ENHANCED p53-DEPENDENT GROWTH INHIBITION OF HUMAN GLIOBLASTOMA CELLS BY COMBINATORIAL TREATMENT OF TEMOZOLOMIDE AND NOVEL PURIFIED NATURAL CARBOHYDRATE OF PLEUROTUS FLORIDA

Objective: This study was designed to analyze the combinatorial chemotherapeutic effect of temozolomide (TMZ), the most common drug in glioblastoma treatment and a purified carbohydrate (Fr-II) from the edible mushroom Pleurotus florida, on human glioblastoma cell lines.Methods: Fr-II was purified by size-exclusion chromatography and characterised by different mass spectroscopy analysis. Human glioblastoma cells were treated with TMZ, Fr-II, and combination of TMZ and Fr-II. Cell cytotoxicity was measured by MTT assay, cell cycle phase distribution was determined by cell cycle analysis and followed by the relative p53 protein expression was analyzed by western blot analysis.Results: Chemical analysis of Fr-II confirmed the glycosidically linked two units of glucose with terminally attached mannitol with mass of 506 Da. Fr-II treatment exhibited cytotoxicity in both the cell lines in a dose-dependent manner with most effective dose at 200µg/ml. When Fr-II (200µg/ml) was combined with a dose range of TMZ it showed a more cellular cytotoxicity compared to the cytotoxicity of TMZ alone with most oppressive combinatorial dose at 400µM (TMZ)+200µg/ml (Fr-II). In compliance, with the above results, both cell lines showed a 10% increase in no. of cells (p<0.05) in G2/M phase indicating an arrest of cell cycle and increased p53 protein expression (p<0.05) at the combinatorial dose than TMZ alone at 400µM, but Fr-II alone didn't show any cell cycle arrest nor did it show increased p53 expression.Conclusion: Therefore it confirms that Fr-II synergizes with TMZ to significantly intensify its anti-proliferative properties, thereby emerging as an effective element for combinatorial treatment of glioblastoma

Rheology and characterization of a low viscosity emulsifying exopolymer from desert borne <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Nostoc calcicola</i>

241-246Nostoc calcicola produced profuse amount of polysaccharidic exopolymer under P limited conditions. The exopolymer showed a truly pseudoplastic, non-Newtonian, time independent behaviour with good recovery after shear. It was composed of D-ribose, D-arabinose, L-rhamnose, L-fucose, D-xylose, D-mannose, D-glucose, D-galactose and 3-methyl-D-arabinose. IR spectra showed bands at ~1250 and 820 cm-1, characteristic of sulphate residue. The exopolymer showed good emulsifying and antimicrobial activity. It absorbed 282 g H2O.g-1 exopolymer. The possible applications of the exopolymer in pharmaceutical, food and oil recovery industry have been discussed

Partial characterization of an extracellular polysaccharide produced by the moderately halophilic bacterium <i>Halomonas xianhensis</i> SUR308

<div><p>A moderately halophilic bacterium, <i>Halomonas xianhensis</i> SUR308 (Genbank Accession No. KJ933394) was isolated from a multi-pond solar saltern at Surala, Ganjam district, Odisha, India. The isolate produced a significant amount (7.87 g l⁻¹) of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) when grown in malt extract–yeast extract medium supplemented with 2.5% NaCl, 0.5% casein hydrolysate and 3% glucose. The EPS was isolated and purified following the conventional method of precipitation and dialysis. Chromatographic analysis (paper, GC and GC-MS) of the hydrolyzed EPS confirmed its heteropolymeric nature and showed that it is composed mainly of glucose (45.74 mol%), galactose (33.67 mol %) and mannose (17.83 mol%). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated the presence of methylene and carboxyl groups as characteristic functional groups. In addition, its proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum revealed functional groups specific for extracellular polysaccharides. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the amorphous nature (CI_xrd, 0.56) of the EPS. It was thermostable up to 250°C and displayed pseudoplastic rheology and remarkable stability against pH and salts. These unique properties of the EPS produced by <i>H. xianhensis</i> indicate its potential to act as an agent for detoxification, emulsification and diverse biological activities.</p></div

Structural characterization of the <i style="">O</i>-antigenic polysaccharide from the lipopolysaccharide of <i style="">Vibrio</i> <i style="">cholerae</i> <i style="">O</i>37

729-734 The chemical structure of the O-antigenic polysaccharide isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of Vibrio cholerae O37 by mild acid hydrolysis was elucidated. The O-antigenic polysac­charide is found to consist of D-glucose, N-acetyl-D-Quinovos­amine and small amount of 4-O-methyl-N-acetyl-D-quinovas­amine. The structure of the O-antigen is established by using sugar and methylation analyses, Smith degradation studies and by using GLC, GC-MS, FAB-MS, one dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and two dimensional NMR spectroscopy including COSY, TOCSY, HSQC, experiments. </smarttagtype

