Does Microwave Exposure at Different Doses in the Pre/Postnatal Period Affect Growing Rat Bone Development?

Effects of pre/postnatal 2.45 GHz continuous wave (CW), Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) Microwave (MW) irradiation on bone have yet to be well defined. The present study used biochemical and histological methods to investigate effects on bone formation and resorption in the serum and the tibia bone tissues of growing rats exposed to MW irradiation during the pre/postnatal period. Six groups were created: one control group and five experimental groups subjected to low-level different electromagnetic fields (EMF) of growing male rats born from pregnant rats. During the experiment, the bodies of all five groups were exposed to 2.45 GHz CW-MW for one hour/day. EMF exposure started after fertilization in the experimental group. When the growing male rats were 45 days old in the postnatal period, the control and five experimental groups' growing male and maternal rats were sacrificed, and their tibia tissues were removed. Maternal rats were not included in the study. No differences were observed between the control and five experimental groups in Receptor Activator Nuclear factor-kB (RANK) biochemical results. In contrast, there was a statistically significant increase in soluble Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor-kB Ligand (sRANKL) and Osteoprotegerin (OPG) for 10 V/m and 15 V/m EMF values. Histologically, changes in the same groups supported biochemical results. These results indicate that pre/postnatal exposure to 2.45 GHz EMF at 10 and 15 V/m potentially affects bone development.

The effects of resveratrol and melatonin on cardiac dysfunction in diabetic elderly female rats.

We aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin and resveratrol on diabetes-related papillary muscle dysfunction and structural heart disorders. The protective effect of resveratrol and melatonin supplementation on cardiac functions was investigated in a diabetic elderly female rat model. 16-month-old rats (n=48) were allocated into 8 groups. Group1: Control, Group2: Resveratrol Control, Group3: Melatonin Control, Group4: Resveratrol and Melatonin Control, Group5: Diabetes, Group6: Diabetes Resveratrol, Group7: Diabetes Melatonin, Group8: Diabetes Resveratrol and Melatonin. Streptozotocin was injected intraperitoneally to the rats for experimental diabetes induction. Thereafter, resveratrol (intraperitoneal) and melatonin (subcutaneous) were administered for 4 weeks. Resveratrol and melatonin had a protective effect on the contractile parameters and structural properties of the papillary muscle, which was impaired by diabetes. it has been presented that diabetes impairs the contractile function of the papillary muscle for each stimulus frequency tested and the responses obtained as a result of Ca+2 uptake and release mechanisms from the Sarcoplasmic reticulum, and it has been observed that these effects are improved with resveratrol and melatonin injection. The decrease in myocardial papillary muscle strength in the diabetic elderly female rat can be reversed with the combination of resveratrol, melatonin and resveratrol+melatonin. Melatonin+resveratrol supplementation is no different from melatonin and/or resveratrol supplementation. Resveratrol and melatonin supplementation may have a protective effect on cardiac functions in a diabetic elderly female rat model.

Clinical response to Nabiximols correlates with the downregulation of immune pathways in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nabiximols (Sativex® ) is a cannabinoid-based compound used for the treatment of moderate to severe spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the administration of Nabiximols on blood transcriptome profile of patients with MS and to interpret it in the context of pathways and networks. METHODS: Whole-genome expression profiling was performed in whole blood of 33 subjects with MS at baseline and after 4 weeks of drug treatment. Patients were classified as responders (n = 19) and non-responders (n = 14). Pathway and network analyses on genes modulated by the drug were performed, followed by in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with pro-inflammatory agents to support the immunomodulatory properties of the drug. RESULTS: Individual effect size was modest; however, we observed a downregulation of several immune-related pathways after 4 weeks of treatment, which was more pronounced when restricting analyses to responders. Interesting hub molecules functionally related to the immune system emerged from network analysis, including NFKB1, FYN, MAP14 and TP53. The immunomodulatory properties of the drug were confirmed through in vitro assays in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from patients with MS. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the immunomodulatory activity of cannabinoids in patients with MS. Further studies in more specific cell types are needed to refine these results.

Red blood cell distribution width: can it be a predictive marker for long-term valvular involvement in children with acute rheumatic carditis?

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to evaluate Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients with acute rheumatic carditis during the acute phase and after anti-inflammatory therapy. METHODS: Pediatric patients diagnosed with acute rheumatic carditis (ARC) between 2006 and 2014 and age- and sex-matched controls were retrospectively analyzed. At the time of diagnosis and after 2 months of medical therapy, we reviewed the obtained demographic features; echocardiographic data; complete blood count reports, including RDW; acute phase reactants, including C-reactive protein; and erythrocyte sedimentation rate values. RESULTS: The number of the cases with ARC and age- and sex-matched controls were 100 and 110, respectively. The mean age of patients was 11.6 ± 2.5 years. WBC and platelet counts, RDW were found to be significantly higher in patient group compared with controls at the time of diagnosis, prior to the onset of treatment. RDW, platelet count, CRP, and ESR levels significantly decreased after an 8 weeks of medical treatment. RDW values after the medical treatment were still significantly higher compared with controls. RDW values were significantly higher in patients with multiple valvular involvement both prior to and after the treatment. Moreover, we found a significant and positive correlation between the RDW and the severity of mitral regurgitation in our patients (r: 0.46, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High levels of RDW after initial medical treatment may indicate an ongoing subtle inflammatory process that leads to future stenotic valvular lesions. However, long-term follow-up studies are needed involving adulthood period to support this hypothesis.

microRNA profiling for early detection of nonmelanoma skin cancer.

