Pharmacology, Toxicology and Environmental Health Commons^™

Role Of Urban Parks In Carbon Sequestration– A Case Study Of Safari Park, Karachi, Pakistan, Amna Bano, Minzah Shehzad, Hasnain Kazmi, Jamshaid Iqbal

Journal of Bioresource Management

Urban parks besides their recreational use can be the potential source of climate mitigation through carbon sequestration. Present study aims to identify the carbon sequestration potential of Safari Park which is by far the largest public park of Karachi established in 1970 covering an area of 0.72 km². A total of 153 individual trees belonging to 25 species and 14 families were included in the study. Five dominant species with highest Important Value Index (IVI) were Cocos nucifera (14.62 %), Azadirachta indica (14.21 %), Guaiacum officinale (9.93 %), Washington robusta (9.31 %) and Delonix regia (7.11 %). The …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Ethnobotanical Study Of Antihemorrhagic Plants In The Skikda Region (North East Of Algeria), Nabila Souilah, Hamdi Bendif, Abdelkrim Benaradj, Abdelouaheb Belaid, Scherazad Mekious

Journal of Bioresource Management

Our survey was carried out at the level of 17 Municipalities of the Province of Skikda. Questionnaire sheets were distributed to 55 herbalists and 350 locale population (informants). The processing of survey data with the local population shows us that women (52 %) have more knowledge of phytotherapy compared to men (48 %) with a fairly high level of education. For the herbalists, we found that most are men (85.45 %) aged between 31-40 years (29.09 %) and 41-50 years (25.45 %), and with level of university study (36.36 %). On the other hand, 52.73 % of herbalists said they …

Aversion Properties Of Retrorsine, Retrorsine Nitrogen Oxide And Frosted Senecio Latifolius, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Two pilot trials, investigating the aversive properties of retrorsine and retrorsine nitrogen oxide and that of frosted Senecio latifolius, were executed. Retrorsine and retrorsine-NO (the toxic principles of Senecio retrorsus), unlke sceleratine-NO (the toxic principle of another hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid containing plant, namely S. latifolius), were not capable of establishing aversion when given to a sheep. Frosted S. latifolius given to a sheep also did not induce aversion. However, a sheep averted to S. latifolius (non-frosted) refused eating frosted S. latifolius.

Sceleratin Nitrogen Oxide As Aversive Agent In Conditioning Livestock To Avoid Senecio Latifolius, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Sceleratine nitrogen oxide, when administered together with a dichloromethane extract of Senecio latifolius, successfully conditioned cattle and sheep to avoid milled freeze dried S. latifolius mixed with maize meal. This treatment was effectively applied in conditioning steers to refuse eating S. latifolius grown in pots.

Perceptions Regarding Drinking Water Quality And Its Effects On Human And Animal Health Among Plain-Sect Community Members, Anil Kumar Chaudhary, Parmveer Singh, Sharmistha Basak

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

The quality of drinking water can affect human and animal health, and plain-sect populations may be more susceptible than other rural populations due to their use of traditional farm management practices and their reliance on well water. Therefore, an interdisciplinary team conducted a pilot study to understand the status of existing drinking water quality, community perceptions regarding causes of water deterioration, its associated effect on human and animal health, and solutions to address such challenges. The study included water testing and a focus group discussion with plain-sect community members. The findings revealed that participants perceived the drinking water quality as …

The Potential Of Stem Cell Therapy In Multiple Sclerosis Treatment: A Review, Sorina Amarculesei, Ava O'Meara Cushen, Cathy Brougham

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Multiple Sclerosis is an autoimmune and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. There are currently 2.8 million people living with Multiple Sclerosis worldwide, including 9000 people in Ireland, with a prevalence of 193 per 100,000 people. Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis include sensory loss, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, spasticity, depression, optic neuritis, gait ataxia, diplopia, and loss of bladder control. Currently, there is no standardised treatment or cure for Multiple Sclerosis with many strategies focusing on symptoms. Stem cells have emerged as promising approaches for Multiple Sclerosis therapeutics. Clinical trials primarily focus on mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies for Multiple Sclerosis. Furthermore, …

Melittin: A Natural Component Of Honeybee Venom As A Potential Anti-Cancer Therapy, Niamh Donnellan, Anne M. Friel

SURE Journal: Science Undergraduate Research Experience Journal

Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide and while chemotherapy is the main approach there are many negative associations in current treatment procedures. These include lack of selectivity, side effects and drug resistance. The hallmarks of cancer are a fundamental concept which aids the development of new means to treat human cancers through the understanding of the acquisition of these hallmarks from cells.

