Successful management of refractory psychomotor seizures with gabapentin and phenobarbital in a Doberman pinscher dog

Gabapentin is a new antiepileptic drug which is used in humans with complex partial epilepsy. Recently, two published studies described the efficacy of gabapentin in dogs with refractory epilepsy. However, clinical application of gabapentin in dogs with refractory psychomotor seizure has not been documented. The present report describes a 2-year-old male Doberman pinscher dog with a history of recurrent bizarre behaviors such as aggression, circling, and flank-biting. Initial oral administration of phenobarbital resulted in resolution of psychomotor seizures, but 3 months after the initial presentation, the dog became refractory to the selected treatment. The treatment was changed to a combination therapy with phenobarbital and gabapentin. Two days after starting the combination therapy, the dog became seizure-free, and there were no detectable signs of previous abnormal behaviors during the 14-month follow-up period.     

Curcuminoids rescue long-term potentiation impaired by amyloid peptide in rat hippocampal slices

Curcuminoids are vital constituent of turmeric, with therapeutic potential in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Electrically, stimulus train-elicited plastic changes in hippocampal CA1 excitability were used as an experimental paradigm to study the effects of curcuminoid mixture and individual components on functional failure induced by Aβ peptide in vitro. Electrical stimulation was applied on Schaffer collaterals, and population spikes (PS) were recorded from stratum pyramidale. To induce long-term potentiation (LTP) of PS, primed burst stimulation (PBs) was used. Aβ peptide inhibited PS LTP induction. Sinking PS LTP due to Aβ peptide was rescued when curcuminoid mixture was applied before PBs only at lower dose (0.1 μM) resulting in PS potentiation to 127.42% ± 1.83% at 5 min and 123.98% ± 1.06% at 60-min post-PBs. Similarly, when bisdemethoxycurcumin was applied, PS LTP was induced and lasted only at a single dose (0.1 μM). Demethoxycurcumin was effective at a middle dose (1 μM), so that the PS amplitude was changed to 140.15% ± 2.68% and 129.82% ± 0.44% at 5 and 60 min, respectively. PS LTP was effectively induced in the presence of curcumin at middle and high doses (1 and 30 μM) with resultant PS LTP to 155.68% ± 1.23% and 127.72% ± 1.23%, respectively, at 60-min post-PBs. These results showed that curcuminoids can restore susceptibility for plastic changes in CA1 excitability that is injured by exposure to Aβ peptide and rescue sinking PS LTP in Aβ-peptide-exposed hippocampal CA1 neurons.     

Leptospira wolffii,a potential new pathogenic Leptospira species detected in human,sheep and dog

Leptospirosis is the most common zoonotic disease, which is transmitted to humans through contaminated water or direct exposure to the urine of infected animals. In this study, the presence and prevalence of Leptospira species in the infected samples of human (n = 369) and sheep (n = 75) sera and also dogs’ urine (n = 150), collected from four provinces of Iran, were investigated by using nested-PCR/RFLP assay followed by sequencing analysis. Nested-PCR assay detected that 98/369 (26.5%) human, 13/75 (17.33%) of sheep's sera and 33/150 (22%) dogs’ urine samples were positive for Leptospira DNA. RFLP assay detected that all positive cases had either pathogenic or intermediate Leptospira species. By sequence analysis, Leptospira interrogans was the most prevalent species among the examined samples of human (53/82, 64.6%) and sheep (11/13, 84.6%). However, in dog samples, Leptospira wolffii (27/29, 93.1%) was detected for the first time and was the dominant species. The presence of L. wolffii with 100% identity in clinical human samples and animals suspected with Leptospira may provide evidence for circulation of L. wolffii and its role in transmission cycle within human and animal hosts. In addition, this species can be potentially pathogenic to human and probably animal hosts. A large epidemiology survey would be needed to define the presence and the prevalence of this species in global endemic regions.     

The acute effects of ondansetron on the electrocardiogram in clinically normal dogs

This study was performed to determine the acute effects of a single intravenous dose of ondansetron on the electrocardiogram of dogs. Eight adult crossbreed dogs were used in this study. The electrocardiogram recording was obtained before the infusion of ondansetron and repeated at 5, 30, 60, and 120 min after treatment. The ECG measurements of heart rate, PR interval, QRS interval, ST segment, T-wave amplitude, and QT interval were taken from lead II. The JT interval was calculated as the QT interval minus the QRS interval. Rate-corrected QT and JT intervals (QTc and JTc) were obtained by using two formulas QTc = QT/³√R-R interval and JTc = JT/³√R-R interval. In comparison to the baseline values, mean heart rate significantly decreased at 5, 30, and 60 min after administration of intravenous ondansetron. There was significant prolongation of QT, QTc, and JT intervals at 30 and 60 min after infusion of drug. T-waves showed significant changes in its direction and amplitude at 60 and 120 min after treatment compared to the baseline values. In conclusion, ondansetron at standard dosages apparently causes ECG changes in healthy dogs. These include marked QT interval prolongation and reduction in heart rate. Although in current experiment, we did not observe serious arrhythmias in this group of dogs, it does not exclude the possibility of ventricular arrhythmias in prolonged use after reaching a certain cumulative dose.     

