in the PCO level (20.33 ± 4.40 vs. 15.06 ± 6.41, <i>P</i>=0.001) in the intervention group; also, this change was statistically significant relative to the control group. Furthermore, there were significant reductions in hs-CRP (8953.30 ± 5588.06 vs. 7249.86 ± 5091.62, <i>P</i>=0.007) and IL-6 (60.10 (55.99, 73.10) vs. 55.21 (53.39, 60.48), <i>P</i>=0.050) in the intervention group, but these changes were not significant in comparison with the control group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We conclude that the hydroalcoholic extract of WC reduced the PCO content in hemodialysis patients via inhibition of protein oxidation. Although WC administration had caused a significant reduction in IL-6 and CRP levels, these differences were not statistically significant relative to the control group. Further research is needed to identify the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of WC in hemodialysis patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8175173/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39239111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation, Extraction, Purification, and Molecular Characterization for Thermostable <i>α</i>-Amylase from Locally Isolated <i>Bacillus</i> Species in Sudan.","authors":"Maha A Rakaz, Mohammed O Hussien, Hanan M Ibrahim","doi":"10.1155/2021/6670380","DOIUrl":"10.1155/2021/6670380","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to isolate some soil bacteria strain that produced <i>α</i>-amylase and subsequent extraction and purification. One hundred soil samples were collected from different geographical areas in Khartoum State such as north Omdurman, Toti Island, and Soba. Samples were analyzed for starch hydrolyzing bacteria. Among several bacteria isolated, <i>Bacillus cereus</i> and <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> were identified as active <i>α</i>-amylase producers. Both bacteria showed a large zone of clearance of 20 mm when grown on starch-agar plates. The identity was conducted using biochemical characterization and confirmed by sequencing their 16S-rDNA. The constitutive nature of amylase was proved by amplification of the amylase gene from the genome of <i>B. licheniformis.</i> The <i>α</i>-amylase activity from the spent medium of <i>B. cereus</i> and <i>B. licheniformis</i> was optimized at pH 8.0 and temperature of 45°C and 65°C, respectively. The <i>α</i>-amylase produced by both bacteria is alkalophilic and thermophilic. The experiments confirmed that <i>B. licheniformis</i> can be a good source of amylase for industrial applications in Sudan.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8169242/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"39023015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of SP/NK1R on the Expression and Activity of Catalase and Superoxide Dismutase in Glioblastoma Cancer Cells.","authors":"Faranak Korfi,&nbsp;Hossein Javid,&nbsp;Reza Assaran Darban,&nbsp;Seyed Isaac Hashemy","doi":"10.1155/2021/6620708","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6620708","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Glioblastoma is the most malignant brain tumor with different therapeutic protocols, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Substance P (SP), a peptide released by sensory nerves, increases cellular excitability by activating the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) in several human tumor cells. Aprepitant is a potent and long-lasting NK1R antagonist, considered a new agent for inhibiting proliferation and induction of apoptosis in malignant cells. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the SP/NK1R system on the expression and activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the glioblastoma U87 cancer cell line.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cytotoxicity was measured by the resazurin test, 24 hours after treatment, with increasing aprepitant concentrations. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was also measured 24 hours after treatment with SP and aprepitant. Enzymes activity of catalase and SOD was measured using the corresponding assay kits. Real-time PCR also measured their expression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Aprepitant significantly reduced the viability of U87 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. ROS production was significantly reduced, and the activity of catalase and SOD increased after treatment with aprepitant. The expression of catalase and SOD enzymes also increased significantly in the presence of aprepitant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study showed that aprepitant inhibited SP's oxidizing effects via inducing the antioxidant effects of catalase and SOD in the U87 cell line. Therefore, this drug might be introduced as a potential candidate for controlling glioblastoma cancer in animal models and clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":8826,"journal":{"name":"Biochemistry Research International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2021-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8084669/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38890300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}