Dose response of alcohol-induced changes in BP, nitric oxide and antioxidants in rat plasma.

Moderate ethanol consumption is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, chronic high dose ethanol ingestion causes cardiovascular injuries including hypertension. The dose response of ethanol-induced hypertension and associated oxidative stress response has not been well established. This study investigated the dose response of ethanol on blood pressure (BP), nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidants in the plasma of the rat. Male Fisher rats (200-250 g) were divided into five groups of six animals each and treated as follows: (1) control (5% sucrose, orally) daily for 12 weeks; (2) 20-30% ethanol (1 g kg-1, orally) daily for 12 weeks; (3) 20-30% ethanol (2 g kg-1, orally) daily for 12 weeks; (4) 20-30% ethanol (4 g kg-1, orally) daily for 12 weeks; (5) 20-30% ethanol (6 g kg-1, orally) daily for 12 weeks. The BP (systolic, diastolic and mean) was recorded every week through tail-cuff method. The animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after treatments and blood was collected and analyzed. Systolic and mean BP were slightly decreased with 1 g kg-1 dose but significantly elevated with 2, 4 and 6 g kg-1 doses 7-12 weeks after ethanol ingestion. Whereas diastolic BP was significantly elevated with 4 and 6 g kg-1 doses 8-12 weeks after ethanol ingestion. Blood alcohol levels were significantly elevated with 4 and 6 g kg-1 dose of ethanol for 12 weeks. Ethanol dose-dependency increased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl levels, while nitric oxide (NO), ratio of reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and antioxidant enzymes: copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD) and manganese (Mn)-SOD, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were decreased 12 weeks post-treatment. The data suggested that ethanol induces hypertension at higher doses by depleting NO and antioxidants and increasing oxidative tissue injury in rats.     

Effect of sublethal pentachlorophenol on early oogenesis in maturing female rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Female rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) were exposed to sublethal levels of purified pentachlorophenol (99 + % PCP) and the effects upon ovarian development were assessed. A significant increase in atresia among Stage 2 oocytes (Balbiani stage), was recorded in females exposed for 18 days to 22 and 49 g/L during July 1984. The number of viable Stage 2 oocytes, relative to controls, were reduced to 52% and 19% at 22 and 49 g/L, respectively, significantly reducing the number of viable oocytes available to complete oogenesis. A similar response under identical conditions was not observed in December 1983. This is the first report demonstrating a significant effect on oogenesis following sublethal PCP exposure during early summer.     

Characteristics of Low-Income African-American and Caucasian Adults That Are Important in Self-Management of Type 2 Diabetes

Incidence of type 2 diabetes has greatly increased in the US, with over 90 percent having type 2. A cross-sectional, self-report survey was conducted for the purpose of assessing characteristics associated with self-management of type 2 diabetes (attitudes, certain behaviors, and perceived knowledge) among low-income Caucasian and African-American adults enrolled in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP). At the time of the study, almost 11 percent of FSNEP adult participants (457 individuals) throughout the state had type 2 diabetes. Among 196 subjects interviewed for the study, 86 were Caucasian (44%) and 100 (51%) were African-American. Results indicated that over three-fourths of subjects had been counseled on diet and exercise, but less that half were following dietary recommendations and only one-fourth were getting adequate exercise. No significant differences were found between the two race groups on assessed characteristics or among subjects grouped by place of residence (p < or = 0.01). Significant correlations were found among subjects' characteristics, including perceived health status, perceived knowledge of diabetes, attitudes towards diabetes, meal-plan adherence, perceived barriers to physical activity, and reported diabetes control (p < or = 0.0001). Findings imply that (a) self-management education for type 2 diabetes does not need to be different for African-Americans vs. Caucasians in southern states and (b) best disease control is achieved when those with type 2 diabetes have a high degree of knowledge of diabetes, positive attitudes, good meal plan adherence, and few perceived barriers to physical activity.     

