Protective Role of Curcumin against N-Nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-Induced Toxicity in Rats

The present investigation was aimed at studying the possible role of curcumin against N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA)-induced toxicity in albino rats. Administration of NDEA to rats at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml in drinking water ad libitum for 21 days produced toxicity in them, which was evident from histopathological changes in the rat livers, and increased levels of blood serum enzyme markers, i.e. aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase. In addition, the levels of oxidative stress markers like lipid peroxidation (LPO), protein carbonyl (PCC), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity were elevated and the total glutathione (GSH) content was reduced in the livers. The administration of curcumin to rats at concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg/ml in drinking water along with 0.1 mg/ml of NDEA for 21 days effectively suppressed NDEA-induced toxicity and also resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the levels of blood serum enzyme markers (AST, ALT, ALP, and LDH). Moreover, LPO, PCC, and GST activity were reduced and the GSH level was increased upon the administration of curcumin along with NDEA. The results obtained for the comet assay in rat hepatocytes and blood lymphocytes showed a significant dose-dependent decrease in the mean tail length. The micronucleus assay performed on rat hepatocytes also showed a dose-dependent reduction in the frequency of micronucleated cells along with curcumin administration. These results suggest that curcumin has a protective role against NDEA-induced toxicity in albino rats.     

Synthesis, Raman, FT-IR, NMR spectroscopic characterization, antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity and DNA binding of new mixed aza-oxo-thia macrocyclic compounds

Series of new mixed aza-oxo-thia macrocyclic ligands 1,9(2,6)-ditriazina-2,8,10,16-tetraaza-3,7,11,15-tetraoxo-5,13-dithia-cyclohexadecaphan-1⁴,9⁴-diphenyl (L₁); 1,10(2,6)-ditri azina-2,9,11,18-tetraaza-3,8,12,17-tetraoxo-5,6,14,15-tetrathia-cyclooctadecaphan-1⁴,10⁴-diphenyl (L₂); 1,11(2,6)-ditriazina-2,10,12,20-tetraaza-3,9,13,19-tetraoxo-6,16-dithia-cyclocosa-phan-1⁴,11⁴-diphenyl (L₃); 1,12(2,6)-ditriazina-2,11,13,22-tetraaza-3,10,14,21-tetraoxo-6,7,17,18-tetrathia-cyclodocosaphan-1⁴,12⁴-diphenyl (L₄) were synthesised. The structural features of the compounds have been studied by elemental analyses, Mass, FT-Raman, FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activities of the ligands were evaluated using disk diffusion method in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as well as the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) dilution method, against several bacteria and yeast cultures. The obtained results from both methods were assessed in side-by-side comparison with commercial antibacterial and antifungal agents. In most cases, the compounds show strong antifungal activity in the comparison tests. Cytotoxic activities of the ligands against two different human cancer cell lines, stomach (23132/87) and lung (A549) were determined by MTT assay. DNA fragmentation assay tested cell lines were used to analyze the DNA ladder formation which is a characteristic of apoptotic cell death. The binding of the ligands with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has also been investigated by absorption spectroscopy.     

Development and application of monoclonal antibodies for specific detection of human enteric adenoviruses.

Monoclonal antibodies were prepared against enteric adenovirus by fusing P3-NS1/-Ag4-1 mouse myeloma cells with lymphocytes from BALB/c mice immunized with enteric adenovirus 40 (Ad40) G2297. Of the several putative clones secreting antibodies to adenovirus, five were found to react specifically to the enteric adenovirus. The specificity of two of these monoclones which recognize a single antigen of a molecular size of 17 kilodaltons was evaluated against 78 clinical isolates. One monoclone (5D8/2C2) reacted with both Ad40 and Ad41, and the other monoclone (2H6/C11) recognized Ad40 only in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These ELISA results correlated well with those of the specific neutralization test or DNA restriction endonuclease analysis or both. The use of this rapid ELISA with these monoclones will find applications in the diagnosis of enteric adenovirus and should facilitate the epidemiologic studies of enteric adenovirus gastroenteritis.     

