The effects of fenugreek seed extract supplementation in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled trial

The aim of the current randomized control trial (RCT) study was to investigate the effects of fenugreek seed extract on memory, depression, quality of life, blood pressure, and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels in adult AD patients. This randomized clinical trial was conducted in geriatric homes in Iran. The study participants included 82 AD patients with mild-to-moderate memory deficit. Patients in the intervention group received 5 cc of fenugreek seed extract for 4 months and subjects in the control group received a placebo. Memory, depression, quality of life, and BP levels, as well as serum MDA and TAC, were assessed before and after the intervention. There was a significant increase in serum levels of TAC (p < 0.001) and a reduction in serum MDA status (p < 0.001) after 4 months of fenugreek seed extract supplementation. In addition, increasing levels of memory (p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.001), as well as reduction of depression (p = 0.002), systolic BP (p < 0.001), and diastolic BP (p < 0.001) levels were detected in the intervention group compared with baseline. Fenugreek seed extract supplementation in AD patients shows promising positive effects on memory, quality of life, BP, and selective oxidative indices levels.     

Avoidance and escape conditioning adjust adult neurogenesis to conserve a fit hippocampus in adult male rodents

In this study, the connection between cognitive behaviors and the adult rodent hippocampus was investigated. Recording field potentials at performant pathway (PP)–hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) synapses in transverse slices from the dorsal (d), intermediate (i), and ventral (v) hippocampus showed differences in paired-pulse responses and long-term potentiation in rats. The Barnes maze (BM) and passive avoidance (PA) tests indicated a decrease in escape latency and step-through latency in both rats and mice over training days. A decrease in the use of random or sequential strategy while an increase in the use of direct strategy to search for an escape box occurred in both groups. Evaluation of the levels of neurogenesis markers (Ki67 and BrdU/NeuN) by immunofluorescence assay in the dDG, iDG, and vDG revealed a long-axis disparity in the hippocampal dentate baseline cell proliferation and exposure to the BM and PA task changed the profile of baseline cell proliferation along the DG in both rats and mice. Also, these learning experiences changed the profile of BrdU⁺/NeuN⁺ cells along the DG of rats. Quantitation of hippocampal BDNF protein levels using ELISA exhibited no changes in BDNF levels due to learning experiences in rats. We demonstrate that PP–DG synaptic efficacy and neurogenesis are organized along a gradient. Avoidance and escape conditioning themselves are sufficient to change and calibrate adult neurogenesis along the hippocampal long axis in rodents. Further research will be required to determine the precise mechanisms underlying the role of experience-derived neuroplasticity in cognitive function and decline.     

Novel Evolutionary Models and Periodic Charts in p- and q-Individual Chromosomes of Auxiliary Lymph Node and Buccal Cells

Signal copy number (SCN) and signal intensity (SI) of subtelomeres (ST) are investigated in auxiliary lymph node (ALN) and buccal (BUC) cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The extracted total cell of 38256 and 2309 was, respectively, analyzed from the benign ALN- and BUC-cells of an affected breast cancer patient. The Periodic model was based on ST behavior including normal-, down-, and upregulated clones with diverse SCN. The arm-p/q ratio based signature, as a subtelomeric array, reflects discordance and concordance of ST-behavior within individual chromosomes as a concept of “Individualization of Cells” rather than “Global Insight of Cells”. The Periodic charts could be considered as a reliable and refreshable platform through which the cellular evolution could be patterned and characterized. Signature of ST-profile in the BUC and ALN cells and the nature of diverse SCN and SI as quantitative and qualitative value led to modeling the real personalized perspective of cellular evolution. Protein expression of Ki67, Cyclin D1, and Cyclin E was assayed, as a complementary panel. These targets could be applied as the predictive and preventive markers for an early detection at BUC and ALN levels to plan the required managements in the breast cancer patients.     

Shortened Telomere Length in Sputum Cells of Bronchiectasis Patients is Associated with Dysfunctional Inflammatory Pathways

Telomere attrition is an established ageing biomarker and shorter peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length has been associated with increased risks of respiratory diseases. However, whether telomere length in disease-relevant sputum immune cells of chronic respiratory disease patients is shortened and which pathways are dysfunctional are not clear. Here we measured telomere length from sputum samples of bronchiectasis and asthmatic subjects and determined that telomere length in sputum of bronchiectasis subjects was significantly shorter (Beta?=????1.167, P_Adj?=?2.75?×?10^?4). We further performed global gene expression analysis and identified genes involved in processes such as NLRP3 inflammasome activation and regulation of adaptive immune cells when bronchiectasis sputum telomere length was shortened. Our study provides insights on dysfunctions related to shortened telomere length in sputum immune cells of bronchiectasis patients.

