We hypothesize that berberine has broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, along with potency that is comparable to current broad-spectrum antibiotics that are commercially available. Here, we screened berberine against four strains of bacteria and evaluated its antimicrobial activity against five broad-spectrum antibiotics from different classes to better quantify berberine’s antibacterial activity and compare its efficacy as an antibacterial agent to the broad-spectrum antibiotics. Our results indicated that berberine had strain-selective cytotoxic effects and was significantly less potent than most of the broad-spectrum antibiotics
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A Novel Approach to Prevent and Restrict Early Stages of Cancer Cell Growth Using a Combination of Moringa and Sesame in a Drosophila Model
Sesame (Sesamum indicum) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) have natural antioxidants that could prevent cancer growth. Previously, this group found that sesame and moringa individually suppress eye tumor grown in the Drosophila melanogaster model. In the present study, combinations of sesame and moringa at different concentrations were included in the D. melanogaster diet. The impact on eye tumor development was assessed at different stages of growth.
Read More...Assessing the possibility of using entomopathogenic fungi for mosquito control in Hawaii
Fungi that attack and kill insects have promise for targeting mosquitoes without the harmful environmental impacts of chemicals like DDT. To find out whether fungi might be effective in controlling mosquitoes in Hawaii, Jiang and Chan test the effects of Hawaiian fungal isolates on mosquito larvae.
Read More...Evaluating the clinical applicability of neural networks for meningioma tumor segmentation on 3D MRI
Authors emphasize the challenges of manual tumor segmentation and the potential of deep learning models to enhance accuracy by automatically analyzing MRI scans.
Read More...Analysis of Milorganite’s ability to sustain growth of Ocimum basilicum in simulated Martian soil
The authors test whether basil can grow in a simulated Martian soil improved with a waste-based fertilizer called Milorganite.
Read More...Analysis of the lung microbiome in cystic fibrosis patients using 16S sequencing
In this article the authors look at the lung microbiome in patients with cystic fibrosis to determine what the major bacterial species present are.
Read More...Analysis of ultraviolet light as a bactericide of gram-negative bacteria in Cladophora macroalgae extracts
Here, the authors sought to use Cladophora macroalgae as a possible antibiotic to address the growing threat of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. However, when they observed algae extracts to be greatly contaminated with gram-negative bacteria, they adapted to explore the ability to use ultraviolet light as a bactericide. They found that treatment with ultraviolet light had a significant effect.
Read More... Can essential oils be allelopathic to Lolium multiforum without harming Solanum lycopersicum?
Seeking to investigate eco-friendly biological methods to control weeds and enhance food crop yields, here the authors considered the effects of three essential oils on seed germination and radicle length of both a weed and a common crop. They found that treatment with turmeric oil had phytotoxic potential, leading to a reduction in both seed germination and radicle length of the weed. In contrast, ginger oil possessed allelopathic properties towards both. The authors suggest that essential oils could be used as eco-friendly bio-herbicides.
Read More...A Novel Method for Assessment of Proprioception
Trevithick & Park were interested in whether proprioception, the sense of the relative position of body parts and movement, differed between varsity and non-varsity athletes, as well as between the sport practiced. The authors found that there was no correlation between athleticism and better proprioception, but that dancers had superior proprioceptive abilities compared to those that practiced other sports.
Read More...Apoptosis induction and anti-inflammatory activity of polyherbal drug AS20 on cervical cancer cell lines
The authors found that treatment with AS20 suppressed phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and 5-flurouracil (5-FU) induction of COX2 expression. We also observed AS20 treated cells showed DNA fragmentation in HeLa cells.
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