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Context CapparisL. (Capparaceae) is grown worldwide. Caper has been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases including rheumatism, kidney, liver, stomach, as well as headache and toothache. Objective To isolate and elucidate of the secondary metabolites of theC. ovataextracts which are responsible for their anti-inflammatory activities. Materials and methods Buds, fruits, flowers, leaves and stems ofC. ovataDesf. was dried, cut to pieces, then ground separately. From their dichloromethane/hexane (1:1) extracts, eight compounds were isolated and their structures were elucidated by NMR, mass spectroscopic techniques. The effects of compounds on the expression of inflammatory cytokines in SH-SY5Y cell lines were examined by qRT-PCR ranging from 4 to 96 mu M. Cell viability was expressed as a percentage of the control, untreated cells. Results This is a first report on isolation of triterpenoids and steroids fromC. ovatawith anti-inflammatory activity. One new triterpenoid ester olean-12-en-3 beta,28-diol, 3 beta-pentacosanoate (1) and two new natural steroids 5 alpha,6 alpha-epoxycholestan-3 beta-ol (5) and 5 beta,6 beta-epoxycholestan-3 beta-ol (6) were elucidated besides known compounds; oleanolic acid (2), ursolic acid (3), beta-sitosterol (4), stigmast-5,22-dien-3 beta-myristate (7) and bismethyl-octylphthalate (8). mRNA expression levels as EC(10)of all the tested seven genes were decreased, particularly CXCL9 (19.36-fold), CXCL10 (8.14-fold), and TNF (18.69) by the treatment of 26 mu M of compound1on SH-SY5Y cells. Discussion and conclusions Triterpenoids and steroids isolated fromC. ovatawere found to be moderate-strong anti-inflammatory compounds. Particularly, compounds1and3were found to be promising therapeutic agents in the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. C1 [Gazioglu, Isil] Bezmialem Vakif Univ, Fac Pharm, Dept Analyt Chem, Istanbul, Turkey. [Semen, Sevcan] Istanbul Cerrahpasa Univ, Inst Forens Sci, Forens Toxicol Labs, Istanbul, Turkey. [Acar, Ozden Ozgun; Sen, Alaattin] Pamukkale Univ, Fac Arts & Sci, Dept Biol, Denizli, Turkey. [Kolak, Ufuk] Istanbul Univ, Dept Analyt Chem, Fac Pharm, Istanbul, Turkey. [Sen, Alaattin] Abdullah Gul Univ, Fac Life Nat Sci, Dept Mol Biol & Genet, Kayseri, Turkey. [Topcu, Gulacti] Bezmialem Vakif Univ, Dept Pharmacognosy & Phytochem, Fac Pharm, TR-34093 Istanbul, Turkey.

We present a detailed near-infrared chemical abundance analysis of 10 red giant members of the Galactic open cluster NGC 752. High-resolution (R similar or equal to 45000) near-infrared spectral data were gathered with the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrograph, providing simultaneous coverage of the complete H and K bands. We derived the abundances of H-burning (C, N, O), alpha (Mg, Si, S, Ca), light odd-Z (Na, Al, P, K), Fe-group (Sc, Ti, Cr, Fe, Co, Ni), and neutron-capture (Ce, Nd, Yb) elements. We report the abundances of S, P, K, Ce, and Yb in NGC 752 for the first time. Our analysis yields solar-metallicity and solar abundance ratios for almost all of the elements heavier than the CNO group in NGC 752. O and N abundances were measured from a number of OH and CN features in the H band, and C abundances were determined mainly from CO molecular lines in the K band. High-excitation C I lines present in both near-infrared and optical spectra were also included in the C abundance determinations. Carbon isotopic ratios were derived from the R-branch band heads of first overtone (2-0) and (3-1) (CO)-C-12 and (2-0) (CO)-C-13 lines near 23 440 angstrom and (3-1) (CO)-C-13 lines at about 23 730 angstrom. the CNO abundances and C-12/C-13 ratios are all consistent with our giants having completed 'first dredge-up' envelope mixing of CN-cyle products. We independently assessed NGC 752 stellar membership from Gaia astrometry, leading to a new colour-magnitude diagram for this cluster. Applications of Victoria isochrones and MESA models to these data yield an updated NGC 752 cluster age (1.52 Gyr) and evolutionary stage indications for the programme stars. the photometric evidence and spectroscopic light element abundances all suggest that the most, perhaps all of the programme stars are members of the helium-burning red clump in this cluster., US National Science Foundation (NSF)National Science Foundation (NSF) [AST 16-16040]; University of Texas Rex G. Baker, Jr. Centennial Research Endowment; US National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF) [AST-1229522]; University of Texas at Austin; Korean GMT Project of KASI, This study has been supported by the US National Science Foundation (NSF, grant AST 16-16040), and by the University of Texas Rex G. Baker, Jr. Centennial Research Endowment. This work used the Immersion Grating Infrared Spectrometer (IGRINS) that was developed under