     

Administration of Selenium Nanoparticles Reverses Streptozotocin-Induced Neurotoxicity in the male rats

Metabolic Brain Disease - Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease associated with deposition of amyloid-beta and the increased oxidative stress. High free radical...     

Prooxidant-Antioxidant Balance and Antioxidized LDL Antibody Level Values and Cardiac Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Objectives: We studied the association between the prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), anti-malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (oxidized LDL, ox-LDL) IgG antibody and indices of cardiac function (systolic and diastolic function) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Fifty-five patients with established CAD were selected, and serum levels of anti-ox-LDL IgG and PAB values were measured and compared with 40 matched healthy controls. Systolic and diastolic functions were determined for all patients. Results: PAB values were significantly higher in patients than in controls (p < 0.001), whilst serum anti-ox-LDL concentrations were not statistically different between the 2 groups (p = 0.821). However, after adjustment for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the patients had higher anti-ox-LDL levels (p = 0.04). Total PAB values were inversely associated with ejection fraction (r = -0.326, p = 0.031), but this was not the case for anti-ox-LDL in either group (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Serum concentrations of a marker of oxidative stress (PAB values) are inversely associated with cardiac function. PAB is a relatively simple index that could be incorporated into risk assessment in CAD patients. Anti-ox-LDL IgG antibody concentration does not appear to reflect total oxidative stress as assessed by PAB.     

Effect of different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on acquisition of chemical kindled seizures in rats

In the current study we investigated the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) at different frequencies on chemical kindling in rats. Chemical kindling was induced by injection of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ; 45 mg/kg) at the intervals of 48 h between the injections. In the first experiment, effect of 0.25, 1 and 5 Hz rTMS (four trains of 4 s at motor threshold intensity) on kindling acquisition was investigated. In the second experiment, the stability of rTMS effects was checked in animals of the first experiment during a follow-up period of 2 weeks. Animals received a single dose of PTZ at 7th and 14th day after the last PTZ injection (12th injection) and their seizure parameters were recorded. Obtained results showed that application of rTMS at the frequencies of 0.25 and 1 Hz had anticonvulsant effect and decreased the PTZ kindling acquisition. However, when applied at the frequency of 5 Hz, it had an increasing effect on PTZ kindling rate. During the follow-up study, the seizure severity increased in animals treated with 0.25 Hz rTMS (and somehow in animals treated with 1 Hz rTMS), but did not change in animals treated with 5 Hz rTMS compared to the 12th PTZ injection. Our results showed that rTMS application may have an anticonvulsant effect during chemical kindling acquisition at very low frequency (0.25 Hz) and can increase the seizure severity at high frequency (5 Hz). However, during follow-up, the anticonvulsant effects of rTMS may be converted to proconvulsive effects.     

A comparative investigation of flexion relaxation phenomenon in healthy and chronic neck pain subjects

Purpose

The cervical flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) is a neck extensor myoelectric “silence” that occurs during complete cervical and lumbar flexion. In contrast to low back pain, the changes that occur during FRP in chronic neck pain (CNP) patients are still not clear. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of this phenomenon in the cervical region in CNP patients and controls.

Methods

Twenty-two women (23 ± 2.62 years) with chronic non-specific neck pain and 21 healthy women (23.4 ± 1.68 years) participated in this study. They accomplished a cervical flexion and extension from neutral position. Neck angle and surface electromyographic activity of cervical erector spinae (CES) and upper trapezius muscles were recorded. Appearance, onset and offset angle of the FRP were analysed and compared between the two groups.

Results

There were significant differences in the appearance of FRP between the two groups (P ≤ 0.001). The FRP in the CES muscles was observed in 85.7 % of healthy subjects and in 36.3 % of CNP patients, and no FRP was observed in the upper trapezius. Results of this study show that the onset and offset of FRP parameters were significantly different between the two groups (P ≤ 0.001).

Conclusions

The results of the present study indicate that FRP in CNP patients was seen less than the healthy subjects, and moreover the FRP period was reduced in CNP patients. Our results also suggest that the changes in FRP of CNP patients may be due to the increased CES activity in these patients.