Protective effects of hesperidin in cyclophosphamide-induced parotid toxicity in rats.

Cyclophosphamide (CYP) is an alkylating agent that is used on a wide range as a treatment of malignancies and autoimmune diseases. Previous studies have shown the promising role of hesperidin (HSP) as an antioxidant agent against various models of toxic agents. The protective effect of the HSP against CYP-induced parotid damage was evaluated in this study. Forty rats (180-200 g) were divided into four equal groups: Group I (received normal saline), Group II (HSP-treated at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days), Group III (CYP-treated at a dose of 200 mg/kg single intraperitoneal injection on the 7th day of the experiment), Group IV (CYP + HSP); HSP-treated at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 7 consecutive days and CYP (200 mg/kg) single intraperitoneal injection on the 7th day of the experiment. Afterwards, the oxidative stress and inflammatory markers, the histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations of the parotid tissues in the studied groups were evaluated. CYP intoxication induced a significant parotid tissue injury represented by the elevation in the values of malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and decrease in the catalase activity and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Histologically, extensive histopathological alterations e.g., widely spaced serous acini with irregular shapes and congested blood vessels as well as downregulated ki-67 and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) immunoexpression were induced by CYP. HSP administration markedly improved the biochemical and the histopathological studies. We can conclude that HSP elicited protective effects against the CYP-induced parotid toxicity.

Effect of an educational intervention on breastfeeding knowledge and attitude among interns at Cairo University Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Professional advice provided to mothers has an effective role on the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding. Previous studies showed that health care providers had defective knowledge and skills necessary to promote and support breastfeeding. AIM: To assess breastfeeding-related knowledge and attitude among interns at Cairo University Hospital, before and after the provision of breastfeeding educational training sessions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The first phase was a cross-sectional study, conducted in Cairo University Hospital (Kasr Al Ainy) among 137 interns. The second phase was a pre-post interventional design. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to explore breastfeeding-related knowledge and attitude before, immediately after, and 3 months after breastfeeding educational sessions. RESULTS: Participants' mean age was 23.7 ± 0.81, (range 22-27 years), with equally distributed males and females. The median total knowledge percent score was 56.4 (45.2-64.5). The highest median subtotal knowledge percent score was for effective feeding 100 (100-100), and the least median was for breast milk expression 20 (0:40). Participants' knowledge improved after the educational intervention: The subtotal knowledge scores showed a statistically significant improvement immediately after and 3 months after the intervention in the following items: advantages for the baby, colostrum, duration, complementary feeding, and breast milk expression. The median total attitude percent score was 80 (74.1-83.5) and significantly improved immediately after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Baseline knowledge and attitude scores among interns significantly improved after the intervention. Therefore, adoption of different curricular and extracurricular activities to improve breastfeeding knowledge and skills is required.

Phenotypic characterization of polygenic type 2 diabetes in TALLYHO/JngJ mice.

The TALLYHO/JngJ (TH) strain is a newly established, polygenic mouse model for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity, and we have previously reported some key physiological features of this model after the overt onset of diabetes. In the present work, we conducted a comprehensive phenotypic characterization of TH in order to completely characterize this new and relevant model for human T2D and obesity. We monitored the development of obesity and diabetes starting at 4 weeks of age by measuring body weight, glucose tolerance, and plasma levels of insulin, glucose, and triglyceride. Additionally, histological alterations in the pancreas and glucose uptake and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) content in soleus muscle were also examined. Compared with age- and sex-matched C57BL/6J (B6) mice, both male and female TH mice were significantly heavier, hyperleptinemic, and hyperinsulinemic at 4 weeks of age, without glucose intolerance or hyperglycemia. TH mice maintained higher body weights throughout the study period of 16 weeks. The hyperinsulinemia in TH mice worsened with age, but to a lesser degree in females than in males. Both the male and the female TH mice had enlarged pancreatic islets. Male TH mice showed impaired glucose tolerance at 8 weeks that became more prominent at 16 weeks. Plasma glucose levels continuously increased with age in male TH mice resulting in frank diabetes, while female TH mice remained normoglycemic throughout the study. Impaired glucose tolerance and hyperglycemia in male TH mice were accompanied by impaired 2-deoxyglucose uptake in the soleus muscle at basal and insulin-stimulated states, but without any reduction in GLUT4 content. Interestingly, male TH mice exhibited a drastic elevation in plasma triglyceride levels in the pre-diabetic stage that was maintained throughout the study. These findings suggest that obesity and insulin resistance are an inherent part of the TH phenotype and glucose intolerance is evident preceding progression to overt diabetes in male TH mice.