ALBERT

Description: Aim. Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is associated with an increased risk of fractures. The interactions between various body composition and bone are known to be complex in nature. However, very few studies have examined this crosstalk in AGHD. In this study, we sought to investigate the relationship between various parameters of body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) as well as determine the role of visceral fat in determining the bone mass in patients with AGHD. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 57 patients with AGHD. Anthropometry, biochemistry, and analysis of body composition and BMD were performed according to standard protocols. Male and female patients were classified into those with osteoporosis and those without osteoporosis (normal subjects and patients with osteopenia). Further, we analyzed the correlation between the BMD and measurements obtained for various body composition parameters in male and female AGHD patients. Results. Our findings indicated that among female AGHD patients, those with osteoporosis had a significantly higher levels of fat mass (FM) and visceral adipose tissue mass (VATM) (both, P

Description: Objectives.The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in 3′UTR of XPO5 gene and the occurrence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and to further explore the regulatory mechanism of miRNAs in NIHL on XPO5 gene. Methods.We conducted a case-control study involving 1040 cases and 1060 controls. The effects of SNPs on XPO5 expression were studied by genotyping, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), cell transfection, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results.We genotyped four SNPs (rs2257082, rs11077, rs7755135, and rs1106841) in the XPO5 gene. The rs2257082 AG/GG carriers have special connection to an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss compared to the AA carriers. The rs11077TG/GG carriers had a significantly increased association with NIHL susceptibility than the TT carriers. There was a higher risk of NIHL in the XPO5 gene rs7755135 CC carriers than in the TT carriers. No statistically significant correlation was obtained with respect to SNPrs1106841. Functional experiments showed that the rs11077 change might inhibit the interaction between miRNAs (miRNA-4763-5p, miRNA-5002-3p, and miRNA-617) and XPO5, with rs11077G allele resulting in overexpression of XPO5. Conclusion. The genetic polymorphism, rs11077, within XPO5 is associated with the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in a Chinese population.

Description: Ras analog in brain (Rab) proteins are small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) that belong to the Ras-like GTPase superfamily, and they can regulate vesicle trafficking. Rab proteins alternate between an activated (GTP-bound) state and an inactivated (GDP-bound) state. Early endosome marker Rab5 GTPase, a key member of the Rab family, plays a crucial role in endocytosis and membrane transport. The activated-state Rab5 recruits its effectors and regulates the internalization and trafficking of membrane receptors by regulating vesicle fusion and receptor sorting in the early endosomes. In this review, we summarize the role of small Rab GTPases Rab5 in membrane receptor trafficking and the activation of signaling pathways, such as Ras/MAPK and PI3K/Akt, which ultimately affect cell growth, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and tumor development. This review may provide some insights for our future research and novel therapeutic targets for diseases.

Description: The treatment of osteochondral defects (OCD) remains a great challenge in orthopaedics. Tissue engineering holds a good promise for regeneration of OCD. In the light of tissue engineering, it is critical to establish an appropriate animal model to evaluate the degradability, biocompatibility, and interaction of implanted biomaterials with host bone/cartilage tissues for OCD repair in vivo. Currently, model animals that are commonly deployed to create osteochondral lesions range from rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs, goats, and sheep horses to nonhuman primates. It is essential to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each animal model in terms of the accuracy and effectiveness of the experiment. Therefore, this review aims to introduce the common animal models of OCD for testing biomaterials and to discuss their applications in translational research. In addition, we have reviewed surgical protocols for establishing OCD models and biomaterials that promote osteochondral regeneration. For small animals, the non-load-bearing region such as the groove of femoral condyle is commonly chosen for testing degradation, biocompatibility, and interaction of implanted biomaterials with host tissues. For large animals, closer to clinical application, the load-bearing region (medial femoral condyle) is chosen for testing the durability and healing outcome of biomaterials. This review provides an important reference for selecting a suitable animal model for the development of new strategies for osteochondral regeneration.

