UV-B radiation due to the depletion of ozone threatens plant life, potentially damaging ecosystems and dismantling food webs. Here, the impact of UV-B radiation on the physiology and morphology of Allum cepa, the common onion, was assessed. Mitosis vitality decreased, suggesting UV-B damage can influence the plant’s physiology.
Here, seeking to identify the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), a major cause of cardiovascular disease, the authors used Mendelian randomization. With this method they identified several traits such as blood pressure readings, LDL cholesterol and BMI as significant risk factors. While other traits were not found to be significant risk factors.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are missing important appointments because they are viewed as nonessential, possibly including children's pediatric dentist appointments. This study aims to determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has effected parents' willingness to allow children to visit pediatric dental practices and what safety measures would make them feel more comfortable visiting the dentist. The authors found a weak positive correlation between parents' unwillingness to allow their child to visit the dentist, however overall anxiety towards visiting the dentist during the pandemic was low.
In this study, the authors investigate the effect of a herbal formulation on Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in cancer cells. High levels of COX-2 correlates with worsened cancer outcomes and the authors hypothesize that the formulation will inhibit COX-2 levels.
Acquired drug resistance is an increasing challenge in treating cancer with chemotherapy. One mechanism
behind this resistance is the increased inflammation that supports the progression and development of
cancer that arises because of the drug’s presence. Integrative oncology is the field that focuses on including natural products alongside traditional therapy to create a treatment that focuses on holistic patient well-being.
In this study, the authors demonstrate that the use of an herbal formulation, consisting of turmeric and green tea, alongside a traditional chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil (FU) significantly decreases the level of cytokines produced in breast cancer cells when compared to the levels produced when exposed solely to the chemo drug. The authors conclude that this combination of treatment, based on the principle of integrative oncology, shows potential for reducing the resistance against treatment conferred through increased inflammation. Consequently, this suggests a prospective way forward in improving the efficacy of cancer treatment.
Farmers will need to increase crop yields to feed the world's growing population efficiently. The authors here investigate the effects of growing corn in the presence or absence of ragweed, an invasive weed found in many fields and gardens. Surprisingly, the authors found that corn grown in the presence of weeds grew taller and were more productive than corn that had weeds removed. This may help gardeners rethink the necessity of weeding, and may point a way to improve farm yields in the future.
Asthma is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the United States. But not all people experience asthma equally, with factors like healthcare access and environmental pollution impacting whether children are likely to be hospitalized for asthma's effects. Li, Li, and Ruffolo investigate what demographic and environmental factors are predictive of childhood asthma hospitalization rates across Pennsylvania.
The authors looked at whether they could induce the formation of new neurons from astrocytes via the upregulation of a microRNA (miR-124a). They found that upregulation of miR-124a started transdifferentiation of neurons, but was not enough to lead to full conversion of astrocytes to neurons.
The authors looked at potential downstream effects of raising the minimum wage. Specifically they focused on taxable wages, employment, and firm counts.