The modulating effects of Resveratrol on the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in endometriosis women: a randomized exploratory trial

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease; the hallmark of inflammation is over-activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The regulatory effects of Resveratrol on MMPs were formerly depicted in other cell lines. This study aimed at investigating the effects of Resveratrol on expression of MMP-2 and -9 in endometriosis patients. This trial was carried out on endometriosis patients (n?=?34) who were randomly divided into treatment (i?=?17) and control (n?=?17) groups. Alongside the routine protocol, the control and treatment groups took placebo and Resveratrol (400?mg), respectively, for 12–14?weeks. Endometrial tissue and fluid as well as blood sampling from both groups were done before and after the intervention. The level of mRNA and protein of both MMP-2 and -9 reduced in the endometrium of treatment group following intervention. Also, the serum and the endometrial fluid concentration of them lowered within the treatment group. Moreover, the serum and endometrial fluid levels of MMP-2 as well as MMP-9 were also diminished following the surgical removal of endometritic lesions. We showed that Resveratrol can modify the inflammation process in the endometrium of women with endometriosis at least in the level of MMP-2 and -9 expressions. The therapeutic potency of Resveratrol in endometriosis needs more clinical studies.     

Rare case of an oligospermic male with 46,XX/46,XY tetragametic chimerism

Chimerism, a rare human disorder, is assumed to be the result of an amalgamation of two separate zygotes in a single embryo. Studies have shown that the phenotypic spectrum of chimerism is variable and there is no definite genotype–phenotype correlation in patients with chimerism, therefore a majority of cases might remain undiagnosed. This study aims to investigate the possible mechanism of the chimerism in a 46,XX/46,XY infertile and phenotypically normal male, with 46,XX blood karyotype and normal spermatogenesis. We have used Interphase‐FISH analysis to study the CEPX and CEPY regions on buccal and urine samples as well as molecular analysis of polymorphic short tandem repeats (STR) markers from 34 loci in order to discover the origin of 46,XX/46,XY. Analysis of X‐linked and autosomal STR markers on blood, buccal tissue, urine, fibroblast and testis biopsy samples of the proband along with the blood sample of the patient's parents and siblings, showed divergent karyotypes in different tissues and tetragametic chimerism was diagnosed.     

Quantification of sub-nanomolar levels of Penicillin G by differential pulse adsorptive stripping voltammetry

A novel selective and sensitive method is developed for determination of Penicillin G by Differential Pulse Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry (DPAdSV). Penicillin G gave well-resolved diffusion-controlled cathodic peaks at -0.42 and -0.584 V, respectively (vs Ag/AgCl) in pH 7.50 of borate buffer. Optimal conditions were obtained as pH 7.50, accumulation potential of -0.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl), accumulation time of 120 s, and scan rate of 100 mV/s. Under the optimized conditions, a linear calibration curve was established for the concentration of Penicillin G in the range of 0.007-2.13 μg/ml with a detection limit of 0.000717 μg/ml. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of Penicillin G in various medicine and biological samples. The relative standard deviation of the method at 0.05 and 0.5 μg/ml Penicillin G, for 10 runs, was 2.55% and 2.06%, respectively.     

The effects of long-term administration of buprenorphine on blood testosterone level and morphometrical and histopathological changes of mouse testis

The objective of the present work was to investigate the effects of buprenorphine administration on testicular tissue in mice. Sexually mature male mice were randomly divided into five experimental groups (n?=?5) and the following treatments were intraperitoneally administered for 21?days: Control male mice were given physiological saline. Positive control group was injected with morphine (Mor, 20?mg/kg). Three other groups were given different doses of buprenorphine including 0.15?mg/kg (B15), 0.30?mg/kg (B30), and 0.60?mg/kg (B60). Left testes were removed for histopathological evaluations and intracardiac blood samples were taken for testosterone assay. Morphometrically, the mean of seminiferous tubules diameter, spermatogonial cells diameter, sertoli cells diameter, and epithelial height were measured in the experimental groups. Meiotic index and the percentage of spermatogenesis were also calculated. The mean values of all of the above-mentioned parameters in the experimental groups showed significant decrease in comparison with the control group (p?<?0.05). No significant difference was observed between Mor and buprenorphine experimental groups except for the mean of germinal epithelium height which B60 showed significant reduction compared to Mor, B15, and B30 groups. Also, the effect of morphine on the reduction of spermatogenesis was similar to B30 group (p?>?0.05), and in this regard, B60 group showed the most (56.36%) and B15 the least (76.16%) decrease in the mean percentage of spermatogenesis. The results show that buprenorphine could suppress plasma testosterone, damage spermatogenesis, and affect male fertility. Therefore, it should be used with attention for the treatment of opioid dependence.     

Low and High Speed Orthogonal Cutting of AA6061-T6 under Dry and Flood-Coolant Modes: Tool Wear and Residual Stress Measurements and Predictions

The present research work aimed to study the effects of cutting environments and conditions on tool wear and residual stresses induced by orthogonal cutting of AA6061-T6. Cutting environments included dry- and flood-coolant modes and cutting conditions consisted of cutting speed and feed rate. A 2D finite element (FE) model was developed to predict tool wear and residual stresses and was validated by experimental measurements including machining forces, tool wear, and residual stresses. This was obtained by exploring various magnitudes of the shear friction factor and heat transfer coefficient and choosing proper coefficients using the calibration of the predicted results with the measured ones. The experimental results showed that the effect of cutting environment including dry and flood-coolant modes was negligible on machining forces. The experimental investigation also demonstrated that increasing feed rate raised machining forces, tool wear and residual stresses in both cutting environments. Low Speed Cutting (LSC) led to the highest value of tool wear and High Speed Cutting (HSC) provided the lowest values of resultant machining forces and residual stresses in both modes. Flood-coolant mode reduced tool wear and slightly decreased tensile residual stresses in comparison with dry mode. As a result, low feed rate and high-speed cutting under flood-coolant mode were proposed in order to improve tool wear and residual stress in orthogonal cutting of AA6061-T6.     

The neuroprotective effects of caffeine in neurodegenerative diseases

Caffeine is the most widely used psychostimulant in Western countries, with antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐apoptotic properties. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), caffeine is beneficial in both men and women, in humans and animals. Similar effects of caffeine were observed in men with Parkinson's disease (PD); however, the effect of caffeine in female PD patients is controversial due to caffeine's competition with estrogen for the estrogen‐metabolizing enzyme, CYP1A2. Studies conducted in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) showed protective effects of A_2AR antagonism. A study found caffeine to be associated with earlier age of onset of Huntington's disease (HD) at intakes >190 mg/d, but studies in animal models have found equivocal results. Caffeine is protective in AD and PD at dosages equivalent to 3‐5 mg/kg. However, further research is needed to investigate the effects of caffeine on PD in women. As well, the effects of caffeine in ALS, HD and Machado‐Joseph disease need to be further investigated. Caffeine's most salient mechanisms of action relevant to neurodegenerative diseases need to be further explored.