Lycopene partially reverses symptoms of diabetes in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes

This study was supported in part by the Eskisehir Osmangazi University, the Scientific Research and Application Centre (FBAM). The authors are grateful to TICAM (Medical and Surgical Experimental Research Center, Eskisehir Osmangazi University)In the present study, we describe the effects of lycopene on the symptoms of streptozotocin (STZ)–induced diabetes in rats. Lycopene at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day was orally administered to STZ-induced diabetic rats for a period of 7 days after onset of diabetes. At the same time, food–water intake and body weight change were recorded daily. Upon sacrifice, biochemical parameters, such as the serum glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), were measured in all experimental groups. Administration of lycopene at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg bw per day significantly reduced serum glucose, TC, TG, ALT, and AST levels, and increased serum insulin levels, but there were no improvements in food–water intake and body weight change parameters in lycopene-treated diabetic rats. The results suggest that orally administrated lycopene exhibits a potent hypoglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetic rats and that lycopene may be useful for the management of diabetes mellitus

Queer-Futuring

Not Reviewe

Türkiye'de Hyphantria cunea larvalarından izole edilen iki yeni entomopatojenik Beauveria bassiana suşunun karakterizasyonu ve biyolojik aktivitesi

In this study, two fungal strains (HC-Z1 and HC-Z2) from Hyphantria cunea (fall webworm) larvae were evaluated for their potential as biocontrol agents against the H. cunea larvae. Based on morphological and molecular (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region) characterization, the strains were identified as Beauveria bassiana (HC-Z1: OP415530 and HC-Z2: OP415531). To determine the biological activities of the two fungal strains, a concentration-response assay (1 × 104-8 conidia/ml) was performed against third stage H. cunea larvae. In addition, two B. bassiana strains were tested on five (1-5) larval stages at 1 × 107 conidia/ml concentration. Both isolates produced mortalities over 96% within 7 days for the first larval stage of H. cunea. The LC50 and LT50 of HC-Z1 and HC-Z2 strains against third instar H. cunea larvae were calculated as 0.6 × 104 and 1.2 × 104 conidia/ml, respectively. LT50 values were obtained in 2.82 and 3.44 days for HC-Z1 and HC-Z2 isolates, respectively. As a result, it can be concluded that HC-Z1 and HC-Z2 strains can potentially be used as biological control agents against H. cunea.Bu çalışmada, Hyphantria cunea (Amerikan beyaz kelebeği) larvalarından izole edilen iki fungus suşunun (HC-Z1 ve HC-Z2), H. cunea larvalarına karşı biyokontrol etmeni olarak potansiyelleri araştırıldı. Morfolojik ve moleküler (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 bölgesinin dizileri) karakterizasyonlarına göre suşlar Beauveria bassiana (HC-Z1: OP415530 ve HC-Z2: OP415531) olarak tanımlandı. İki fungus suşunun biyolojik aktivitelerini belirlemek için H. cunea larvalarının 3. evresinde konsantrasyon yanıt testi (1 × 104-8 konidia/ml) yapıldı. Ayrıca, iki B. bassiana suşu, 1 × 107 konidia/ml konsantrasyonu H. cunea larvalarının beş evresi (1-5.) üzerinde test edildi. Her iki suş da H. cunea'nın birinci evre larvalarına karşı 7 gün içinde %96’nın üzerinde ölüm oranı oluşturdu. Üçüncü evre H. cunea larvalarına karşı HC-Z1 ve HC-Z2 suşlarının LC50 değerleri sırasıyla 0.6 × 104 ve 1.2 × 104 konidia/ml olarak hesaplandı. LT50 değerleri ise HC-Z1 ve HC-Z2 suşları için sırasıyla 2.82 ve 3.44 gün olarak belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak, HC-Z1 ve HC-Z2 suşlarının potansiyel olarak H. cunea'ya karşı biyolojik kontrol etmeni olarak kullanılabileceği sonucuna varılabilir

Shady Ancestors: Queering digital diaspora research

Over the last couple of decades, queer theory has stimulated researchers in different disciplines to fundamentally question central concepts around identity, body, gender, sexuality, and belonging. Scholarship on diasporic media, however, has been slow to engage with queer theory’s contributions; much research still works with definitions of diaspora based upon simple notions such as ‘ethnic belonging’ and fails to interrogate the hetero and cisnormativities that structure phenomena such as mediascapes, bo rder regimes, and migration discourses. After discussing some of the theoretical and methodological interventions that queer theory can bring to digital diaspora research, this article presents a case study to exemplify how queer theoretical discussions ca n be implemented in research. Madi Ancestors was initially planned as a festival in a theater building in Berlin to remember and celebrate Turkey’s queer idols, but was then forced by the COVID 19 pan- demic to migrate from a physical space to a digital plat form. My explorative analysis of this process demonstrates how media practices bring forth a sense of queer diasporic belonging both locally and transnationally. Drawing on rich data gathered through digital ethnography, intimate insider re- search, intervie ws, and ethno mimesis, I show how queer theoretical examination of digital diaspo- ra can detail new forms of belonging, intergenerational kinship, and the fragmentation of diasporic spaces through digital media

The effects of lycopene on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

There is a very little information about the protective effect of lycopene (LYC) against hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. The present study was designed to examine the possible protective effect of the strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, LYC, on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury. For this purpose, rats were subjected to 45 min of hepatic ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion period. LYC at the doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg body weight (bw) were injected intraperitoneally, 60 min prior to ischemia. Upon sacrification, hepatic tissue samples were used for the measurement of catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Also, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed in serum samples. As a result of the use of LYC at the doses of 2.5 and 5 mg/kg bw; while improvements of the ALT, AST, LDH and MDA values were partial and dose-dependent, the improvement of CAT activity was total and dose-independent (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that LYC has a protective effect against ischemia/reperfusion injury on the liver

