Significant Association of rs77493513 Polymorphism in 3'-UTR of the NRG1 Gene with the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis Disease

Metabolic Brain Disease - Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease characterized by demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS). Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) is a...     

Antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effect of Rumex patientia seed preparation in streptozotocin-diabetic rats

Background and objective:Rumex patientia (RP) could exert beneficial health effects to ameliorate metabolic diseases. The effect of subchronic feeding of RP seeds was evaluated on serum glucose and lipid profile in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Methods: Wistar rats were divided into control, RP-treated control, diabetic, glibenclamide-treated diabetic, and RP-treated diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, streptozotcin was administered at a dose of 60 mg/kg. Meanwhile, RP-treated groups received RP seed powder mixed with standard pelleted food at a weight ratio of 6% for 4 weeks. Serum glucose and lipid levels were determined before the study and at 2nd and 4th weeks after the study in addition to the oxidative stress markers in hepatic tissue. Results: Serum glucose was significantly lower in RP-treated diabetic rats at 2nd and 4th weeks as compared to untreated diabetics (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels did not show significant reductions in RP-treated diabetic rats as compared to untreated diabetics. Serum HDL-cholesterol, however, significantly increased (p < 0.05) and LDL-cholesterol showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in RP-treated diabetic rats as compared to untreated diabetics (p < 0.05). RP also attenuated the increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reduced activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in hepatic tissue. Conclusion: Subchronic treatment of diabetic rats with RP could lessen the abnormal changes in blood glucose level and to improve lipid profile regarding HDL- and LDL-cholesterol in part due to its attenuation of lipid peroxidation in hepatic tissue.     

Response of murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells to dry-etched porous silicon scaffolds

Porous silicon shows great promise as a bio-interface material due to its large surface to volume ratio, its stability in aqueous solutions and to the ability to precisely regulate its pore characteristics. In the current study, porous silicon scaffolds were fabricated from single crystalline silicon wafers by a novel xenon difluoride dry etching technique. This simplified dry etch fabrication process allows selective formation of porous silicon using a standard photoresist as mask material and eliminates the post-formation drying step typically required for the wet etching techniques, thereby reducing the risk of damaging the newly formed porous silicon. The porous silicon scaffolds supported the growth of primary cultures of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) plated at high density for up to 21 days in culture with no significant loss of viability, assessed using Alamar Blue. Scanning electron micrographs confirmed a dense lawn of cells at 9 days of culture and the presence of MSC within the pores of the porous silicon scaffolds.     

Delayed toxic effects of sulfur mustard on respiratory tract of Iranian veterans

To investigate late toxic effects of sulfur mustard (SM) on the upper and lower respiratory tracts of Iranian veterans, 43 male veterans with more than 25% disability due to SM poisoning in 20-25 years after exposure, were studied. Direct laryngoscopy, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gasses and pH, computed tomography of sinuses and lungs were investigated. The patients were aged 50.6 (8.9 SD) years with body mass index (BMI) of 26.6 (4.0) and disability of 53.2 (17.0%). The common findings of the upper respiratory tract were dysphonia (79.1%), post-nasal discharge (PND; 41.9%), lower larynx position (30.2%), limitation of vocal cords (25.6%) and mucosal inflammation of larynx (14.8%). The common lower respiratory diseases were diagnosed as chronic obstructive respiratory disease (84%), bronchiectasis (44.1%) and lung fibrosis (7.7%). Severity of disability was negatively correlated with BMI (p = 0.032), spirometric parameters (p < 0.001) and oxygen saturation (p < 0.001), but positively correlated with low-density lipoproteins (LDL <0.010), blood pressure (p = 0.008), diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), wheezing (p = 0.0043) and bronchiectasis (p < 0.001). Delayed toxic effects of SM in upper and lower respiratory tracts were mostly inflammatory and infectious complications, SM-induced disabilities were significantly correlated with risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, LDL and lower-respiratory complications.     

Synthesis, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of 4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)semicarbazones

A series of 4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)semicarbazones was synthesized and evaluated for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Several compounds (e. g. 10h, 10i, and 11i) were found to be more potent than the reference drug mefenamic acid in the formalin test. Based on the results of an anti-inflammatory study, 1-(1-(2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethylidene)-4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)semicarbazide 11i was the most active compound.