ASSESSMENT OF PROXIMATE COMPOSITIONS IN MYANMAR PIGEON PEA VARIETIES

Pigeon pea comprises a great deal of protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamins, however the amount of these nutrients varies greatly. The nutritional components of pigeon peas are considered crucial for human nutrition, and nowadays pigeon pea is incorporated into food products. Identification of high-quality pigeon peas is essential for increasing consumption and enhancing human nutrition. This study evaluated the proximate compositions of five pigeon pea varieties in Myanmar. Standard methods were used to assess the pigeon pea flours for proximate compositions; namely; moisture, protein, ash, crude fat and crude fibre. Total carbohydrate content was determined by subtracting the crude protein, fat, ash and crude fibre percentages from 100. The proximate compositions resulting from this research were moisture (7.22-8.39%), crude protein (20.78-23.25%), ash content (3.27-3.56%), crude fat (1.15-2.17%), crude fibre (2.28-2.64%) and Carbohydrates (61.87- 63.84%) respectively

OPTIMIZATION OF HYDROTHERMAL TREATMENT ON ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS IN SELECTED PIGEON PEA VARIETY IN MYANMAR

The presence of anti-nutritional factors negatively affects the bioavailability of protein, calcium, iron and zinc. This study was conducted with the aim of optimizing the effect of hydrothermal treatment and drying on antinutritional factors and protein content in pigeon pea. The Central Composite Rotatable Design of RSM was applied to optimize the hydrothermal condition for reducing antinutritional factors. The experiment was conducted with 2 independent factors (hydrothermal treatment and drying and drying) at five levels ( ̶ α, ̶ 1, 0, 1, + α). The optimum conditions for the lowest antinutritional factors in pigeon pea were 11-minute hydrothermal treatment and drying and 2-h drying

Clinical importance of the Mandalay spitting cobra (Naja mandalayensis) in Upper Myanmar – Bites, envenoming and ophthalmia

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in Toxicon on 03/06/2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.05.023 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Examination of 18 cobras brought to three hospitals in the Mandalay Region by patients bitten or spat at by them distinguished 3 monocled cobras (Naja kaouthia) and 15 Mandalay spitting cobras (N. mandalayensis), based on their morphological characteristics. We confirm and extend the known distributions and habitats of both N. mandalayensis and N. kaouthia in Upper Myanmar. Clinical symptoms of local and systemic envenoming by N. mandalayensis are described for the first time. These included local swelling, blistering and necrosis and life-threatening systemic neurotoxicity. More information is needed about the clinical phenotype and management of bites by N. mandalayensis, the commoner of the two cobras in Upper Myanmar. Since the current cobra antivenom manufactured in Myanmar has lower pre-clinical efficacy against N. mandalayensis than N. kaouthia, there is a need for more specific antivenom therapy.Published versio

Cell-surface residence of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 on lymphocytes determines lymphocyte egress kinetics

The sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) promotes lymphocyte egress from lymphoid organs. Previous work showed that agonist-induced internalization of this G protein–coupled receptor correlates with inhibition of lymphocyte egress and results in lymphopenia. However, it is unclear if S1P1 internalization is necessary for this effect. We characterize a knockin mouse (S1p1rS5A/S5A) in which the C-terminal serine-rich S1P1 motif, which is important for S1P1 internalization but dispensable for S1P1 signaling, is mutated. T cells expressing the mutant S1P1 showed delayed S1P1 internalization and defective desensitization after agonist stimulation. Mutant mice exhibited significantly delayed lymphopenia after S1P1 agonist administration or disruption of the vascular S1P gradient. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that mutant S1P1 expression in lymphocytes, rather than endothelial cells, facilitated this delay in lymphopenia. Thus, cell-surface residency of S1P1 on T cells is a primary determinant of lymphocyte egress kinetics in vivo

Applications of Silver Nanoparticles and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles from Spirulina platensis