a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) with the financial support of the US National Science Foundation under grant AST-1229522, of the University of Texas at Austin, and of the Korean GMT Project of KASI. These results made use of spectra obtained at the Discovery Channel Telescope at Lowell Observatory, and the 2.7m Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory. Lowell is a private, non-profit institution dedicated to astrophysical research and public appreciation of astronomy and operates the DCT in partnership with Boston University, the University of Maryland, the University of Toledo, Northern Arizona University and Yale University. We also gathered data from the European Space Agency (ESA) mission Gaia (https://www.cosmos.esa.int/gaia), processed by the Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC, https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/gaia/dpac/consortium).Funding for the DPAC has been provided by national institutions, in particular the institutions participating in the Gaia Multilateral Agreement. This research has made use of NASA's Astrophysics Data System Bibliographic Services; the SIMBAD database and the VizieR service, both operated at CDS, Strasbourg, France. This research has made use of the WEBDA database, operated at the Department of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics of the Masaryk University, and the VALD database, operated at Uppsala University, the Institute of Astronomy RAS in Moscow, and the University of Vienna.

Background: There is currently insufficient evidence for the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of psychological therapies for post-stroke depression.\ud \ud Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of undertaking a definitive trial to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of behavioural activation (BA) compared with usual stroke care for treating post-stroke depression.\ud \ud Design: Parallel-group, feasibility, multicentre, randomised controlled trial with nested qualitative research and a health economic evaluation.\ud \ud Setting: Acute and community stroke services in three sites in England.\ud \ud Participants: Community-dwelling adults 3 months to 5 years post stroke who are depressed, as determined by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) or the Visual Analogue Mood Scales ‘Sad’ item.\ud \ud Exclusions: patients who are blind and/or deaf, have dementia, are unable to communicate in English, do not have mental capacity to consent, are receiving treatment for depression at the time of stroke onset or are currently receiving psychological intervention.\ud \ud Randomisation and blinding: Participants were randomised (1 : 1 ratio) to BA or usual stroke care. Randomisation was conducted using a computer-generated list with random permuted blocks of varying sizes, stratified by site. Participants and therapists were aware of the allocation, but outcome assessors were blind.\ud \ud Interventions: The intervention arm received up to 15 sessions of BA over 4 months. BA aims to improve mood by increasing people’s level of enjoyable or valued activities. The control arm received usual care only.\ud \ud Main outcome measures: Primary feasibility outcomes concerned feasibility of recruitment to the main trial, acceptability of research procedures and measures, appropriateness of baseline and outcome measures, retention of participants and potential value of conducting the definitive trial. Secondary feasibility outcomes concerned the delivery of the intervention. The primary clinical outcome 6 months post randomisation was the PHQ-9. Secondary clinical outcomes were Stroke Aphasic Depression Questionnaire – Hospital version, Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire, Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living, Carer Strain Index, EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level version and health-care resource use questionnaire.\ud \ud Results: Forty-eight participants were recruited in 27 centre-months of recruitment, at a recruitment rate of 1.8 participants per centre per month. The 25 participants randomised to receive BA attended a mean of 8.5 therapy sessions [standard deviation (SD) 4.4 therapy sessions]; 23 participants were allocated to usual care. Outcome assessments were completed by 39 (81%) participants (BA, n = 18; usual care, n = 21). Mean PHQ-9 scores at 6-month follow-up were 10.1 points (SD 6.9 points) and 14.4 points (SD 5.1 points) in the BA and control groups, respectively, a difference of –3.8 (95% confidence interval –6.9 to –0.6) after adjusting for baseline PHQ-9 score and centre, representing a reduction in depression in the BA arm. Therapy was delivered as intended. BA was acceptable to participants, carers and therapists. Value-of-information analysis indicates that the benefits of conducting a definitive trial would be likely to outweigh the costs. It is estimated that a sample size of between 580 and 623 participants would be needed for a definitive trial.