Naringenin; a bioflavonoid,impairs the reproductive potential of male mice

Present study analyzed the effect of naringenin, a bioflavonoid, on male reproductive function in adult mouse, after intraperitoneal treatment with varying concentrations of naringenin (2, 8 and 20?mg/kg b.wt.) for two weeks. Naringenin increased the generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in the testis with concomitant decrease in sperm count and motility in a dose-dependent manner. Activities of antioxidant enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and levels of reduced glutathione were found to be decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Also, the levels of oxidized glutathione were increased leading to a shift in redox ratio. Naringenin treatment also led to a dose-dependent increase in the mRNA expression of c-jun, c-fos and NF-κB. The testicular histomorphology was also altered dose dependently. Additionally, the number of apoptotic germ cells increased with increasing doses of naringenin as evident from acridine orange/ethidium bromide costaining and JC-1 staining. In conclusion, our study reveals that naringenin despite being a potent antioxidant with numerous important biological functions may also act as pro-oxidant, thus causing damaging effects in the testicular tissue.     

Effectiveness and implementation of a community-based prevention programme targeting anabolic androgenic steroid use in gyms: study protocol of a quasi-experimental control group study

Background

During the past decades, concerns about increased anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) use among recreational sportspeople have been raised, yet there is a paucity of AAS prevention efforts targeting this group. Accordingly, doping prevention efforts aimed at gyms have been recommended. The overall objective of the present project is to examine a prevention programme named 100% Pure Hard Training (100% PHT), which targets AAS use among recreational sportspeople training in gyms. Specifically, the project aims to: 1) assess the prevalence of AAS, and its associations with alcohol, illicit drugs, and nutritional supplements use; 2) examine whether 100% PHT can decrease AAS use in gyms, and 3) provide insights into which factors facilitate and/or impede implementation of the programme.

Methods/design

The intervention group consists of 27 gyms, and 27 gyms serve as controls. Intervention gyms take part in 100% PHT, a community-based programme involving several components: (a) training of key stakeholders (i.e., gym staff, gym owners, local police, and municipal prevention coordinators) regarding AAS use; (b) developing an action plan for AAS prevention for each gym; (c) certification of gyms that follow 100% PHT; (d) cooperative relationship between stakeholders; (e) annual follow-up of gyms. The project consists of two studies: Study A will examine the prevalence of AAS use and the effectiveness of 100% PHT (aims 1 and 2), and data for Study A will be collected using questionnaires distributed to gym attendees at two assessment points: baseline (pre-intervention) and follow-up (post-intervention). Study B will evaluate the implementation of 100% PHT (aim 3), and semi-structured interviews with participating stakeholders will be carried out post-intervention.

Discussion

Knowledge gained from the present project can be used to develop community-based doping prevention efforts aimed at recreational sportspeople training in gyms. Furthermore, it can provide insights into which factors are important for successful implementation of AAS prevention programmes that target gyms. Results are also expected to yield information on the prevalence of AAS use as well as associations between the use of AAS and other licit and illicit substances, including nutritional supplements, among recreational sportspeople.

Trial registration

The study was registered retrospectively at isrctn.com (Identifier: ISRCTN11655041; Registration date: 3 November 2016;).

     

Enhanced oral delivery of risperidone through a novel self-nanoemulsifying powder (SNEP) formulations: in-vitro and ex-vivo assessment

Context: The oral delivery of risperidone encounters a number of problems, such as pH dependent solubility and low bioavailability, due to its lipophilicity and aqueous insolubility.

Objective: To improve the solubility, dissolution and intestinal permeation thereby bioavailability of risperidone through a novel self-nanoemulsifying powder (SNEP) formulations.

Materials and methods: Oleic acid, Tween^® 20, PEG 600 and Aerosil^® 200 were chosen as oil, surfactant, co-surfactant and carrier, respectively from solubility and emulsification studies. Ternary phase diagram was constructed to determine emulsifying region.

Results and discussion: The Z-average and polydispersity Index of developed formulation was 83.1?nm and 0.306, respectively. Ex vivo permeation studies on isolated rat intestine indicated that the amount of risperidone permeated from SNEP formulation was increased around 4- and 1.8-fold than that of pure drug and marketed formulation, respectively.

Conclusion: This developed SNEP formulations can be regarded as novel and commercially feasible alternative to the current risperidone formulations.     

Anti-oxidized low density lipoprotein antibody determination as a predictor of restenosis following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.

Recent data suggests that autoimmune factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this context several autoantigens have been shown to elicit an immune response that results in accelerated atherosclerotic plaque formation. In the present study, we investigated whether elevated titers of anti-oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), anticardiolipin and antibodies to beta2-glycoprotein I (beta2GPI) can predict subsequent restenosis in patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). A total of 74 consecutive patients (52 males, 22 females) with coronary artery disease were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent successful PTCA prior to which blood was drawn for the antibody analysis. The PTCA was followed by a clinical evaluation. Patients with recurrent chest pains underwent a repeated angiography and 34 of the 74 patients (46%) experienced restenosis. Patients positive for the presence of anti-oxLDL antibodies were more likely to develop restenosis within 6 months when compared with patients with no subsequent restenosis (relative-risk of 1.87; P< 0.05). Presence of anti-oxLDL antibodies was associated with hyperlipidemia (r = 0.25; P < 0.05) but not with other risk factors for atherosclerosis. Positivity for anticardiolipin or anti-beta2GPI antibodies which associate with a prothrombotic state, was not effective in predicting lumen narrowing. Thus, the presence of elevated levels of anti-oxLDL antibodies is associated with a higher risk for coronary restenosis following PTCA.     

Fulminant demyelinating neuropathy mimicking cerebral death

Guillain-Barré syndrome can very rarely present with acute quadripares and cranial nerve involvement resembling a locked-in state. We describe a very unusual case of fulminant neuropathy in a child who was previously exposed to vincristine. The clinical picture resembled brain death; however, electrodiagnostic studies led to the diagnosis of a peripheral neuropathy. Serial electrodiagnostic studies and pathologic findings confirmed demyelination. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 20: 1595–1597, 1997     

Ability of novice clinicians to interpret high-resolution optical coherence tomography for ocular surface lesions

Objective

To assess the ability of novice clinicians to use a commercially available high-resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography (HR-OCT) device to diagnose various lesions of the ocular surface and cornea.

Factors Associated with Occurrence of Radiation-induced Optic Neuropathy at “Safe” Radiation Dosage

Background: Radiation-induced optic neuropathy (RION) is a rare, and often visually devastating, complication of radiation therapy (RT) near the anterior visual pathways. Methods: A retrospective case series of patients who developed RION at a tertiary medical center, followed by a case-control study comparing RION cases with matched controls who received RT. Results: Thirteen patients (18 eyes) with RION were identified. Radiation modalities included external beam photon radiation, whole brain radiation, stereotactic radiosurgery, proton beam, and unknown. Most patients received doses below published “safe” thresholds (<55 Gy; <8–10 Gy for stereotactic radiosurgery). There was no statistically significant difference in prevalence of vasculopathic factors between cases and controls; on subgroup analysis in three patients who received surprisingly low radiation doses, smoking (p=0.05) and hypertension (p=0.02) appeared more prevalent. Conclusion: RION can occur at doses below published “safe” thresholds and with different RT modalities. Smoking and hypertension might be risk factors for RION.