Childhood obesity and Pakistan

Obesity and overweight have become a problem of public health magnitude associated with substantial economic burden not only in the developed countries but also in the developing countries. The number of overweight children and adolescents has doubled in the last two decades in the United States and worldwide, including developing countries. No study on childhood obesity and overweight is available in Pakistan. Obesity in children impacts on their health in both short and long-term and obesity and its preventive strategies are poorly understood. Increasing number of these children and adolescents all over the world demand not only a substantial political will but also an investment for primary and secondary preventive measures and novel approaches in the treatment modalities.     

Enhancement of Sm-p80 (large subunit of calpain) induced protective immunity against Schistosoma mansoni through co-delivery of interleukin-2 and interleukin-12 in a DNA vaccine formulation

Schistosomiasis afflicts an estimated 200 million people in 76 countries and an additional 600 million people are at risk of acquiring this infection. Even though effective anthelmintic treatment and snail eradication control programs exist, the discovery of an effective vaccine still remains the most potentially powerful means of control for this disease. We have concentrated on a vaccine candidate (large subunit of calpain or Sm-p80) because of its potential in conferring protection against challenge infection and its pivotal role in surface membrane biogenesis of schistosomes. Since surface membrane renewal is a major phenomenon employed by hemohelminths to evade host immune system; an immune response directed against Sm-p80 should make the parasite prone to immune clearance from the host by both providing a well-targeted attack and by potentially inhibiting the surface membrane biogenesis process. In the present study, we have utilized DNA immunization protocols using Sm-p80 with plasmids encoding interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-12 (IL-12). Sm-p80 by itself provided a 39% protection (P相似文献   

Palm oil alleviates 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate-induced tumor promotion response in murine skin

Palm oil is a rich source of vitamin E, carotenoids, tocotrienols and tocopherols which are natural antioxidants and act as scavengers of oxygen free radicals. 12-O-Tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) is a known oxidant that promotes tumorigenesis in mouse skin through the elaboration of oxidative stress. In this study we therefore assessed the anti-tumor promoting potential of palm oil against TPA-mediated skin tumorigenesis in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-initiated Swiss albino mice. Topical application of palm oil 1 h prior to application of TPA resulted in a significant protection against skin tumor promotion. The animals pre-treated with palm oil showed a decrease in both tumor incidence and tumor yield as compared to the TPA (alone)-treated group. Palm oil application also reduced the development of malignant tumors. Since TPA-induced epidermal ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and [(3)H]thymidine incorporation are conventionally used markers of skin tumor promotion, we also assessed the effect of pre-application of palm oil on these parameters, and it was observed that the application of palm oil prior to the application of TPA alleviated both these TPA-induced markers of tumor promotion. The effect of pre-application of palm oil on TPA-mediated depletion in the non-enzymatic and enzymatic molecules was also assessed and it was observed that palm oil application prior to TPA application resulted in the recovery of TPA-mediated depletion in the levels of these molecules viz. glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase and catalase. Similarly, palm oil also exhibited a protective effect against Fe(2+)-ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation in the epidermal microsomes. The results of the present study thus suggest that palm oil possesses anti-skin tumor promoting effects, and that the mechanism of such effects may involve the inhibition of tumor promoter-induced epidermal ODC activity, [(3)H]thymidine incorporation and cutaneous oxidative stress.     

Magnetic resonance imaging: absence of in vitro cytogenetic damage

Human lymphocytes and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in culture were exposed for 12 1/2 hours to a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus with a 2.35-Tesla magnet and 100-MHz radio frequency emission. The cells were examined for cytogenetic damage manifested either as chromosome aberrations or sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), which constitute very sensitive measures of genetic and cellular damage. In either unstimulated or stimulated human lymphocytes, as well as in exponentially growing CHO cells, no increase in either chromosome aberrations or SCEs was found as a result of exposure to these MR conditions. The data indicate that long-term exposure to MR imaging conditions far exceeding those to be found in the clinical situation does not cause cytogenetic damage.     