Melittin is a major peptide component of bee venom which has shown to be efficacious as an anticancer agent in preclinical and animal models. Melittin has many biological functions including pore formation in the phospholipid bilayer …

Corrigendum To "Ssr-Based Molecular Diagnosis For Taiwan Tea Cultivars And Its Application In Identifying Cultivar Composition Of The Processed Tea"

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Acknowledgment Of Reviewers

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

No abstract provided.

Application Of The Us Food And Drug Administration’S Sentinel Routine Querying Tools To The Taiwan Sentinel Data Model-Formatted National Health Insurance Research Database, Fang-Ju Lin, Ling-Ya Huang, Chi-Chuan Wang, Sengwee Toh

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Sentinel System is a leading distributed data network for drug safety surveillance in the world. The National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan was converted into the Taiwan Sentinel Data Model (TSDM) based on the Sentinel Common Data Model (SCDM) version 6.0.2. The goal of this study was to investigate the feasibility of applying the same study designs, analytic choices, and analytic tools as used by the U.S. Sentinel System to examine the same drug-outcome associations in the TSDM-formatted NHIRD. Four known drug-outcome associations previously examined by the U.S. Sentinel System were selected …

Isolation Of Glp-1 Enhancing Indolizidine Alkaloids From Boehmeria Formosana, Ching-Yi Lu, Zheng-Ying Huang, Meng-Chin Chen, Hui-Kang Liu, Shoei-Sheng Lee, Chia-Chuan Chang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Boehmeria formosana, with its related species, demonstrates anti-glycemic effect, inhibition of HBV production, anti-cancer activities, etc. Some indolizidine alkaloids from the same genus are bioactive but sensitive to light. To overcome this problem and obtain more phenanthroindolizidine alkaloids, isolation was performed in darkness, yielding 10 new indolizidine alkaloids and 17 known compounds. Among them, seven enhanced glucagon-like receptor 1 (GLP-1) activity at 50 mM, especially 14 and 6 (3.5- and 2.3-fold than the negative control). This procedure yielded bioactive indolizidine alkaloids with novel structures.

An Integrated Strategy To Evaluate Active Substances Of Astragali Radix-Carthami Flos Combination On The Treatment Of Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury Based On Tqsm Polypharmacokinetics And Pharmacodynamics, Qiang Zeng, Chang Li, Shouchao Xu, Yu He

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

As a classic herb pair, Astragali Radix-Carthami Flos (AR-CF) has revealed good biological activity in the treatment of cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI), which remained to be further clarified together with the underlying efficacy related compounds for material basis. In this study, the nine formulations were obtained by L₉(3⁴) orthogonal array design of four active fractions (saponin and flavonoid extracted from AR, safflower yellow and safflower red extracted from CF). The concentrations of eleven components and the levels of four biochemical indicators in rat plasma were continuously detected after intragastric administration of nine formulations, respectively. The collected …

Cryptocaryone Induces Apoptosis In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells By Inhibiting Aerobic Glycolysis Through Akt And C-Src Signaling Pathways, Chen-Lin Yu, Yu-Wei Lai, Jih-Jung Chen, Jie-Jen Lee, Tsung-Hsien Chou, Chen-Chen Huang, Shih-Chia Liu, Guang-Wei Chen, Chung‐Hsin Tsai, Shih-Wei Wang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common form of liver cancer, with the second highest mortality rate in all cancer. Energy reprogramming is one of the hallmarks of cancer, and emerging evidence showed that targeting glycolysis is a promising strategy for HCC treatment. Cryptocaryone has been shown to display promising anti-cancer activity against numerous types of cancer. Previous study also indicated that cryptocaryone induces cytotoxicity by inhibiting glucose transport in cancer cells, but the detailed mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the anti-cancer effect and glycolytic metabolism of cryptocaryone in human …

