Effect of Buchanania lanzan Spreng. bark extract on cyclophosphamide induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice

ObjectiveTo elucidate the effect of ethanolic extract of Buchanania lanzan Spreng. (B. lanan) bark against cyclophosphamide induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice.MethodsThe prevalence of micronuclei in bone marrow, the extent of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and the status of the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver of mice were used as intermediate biomarkers for chemoprotection. Lipid peroxidation and associated compromised antioxidant defenses in cyclophosphamide treated mice were observed in the liver.ResultsPre-treatment with B. lanzan 250, 500 and 1 000 mg/kg, p.o., daily for 7 days significantly reduced the chromosomal damage and lipid peroxidation with concomitant changes in antioxidants and detoxification systems.ConclusionsThese results point out the presence of chemopreventive phytoconstituents in the crude extract offering protection against cyclophosphamide induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in mice.     

Active chromatin domains are defined by acetylation islands revealed by genome-wide mapping

The identity and developmental potential of a human cell is specified by its epigenome that is largely defined by patterns of chromatin modifications including histone acetylation. Here we report high-resolution genome-wide mapping of diacetylation of histone H3 at Lys 9 and Lys 14 in resting and activated human T cells by genome-wide mapping technique (GMAT). Our data show that high levels of the H3 acetylation are detected in gene-rich regions. The chromatin accessibility and gene expression of a genetic domain is correlated with hyperacetylation of promoters and other regulatory elements but not with generally elevated acetylation of the entire domain. Islands of acetylation are identified in the intergenic and transcribed regions. The locations of the 46,813 acetylation islands identified in this study are significantly correlated with conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) and many of them are colocalized with known regulatory elements in T cells. TCR signaling induces 4045 new acetylation loci that may mediate the global chromatin remodeling and gene activation. We propose that the acetylation islands are epigenetic marks that allow prediction of functional regulatory elements.     

Importance of Including Borderline Cases in Trachoma Grader Certification

We assessed trachoma grading agreement among field graders using photographs that included the complete spectrum of disease and compared it with cases where there was consensus among experienced graders. Trained photographers took photographs of children''s conjunctiva during a clinical trial in Ethiopia. We calculated κ-agreement statistics using a complete set of 60 cases and then recalculated the κ using a consensus set where cases were limited to those cases with agreement among experienced graders. When the complete set of 60 cases was used, agreement was moderate (κ = 0.61, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.56–0.67). When the consensus set was used, agreement improved significantly (κ = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.68–0.80). The κ of the consensus set was higher than the complete set by 0.14 (95% CI = 0.12–0.16) (P < 0.001). If testing sets remove difficult-to-grade cases, agreement in trachoma grading may be higher than actually seen in population-based trachoma surveys.     

Fetal cardiomyopathy in neurofibromatosis type I: Novel phenotype and review of the literature

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) is a relatively common genetic disorder characterized by neurocutaneous lesions, neurofibromas, skeletal anomalies, iris hamartomas, and predisposition to other tumors. NF1 results from heterozygous loss‐of‐function mutations in neurofibromin (NF1), and diagnosis is most often made using clinical diagnostic criteria. Cardiac manifestations of NF1 include congenital heart disease (such as valvar pulmonary stenosis), left ventricular hypertrophy, and adult‐onset pulmonary hypertension. Prenatal features of NF1 are often nonspecific and diagnoses are infrequently made prenatally without a known family history. Herein, we report the first case, to the best of our knowledge, of fetal cardiomyopathy as the presenting feature in NF1 and review NF1‐related left ventricular hypertrophy. NF1 should be considered in the differential diagnosis for fetuses with cardiomyopathy, even in the absence of a known family history of the condition.     

Antifertility activity of Artemisia vulgaris leaves on female Wistar rats

AIM： To evaluate the antifertility activity of Artemisia vulgar＆ leaves on female Wistar rats. METHOD： The plant extract was tested for its effect on implant formation at two dose levels, 300 and 600 mg.kg 1, respectively. The effective methanolic plant extract was further studied for estrogenic potency on ovariectomised immature female Wistar rats. RESULTS： The data presented in this study demonstrate the antifertility potential of Artemisia vulgar＆ methanolic leaf extract, which shows a strong and significant decrease in implant formation （100%）, and a strong estrogenic effect resulting in a significant increase in uterine weight in immature ovariectomised rats. These observations suggest that the methanolic extract of Artemisia vulgaris leaves has strong anti-implantation activity and estrogenic activity. CONCLUSION： The methanolic plant extract ofA. vulgaris has antifertility activity.