Protective effect of raisin (currant) against spatial memory impairment and oxidative stress in Alzheimer disease model

Objectives: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive pathological changes of the brain. A number of studies demonstrated compelling evidence of the importance of oxidative processes in AD pathogenesis. Raisin contains polyphenol, phenolic acid, and tannin compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study was aimed to evaluate the protective effect of raisin on neurobehavioral and histological changes in rats with Alzheimer.

Methods: Animal model of AD was induced by intraperitoneal injection of aluminium chloride for 60 days (100?mg/kg body weight). During these 60 days both Alzheimer’s and control rats were given 6?g of raisin per rat. At the end of the treatment, blood was collected for biochemical assessment. We used a Morris water task and passive avoidance test to assess spatial memory.

Results: Our results showed that aluminium exposure significantly decreased the memory in the MWT and passive avoidance test, but in the raisin?+?AlCl₃ group, it significantly increased spatial memory in both tests. Also, Aluminium exposure significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased ferric reducing ability of plasma (ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP)), while treatment with raisin significantly decreased MDA and increased FRAP in plasma of blood.

Discussion: Our findings showed that raisin has a neuroprotective effect and improves the spatial memory in AD animal models.     

Imaging of cervical spine trauma

The cervical spine, supporting such critical structures as the medulla, spinal cord, and cervical nerve roots, can be very challenging to image propertly because of its complex structural anatomy and superimposition of bony and soft tissue parts. In this article, the use and value of the various modalities that image the cervical spine are discussed. Plain radiography remains the best screening tool in the initial evaluation of the cervical spine after trauma. Additional views, such as swimmer's, pillar and lateral flexion, and extension, often are helpful in certain circumstances.     

Diesel exhaust exposure enhances the expression of IL-13 in the bronchial epithelium of healthy subjects

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated adverse health effects of environmental pollution. Diesel exhaust (DE) is an important contributor to ambient particulate matter pollution. DE exposure has been shown to induce a pronounced inflammatory response in the airways, with an enhanced epithelial expression of IL-8, and Gro-alpha in healthy subjects. The present investigation was aimed to further characterise the epithelial response to DE in vivo, with particular reference to possible TH2 response, in non-atopic healthy subjects. To determine this response, 15 healthy, non-atopic non-smoking subjects with normal lung function were exposed to DE (PM10 300 microg/m3) and filtered air during 1 h on two separate randomised occasions. Bronchoscopy sampling of bronchial mucosal biopsies was performed 6 h after exposure. Immunohistochemical staining were performed using mAb for IL-10, IL-13 and IL-18 expression. DE exposure induced a significant increase in the expression of IL-13 in the bronchial epithelium cells, 2.1 (1.35-4.88) Md (Q1-Q3) vs. air 0.94 (0.53-1.23); P = 0.009. No significant changes were seen in IL-10 and IL-18 expression. This finding suggests an TH2-inflammatory response in the airways of non-atopic healthy individuals.     

Factor analysis identifies subgroups of constipation

AIM:To determine whether distinct symptom groupings exist in a constipated population and whether such grouping might correlate with quantifiable pathophysiological measures of colonic dysfunction.METHODS:One hundred and ninety-one patients presenting to a Gastroenterology clinic with constipation and 32 constipated patients responding to a newspaper advertisement completed a 53-item,wide-ranging selfreport questionnaire.One hundred of these patients had colonic transit measured scintigraphically.Factor ana...     

Lactobacillus crispatus strain SJ‐3C‐US induces human dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and confers an anti‐inflammatory phenotype to DCs

Lactobacillus crispatus is one of the most predominant species in the healthy vagina microbiota. Nevertheless, the interactions between this commensal bacterium and the immune system are largely unknown. Given the importance of the dendritic cells (DCs) in the regulation of the immunity, this study was performed to elucidate the influence of vaginal isolated L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US from healthy Iranian women on DCs, either directly by exposure of DCs to ultraviolet‐inactivated (UVI) and heat‐killed (HK) L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US or indirectly to its cell‐free supernatant (CFS), and the outcomes of immune response. In this work we showed that L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US induced strong dose‐dependent activation of dendritic cells and production of high levels of IL‐10, whereas IL‐12p70 production was induced at low level in an inverse dose‐dependent manner. This stimulation skewed T cells polarization toward CD4⁺ CD25⁺ FOXP3⁺ Treg cells and production of IL‐10 in a dose‐dependent manner in mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) test. The mode of bacterial inactivation did not affect the DCs activation pattern, upon encounter with L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US. Moreover, while DCs stimulated with CFS showed moderate phenotypic maturation and IL‐10 production, it failed to skew T cells polarization toward CD4⁺ CD25⁺ FOXP3⁺ regulatory T cells (Treg) and production of IL‐10. This study showed that L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US confers an anti‐inflammatory phenotype to DCs through up‐regulation of anti‐inflammatory/regulatory IL‐10 cytokine production and induction of CD4⁺ CD25⁺ FOXP3⁺ T cells at optimal dosage. Our findings suggest that L. crispatus SJ‐3C‐US could be a potent candidate as protective probiotic against human immune‐mediated pathologies, such as chronic inflammation, vaginitis or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).     

Molecular survey of ITS1 spacer and Rickettsia infection in human flea,Pulex irritans

Parasitology Research - The human flea is an important ectoparasite causing serious public health problems worldwide. Planning and monitoring the control programs against this vector require the...     

Advances in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia

Fortunately radiation accidents are infrequent occurrences, but since they have the potential of large scale events like the nuclear accidents of Chernobyl and Fukushima, preparatory planning of the medical management of radiation accident victims is very important. Radiation accidents can result in different types of radiation exposure for which the diagnostic and therapeutic measures, as well as the outcomes, differ. The clinical course of acute radiation syndrome depends on the absorbed radiation dose and its distribution. Multi-organ-involvement and multi-organ-failure need be taken into account. The most vulnerable organ system to radiation exposure is the hematopoietic system. In addition to hematopoietic syndrome, radiation induced damage to the skin plays an important role in diagnostics and the treatment of radiation accident victims. The most important therapeutic principles with special reference to hematopoietic syndrome and cutaneous radiation syndrome are reviewed.