Restraint stress abates the antioxidant potential of melatonin on dimethyl benz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced carcinogenesis.

Free radical involvement in initiation, promotion and progression of carcinogenesis, implicates that scavengers of free radicals may act as inhibitors in the carcinogenic process. Melatonin, an antioxidant was used in the present study to evaluate its effectiveness on skin carcinogenesis induced by DMBA both with and without chronic restraint stress (CRS). Fifty Swiss albino young male rats were divided into five groups of 10 rats each as controls, topical DMB alone, Pre CRS-DMBA, melatonin DMBA and Pre-CRS-DMBA-melatonin treated groups. After 18 weeks blood was collected along with liver and skin samples. These were used for antioxidant enzyme assay, DNA damage and fluorescent spectra analysis. Melatonin showed antioxidant potential in combatting DMBA induced skin carcinogenesis measured by free radical scavenging enzymes and in vivo antioxidant status, DNA damage. Sensitive detection of the DMBA induced micro biochemical changes was possible by fluorescent spectroscopy from the transformed ratio of fluorescent intensity (F1 530 nm/630 nm) otherwise found constant for normal tissues. By melatonin treatment this ratio was similar to control values. The decreased antioxidant biochemical parameters depicting oxidative stress were comparable to comet assay and fluorescent studies, endorsing the chemo-preventive efficacy of melatonin against skin carcinogenesis caused by DMBA. CRS pre-exposure diminished the chemo-preventive/antioxidant ability of melatonin and the results were same as DMBA alone treatment, showing stress affected both cancer development and chemoprevention. CRS decreased the antioxidant potential of melatonin. Hence, managing stress could be perceived in cancer chemoprevention. Further studies focusing on stress reduction are needed.

Socioeconomic status dependent medical complexities in children with sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia.

A look into the associations of socioeconomic status (SES) with prevalence of various complications in sickle cell disease (SCD) is necessary, for an improvement of societal norms, governmental health policies and strategies. We therefore studied the influence of SES indices on certain hematological and clinical parameters in children with SCD in Saudi Arabia. We included 32 female and 33 male patients aged 5-16 years, who were classified based upon their family income. Family monthly income was divided into 4 categories from lowest to highest, with socioeconomic class1 having low earnings of <5000 SAR; the middle income class divided further into class 2 with earnings >5000-10,000 SAR, and class 3 with earnings >10,000-15,000 SAR; and the higher income class 4 with earnings of >15,000 SAR. The assessment indices used were, the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), adverse events, and hematological parameters. A higher percentage of children affected with the disease were from class1, which is the low socio-economic class. It was found that the percentage of frequency of VOC pain crisis, and adverse events was higher in social class 1 patients than in the classes 2, 3, and 4. Also, the age group 5-10 years appeared more susceptible to adverse events and VOC. Our findings suggest the need to conduct future larger studies, to deduce the modifying influence of disparity in SES on certain clinical and hematological indices in children with SCD.

Inclusion of pyridoxine to flaxseed cake in poultry feed improves productivity of omega-3 enriched eggs.

Flaxseed cake produced during flax oil production is rich in protein, and could be utilized in the production of omega-3 enriched eggs or value added eggs. But the presence of anti-nutrients in flaxseed cake adversely affects the bird and egg characteristics. Supplementation of pyridoxine may prove beneficial as noted by earlier research. In our study, we divided 30 layer birds into three groups and supplemented them with different combination feeds containing: (A) control ration, (B) fresh flax seed cake with pyridoxine and (C) fresh flax seed cake without pyridoxine. Crushed 2% flaxseed was also added to the flaxseed cake groups for deposition of sufficient omega-3 fatty acids into the eggs. Supplementation was given for a period of 4 weeks and egg as well as bird characteristics observed. Birds fed pyridoxine showed better incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into the egg yolk. Supplementation of flaxseed cake with pyridoxine resulted in better yields of omega-3 eggs as well as improved health of layer birds.

Comparative study of fatty-acid composition of table eggs from the Jeddah food market and effect of value addition in omega-3 bio-fortified eggs.

