979 research outputs found
MasPA: A Machine Learning Application to Predict Risk of Mastitis in Cattle from AMS Sensor Data
No full textMastitis is a common disease that prevails in cattle owing mainly to environmental pathogens; they are also the most expensive disease for cattle in dairy farms. Several prevention and treatment methods are available, although most of these options are quite expensive, especially for small farms. In this study, we utilized a dataset of 6600 cattle along with several of their sensory parameters (collected via inexpensive sensors) and their prevalence to mastitis. Supervised machine learning approaches were deployed to determine the most effective parameters that could be utilized to predict the risk of mastitis in cattle. To achieve this goal, 26 classification models were built, among which the best performing model (the highest accuracy in the shortest time) was selected. Hyper parameter tuning and K-fold cross validation were applied to further boost the top model’s performance, while at the same time avoiding bias and overfitting of the model. The model was then utilized to build a GUI application that could be used online as a web application. The application can predict the risk of mastitis in cattle from the inhale and exhale limits of their udder and their temperature with an accuracy of 98.1% and sensitivity and specificity of 99.4% and 98.8%, respectively. The full potential of this application can be utilized via the standalone version, which can be easily integrated into an automatic milking system to detect the risk of mastitis in real time
Integrating groupware technology into the learning environment
Get PDFThis paper presents the hard lessons learned from the introduction of groupware technology within a final‐year software engineering module. The module began in 1997 and is now in its fourth year. The paper provides a detailed account of our successes and failures in each year, and describes what the authors now feel is a successful model for integrating groupware into the learning environment. The paper is important because it provides a longitudinal study of the use of groupware within a learning environment and an insight into the key success factors associated with the use of groupware. Success factors relate not only to the technology but also to social factors such as group facilitation and social protocols, to factors associated with monitoring and assessment, and to factors related to the skills development associated with being a member of a global team
Correction to: Understanding the process of meanings, materials, and competencies in adoption of mobile banking
Get PDFCorrection to: Electronic Markets (2022) 32: pp.2445-2469: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12525-022-00610-7. The original article was published on 28 November 2022. In the original article the affiliation of authors Wilson Ozuem, Kerry Howell and Silvia Ranfagni are missing. Given here are the complete affiliations.
Muhammad Naeem: School of Business & Management, Arden University, Arden House, Coventry, CV3 4FJ, UK.
Wilson Ozuem: Institute of Business, Leadership and Industry, University of Cumbria, Lancaster, LA1 1QD, UK.
Kerry Howell: Northumbria University, Newcastle, NE1 8ST, UK.
Silvia Ranfagni: Department of Economics and Business, University of Florence, Via delle Pandette, 9, Florence, 50127, Italy.
Corresponding author: Correspondence to Muhammad Naeem
Data mining and molecular dynamics analysis to detect HIV-1 reverse transcriptase RNase H activity inhibitor
No full textHIV-1 is a deadly virus that affects millions of people worldwide. In this study, we aimed to inhibit viral replication by targeting one of the HIV-1 proteins and identifying a new drug candidate. We used data mining and molecular dynamics methods on HIV-1 genomes. Based on MAUVE analysis, we selected the RNase H activity of the reverse transcriptase (R.T) enzyme as a potential target due to its low mutation rate and high conservation level. We screened about 94,000 small molecule inhibitors by virtual screening. We validated the hit compounds' stability and binding free energy through molecular dynamics simulations and MM/PBSA. Phomoarcherin B, known for its anticancer properties, emerged as the best candidate and showed potential as an HIV-1 reverse transcriptase RNase H activity inhibitor. This study presents a new target and drug candidate for HIV-1 treatment. However, in vitro and in vivo tests are required. Also, the effect of RNase H activity on viral replication and the interaction of Phomoarcherin B with other HIV-1 proteins should be investigated
Oxidoreductases and RNA degradosome controlling virulence-associated traits of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
