Objective: This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of a combination of methotrexate (MTX) plus calcium folinate (CF) and actinomycin D (ACT-D) treatment in patients with low-risk trophoblastic tumors. Methods: We included 95 and 101 patients who received chemotherapy with MTX plus CF (MTX + CF group) and ACT-D (ACT-D group). The cure rate, drug resistance rate, number of treatment

ABSTRACT The effects of flavonoids, in the medical formulation Daflon 500 mg (DAF) in protection of the heart against ischemia/reperfusion are not completely understood. Heart function data from Langendorff perfused Wistar rat hearts (n = 8/group) were digitally computed, and the infarct size was evaluated using 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining and cardiac enzyme levels. The total

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability, resulting from lack of disjunction of sister chromatids of human chromosome 21 or not partial disjunction of chromosome 21 (Hsa21), usually during maternal meiosis. The expression of genes in chromosome 21 is very complex and many other genes in other chromosomes can play a role in DS. The protein encoded by the Cerebellar

ABSTRACT Pneumonia remains the leading infectious cause of death among children under five years of age, and the elderly. Several biomarkers, which have been identified for its diagnosis lack specificity, as they could not differentiate viral from bacterial pathogens of the disease; these biomarkers also fail to establish a distinction between pneumonia and other associated diseases such as pulmonary

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of microwave ablation and entecavir as a combination treatment for primary liver cancer and their effects on hepatitis B virus (HBV) and liver function. A total of 258 patients were randomly allocated into the study group (n = 129) for treatment with microwave ablation and entecavir or the control group (n = 129) for treatment with microwave ablation alone. The levels

A commercial herbal oil with different bottle materials on the Indonesian markets was studied. The effects of the different specimens viz. PET-new, PET-open, and AL-new on the main antibacterial components of herbal oil were investigated. Step-1, analysis of antibacterial activity (against S. aureus and E. coli) and testing of non-toxic (in-vivo). Step-2, detection of the main antibacterial compounds

Background: Most plants have medicinal properties, which they achieve from certain secondary metabolites. Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants. They may affect health but are not-essential nutrients as our diet does not require them to sustain life in the same way as vitamins and minerals. Objectives: The study reports the phytochemistry and medicinal properties of Solanum torvum fruits

The purpose of the study was to investigate the expressions of VEGF and pAkt protein, and to evaluate their clinicopathological implications in oral cancer. A total of 55 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 15 cases of inflammatory lesion as a control were included in the study. Expression pattern of pAkt and VEGF protein was evaluated through immunohistochemistry. In addition, apoptosis

Ammonia homeostasis is essential for the normal functioning of macro-and microorganisms. The change in concentration of ammonia derivatives in intracellular and extracellular environments is a marker of nitrogen metabolism imbalance. Transport of these molecules is now known to occur by both simple diffusion and special membrane-associated transporters belonging to the Amt/MEP/Rh family. This protein

We aimed to explore the tolerance of esophageal cancer cells to radiation and to observe the morphological and gene expression changes in the cells following irradiation. The esophageal cancer cell line, Eca109, was cultured in vitro and was irradiated with a 6-MeV electron beam at a dose of 3 Gy once every other day, resulting in a cumulative dose of 15 Gy to 21 Gy. After radiotherapy, total RNA was

ABSTRACT Nervous system diseases, especially degenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), seriously endanger human health, and the injured adult neurons are difficult to self-renew. Therefore, cell replacement therapy with good application prospects has become a hot spot in biomedical research. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are promising sources of cells with unlimited proliferation

ABSTRACT Accumulating evidence suggests that cardiomyocyte autophagy is relevant to the onset of cardiac hypertrophy (CH). Several miRNAs are involved in the occurrence of heart failure, and relevant therapeutic treatments are currently being developed. MicroRNA-377 (miR-377) is known to correlate with the progression of various cancers, however, its function in CH has not been determined. Therefore

ABSTRACT Background: 8-week old Sprague Dawley rats represent the standard rodent model of oesophageal surgery, which is challenging and might be eased by larger oesophageal lengths. Therefore, we aimed to analyse whether oesophageal length would linearly increase with bodyweight and ensure comparable experimental conditions. Methods: We analysed 41 8-week old Sprague Dawley rats of both sexes by linear

ABSTRACT We sought to investigate the expression characteristics of adiponectin (APN) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) in the periodontal tissues of rats with periodontitis and the effect on vascular calcification. Thirty-six Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, periodontitis group, and vascular calcification group. Western blotting was

