Atlantic Cape Community College

Background: Obesity is an epidemic health problem, affecting all population and different age groups. It is associated with many health conditions as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis as well as metabolic syndrome. Lifestyle changes and pharmacological therapies have been used for obesity treatment, but have not accomplished the expected to minimize the increasing rate of obesity worldwide. A wide range of herbal extracts has been reported to be useful in obesity treatment which suggests herbal medicine as potential candidate for obesity management. The aim of this study is to explore plant potential to counteract obesity threats. Methods: Methanolic extract of 20 medicinal plants, belonging to 11 different families were assayed spectrophotometrically for their LPL inhibition activity. Results: 11 out of 20 extracts have an inhibitory effect on LPL enzyme that ranges between 32.92% and 11.96%. The most active plant is Onosma giganteum Lam. (32.92%) followed by Hypecoum dimidiatum Delile (29.04%) and Chrysanthemum coronarium L. (27.81%). Conclusion: Herbal medicinal plants represent potential candidates to be implemented in new therapeutic era. Our results have shown that 11 out of 20 tested plants have LPL inhibition activity, for a certain extent. However, further studies are needed to investigate their potential activity in vivo to develop new anti-obesity treatment

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas belongs to one of the most species-rich but genomically poorly explored phyla, the Mollusca. Here we report the sequencing and assembly of the oyster genome using short reads and a fosmid-pooling strategy, along with transcriptomes of development and stress response and the proteome of the shell. The oyster genome is highly polymorphic and rich in repetitive sequences, with some transposable elements still actively shaping variation. Transcriptome studies reveal an extensive set of genes responding to environmental stress. The expansion of genes coding for heat shock protein 70 and inhibitors of apoptosis is probably central to the oyster's adaptation to sessile life in the highly stressful intertidal zone. Our analyses also show that shell formation in molluscs is more complex than currently understood and involves extensive participation of cells and their exosomes. The oyster genome sequence fills a void in our understanding of the Lophotrochozoa.

SUMMARY Glaucosphaera vacuolata was recently rediscovered, and isolated by Dr. Richard Starr of Indiana University Physiological and ultrastructural studies have been conducted on this cyanome and are reported for the first time. Glaucosphaera has been found to have low rates of photosynthesis, respiration, and Hill activity. Unusual features noted include the presence of R‐phycocyanin as the major accessory pigment, phycobilisomes, and eyeshot‐like structures in the cyanelles.