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In this study, featherback (Chitala ornata) skin was used to generate an antioxidant protein hydrolysate with foaming and emulsifying properties. Hydrolysates were obtained by using Alcalase preparation, a skin:water ratio of 1:2 (w/v), a pH 7.5, 55 °C, an enzyme:substrate ratio of 80 U/g protein, and a 5 h hydrolysis time. In terms of antioxidant activity, the hydrolysate showed 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacity at 3.00 mg/mL and 1.82 mg/mL as the inhibitory concentration of 50 % free radicals (IC50), which was 731.71 and 27.58 folds higher than those of vitamin C, in order. It also displayed moderate foaming property, with its foaming capacity (FC) and foaming stability (FS) being 1.08 - 1.55 and 1.19 - 2.89 times lower than those of albumin, in that order. In contrast, the hydrolysate exhibited great emulsifying properties with an emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability index (ESI) comparable to those of sodium caseinate at pH 3-8. The hydrolysate contained a high concentration of lipophilic amino acids (AAs) (87.28 % of total AA content). As a result, featherback skin hydrolysate may be considered as a versatile ingredient for the development of natural antioxidants with technological capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musculoskeletal pain is a significant burden on individuals and society. "Hoang ky que chi ngu vat thang" is a traditional Vietnamese remedy used to treat this condition, but there is a lack of clinical evidence regarding its pain relief mechanism. The objective of this study is to evaluate the analgesic effect of "Hoang ky que chi ngu vat thang" in Swiss mice. The central analgesic effect was evaluated using the hot plate latency test, and the peripheral analgesic effect was evaluated using the writhing test with acetic acid. The results of this study showed that statistically significant differences were observed between the treated groups with "Hoang ky que chi ngu vat thang" and the standard group 1 and control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the number of writhing pain during 25 minutes after acetic acid injection in both groups with dose 14.112 and dose 28.224 was significantly lower (p < 0.01) compared to the reference group (Lysine acetylsalicylate). Conclusively, oral doses of 14.112 g/kg and 28.224 g/kg of "Hoang ky que chi ngu vat thang" have a good analgesic effect via both central and peripheral analgesic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect herbivory is one of the most important ecological processes affecting plant–soil feedbacks and overall forest ecosystem health. In this study, we assess how elevated carbon dioxide (eCO2) impacts (i) leaf level insect herbivory and (ii) the stand-level herbivore-mediated transfer of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) from the canopy to the ground in a natural mature oak temperate forest community in central England at the Birmingham Institute of Forest Research Free Air CO2 Enrichment (BIFoR FACE) site. Recently abscised leaves were collected every two weeks through the growing season in August to December from 2017–2019, with the identification of four dominant species: Quercus robur (pedunculate oak), Acer pseudoplatanus (sycamore), Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn) and Corylus avellana (hazel). The selected leaves were scanned and visually analyzed to quantify the leaf area loss from folivory monthly. Additionally, the herbivore-mediated transfer of C and N fluxes from the dominant tree species Q. robur was calculated from these leaf-level folivory estimates, the total foliar production and the foliar C and N contents. This study finds that the leaf-level herbivory at the BIFoR FACE has not changed significantly across the first 3 years of eCO2 treatment when assessed across all dominant tree species, although we detected significant changes under the eCO2 treatment for individual tree species and years. Despite the lack of any strong leaf-level herbivory response, the estimated stand-level foliar C and N transferred to the ground via herbivory was substantially higher under eCO2, mainly because there was a ~50% increase in the foliar production of Q. robur under eCO2. This result cautions against concluding much from either the presence or absence of leaf-level herbivory responses to any environmental effect, because their actual ecosystem effects are filtered through so many (usually unmeasured) factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarkar, Sumita, Shu-Whei Tsai, Tien T. Nguyen, Michael Plevyak, James F. Padbury, and Lewis P. Rubin. Inhibition of placental 11[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 by catecholamines via [alpha]-adrenergic signaling. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol 281: R1966-R1974, 2001.