Nazım'ın gizli çevirmeni

Taha Toros Arşivi, Dosya Adı: Nazım Hikmetİstanbul Kalkınma Ajansı (TR10/14/YEN/0033) İstanbul Development Agency (TR10/14/YEN/0033

The hepatoprotective effects of Hypericum perforatum L. on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

Little is known about the effective role of Hypericum perforatum on hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Hence, albino rats were subjected to 45 min of hepatic ischemia followed by 60 min of reperfusion period. Hypericum perforatum extract (HPE) at the dose of 50 mg/kg body weight (HPE50) was intraperitonally injected as a single dose, 15 min prior to ischemia. Rats were sacrificed at the end of reperfusion period and then, biochemical investigations were made in serum and liver tissue. Liver tissue homogenates were used for the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels. At the same time alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were assayed in serum samples and compared statistically. While the ALT, AST, LDH activities and MDA levels were significantly increased, CAT and GPx activities significantly decreased in only I/R-induced control rats compared to normal control rats (p < 0.05). Treatment with HPE50 significantly decreased the ALT, AST, LDH activities and MDA levels, and markedly increased activities of CAT and GPx in tissue homogenates compared to I/R-induced rats without treatment-control group (p < 0.05). In oxidative stress generated by hepatic ischemia-reperfusion, H. perforatum L. as an antioxidant agent contributes an alteration in the delicate balance between the scavenging capacity of antioxidant defence systems and free radicals in favour of the antioxidant defence systems in the body

Processing and Characterization of Polypropylene Nanocomposite Films Reinforced with Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanosheets

In this study, we synthesized hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (h-BNN) via the molten hydroxide exfoliation method which results in small flakes and nanoscrolls. The resultant h-BNNs can be dispersed in various solvents such as water, ethanol, and acetone, and form a stable dispersion. The morphological and structural analysis of h-BNNs were performed with Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The masterbatch (MB) method was used to incorporate the h-BNNs into the polypropylene (PP) matrix via melt mixing. Dilution and film production processes were performed using a twin screw extruder. Nanocomposite films having an h-BNN weight ratio of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 5% were prepared. Thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to investigate the thermal stability. Crystallization (Tc) temperatures were increased with the increased amount of h-BNNs and h-BNNs nucleating agent behavior on the PP crystallization was observed. Oxidation induction time (OIT) of the pure PP was increased from 8.84 min to 17.82 min. The results show a considerable effect of the h-BNN content on the thermo-oxidative stability of the nanocomposites studied. The rheological and mechanical properties of the PP-hBNN nanocomposite films were also determined depending on the particle loading ratio. Optimum particle content providing the best thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties were found to be 3% wt

Modeling of polystyrene under confinement: Exploring the limits of iterative boltzmann inversion

We explore the limits of a purely structure based coarse-graining technique, the iterative Boltzmann inversion (IBI), in the coarse-graining of a confined concentrated polystyrene solution. In the first place, some technical considerations and challenges encountered in the course of the optimization process are represented. The concepts of the choice of the initial potentials and the cross-dependency of the interactions as well as the order of optimization are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the transferability of a previously developed CG confined polystyrene solution model, the "parent CG confined model", to different degrees of confinement at constant concentration and temperature is examined. We investigate if a CG force field developed for a confined polymer solution by IBI is sensitive to changes in the degree of localization or arrangement of polymers near the surfaces although the concentration is kept constant. For this purpose, reference atomistic simulations on systems of different confinement levels have been performed. The differences in the structure and dynamics of the chains are addressed. Results are compared with those of an unconfined (bulk) system at the same concentration. The chain dimensions and orientations as a function of the distance from the surfaces are also reported. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first computational study that investigates the structural behavior of polymers in close proximity of the surfaces in a concentrated polymer solution rather than in a melt. Transferability of the parent CG confined model is tested by employing the parent force field in CG simulations of the reference systems. Results indicate that the degree of arrangement of monomers and solvent molecules near the surfaces is an important factor that needs to be paid attention to when considering the application of a CG force field developed by IBI to different degrees of confinement.U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences (DE-FG02-06ER46340); Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turke

Gallic acid reduces experimental colitis in rats by downregulation of cathepsin and oxidative stress

Objective: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with common, repetitive inflammation of the colon and rectum, which is highly defined by loss of blood on colon mucosa, ulceration and acute inflammation. The present study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of gallic acid (GA) through a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis rat model, using biochemical and histopathological parameters. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of four groups, each including seven rats, namely control group, colitis group, colitis-GA 50 mg/kg group and colitis-GA 100 mg/kg group. Colon tissue samples were analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), cathepsin B and cathepsin L values. Results: Tissue MDA, MPO, cathepsin L and cathepsin B values increased significantly in colitis group (p=0.028, p=0.038, p=0.024, p=0.019, respectively). However, MDA, MPO, cathepsin L and cathepsin B values showed a significant decrease in animals with GA (at a dose of 100 mg/kg) administration in TNBS-induced colitis in rats (p=0.021, p=0.026, p=0.019, p=0.031, respectively). Colitis group was defined by the severe detriment of surface epithelium, submucosal edema and inflammatory cell infiltration. Treatment with GA significantly decreased inflammatory cell infiltration. Conclusion: GA can be used as an effective agent in the treatment of colitis due to its inhibitory properties in multiple pathways and its potent antioxidant effect