Polysaccharides from Dolichos biflorus Linn and Trachyspermum ammi Linn seeds: isolation, characterization and remarkable antimicrobial activity

Abstract Polysaccharides are structurally complex and essential constituents of life, and therefore, studies directed to these kinds of molecules have received scientific attention. Despite an easy availability of Dolichos biflorus Linn and Trachyspermum ammi (Linn) seeds isolation, characterization and antimicrobial studies of polysaccharides derived from these two natural sources have not been investigated. Therefore, we report here isolation of polysaccharides, their purification and characterization from Dolichos biflorus Linn and Trachyspermum ammi (Linn) seeds. Gel permeation chromatography, GC–MS, SEM, XRD, EDX and FT-IR analyses show the presence of three pentose sugar such as d-ribose, d-arabinose, d-xylose and hexose sugar such as d-mannose, d-galactose and d-glucose. Unprecedented antimicrobial activity of these polysaccharides against Gram positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and Gram negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are established

Analysis of Business Organising in Ornamental Plant Cooperatives

Namen diplomskega dela je bil raziskati pripravljenost pridelovalcev okrasnih rastlin za povezovanje v poslovno organiziranje zadružništvo. Za pridobitev informacij je bilo v maju in juniju 2017 anketiranih 17 pridelovalcev okrasnih rastlin iz severovzhodne Slovenije. Rezultati ankete so pokazali, da so pridelovalci v glavnem seznanjeni z obliko poslovnega organiziranja zadružništvo. Večina pridelovalcev (94 %) je mnenja, da bi bilo potrebno na območju SV Slovenije ustanoviti zadrugo pridelovalcev okrasnih rastlin. Ugotovili smo, da bi v primeru ustanovitve zadruge bila več kot polovica pridelovalcev pripravljena postati član zadruge, iz česar sledi, da so pripravljeni na povezovanje v zadrugo. V primeru ustanovitve zadruge pa pridelovalci ne bi bili pripravljeni zaposliti osebo, ki bi skrbela za nabavo repromateriala, trženje, promocijo in drugo. Raziskava je pokazala, da večina (69 %) pridelovalcev ni zadovoljna s sodelovanjem slovenskih vrtnarjev med seboj.The purpose of the degree was to investigate the willingness of producers of ornamental plants to join business organising cooperatives. To acquire information on the topic, a survey was carried out among 17 growers of ornamental plants from north-eastern Slovenia, and it was carried out in May and June 2017. The results of the survey showed that the growers are mostly familiar with the business organising cooperatives form. Most Growers’ (94%) opinion was that they would be beneficial for the north-eastern area of Slovenia and that Ornamental Plant Cooperatives should be established. We found that, in the event of the establishment of a cooperative, more than half of the growers would be willing to become members of the cooperative and are thus ready to join the cooperative. In case a cooperative should be established, growers would not be willing to employ people who would be responsible for the procurement of raw materials, marketing, promotion and more. The survey showed that a high percentage (69%) of growers are not satisfied with the cooperation of Slovenian gardens with each other

Untersuchungen zur Bedeutung des präpartalen Progesteronentzugs in Hinblick auf die Steuerung der Geburt und die Ablösung der Nachgeburt beim Rind