ABSTRACT Refractory wounds can be a serious threat to the quality of life and survival of patients. Various surgical methods have been attempted; however, they do not cure these refractory wounds; therefore, new and promising treatment methods to improve wound healing and angiogenesis are urgently warranted. Adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells have been clinically used to promote

Data visualisation is an essential tool for effective communication and interpretation of information. Visualisation of information using images is easier compared to numerical values. Google Earth provides a platform for a practical monitoring site visualisation system. A real-time web-based water quality monitoring system was deployed on Google Earth based on National Water Quality Index of Malaysia

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the expression of miR-223-3p in a rat model of myocardial infarction and the effects of miR-223-3p on cardiomyocytes. Forty rats were randomly divided into mock surgical, model (acute myocardial infarction (AMI) group (AMIG)), AMI + miR-223-3p adenovirus (intervention group (IG)), and AMI + scramble-NC (negative control group (NCG)) groups. Cardiac function

To our knowledge, no study to date has assessed the ability of baseline Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score plus uric acid (UA) concentration to predict short-term clinical outcomes in patients with sepsis. This single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed 432 patients with sepsis who were followed up for at least 30-days between January 2016 and December 2018. The

Endometriosis (EM) is an estrogen-dependent, frequent benign gynecological disease, which reduces the quality of life in EM patients. Propofol regulates the apoptosis of EM. miR-9-5p is decreased in early secretory endometrium, TGFBI is increased in EM, however, their functions in EM remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the effects of propofol on the proliferation

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in development of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by interacting with microRNAs (miRNAs) and/or mRNAs. However, the function of most lncRNAs in NSCLC remains unclear. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot were applied for detection of mRNA/miRNA and protein level. Interaction between LncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 14 (SNHG14)

Hyperlipidemia and oxidative stress are major risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. This study was designed to investigate the hypolipidemic and hepatic antioxidant potentials of the methanol Leek extract (LE) in a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rat model. Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 6/groups) as 1) control fed standard diet, 2) HFD, 3) HFD + (Atorvastatin)

This study investigated the application of crude methanol extract (CME) of Zapoteca portoricensis root and its methanol (MF) and ethyl acetate (EAF) fractions in managing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Forty-five albino rats (180-200 g) were divided into nine groups of five rats each: Group 1 served as normal control. BPH was induced in groups 2–9 using dihydrotestosterone and estradiol. Group

Dendrobium officinale caulis is the dried mature stems (Mat) of D. officinale Kimura et Migo. D. officinale protocorms (DOPs) are the conical embryonic tissues formed after seed germination. Previous studies suggest that these different plant parts possess similar pharmacological activities. However, the metabolic profiles and gene expression across different growth stages of D. officinale remain unknown

We aimed to analyze the efficacy of cytarabine + aclarubicin + recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, i.e. CAG) regimen combined with decitabine in the clinical treatment of adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In total, 68 patients with adult AML were randomized into observation and control groups by random sampling. The control group (n = 34) was treated with CAG regimen alone

Background: Obesity is associated with serious health risks, including premature mortality. This study investigated the anti-obesity effects of individual or combination treatment with Spirulina platensis and green coffee bean aqueous extracts in high-fat diet-induced (HFD) obese rats. Methods: Rats were fed on HFD to induce obesity. Corn oil in the HFD accounted for 50.98% of the calories. Fifty rats

Age-related osteoporosis affects people of both genders at any age especially postmenopausal women. The manifestation of reduced bone strength leads to increased risk of bone fracture. Currently, many have sought for plant-based supplements for the management of bone health. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) contains phytoestrogenic isoflavones which are known to limit osteoclastic activity and reduce

ABSTRACT Many traditional plants have been used to fight life-threatening diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and cancer. These plants have been shown to possess antioxidant activities, decrease the diabetes nuisance. The effect of 250 mg/kg b.wt of polyherbal drug (PHD) was investigated on high-fat diet-induced diabetic rats and impact of PHD administration was observed. The blood biochemical

ABSTRACT Inflammation plays a major role in etiology of multiple diseases and it has become an imperative therapeutic target in pharmacological interventions. Over the years, natural products originating from plants have made great contributions in the drug discovery process. Belonging to the Asteraceae family, Stevia rebaudiana (S. rebaudiana) is exploited at a large scale for its purpose as a natural

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) usually causes multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome and exhibits a high mortality rate. It has been previously reported that berberine, as a dominant alkaloid, can be effectively used against inflammation. However, there is limited data on the effects of berberine hydrochloride (BBRH) on inflammation in SAP rat models. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were given preliminary intraperitoneal

