In vitro Anti-Proliferative Activity of the Rubia tinctorum and Alkanna tinctoria Root Extracts in Panel of Human Tumor Cell Lines hasson

Cancer is a devastating disease and is considered number one killer worldwide. Herbal formulations had played a key role over the past several decades in the development of anti-cancer drugs. Medicinal plants, which are endemic in Jordan, are known for several biological activities in particular their anti-cancer activity. However, the anti-cancer efficacy of the root extracts of Jordanian Rubia tinctorum and Alkanna tinctoria is not yet reported. To address this issue, this study assessed the anti-cancer activity of some root extracts obtained from Jordanian R. tinctorum and A. tinctoria in different tumor cell lines including the tongue, bladder, colon, gastric, lungs, breast, pancreas, and renal tissue origins by modified propidium iodide (PI) based monolayer assay. Among the tested root extracts obtained by different solvent systems, A. tinctoria in 100 % ethanol and methanol showed prominent anti-cancer activity against MDA-MB-231breast cancer cells (IC50: 2.98 µg/ml, IC70: 6.03 µg/ml), and CAL-27 tongue squamous carcinoma cells (IC50: 3.86 µg/ml, IC70: 5.97 µg/ml) respectively. Different solvent root extracts of R. tinctorum exhibited a similar trend of anti-tumor activity in both CAL-27 and MDA MB-231 cells. The anti-proliferative property of the extracts on CAL-27 and MDA-MB-231 cells is unclear. However, it can be concluded that the observed anti-cancer potential can be attributed to the phenolic compounds of the extracts as high polar solvents were used for extraction. The current study forms the rationale for isolating significant amount of anti-cancer active compounds from R. tinctorum and A. tinctori

Neutrophil extracellular trap formation is independent of de novo gene expression

Neutrophils are essential innate immune cells whose responses are crucial in the clearance of invading pathogens. Neutrophils can respond to infection by releasing neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs are formed of chromatin and specific granular proteins and are released after execution of a poorly characterized cell death pathway. Here, we show that NET formation induced by PMA or Candida albicans is independent of RNA polymerase II and III-mediated transcription as well as of protein synthesis. Thus, neutrophils contain all the factors required for NET formation when they emerge from the bone marrow as differentiated cells

Diagnostic accuracy of a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: An international case-cohort study

We conducted an international study of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis among a large group of physicians and compared their diagnostic performance to a panel of IPF experts. A total of 1141 respiratory physicians and 34 IPF experts participated. Participants evaluated 60 cases of interstitial lung disease (ILD) without interdisciplinary consultation. Diagnostic agreement was measured using the weighted kappa coefficient (\u3baw). Prognostic discrimination between IPF and other ILDs was used to validate diagnostic accuracy for first-choice diagnoses of IPF and were compared using the Cindex. A total of 404 physicians completed the study. Agreement for IPF diagnosis was higher among expert physicians (\u3baw=0.65, IQR 0.53-0.72, p20 years of experience (C-index=0.72, IQR 0.0-0.73, p=0.229) and non-university hospital physicians with more than 20 years of experience, attending weekly MDT meetings (C-index=0.72, IQR 0.70-0.72, p=0.052), did not differ significantly (p=0.229 and p=0.052 respectively) from the expert panel (C-index=0.74 IQR 0.72-0.75). Experienced respiratory physicians at university-based institutions diagnose IPF with similar prognostic accuracy to IPF experts. Regular MDT meeting attendance improves the prognostic accuracy of experienced non-university practitioners to levels achieved by IPF experts

What is damaging the kidney in lupus nephritis?

Despite marked improvements in the survival of patients with severe lupus nephritis over the past 50 years, the rate of complete clinical remission after immune suppression therapy i

Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018.

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field

Increased markers of oxidative stress in autistic children of the Sultanate of Oman

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood, and an enumeration about its etiology and consequences is still limited. Oxidative stress-induced mechanisms are believed to be the major cause for ASD. In this study 19 autistic and 19 age-matched normal Omani children were recruited to analyze their degree of redox status and a prewritten consent was obtained. Blood was withdrawn from subjects in heparin-coated tube, and plasma was separated. Plasma oxidative stress indicators such as nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, and lactate to pyruvate ratio were quantified using commercially available kits. A significant elevation was observed in the levels of NO, MDA, protein carbonyl, and lactate to pyruvate ratio in the plasma of Omani autistic children as compared to their age-matched controls. These oxidative stress markers are strongly associated with major cellular injury and manifest severe mitochondrial dysfunction in autistic pathology. Our results also suggest that oxidative stress might be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD, and these parameters could be considered as diagnostic markers to ensure the prevalence of ASD in Omani children. However, the oxidative stress-induced molecular mechanisms in ASD should be studied in detail.3 page(s

Extraction Optimization and Structural Characteristics of Chitosan from Cuttlefish (<i>S. pharaonis</i> sp.) Bone

In fish processing, reducing the waste rate and increasing the economic value of products is an important issue for global environmental protection and resource sustainability. It has been discovered that cuttlefish bones can be an excellent resource for producing attractive amounts of chitin and chitosan. Therefore, this study optimized chitosan extraction conditions using response surface methodology (RSM) to establish application conditions suitable for industrial production and reducing environmental impact. In addition, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H NMR and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characteristics of extracted chitosan were evaluated. The optimum extraction conditions for chitosan from cuttlebone chitin were 12.5M NaOH, 6 h and 80 °C, and the highest average yield was 56.47%. FTIR spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and SEM identification proved that the chitosan prepared from cuttlefish bone has a unique molecular structure, and the degree of deacetylation of chitosan was about 81.3%. In addition, it was also confirmed that chitosan has significant anti-oxidation and oil-absorbing abilities. This research has successfully transformed the by-products of cuttlefish processing into value-added products. The process not only achieved the recycling and utilization of by-products but also enhanced industrial competitiveness and resource sustainability