Description: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint function disorder with characteristics of chondrocytes reduction and extracellular matrix (ECM) components destruction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis are essential factors of chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degeneration. However, very few studies have investigated the correlation between miRNAs and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in osteoarthritis so far. Here, through miRNAs microarray and bioinformatics analyses, we identified miR-142-5p as a CXCR4-targeted and dramatically downregulated miRNA in cartilage from OA patients, as well as in SDF-1-induced OA chondrocytes in vitro. In SDF-1-treated primary human OA chondrocytes that were transfected with a miR-142-5p mimic or inhibitor, the expression of CXCR4 was found to be inversely correlated with the expression of miR-142-5p. The dual luciferase reporter assay further verified the target relationship between miR-142-5p and CXCR4. Overexpression of miR-142-5p alleviated OA pathology by suppressing chondrocyte apoptosis, even in CXCR4 overexpressed OA chondrocytes. This was associated with decreased cartilage matrix degradation, reduced cartilage inflammation, and inactivated MAPK signaling pathway. Our study suggests that upregulated expression of CXCR4-targeted miR-142-5p can inhibit apoptosis, inflammation, and matrix catabolism and inactivate the MAPK signaling pathway in OA chondrocytes. Our work provides important insight into targeting miR-142-5p and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in OA therapy.

Description: Background. Despite a substantial scientific progress over the past two decades, malaria continues to be a worldwide burden. Evergrowing resistance towards the currently available antimalarial drugs is a challenge to combat malaria. Medicinal plants are a promising source of new drugs to tackle this problem. Thus, the present study aimed at evaluating the antiplasmodial activity of Terminalia brownii in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Methods. A 4-day suppressive test was employed to evaluate the antimalarial effect of 80% methanol and aqueous bark extracts of T. brownii against P. berghei in Swiss albino mice. Results. The in vivo acute toxicity test indicated that both extracts of T. brownii did not cause mortality. The 4-day early infection test revealed that the 80% methanol and aqueous extracts exhibited a significant inhibition of parasitemia compared to negative control. The maximum level of chemosuppression (60.2%) was exhibited at 400 mg/kg dose of 80% methanol extract. Moreover, the 80% methanol extract showed a significant attenuation of anemia associated with infection in a dose-dependent manner. The aqueous extract, on the other hand, exhibited a percent inhibition of 51.1% at the highest dose (400 mg/kg/day). Conclusion. The present study indicated that hydromethanolic and aqueous bark extracts of T. brownii possess a promising antimalarial activity, with higher effect exhibited by the hydromethanolic extract.

Description: Breast cancer is a global issue regarding women’s health, and high incident rates remain in the Taiwanese female population. Chemotherapy, using anthracycline-based chemotherapeutic agents in neoadjuvant settings, has been introduced as a promising new therapeutic option for treatment of invasive breast cancer. Set apart from conventional anthracycline regimens such as epirubicin, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Lipo-Dox®, PLD) was introduced for providing a justifiable treatment effect, while offering a favorable toxicity profile for breast cancer patients in a metastatic setting. However, the efficacy of PLD in neoadjuvant settings for breast cancer patients has not yet been sufficiently reported. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of PLD-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients using a retrospective matched case-control study. A total of 183 PLD cases and 183 epirubicin-based controls were included after a 1 : 1 ratio case-control matching procedure was held, according to the matching criteria. These criteria included the patient’s preoperative clinical stage, molecular subtype, chemotherapy regimen with taxanes prior to surgery, and histological grade. All data were collected according to an institutional review board approved protocol. The study results reported that the PLD and epirubicin groups both obtained similar outcomes in pathologic complete response (pCR), recurrence, and overall survival rate with no statistically significant differences. Overall, the study results demonstrate that PLD-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy offers a similar effect of treatment with a favorable toxicity profile within the study follow-up duration, when compared with conventional epirubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Description: Methylated flavonols form a special group with modulating biological activities in comparison with kaempferol and quercetin. The present study isolated ten compounds including two kaempferol methyl ethers: 5-hydroxy-3,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (1), 3-hydroxy-5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (6); four quercetin methyl ethers: retusin (5-hydroxy-3,7,3′,4′-tetramethoxyflavone) (4), 3,5-dihydroxy-7,3′,4′-trimethoxyflavone (5), 3,4′-dihydroxy-5,7,3′-trimethoxyflavone (7), and 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (9); β-sitosterol (2); 5-hydroxy-1-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)eicosan-3-one (3); p-hydroquinone (8); and vanillic acid (10) from the rhizomes and fruit of Amomum koenigii J.F.Gmel. (Zingiberaceae). Their structures were determined by MS, NMR, and X-ray spectroscopic techniques. Among the methylated flavonols, 1, 4–7, and 9 were isolated for the first time from the rhizomes, while 1, 4, and 5 were isolated from the fruit. Compounds 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 were reported for the first time from the species. Three main methylated flavonols 1, 4, and 5 were quantitatively analyzed in the rhizomes of A. koenigii by RP-HPLC-DAD; their contents were determined to be 1.81% (1), 1.38% (4), and 1.76% (5). The antimicrobial assay against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and antioxidant DPPH scavenging test were performed for the isolated methylated flavonols.