ABSTRACT This study was designed to evaluate the effects of alprostadil on patients with refractory heart failure receiving statin treatment. One hundred patients with refractory heart failure were categorized into two groups, control (n = 50) and intervention (n = 50). The control group was treated with statins only, while the intervention group received a combination treatment with alprostadil and

Abnormal long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in the generation and progression of malignancies. We aimed to determine the expression and clinical importance of lncRNA ENST433110 in thyroid cancer (TC). We thus investigated the role of ENST433110 in TC cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. ENST433110 expression was assessed using RT-PCR, cell migration was evaluated using a Transwell assay

Whether electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitted from mobile phones is hazardous to human health is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of mobile phone radiation on critical organs in a rabbit model by exposing the animals to mobile phone radiation with sub-thermal specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1.0 and 0.7 W/kg for the head and the body, respectively, for 16 weeks (6 h/day, 6 days/week)

Tumor necrosis factor-α induced protein 8 like 2 (TIPE2) is one of the newly discovered negative regulators for body’s immune balance. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of TIPE2 gene-modified human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAD-MSCs) on immune tolerance. In this study, the TIPE2 over-expressed and the non-transfected hAD-MSCs were severally co-cultured with injured cardiomyocytes

N6-2-hydroxyethyl-adenosine (HEA) is one of the main bioactive components found in Cordyceps cicadae and it has been reported to display antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Cisplatin (CP) is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for treating various cancers and tumors, but the use is widely curtailed due to its toxicity of various organs including the kidney. This study was

Anhydrosafflor Yellow B (AHSYB), is an effective ingredient with a high content extracted from safflower. The effect of hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA), one of the main compounds in safflower, has been extensively investigated both in experimental study and in clinical practice. However, few studies of AHSYB on inflammation in rats with acute permanent cerebral ischemia was explored. In this study,

ABSTRACT In this study, endophytic fungi were isolated from Euphorbia larica Boiss. and their antagonistic potential against phytopathogenic fungi viz. Fusarium sp., Rosellinia sanctae-cruciana and Cladosporium sp. was evaluated using an in vitro confrontation assay. A total of four endophytic fungi were isolated from the roots of E. larica. Among them, two fungal isolates (SQUCC-F1-1 and SQUCC-F6-2)

ABSTRACT Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium is the study of the distribution of allelic and genotypic frequencies in a population. The objective of this study is to evaluate the allelic and genotypic frequency of different qualitative traits of men and women in Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 909 individuals were recruited for this study. In population, the frequency order of the blood group is B > O > A > AB

Background: The effects of gender and age on the growth of hepatic hemangioma remain inconclusive. This study aims to further explore the natural growth of hepatic hemangioma and its influencing factors. Methods: From June 2014 to April 2019, 534 untreated patients who were diagnosed with hepatic hemangioma in our hospital were enrolled. The growth changes of hepatic hemangioma were observed at follow-up

In the field of life sciences, systems biology has encountered insurmountable obstacles caused by the complexity and adaptability of organisms. In the near future, precision medicine is expected to establish a personalized state-description system and a corresponding targeted-treatment system, but the comprehensive treatment of disease will remain a significant and difficult problem that needs to be

The CRISPR-Cas9 system, which uses sgRNA for targeting and the nuclease Cas9 for cleavage, has emerged as a versatile and efficient tool for genome engineering; the system has overcome the limitations of previous technologies and implements various gene editing strategies. The large-scale loss-of-function (LOF) gene scanning technology based on the CRISPR-Cas9 system can be utilized to reveal associations

The aerial surface of the plant (phyllosphere) is the habitat of complex microbial communities and the structure of this microbiome may be dependent on plant genetic factors, local environment or interactions between them. In this study, we explored the microbial diversity present in the phyllosphere of a very diverse set of grapevine cultivars representing the three genetic pools of the species, grown

Salmonella is the leading cause of typhoidal and non-typhoidal infections in the world. The entry of Salmonella into the bloodstream causes an invasive disease state, resulting to high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in children. Owing to the misuse of antibiotics, certain Salmonella serovars are multi-drug resistant and do not respond to traditional antibiotics, such as ampicillin and t

The neurophysiological basis of social ranking perception underlying the execution of cooperative joint-actions was explored in the present study. Self-perception of social ranking, personality trait (Behavioral Activation System (BAS) and locus of control (LoC)) and alpha brain oscillations were considered. Subjects were required to match their cognitive performance in terms of accuracy (error rate)

Two specific characteristics of stem cells, self-renewal and their differentiation capacity have made them important for vast scientific areas, particularly in the molecular and cell biology of stem cells, as well as regenerative medicine. Gene targeting plays a pivotal role in creating modified stem cells, which are considered the mainstay in regenerative medicine. The phiC31 integrase system, as

