The impact of renewable energy consumption to economic growth: a replication and extension of Inglesi-Lotz (2016)

This study replicates and extends the results presented in a top-cited article in this journal, Inglesi-Lotz (2016), which analyzes the impact of renewable energy consumption to economic growth for the OECD countries by applying the ordinary least squares with fixed effect estimator on the data from 1990 to 2010. By using the same data and methods, this study first produces and compare empirical results with those reported in the original article. Then, it applies a set of new econometric methods on the same data to address heterogeneity in renewable energy and economic growth across the analyzed group of countries. The panel quantile regression estimation shows that the effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth is positive for lower and low-middle quantiles; however, its effect becomes negative for middle, high-middle, and higher quantiles when renewable energy consumption is proxied by the absolute value. Furthermore, a negative impact of renewable energy on economic growth is observed in almost all quantiles when it is proxied by the share of renewable energy consumption to total energy consumption. These results greatly differ from those of the original studypublishe

NEURO-PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF CROCIN ON BRAIN AND CEREBELLUM TISSUES IN DIABETIC RATS

Background: Increase in free oxygen radicals and the disruption of defense system make the neurons and astrocytes more sensitive against oxidative damage. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into three groups containing 10, rats in each group namely: control (C) group, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) group, and Diabetes Mellitus + crocin (DM+crocin) group. Tissue samples were processed by routine histological and biochemical procedures. The sections were stained with Hematoxylen-eosin. Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), blood glucose, HbA1c levels and xanthine oxidase (XO) activities were assayed. Results: The histological appearence of the cerebrum and cerebellum were normal in the control group. DM group showed some histopathological changes including congestion, perivascular and perineuronal edema in cerebrum. In DM + crocin group, histopathological changes in cerebrum and cerebellum markedly reduced. MDA level and XO activities increased significantly in DM group (

THE EFFECT OF SAFFRON (ITS ACTIVE CONSTITUENT, CROCIN) ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATION AND DYSLIPIDEMIA IN STREPTOZOTOCIN INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) causes serious complications such as coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy. Materials and Methods: Rats were randomly divided into three groups each containing 10 rats; control group, DM group; DM+crocin group. Normal saline was administered in the control and DM groups, and crocin was administered in DM+crocin group at a dose of 20 mg/kg bw/day for 21 days. Trunk blood and the hearth tissue were collected for histopathological and biochemical examination. Results: DM led to increment of MDA levels (

Cytotoxic Activity of against SH-SY5Y Neuroblastoma Cells

Effects of essential oils extracted from Dunaliella salina against SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were investigated in this study. GC-MS analysis was used for determining the composition of essential oils found in Dunaliella salina extracts. All concentrations of Dunaliella salina extract against SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were significantly more cytotoxic than ECV304 human endothelial cells used as a control. Fifthy compounds were detected in the essential oils of Dunaliella salina, and five major compounds were predominantly found as follows:octadecanoic acid, methyl ester (27.43 %), hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (Cas) methyl palmitate (24.82 %), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, ethyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)- (7.39 %), octadecanoic acid (5.03 %), pentadecanoic acid (3.60%). The cytotoxic activity of Dunaliella salina extract against SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells was probably due to the high contents of octadecanoic acid and hexadecanoic acid. Furthermore, experimental values indicate that the extract would have some proliferative effect on ECV 304 cells in a dose-dependent manner between 5 and 0.25 μg/ml. These results suggest that Dunaliella salina may have anticancer potential against human neuroblastoma cells

Cytotoxic effect of extract from Dunaliella salina against SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

Cytotoxic effects of essential oils extracted from Dunaliella sauna on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were investigated in this study. GC-MS analysis was used for determination of the composition of essential oils found in Dunaliella salina extract. All experimented concentrations of Dunaliella salina extract on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were significantly more cytotoxic than the tested concentrations of the extract on ECV304 human endothelial cells used as a control. Fifthy compounds were detected in GC-MS analysis of the extract, and five major compounds were predominantly found as follows: octadecanoic acid, methyl ester (27.43%); hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (Cas) methyl palmitate (24.82%); 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, ethyl ester, (Z,Z,Z)- (7.39%); octadecanoic acid (5.03%), pentadecanoic acid (3.60%). The cytotoxic activity of Dunaliella salina extract on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells might be due to high concentrations of octadecanoic acid and hexadecanoic acid. Furthermore, results indicate that the extract demonstrates some proliferative effect on ECV304 cells in a dose-dependent manner between 0.25 and 5 mu g/ml. These results suggest that Dunaliella sauna may have anticancer potential against human neuroblastoma cells

Investigation of wet cupping therapy's effect on oxidative stress based on biochemical parameters

Introduction: Wet cupping therapy is one of the main applications which has been used in the Unani medicine system. Current literature explaining how this traditional treatment method works is still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate whether wet cupping therapy could affect reactive oxygen species and antioxidant levels