Iridoids and other Mmnoterpenes in the Alzheimer’s Brain: Recent development and future prospects

Iridoids are a class of monoterpenoid compounds constructed from 10-carbon skeleton of isoprene building units. These compounds in their aglycones and glycosylated forms exist in nature to contribute to mechanisms related to plant defenses and diverse plant-animal interactions. Recent studies have also shown that iridoids and other structurally related monoterpenes display a vast array of pharmacological effects that make them potential modulators of the Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This review critically evaluates the therapeutic potential of these natural products by assessing key in vitro and in vivo data published in the scientific literature. Mechanistic approach of scrutiny addressing their effects in the Alzheimer’s brain including the τ-protein phosphorylation signaling, amyloid beta (Aβ) formation, aggregation, toxicity and clearance along with various effects from antioxidant to antiinflammatory mechanisms are discussed. The drug likeness of these compounds and future prospects to consider in their development as potential leads are addressed

Molecular pharmacology of rosmarinic and salvianolic acids: Potential seeds for Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia drugs.

Both caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (danshensu) are synthesized through two distinct routs of the shikimic acid biosynthesis pathway. In many plants, especially the rosemary and sage family of Lamiaceae, these two compounds are joined through an ester linkage to form rosmarinic acid (RA). A further structural diversity of RA derivatives in some plants such as Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a form of RA dimer, salvianolic acid-B (SA-B), that further give rise to diverse salvianolic acid derivatives. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the chemistry and pharmacology of these compounds related to their potential therapeutic applications to dementia. The two common causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and stroke, are employed to scrutinize the effects of these compounds in vitro and in animal models of dementia. Key pharmacological mechanisms beyond the common antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols are highlighted with emphasis given to amyloid beta (Aβ) pathologies among others and neuronal regeneration from stem cell

Methodology for rapid isolation of Moringin: Potential anticancer compound from the seeds of Moringa stenopetala

The seeds of Moringa stenopetala which are known to be rich sources of glucosinolates, primarily glucomoringin, have been shown to have limited anticancer effects when tested in vitro. In the present study, however, the water extract of the seeds obtained following defatting by hexane displayed potent cytotoxic activity against HepG2 (IC50, 6.28 ± 0.55 μg/ml) and the SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma (IC50, 9.81 ± 1.30 μg/ml) cells. The methanol extract displayed a weak cytotoxic activity against the HepG2 human hepatocellular cancer cells when tested upto 500 μg/ml, while extraction with hexane yielded the non-cytotoxic fixed oil which fatty acid composition was primarily oleic acid (75%). By monitoring the constituents of the water extract by HPLC and a one-step combiflash chromatographic system using C-18 silica gel system, the principal active constituent (glucomoringin isothiocyanate or moringin; 4(α-L-rhamnosyloxy)-benzyl isothiocyanate) was isolated. Moringin was 6.3 and 2.4 times more potent than etoposide in the HepG2 and SH-SY5Y cell lines respectively. The isolation of this potent potential anticancer compound from the seeds of M. stenopetala without the need for multi-step chromatographic and enzyme-digestion based purification steps are discussed

Beyond the Win: Pathways for Policy Implementation

When it comes to policy, a lot of attention is given to "the win." Whether it is something new and big like the Affordable Care Act, a piece of legislation in a large federal omnibus bill, or inclusion of critical language in a state policy, seeing the fruits of advocacy efforts put into law makes advocates and champions feel that their hard work, often many years in the making, has paid off.However, in reality, "the win" is just the beginning -- a necessary first step in a much longer and equally as fraught process of policy implementation. Once a policy is created, there are numerous factors that shape and determine how that policy is implemented -- and ultimately, the impact it will have -- regardless of how well the policy is formulated. Some of these factors include rulemaking, funding, capacity of local implementing agencies, and fights to repeal or modify wins, among many others.And, just as in the case of "the win," advocacy plays an important role in shaping implementation whether in advocating across these factors or participating in ongoing monitoring over time. Interestingly, while the role of advocacy in agenda setting, policy formulation, and policy adoption has been widely explored in theory and practice, the role of advocacy in the policy implementation process has received less attention in the literature.To learn more about the role of advocacy at the policy implementation stage, ORS Impact spoke with organizations that engage in, or provide funding for, advocacy efforts at the state and/or federal level. We focused on the following questions:When had advocates played a positive role in policy implementation?When had implementation not gone as well as expected, and what did advocates take away from that?Our conversations yielded important learnings about the unique characteristics of, and range of approaches to, advocacy efforts during the implementation phase. The two following scenarios illustrate some of the different types and levels of advocacy intervention, as well as the results they produce, to demonstrate the ways advocacy can play out when shifting from policymaking to implementation