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 genetic markers (+241G/A and +469A/G) in Iranian women with breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, the second-most leading cause of women's death after lung cancer. ICAM-1 is a cell adhesion molecule that belongs to the Ig-superfamily, with a glycoprotein structure playing a key role in leukocyte recruitment into inflammatory sites, as well as in leukocyte activation and effector function. Proteolytic cleavage of ICAM-1 results in the formation of a soluble form, sICAM-1, which is present in low-serum levels in healthy individuals but becomes elevated in inflammatory and malignant conditions. The ICAM1 gene is located on chromosome 19 and contains two well-known single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of +241G/A (G241R) and +469A/G (K469E). In this study, the frequencies of the two polymorphisms were investigated in breast cancer patients and healthy individuals. For G241R, we selected 276 breast cancer patients and 235 healthy sex-matched controls, and for K469E, 264 patients and 200 healthy sex-matched controls were chosen. The results of this study show that the frequency of the GA genotype was significantly higher in breast cancer patients in comparison to the control group (P = 0.007). In addition, the frequency of the R allele was significantly higher in breast cancer patients compared to controls (P = 0.008). However, both the genotype and allele frequency of K469E did not differ significantly between patients and controls. A significant difference was observed in the frequency of genotype combination A/G (+241 G/A and +469 A/G, respectively) between patients and controls (6.2 vs. 2.2%; ^*P = 0.007). These findings indicate that individuals carrying the A allele of the ICAM1 gene as well as the A/G haplotype may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.     

Enhanced photocatalytic water splitting of a SILAR deposited α-Fe2O3 film on TiO2 nanoparticles

We have investigated the effect of deposition of a α-Fe₂O₃ thin layer on a substrate of TiO₂ nanoparticles for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The TiO₂ layer was coated on an FTO substrate using the paste of TiO₂ nanoparticles. The α-Fe₂O₃ layer was deposited on the TiO₂ thin film, using the method of Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) with different cycles. Various characterizations including XRD, EDX and FE-SEM confirm the formation of α-Fe₂O₃ and TiO₂ nanoparticles on the electrode. The UV-visible absorption spectrum confirms a remarkable enhancement of the absorption of the α-Fe₂O₃/TiO₂/FTO composite relative to the bare TiO₂/FTO. In addition, the photocurrents of the composite samples are remarkably higher than the bare TiO₂/FTO. This is mainly due to the low band gap of α-Fe₂O₃, which extends the absorption spectrum of the α-Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ composite toward the visible region. In addition, the impedance spectroscopy analysis shows that the recombination rate of the charge carriers in the α-Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ is lower than that for the bare TiO₂. The best PEC performance of the α-Fe₂O₃/TiO₂ sample was achieved by the sample of 70 cycles of α-Fe₂O₃ deposition with about 7.5 times higher photocurrent relative to the bare TiO₂.

Optimization of photoelectrochemical water splitting by a composite of SILAR-deposited α-Fe₂O₃ thin film on a substrate of TiO₂ nanoparticles.     

Copper-free Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions: an overview

The Sonogashira reaction is a cross-coupling reaction of a vinyl or aryl halide with a terminal alkyne to form a C–C bond. In its original form, the Sonogashira reaction is performed with a palladium species as a catalyst while co-catalyzed by a copper species and a phosphine or amine. The reaction is conducted under mild conditions, i.e., room temperature, aqueous solutions, and the presence of mild bases. Undeniably, the Sonogashira reaction is among the most competent and efficient reactions widely used in organic synthesis. This named reaction has proved useful in many organic synthesis areas, including the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, heterocycles, natural products, organic compounds, complex molecules having biological activities, nanomaterials, and many more materials that we use in our daily lives. The presence of transition metals as a catalyst was indeed essential in the Sonogashira reaction. However, recently, the reaction has been successfully conducted without copper as a co-catalyst and phosphines or amines as bases. In this critical review, we have focused on developments in the Sonogashira reaction successfully performed in the absence of copper complexes, phosphines or amines, which could be of particular advantage in implementing green chemistry principles and making the reactions more achievable from an economic viewpoint.

The Sonogashira reaction is a cross-coupling reaction of a vinyl or aryl halide with a terminal alkyne to form a C–C bond.     

Antinociceptive effect of some extracts from Ajuga chamaecistus Ging. ssp. tomentella (Boiss.) Rech. f. aerial parts

Background

The genus Ajuga is used for the treatment of joint pain, gout, and jaundice in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM). Ajuga chamaecistus ssp. tomentella is an exclusive subspecies of Ajuga chamaecistus in the flora of Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate antinociceptive properties of some extracts from aerial parts of A. chamaecistus ssp. tomentella.

Methods

Antinociceptive activities of total water and 80% methanol extracts, hexane, diethyl ether and n-butanolic partition fractions of the methanolic extract were analyzed using the formalin test in mice. Indomethacin (10 mg/kg) and normal saline were employed as positive and negative controls, respectively.

Results

Oral administration of all extracts (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg) 30 min before formalin injection had no effect against the acute phase (0–5 min after formalin injection) of the formalin-induced licking time, but hexane fraction (200 mg/kg) caused a significant effect (p < 0.001) on the chronic phase (15–60 min after formalin injection). Total water and diethyl ether extracts at a dose of 400 mg/kg showed a very significant analgesic activity on the chronic phase (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively).

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that the extracts of A. chamaecistus ssp. tomentella have an analgesic property that supports traditional use of Ajuga genus for joint pain and other inflammatory diseases.