Description: People living in and around Ab’ala area of the Afar Regional State, Ethiopia, have a traditional practice of applying Ficus carica leaf and Solanum incanum fruit extracts to milk in order to coagulate it as soon as possible. Thus, to investigate the role of the extracts in the coagulation of milk and their health threats, the milk-clotting activity, phytochemical screening tests, antimicrobial activities by the agar well diffusion method, and heavy metal content by ICP-OES technique were determined. Accordingly, both Ficus carica and Solanum incanum were found to possess phenolics, saponins, and tannins. Likewise, positive tests for flavonoid in Ficus carica and alkaloid in Solanum incanum were observed. However, no terpenoids, glycosides, and oxalates were detected in the plants. Moreover, the crude and concentrated enzyme extracts of the plants exhibited clotting activity. In this regard, the enzyme extracts of Ficus carica were superior with the highest clotting activity of 1.20 U. On the other hand, ethanol and chloroform extracts of the samples showed inhibition zones against all tested microorganisms except their chloroform extract which did not exhibit inhibition against Escherichia coli and Aspergillus niger. Likewise, the metals Cr, Cd, Mn, Cu, and Fe were detected in the plant samples, with the Mn content of 3.67±0.10 mg per kg of dry weight of the plant in Ficus carica being the highest. Indeed, the level of the heavy metal contents is considerably lower than those maximum permissible limits set by international standards. On the other hand, no Pb and Zn were detected in the plant samples. Therefore, the higher clotting activity of the enzyme extracts was an indicator that enzymes, rather than other phytochemicals, are the most probable agents responsible for the milk-clotting ability of the plants, resulting in the formation of cheese. Furthermore, the growth inhibition to most of the test microbes is a manifestation that bacterial fermentation is not a means of clotting the milk as bacteria introduced to the milk would be killed by the sample extracts. Moreover, the use of the plants in the coagulation process would not pose health threats as far as oxalate and metal toxicity is concerned.

Description: Dissotis rotundifolia is a plant in the family Melastomataceae. The methanolic extract of the whole plant is reported to be rich in C-glycosylflavones such as vitexin and orientin. Though there are several reports on the ethnomedicinal use of this plant extract in stomach ulcers, experimental-based data is unavailable. The drive for carrying out this research was to obtain data on the possible ameliorative effect of the whole plant extract of Dissotis rotundifolia (DRE) in gastric ulcerations induced by ethanol in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. SD rats were pretreated with 100, 300, and 500 mg/kg of DRE for 14 days after which an ulcerogen-ethanol was administered. Gross examinations of the stomach lining and histological analysis of gastric lesions were carried out coupled with an assessment of the antioxidant activity of gastric mucosa using MDA, GSH, CAT, and SOD as indicators. The data suggested a significant attenuation in gastric mucosal damage in DRE-pretreated ethanol-induced gastric ulcer reflected in the antioxidant status. There was also a reduction or absence of hemorrhage, edema, and leucocytes infiltration in DRE-treated groups compared to the negative control group. DRE conserved glutathione (GSH) levels, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and enhanced catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme levels. The present study shows that DRE possess protective effects against ethanol-induced ulcer damage in the stomach of rats, which could be attributed to its antioxidant activity.