Beim Rind ist der präpartale Abfall der maternalen Progesteron (P4)-Konzentration Voraussetzung für den Eintritt der Geburt. Der P4-Abfall spiegelt beim Rind primär den Funktionsverlust des Trächtigkeitsgelbkörpers wider. Über die Bedeutung der plazentaren P4-Produktion lagen bisher praktisch keine Informa¬tionen vor. Die Rinder¬plazenta trägt in der Endphase der Gravidität zwar nur minimal zu den maternalen P4-Spiegeln bei, jedoch bildet sie hohe lokale P4-Konzentrationen im Bereich der feto-maternalen Kontakt¬zone. Diese könnten, vermittelt über P4-Rezeptoren (PR) in den maternalen Karunkeln, ein wesentlicher Faktor für die Differenzie¬rung und Funktion der Plazentome sein. Es wurde die Arbeits¬hypothese ent¬wickelt, dass der Entzug hoher lokaler P4-Konzentrationen ein wesentliches Signal für die Vorbereitung eines termin¬gerechten Nachgeburtsabganges darstellt. Entsprechend könnte ein unvollständiges Sistieren der plazentaren P4-Produktion vor der Geburt eine wesentliche Ursache für das Auftreten idiopathischer Nachge-burts¬verhaltungen sein. Zur Überprüfung dieser Hypo¬these wurden drei gravide Kühe am 270. und 271. Graviditätstag mit dem Antigestagen Aglepriston (Ap) behandelt (Gruppe D272+Ap). Dieser PR-Blocker ermöglicht die Ausschaltung aller rezeptor¬vermittelten P4-Wirkungen unabhängig von der P4-Quelle. Als Kontrollen dienten Tiere mit termin¬gerechter spontaner Geburt und termingerechtem Nachgeburts¬abgang (Gruppe Normalgeburt, n = 4, Trächtigkeitsdauer: 280,5 ± 1,7 Tage) sowie unbehan¬delte Tiere mit Schnitt¬entbindung am Tag 272 (Gruppe D272-Ap, n = 3). Die Kühe wurden klinisch überwacht und der Geburtsverlauf dokumentiert. Von allen Tieren wurden Blutproben in regelmäßigen Abständen sowie Plazentome unmittelbar im Anschluss an die Geburt (Gruppen D272+Ap und Normalgeburt) bzw. während der Schnittentbindungen (Gruppe D272-Ap) entnommen. In den Blutproben wurden die Konzentrationen von Progesteron und Östrogenen mittels radioimmuno¬logischer Verfahren und die 13, 14-Di¬hydro-15-Keto-PGF2&#945; (PGFM)-Konzentrationen mittels ELISA gemessen. Als Parameter für die präpartale Umstrukturierung der Plazentome wurde der prozen¬tuale Anteil der Trophoblast-riesenzellen (TGC) an den Trophoblastzellen und die Reduktion des Karunkelepithels erfasst. Weiterhin wurde die Expression von Cyclooxygenase II (Cox II), PR und Glucocorticoidrezeptor (GR) auf Protein- und mRNA-Ebene beurteilt. Die Aglepristonbehandlung führte bei allen drei Kühen zu einer vorzeitigen Terminie¬rung der Gravidität. Erste Geburtsanzeichen traten 46,3 ± 6,0 Stunden nach Be¬handlungsbeginn auf. Es kam zur vollständigen Öffnung der Zervix, eine adäquate Wehentätigkeit setzte jedoch innerhalb der folgenden zwei Stunden nicht ein. So wurde ein manueller Auszug der Kälber durchgeführt. Neben der Öffnung der Zervix wurde durch die Antigestagenbehandlung die Laktogenese induziert. Entge¬gen der eigenen Hypothese wiesen alle drei Kühe der Gruppe D272+Ap, wie die Tiere der Gruppe D272-Ap, eine komplette Nachgeburts¬ver¬haltung auf und die Kälber beider Gruppen waren gleichermaßen prämatur. Die histo¬morphologischen Unter¬suchungen bestätigten, dass durch die Aglepriston¬behand¬lung die präpartale „Plazentareifung“ nicht induziert wurde. So waren, im Gegensatz zur Normalgeburtsgruppe, in den unreifen Plazentomen der Gruppen D272+Ap und D272&#8722;Ap weder ein Rück¬gang des relativen Anteils der TGC noch eine Reduktion des Karunkelepithels nach¬weisbar. Überraschenderweise wurde durch die Antigestagenbehandlung die Luteolyse induziert, erkennbar an einem steilen Abfall der P4-Werte vor bzw. während des Auszugs der Kälber. Korrespondierend mit dem Abfall der P4-Konzen¬tra¬tionen wurde bei den Tieren der Gruppe D272+Ap bereits präpartal ein schwacher Anstieg der PGFM-Werte beobachtet. Da bei diesen Tieren, im Gegensatz zur Normal¬geburtsgruppe, keine Aufregulation der plazentaren Cox II-Expression nach¬weisbar war, ist anzunehmen, dass die Antigestagen-induzierte Luteolyse indirekt durch Prostaglandine extraplazentaren, vermutlich endometrialen, Ursprungs aus¬gelöst wurde. Zum Zeitpunkt des Auszugs waren die PGFM-Plasma¬konzentrationen im Vergleich zur Normalgeburtsgruppe jedoch relativ gering (2,14 ± 1,40 ng/ml vs. 8,70 ± 2,20 ng/ml). Somit erklärt vermutlich ein Mangel an uterotonem PGF2&#945; die Wehen¬schwäche bei den Aglepriston-behandelten Tieren. Die Östrogen¬synthese im Trophoblasten sowie die GR- bzw. PR-Expression in den Plazentomen wurden durch das Antigestagen nicht beeinflusst. Insgesamt lassen die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit darauf schließen, dass nur ein relativ geringer Anteil der geburtsassoziierten Veränderungen direkt durch den präpartalen Progesteronentzug ausgelöst wird, nämlich die Öffnung der Zervix und das Einsetzen der Laktation. Dagegen erfordern andere wesentliche geburtsassoziierte Vorgänge, wie eine adäquate Wehentätigkeit und die Ablö¬sung der Plazenta, offensichtlich primär Signale aus dem fetalen Kompartiment. Die eigenständige Bedeutung der plazentaren P4¬-Produktion bleibt