In Myanmar, the natural Spirulina platensis is produced from the natural lake of Yae Kharr lake. The aim of this research was to achieve silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles from Spirulina platensis and its utilizations in biomedical, waste water and balm, some lotions, and face cream for cosmetic products. Spirulina platenis (blue green algae) plays a very important role for health food. Silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles from Spirulina were obtained by green synthesis. Silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles from Spirulina were obtained by calcinations at 60º C and characterized by XRD, SEM, AFM and UV visible spectrophotometer techniques. Average crystallite size of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles from Spirulina was found to be 23.93 nm and 12 nm by using Debye Scherer equation. The antimicrobial activity of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles against both gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pulamis, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Candida albicans fungus strain were done by agar well diffusion method. Among these strains, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans showed the highest antimicrobial activity of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles from Spirulina platensis. Rhodamine G dye was used as model solution and removal percent of Silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles were found to be 84.58% and 75. 12%. Silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles were applied and made for the formation of face cream, body lotion and balm. It was observed that these products can be used safely for body lotion, balm for skin and face cream because the pH value and microbial testing (total plate and yeast and mold counts) of these cosmetic products were found under acceptable level compared to literature values. The main advantages of zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with fabrics can be used in textile industry due to uniform distribution of nanoparticles on the fabric surface to obtain long elasticity

SH2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 regulates concanavalin A-dependent secretion and activation of matrix metalloproteinase 2 via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 pathways

We investigated the role of SH2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase (SHP) 2 in Concanavalin A (Con A) -dependent signaling that leads to the augmented secretion and activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2. In cells expressing mutant SHP-2 in which 65 amino acids in the SH2-N domain were deleted, we found that production, secretion, and proteolytic activation of MMP-2 in response to Con A treatment was severely impaired. Under Con A stimulation, complex formation of SHP-2 with SOS-1 and Grb-2 together with the activation of Ras signaling was clearly observed in wild-type cells, but not in SHP-2 mutant cells. In wild-type cells, Con A-treatment activated dual signaling pathways, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and p38, in a Ras-dependent manner, whereas Con A-dependent activation of these signaling pathways was absent in SHP-2 mutant cells. In addition, pretreatment of wild-type cells with U0126, a potent inhibitor for mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase 1, or with SB203580, a specific inhibitor for p38, significantly inhibited the Con A-dependent secretion and activation of MMP-2. However, overexpression of active mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase 1 in SHP-2 mutant cells could not induce clear activation of MMP-2 secretion, although these cells responded well to the Con A treatment in a p38-dependent manner. Finally, reintroduction of wild-type SHP-2 into SHP-2 mutant cells rescued Erk and p38 activation, and also MMP-2 secretion, whereas dominant-negative SHP-2 could block the Con A-dependent activation of Erk and p38. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that SHP-2 plays a critical role as a positive mediator for Con A-dependent activation of MMP-2 secretion via Ras-Erk and Ras-p38 signalings

Secretion of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 by the proinflammatory cytokine, IL‐1β: a role for the dual signalling pathways, Akt and Erk

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases including MMP-9 mediate matrix destruction during chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and atherosclerosis. MMP-9 up-regulation by inflammatory cytokines involve interactions between several transcription factors including activator protein-1 and NFkappaB. The upstream regulatory pathways are less well understood. RESULTS: To search for the mechanism of tissue destruction in the process of inflammatory disorders, we investigated the signalling pathway critical for the activation of MMP-9 expression and secretion by IL-1beta. Treatment of Balb 3T3 cells with IL-1beta activated MMP-9 transcription and subsequent secretion in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Concomitantly, IL-1beta treatment of cells activated phosphorylation of Akt, Erk and p38. Treatment of cells with either LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, or expression of a dominant negative form of Akt drastically suppressed the IL-1beta-dependent secretion of MMP-9. Pretreatment of cells with a MEK1 inhibitor, U0126, also strongly inhibited IL-1beta-dependent secretion of MMP-9. In contrast, pre-treatment with a specific p38 kinase inhibitor, SB203580, had no effect on IL-1beta-dependent secretion of MMP-9. In addition, cells expressing constitutively active form of Akt or MEK1 showed no clear activation of MMP-9 secretion, whereas these cells responded well to IL-1beta treatment. However, co-transfection of cells with both active Akt and MEK1 was sufficient to induce MMP-9 secretion without stimulation with IL-1beta. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results suggest that IL-1beta stimulation of cells activates MMP-9 secretion by the activation of the dual signalling pathways, the PI3K-Akt and MEK1-Erk and constitutive activation of these pathways were sufficient to induce MMP-9 secretion