No full textThe oxidative stress response is a fundamental and primitive mode of innate immune defense in nearly all forms of life. The host oxidative stress response becomes truly important and effective especially against intracellular pathogens such as Salmonella. Pathogens have evolved diverse mechanisms to withstand the oxidative responses. These include the use of oxidoreductases to neutralize oxidative products and repair oxidative damages, rapid alteration in their transcriptome and diversion of such oxidative products in cellular signaling, for their survival and successful infection.In the first study in this thesis, we have introduced the putative ScsABCD oxidoreductases of the thioredoxin superfamily for their role in oxidative stress tolerance and in virulence of S. Typhimurium. We demonstrated that ScsABCD proteins are dispensable for invasion in cultured epithelial cells under normal invasive conditions, although ScsABCD acts as a suppressor of SPI-1 mediated invasion upon oxidative stress. Our results have further shown a functional association between ScsABCD and thiroredoxin 1 (TrxA) oxidoreductase of S. Typhimurium. In this, we demonstrated that absence of ScsABCD restored the invasiveness of a trxA mutant in epithelial cells and its virulence in C. elegans. (Paper I).Next, we present the analyses on the role of periplasmic Dsb oxidoreductase system in S. Typhimurium’s biofilm-development, specifically under redox stress. In this, we show that DsbA and DsbB act as suppressors of rdar-morphotype development and affect biofilm-regulation using either Csg-dependent or -independent mechanism, respectively. Our results further reveal that oxidative stress abrogates rdar-morphotype of S. Typhimurium, whereas reductive stress reduces rdar-morphotype with concomitant plentiful release of extracellular slimy material containing, notably, the extracellular DNA (eDNA). Furthermore, we have demonstrated the oxidative recovery of swimming motility defects of a dsbA mutant. (Paper II).Finally, we have demonstrated that exoribonuclease; PNPase and its genetic associate membrane lipoprotein NlpI constitute an operon and are functionally connected (Papers III and IV). PNPase was required for rdar-morphotype development whereas, NlpI suppresses the biofilm formation. In addition, we established the association of PNPase with c-di-GMP metabolism in biofilm regulation. Moreover, we showed that both PNPase and NlpI are required, independently, for cold adaptation of S. Typhimurium.List of scientific papersI. NAEEM ANWAR, Xiao Hui Sem and Mikael Rhen. Oxidoreductases that act as conditional virulence suppressors in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. PLoS One. 2013 Jun; 8(6):e64948. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064948 II. NAEEM ANWAR, Ute Römling and Mikael Rhen. Redox-sensitivity of biofilm-formation in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium – A particular impact of the DsbA/DsbB redox system. [Manuscript]III. Syed Fazle Rouf, Irfan Ahmad, NAEEM ANWAR, Suman Kumar Vodnala, Abdul Kader, Ute Römling and Mikael Rhen. Opposing contributions of polynucleotide phosphorylase and the membrane protein NlpI to biofilm formation by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Journal of Bacteriology. 2011 Jan; 193(2): 580-2. https://doi.org/10.1128/JB.00905-10 IV. Syed Fazle Rouf, NAEEM ANWAR, Mark O Clements and Mikael Rhen. Genetic analysis of the pnp-deaD genetic region reveals membrane lipoprotein NlpI as an independent participant in cold acclimatization of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 2011 Dec; 325(1): 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2011.02416.x </p
Stock Prices and Exchange Rates: Are they Related? Evidence from South Asian Countries
Get PDFThe issue of whether stock prices and exchange rates are related or not has received considerable attention after the East Asian crisis. During the crisis the countries affected saw turmoil in both currency and stock markets. If stock prices and exchange rates are related and the causation runs from exchange rates to stock prices, then the crisis in the stock markets can be prevented by controlling the exchange rates. Moreover, developing countries can exploit such a link to attract/stimulate foreign portfolio investment in their own countries. Similarly, if the causation runs from stock prices to exchange rates then authorities can focus on domestic economic policies to stabilise the stock market. If the two markets/prices are related then investors can use this information to predict the behaviour of one market using the information on other market.1 Most of the empirical literature that has examined the stock prices-exchange rate relationship has focused on examining this relationship for the developed countries with very little attention on the developing countries. The results of these studies are, however, inconclusive. Some studies have found a significant positive relationship between stock prices and exchange rates [for instance Smith (1992); Solnik (1987) and Aggarwal (1981)] while others have reported a significant negative relationship between the two [e.g., Soenen and Hennigar (1998)]. On the other hand, there are some studies that have found very weak or no association between stock prices and exchange rates [for instance, Franck and Young (1972); Bartov and Bodnor (1994)]. On the issue of causation, the evidence is also mixed. Some studies [for instance, Abdalla and Murinde (1997)] have found causation runs from exchange rates to stock prices while other reported a reverse causation [e.g., Ajayi and
Intellectual property laws and Islam in Malaysia.
