A study of nurses' performance relative to the risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders associated with patient mobility in the teaching hospitals across Kermanshah

Journal of Public Health - Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) associated with patient mobility are one of the most common occupational hazards to which the nursing staff are exposed....     

A lentiviral vaccine expressing KMP11-HASPB fusion protein increases immune response to Leishmania major in BALB/C

Parasitology Research - Hydrophilic acylated surface protein B (HASPB) is an immunogenic Leishmania-specific protein that antibodies are produced against it in the sera of Leishmania-infected...     

Pramipexole reduces inflammation in the experimental animal models of inflammation

Pramipexole is a dopamine (DA) agonist (D2 subfamily receptors) that widely use in the treatment of Parkinson’s diseases. Some epidemiological and genetic studies propose a role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. To our knowledge, there is no study regarding the anti-inflammatory activity of pramipexol. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate anti-inflammatory effect of pramipexol. Anti-inflammatory effects of pramipexole were studied in three well-characterized animal models of inflammation, including carrageenan- or formalin-induced paw inflammation in rats, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear edema in mice. The animals received pramipexol (0.25, 0.5 and 1?mg/kg, I.P.) 30?min before subplantar injection of carrageenan or?formalin. Pramipexol (0.5 and 1?mg/kg) was also injected 30?min before topical application of TPA on the ear mice. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were evaluated in the carrageenan test. Finally, pathological examination of the inflamed tissues was carried out.

Pramipexole significantly inhibited paw inflammation 1, 2, 3 and 4?h after carrageenan challenge compared with the control group (p?p?p?These data clearly indicate that pramipexol possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity. It seems that its antioxidants do not play an important role in these effects.     

Artemisinin therapeutic efficacy in the experimental model of multiple sclerosis

Context: The immune system through T-helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), whereas the Th2 responses inhibit myelin degeneration. Artemisinin, as an anti-malaria as its agent, has been used widely in the treatment of malaria, shifts the lymphocyte responses from Th1 to Th2.

Objective: In this study, we have investigated the therapeutic effects of artemisinin on the EAE treatment.

Materials and methods: EAE was induced in the inbred C57BL6 mice. High and low doses of prednisolone and artemisinin were injected daily with the control and test groups, respectively. The spleen and the brain of the mice were removed and used for ELISA and histological studies.

Results: The mean weight of mice was significantly (p value?p value p value?p value?Conclusions: Since, artemisinin can shift the immune responses from Th1 to Th2, therefore, it can be helpful in the treatment of MS after more investigation.     

Association between Dietary Factors and Constipation in Adults Living in Luxembourg and Taking Part in the ORISCAV-LUX 2 Survey

Constipation, a disorder of bowel movements, is among the most frequent gastrointestinal complaints in Western countries. Dietary constituents such as inadequate fiber intake have been related to constipation, but discrepancies exist in the findings regarding dietary factors. This study investigated the association between dietary patterns and bowel movements in adults living in Luxembourg. Data from 1431 participants from ORISCAV-LUX 2 (a cross-sectional survey) who completed a 174-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) were analyzed. A questionnaire-based constipation score was assessed by a validated scoring system. Confounders such as physical activity and serum/urine indicators were assessed. Women had higher constipation scores than men (p < 0.001). In food group-based regression models, a negative association was found between higher constipation score and intake of grains (Beta = −0.62, 95%CI: −1.18, −0.05) and lipid-rich foods (Beta = −0.84, 95%CI: −1.55, −0.13), while a positive association was found for sugary products (Beta = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.11, 0.97) (p < 0.05). In a nutrient-based regression model, a positive association was found between constipation score and total energy (Beta = 5.24, 95%CI: 0.37, 10.11) as well as sodium intake (Beta = 2.04, 95%CI: 0.21, 3.87), and a negative one was found for total fats (Beta = −4.17, 95%CI: −7.46, −0.89) and starch (Beta = −2.91, 95%CI: −4.47, −1.36) (p < 0.05). Interestingly, neither fruits and vegetables or dietary fiber were significantly associated with constipation. Thus, grains, lipid-rich foods, total fats and starch were associated with a lower constipation score, while sugary products, sodium, and higher energy intake were correlated with higher constipation.     

Evaluation of EBV transformation of human memory B-cells isolated by FACS and MACS techniques

Several studies have been performed to develop effective neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) can efficiently immortalize B-cells to establish lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) and so it has been used extensively for transformation of B-cells to produce and secrete immunoglobulin. The present study addressed the effect of TLR7/8 agonist (R848), feeder cells layer and ?uorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) cell separation methods on the transformation efficiency of antibody-producing memory B-cells. For these studies, the antigen used for analyses of antibody formation was the tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) derived from Clostridium tetani. The results here showed that employing an HFFF.PI6 feeder cell layer, R848 agonist and FACS-mediated purification of memory B-cells led to increased transformation efficiency. Altogether, the effects of the R848 and the feeder cells provided an efficient method for EBV transformation of human B-cells. Moreover, there was an advantage in using FACS sorting of B-cells over the MACS method in the context of EBV transformation and immortalization of precursors of antigen-specific B-cells.     

Mechanisms of reduced sleepiness symptoms in heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea

Patients with both heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea often have poor, repeatedly disrupted sleep, and yet they frequently do not complain of excessive daytime sleepiness. Understanding this lack of perceived sleepiness is crucial for the case identification and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in the heart failure population at high risk of this disease, especially given the association between untreated obstructive sleep apnea and mortality among patients with heart failure. In this review, we present epidemiologic evidence concerning the lack of sleepiness symptoms in heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea, explore possible mechanistic explanations for this relationship, assess the benefits of treatment in this population, discuss implications for clinical practice and explore directions for future research.     

The aflatoxin B1 isolating potential of two lactic acid bacteria

Objective

To determine lactic acid bacteria''s capability to enhance the process of binding and isolating aflatoxin B1 and to utilize such lactic acid bacteria as a food supplement or probiotic products for preventing absorption of aflatoxin B1 in human and animal bodies.

Methods

In the present research, the bacteria were isolated from five different sources. For surveying the capability of the bacteria in isolating aflatoxin B1, ELISA method was implemented, and for identifying the resultant strains through 16S rRNA sequencing method, universal primers were applied.

Results

Among the strains which were isolated, two strains of Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus beveris exhibited the capability of absorbing and isolating aflatoxin B1 by respectively absorbing and discharging 17.4% and 34.7% of the aforementioned toxin existing in the experiment solution.

Conclusions

Strains of Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus beveris were isolated from human feces and local milk samples, respectively. And both strains has the ability to isolate or bind with aflatoxin B1.