Cysteine residues in the C-terminal lobe of Src: their role in the suppression of the Src kinase

To evaluate the function of cysteine residues of the Src kinase, we constructed a series of Src mutants in which some of cyteines were replaced to alanines. With these mutants, we studied the effect of SH-alkylating agents, N-[p-(2-benzimidazolyl)phenyl] maleimide (BIPM) and N-(9-acridinyl) maleimide (NAM), on their kinase activity. Of 10 cysteine residues scattered over v-Src, either a single mutation at Cys520 or multiple mutations at the four clustered cyteines, Cys483, Cys487, Cys496 and Cys498, yielded clear resistance to the treatment with 10 μ M BIPM or 1 μ M NAM. In contrast, other cysteines including those in the SH2 domain and those in the catalytic cleft of the kinase domain were dispensable for the inactivation by BIPM and NAM. Similarly, deletion of SH2 and SH3 did not confer the resistance to v-Src, suggesting the inactivation by the SH-alkylating agents is SH2/SH3-independent. Although Cys520-mutated v-Src was resistant to 1 μ M NAM, it was inactivated by 5 μ M NAM. However, combined mutation including all of Cys483, Cys487, Cys496, Cys498 and Cys520 yielded clear resistance to 5 μ M NAM. Among these mutants, those with double mutations in the four clustered cysteines yielded a temperature sensitive phenotype in the transfected cells, whereas Cys520 did not, suggesting that Cys520 has, at least in part, a discrete function. In contrast to v-Src, c-Src, which lacks cysteine at position 520, was resistant to 1 μ M NAM but sensitive to 5 μ M NAM. While replacement of Phe520 of c-Src to cysteine made it sensitive to 1 μ M NAM, double mutation in clustered cysteines again yielded resistance to 5 μ M NAM. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that the multiple cysteine residues clustered at the end of the C-terminal lobe are critical for the inhibition by the SH-alkylating agents and, thereby, have an allosteric repressor effect on the catalytic activity of Src in a SH2-phosphoTyr527 independent manner

Correction: Spatiotemporal dynamics of malaria in Banmauk Township, Sagaing region of Northern Myanmar: characteristics, trends, and risk factors.

Following the publication of the original article [1], we were notified that the figure legends were out of order. • The label for Fig. 4 should be: “Spatial distribution of P. falciparum in Banmauk 2016–2018. The cluster of P. facliparum is highlighted by a circle.” instead of “Distribution of severe malaria cases in 2016 and 2017 overlaid on the API of individual subcenters. The cluster of severe malaria is highlighted by a circle”. • The label for Fig. 5 should be: “Spatial distribution of P. vivax in Banmauk 2016– 2018. The cluster of P. vivax is highlighted by a circle.” instead of “Spatial distribution of P. falciparum in Banmauk 2016–2018. The cluster of P. falciparum is highlighted by a circle”. • The label for Fig. 6 should be: “Distribution of severe malaria cases in 2016 and 2017 overlaid on the API of individual subcenters. The cluster of severe malaria is highlighted by a circle.” instead of “Spatial distribution of P. vivax in Banmauk 2016–2018. The cluster of P. vivax is highlighted by a circle”. The original article has been corrected