No full textPhDThis study is undertaken on the premise that Islam and Islamic law is to be taken into
serious consideration in any future legislative reform of laws in Malaysia. Islam being
the religion of the country and the strong religious sentiment of the Muslims (who
form the majority in Malaysia) cannot be overlooked or dismissed lightly by the
legislators in Malaysia. Reformation of intellectual property laws is timely, as we are
now approaching to the dateline set by GATF-Trips agreement which aim is to
improve our standard of intellectual property protection. This study seeks to analyze
and evaluate the current legislation pertaining to intellectual property in Malaysia in
terms of the philosophy and rules governing the existence, ownership and exercise of
these rights and their consistency and inconsistency with Islam and Islamic law. The
main objective of this study is to prove that a coherent and logical conceptual
framework of ownership of intellectual property can be derived from an Islamic
perspective which not only offers the basis of rights but also defines the scope of
these rights. From the point of ownership of rights, support can be obtained from the
normative framework of property rights within the traditional classification of 'mal'
(property) and 'haqq al-milkiyyah' (ownership rights) under Islamic law. From the
point of exercise of rights, the exact scope can be defined from the analysis of
fundamental concepts which have been developed by Muslim jurists. It has been
established that Islam and Islamic law offers a sound and systematic paradigm, which
in deeper analysis, can satisfy both our current obligations under international
treatises, as well as our responsibility to practise our religion to the fullest
CSR practices of private commercial bank's in Bangladesh: A comparative study
Get PDFCSR movement has gathered great momentum over the past number of years and is now regarded as being at this most prevalent. CSR is presently one of the most discussed topics by government, by non-government and by business itself. The purpose of the study is to provide deep understanding of the practices of CSR of PCBs in Bangladesh. The study has been taken to observe different regulatory framework (CSR areas) of CSR of PCBs and its contribution. This study found CSR practices of PCBs are quite scant rather than profit. The study reveals that PCBs are trying to swell their contribution in accordance with Bangladesh Bank proper guidelines.Corporate Social Responsibility; Private Commercial Bank; Profit; Sustainability
Calicnemia fortis Dow, Zia, Naeem & Rafi, 2014, sp. nov.
No full textCalicnemia fortis sp. nov. (Figs. 1 – 7) Type material. Holotype: ♂ (ODO/ZYG/ 217), Pakistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Noseri, 11 v 2005, leg. S. A. Zia, deposited in the National Insect Museum, Islamabad, Pakistan. Paratype: ♂ (ODO/ZYG/ 218), data as holotype. Etymology. The species is named fortis, an adjective, meaning robust, referring to the strong build and relatively large size of the species. Description of holotype male. Head: labium dark brown. Labrum black, clypeus black except for 2 small pale, widely separated spots on postclypeus. Mandible bases black. Genae dark brown adjacent to mandible bases, elsewhere dark with irregular pale markings. An indistinct pale area at junction of frons and clypeus, frons otherwise matte black, vertex and occiput same, antennae with scape and pedicel black with brown sections at top, flagellum missing. Ocelli yellowish. Thorax (Fig. 1): Prothorax matte black with grey pruinesence covering most of propleuron, anterior lobe of pronotum and lateral anterior part of middle lobe. Synthorax matte black except for a narrow irregular yellowish stripe on metepisternum, broadest near legs where extending slightly onto mesepimeron, running above and over spiracle, tapering toward but not reaching antealar carina. A broad, irregular yellow stripe occupies much of metepimeron. Legs with coxae pale with obscure dark areas anteriorly and laterally, otherwise mostly dark brown and black with sparse grey pruinosity on trochanters and femora. Wings (Figs. 2 – 3) with 5 postquadrangular cells in Fw, 4 in Hw. 18 Px in Fw, 16 (left) and 15 (right) Px in Hw. Pt pale, covering ca 2 underlying cells, approximately rhombic, but with costal side a little shorter than anal side. Abdomen: S 1 black dorsally, laterally mostly yellow. S 2 mostly black with obscure rusty red markings in apical two thirds. S 3 – 6 red, darkening with each successive segment, black behind posterior carina dorsally and in upper part laterally. S 7 dark red dorsally except at apical extremity, same colour lower laterally, with a poorly defined black stripe between, except in basal ca one-fifth. S 8 black with obscure dark red markings lower laterally and in basal half dorsally. S 9 black except for apical red lower lateral mark. S 10 black. Genital ligula (Fig. 4) typical for group 2 Calicnemia, terminal segment with two broad apical lobes, almost square at ends. Anal appendages of typical form for the genus, as shown in Figs. 5–7 with interior ventral tooth located basally on cercus, bifurcated