\ud \ud Limitations: Target recruitment was not achieved, although we identified methods to improve recruitment.\ud \ud Conclusions: The Behavioural Activation Therapy for Depression after Stroke trial was feasible with regard to the majority of outcomes. The outstanding issue is whether or not a sufficient number of participants could be recruited within a reasonable time frame for a definitive trial. Future work is required to identify whether or not there are sufficient sites that are able to deliver the services required for a definitive trial.\ud \ud Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN12715175.\ud \ud Funding: This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 47. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Teucrium species have been used in folk medicine as antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, antiulcer, and antibacterial agents. We have explored in vitro antidiabetic impacts of 2 natural diterpenoids, alysine A and alysine B, isolated from Teucrium alyssifolium. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxicity assay, glucose uptake test, glucose utilization (glycogen content) test, glucose transport test, glucose absorption (a-glucosidase activity) test, insulin secretion test, RNA isolation and cDNA synthesis assay, qPCR quantification assays, and statistical analyses were carried out in the present study. Alysine A exerted the following effects at non-cytotoxic doses: Enhanced the glucose uptake, as much as the insulin in the C2C12, HepG2, and 3T3-L1 cells Increased the glycogen content in the C2C12 and HepG2 liver cells, significantly higher than the insulin and metformin Suppressed the alpha-glucosidase and the GLUT2 expression levels in the Caco-2 cells Suppressed the SGLT1 and GLUT1-5 expression levels in the Caco-2 cells Induced the insulin receptor substrate (IRS)1 and GLUT2 expression levels of the BTC6 pancreatic cells Induced the insulin receptor (INSR), IRS2, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), GLUT4, and protein kinase (PK) expression levels of the 3T3-L1 and C2C12 cells Increased glucose transport through the Caco-2 cell layer Did not influence insulin secretion in the pancreatic BTC6 cells Consequently, these data strongly emphasized the antidiabetic action of alysine A on the particularly critical model mechanisms that assume a part in glucose homeostasis, such as glucose uptake, utilization, and storage. Moreover, the expression level of the essential genes in glucose metabolism and insulin signaling was altered in a way that the results would be antihyperglycemic. A blend of in vitro and in situ tests affirmed the antihyperglycemic action of alysine A and its mechanism. Alysine A has exercised significant and positive results on the glucose homeostasis; thus, it is a natural and pleiotropic antidiabetic agent. Advanced in vivo studies are required to clarify the impact of this compound on glucose homeostasis completely. C1 [Sen, Alaattin; Ayar, Buket; Acar, Ozden Ozgun; Turgut, Gurbet Celik] Pamukkale Univ, Fac Arts & Sci, Dept Biol, Denizli, Turkey. [Sen, Alaattin] Abdullah Gul Univ, Fac Life Sci, Dept Mol Biol & Genet, Kayseri, Turkey. [Yilmaz, Anil; Topcu, Gulacti] Bezmialem Vakif Univ, Fac Pharm, Dept Pharmacognosy & Phytochem, Istanbul, Turkey.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the human central nervous system. It is one of the most common neurological disorders around the world and there is still no complete cure for MS. Purification of a terpenoid from Capparis ovata was carried out and its structure was elucidated as stigmast-5,22-dien-3 beta-ol, myristate (3 beta, 22E-stigmasteryl myristate; SDM) by NMR and mass spectral analyses. No information regarding its any health effect is available in the literature. In the present study, we have described its effects on inflammatory factors such as the expression levels of cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules as well as apoptosis/infiltration and myelination in SH-SY5Y cells. The expression levels of proinflammatory or inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as NF-.B1, CCL5, CXCL9, CXCL10 and HIF1A along with T-cell activating cytokines such as IL-6 and TGFB1 were significantly downregulated with SDM treatment. Moreover, the expression levels of the main myelin proteins such as MBP, MAG and PLP that are essential for healthy myelin architecture were significantly up-regulated. The results presented in this study strongly suggest that the SDM offers a unique possibility to be used with autoimmune diseases, including MS due to its activity on the manipulation of cytokines and the promotion of myelin formation.

