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Accumulating evidence indicates that the molecular circadian clock underlies the mating behavior of Drosophila melanogaster. However, information about which food components affect circadian mating behavior is scant. The ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum has recently become a popular functional food. Here, we showed that the close-proximity (CP) rhythm of D. melanogaster courtship behavior was damped under low-nutrient conditions, but significantly enhanced by feeding the flies with powdered ice plant. Among various components of ice plants, we found that myo-inositol increased the amplitude and slightly shortened the period of the CP rhythm. Real-time reporter assays showed that myo-inositol and D-pinitol shortened the period of the circadian reporter gene Per2-luc in NIH 3T3 cells. These data suggest that the ice plant is a useful functional food and that the ability of inositols to shorten rhythms is a general phenomenon in insects as well as mammals.

Background: Phyllanthus niruri, in Indonesia, is known as \"Meniran\" has a long history of use in ethnic or traditional medicine worldwide, mainly as an antihypertensive agent. Objective: The present study was designed to isolate and identify active compounds with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition activity from P. niruri herb and confirm the mechanism of action, affinity, and domain specificity interactions of the isolated compounds. Materials and Methods: Some fractions of P. niruri methanolic extract were subjected to column chromatography and preparative thin-layer chromatography to get active compounds. Structural elucidation was determined via spectroscopic methods. ACE inhibition activity was measured using hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine as a substrate in vitro assay. Furthermore, confirmation of the mechanism of action, affinity, and domain specificity interaction of the isolated compounds on ACE complex macromolecule (protein database id: 1O86) was performed by in silico molecular docking studies. Results: In this work, four active compounds were isolated from aerial part of P. niruri, including hypophyllantin (50% inhibition concentration [IC50] = 0.180 μg/mL), phyllantin (IC50 = 0.140 μg/mL), methyl gallate (IC50 = 0.015 μg/mL), and quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1'''-6'')-α-rhamnoside (IC50 = 0.086 μg/mL). In silico molecular docking method emphasizes ligand-residue interactions, thereby predicting the inhibitory activity of these compounds. After docking to an ACE complex macromolecule, quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1'''-6'')-α-rhamnoside obtained more interactions than lisinopril. Conclusion: The results were obtained from in silico and in vitro experiments and confirm the potential active compound is an ACE inhibitor and a new antihypertensive agent. Abbreviations Used: P. niruri: Phyllanthus niruri; ACE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme; HHL: Hippuryl-L-histidyl-L-leucine; HA: Hippuric acid; PDB: Protein database; IC50: 50% inhibition concentration; FH: N-hexane fraction; FE: Ethyl acetate fraction; TLC: Thin layer chromatography; UV-VIS: Ultraviolet-visible; NMR: nuclear magnetic resonance; FTIR: Fourier-Transform infrared; MS: Mass spectrometry; HMQC: Heteronuclear Multiple-Quantum Correlation; HMBC: Heteronuclear multiple bond correlation; TADOK: Tugas Akhir Mahasiswa Doktor.

A new isoflavone, 7,2',4'-trihydroxyisoflavone-4'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside has been isolated from the aerial part of Crotalaria sessiliflora. The isoflavone glucoside enhanced the proliferation of the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line, which possesses estrogen receptor (ER) and responds to estrogen in culture. The estrogenic property of the isoflavone glucoside was blocked by the known ER antagonist tamoxifen, indicating the involvement of the ER. Furthermore, the isoflavone glucoside was found to enhance the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the rat neuronal cell line PC12 at low concentrations of nerve growth factor (NGF).

The enzymes for shortening the phenylpropanoid side chain were partially purified by ion exchange and gel filtration column chromatographies after (NH4)2SO4 precipitation. The enzyme activities of each fraction were dependent on the presence of dithiothreitol (DTT). The optimum pH and the molecular weight of the enzyme in one fraction were approximately 7.0 and 17,000, respectively. The enzyme activity of ferulic acid toward 4-coumaric acid in the same fraction was about 16%. The enzyme activity was activated by the addition of 0.5mM Fe2+. We propose that 2,3-dioxygenase catalyzes the reaction from ferulic acid to vanillin in Vanilla planifolia.