Dehulled Adlay (Coix Lachryma-Jobi L.) Ameliorates Hepatic Gluconeogenesis And Steatosis In Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet-Induced Diabetic Rats, Shing-Hwa Liu, Wan-Hsin Wu, Huei-Ping Tzeng, Wenchang Chiang, Meng-Tsan Chiang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L.) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with various biological activities. We investigated the anti-diabetic effects of different parts of adlay seeds, including polished adlay (PA), adlay bran (AB) and dehulled adlay (DA) in a streptozotocin (STZ)/high fat diet (HFD) diabetic rat model (DM). DM rats supplemented with or without PA (43%), AB (3%), or DA (46%) diet for 8 weeks. The plasma glucose and insulin levels and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) were increased in DM group; among the three adlay diets, DA has the best effects attenuating all of these alterations in DM …

Biological And Clinical Significance Of The Age-Rage Axis In The Aggressiveness And Prognosis Of Prostate Cancer, Shih-Hong Khoo, Pei-Ru Wu, Kun-Tu Yeh, Shih-Lan Hsu, Chi-Hao Wu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Dietary factors and chronic hyperglycemia are linked to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and prostate cancer (PCa) risk. The activation of the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) acts as a bridge between various RAGE ligands and certain malignancies. This study showed that the interaction of AGEs and RAGE promoted PCa cell proliferation, invasion, and autophagy-mediated survival in response to chemotherapeutic agents. RAGE-overexpressed PCa cells underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition and showed increased cancer stem cell-like properties. In mouse xenograft models, RAGE-overexpressed cells showed more substantial tumorigenic capacity than parental cells, whereas RAGE knockdown decreased tumorigenicity. The clinical data validated a …

Steamed Daylily Flower (Hemerocallis Fulva L.) Protected Cardiac And Hepatic Cells Against Ethanol Induced Apoptotic And Oxidative Damage, Sheng-Lei Yan, Wen-Tzu Wu, Mei-Chin Mong, Mei-Chin Yin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Our previous study examined the phytochemical composition and bio-activities of raw daylily flower (Hemerocallis fulva L.). However, this plant food is usually served via heat process such as cooking in a soup. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical profile and biofunctions of steamed daylily flower (SDF). The content of total phenolic acids, total flavonoids, total carotenoids, total anthocyanins and total triterpenoids in SDF aqueous extract was assessed. Normal cardiac and hepatic cells, H9c2 and L-02 cells, were used to evaluate the protective effects of SDF against ethanol. SDF concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, and 1% were applied to treat …

Analysis And Identification Of Phenolic Compounds With Antiproliferative Activity From Chinese Olive (Canarium Album L.) Fruit Extract By Hplc-Dad-Spe-Tt-Nmr, Yu-Te Yeh, Chien-Kuang Chen, Yi-Chun Liao, Shoei-Sheng Lee, Shu-Chen Hsieh

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Chinese olives (Canarium album L.) are rich in phenolic compounds, exhibiting a broad spectrum of potential clinical applications. This study is the first report on the isolation and elucidation of bioactive compounds with high antiproliferative activity from the ethyl acetate fraction of a Chinese olive fruit methanolic extract (CO-EtOAc). We used the WST-1 assay to determine which subfractions of CO-EtOAc had significant antiproliferative activity using the murine colon cancer cell line CT26. Subsequently, the functional compounds were characterized by the hyphenated technique and high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector-solid phase extraction-transfer tube-nuclear magnetic resonance (HPLC-DAD-SPE-TT-NMR). Thirteen phenolic constituents were identified …

Glycine-Rich Peptides From Fermented Chenopodium Formosanum Sprout As An Antioxidant To Modulate The Oxidative Stress, Chen-Che Hsieh, Shu-Han Yu, Hsing-Chun Kuo, Darin Khumsupan, Hsiao-Chu Huang, Yu-Wei Liou, Chen-Yu Kao, Szu-Chuan Shen, Kuan-Chen Cheng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Rhizopus oligosporus was utilized in the solid-state fermentation of Chenopodium formosanum sprouts (FCS) in a bioreactor. Subsequently, the antioxidant activity of food proteins derived from FCS was investigated. Results showed that glycine-rich peptide (GGGGGKP, G-rich peptide), identified from the < 2 kDa FCS proteins, had antioxidant values. According to SwissADME, AllerTOP, ToxinPred, and BIOPEP-UWM analyses, G-rich peptide was identified as safe, non-toxic, and non-allergenic. Afterward, the peptide was examined using in silico and in vitro studies to evaluate its potential alleviating oxidative stress caused by particulate matter. This study proposed plausible mechanisms that involve the binding of G-rich peptide which inhibited phosphorylation of the v-rel avian reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog A (RELA) subunit on NF-κB pathway. The inhibition then resulted in down regulation of NF-κB transcription and genetic expression of inflammatory …