Description: Introduction. Limited comparative studies have reported the safety and efficacy of tirofiban in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients after mechanical thrombectomy (MT). Additionally, the available studies are inconsistent with each other, which makes application of tirofiban unclear in neuro-intervention. Here, we performed a comparative retrospective study to investigate whether tirofiban combined with MT improves short- and long-term prognosis in AIS patients and whether its use is associated with complications. Method. Retrospective data were collected for AIS patients admitted between January 2013 and January 2019 at three stroke centers. According to whether tirofiban was used during the operation, patients were divided into tirofiban group and control group. Multivariate and COX regression analyses were performed to determine the association of tirofiban treatment with safety and efficiency in subjects treated with MT. Result. A total of 174 patients were analyzed, of whom 89 (51.1%) were treated with tirofiban. There were no differences in the incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (10.2% vs. 10.6%, p=0.918), parenchymal hemorrhage type 2 (18.0% vs. 16.5%, p=0.793), and reocclusion at 24 h (3.4% vs. 10.6%, p=0.060) between the tirofiban group and control group. Multivariate regression showed that tirofiban was not associated with intracerebral hemorrhage, early neurological deterioration, neurological improvement at 7 days, functional independence at 3-month and 9-month follow-up, or death at 9-month follow-up (adjusted p〉0.05 for all). However, AIS patients treated with MT + tirofiban showed a trend towards acquiring faster functional independence, with a median time to acquire functional independence of 4.0 months compared with 6.5 months in the control group (risk ratio = 1.49, 95% confidence interval 0.98–2.27; long rank p=0.066). Conclusion. Tirofiban may help AIS patients given MT to gain functional independence faster, without increasing the risk of complications.

Description: Staphylococcus aureus is among the common nosocomial pathogens. Antibiotics have been used to treat S. aureus infections. However, there has been increased mortality associated with drug-resistant strains of S. aureus. Extracellular proteases have been implicated to be responsible for the transition of S. aureus from an adhesive pathogen to an invasive pathogen. The development of resistant strains has necessitated the search for new sources of drugs. Plants have been traditionally used as sources of therapeutic molecules. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tormentic acid and the extracts from Callistemon citrinus on the production of extracellular proteases by S. aureus. The broth microdilution antibacterial susceptibility assay was used to determine the antibacterial effects of tormentic acid and the extracts on S. aureus. Both extracts showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 50 μg/ml. The water : ethanol (50 : 50) and the dichloromethane : methanol (50 : 50) extracts were found to be bactericidal against S. aureus at a concentration of 100 μg/ml and 50 μg/ml, respectively. The effect of tormentic acid and extracts on extracellular protease production was investigated using the protease assay. A zone of proteolytic activity (Pr) was measured as the ratio of the diameter of the colony to the total diameter of colony plus zone of hydrolysis. The extracts reduced the production of extracellular proteases, while tormentic acid completely inhibited the production of extracellular proteases by S. aureus. The Pr value for tormentic acid was found to be 1. The Pr values of the dichloromethane : methanol extract and the water : ethanol extract were 0.92 and 0.84, respectively. In conclusion, tormentic acid was shown to inhibit extracellular protease production; therefore, there is need to explore its use in antivirulence therapy to combat S. aureus infections.