Health consciousness has increased the desire of people around the world to consume functional foods. Omega-3 essential fatty acids are one among these beneficial and important health supplements without which a general predisposition to degenerative and stress related disorders can occur. Saudi Arabia has shown an alarming increase in obesity (Al-Nozha et al., 2005), diabetes (Alqurashi et al., 2011), and cardiovascular disease (Al-Nozha et al., 2004) in the last few decades mainly due to nutritional transitions and lifestyle alterations (Amuna and Zotor, 2008). Lack of nutrient dense foods and the prevailing food related disorder of obesity (Popkin, 2001; Prentice, 2014) especially render egg as a choice food to be value-added for attaining nutritional security in Saudi Arabia and in effect reverse the increasing incidences of lifestyle diseases. Nutritional intervention through a commonly consumed food product would be an important step in improving the health of the people, and reducing health care costs. As eggs are a frequently consumed food item in Saudi Arabia, enriching them with omega-3 fatty acids would be an excellent way to alleviate the existing problems. A significant deposition of omega-3 fatty acids in the eggs was observed when the diet of hens was supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids from either flaxseed or fish oil source. Inadequacy of omega-3 fatty acids could thus be rectified by producing omega-3 enriched eggs from hens supplemented with flaxseed or fish oil source, and thus contribute toward better health choice of the consumer.

Comparative study of extrapolative factors linked with oxidative injury and anti-inflammatory status in chronic kidney disease patients experiencing cardiovascular distress.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a group of heterogeneous abnormalities affecting the function and structure of the kidney and mostly further proceeds to cardiovascular damage prior to end stage renal disease (ESRD). The oxidative insult and inflammatory mediators have some undefined role in CKD and cardiovascular complications. It is therefore, aimed at to pin point the predictive factors in the development of cardiovascular disorder in patients with chronic kidney disease. METHODS: Fifty patients of CKD experiencing cardiovascular distress and twenty normal individuals having same age and sex acted as control during these observations. Blood samples (Each 5 ml) were drawn and subjected to centrifugation for 10-15 minutes to separate the serum at 4000-5000rpm. The levels of MDA, GSH, SOD, CAT, VIT C, VIT E, IL-1, TNF-alpha, nitric oxide (NO) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) were estimated and analyzed. RESULTS: The nitric oxide levels in the CKD patients decreased significantly (13.26±1.25 ng/ml) compared to controls (42.15±5.26 ng/ml). The serum vitamin E and C levels in these patients recorded 2.15±0.25 µg/ml and 0.97±0.09 µg/ml respectively as against their assigned controls which read 6.35±1.22 µg/ml and 3.29±0.25 µg/ml. Furthermore, a significantly higher level of Malondialdehyde (MDA) as1.25±0.07 nmol/ml was observed in CKD patients viz-a-viz relevant control. However, the serum SOD, catalase (CAT) and GSH levels in the same patients registered a significant decline as evident from respective figures 0.07±0.002 µg/dl, 1.22±0.012 µmol/mol, and 3.25±1.05 µg/dl. The control for these was observed as0.99±0.06 µg/dl, 3.19±0.05 µmol/mol, and 8.64±0.03 µg/dL. On the other hand, the IL-1 levels in the CKD patients found quite higher (402.5±18.26 pg/ml). This clearly points to substantial increase in oxidative insult and reduced NO levels leading to the renal and cardiovascular damage. CONCLUSION: Observations support the fact that the decrease in anti-oxidative capacity accompanied by higher inflammatory mediators in CKD is indicative of oxidative stress, consequently leading to CKD progression, in all probability to cardiovascular insult. The outcome reiterates that strategies be designed afresh to contain CKD progression to cardiovascular complications and ESRD. One way could be to focus on early detection of stress related to the disease. It requires analyzing the factors related to stress, such as the one reported here. Linking these factors with the symptoms could be a crucial step forward. And further, the disease could be monitored in a more disciplined manner.

A Novel Four-Way Complex Variant Translocation Involving Chromosome 46,XY,t(4;9;19;22)(q25:q34;p13.3;q11.2) in a Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patient.

Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome (9;22)(q34;q11) is well established in more than 90% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients, and the remaining 5-8% of CML patients show variant and complex translocations, with the involvement of third, fourth, or fifth chromosome other than 9;22. However, in very rare cases, the fourth chromosome is involved. Here, we found a novel case of four-way Ph+ chromosome translocation involving 46,XY,t(4;9;19;22)(q25:q34;p13.3;q11.2) with CML in the chronic phase. Complete blood cell count of the CML patient was carried out to obtain total leukocytes count, hemoglobin, and platelets. Fluorescence in situ hybridization technique was used for the identification of BCR-ABL fusion gene, and cytogenetic test for the confirmation of Ph (9;22)(q34;q11) and the mechanism of variant translocation in the bone marrow. The patient is successfully treated with a dose of 400 mg/day imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). We observed a significant decrease in white blood cell count of 11.7 × 10(9)/L after 48-month follow-up. Patient started feeling better generally. There was a reduction in the swelling of the body, fatigue, and anxiety.