Hepatoprotective effects of pecan nut shells on ethanol-induced liver damage

The hepatoprotective activity of the aqueous extract of the shells of pecan nut was investigated against ethanol-induced liver damage. This by-product of the food industry is popularly used to treat toxicological diseases. We evaluated the phytochemical properties of pecan shell aqueous extract (AE) and its in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity. The AE was found to have a high content of total polyphenols (192.4 ± 1.9 mg GAE/g), condensed tannins (58.4 ± 2.2 mg CE/g), and antioxidant capacity, and it inhibited Fe²⁺-induced lipid peroxidation (LP) in vitro. Rats chronically treated with ethanol (Et) had increased plasmatic transaminases (ALT, AST) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels (96%, 59.13% and 465.9%, respectively), which were effectively prevented (87; 41 and 383%) by the extract (1:40, w/v). In liver, ethanol consumption increased the LP (121%) and decreased such antioxidant defenses as glutathione (GSH) (33%) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (47%) levels, causing genotoxicity in erythrocytes. Treatment with pecan shell AE prevented the development of LP (43%), GSH and SOD depletion (33% and 109%, respectively) and ethanol-induced erythrocyte genotoxicity. Catalase activity in the liver was unchanged by ethanol but was increased by the extract (47% and 73% in AE and AE + Et, respectively). Therefore, pecan shells may be an economic agent to treat liver diseases related to ethanol consumption.     

Blockade of cannabinoid receptors reduces inflammation, leukocyte accumulation and neovascularization in a model of sponge-induced inflammatory angiogenesis

Objective

Angiogenesis depends on a complex interaction between cellular networks and mediators. The endocannabinoid system and its receptors have been shown to play a role in models of inflammation. Here, we investigated whether blockade of cannabinoid receptors may interfere with inflammatory angiogenesis.

Materials and methods

Polyester-polyurethane sponges were implanted in C57Bl/6j mice. Animals received doses (3 and 10 mg/kg/daily, s.c.) of the cannabinoid receptor antagonists SR141716A (CB1) or SR144528 (CB2). Implants were collected at days 7 and 14 for cytokines, hemoglobin, myeloperoxidase, and N-acetylglucosaminidase measurements, as indices of inflammation, angiogenesis, neutrophil and macrophage accumulation, respectively. Histological and morphometric analysis were also performed.

Results

Cannabinoid receptors expression in implants was detected from day 4 after implantation. Treatment with CB1 or CB2 receptor antagonists reduced cellular influx into sponges at days 7 and 14 after implantation, although CB1 receptor antagonist were more effective at blocking leukocyte accumulation. There was a reduction in TNF-α, VEGF, CXCL1/KC, CCL2/JE, and CCL3/MIP-1α levels, with increase in CCL5/RANTES. Both treatments reduced neovascularization. Dual blockade of cannabinoid receptors resulted in maximum inhibition of inflammatory angiogenesis.

Conclusions

Blockade of cannabinoid receptors reduced leukocyte accumulation, inflammation and neovascularization, suggesting an important role of endocannabinoids in sponge-induced inflammatory angiogenesis both via CB1 and CB2 receptors.     

Aged venous thrombi: radioimmunoimaging with fibrin-specific monoclonal antibody

Radioimmunoimaging of fresh canine venous thrombi with a murine monoclonal antibody specific for human and dog fibrin has been reported. Successful imaging of canine deep venous thrombi 1, 3, and 5 days old at the time of antibody injection is reported. Images were positive in all dogs, and the uptake of fibrin-specific antibody was equivalent to that of fresh thrombi.     

Neuroimaging in Pineal Tumors

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The authors report radiological findings in 11 tumors in the pineal region, which were histologically diagnosed as germinomas, pineocytomas pineoblastomas, ependymomas, teratomas, and astrocytomas. METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed in seven patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed in all patients. RESULTS: CT showed a solid or solid/cystic mass with variable contrast enhancement. MRI showed a heterogeneous mass, with hypointense signal on T1 and iso/hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images (WI) and gadolinium enhancement. Extension to adjacent structures occurred in five patients and spread through the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in two. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal region tumors have no pathognomonic imaging pattern. MRI and CT are complementary in diagnosis and are important to determine localization, extension, and meningeal spread.     