Description: The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of essential oil isolated from Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) leaves, Masters originating in Morocco (Benslimane Region, Atlantic-influenced plain). The analysis of the major compounds of essential oil was performed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, and this oil is dominated by bornyl acetate (35.05%), camphor (11.17%), and α-pinene (10.84%). The antioxidant properties were evaluated by the test of the radical trap 2,2-diphényl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and the antimicrobial activity of T. articulata essential oil was tested against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli which have been inhibited from the 25 μg/mL.

Description: The present study aimed to investigate the physiochemical activities of Senna occidentalis (Linn) roots and phytochemicals as insecticidal (ethyl acetate and methanol) and antidiabetic (ethanolic extract) activities. Physicochemical properties were carried out by using Association of Official Analytical Chemist methods; thin layer chromatography was carried out according to the Stahl method. Larvicidal activity and LD50 were studied against the third instar of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito larvae to detect and extract toxicity. The ethanolic extracts of the roots were orally tested at the dose 200 mg/kg for the hypoglycemic effect on induced hyperglycemia in normal rats, assessed in the ethanol extract, and were compared with diabetic control and standards glibenclamide 10 mg/kg. Physiochemical parameters showed high rate in the nitrogen-free extract (69.6%), curd fiber (14.5%), crude proteins (8.15%), ether extract (3.75%), and both ash and moisture (2%), and high concentrations values were found in potassium (43 mg/l) followed by phosphorous (28.5 mg/l), calcium (15 mg/l), sodium (3.65 mg/l), and magnesium (0.145 mg/l). In this part, phytochemical compounds showed high amount of alkaloids, triterpene, flavonoids, tannins, sugars, and few amount of anthraquinone glycosides. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) studies different colored phytochemical constituted with different Rf values. All the spots are colored under UV light, but some are localized colorless after spaying. The ethyl acetate (EtAc) extract showed eight spots, and the methanol (MeOH) extract showed thirteen spots. The larvicidal activity showed that the ethyl acetate extract was safe against mosquito larvae with an LD50 value 1412.54 (p

Description: Thymus leptobotrys is a medicinal plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family, endemic in Morocco, and used in traditional medicine. The present work aims to study the phenolic compounds, the antioxidant activity, the anti-inflammatory effect, and the toxicity of two ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Thymus leptobotrys aerial part. The yield of the methanolic extraction (22.2%) is higher than that of the ethanolic extraction (15.8%) and is characterized by higher contents of polyphenols 243.08 mg/g GAE (mg/g of gallic acid), flavonoids 179.28 mg/g RE (mg/g of rutin), and tannins 39.31 mg/g CE (mg/g of catechin). The in vitro measurement of antioxidant activity with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical reduction test and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) test demonstrates the higher performance of the methanolic extract. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect in vivo on adult Wistar female rats leads to a very significant decrease in the inflammation of the edema compared to the standard drug (indomethacin) and the control group. The toxicity test reveals that both extracts showed no toxicity within an LD50 above 2000 mg/kg body weight of the rats.

Description: To evaluate pharmacological activities of a novel fungus Hygrophoropsis sp., the influence of aeration rate on the production of mycelial biomass, exopolysaccharides (EPS), and intrapolysaccharides (IPS) in the fungus Hygrophoropsis sp. was investigated. And the water extracts of cultured Hygrophoropsis sp. mycelia and the fermentation broth were analyzed for their antioxidation activity by using four different assay methods such as hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power. The Hygrophoropsis sp. was cultivated under various aeration rates in a 7 l bioreactor. The highest mycelial biomass (3.98 mg/mL) and IPS production (19.63 mg/g) were obtained at aeration rate 4.5 v.v.m. The results showed that Hygrophoropsis sp., in general, possesses a strong antioxidation activity in all assays tested. The deproteinized extracts had stronger antioxidation activity as compared to the un-deproteinized extracts by using superoxide radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, and reducing power. Besides, the un-deproteinized extracts had stronger antioxidation activity as compared to the deproteinized extracts by using hydroxyl radical scavenging. Thus, the polysaccharide extractions from the Hygrophoropsis sp. studied have antioxidant activities in vitro, which may be a good source of natural antioxidants or further investigation as potential natural antioxidants.

