Loss of β-cell mass and function is a fundamental feature of pathogenesis for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Increasing evidence indicates that apoptosis is one of the main mechanisms of β-cell death in both types. Ethanolic extracts of Pluchea indica leaf (PILE) have been reported to possess blood glucose lowering actions in vivo . Nevertheless, further study is required to determine the underlying mechanisms. In this report, we have investigated the preventive effects of PILE on multiple low doses of streptozotocin (MLDS)-induced β-cell apoptosis. Mice were pre-treated with PILE at 50 mg/kg (PILE 50) or 100 mg/kg (PILE 100) for 2 weeks before streptozotocin (STZ) stimulation, and the treatment continued for 4 or 8 weeks. Results revealed that PILE 100 mice exhibited improved blood biochemistry, maintained a higher body weight, had decreased hyperglycemia, and restored islet architectures compared to non-treated STZ mice. Significantly, PILE 100 decreased levels of inflammatory response markers interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interlukin1-β (IL-1β), concomitant with the inhibition of caspase-3, caspase-8, capsepase-9, phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (pSTAT1), nuclear factor-κBp65 (NF-κBp65), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Additionally, survival and proliferative ability of β-cells was mediated by up-regulated Bcl-2 and Ki67, respectively. These results provide strong evidence that pretreatment with PILE 100 effectively attenuated STZ-induced diabetes-related symptoms and these effects could be associated with the inhibition of cytokine-induced β-cell apoptosis.

Climate change-related events, such as marine heatwaves, are increasing seawater temperatures, thereby putting pressure on marine biota. The cosmopolitan distribution and significant contribution to marine primary production by the genus Ruppia makes them interesting organisms to study thermal tolerance and local adaptation. In this study, we investigated the photosynthetic responses in Ruppia to the predicted future warming in two contrasting bioregions, temperate Sweden and tropical Thailand. Through DNA barcoding, specimens were determined to Ruppia cirrhosa for Sweden and Ruppia maritima for Thailand. Photosynthetic responses were assessed using pulse amplitude-modulated fluorometry, firstly in short time incubations at 18, 23, 28, and 33 °C in the Swedish set-up and 28, 33, 38, and 43 °C in the Thai set-up. Subsequent experiments were conducted to compare the short time effects to longer, five-day incubations in 28 °C for Swedish plants and 40 °C for Thai plants. Swedish R. cirrhosa displayed minor response, while Thai R. maritima was more sensitive to both direct and prolonged temperature stress with a drastic decrease in the photosynthetic parameters leading to mortality. The results indicate that in predicted warming scenarios, Swedish R. cirrhosa may sustain an efficient photosynthesis and potentially outcompete more heat-sensitive species. However, populations of the similar R. maritima in tropical environments may suffer a decline as their productivity will be highly reduced.

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Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and inflammation are hallmarks of liver damage in diabetes mellitus. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that Pluchea indica leaf ethanol extract (PILE) possesses strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, studies of its effects on liver damage in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic animals remain insufficient. To the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to illustrate that PILE mitigated liver injury in STZ animals. Mice were first pretreated with PILE at either 50 mg/kg (PILE 50) or 100 mg/kg (PILE 100) 2 weeks prior to the induction of hyperglycemia by multiple low doses of STZ. The mice were then fed with PILE 50 or PILE 100 for 4 or 8 weeks, following which liver weight, pathological changes, oxidative stress parameters, inflammation-related markers and caspase-mediated apoptosis were measured at each time point. Untreated STZ mice exhibited abnormal increases in liver weight and severe pathological changes. However, PILE 100 reduced the severity of the STZ-induced diabetic phenotype at both time points. A significant decrease in the levels of superoxide dismutase and catalase, in addition to an increase in malondialdehyde, were observed in the livers of untreated STZ mice, all of which were significantly reversed by treatment with PILE 100 for 8 weeks. Western blot analysis revealed reduced levels of liver inflammatory markers, including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, NF-κB p65, transforming growth factor-β1 and protein kinase C following PILE 100 treatment. Additionally, changes in the levels of apoptotic markers indicated that PILE 100 significantly attenuated caspase-9 and-3 expression, whilst preserving that of the Bcl-2 protein. In conclusion, the present study revealed that PILE alleviates hyperglycemia-induced liver injury by normalizing the various mediators of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis.

Mictyris thailandensis has been described recently in the family Mictyridae which is found only in the Andaman Sea, west coast of Thailand. In this study, we performed shotgun genome sequencing of a male M. thailandensis using a paired-end (150 bp) sequencing chemistry on MGISEQ-2000RS and report the complete mitochondrial genome of M. thailandensis (15,557 bp). A total of 37 genes have been annotated: 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), and a control region. Comparative phylogenetic analysis with 29 crustaceans based on 13 conserved genes demonstrated that M. thailandensis is closely related to other soldier crabs in the family Mictyridae. The mitogenome of M. thailandensis presented here provides useful genetic information to help understand the evolutionary relationships among the Mictyridae family members.

ABSTRACT:This study aimed to screen purple non-sulfur bacteria capable of accumulating granules or polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) inside the cells, identify the potent strain, assay the enzyme or PHA synthase, and compare the PHB synthase gene with that of related strains. A total of 58 strains of purple non-sulfur bacteria were isolated from 108 samples of chicken feces in the chicken-egg farm of the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Natural Resources at Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand. After cultivating the bacteria in glutamate malate (GM) medium without added glutamic acid under light (3,000 Lux) at 35 o C for 5 days, the intracellular biopolymer granules of the bacteria were observed by using a Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) with excitation and emission wavelength of 530 and 605 nm, respectively. Gas chromatography (GC) was carried out for quantitative analysis of PHB. There were five strains, CH12, CH52, CH72, CH90 and CH92, showed biopolymer granules under CLSM, and accumulated PHB 5, 1.7, 1.5, 1.4 and 1.8% (w w -1 ) of the cell dry weight (CDW), respectively. The 16S rDNA sequence analysis of CH12 strain showed a high homology of 100% correlation to that of Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain NCIB8288. Regarding the taxonomic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence analysis, CH12 strain was identified as Rps. palustris NCIB8288. The PHA synthase activity of the crude extract from CH12 strain was 25 units/mL. The conserved regions could be aligned and selected among 5 strains of Rhodopseudomonas palustris (strains BisA53, TIE-1, CGA009, HaA2 and BisB18). The purified PCR product was obtained for further studies.

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