--The placenta expresses high levels of 11[beta]-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11[beta]HSD2) that converts cortisol into inactive 11-keto metabolites and effectively protects the developing fetus from maternal cortisol during pregnancy. Impairment of this glucocorticoid barrier has adverse effects on fetal outcomes. A similar spectrum of adverse fetal effects is induced by antenatal stress during pregnancy. To examine the hypothesis that physiological stress may regulate placental 11[beta]HSD2 gene expression, we examined the effects of the catecholamines norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) on 11[beta]HSD2 expression in human trophoblastic cells. With the use of Northern blotting and semiquantitative RT-PCR, we determined that NE and E rapidly downregulate 11[beta]HSD2 steady-state mRNA levels in early- and late-gestation human trophoblasts and BeWo trophoblastic cells. Experiments using different adrenoceptor subtype-selective agonists and antagonists demonstrated that this catecholamine suppression of 11[beta]HSD2 mRNA expression is mediated via both [[alpha].sub.1]-and [[alpha].sub.2]-adrenoceptors and is independent of [beta]-adrenergic stimulation. To examine transcriptional regulation, BeWo cells were transiently transfected with a reporter construct in which an 11[beta]HSD2 human promoter sequence was inserted upstream of the luciferase gene. Treatment with [10.sup.-7] M NE decreased luciferase activity by ~60% (n = 3, P < 0.01). These results suggest the NE/E-mediated decrease in placental 11[beta]HSD2 gene expression is an instance of [alpha]-adrenoceptor-specific rapid transcriptional inhibition of an adrenergic target gene. This molecular mechanism may be involved in the deleterious effects of antenatal physiological stress on fetoplacental growth and development. norepinephrine; epinephrine; gene transcription; trophoblast; pregnancy complications Received 12 May 2001; accepted in final form 23 August 2001

This study lasted one year to describe the energy accumulating capacity and feeding intensity of Glossogobius giuris by analyzing the Clark index and Gastro-somatic (GaSI) indexes of this species. A total of 1,291 individuals were collected in four sites, including Cai Rang, Can Tho; Long Phu, Soc Trang; Hoa Binh, Bac Lieu and Dam Doi, Ca Mau. In each sampling site, fish were monthly caught using trawl nets from January to December 2020. The data analysis results showed that the fish species displayed high energy accumulating capacity due high value of the Clark index. This capacity varied between males and females, immature and mature groups, and four sites, but not between the dry and wet seasons as Clark changed with gender, fish size and location but not the season. With a high value of GaSI, the goby showed high feeding intensity. This fish showed intraspecific and spatiotemporal changes in feeding intensity since GaSI varied with fish size, season and location. The gender  season interaction affected GaSI but not Clark, whereas the reverse case was found in gender  site interaction. These indexes were influenced by the season  site interaction. The findings are helpful for fish's adaption understanding and future artificial cultivation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted from October 2017 to March 2018 in Mo O territorial waters, Tran De district, Soc Trang province to contribute data of burrow morphology and utilization of the species Periophthalmodon schlosseri that was one of the important economical fish species in the Mekong Delta. The burrow morphology and dimensions were obtained by analyzing 30 casting burrows molded by polyester resin. The burrow utilization was determined by analyzing casting burrows and observing activities of fish in its habitats. The analysis result showed that burrows of this fish were various in shapes such as U, I, and J. The burrow had 1-2 opening with large mound made from mud pellets, and 0-1 bulbous chamber. Dimensions of the chamber did not display seasonal and spatial changes, however, they varied with burrow shape. Furthermore, the burrow dimensional variations did not change with the interaction of season, studied sites, and shape variables. This fish used burrows as a shelter for spawning and avoiding predators. The results can be used for further research on the artificial reproduction of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the original publication [[1]], insufficient acknowledgement was given for experimental planning, data collection and analysis to Anna M. Gardner (University of Birmingham, UK). School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; liam.crowley@zoo.ox.ac.uk (L.M.C.); angel.uchiha.michaelis@gmail.com (T.T.T.N.); axg042@student.bham.ac.uk (A.M.G.); s.a.hayward@bham.ac.uk (S.A.L.H.) 3. Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umea University, 901 87 Umea, Sweden * Correspondence: aradhanaroberts@gmail.com Author Contributions: Conceptualization, A.J.R., J.P.S., D.B.M., S.A.L.H. and A.M.G.; methodology, A.J.R. and A.M.G.; software, A.J.R.; validation, A.J.R., D.B.M. and S.A.L.H.; formal analysis, A.J.R.; investigation, A.J.R. and T.T.T.N.; A.M.G.; resources, A.J.R., D.B.M. and S.A.L.H.; data curation, A.J.R. and T.T.T.N.; writing - original draft preparation, A.J.R., D.B.M., S.A.L.H. and L.M.C.; writing - review and editing, A.J.R., D.B.M., S.A.L.H., L.M.C. and J.P.S.; visualization, A.J.R.; supervision, D.B.M. and S.A.L.H.; project administration, D.B.M. and S.A.L.H.; funding acquisition, D.B.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. [Extracted from the article]