Description: Mycetoma is a lifelong granulomatous disease of subcutaneous tissues and bones. Histopathology is a substantiated indicative method based on the assumption of a definitive diagnosis of mycetoma. It requires efficient processing of tissues including bone decalcification. The decalcification process must ensure complete removal of calcium and also a proper preservation of tissue and microorganisms’ staining ability. Objectives. To compare the conventional method used in decalcification with the microwave method using different decalcification solutions. Different characteristics were tested, including the speed of decalcification and morphological and fungal preservation in bone tissue affected with mycetoma. Materials and Methods. Three decalcification solutions were employed to remove calcium from 50 bone tissue samples affected with mycetoma, including 10% neutral buffered EDTA (pH 7.4), 5% nitric acid, and 5% hydrochloric acid. Conventional and microwave methods were used. Haematoxylin-eosin (HE) stain, Gridley’s stain, and Grocott hexamine-silver stain were employed to evaluate the bone and fungi morphologies. Results. The decalcification time of the conventional method compared with the microwave method with 10% EDTA (pH 7.4) took 120 hours and 29 hours, while 5% hydrochloric acid and 5% nitric acid took 8 hours and 3 hours, separately. Also, 10% EDTA is the best decalcifying agent for HE staining and fungal stains. 5% hydrochloric acid and 5% nitric acid can be used for fungal staining. Conclusion. The current study investigated the effects of different decalcifying agents as well as two decalcification procedures on the preservation of the bone structure and fungal staining, which will help to develop suitable protocols for the analyses of the bone tissue affected with mycetoma infection.

Description: Background. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common human pathogen, which is closely correlated with gastric cancer (GC). However, the mechanism of H. pylori-related GC has not been elucidated. This study aimed to explore the role of H. pylori infection in GC and find biomarkers for early diagnosis of H. pylori-related GC. Methods. We identified differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset, constructed microRNA-(miRNA-)mRNA expression networks, analyzed the function and signal pathway of cross-genes, analyzed the relations between cross-genes and GC prognosis with the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, and verified the expression of cross-genes in patients with H. pylori infection. Results. 22 DEMs and 68 DEGs were identified in GSE197694 and GSE27411 dataset. 16 miRNAs and 509 genes were involved in the expression network, while the cross-genes of the network were mainly enriched in MAP kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and TGF-beta signaling pathway. Patients with higher expression of hsa-miR-196b-3p, CALML4, or SMAD6 or lower expression of PITX2 or TGFB2 had better outcomes than those with lower expression of hsa-miR-196b-3p, CALML4, or SMAD6 or higher expression of PITX2 or TGFB2 (P

Description: Over 50 million persons are living with cognitive deficits worldwide, with over 80% of these individuals living in the developing world. The number of affected persons is projected to go over 152 million by the year 2050. Current drugs used for cognitive impairment are debatably ineffective, costly, inaccessible, and associated with undesirable events that call for the search for alternative and complementary approaches. Plants are arguably affordable, accessible, and efficacious. However, despite the reported healing claims, scientific data validating these claims are lacking. L. eriocalyx is traditionally used for the management of various conditions, including cognitive impairment but has not been scientifically explored. In this study, the Morris Water Maze (MWM) method was used to evaluate in vivo cognitive-enhancing effects of studied extracts of L. eriocalyx. Furthermore, following MWM experiments, brains were dissected and processed, and malondialdehyde profiles were determined. Qualitative phytochemical profiles of the studied plant extracts were also determined. The results showed that mice that were treated with the studied plant extracts took significantly shorter transfer latencies, navigation distances, and significantly longer latencies in the target quadrant (NW) ( p