Investigation Of Microwave Extraction Of Red Cabbage And Its Neurotherapeutic Potential, Halil Koyu, Serdar Demir, Mehmet Zeki Haznedaroglu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

In the pursuit of bioactive compounds with health benefits from food and medicinal plants, optimization of process to reduce solvent, raw material, energy and time consumption has been a valuable research objective. Sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources are of critical importance for sustainability goals. In this manner, microwave extraction of red cabbage which has been a mass cultivated plant for food purposes, was optimized for maximizing acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, tyrosinase inhibitory activity and bioactive content. Quantitative analysis of total phenol, flavonoid and anthocyanin content were performed using spectrophotometry and UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS. Optimum conditions were determined as 600 W, 100% …

Abundance Of Prevotella Copri In Gut Microbiota Is Inversely Related To A Healthy Diet In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Chih-Yiu Tsai, Po-Yu Liu, Meng-Chuan Huang, Chiao-I Chang, Hsin-Yun Chen, Yu-Hsien Chou, Chi-Neu Tsai, Chia-Hung Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

While the gut microbiota is known to be influenced by habitual food intake, this relationship is seldom explored in type 2 diabetes patients. This study aims to investigate the relationship between dietary patterns and gut microbial species abundance in 113 type 2 diabetes patients (mean age, 58 years; body mass index, 29.1; glycohemoglobin [HbA1c], 8.1%). We analyzed the gut microbiota using 16S amplicon sequencing, and all patients were catogorized into either the Bacteroides enterotype (57.5%, n = 65) or the Prevotella enterotype (42.5%, n = 48) using the partitioning around medoids clustering algorithm, based on the most representative genera. Patients …

Therapeutic Effects Of Orally Administration Of Viable And Inactivated Probiotic Strains Against Murine Urinary Tract Infection, Vo Thi Hong Van, Zhen-Shu Liu, Yueh Jen Hsieh, Wei-Chen Shiu, Bo-Yuan Chen, Yu-We Ku, Po-Wen Chen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are highly prevalent bacterial infections that pose significant health risks. Specific probiotic strains have been recommended for UTI control and management of antibiotic resistance. Otherwise, paraprobiotics, defined as inactivated probiotic cells, offer potential advantages by minimizing risks associated with live microorganisms. However, the effectiveness of heat-killed probiotic strains against UTIs remains uncertain. Additionally, lactoferrin (LF), an iron-binding glycoprotein, exhibits immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Recently, we had developed recombinant LF-expression probiotics, which can display considerate antibacterial activities against select food-borne pathogens in vitro. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activities of heat-killed natural …

Recent Advances In Combined Avant-Garde Technologies (Thermal-Thermal, Non-Thermal-Non-Thermal, And Thermal-Non-Thermal Matrix) To Extract Polyphenols From Agro Byproducts, Isaac Duah Boateng

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Because food byproducts (waste) are rich in phytoconstituents, valorizing them is crucial for global food security. However, conventional extraction (CE), including decoction, maceration, Soxhlet, etc., for agro byproducts’ polyphenol extraction are time-consuming and rely significantly on vast volumes of potentially aggressive solvents. Hence, Avant-garde extraction technologies, including non-thermal (high hydrostatic pressure (HHPE), pulsed-electric field (PEF), high voltage electrical discharges (HVED), etc.) and thermal extraction (supercritical fluid (SCF), subcritical water extraction (SWE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), etc.), as well as their thermal combinations (SCF-PLE, SCCO2-SWE, SCCO2-MAE, etc.), non-thermal combinations (HHPE+UAE, PEF+UAE, HVED+UAE, etc.) and combined thermal-non-thermal (MAE-UAE, etc.) are increasingly replacing CE. …

Isolation Of The Toxic Principle Of Senecio Latifolius By Means Of The Sensory Receptors Of Sheep, Leendert D. Snyman

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

The aversive substance of Senecio latifolius was isolated by means of the sensory receptors of sheep averted to S. latifolius. Chemical fractions refused due to the presence of the aversive substance sensed by the sheep were fractionated until a purified substance had been isolated. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the purified substance showed it to be sceleratine nitrogen oxide, the toxic principle of S. latifolius.

Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol And Cannabidiol Effect On Dopamine Transporter Expression And Function, Delia M. Guzman

Student Theses

Drug addiction is a major endemic crisis in the United States with a higher prevalence than any other country. Marijuana and hallucinogens make up a great percentage of the drugs of abuse in Americans ranging from 15 to 64 years old. Marijuana contains over 500 active compounds that contribute to its effects, the major components being delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Understanding the pharmacological mechanism as well as the effects that they elicit through the dopaminergic reward system is a key factor in being able to understand why addiction is so prevalent in our society. This research was aimed to …

Socioeconomic Geographies And Municipal Decision Making Of New York's Climate Smart Communities Program, Stephen Corbisiero

Digital and Data Studies Student Scholarship

Nearly all of New York’s residents live in a municipality designated as a Climate Smart Community, but few are familiar with one of the state’s major legislative accomplishments. The initiative allows municipalities to earn points toward a climate smart certification by implementing sustainable technologies in their communities, which in turn makes them eligible for increased grant funding from New York State. As climate change begins to have a greater impact on human and natural life, investing in green infrastructure has never been more important. New York’s Climate Smart Communities program is widespread, but adoption rates vary greatly throughout the state …

Using A Toxic Aging Coin To Assess Hexavalent Chromium-Induced Neurotoxicity., Samuel Thomas Vielee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are facing an aging crisis, with 20% of the U.S. population projected to be geriatric (65+) by 2030 and live another 40+ years. Age-related diseases accompany a growing geriatric population, emphasizing the need to understand their etiology. Environmental pollutants compound this crisis by: 1) geriatrics are more susceptible, exacerbating age-related diseases and comorbidities, and 2) they accelerate biological aging, inducing age-related diseases at younger ages. We address this crisis using a ‘toxic aging coin’ approach; heads examines how age impacts toxicity, tails examines how chemicals accelerate aging. This thesis applies the heads side for Cr(VI)-induced neurotoxicity across ages. We …

Cognitive Task Analysis Of Clinicians’ Drug–Drug Interaction Management During Patient Care And Implications For Alert Design, Alissa L. Russ-Jara, Nervana Elkhadragy, Karen J. Arthur, Julie B. Dilulio, Laura G. Militello, Amanda P. Ifeachor, Peter A. Glassman, Alan J. Zillich, Michael Weiner

Purdue University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund

Background Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) are common and can result in patient harm. Electronic health records warn clinicians about DDIs via alerts, but the clinical decision support they provide is inadequate. Little is known about clinicians’ real-world DDI decision-making process to inform more effective alerts.

Objective Apply cognitive task analysis techniques to determine informational cues used by clinicians to manage DDIs and identify opportunities to improve alerts.

Design Clinicians submitted incident forms involving DDIs, which were eligible for inclusion if there was potential for serious patient harm. For selected incidents, we met with the clinician for a 60 min interview. Each …

The Method Development And Validation Of Designer Benzodiazepines In Oral Fluid Using Solid Phase Extraction And Lc-Ms/Ms, Jenna L. Monsell

Student Theses

Oral fluid is a useful biological matrix. Collection is non-invasive, quick, observable, and its correlation between oral fluid and blood drug concentration make oral fluid an important matrix to use as a roadside test. Designer benzodiazepines have become increasingly popular over the years, adversely affecting motor skills and leading to driving under the influence. Many previous studies have focused on the method development and validation of designer benzodiazepines in blood and hair but fail to validate a method to detect designer benzodiazepines in oral fluid. This study focuses on the method validation of 13 designer benzodiazepines in oral fluid using …

Effects Of Short-Term Pesticides Exposure On Swimming Behavior, Tissue Morphology, Oxidative-Nitrative Stress, Antioxidant Expression, And Cellular Apoptosis In Kidneys Of Goldfish, Esmirna Cantú

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of pesticides in the aquatic environment continues to increase due to anthropogenic activities and poses a threat to aquatic organisms. The aim of this study was to determine the short-term exposure (one-week) of pesticide mixtures (metolachlor, linuron, isoproturon, tebucanazole, alconifen, atrazine, pendimethalin; azinphos-methyl) on swimming behaviors, kidney morphology, and expression of nitrotyrosine protein (NTP), dinitrophenyl protein (DNP), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), renin, and cellular apoptosis in goldfish (Carassius auratus). Results indicated that both low- and high-dose pesticide mixtures decreased the distance swimming behavior. Histological analysis showed pesticide exposure alters kidney morphology. DNP, NTP, and renin expressions, and …