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Background: Advancements in nanoscience have led to a profound paradigm shift in the therapeutic applications of medicinally important natural drugs. The goal of this research is to develop a nano-natural product for efficient cancer treatment. Methods and Results: For this purpose, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) were formulated, characterized, and loaded with caffeine to develop a targeted drug delivery system, i.e., caffeine-coated nanoparticles (CcNPs). In silico docking studies were conducted to examine the binding efficiency of the CcNPs with different apoptotic targets followed by in vitro and in vivo bioassays in respective animal models. Caffeine, administered both as a free drug and in nanomedicine form, along with doxorubicin, was delivered intravenously to a benzene-induced AML model. The anti-leukemic potential was assessed through hematological profiling, enzymatic biomarker analysis, and RT-PCR examination of genetic alterations in leukemia markers. Docking studies show strong inter-molecular interactions between CcNPs and apoptotic markers. In vitro analysis exhibits statistically significant antioxidant activity, whereas in vivo analysis exhibits normalization of the genetic expression of leukemia biomarkers STMN1 and S1009A, accompanied by the restoration of the hematological and morphological traits of leukemic blood cells in nanomedicine-treated rats. Likewise, a substantial improvement in hepatic and renal biomarkers is also observed. In addition to these findings, the nanomedicine successfully normalizes the elevated expression of GAPDH and mTOR induced by exposure to benzene. Further, the nanomedicine downregulates pro-survival components of the NF-kappa B pathway and upregulated P53 expression. Additionally, in the TRAIL pathway, it enhances the expression of pro-apoptotic players TRAIL and DR5 and downregulates the anti-apoptotic protein cFLIP. Conclusions: Our data suggest that MSNPs loaded with caffeine, i.e., CcNP/nanomedicine, can potentially inhibit transformed cell proliferation and induce pro-apoptotic TRAIL machinery to counter benzene-induced leukemia. These results render our nanomedicine as a potentially excellent therapeutic agent against AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature can fluctuate widely between different seasons, and this may greatly impact many biological processes. However, little is known about its influence on the functioning of benthic microbial communities. Here we investigated the nutrient accumulation capability of periphytic biofilm under temperature fluctuations (17–35°C). Periphytic biofilm maintained the same nutrient accumulation capacity after experiencing the 'warming-hot-cooling' temperature fluctuation under both lab and outdoor conditions as those without temperature disturbance. In response to temperature increase, both community composition and species richness changed greatly and the increase in biodiversity was identified as being the underlying mechanism boosting the sustainable function in nutrient accumulation, indicating zero net effects of community changes. These findings provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of how benthic microbial communities adapt to temperature fluctuations to maintain nutrient accumulation capacity and elucidate that periphytic biofilm plays important roles in influencing nutrient cycling in aquatic ecosystems under temperature changes such as seasonal fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant biophenols have been shown to be effective in the modulation of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology resulting from free radical-induced oxidative stress and imbalance of the redox chemistry of transition metal ions (e.g., iron and copper). On the basis of earlier reported pharmacological activities, olive biophenols would also be expected to have anti-Alzheimer's activity. In the present study, the antioxidant activity of individual olive biophenols (viz. caffeic acid, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, verbascoside, quercetin, rutin and luteolin) were evaluated using superoxide radical scavenging activity (SOR), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging activity, and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assays. The identification and antioxidant activities in four commercial olive extracts--Olive leaf extractTM (OLE), Olive fruit extractTM (OFE), Hydroxytyrosol ExtremeTM (HTE), and Olivenol plusTM (OLP)--were evaluated using an on-line HPLC-ABTS+ assay, and HPLC-DAD-MS analysis. Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol were the predominant biophenols in all the extracts. Among the single compounds examined, quercetin (EC50: 93.97 μM) and verbascoside (EC50: 0.66 mM) were the most potent SOR and H2O2 scavengers respectively. However, OLE and HTE were the highest SOR (EC50: 1.89 μg/mL) and H2O2 (EC50: 115.8 μg/mL) scavengers among the biophenol extracts. The neuroprotection of the biophenols was evaluated against H2O2-induced oxidative stress and copper (Cu)-induced toxicity in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The highest neuroprotection values (98% and 92%) against H2O2-induced and Cu-induced toxicities were shown by the commercial extract HTETM. These were followed by the individual biophenols, caffeic acid (77% and 64%) and verbascoside (71% and 72%). Our results suggest that olive biophenols potentially serve as agents for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, and other neurodegenerative ailments that are caused by oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An aqueous extract of Ephedra equisetina root was found to induce cyanobacterial cell death. The extract displayed no negative effects on the fish populations but instead, improved the habitat conditions for the growth of macrophytes, zooplankton and bacteria because the inhibiting effects of the extracts on cyanobacteria helped clear up the water column. The removal kinetics of cyanobacteria by E. equisetina extract appears to be a first order process with the rate constant being extract-dose-dependent. Compounds including the flavonoids found in E. equisetina root kill the cyanobacteria in vitro at a dose of 5.0 µg extract per 100 mL water or above. The extract constituents act to disrupt the thylakoid membrane, interrupt the electronic transport, decrease the effective quantum yield, and eventually lead to the failure of photosynthesis in Microcystis aeruginosa. This study presents an easily- deployed, natural and promising approach for controlling cyanobacterial blooms as an emergency measure, and also provides insight into the dynamics and mechanism of the extract consisting of multiple compounds synergistically removing algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although greenhouse vegetable cultivation is one of the most productive industries in agriculture, it usually results in soil secondary salinization (SSS) that degrades soil quality, subsequently reducing agricultural efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to propose some guidelines to direct the management of SSS in greenhouse agricultural areas. In this study, NO3--SSS classification was studied in greenhouses planted with tomato (Solanum lycopersicurn L.) in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, East China. After the soils in these greenhouses were treated with different concentrations of nitrate, the SSS levels as expressed by electrical conductivity (EC) were studied at 0.91 ds m-1 for control (ck), 2.91 ds m-1 for treatment 1 (T1), 3.95 ds m-1 for treatment 2 (T2), 4.76 ds m-1 for treatment 3 (T3) and 6.30 ds m-1 for treatment 4 (T4). The results showed that there were statistically significant relationships between NO3- contents and soil EC in the surface soils, implying that the change in soil quality resulted from the difference in nitrate contents. The level of the NO3- - SSS was also significantly related to the tomato height and yield (p < 0.05). The NO3- - SSS was divided into five levels according to the effects of SSS on the tornato height and yield (level I: 2.14 ds m-1 < EC < 2.87 ds m-1, level II: 2.87 ds m-1 -1, level III: 4.20 ds m-1 < EC < 5.57 ds m-1, level IV: 5.57 ds m-1 -1, level V: EC > 6.94 ds m-1). This study provides practical guidelines for determining optimurn levels of NO3 treatrnent and NO3- - SSS in facilities agriculture, and also gives some valuable information to manage the cropping of vegetable e.g., tomato, in greenhouse by adjusting salinity in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanobacterial blooms are amongst the most harmful blooms, and can lead to the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems, simultaneously affecting humans, flora and fauna due to the production of cyanobacterial toxins. A Chinese herb (S. baicalensis Georgi) was chosen to control cyano-bacterial blooms in waters. The results showed that the M. aeruginosa growth expressed by chlorophyll-α concentration was totally inhibited by the decoctions of S. baicalensis Georgi at doses of ≥l0 μg when the initial concentration of M. aeruginosa was 670 μg L-1. The field experiment showed that the cyanobacterial blooms in the ponds treated with the decoctions of S. baicalensis Georgi were significantly controlled in cyanobacterial blooms period from April to June, 2008. The active ingredients in the herb such as flavonoids, could significantly decrease the effective quantum yields and interrupt the electronic transports in photosystem two (PS II) reaction centers in M. aeruginosa cells, which led to the failure of photosynthesis of M. aeruginosa. Simpson's diversity index of macrophytes, zooplankton and bacteria with flaA gene indicated that the application of S. baicalensis Georgi increased the macrophyte, zooplankton and bacterial diversity and improved the growth conditions of their habitats. This study provides a promising emergency measure to control harmful algal blooms in practical waters, and benefits to the aquatic ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author examines the search for new drugs among plants and other natural products. The uses of the of the smokebush for its therapeutic values by the Aborigines of Western Australia and the naturally occurring compound conocurvone as an anti-AIDS treatment are discussed. A number of topics related to the finding of drugs in the wild are addressed including the issue of indigenous knowledge of plants and natural resources, the problem of assigning intellectual property rights, and the difficulties presented by patent and copyright law.