Ginkgo biloba Extract in Alzheimer’s Disease: From Action Mechanisms to Medical Practice

Standardized extract from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, labeled EGb761, is one of the most popular herbal supplements. Numerous preclinical studies have shown the neuroprotective effects of EGb761 and support the notion that it may be effective in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Despite the preclinical promise, the clinical efficacy of this drug remains elusive. In this review, possible mechanisms underlying neuroprotective actions of EGb761 are described in detail, together with a brief discussion of the problem of studying this herb clinically to verify its efficacy in the treatment and prevention of AD. Moreover, various parameters e.g., the dosage and the permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), impacting the outcome of the clinical effectiveness of the extract are also discussed. Overall, the findings summarized in this review suggest that, a better understanding of the neuroprotective mechanisms of EGb761 may contribute to better understanding of the effectiveness and complexity of this herb and may also be helpful for design of therapeutic strategies in future clinical practice. Therefore, in future clinical studies, different factors that could interfere with the effect of EGb761 should be considered

Ginkgo Biloba Extract Ameliorates Oxidative Phosphorylation Performance and Rescues Aβ-Induced Failure

Energy deficiency and mitochondrial failure have been recognized as a prominent, early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, we demonstrated that chronic exposure to amyloid-beta (Abeta) in human neuroblastoma cells over-expressing human wild-type amyloid precursor protein (APP) resulted in (i) activity changes of complexes III and IV of the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS) and in (ii) a drop of ATP levels which may finally instigate loss of synapses and neuronal cell death in AD. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether standardized Ginkgo biloba extract LI 1370 (GBE) is able to rescue Abeta-induced defects in energy metabolism

Genetic parameter estimates informed by a marker-based pedigree: A case study with Eucalyptus cladocalyx in southern Australia

Analysis of stem diameter, height and axis persistence (AP) in a first-generation Eucalyptus cladocalyx breeding population comprising 137 wild and land-race families planted at 11 sites in southern Australia revealed significant genetic variation among subpopulations and among families within subpopulations. Alternative analyses were carried out using individual-tree mixed models that (i) assumed the trees within families were half-siblings (HS) and (ii) used molecular marker-based information to account for highly heterogeneous relatedness and inbreeding depression among families resulting from mixed mating (MM). For certain site and trait combinations, the HS models would not converge, as estimates of additive variance exceeded the total phenotypic variance, demonstrating the fundamental unsuitability of the HS assumption for this breeding population. Where HS models converged, moderate to very high heritability estimates resulted for growth traits. The MM assumption resulted in re-ranking of individual-tree breeding values and markedly lower estimates of narrow-sense heritability for all trait-site combinations. In some cases, however, heritability remained moderate to high, probably reflecting unquantified dominance variance in some highly inbred subpopulations. Genotype-by-environment interaction was significant overall due to reactivity of genotypes on a few sites, with type-B correlations between pairs of sites ranging from 0.06 to 0.99. Generally, families from the Australian land race were found to perform particularly well for both growth and AP traits. Some wild families were found to be vigorous, despite significant inbreeding. The study has demonstrated that traditional models assuming non-relatedness and/or homogeneous inbreeding in first-generation eucalypt breeding populations can be significantly improved upon by flexible mixed models that integrate marker-based data

Marker-based adjustment of the additive relationship matrix for estimation of genetic parameters - an example using Eucalyptus cladocalyx

The effects of adjusting additive (numerator) relationship matrices (A) for inbreeding estimates taken from molecular markers were investigated using a small, model population of Eucalyptus cladocalyx. A number of individual-tree, mixed-models were compared, incorporating estimates of population- and family-level selfing and ancestral inbreeding applied either as average values to the entire population or as variable estimates for subpopulation and family groups. The consequences of ignoring inbreeding were inflated additive genetic variance estimates and underestimation of residual variance, with resulting inflation of heritability. We found models that correct for differential inbreeding at the subpopulation level give similar results to more complex ones including family-level estimates. Our analysis indicates that the commonly applied coefficient of relationship for first-generation eucalypt progeny of ρ = 1/2.5 appears to be quite suitable for correcting variance component and heritability estimates. However, if inbreeding is, especially where levels of inbreeding vary among families, and some suboptimal selections and loss of genetic gain may ensue