The balance between bacterial colonization and its containment in the intestine is indispensable for the symbiotic relationship between humans and their bacteria. One component to maintain homeostasis at the mucosal surfaces is immunoglobulin A (IgA), the most abundant immunoglobulin in mammals 1 , 2 . Several studies have revealed important characteristics of poly-reactive IgA 3 , 4 , which is produced naturally without commensal bacteria. Considering the dynamic changes within the gut environment, however, it remains uncertain how the commensal-reactive IgA pool is shaped and how such IgA affects the microbial community. Here we show that acetate—one of the major gut microbial metabolites—not only increases the production of IgA in the colon, but also alters the capacity of the IgA pool to bind to specific microorganisms including Enterobacterales. Induction of commensal-reactive IgA and changes in the IgA repertoire by acetate were observed in mice monocolonized with Escherichia coli , which belongs to Enterobacterales, but not with the major commensal Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron , which suggests that acetate directs selective IgA binding to certain microorganisms. Mechanistically, acetate orchestrated the interactions between epithelial and immune cells, induced microbially stimulated CD4 T cells to support T-cell-dependent IgA production and, as a consequence, altered the localization of these bacteria within the colon. Collectively, we identified a role for gut microbial metabolites in the regulation of differential IgA production to maintain mucosal homeostasis. Acetate—a major gut microbial metabolite—increases the production of IgA in the colon, alters the capacity of the IgA pool to bind to specific microorganisms and alters the localization of these bacteria within the colon.

Purpose Atropine eye drops prevent the progression of myopia, but their use has not been tested in the Japanese schoolchildren population. Here, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of 0.01% atropine eye drops for myopia control in Japanese children. Study design Multicenter (7 university hospitals), randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial. Methods Participants were 171 Japanese schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years, with progressive myopia, spherical equivalence (SE) of −1.00 to −6.00 diopters (D), and astigmatism of ≤1.5 D. They were randomized to receive either 0.01% atropine ( n =85) or placebo ( n =86) eye drops once nightly OU for 24 months. Primary and secondary efficacy endpoints were changes in SE and axial length (AL), respectively, from baseline to month 24. Results Data from 168 subjects were analyzed. At month 24, compliance was similar in both groups (atropine: 83.3%; placebo: 85.7%). The least squares mean change in SE and AL from baseline were, respectively, −1.26 D (95% confidence interval [CI]: −1.35, −1.17) and 0.63 mm (0.59, 0.67) for atropine and −1.48 D (− 1.57, −1.39) and 0.77 mm (0.73, 0.81) for placebo. Inter-group differences were 0.22 D (95% CI: 0.09, 0.35; P  < 0.001) for SE and − 0.14 mm (−0.20, −0.08; P  < 0.001) for AL. Three patients experienced mild allergic conjunctivitis side effects, with no inter-group difference in incidence (atropine: 2.4%; 2/84 patients; placebo: 1.4%; 1/84 patients). Conclusion With good compliance, 0.01% atropine is effective and safe for preventing the progression of childhood myopia.

Elevated central venous pressure (CVP), low cardiac output, and mild hypoxia are common early and late after Fontan operations. However, the association of these characteristics with late mortality is unclear. We aimed to elucidate the hemodynamic determinants of mortality after Fontan operation. We evaluated early (group early; 0.5-5years postoperatively, n=387) and late (group late; ≥15years postoperatively, n=161) Fontan hemodynamics that included CVP (mm Hg), cardiac index (CI; L/min per m2), systemic ventricular end-diastolic volume index (mL/m2), ejection fraction (EF; %), and arterial blood oxygen saturation (%). We examined the effect of these variables on 5-year all-cause mortality. Mortality was higher in group late than in group early (17 vs 11, P<.0001). In both groups, higher CVP (hazard ratio [HR]1.46 and 1.38, respectively; P<.001-.0001) and lower arterial blood oxygen saturation (HR 1.12, P<.001 for both) were associated with increased mortality. Greater end-diastolic volume index (HR per 20: 1.73) and lower EF (HR per 10%: 3.38) were associated with increased mortality only in group early (P<.0001 for both). In contrast, only in group late was higher CI associated with increased mortality (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.30-4.55, P<.01). Seven patients in group late with both high CVP (≥14) and CI (≥3.0) had the highest mortality (HR 18.1, 5.55-52.4, P<.0001). Elevated CVP and low arterial blood oxygen saturation correlate with mortality in both early and late Fontan survivors. End-diastolic volume index and EF are associated with mortality only in the earlier cohort, whereas interestingly, elevated cardiac output is associated with increased mortality in the later cohort.