Neuroprotective Effects of a Hydrogen Sulfide Donor in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Diabetic neuropathy is an important long-term complication of diabetes. This study explored the hypothesis that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) ameliorates neuropathic pain by controlling antiapoptotic and pro-apoptotic processes. The effects of a slow-releasing H2S donor, GYY4137, on the expression of antiapoptotic and pro-apoptotic genes and proteins, such as B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and Bcl-2-like protein 4 (Bax), as well as caspases, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2, monocytes/macrophages, and endothelial cells, in the spinal cord of male Sprague-Dawley rats with streptozotocin-induced peripheral diabetic neuropathy, were investigated using reverse transcription-PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. The antihypoalgesic activities of GYY4137 on diabetic rats were evaluated using the tail flick test. Treatment of diabetic rats with GYY4137 attenuated thermal hypoalgesia and prevented both the diabetes-induced increase in Bax mRNA expression (p = 0.0032) and the diabetes-induced decrease in Bcl2 mRNA expression (p = 0.028). The GYY4137-treated diabetic group had increased COX-1 (p = 0.015), decreased COX-2 (p = 0.002), reduced caspase-7 and caspase-9 protein expression (p < 0.05), and lower numbers of endothelial and monocyte/macrophage cells (p < 0.05) compared to the non-treated diabetic group. In summary, the current study demonstrated the protective properties of H2S, which prevented the development of neuropathy related behavior, and suppressed apoptosis activation pathways and inflammation in the spinal cord. H2S-releasing drugs could be considered as possible treatment options of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Health-related factors and dysregulation of epigenetic related genes in metabolic syndrome trigger finger patients and smoker trigger finger patients: preliminary analysis of patient-derived sample.

PURPOSE: To investigate the health-related factors and analyze the expression of epigenetic related genes and inflammatory genes in metabolic syndrome Trigger Finger (TF) and smoker TF. METHODS: Samples from patients' fingers with symptomatic TF were collected. There were seven groups: healthy control group, carpal tunnel syndrome (as a control for gene expression analysis), TF, diabetic TF, hypertensive TF, dyslipidemic TF and smoker TF. The expression levels of epigenetic related genes and inflammatory genes in metabolic syndrome TF and smoker TF were evaluated by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires, disability of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and numeric pain rating scale were given to the participants to fill out. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in hand dysfunction in the metabolic TF groups and smoker group compared to the TF group (p < 0.0001). The stress levels of the smoker TF group and TF with hypertension group were significantly increased compared with those in the TF group (p < 0.03) and (p < 0.021), respectively. On the other hand, there was a significant increase in the COL-I, COL-II and TNF-α gene expression of the metabolic TF groups and smoker group (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Health-related factors in the TF tendons was highly associated with the level of inflammation and genetic alteration in TF metabolic syndromes and smoker TF patients. Therefore, further investigation is required to examine the combination of occupational therapy, gene expression, and health-related factors as a promising method of managing TF.

Occupational Asthma Prevalence among Migrant Workers Attending Shuaiba Industrial Medical Center in Kuwait.

Specific work environments, such as exposure to chemicals emitted during industrial processes, are related to occupational asthma. From 1985 to 2012, Kuwait was expected to have the highest asthma prevalence rate among Middle East nations, at 15%. This cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from occupational health physicians' records in the Shuaiba Industrial Medical Center (SIMC) extracted and analyzed using SPSS. Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to check the association between risk factors and bronchial asthma (BA). The data sample size was 3478 in 2018 and 3807 in 2019. In 2018, BA had a significant relationship with age categories, work year groups, and determinants of fitness. Migrant workers above 51 years of age had a high risk of developing BA (p-value = 0.012). There was a high risk of developing BA in workers who worked > 21 years (p-value < 0.001) and in workers who worked between 11 and 20 years (p-value = 0.042). Overweight workers had a risk of developing BA (p-value = 0.042). In 2019, BA had an associated relationship with age categories and determinants of fitness. Workers above 51 years of age had about a 39% risk of developing BA (p-value = 0.009). Otherwise, the BMI, working year groups, marital status, and smoking status had no association with BA. In conclusion, BA is prevalent among migrant workers at the SIMC. Long hours, low income, and a lack of PPE are just a few of the issues that migrant workers have been exposed to, raising their risk of poor health.

Effect of Physical Activity and Exercise on the Level of COVID-19 Antibodies and Lifestyle-Related Factors among Vaccinated Health Science Center (HSC) Students: A Pilot Randomized Trial.

A vaccine is a type of medicine that increases immunity and the number of antibodies (IgM and IgG) when injected into the body, preparing it in case of an actual viral infection. It has been shown in several studies that there is a significant relationship between physical activity and vaccination. Furthermore, it has been documented that physical activity can play a major role in reducing stress. Evidence also shows the existence of a relationship between immunity, vaccine response, and sleep duration. To investigate the effects of physical activity on the level of COVID-19 antibodies and lifestyle-related factors, Health Science Center (HSC) students who had taken the third dose of the vaccine and had no prior infection of the COVID-19 virus were investigated. To serve the purpose of this study, an anti-SARS-CoV-2 test was applied by taking a blood sample from the students. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires and the Borg's 15-point scale were given to the participants to fill out. The study utilized a two-arm randomized control research design in which 40 participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, either the control group (n = 20) or the treatment group (n = 20). All tests and assessments were performed before and after intervention for both groups. The control group walked less than 5000 steps every day for one month with a 20 min rest during the exercise session, while the treatment group walked more than 12,000 steps every day for the same time and exercise task session. The students' steps were monitored using an Apple watch. There was a significant decrease in the IgG antibody level in the treatment group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The IgM antibody level of all groups did not show any significant difference before starting the intervention. However, there was a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the IgM level of the treatment group after treatment compared to before treatment. Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the treatment group's stress level and sleep disruption, indicating better sleep quality, compared to the control group (p < 0.035). The levels of IgG and IgM did not improve for the treatment group. However, the treatment group improved their stress level and sleep disruption. Therefore, further rigorous research is needed to investigate vaccine efficacy among more physically active people.

Chronic Treatment With Hydrogen Sulfide Donor GYY4137 Mitigates Microglial and Astrocyte Activation in the Spinal Cord of Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Long-term diabetic patients suffer immensely from diabetic neuropathy. This study was designed to investigate the effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on peripheral neuropathy, activation of microglia, astrocytes, and the cascade secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced peripheral diabetic neuropathy rat model. STZ-induced diabetic rats were treated with the water-soluble, slow-releasing H2S donor GYY4137 (50 mg/kg; i.p.) daily for 4 weeks. Antiallodynic/antihyperalgesic activities were evaluated using different tests and histopathological changes and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord were examined. GYY4137 treatment produced neuroprotective effects in the spinal cord of diabetic animals and modulated their sensory deficits. The treatment decreased allodynia (p < 0.05) and mechanical hyperalgesia (p < 0.01) and restored thermal hyperalgesia (p < 0.001) compared with diabetic rats. The treatment decreased the microglial response and increased astrocyte counts in spinal cord gray and white matter compared with untreated diabetic rats. Proinflammatory cytokines were reduced in the treated group compared with diabetic rats. These results suggest that H2S has a potentially ameliorative effect on the neuropathic pain through the control of astrocyte activation and microglia-mediated inflammation, which may be considered as a possible treatment of peripheral nerve hypersensitivity in diabetic patients.