Since ancient times, Capparis species have been widely used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. Our recent investigations have suggested Capparis ovata's potential anti-neuroinflammatory application for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The present study was designed to precisely determine the underlying mechanism of its anti-neuroinflammatory effect in a mouse model of MS. C. ovata water extract (COWE) was prepared using the plant's fruit, buds, and flower parts (Turkish Patent Institute, PT 2012/04,093). We immunized female C57BL/6J mice with MOG35-55/CFA. COWE was administered at a daily dose of 500mg/kg by oral gavage either from the day of immunization (T1) or at disease onset (T2) for 21days. Gene expression analysis was performed using a Mouse Multiple Sclerosis RT² Profiler PCR Array, and further determinations and validations of the identified genes were performed using qPCR. Whole-genome transcriptome profiling was analyzed using Agilent SurePrint G3 Mouse GE 8X60K microarrays. Immunohistochemical staining was applied to brain sections of the control and treated mice to examine the degree of degeneration. COWE was further fractionated and analyzed phytochemically using the Zivak Tandem Gold Triple Quadrupole LC/MS-MS system. COWE remarkably suppressed the development of EAE in T1, and the disease activity was completely inhibited. In the T2 group, the maximal score was significantly reduced compared with that of the parallel EAE group. The COWE suppression of EAE was associated with a significantly decreased expression of genes that are important in inflammatory signaling, such as TNFα, IL6, NF-κB, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCK10. On the other hand, the expression of genes involved in myelination/remyelination was significantly increased. Immunohistochemical analysis further supported these effects, showing that the number of infiltrating immune cells was decreased in the brains of COWE-treated animals. In addition, differential expression profiling of the transcriptome revealed that COWE treatment caused the down regulation of a group of genes involved in the immune response, inflammatory response, antigen processing and presentation, B-cell-mediated immunity and innate immune response. Collectively, these results suggest anti-neuroinflammatory mechanisms by which COWE treatment delayed and suppressed the development of EAE and ameliorated the disease in mice with persistent clinical signs.

Since ancient times, Capparis species have been widely used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases. Our recent investigations have suggested Capparis ovata's potential anti-neuroinflammatory application for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The present study was designed to precisely determine the underlying mechanism of its anti-neuroinflammatory effect in a mouse model of MS. C. ovata water extract (COWE) was prepared using the plant's fruit, buds, and flower parts (Turkish Patent Institute, PT 2012/04,093). We immunized female C57BL/6 J mice with MOG(35_55)/CFA. COWE was administered at a daily dose of 500 mg/Kg by oral gavage either from the day of immunization (T1) or at disease onset (12) for 21 days. Gene expression analysis was performed using a Mouse Multiple Sclerosis RT2 Profiler PCR Array, and further determinations and validations of the identified genes were performed using qPCR. Whole-genome transcriptome profiling was analyzed using Agilent SurePrint G3 Mouse GE 8X60K microarrays. Immunohistochemical staining was applied to brain sections of the control and treated mice to examine the degree of degeneration. COWE was further fractionated and analyzed phytochemically using the Zivak Tandem Gold Triple Quadrupole LC/MS-MS system. COWE remarkably suppressed the development of EAE in T1, and the disease activity was completely inhibited. In the T2 group, the maximal score was significantly reduced compared with that of the parallel EAE group. The COWE suppression of EAE was associated with a significantly decreased expression of genes that are important in inflammatory signaling, such as TNF alpha, IL6, NF-kappa B, CCL5, CXCL9, and CXCK10. On the other hand, the expression of genes involved in myelination/remyelination was significantly increased. Immunohistochemical analysis further supported these effects, showing that the number of infiltrating immune cells was decreased in the brains of COWE-treated animals. In addition, differential expression profiling of the transcriptome revealed that COWE treatment caused the down regulation of a group of genes involved in the immune response, inflammatory response, antigen processing and presentation, B-cell-mediated immunity and innate immune response. Collectively, these results suggest anti-neuroinflammatory mechanisms by which COWE treatment delayed and suppressed the development of EAE and ameliorated the disease in mice with persistent clinical signs. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The essential oil of Salvia potentillifolia was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Totally, 123 components were detected in both hydrodistilled and steam-distilled oils, alpha- and beta-pinenes being major compounds. The antioxidant activities were determined by using complementary tests, namely, DPPH radical-scavenging, beta-carotene-linoleic acid and reducing power assays. The ethanol extract also showed better activity (IC50 = 69.4 +/- 0.99 mu g/ml) than that of BHT in the DPPH system, and showed great lipid peroxidation inhibition in the beta-caratene-linoleic acid system (IC50 = 30.4 +/- 0.50 mu g/ml). The essential oil showed meaningful butyrylcholinesterase activity (65.7 +/- 0.21%), and alpha-pinene showed high acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC50 = 86.2 +/- 0.96 mu g/ml) while beta-pinene was inactive. Antimicrobial activity was also investigated on several microorganisms, and the essential oil showed high activity against Bacillus subtilis and B. cereus. It also exhibited remarkable anticandidal activity against Candida albicans and C. tropicalis with MIC values of 18.5 and 15.5 mu g/ml, respectively, while alpha- and beta-pinenes showed moderate activity. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.