Progress Toward Eliminating Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Kenya: Review of Treatment Guidelines Uptake and Pediatric Transmission Between 2013 and 2016—A Follow Up

Background Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services are critical to achieve national and global targets of 90% antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage in PMTCT, and mother to child transmission rates less than 5%. In 2012, Kenya adopted WHO’s recommended ART regimen for PMTCT “Option B+”. Aims This study assesses progress made in adopting these new guidelines and associated outcomes. Methods We analysed programmatic data of 2604 mother–infant pairs enrolled in the HIV Infant Tracking System (HITSystem) at four government hospitals in Kenya between January, 2013 and December, 2016. We then compared PMTCT trends between 2010 and 2012 and 2013–2016 for the same four government hospitals. Results A total of 2,371 (91.1%) received some ART regimen, however; only 911 (56.2%) mothers received ART regimens compliant with WHO Option B+. From 2013 to 2016, the percent of mothers on WHO Option B?+?doubled from 42 to 84% (p?<?0.001), the mean week of ART initiation decreased from 19.0 to 9.7 weeks (p?<?0.001), the percent of pregnant women who were already on ART at the time of PMTCT enrolment increased from 5.8 to 31.7% (p?<?0.001), and the paediatric transmission rate decreased from 5.9 to 2.5% (p?=?0.002). Conclusion Comparing data at these four Kenyan hospitals indicates significant progress has been made from 2010 to 2016. To continue these positive gains, concerted focus will be needed to target and improve the integration of new guidelines into clinical practice at the facility level, adherence to treatment and retention in care.     

Pharmacophore modeling studies on N-hydroxyphenyl acrylamides and N-hydroxypyridin-2-yl-acrylamides as inhibitor of human cancer leukemia K562 cells

In order to understand the essential structural features for inhibitors of human cancer leukemia K562 cells, three-dimensional pharmacophore hypotheses were built on the basis of a set of inhibitors of human cancer leukemia K562 selected from literature using PHASE program. Five point pharmacophore with two hydrogen bond acceptor (A), one hydrogen bond donor (D), and two aromatic rings (R) as pharmacophoric features were developed. Among them, the pharmacophore hypothesis AADRR 62 yielded a statistically significant 3D-QSAR model with as R ² value 0.883 and Q ² value 0.528 and was considered to be the best pharmacophore hypothesis. The developed pharmacophore model was externally validated by predicting the activity of test set molecules. The squared predictive correlation coefficient of 0.765 was observed between experimental and predicted activity values of test set molecules.     

Synthesis,molecular properties,toxicity and biological evaluation of some new substituted imidazolidine derivatives in search of potent anti-inflammatory agents

The aim of this study was to design and synthesize pharmaceutical agents containing imidazolidine heterocyclic ring in the hope of developing potent, safe and orally active anti-inflammatory agents. A number of substituted-imidazolidine derivatives (3a–k) were synthesized starting from ethylene diamine and aromatic aldehydes. The imidazolidine derivatives (3a–k) were investigated for their anticipated anti-inflammatory, and analgesic activity in Wistar albino rats and Swiss albino mice, respectively. Bioactivity score, molecular and pharmacokinetic properties of the imidazolidine derivatives were calculated by online computer software programs viz. Molinspiration and Osiris property explorer. The results of biological testing indicated that among the synthesized compounds only three imidazolidine derivatives namely 4-[1,3-Bis(2,6-dichlorobenzyl)-2-imidazolidinyl]phenyl-diethylamine (3g), 4-[1,3-Bis(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinyl]phenyl-diethylamine (3i) and 4-(1,3-Bis(4-methoxybenzyl)-4-methylimidazolidin-2-yl)-phenyl-diethylamine (3j) possess promising anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions. Additionally these derivatives displayed superior GI safety profile (low severity index) with respect to the positive control, Indomethacin. All synthesized compounds showed promising bioactivity score for drug targets by Molinspiration software. Almost all the compounds were predicted to have very low toxicity risk by Osiris online software. Compound number (3i) emerged as a potential candidate for further research as it obeyed Lipinski’s rule of five for drug likeness, exhibited promising biological activity in-vivo and showed no risk of toxicity in computer aided screening.     