We perceive a world of great diversity but numerous things are composed of about a hundred different chemical elements, among them are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, and uranium. These elements are combined with one another in a multitude of ways to produce complexity of all objects. However, there are only three nucleosynthetic astrophysical sites: (i) big bang nucleosynthesis, where hydrogen

Ficus is one of the largest genera in plant kingdom reaching to about 1000 species worldwide. While taxonomic keys are available for identifying most species of Ficus, it is very difficult and time consuming for interpretation by a nonprofessional thus requires highly trained taxonomists. The purpose of the current study is to develop an efficient baseline automated system, using image processing with

The dependence of plant health and crop quality on epiphytic microbial community has been universally addressed; however, little is known about the relations between the microbial communities from grapes and other plant tissues, such as leaves and roots. In this study, the bacterial and fungal communities on grape berries and leaves, as well as in vineyard soils were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene and fungal

Nanotechnology is an exciting and rapidly emerging field in agriculture and food science. The usage of nanoscale materials in sensing and detection applications is growing quickly, providing alternative methods to conventional techniques for detecting chemical and biological contaminants in foods, beverages, and other products. Nanotechnology has the potential to innovate the agricultural, feed, and

Background: Low-fat and low-sugar foods, marketed as health promoters, offer an interesting avenue for consumers to pursue a healthier life. Despite the relevance of educating adolescents about the importance of a healthier lifestyle, even today little attention is paid to this issue. The aim of this paper is to analyse adolescent consumers with varying degrees of a healthy lifestyle and different

In recent years, medicinal plants have gained much attention as potential source of bioactives for the development of novel herbal drugs for primary healthcare. However, phytotherapeutic mechanisms of action of phytomedicines need to be explored comprehensively. Out of the available strategies for the said purpose, metabolomics is one, which results in the production of inclusive metabolite profiles

One of the primary purposes of pine cones is the protection and distant dispersal of pine seeds. Pine cones open and release their embedded seeds on dry and windy days for long-distance dispersal. In this study, how the pine seeds attach to/detach from the pine cone scale for efficient seed dispersal was experimentally investigated by using an X-ray micro-imaging technique. The cone and seeds adhere

(2016). Editorial. Frontiers in Life Science: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 239-240.

Phylloplane of a plant constitutes an important habitat for a variety of microbes many of which play important roles in plant growth. The objective of this study was to compare plant growth promoting (PGP) phylloplane bacteria of three commercially popular wheat varieties, namely Sehar, Faisalabad and Lasani, in order to assess whether better wheat variety harbours better PGP bacteria that play part

Metastasis is an intricate process which involves the proliferation of a tumour to distant parts of the body from its original site. To successfully colonize a distant area in the body, a cancer cell must complete a series before it becomes clinically detectable. These steps involve a large number of proteins indulging in various pathways. Proteins such as matriptase require serine protease for activation

The definition of epigenetics is still under intense debate; however, its concept has evolved since it was originally introduced in 1939 by Conrad Hal Waddington as a way to reconcile antagonistic views between the school of preformationism and the school of epigenesis. The characterization of a large number of phenomena that diverge from the dogmas of classical genetics, and the discovery of the molecular

The Seven Sister states of northeast India are characterized by diverse population with different ethnic backgrounds. Indigenous and fermented foods are an intrinsic part of diet of these ethnic tribes. It is the oldest and most economical methods for development of a diversity of aromas, flavors, and textures as well as for food preservation and biological enrichment by manipulation of different microbial

Bioelectricity production involves generation of electricity by anaerobic digestion of organic substrates by microbes. A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a device that converts chemical energy released as a result of oxidation of complex organic carbon sources which are utilized as substrates by micro-organisms to produce electrical energy thereby proving to be an efficient means of sustainable energy

The genus Avicennia comprises eight species of mangrove trees that occur in intertidal zones of estuaries and seabeds found in tropical and temperate regions spanning throughout the world. The plants belonging to the genus have both ecological and economic benefits. Different parts of the plants have ethnomedicinal applications for treatment of various diseases such as cancer, diabetes, malaria, rheumatism

The present work aims to evaluate the relation between the antioxidant activities and phenolic compound contents of two tea samples (green and black) mixed with or without sweeteners (sucrose or aspartame). The aqueous extracts were screened for total polyphenol and flavonoids contents. Antioxidant activities of extracts were tested using 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method and 2,

(2016). Editorial. Frontiers in Life Science: Vol. 9, Focus Issue: Food & Agriculture, pp. 151-151.