Research Progress on the Injury Mechanism and the Protective Effect of Blood-Brain Barrier
Pages 51-56
Han-Wen Yan, Fang-Yan He, Wei-Li Wang, Li-Song Liu, Qing Lin and Xiao-Hua Duan

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-3037.2015.04.02.1

Published: 28 July 2015

Abstract: The Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) is important structure to maintaining the stabilization of central nervous system. It is composed of endothelial cell and tight junction, the basal lamina, astrocytic endfeet. BBB’s injuries is a important symbol when central nervous system generate lesion in cerebral ischemical reperfusion injury (CIRI), its’ the injury mechanism including that matrix metalloproteinases’ activity raise induce that basal lamina and extracellular matrix degradation, the augmentation of Aquaporin-4’s expression cause vasogenic edema, destruction of tight junction and decrease of related protein expression lead to raise of BBB permeability, the adhesion molecules and cytokines stimulate the inflammatory reaction, a lot of free radicals production and nitric oxide toxicity can pose the damage of endothelial cells and basal lamina. BBB’s protection mainly by reducing the change of BBB’s morphological structure; decreasing BBB’s permeability; reducing the harmful substances go into BBB; maintaining stabilize of central nervous system’s internal environment. Now the mechanism was constantly expounded that BBB’s injury, adjustment and repair, more and more medicines will be applied to the prevention and treatment of the BBB. In this paper, we will review about research progress on the injury mechanism of BBB and the protective effect of it.

Reversing Breast Cancer in a Premenopausal Woman: A Case for Phyto-Nutritional Therapy
Pages 25-39
Steve Yap

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-3037.2015.04.01.4

Published: 08 April 2015

Abstract: Globally, breast cancer incidence increases at 1% to 2% annually. It is the number one cause of cancer death in women. Current literature implies that soy food intake is linked to decreased risk of breast cancer due to its rich isoflavones. On the other hand, intake of animal fat, red meat, organ meat and high-fat dairy products during premenopausal years may increase risk for this cancer, but no apparent risk has been established for fish or poultry intake. Monounsaturated fat and the improved ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids have showed potential to reduce risk. On the other hand, high glycemic index diet but not glycemic load is associated with a significantly increased risk. Central rather than general obesity carries similar risk. Furthermore, lifestyle rather than genetic differences are widely implicated in breast cancer. A comprehensive phyto-nutritional therapy was adopted for treating a case involving stage IV breast cancer in a premenopausal woman, who was turned away by a hospital offering conventional treatment. The therapy involved designing and monitoring the implementation of dietary plans to achieve optimum health outcomes for the major abnormal metabolic blood/urine markers identified for this particular patient. Nutrient-dense food items with generous servings of a variety of spices and herbs, supplemented by vitamins, minerals and phyto-extracts was prescribed as part of the therapy. Many non-toxic dietary nutrients and phytonutrients are known cytotoxic agents promoting cancer regression via apoptosis pathways, which have yet to be fully understood. Conclusion: The complete remission of the malignancy initiated by this natural therapy would suggest that an advanced stage breast cancer is a metabolic disorder reversible by an evidence-based phyto-nutritional therapy. While not all cases of malignancy can possibly be completely reversed, the positive outcome achieved in partnership with the patient warrants further study involving larger number of women with similar level of malignancy.

Response Surface Methodology of Glutamine, Asparagine and 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid for Agave americana L. Embryo Number and their Optimization in a RITA^®Automatic Bioreactor System
Pages 88-94
Vicente Federico Gutiérrez Oliva, Arias-Castro Castro, Irving Herrera, Martha Alicia Rodríguez Mendiola and Federico Antonio Gutiérrez Miceli

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-3037.2014.03.03.2

Published: 15 October 2014 

Abstract: Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of different concentrations of 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), asparagine and glutamine on a number of embryos from callus of Agave americana L generated with 0.5mg/L of 2,4-D, treatments obtained according to an experimental design with response surface Box-Behnken with three repetitions at the central point with 0, 1 and 2 mg L^-1 2, 4-D; 0, 200 and 500 mg L^-1 glutamine and 0, 500 and 1000 mg L^-1 asparagine. The embryo number was optimized using the RITA® automatic bioreactors system using a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and a Light Dependent Resistor (LDR) varying the immersion frequencies with similar solid and liquid treatments at the same time for comparative purposes. The results showed that interaction between asparagine and glutamine had a statistically significant effect and the largest embryo number was obtained with the higher concentration of the two amino acids, the coefficient of determination (R2) calculated from the validation data for RSM model was 0.92, The use of the RITA® bioreactor had a positive effect on embryo number at 1 min of immersion time and a frequency of 12 times a day comparing with the liquid system but not at others frequencies, possibly because of the physical conditions inside the reactor. Response surface design was an experimental strategy which led to raise the embryo number using asparagine and glutamine as supplement of MS medium in the callus differentiation A. americana L. and using the RITA reactors automatic system was effective to improve the multiplication rate.

Sequencing of 28SrRNA Gene for Identification of Trichoderma longibrachiatum 28CP/7444 Species in Soil Sample
Pages 78-83
Mohammad Shahid, Anuradha Singh, Mukesh Srivastava, Smita Rastogi and Neelam Pathak

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-3037.2013.02.02.4

Published: 30 June 2013

Abstract: Most of the Trichoderma species are morphologically very similar and were considered for many years as a single species. Since new species were discovered, a consolidated taxonomical scheme was needed and proposed and defined nine morphological species aggregates. DNA methods brought additional valuable criteria to the taxonomy of Trichoderma which are being used today for studies that include identification and phylogenetic classification. Most isolates of the genus Trichoderma that were found to act as mycoparasites of many economically important aerial and soil-borne plant pathogens. Trichoderma has attained importance for substitute of chemical pesticides and hence an attempt was intended to corroborate the positive relatedness of molecular and morphological characters. A fungal strain of Trichoderma longibrachiatum 28CP/7444 was isolated from a soil sample collected from Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The universal primers were used for amplification of the 28S rRNA gene fragment and strain characterized by using 28S rRNA gene sequence with the help of ITS marker. It is proposed that the identified strain Trichoderma longibrachiatum 28CP be assigned as the type strain of a species of the genus Trichoderma based on phylogenetic tree analysis together with the 28S rRNA gene sequence search in Ribosomal Database Project, small subunit rRNA and large subunit rRNA databases. The sequence was deposited in GenBank with the accession number JX978541. Thus an integrated approach of morphological and molecular markers can be employed to identify a superior strain of Trichoderma for its commercial exploitation.