Development of a fasting blood glucose-based strategy to diagnose women with gestational diabetes mellitus at increased risk of adverse outcomes in a COVID-19 environment.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the role of fasting blood glucose (FBG) to minimise the use of the oral glucose tolerance test in pregnancy (POGTT) for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Research design and methodsWe analysed the POGTTs of 26,242 pregnant women in Queensland, Australia, performed between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015. A receiver operator characteristics (ROC) assessment was undertaken to indicate the FBG level that most effectively identified women at low risk of an abnormal result.ResultsThere were 3,946 (15.0%) patients having GDM with 2,262 (8.6%) having FBG ≥ 5.1mmol/l. The ROC identified FBG levels >4.6mmol/l having the best specificity (77%) and sensitivity (54%) for elevated 1 and/or 2hr BGLs. There were 19,321 (73.7%) women having FBG ConclusionThis contemporary study of women across the state of Queensland, Australia suggests the FBG can be used effectively to define glucose tolerance in pregnancy, minimising their contact with pathology laboratories and potential exposure to the corona virus. This analysis, used in conjunction with outcome data from the HAPO study, provides reassurance to women and their health professionals that FBG < 4.7mmol/l has both a low rate of abnormal glucose tolerance and minimal adverse pregnancy-associated complications

Trade-offs between timber production and biodiversity in rainforest plantations: Emerging issues and an ecological perspective

During the past two centuries there have been three major paradigm shifts in the management of Australian rainforests and the use of their timbers: from felling native forests towards growing plantations; from viewing forests and plantations as mainly providers of timber to viewing them as sources of multiple benefits (e.g. timber, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, catchment protection, recreation, regional economic development); and from timber plantations being developed mainly by government on public land towards those established by private citizens, companies, or joint venture arrangements, on previously-cleared freehold land. Rainforest timber plantations are increasingly established for varied reasons, and with multiple objectives. Landholders are increasingly interested in the biodiversity values of their plantations. However, there are few guidelines on the changes to plantation design and management that would augment biodiversity outcomes, or on the extent to which this might require a sacrifice of production. [Abstract extract

Rainforest timber plantations and the restoration of plant biodiversity in tropical and subtropical Australia

We compared the species richness, growth forms and assemblages of vascular plants in five types of rainforest reforestation with pasture and forest reference sites in tropical and subtropical Australia. These types include unmanaged regrowth, young and old monoculture plantations, young rainforest cabinet timber species plantations and plantings designed to restore natural rainforest communities. Patterns of species richness across these reforestation types differed between the tropics and subtropics, although all reforestation types supported fewer species than natural rainforest reference sites. In the tropics similar numbers of introduced (i.e. non-native) species occurred in all types of reforestation (with the exception of old plantations which included few introduced species) and pasture reference sites. This contrasts with the subtropics where the greatest numbers of introduced species were associated with cabinet timber plantings. Greater diversity of growth forms (including epiphytes and vines) occurred in rainforest reference sites than in any type of reforestation. The assemblages of canopy trees (including both planted species and recruits) varied in their resemblance to rainforest reference sites in the different types of reforestation in the two regions. However, there was a tendency for young plantations to be most dissimilar to rainforest reference sites. On the other hand, old (ca. 60 years) plantation sites in the tropics were similar to natural rainforest reference sites. This was due to their close proximity to remnants and low intensity management regimes.Because species richness and growth form obscures the importance of particular species in reforestation, we targeted eight common species (four native and four introduced) as exemplars of the possible biodiversity future under the different types of reforestation. These species demonstrated the individuality of species behaviour under different types of reforestation. Rainforest timber plantations can lead to increased biodiversity if they are designed to facilitate the colonization of rainforest taxa, and managed to favour processes associated with the development of a rainforest environment. Negative outcomes for rainforest biodiversity follow the establishment of non-rainforest species or processes (e.g. persistent high understorey light levels) not associated with a rainforest environment. Management and designs to minimize the need for ongoing intervention will be important economic considerations in future reforestation efforts aimed at restoring biodiversity

Clinical and endoscopic features of eosinophilic esophagitis in adults

Background. Eosinophilic esophagitis in adults is regarded as unusual, being diagnosed mostly in young men presenting with dysphagia. Mucosal furrows are a sentinel endoscopic feature. This study examined the demographic and clinical profile of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis seen from 1981 to 2002