unklar.In cattle the prepartal decline in maternal progesterone (P4) levels is a prerequisite for the onset of parturition. This P4 withdrawal predominantly reflects the loss of luteal function, and virtually no information on the importance of placental P4 production is available. Despite its minimal contribution to maternal P4 levels in late gestation the bovine placenta is capable of producing high P4 levels locally at the feto-maternal interface, which – mediated by progesterone receptors (PR) previously detected in the maternal caruncles – could be an essential factor in placental differentiation and function. Thus, the hypothesis was put forward that a well-timed and complete withdrawal of high local P4 concentrations is a crucial signal for the timely release of the placenta. According to this concept, an incomplete cessation of placental P4 production during the initiation of parturition could be an important factor in the etiology of placental retention. To test for this hypothesis, three cows were treated with the antiprogestin aglepristone (Ap) on days 270 and 271 of gestation to abolish receptor mediated effects of P4 irrespective of its origin (group D272+Ap). As controls, four cows giving spontaneous birth at normal term (280.5 ± 1.7 days, group NT) with timely release of fetal membranes and three cows undergoing cesarean section on day 272 (group D272-Ap) were included into the study. The cows were monitored clinically, and the progress of birth was registered. From all animals, blood samples were taken regularly during the experimental period, and placentomes were removed per vaginam immediately after birth (groups D272+Ap and NT) or during cesarean section (group D272-Ap). In blood samples, con-centrations of P4 and estrogens were measured by radioimmunological methods, and for the measurement of 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F2&#945; (PGFM)-concentrations a commercial ELISA kit was used. To characterize the prepartal remodeling of placentomal microarchitecture, the percentage of trophoblast giant cells (TGC) relative to the total number of trophoblast cells and the reduction of caruncular epithelium were determined. Moreover, the expression of cyclo-oxygenase II (Cox II), PR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was investigated at protein and mRNA level. The application of aglepristone significantly reduced gestational length. First signs of impending parturition occurred 46.3 ± 6.0 hours after the start of treatment, and vaginal exploration confirmed that the cervix was fully open during this time. However, no progress in the expulsion of the calves could be observed during the following two hours, obviously due to insufficient myometrial activity. Consequently the calves were extracted. Besides a complete opening of the cervix, antiprogestin treatment induced the onset of lactation. Inconsistent with the working hypothesis, in all cows of the treatment group a severe retention of fetal membranes was observed. Similar cases of retained fetal membrane were also observed in all D272-Ap cows, and calves of both groups were slightly premature to a similar extent. Consistent with clinical observations histological investigations of placentomes showed that antiprogestin treatment did not induce placental maturation, whereas for the placentomes of NT cows the prepartal decline in TGC numbers and the reduction of caruncular epithelium was confirmed. Surprisingly, antiprogestin treatment induced luteolysis, as a significant decline of progesterone concentrations started before or during the expulsion of the calf. Con¬comitant with the decline in P4 concentrations in D272+Ap cows an increase of PGFM levels became detectable. The fact that, different from NT animals, no up-regu¬lation of placental Cox II was found suggests that the antiprogestin induced luteolysis indirectly stimulated prostaglandin pro¬duction from an extraplacental source, presumably the intercaruncular endometrium. However, at parturition PGFM levels in D272+Ap cows were clearly lower in comparison to NT cows (2.14 ± 1.40 ng/ml vs. 8.70 ± 2.20 ng/ml), which suggests that insufficient myometrial activity observed in antiprogestin treated cows was related to a reduced availability of uterotonic PGF2&#945;. Placental estrogen production and the expression of PR or GR were not affected by antiprogestin treatment. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that only a minor part of the processes related to bovine parturition is directly dependent on P4 withdrawal, in particular the opening of the cervix and the onset of lactation. Moreover, they suggest that other important processes such as adequate myometrial activity and timely release of the placenta are predominantly dependent on signals from the fetal compartment. The importance of placental P4 production in cattle remains unknown

<i>Bacillus anthracis</i> and <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains used in this study.

<p><i>Bacillus anthracis</i> and <i>B</i>. <i>cereus</i> strains used in this study.</p