青年人群腰椎骨密度及标准差对骨质疏松检出率的影响：多中心、大样本分析

背景: 不同地区骨峰值和标准差不同，对骨质疏松诊断率有较大影响。探讨建立一完整数据库为中国人骨质疏松诊断准确性提供依据。 目的：探讨青年人腰椎骨密度和标准差正常参考值影响骨质疏松症检出率的程度。 设计、时间及地点：调查分析，于1997-01/1999-12分别在北京、上海、广州、南京、嘉兴和成都市完成。 对象：采用前瞻性及回顾性方法对全国6个中心骨密度参考数据库中11 418人进行调查统计分析；男3 666人，女7 752人；年龄20岁~90岁；分别来自北京(2 385人)、广州(1 178人)、上海(1 404人)、南京(2 938人)、成都(1 425人)、嘉兴(2 088人),受试者来源于社区调查、健康体检和健康志愿者。 方法：用GE-Lunar公司的DXA仪测量骨密度，调查全国6个中心11 418人L2~L4腰椎后前位和髋部骨密度，建立了骨密度参考数据库。6个中心的仪器内部精度0.3%~0.7%，仪器间的精度1.1%。 主要观察指标：①6个中心不同年龄组腰椎骨密度分布。②青年人群骨密度及其标准差值对骨质疏松症检出率的影响。 结果：中国汉族女性以腰椎进行骨质疏松症诊断的青年人群的骨密度和标准差值，6个中心，最大差值分别为0.098 g/cm2和0.027 g/cm2。用6个中心及总体各自的青年人平均骨密度和标准差值为参考标准，对同一人群计算T-score和获得的骨质疏松症检出率不相同；发现青年人平均骨密度每变化0.01 g/cm2，则骨质疏松症检出率变化1.6%(呈正相关)，其标准差值每变化 0.01 g/cm2，则骨质疏松症检出率变化4%(呈负相关)。 结论：青年人平均骨密度和标准差值不同引起骨质疏松症检出率也不相同。为了让不同中心的骨质疏松症检出率有可比性,建议同一个类型的骨密度仪,同一个种族,同一个地区用一个设计较完善大样本的参考数据库,以其青年人正常参考值计算T-score。     

Environmental influences on energy balance-related behaviors: A dual-process view

Background  

Studies on the impact of the 'obesogenic' environment have often used non-theoretical approaches. In this journal's debate and in other papers authors have argued the necessity of formulating conceptual models for differentiating the causal role of environmental influences on behavior.     

Unilateral haemorrhagic parenchymal lesions in the preterm infant: shape, site and prognosis

Rademaker KJ, Groenendaal F, Jansen GH, Eken P, de Vries LS. Unilateral haemorrhagic parenchymal lesions in the preterm infant: shape, site and prognosis. Acta Pædiatr 1994;83:602–8. Stockholm. ISSN 0803–5253 In a prospective cranial ultrasound study of 544 infants with a gestational age of 32 weeks or less, 20 (3.6%) infants were diagnosed as having a unilateral parenchymal lesion (PL). Based on the shape of the PL and the evolution on ultrasound, the infants were divided into three groups: group I consisted of 11 infants, in whom the PL was triangular/fan-shaped and separate from the ventricle. The PL evolved into small cystic lesions; group II comprised 3 infants who had a PL with a similar shape, but partially communicating with the ventricle; group III consisted of 6 infants who had a globular-shaped lesion in communication with the ventricle. In groups II and III, the PL evolved into one porcncephalic cyst. The PL was considered to be due to venous infarction in all cases with intraventricular haemorrhage preceding the PL in 7 cases. Sixteen infants survived. A postmortem was performed in 2 of the 4 infants who died, confirming the diagnosis of venous infarction. Neurologicdl sequelae were present in only 2 cases in the first group, while all 6 survivors of the other two groups developed mild to severe hemiplegia. Long-term follow-up was not always available and 4 of the 18 survivors were still less than 18 months when last seen. In 9 of the 11 infants in group I, the PL was localized in the frontoparietal region, while in 8 of the 9 infants in group II or III, the PL was beyond the trigone in the occipital region. The outcome of the unilateral PL is not always unfavourable. It was evident that not only the shape of the lesion and whether or not there was communication with the lateral ventricle, but also the site of the lesion (whether or not it extended into the occipital periventricular white matter) appeared to be important with regard to neurodevelopmental outcome.