terminally. Measurements (mm): Abdomen without anal appendages 37, paraprocts ca 1.5; Hw 28.5. Female. Unknown. Variation in paratype male. The paratype male (Fig. 8) does not differ from the holotype in any significant way except that two full length pruinose antehumeral stripes are present, and there is more extensive pruinosity on the prothorax and laterally on the synthorax. Additionally abdominal S 1 – 2 are largely pruinose grey. Measurements (mm): Abdomen without anal appendages 35; Hw 28.5; 18 Px in Fw, 14 (right) or 16 (left) Px in Hw. Diagnosis. A robust group 2 Calicnemia with synthorax black with yellow lateral marks and abdomen with S 2 – 7 wholly or partly red. Separated from all other species of group 2 of Calicnemia except C. hasik Wilson & Reels, 2003, C. mortoni (Laidlaw, 1917), C. nipalica Kimmins, 1958, C. pulverulans (Selys, 1886) and C. rectangulata Laidlaw, 1932 by the black mesepisternum lacking antehumeral markings or with only pruinose blue antehumeral markings. Distinguished from C. pulverulans by the entirely black abdomen and the more rounded ends of the lobes of the terminal segment of the ligula of that species. Distinguished from C. hasik by more extensive red colouration on the abdomen, broader lobes of the terminal segment of the ligula and shorter tooth on the cercus in lateral view. C. rectangulata differs in the extent of the red markings in the abdomen and in having a much larger tooth on the cercus, very prominent in lateral view. C. nipalica has the terminal segment of the ligula deeply divided. C. mortoni has a longer but less broad tooth on the cercus and the terminal segment of the ligula deeply divided. Remarks. In his PhD thesis (Zia 2010) the second author gave this species a name, Indocnemis ahmedi, and presented a (composite) description, but also issued a disclaimer, citing article 8.2 of the International code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 2012), to the effect that “description of new species i.e. Indocnemis ahmedi provided in this dissertation is not issued for public and permanent scientific record or for purposes of zoological nomenclature”. The name ahmedi is therefore not available; in any case it would not have been available because no holotype was designated (article 16.4.1). Calicnemis fortis was found flying within tall grassy vegetation around an open spring which runs into a fast flowing stream. Calicnemia eximia was common at the same site. Unfortunately following the devastating earthquake in October 2005 the spring at the type locality dried up, and the species has not been relocated in that area despite repeated searches by the second author in the following three years. However, Zia (2010) lists two additional males from a location in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. These specimens have not been seen by the first author and in the view of the second author might represent a different species, because they differ quite substantially in colouration and some other characters as well; therefore they are left out of consideration here. The species should be searched for not just in neighbouring regions of Pakistan, but also in the neighbouring Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. In life the markings on the abdomen were pinkish red, becoming darker on S 6–7; in the holotype they have faded considerably with preservation. The colour of the paratype male (Fig. 8) is better preserved than that of the holotype, as is the extensive pruinosity on the thorax and abdominal S 1–2. In the holotype there is no indication of any antehumeral markings, but pruinose antehumeral stripes are present in the paratype. Possibly, as is the case in males of some other Calicnemia species, e.g. C. soccifera Yu & Chen, 2013, yellow antehumeral markings are present in immature individuals but later these markings become completely pruinose (Yu & Chen 2013). In the case of C. fortis, possibly the underlying marking fades completely, leading to the condition now seen in the holotype. Calicnemia fortis comes closest to C. pulverulans, from which it differs principally in the colour of the abdomen and details of the genital ligula. Calicnemia pulverulans has been recorded as far west as the Nanda Devi Bisophere Reserve in Uttar Pradesh, India (Kumar 1997), but this is more than 600 km from the type locality of C. fortis. Differences from C. pulverulans and other species most closely resembling the available material of C. fortis are given in the diagnosis. Considering the remaining species in group 2 of Calicnemia, C. fortis males are easily separated from those of C. chaseni (Laidlaw in Campion & Laidlaw, 1928), C. miles (Laidlaw, 1917), C. miniata (Selys, 1886), C. chaoi Wilson, 2004, and C. zhuae Zhang & Yang, 2008, which have bright red or orange antehumeral stripes as well as differences in the anal appendages and genital ligula; uniquely in the genus C. chaoi possesses amber wings (Wilson 2004). Of three Chinese species with males possessing yellow or pruinosed antehumeral stripes: C. gulinensis Yu & Bu, 2008, C. porcata Yu & Bu, 2008 and C. soccifera, C. soccifera has the terminal segment of the genital ligula with