BACKGROUND: microRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, noncoding RNA molecules. Given the vast regulatory potential of miRNAs and their often tissue-specific and disease-specific expression patterns, miRNAs are being assessed as possible biomarkers to aid diagnosis and prediction of different types and stages of cancers, including skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are the most common forms of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). BCC originates from the basal layer of the epidermis, while SCC arises from epidermal keratinocytes or from the dermal appendages. Although NMSCs are currently the most common types of malignancies, both BCC and SCC have a better than 95% cure rate if detected early. AIM: To identify plasma miRNAs suitable for early detection of NMSC. METHODS: Expression profiles of 741 miRNAs were evaluated using high-throughput real-time quantitative PCR from plasma samples in 42 patients with NMSC and 282 healthy controls (HCs). RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that in patients with NMSC, compared with HCs, expression levels of miR-30e-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-186-5p and miR-875-5p were significantly (P < 0.05) upregulated, while those of miR-19a-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-451 and miR-576-3p were significantly downregulated. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that the miRNAs with significant changes in expression (miR-19a-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-186-5p) could serve as novel noninvasive biomarkers for detection of NMSC.

Production performance, use of nest box, and external appearance of two strains of laying hens kept in conventional and enriched cages.

The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in production performance, use of nest box, and external appearance of 2 strains of laying hens kept in conventional and enriched cages. Lohmann Brown Classic (LB, n=532) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW, n=532) hens were housed from 16 to 73 wk in either conventional cages or enriched cages. Enriched cages had a nesting area, scratch pad, perch, and nail shortener. Body weight (BW), hen-day egg production, egg weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), cracked and dirty eggs, use of nest box for lay, and external appearance were determined. Laying period influenced the hen-day egg production, egg weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Cage type affected the hen-day egg production and feed conversion ratio, while strain affected the egg weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Laying period×cage type and laying period×strain interactions affected egg production, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio. Both strains preferred to lay in the nest box. Percentages of cracked and dirty eggs of LW hens in enriched cages were higher than that in conventional cages. Most of the dirty eggs laid by both strains were found outside of the nest box. The LW hens laid more dirty eggs than the LB hens. Cage type and cage type×strain interaction were important for total feather score. Final claw length was affected by cage type, strain, and cage type×strain interaction. This study suggests that cage type, strain, and also cage type×strain and period×strain interactions should be considered when alternative housing systems are used.

Circulating microRNA expression profiles in ovarian cancer.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is an abundant class of small non-coding RNAs that act as gene regulators. Recent studies have suggested that miRNA deregulation is associated with the initiation and progression of human cancer. However, information about ovarian cancer-related miRNA is mostly limited to tissue miRNA. The aim of this study was to find specific profiles of plasma-derived miRNAs of ovarian cancer. In this present study, the expression profiles of 740 miRNAs in plasma from 18 patients and 24 healthy women subjects were evaluated using microfluidic based multiplex qRT-PCR. Our results demonstrated that expression levels of eight miRNAs were significantly upregulated in patients with ovarian cancer when compared with a control group (p < 0.05). Expression levels of four miRNAs were found significantly downregulated in patients with ovarian cancer (p < 0.05). In addition, 10 miRNAs were expressed only in the ovarian cancer group and miR-138-5p of these miRNAs is ovarian specific. In conclusion, our study suggests that detecting these ovarian cancer specific miRNAs in plasma might serve as novel non-invasive biomarkers for ovarian cancer.

Transport evaluation of alendronate across Caco-2 cell monolayers.

The transport of alendronate through Caco-2 monolayers in the absence and presence of absorption enhancers (sodium taurocholate-STC and dimethyl-beta-cyclodextrin-DM-beta-CD) was studied. The viability of Caco-2 cells was determined by MTT assay. The effects of the experiment period and serum existence in Dubelco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) on cell viability were examined. The least toxic concentrations of alendronate, STC and DM-beta-CD were found as 0.2% (w/v), 5 mM and 0.3% (w/v), respectively. Transport experiments were performed with these concentrations in DMEM supplemented with serum for an 8 h period. DM-beta-CD increased the transport of alendronate through Caco-2 monolayers significantly. No significance was observed with STC. Cell integrity was determined by measuring the electrical resistance values at the end of the transport experiments and found to be decreased to a greater extent with DM-beta-CD. These results indicate that DM-beta-CD is a promising agent for improving the transport of alendronate.

Seizures and loss of vision in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a rare neurological condition identifiable by clinical presentation and MRI appearance.1 Patients present with headache, seizures, loss of vision and altered mental function. The pathogenesis of the syndrome is poorly understood. One hypothesis is that cerebral vasospasm results in cerebral ischaemia and subsequent development of T2 hyperintensity, and the other is a temporary failure of the autoregulatory capabilities of the cerebral vessels, leading to hyperperfusion, breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, and consequent vasogenic oedema. It is believed that a rapid rise in blood pressure overcomes cerebral autoregulatory mechanisms with abrupt dilatation of cerebral arterioles. We report a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus and PRES after recurrent spontaneous abortion.