Manganese dioxide nanoparticle induces Parkinson like neurobehavioral abnormalities in rats.

AIM: Manganese dioxide magnetic nanoparticle (MnO2-NP) with specific size range from 30 to 60 nm has widespread application in magnetic resonance imaging, medicine and drug delivery in exposed humans and animals. Manganese nanoparticles could affect hippocampus tissue and impose abnormal cognitive functions such as manganese ion. Therefore, to investigate whether MnO2-NP is damaging hippocampus tissue and inducing molecular and neurobehavioral abnormalities, we administrated different doses of synthesized nanoparticle to rats and measured behavioral, biochemical and histological parameters by standard methods. RESULTS: Results showed that the treatment of rats with MnO2-NP during 15 days induced oxidative stress and reduced catecholamine content in hippocampus tissue. MnO2-NP affected hippocampus tissue appearance by increasing the number of apoptotic and necrotic cells suggested that approved nanoparticle penetrated blood brain barrier and reached the hippocampal cells. Interestingly, all biochemical and histological effects of MnO2-NP were dose dependent. CONCLUSIONS: By considering that hippocampus plays an important role in cognitive function, behavioral abnormalities in intoxicated rats were predictable and nanoparticle administrated rats showed depression like behavioral signs dose dependently. Based on our results and previous studies that confirmed neurotoxicity of MnO2-NP in µg dose rang, the application of this nanoparticles should be limited and their waste should be neutralized before their release to the environment (Fig. 4, Ref. 31).

The effects of Nano titanium dioxide (TiO2NPs) on lung tissue.

OBJECTIVES: The application of nanoparticles is widely spread in all aspects of modern life because of their unique features such as small size and high surface area. High surface area can be very reactive and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). These nanoparticles can damage human and animal cells by increasing oxidative stress mechanism. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) are among the top five nanoparticles used in consumer products, paints, and pharmaceutical preparations.TiO2 NPs have various capabilities such as robust oxidation, biocompatibility and photocatalytic properties. They are frequently used in a wide range of sciences, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, medicine and engineering. The ever increasing industrial and consumer applications of TiO2NPs raise concern over the possible risk association with their environmental exposure. METHODS: This study investigates the effects of TiO2NP on lung tissue by intraperitoneal injection to rats at different doses (15, 30, 60 and 70 mg/kg). RESULTS: Our results showed that intraperitoneal injection of TiO2NP creates capillary congestion and hemorrhage in alveolar wall, granulomas in lung parenchyma, and hemosiderin depositions in blood vessels adjacent to bronchioles without any inflammation. The pulmonary side effects could be due to the production of ROS post TiO2NP exposure (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 27). Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

Tuberculosis--frequency and differential diagnosis--analysis of cases in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis is highly prevalent in Pakistan and the numbers are on increase each year. Cervical lymphadenopathy, a common finding in tuberculosis and other inflammatory, infectious and malignant etiologies, is commonly encountered in hospital setting in Karachi, Pakistan. Signs and symptoms of tuberculosis are blood tinged sputum, weight loss, night sweats, loss of appetite and weakness. A through history, complete physical examination and investigations are needed to diagnose tuberculosis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the burden of tuberculosis in cases of cervical lymphadenopathy and to find the most common etiologies of cervical lymphadenopathy in hospital setup in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients with cervical lymphadenopathy attending the surgical outpatient department of Jinnah Post Graduate Center, Karachi, Pakistan were conveniently sampled for this study without age and gender limitations. This cross sectional, descriptive study was conducted from January 2010 to January 2011. RESULTS: A total of 250 patient cases with cervical lymphadenopathy were studied. The age group with the highest number of patients was between 21 to 40 years, which included 97 females and 21 males. The patients with unilateral single cervical lymph node swelling were found to be 13.2%, while 86.8 % patients had multiple bilateral lymph node swellings. Tuberculosis was found in majority of patients, 63.6% followed by inflammatory hyperplasia which was present in 28.4% patients, other causes included lymphoma 5.2% and metastasis 2.8%. CONCLUSION: Tuberculosis is the most common etiology of cervical lymphadenopathy, followed by inflammatory hyperplasia, lymphoma and metastasis.