Description: Background. Energy requirements must be estimated before nutritional care can be provided for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD). However, the recommended caloric intake for patients has not been conclusively determined because of insufficiently large sample sizes. Method. This cross-sectional observational study recruited patients undergoing long-term HD from multiple centers as well as people in the general population without chronic kidney disease. People from both groups were matched by sex and age. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was estimated using an indirect calorimeter. Two commonly used equations for estimating REE and daily energy requirement recommended by the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI) were chosen. Results. This study had 154 HD patients and 33 matched HD–control group pairs. Age (r = −0.36, p

Description: Background. Despite a substantial scientific progress over the past two decades, malaria continues to be a worldwide burden. Evergrowing resistance towards the currently available antimalarial drugs is a challenge to combat malaria. Medicinal plants are a promising source of new drugs to tackle this problem. Thus, the present study aimed at evaluating the antiplasmodial activity of Terminalia brownii in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Methods. A 4-day suppressive test was employed to evaluate the antimalarial effect of 80% methanol and aqueous bark extracts of T. brownii against P. berghei in Swiss albino mice. Results. The in vivo acute toxicity test indicated that both extracts of T. brownii did not cause mortality. The 4-day early infection test revealed that the 80% methanol and aqueous extracts exhibited a significant inhibition of parasitemia p

Description: The treatment of osteochondral defects (OCD) remains a great challenge in orthopaedics. Tissue engineering holds a good promise for regeneration of OCD. In the light of tissue engineering, it is critical to establish an appropriate animal model to evaluate the degradability, biocompatibility, and interaction of implanted biomaterials with host bone/cartilage tissues for OCD repair in vivo. Currently, model animals that are commonly deployed to create osteochondral lesions range from rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs, goats, and sheep horses to nonhuman primates. It is essential to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each animal model in terms of the accuracy and effectiveness of the experiment. Therefore, this review aims to introduce the common animal models of OCD for testing biomaterials and to discuss their applications in translational research. In addition, we have reviewed surgical protocols for establishing OCD models and biomaterials that promote osteochondral regeneration. For small animals, the non-load-bearing region such as the groove of femoral condyle is commonly chosen for testing degradation, biocompatibility, and interaction of implanted biomaterials with host tissues. For large animals, closer to clinical application, the load-bearing region (medial femoral condyle) is chosen for testing the durability and healing outcome of biomaterials. This review provides an important reference for selecting a suitable animal model for the development of new strategies for osteochondral regeneration.

Description: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a common neuropathic pain that seriously affects the daily life of patients. Many invasive treatments are currently available for patients who respond poorly to oral carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine. Among them, radiofrequency (RF) treatment is a viable option with reliable initial and long-term clinical efficacy. The long-term analgesic effects of radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) at high temperatures (≥80°C) are not superior to those at relatively low temperatures (60–75°C). In contrast, the higher the temperature, the greater the risk of complications, especially facial numbness, masticatory muscles weakness, and corneal hypoesthesia. Some patients even experience irreversible lethal complications. Therefore, we recommend low-temperature RFT (60–75°C) for treatment of TN. The therapeutic effects of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) are controversial, whereas PRF (≤75°C) combined with RFT can improve long-term effects and decrease the incidence of complications. However, large-scale clinical trials are needed to verify the efficacy of the combination of PRF and RFT.

Description: Methylated flavonols form a special group with modulating biological activities in comparison with kaempferol and quercetin. The present study isolated ten compounds including two kaempferol methyl ethers: 5-hydroxy-3,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (1), 3-hydroxy-5,7,4′-trimethoxyflavone (6); four quercetin methyl ethers: retusin (5-hydroxy-3,7,3′,4′-tetramethoxyflavone) (4), 3,5-dihydroxy-7,3′,4′-trimethoxyflavone (5), 3,4′-dihydroxy-5,7,3′-trimethoxyflavone (7), and 3,5,7,3′,4′-pentamethoxyflavone (9); β-sitosterol (2); 5-hydroxy-1-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)eicosan-3-one (3); p-hydroquinone (8); and vanillic acid (10) from the rhizomes and fruit of Amomum koenigii J.F.Gmel. (Zingiberaceae). Their structures were determined by MS, NMR, and X-ray spectroscopic techniques. Among the methylated flavonols, 1, 4–7, and 9 were isolated for the first time from the rhizomes, while 1, 4, and 5 were isolated from the fruit. Compounds 2, 3, 7, 8, and 10 were reported for the first time from the species. Three main methylated flavonols 1, 4, and 5 were quantitatively analyzed in the rhizomes of A. koenigii by RP-HPLC-DAD; their contents were determined to be 1.81% (1), 1.38% (4), and 1.76% (5). The antimicrobial assay against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Candida albicans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and antioxidant DPPH scavenging test were performed for the isolated methylated flavonols.