Development and Testing of a Nutrition,Food Safety,and Physical Activity Checklist for EFNEP and FSNE Adult Programs

ObjectiveTo develop and assess reliability and validity of the Nutrition, Food Safety, and Physical Activity Checklist to measure nutrition, food safety, and physical activity practices among adult Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Food Stamp Nutrition Education program (FSNE) participants.MethodsTest-retest reliability (Cronbach α), internal consistency (Pearson Correlation), criterion-related validity (Spearman Correlation Coefficients), and sensitivity-to-change, were calculated for dietary quality, food safety, and physical activity, based on data collected from 73 EFNEP and FSNE participants.ResultsNutrition and physical activity domains achieved reliability coefficients of 0.70. The instrument scored Spearman correlation coefficients of 0.20 for nutrition, 0.34 for food safety, and 0.28 for physical activity.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe instrument consistently measured dietary and physical activity practices, but not food safety. All domains obtained low correlation coefficients, although consistent with other studies' validity results.     

The effect of sublethal cyanide on vitellogenic parameters in rainbow troutSalmo gairdneri

The effects of sublethal cyanide exposure on exogenous yolk production by the liver was examined in sexually maturing female rainbow troutSalmo gairdneri at the onset of vitellogenesis. Fish were exposed to a range of sublethal concentrations of cyanide (0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 mg/L) for 7 days at 12.5 ± 1°C. Serum calcium and phosphoprotein phosphorus levels were measured and hepatosomatic indices calculated as indicators of exogenous yolk production.Results indicate that serum calcium levels were signficantly reduced at 0.01 mg/L HCN in males and females. There was no apparent effect upon serum phosphoprotein phosphorus levels or hepatosomatic indices at this concentration. Serum calcium levels in females were significantly reduced when compared with control females and hepatosomatic indices declined at 0.02 mg/L HCN. The implication of reduced serum calcium during early vitellogenesis upon secondary yolk production and reproduction in females is discussed.     

Oral Calcifying Fibrous Pseudotumor: Case Analysis and Review

Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor (CFT) is a rare distinct soft-tissue lesion characterized histologically by lymphoplasmacytic aggregates in a rich collagenized background with abundant psammomatous and dystrophic calcifications. Occurring most often in children and young adults, CFTs are clinically benign lesions that can form over a broad anatomic distribution, including in subcutaneous and deep soft tissues, as well as in serosal and visceral locations. The cause and mechanisms of pathogenesis of CFT are unknown. Simple excision with a margin of normal tissue is the treatment of choice. The risk for local recurrence is low. In this article, we describe a case of CFT in a 29-year-old woman with a 7-cm mass on the right upper gingiva and hard palate, discuss the differential diagnosis with other oral spindle cell lesions, such as, desmoid fibromatosis, nodular fasciitis, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors, solitary fibrous tumor and also review the recent literature on this rare benign entity.     

A method to correct for radioactivity in large vessels that overlap the spine in imaging-based marrow dosimetry of lumbar vertebrae.

Accurate marrow dosimetry for radionuclide therapy based on imaging methods has been challenging because of a variety of factors. One of the uncertainties in image quantification of lumbar vertebrae is correction for radioactivity in large blood vessels anterior to the vertebrae. We developed a method to correct for background radioactivity contributed from blood in large vessels and tested it in a pilot study. METHODS: CT images of 26 patients receiving (111)In- or (131)I-labeled conjugates were used to measure the inside diameters of the aorta and inferior vena cava (IVC) at the top of L2 and the bottom of L4 and to measure the length of this vessel segment. The volume was calculated for this vessel segment, and then the radioactivity in that volume at each imaging time was determined using a time-variant blood radioactivity concentration as established by serial blood samples. This vessel segment typically overlapped with lumbar vertebrae in anterior and posterior whole-body images. The contribution of this background radioactivity to the cumulated activity of the lumbar spine region of interest (ROI) from serial gamma-camera images was determined, taking into account differences in attenuation between vessel segments and lumbar vertebrae. RESULTS: The total blood volumes varied from 25 to 94 mL, with a mean of 51 mL. This mean is 76% of the mean marrow volume of 3 lumbar vertebrae measured in some of these patients. Thirteen of the 14 patients evaluated for aortic position had the aortic segment completely within the L2-L4 ROI. For the IVC, a mean of 72% was in the L2-L4 ROI. Adjusting for radioactivity in major blood vessels that were in the ROI led to lower marrow dose estimates. CONCLUSION: To improve the accuracy of lumbar spine imaging-based marrow dosimetry, one can adjust radioactivity in the large vessels by methods that measure the volume, position, and depth of vessels in the ROI.