Controlled trial of hypo-osmalar versus World Health Organization oral rehydration solution

OBJECTIVE: To compare the safety and efficacy of a hyposmolar oral rehydration solution (H-ORS) (245 mmol/liter) with the World Health Organization oral rehydration solution (WHO ORS) in cholera and acute non-cholera diarrhea. DESIGN: Controlled clinical trial. SETTING: Diarrhea training and treatment unit. METHODS: Thirty-five culture proven cholera and 135 acute non-cholera diarrheal patients randomly received H-ORS or WHO-ORS. Intake and output were measured every 4 hours. RESULTS: Analysis of the total cases revealed rehydration phase (p=0.048, 95% CI 0.64-0.99) and overall (p=0.046, 95% CI 0.70-0.99) frequency of stools to be significantly less in the H-ORS group. In the severely malnourished, the rehydration phase (p=0.032, 95% CI 0.55-97), maintenance phase (p=0.035, 95% CI 0.51-0.97) and overall (p=0.011; 0.95% CI 0.55-0.93) stool frequency were significantly decreased in the H-ORS group. The amount of ORS consumed in the maintenance phase of the cholera cases was significantly (p=0.04, 95% CI 0.44-0.98) less in the H-ORS group. All other parameters, despite showing a decreasing trend, were statistically comparable in the cholera, non-cholera and total cases. The amount of intravenous fluid needed was significantly more in the noncholera and total cases on H-ORS. In the non-breastfed cases, under two years of age, the total duration of diarrhea was significantly decreased (p=0.03; 95% CI 11.07-11.45) but the need for intravenous fluids significantly increased (p=0.02; 95% CI 109.8-112.1) in the H-ORS group. The proportion of children vomiting, the weight gain, urine passed in 24 hours, serum sodium, caloric intake and failure rate were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: H-ORS is as safe and effective as the WHO-ORS and may have some additional benefits in malnourished children.     

Attenuation of stress-elicited brain catecholamines, serotonin and plasma corticosterone levels by calcined gold preparations used in Indian system of medicine

Problems associated with mental health have increased tremendously in modern times. The search for effective and safe alternatives should, therefore, be pursued vigorously. Forced immobilization is one of the best explored models of stress in rats and the role of corticosterone, serotonin (5-HT) and catecholamines, i.e. norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine is well documented. We investigated the therapeutic potential of two gold preparations (Ayurvedic Swarna Bhasma and Unani Kushta Tila Kalan) in restraint induced stress at different time points of 1 hr, 2 hr and 4 hr. We pretreated rats with two gold preparations, Ayurvedic Swarna Bhasma and Unani Kushta Tila Kalan (25 mg/kg, orally for 10 days) prior to restraint stress. Brain catecholamine, serotonin and plasma corticosterone levels were determined following 1, 2 and 4 hr restraint stress, using HPLC and also plasma corticosterone using luminescence spectrophotometry. Gold preparations restored restraint stress-induced elevation in levels of brain catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopmine), 5-HT and plasma corticosterone to near normal levels. Gold, widely used in modern medicine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, is highly valued for various medicinal uses in Indian systems of medicine. Traditional gold preparations are attributed with tonic/rejuvenating and antioxidant properties. Our earlier studies revealed interesting analgesic, immunostimulant, adaptogenic and glycogen sparing properties in these preparations, but their effects in stress and depression have not been investigated yet. Significant restoration of altered values to near normal levels suggest potentials for gold preparations in stress and depression.     

Preventive effect of Metformin against N-nitrosodiethylamine-initiated hepatocellular carcinoma in rats

Effect of Metformin in chemically induced hepatocarcinogenesis was assessed in Wistar rats. Intraperitoneal administration of chemical carcinogen diethyl nitrosamine (DENA) (200 mg/kg) in single dose elevated the levels of serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and reduced high density lipoproteins (HDL), total proteins (TPR) and blood glucose level in tested animals. Histopathological examinations of the liver tissue showed marked carcinogenicity of the chemical carcinogen. Food and water intake, animal weights and serum albumin (ALB) were also assessed. The animals exposed to DENA showed a significant decrease in the body weights and, there were no significant alterations found in the total bilirubin (TBR) levels and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGTP), whereas the decreased levels of serum ALB were maintained by Metformin treatment. The elevated levels of serum SGOT, SGPT, ALP, AFP, TC and TG were restored by administration of Metformin in reduced dose (125 mg/kg) daily for 16 weeks p.o. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed the beneficial effects of Metformin in the animals exposed to DENA.