much narrower lobes and legs with a red or yellow femur contrasting with a black tibia. Calicnemia gulinensis has an orange abdomen and far more extensive pale markings on labrum and clypeus and C. porcata differs in the colouration of the head, details of the tooth on the cercus and in the ligula, which bears a distinctive ridge centrally on the terminal segment, and has the lobes almost square ended. This leaves two species that have not been placed in either of Lieftinck’s groups within Calicnemia; these are dealt with below. The species group to which C. uenoi Asahina, 1997, from Vietnam belongs is unclear because Asahina provided no illustration of the ligula. Asahina (1997: 22) stated that C. uenoi is “One of the typical Calicnemia species...”, but judging from the illustrations it seems atypical in the form of the tooth on the cercus, a narrow median spine rather than the robust tooth, normally with a bifid tip, and typically placed more basally, that is usual in Calicnemia. The type series of C. uenoi was deposited in the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Japan, but at the present time it cannot be located (Akihiko Sasamoto and Takuya Kiyoshi, personal communication). However, in the collection of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (RMNH), Leiden, there is a male labelled as C. uenoi from the area of the type locality, donated from the collection of Matti Hämäläinen and originally collected by Haruki Karube. It is difficult to reconcile the anal appendages of the RMNH specimen with Asahina’s illustrations, and this specimen seems close to C. hasik. When describing C. hasik, Wilson & Reels (2003: 266) commented on Asahina’s description of C. uenoi and, understandably, concluded that their species was distinct; the RMNH specimen suggests that further study of this matter is needed. It is to be hoped that the type series of C. uenoi will become available in the near future. In any case, C. uenoi as illustrated by Asahina is clearly distinguished from C. fortis by the form and position of the tooth on the cercus, and C. hasik and the RMNH specimen differ from C. fortis in the details of the ligula, anal appendages and colouration. Calicnemia sudhaae Mitra, 1994, known from Mizoram in northeast India and which is said (Mitra 2002) to resemble C. pulverulans, does not appear to have been assigned to either species group within Calicnemia. This species is illustrated in Mitra (2002: figs. 54-56) where the ligula appears to have ribbon-like flagellae, an impression confirmed by the text “flagella one pair, long ribbon like with pointed apex” (Mitra 2002: 56). Therefore C. sudhaae belongs to group 1 of Calicnemia and need not be considered further here. The large size and long wing length of this species partly accounts for the high count of postquadrangular cells in C. fortis, a character that Fraser (1933), following Laidlaw (1917), used to separate Calicnemia from Indocnemis Laidlaw, 1917. Recent authors have seldom or never given counts of the postquadrangular cells in their descriptions of Calicnemia species, but the illustration of the Hw of C. chaoi shows 4 postquadrangular cells (Wilson 2004: 429, fig. 21). Lieftinck (1977: 20, 22) stated that C. miniata males from northern India and Nepal examined have 3 – 4 postquadrangular cells and that even the holotype male of C miles has 3 – 3 - 1 / 2 postquadrangular cells. In fact the wing photograph of C. pulverulans in Laidlaw (1917: plate XV, fig. 3), the same publication where Indocnemis was described and where the count of postquadrangular cells was first used to distinguish Calicnemia from Indocnemis, shows almost 4 postquadrangular cells in the left Fw. It is to be hoped that these examples will finally lay to rest the idea that the count of postquadrangular cells is a character of value for distinguishing Calicnemia from related genera. With the addition of C. fortis, Calicnemia consists of 22 named species, unless C. pyrrhosoma Lieftinck, 1984 is recognised; this name persists on some world Odonata checklists although it was established as a junior synonym of C. doonensis Sangal & Tyagi, 1984 by Hämäläinen (1989). Yu & Bu (2008) commented on the extent of variability of markings with age and possibly location in C. sinensis Lieftinck, 1984, and geographical variation in markings may occur in other species, so that caution is needed in separating species based entirely on colour patterns. However, structural differences in ligula and caudal appendages are also often subtle, rendering Calicnemia a difficult genus to work on. As noted by Yu & Chen (2013), some of the Chinese species “seem to be closely related, and more detailed studies are needed to clarify their true relationships”; we can only extend this statement to the whole genus.Published as part of Dow, Rory A., Zia, Ahmed, Naeem, Muhammad & Rafi, Muhammad Ather, 2014, Calicnemia fortis sp. nov. from Pakistan (Odonata: Zygoptera: Platycnemididae), pp. 338-342 in Zootaxa 3869 (3) on pages 338-342, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3869.3.7, http://zenodo.org/record/22935
Betulinic acid enhances the antioxidant profile in a hyperglycaemic model.
