Dry Needling for Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition of Quadriceps Femoris in Patients after Reconstruction of Anterior Cruciate Ligament: a Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: : Dry needling (DN) is recommended as a therapeutic modality for various neuromusculoskeletal disorders. No study has been performed on the impact of DN on arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study protocol is aimed to investigate the impacts of DN on AMI of quadriceps femoris, corticomotor, and spinal reflex excitability in patients with ACLR. Methods: : A double-blind, between-subject, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted to measure changes in AMI after DN. Twenty-four subjects with ACLR will be recruited to receive a DN or a sham DN, providing that they met the inclusion criteria. Three sessions of DN on the quadriceps femoris will be applied during a one-week period. The primary outcome measures are the active motor threshold, motor evoked potential, and Hmax - Mmax ratio. The secondary outcomes are the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee form questionnaire score and maximum quadriceps isometric torque. Data will be collected at baseline, immediately after the first session, after the third session, and at the one-month follow-up visit. Discussion: : The results of this study will provide preliminary evidence regarding the effects of DN on AMI of quadriceps femoris in patients with ACLR.

The effects of melatonin treatment on cap browning and biochemical attributes of Agaricus bisporus during low temperature storage.

Exogenous melatonin application at 0, 1, 10, 100, and 1000 µM retarded cap browning of button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) by 78.35, 31.40, 30.91, 27.17, and 32.50 %, respectively.Mushrooms treated with 100 µM melatonin also had lower weight loss and higher firmness. During the first 5 days of storage at 4 °C, higher H2O2 accumulation may serve as a signal for promoting endogenous melatonin accumulation by triggering the expression of TDC, T5H, SNAT, and ASMT genes, beneficial for preserving membrane integrity. Besides, the higher accumulation of phenols in mushrooms treated with 100 µM melatonin may be ascribed to higher PAL and lower PPO gene expression and enzyme activity. Moreover, higher DPPH scavenging capacity in mushrooms treated with 100 µM melatonin may be ascribed to the higher accumulation of phenols and ascorbic acid.

The Yin and Yang of carbon nanomaterials in atherosclerosis.

With unique characteristics such as high surface area, capacity of various functionalization, low weight, high conductivity, thermal and chemical stability, and free radical scavenging, carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), fullerene, graphene (oxide), carbon nanohorns (CNHs), and their derivatives have increasingly been utilized in nanomedicine and biomedicine. On the one hand, owing to ever-increasing applications of CNMs in technological and industrial fields as well as presence of combustion-derived CNMs in the ambient air, the skepticism has risen over the adverse effects of CNMs on human being. The influences of CNMs on cardiovascular system and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as atherosclerosis, of which consequences are ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke, as the main causes of death, is of paramount importance. In this regard, several studies have been devoted to specify the biomedical applications and cardiovascular toxicity of CNMs. Therefore, the aim of this review is to specify the roles and applications of various CNMs in atherosclerosis, and also identify the key role playing parameters in cardiovascular toxicity of CNMs so as to be a clue for prospective deployment of CNMs.

N-acetylcysteine in a Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial: Toward Biomarker-Guided Treatment in Early Psychosis.

Biomarker-guided treatments are needed in psychiatry, and previous data suggest oxidative stress may be a target in schizophrenia. A previous add-on trial with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) led to negative symptom reductions in chronic patients. We aim to study NAC's impact on symptoms and neurocognition in early psychosis (EP) and to explore whether glutathione (GSH)/redox markers could represent valid biomarkers to guide treatment. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 63 EP patients, we assessed the effect of NAC supplementation (2700 mg/day, 6 months) on PANSS, neurocognition, and redox markers (brain GSH [GSHmPFC], blood cells GSH levels [GSHBC], GSH peroxidase activity [GPxBC]). No changes in negative or positive symptoms or functional outcome were observed with NAC, but significant improvements were found in favor of NAC on neurocognition (processing speed). NAC also led to increases of GSHmPFC by 23% (P = .005) and GSHBC by 19% (P = .05). In patients with high-baseline GPxBC compared to low-baseline GPxBC, subgroup explorations revealed a link between changes of positive symptoms and changes of redox status with NAC. In conclusion, NAC supplementation in a limited sample of EP patients did not improve negative symptoms, which were at modest baseline levels. However, NAC led to some neurocognitive improvements and an increase in brain GSH levels, indicating good target engagement. Blood GPx activity, a redox peripheral index associated with brain GSH levels, could help identify a subgroup of patients who improve their positive symptoms with NAC. Thus, future trials with antioxidants in EP should consider biomarker-guided treatment.

Therapeutic potential of novel formulated forms of curcumin in the treatment of breast cancer by the targeting of cellular and physiological dysregulated pathways.

Breast cancer is among the most important causes of cancer related death in women. There is a need for novel agents for targeting key signaling pathways to either improve the efficacy of the current therapy, or reduce toxicity. There is some evidence that curcumin may have antitumor activity in breast cancer. Several clinical trials have investigated its activity in patients with breast cancer, including a recent trial in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy, in whom it was shown that curcumin reduced the severity of radiation dermatitis, although it is associated with low bioavailability. Several approaches have been developed to increase its absorption rate (e.g., nano crystals, liposomes, polymers, and micelles) and co-delivery of curcumin with adjuvants as well as different conjugation to enhance its bioavailability. In particular, micro-emulsions is an option for transdermal curcumin delivery, which has been reported to increase its absorption. Lipid-based nano-micelles is another approach to enhance curcumin absorption via gastrointestinal tract, while polymer-based nano-formulations (e.g., poly D, L-lactic-co-glycolic [PLGA]) allows the release of curcumin at a sustained level. This review summarizes the current data of the therapeutic potential of novel formulations of curcumin with particular emphasis on recent preclinical and clinical studies in the treatment of breast cancer.

Cadmium-induced toxicity is rescued by curcumin: A review.

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most common environmental and occupational heavy metals with extended distribution. Exposure to Cd may be associated with several deleterious consequences on the liver, bones, kidneys, lungs, testes, brain, immunological, and cardiovascular systems. Overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as the main mechanism behind its toxicity causes oxidative stress and subsequent damages to lipids, proteins, and DNA. Therefore, antioxidants along with chelating agents have shown promising outcomes against Cd-induced toxicity. Curcumin with various beneficial effects and medical efficacy has been evaluated for its inhibitory activities against biological impairments caused by Cd. Thus, this article is intended to address the effectiveness of curcumin against toxicity following Cd entry. Curcumin can afford to attenuate lipid peroxidation, glutathione depletion, alterations in antioxidant enzyme, and so forth through scavenging and chelating activities or Nrf2/Keap1/ARE pathway induction. © 2017 BioFactors, 43(5):645-661, 2017.