Solanum anguivi Lam. Fruits: Their Potential Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disorder of glucose homeostasis associated with a status of insulin resistance, impaired insulin signaling, β-cell dysfunction, impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, sub-clinical inflammation, and increased oxidative stress. Consuming fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals with potential antidiabetic effects may prevent T2DM and/or support a conservative T2DM treatment while being safer and more affordable for people from low-income countries. Solanum anguivi Lam. fruits (SALF) have been suggested to exhibit antidiabetic properties, potentially due to the presence of various phytochemicals, including saponins, phenolics, alkaloids, ascorbic acid, and flavonoids. For the saponin fraction, antidiabetic effects have already been reported. However, it remains unclear whether this is also true for the other phytochemicals present in SALF. This review article covers information on glucose homeostasis, T2DM pathogenesis, and also the potential antidiabetic effects of phytochemicals present in SALF, including their potential mechanisms of action.     

A novel amperometric inhibition biosensor based on HRP and gold sononanoparticles immobilised onto Sonogel-Carbon electrode for the determination of sulphides

A novel inhibition biosensor used for the detection of sulphides (Na₂S) has been developed. The biosensor is based on the immobilisation of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on the Sonogel-Carbon (SNGC) electrode using glutaraldehyde, Poly(4-vinylpyridine) and gold sononanoparticles (AuSNPs). The Poly(4-vinylpyridine) was used due to its high affinity for sulphide anions, while the presence of gold sononanoparticles enhances the electron transfer reaction and improves the analytical performance of the biosensor. The amperometric measurements were performed at an applied potential of ?0.15 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer solution pH = 6.0. The apparent kinetic parameters (K_mapp, V_max) of immobilised HRP were calculated in the absence of inhibitor (sulphide) using caffeic acid as substrate. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the determination of sulphide can be achieved in a dynamic range of 0.4–2.8 µM with a low limit of detection of 0.15 µM. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was also used to characterise the interactions of substrate and inhibitor with the enzyme-modified electrode. The developed biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, selectivity and stability, and can be successfully applied to the detection of sulphide in water.     

alpha-Mangostin enhances betulinic acid cytotoxicity and inhibits cisplatin cytotoxicity on HCT 116 colorectal carcinoma cells

Despite the progress in colon cancer treatment, relapse is still a major obstacle. Hence, new drugs or drug combinations are required in the battle against colon cancer. α-Mangostin and betulinic acid (BA) are cytotoxic compounds that work by inducing the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, and cisplatin is one of the most potent broad spectrum anti-tumor agents. This study aims to investigate the enhancement of BA cytotoxicity by α-mangostin, and the cytoprotection effect of α-mangostin and BA on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity on HCT 116 human colorectal carcinoma cells. Cytotoxicity was investigated by the XTT cell proliferation test, and the apoptotic effects were investigated on early and late markers including caspases-3/7, mitochondrial membrane potential, cytoplasmic shrinkage, and chromatin condensation. The effect of α-mangostin on four signalling pathways was also investigated by the luciferase assay. α-Mangostin and BA were more cytotoxic to the colon cancer cells than to the normal colonic cells, and both compounds showed a cytoprotective effect against cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. On the other hand, α-mangostin enhanced the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of BA. Combination therapy hits multiple targets, which may improve the overall response to the treatment, and may reduce the likelihood of developing drug resistance by the tumor cells. Therefore, α-mangostin and BA may provide a novel combination for the treatment of colorectal carcinoma. The cytoprotective effect of the compounds against cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity may find applications as chemopreventive agents against carcinogens, irradiation and oxidative stress, or to neutralize cisplatin side effects.     

Double sampling derivatives and truncation error estimates

This paper investigates double sampling series derivatives for bivariate functions defined on R² that are in the Bernstein space. For this sampling series, we estimate some of the pointwise and uniform bounds when the function satisfies some decay conditions. The truncated series of this formula allow us to approximate any order of partial derivatives for function from Bernstein space using only a finite number of samples from the function itself. This sampling formula will be useful in the approximation theory and its applications, especially after having the truncation error well-established. Examples with tables and figures are given at the end of the paper to illustrate the advantages of this formula.     

Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of Some Novel Thiophene,Thieno[3,2‐d]pyrimidine,Thieno[3,2‐b]pyridine,and Thieno[3,2‐e][1,4]oxazepine Derivatives Containing Benzothiazole Moiety

In an attempt to establish novel candidate with promising anticancer activity, two derivatives of (benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)thiophene backbone 1 and 14 were synthesized, and they further reacted with various chemical reagents to afford the corresponding substituted thiophene derivatives 6 , 8 , 10 , 15 , 17 , and 20 , thieno[3,2‐d]pyrimidine derivatives 2 – 5 , 7 , 9 , 16 , 21 , 23 , and 24 , thieno[3,2‐b]pyridine derivatives 11 – 13 , and thieno[3,2‐e][1,4]oxazepine derivative 18 . Structures of prepared compounds were affirmed via spectral and elemental data. Among the obtained compounds, seven derivatives 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 11 , 12 , and 13 were chosen by National Cancer Institute, USA. Such compounds were screened for their antitumor activity versus 60 cancer cell lines in one‐dose (10 μmol) screening assay. The outcomes showed that all selected compounds exhibited moderate to high anticancer activity towards many cancer cell lines among which compounds 5 and 11 exerted potent antitumor activity against numerous malignant growth cell lines particularly Ovarian Cancer IGROV1.     

Dynamics of charged plane symmetric gravitational collapse

In this paper, we study dynamics of the charged plane symmetric gravitational collapse. For this purpose, we discuss non-adiabatic flow of a viscous fluid and deduce the results for adiabatic case. The Einstein and Maxwell field equations are formulated for general plane symmetric spacetime in the interior. Junction conditions between the interior and exterior regions are derived. For the non-adiabatic case, the exterior is taken as plane symmetric charged Vaidya spacetime while for the adiabatic case, it is described charged plane symmetric spacetime. Using Misner and Sharp formalism, we obtain dynamical equations to investigate the effects of different forces over the rate of collapse. In non-adiabatic case, a dynamical equation is joined with transport equation of heat flux. Finally, a relation between the Weyl tensor and energy density is found.     

Alleviation of adverse effects of drought stress on growth and some potential physiological attributes in maize (Zea mays L.) by seed electromagnetic treatment

Effects of varying preseed magnetic treatments on growth, chlorophyll pigments, photosynthesis, water relation attributes, fluorescence and levels of osmoprotectants in maize plants were tested under normal and drought stress conditions. Seeds of two maize cultivars were treated with different (T0 [0 mT], T1 [100 mT for 5 min], T2 [100 mT for 10 min], T3 [150 mT for 5 min] and T4 [150 mT for 10 min]) electromagnetic treatments. Drought stress considerably suppressed growth, chlorophyll a and b pigments, leaf water potential, photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (g(s)) and substomatal CO(2) concentration (C(i)), while it increased leaf glycinebetaine and proline accumulation in both maize cultivars. However, pretreated seeds with different magnetic treatments significantly alleviated the drought-induced adverse effects on growth by improving chlorophyll a, A, E, g(s), C(i) and photochemical quenching and nonphotochemical quenching, while it had no significant effect on other attributes. However, different magnetic treatments negatively affected the g(s) and C(i) particularly in cv. Agaiti-2002 under drought stress conditions. Of all magnetic treatments, 100 and 150 mT for 10 min were most effective in alleviating the drought-induced adverse effects. Overall, preseed electromagnetic treatments could be used to minimize the drought-induced adverse effects on different crop plants.     

Iron-doped titanium dioxide nanotubes: a study of electrical,optical, and magnetic properties

Abstract  

Iron doped titanium oxide nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized by hydrometallurgical process using a mixture of NaOH and methanol as precipitating and reducing agents, respectively. Nanotubes with a high purity and good aspect ratio are produced as indicated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The characterization data show that high-purity Fe-doped TNTs with diameter around 12–14 nm and length around 400–460 nm are synthesized using this process. The TNTs are found to be in the anatase phase and as the Fe doping is increased, the conductivity increases. UV/VIS data suggest the red shift in the peaks and increased absorption on the account of doping. The studies on microcosmic magnetic properties of the sample with 15% Fe content indicate the component of magnetic moment in the axial direction of nanotubes. Doping of Fe is found to considerably affect the crystallite size, Curie temperature (T _c), DC conductivity (σ), and Raman shifts.     

An Accelerated Algorithm Involving Quasi-$\phi$-Nonexpansive Operators for Solving Split Problems

In this paper, an algorithm of inertial type for approximating solutions of split equality fixed point problems involving quasi-$\phi$-nonexpansive maps is proposed and studied in the setting of certain real Banach spaces. Weak and strong convergence theorems are proved under some conditions. Some applications of the theorems are presented. The results presented extend and improve some existing results. Finally, some numerical illustrations are presented to support our theorems and their applications.