Get PDFMasters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a global pandemic, with prevalence rapidly rising in South Africa. T2DM is characterized by insulin resistance, leading to hyperglycaemia which induces oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation with subsequent complications. Betulinic acid (BA), a ubiquitous plant triterpenoid, has many proven benefits including antioxidant (AO) properties. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor which binds to triterpenes and promotes glucose uptake and stimulates cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the potential of BA to modulate cytoprotective responses through PPARγ in response to hyperglycaemic (HG) induced OS in a human hepatoma (HepG2) liver cell model. HepG2 cells were cultured under normoglycaemic (NG) and HG conditions and subsequently treated with 5μM and 10μM BA. Spectrophotometric [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assays] and luminescent (ATP assay) principles were employed to assess viability of the chosen BA concentrations. Phosphorylation of the insulin receptor β-subunit (IRβ) was assessed via Western blot to confirm BA’s anti-HG effects. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were assessed via fluorescence using the 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate (H2DCF-DA) assay, and oxidative stress biomarkers were quantified spectrophotometrically, via use of the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) assay for lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonyl assay (PCA). Intracellular AO potential was measured via luminometric quantification of reduced glutathione (GSH). Western blots quantifying protein expression of PPARγ, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor2 (NRF2), phosphorylated NRF2 (pNRF2), sirtuin3 (SIRT3), PPARγ coactivator 1α (PGC1α), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), catalase (CAT), uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), lon protease (LONP1) and nuclear factor κ-B (NFκB) as well as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCRs) assessing gene expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPx1), NRF2, SIRT3, PGC1α and micro-RNA 124 (miR124) were run to elucidate the molecular mechanism behind the cytoprotective response of BA. The MTT, ATP and LDH assays confirmed cell viability, lack of toxicity and stable energy output, while TBARS, DCF and PCA confirmed a reduction of ROS and its biomarkers. A preliminary Western blot of IRβ confirmed BA’s anti-hyperglycaemic actions at a prime concentration of 5μM BA. Further, Western blots also confirmed an AO-induced protective mechanism at 5μM BA originating from the PPARγ/NRF2 positive feedback loop, further involving SIRT3 (p<0.0001), PGC1α (p=0.0025), LONP1 (p<0.0001), and AOs: SOD2 (p<0.0001), CAT (p=0.0003) and UCP2 (p<0.0001). The GSH assay and mRNA levels of PGC1α (p<0.0001), NRF2 (p<0.0001), SIRT3 (p<0.0001) and GPx1 (p<0.0001) further confirmed the mechanism, while miR124 levels (p=0.0093) hinted at epigenetic regulation between the transcription factors. Additionally, BA was found to downregulate NFκB (p<0.0001) in the HG state possibly combatting ROS-induced inflammation.
In conclusion, BA illustrated cytoprotective effects on HG induced OS at an optimum concentration of 5μM, by upregulating the AO response and reducing ROS. Thus, BA may be considered an alternate and cheap adjunctive therapy to mitigate complications of T2DM
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