The hidden treasure in Europe’s garden plants: Case examples; Berberis darwinni and Bergenia cordifolia

Numerous plants cultivated in European gardens have a history of traditional medicinal uses. Some are native to Europe, while others are introduced from other geographical regions. Systematic pharmacological and phytochemical studies on these plants could yield valuable lead compounds of pharmacological significance. In this short communication, two case examples using Berberis darwinii and Bergenia cordifolia are presented

Could we really use aloe vera food supplements to treat diabetes? Quality control issues

Diabetes UK has recently listed a number of herbs and spices that have been clinically shown to improve blood glucose control in type-2 diabetes patients and the diabetes high-risk group. With Aloe vera being top in this list, its health benefit along with health and beauty/food retailers supplying it was illustrated in detail. Previous article from this laboratory scrutinised the merit of using A. vera as an alternative therapy to prescription antidiabetic drugs and the risk of using food supplements in the market which do not qualify as drug preparations. In continuation of this discussion, the present study assesses three Aloe Pura brands and one Holland and Barret brand of A. vera juice supplements in the UK market through chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. While the polysaccharide active ingredient, acemannan, appears to be within the recommended limit, it was found that Aloe Pura (one of the best-selling brands for A. vera supplement) products have benzoate additive that does not appear in the supplement levels. Moreover, two of the Aloe Pura brand juices contain methanol, suggesting that the International Aloe Science Council (IASC) certification does not guarantee the medicinal quality of these products. The therapeutic fitness of such supplements is discussed

Detection and Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in a Wastewater Treatment Process

目前，随着在越来越多的污水样品和处理后的生物残渣中检测到耐药菌和抗性基因，人们已逐渐认识到污水处理厂是这二者的一个主要容留场所。环境中的这些抗性基因可以作为感染源水平转移到人类机体微生物中，也因此导致了抗生素耐药性的扩大化。由于胞外基因分子可以在水环境中保持相当长时间的生物活性，而目前关于污水中胞外基因的报道甚少，本文将着重调查典型的污水处理工艺——膜生物反应器中的胞外基因，并在此基础上进一步考察膜生物反应器出水中的胞外抗性基因（尤其是磺胺甲恶唑抗性基因）可能对细菌产生的抗性基因转化。 首先，本文改进和验证了一项同时提取胞内和胞外基因的方法，结果显示胞外基因的回收率为43-67%且几乎没有细...Nowadays, wastewater treatment plants have been gradually recognized as a reservoir for antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes(ARGs), which were found in lots of wastewater samples and treated biosolids. These environmental ARGs then could serve as a source and be horizontally transferred to human-associated bacteria and thus contribute to antibiotic resistance proliferation...学位：工学硕士院系专业：化学化工学院_化学工程学号：2042012115417

Third Party Punishment Preferences Toward White and Black Perpetrators: A Comparison in U.S. Dollars

From the Washington University Office of Undergraduate Research Digest (WUURD), Vol. 12, 05-01-2017. Published by the Office of Undergraduate Research. Joy Zalis Kiefer, Director of Undergraduate Research and Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences; Lindsey Paunovich, Editor; Helen Human, Programs Manager and Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences Mentor: Bryan Koeni