Description: Ras analog in brain (Rab) proteins are small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases) that belong to the Ras-like GTPase superfamily, and they can regulate vesicle trafficking. Rab proteins alternate between an activated (GTP-bound) state and an inactivated (GDP-bound) state. Early endosome marker Rab5 GTPase, a key member of the Rab family, plays a crucial role in endocytosis and membrane transport. The activated-state Rab5 recruits its effectors and regulates the internalization and trafficking of membrane receptors by regulating vesicle fusion and receptor sorting in the early endosomes. In this review, we summarize the role of small Rab GTPases Rab5 in membrane receptor trafficking and the activation of signaling pathways, such as Ras/MAPK and PI3K/Akt, which ultimately affect cell growth, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and tumor development. This review may provide some insights for our future research and novel therapeutic targets for diseases.

Description: Objectives.The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in 3′UTR of XPO5 gene and the occurrence of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and to further explore the regulatory mechanism of miRNAs in NIHL on XPO5 gene. Methods.We conducted a case-control study involving 1040 cases and 1060 controls. The effects of SNPs on XPO5 expression were studied by genotyping, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), cell transfection, and the dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results.We genotyped four SNPs (rs2257082, rs11077, rs7755135, and rs1106841) in the XPO5 gene. The rs2257082 AG/GG carriers have special connection to an increased risk of noise-induced hearing loss compared to the AA carriers. The rs11077TG/GG carriers had a significantly increased association with NIHL susceptibility than the TT carriers. There was a higher risk of NIHL in the XPO5 gene rs7755135 CC carriers than in the TT carriers. No statistically significant correlation was obtained with respect to SNPrs1106841. Functional experiments showed that the rs11077 change might inhibit the interaction between miRNAs (miRNA-4763-5p, miRNA-5002-3p, and miRNA-617) and XPO5, with rs11077G allele resulting in overexpression of XPO5. Conclusion. The genetic polymorphism, rs11077, within XPO5 is associated with the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in a Chinese population.

Description: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint function disorder with characteristics of chondrocytes reduction and extracellular matrix (ECM) components destruction. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis are essential factors of chondrocyte apoptosis and ECM degeneration. However, very few studies have investigated the correlation between miRNAs and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in osteoarthritis so far. Here, through miRNAs microarray and bioinformatics analyses, we identified miR-142-5p as a CXCR4-targeted and dramatically downregulated miRNA in cartilage from OA patients, as well as in SDF-1-induced OA chondrocytes in vitro. In SDF-1-treated primary human OA chondrocytes that were transfected with a miR-142-5p mimic or inhibitor, the expression of CXCR4 was found to be inversely correlated with the expression of miR-142-5p. The dual luciferase reporter assay further verified the target relationship between miR-142-5p and CXCR4. Overexpression of miR-142-5p alleviated OA pathology by suppressing chondrocyte apoptosis, even in CXCR4 overexpressed OA chondrocytes. This was associated with decreased cartilage matrix degradation, reduced cartilage inflammation, and inactivated MAPK signaling pathway. Our study suggests that upregulated expression of CXCR4-targeted miR-142-5p can inhibit apoptosis, inflammation, and matrix catabolism and inactivate the MAPK signaling pathway in OA chondrocytes. Our work provides important insight into targeting miR-142-5p and the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis in OA therapy.