Sperm binding to hyaluronan is an excellent predictor of Nili-Ravi buffalo bull fertility

This study reports the first evaluation of sperm hyaluronan binding assay (HBA) for predicting the fertility of Nili-Ravi buffalo bulls in relation to standard parameters of sperm quality. Cryopreserved semen doses of low (n = 6), medium (n = 3) and high fertility (n = 8) bulls based on their respective return rates were used. Significantly, more spermatozoa bound to hyaluronan from the most fertile bulls (57.15% ± 1.44) compared with medium (42.46% ± 1.08) and low fertility bulls (29.70% ± 0.78). A strongly positive correlation (r = .824, p < .01) was found between HBA and fertility that predicts a 67.9% variability (r² = .679, p < .01) in fertility. HBA was also strongly positively correlated with sperm viability (r = .679, p < .01) followed by their live/dead ratio (r = .637, p < .01), uncapacitated spermatozoa (r = .631, p < .01), normal apical ridge (r = .459, p < .01), motility (r = .434, p < .01), mature spermatozoa with low residual histones (r = .364, p < .01), high plasma membrane integrity (r = .316, p < .01) and nonfragmented DNA levels (r = .236, p < .05). It was negatively correlated with spermatozoa having reacted acrosome (r = −.654, p < .01). A fertility model built using a combination of sperm HBA and either sperm livability or viability predicts, respectively, 86.1% (r² = .861, p < .01) and 85.9% (r² = .859, p < .01) variability in buffalo bull fertility. In conclusion, sperm HBA may prove to be a single robust predictor of Nili-Ravi buffalo bull fertility.     

Urethro-vesical function during spinal shock

Summary Twenty spinal shock patients were investigated with simultaneous urethrovesical, anal and rectal pressure recordings and EMG of the external urethral and anal sphincters. Dynamic and static urethral pressure profiles (UPP) were carried out with empty and full bladder. Baldder filling was accompanied by an increased resistance in the internal sphincter zone, which in turn was paralleled in the majority of cases by an elevation of pressure in the membranous urethra without concomitant increase of its EMG activity. This is suggestive of an increased sympathetic activity in the bladder neck area and in the smooth muscle component of the external urethral sphincter. Dynamic pullthrough UPP's displayed higher resistances in the membranous urethra than static interrupted UPP's pointing to the role played by the urethral muscosal receptors in eliciting artefactual results. Higher pressures were recorded in the juxtabulbar portion of the membranous urethra than in its mid portion pointing to a gradient of pressure within the external urethral sphincter itself. The amount of EMG activity recorded in the anal and urethral sphincters at rest was somewhat decreased; high pressures and distinct reflex activity were recorded in both sphincters showing that they escape spinal shock characterized primarily by areflexia. After defining spinal shock a rational explanation based upon neuroanatomical and neurophysiological findings is offered as to why somatic activity of the sacral segments escapes it as evidenced by clincial, urodynamic, and electromyographic recordings.     

Antibodies to human sperm YLP12 peptide that is involved in egg binding inhibit human sperm capacitation/acrosome reaction

Recently, the authors reported a novel dodecamer peptide sequence, designated as YLP12 on human sperm, that is involved in binding to zona pellucida (ZP) of human oocyte [10]. This unique sequence is present on the acrosomal region of the human sperm cell and is expressed only in human testis/ sperm. The aim of the present study was to examine whether YLP12 sequence is involved in capacitation/acrosome reaction. Swim-up sperm were capacitated with anti-YLP12 Fab' antibodies or control Fab's (40 and 85 microg/mL) and then the acrosome reaction was induced with calcium ionophore. An average of 64-73% sperm underwent acrosome reaction when they were capacitated in the presence of 40-85 microg/mL of bovine serum albumin or control Fab's. A significant (p < .01 to < .001) reduction (58-75%) in the percentage of acrosome-reacted sperm was observed when the sperm were capacitated in the presence of YLP12 Fab's. These data indicate that the YLP12 peptide sequence is involved in sperm capacitation / acrosome reaction, and may find clinical applications in the diagnosis and treatment of male infertility and immunocontraception.     

Treatment related problems in Jordanian hemodialysis patients

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy - Background Treatment related problems are any event or circumstance involving patient treatment that actually or potentially interferes with an optimum...