Arabica coffee and olive oils mitigate malathion-induced nephrotoxicity in rat: In silico,immunohistochemical and biochemical evaluation

Malathion (MAL) is an organophosphate insecticide that disrupts the body's antioxidant system; it is one of the earliest organophosphate insecticides extensively used as dust, emulsion, and vapor control a wide variety of insect pests under different conditions. This experimentation aims to evaluate the influence of Arabica coffee oil and olive oil on MAL-induced nephrotoxicity in male rat. 6 sets bearing the same number of animals were applied to this experiment. Each set comprised 10 rats. The first set of rats was used as the control group; rats in the second set were exposed to MAL measured at 100 mg/kg body weight for 7 weeks. Animals in the third and fourth set were treated with 400 mg/kg body weight of Arabica coffee oil and olive oil, and 100 mg/kg body weight of MAL. The fifth, together with the sixth set, were fed with a similar proportion of Arabica coffee oil and olive oil as administered to the third set of rats. After the experimental duration, rats of group 2 showed severe biochemical alterations, including significant increases of creatinine, uric acids, and urea nitrogen (BUN), resulting in marked decreases in serum albumin values and total protein (TP). Severe histopathological and immunohistochemical alterations of kidney tissues were observed in exposed MAL-intoxicated rats. Administration of these oils reduced the detected biochemical, histopathological modifications caused by MAL intoxication. Two active ingredients in Arabica coffee oil (oleic acid) and olive oil (hydroxytyrosol) showed good cyclooxygenase-2 (COX 2) interaction. Moreover, oleic acid from coffee oil and olive oil exhibited impressive association with xanthine oxidase (XO). The current finding showed that coffee oil and olive oil could be appraised as possible and a likely deterrence component against nephrotoxicity brought about by MAL.     

Effects of pulsed magnetic stimulation on isolated crayfish heart

ABSTRACT

Cardiac muscular contraction of the neurogenic heart that could be excited by pulsed magnetic stimulation (PMS) was investigated using preparation of the isolated crayfish heart. When a figure-eight magnetic coil was set over the isolated heart, cardiac contraction induced by a single PMS was not observed. Cardiac arrest occurred immediately after repetitive PMS and persisted for dozens of seconds depending on the number of stimuli. We concluded that PMS caused neuronal modulation in the neuronal network in the cardiac ganglion.     

Penetration of soil aggregates of finite size

Summary Maximum penetrometer pressure was measured on artificial soil aggregates of finite size (2–29 mm) using blunt probes (total cone angle 60°) driven at 3 mm min⁻¹. Maximum penetrometer pressure increased asymptotically with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a, wherea andb are the probe and aggregate radii, respectively. A theory was developed for penetration of blunt probes into soil aggregates of finite size. The theory assumed that plastic failure occurs out to a radius,R, and that beyond this only elastic straining occurs. This theory can be applied to estimate the radial and tangential stresses adjacent to a blunt probe. The estimated radial and tangential stresses increased with increase in dimensionless aggregate radius,b/a. The radius of the plastic front,R, around the probe is predicted to increase with increased aggregate size. The results also demonstrate the effect of soil shear cohesion and internal friction angle onR. The results are discussed with reference to root penetration.     

康复运动对冠脉支架植入术后患者相关因素的影响

目的：研究心脏康复运动对冠脉支架植入术后患者血脂、血糖、体重指数及生活质量的影响。方法：对实施冠脉支架植入术的 146例患者进行比较分析，根据随机原则分为试验组76 例及对照组70 例。对照组患者给予常规的健康教育及冠心病二级预防指 导，给予定期随访。试验组患者在此基础上给予规律的康复运动指导。经过6 个月随访，比较两组患者血脂、HbA1C、体重指数及 生活质量情况。结果：试验组患者通过为期6 个月的规律的心脏康复运动指导，其血脂、HbA1C等冠心病危险因素控制情况优于 对照组，差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。同时，6个月后，试验组康复运动六月后sF 量表各项评分与对照组同期比较，差异均有统计 学意义(P<0.05)。结论：规范的心脏康复运动指导能够有效改善冠脉支架植入术后患者血脂、血糖情况，提高患者生活质量。     

基于“心与小肠相表里”理论探讨肠道微生态与骨质疏松症的关系

近年来相关研究显示,肠道微生态在骨质疏松症的发生发展中起着重要作用。中医脏腑理论密切关注脏腑之间的生理病理关系,以中医经典《内经》“心与小肠相表里”理论为基础,探讨心、小肠、肠道微生态与骨质疏松症之间的关系。研究发现肠道微生态可能是心系疾病导致骨质疏松症的途径之一,这一发现可能为骨质疏松症的研究与防治提供一定的理论依据。     

Commentary Salicylate Trapping of -OH as a Tool for Studying Post-Ischemic Oxidative Injury in the Isolated Rat Heart

The use of salicylate as a chemical trap for -OH represents a simple and convenient alternative to the use of spin trapping techniques to study oxidative injury in isolated perfused organs. In these systems, salicylate is included in the perfusion buffer at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2mM depending on the detection apparatus employed. In our studies, we have used a coulometric detector, which has a theoretical efficiency of 100% as compared to 1-5% for the standard glassy carbon electrode. We have been able to generate reproducible results by inclusion of only 100 μM salicylate, a concentration demonstrated not to affect pre- or post-ischemic cardiac function. In initial studies, we observed an increase in perfusate 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid consistent with an early post-ischemic burst of -OH, not unlike that reported using spin trapping techniques. Since then we and others have used this technique to examine possible relationships between -OH formation and treatments that alter post-ischemic cardiac functional recovery. For example, preischemic loading of hearts with copper results in increases in postischemic dysfunction and LDH release that were associated with an increase in 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate and by inference, -OH formation. Alternatively, we have reported that the nitroxide spin label, TEMPO, reputed to be a superoxide dismutase mimetic, decreased post-ischemic arrhythmias and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate formation. Most recently, we have observed that preischemic loading of hearts with zinc-bis-histidinate results in improved post-ischemic cardiac function and decreased LDH release; changes that were associated with decreased 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate formation. These studies indicate that under certain conditions, salicylate is a valuable alternative to spin trapping techniques to probe the role of -OH in cardiac oxidative injury, particularly when applied to the isolated perfused heart preparation.     

Modulation byn-alkanols of rat cardiac adenylate cyclase activity

Summary n-Alkanols (from methanol to decanol) have a biphasic effect on rat cardiac adenylate cyclase either basal or stimulated by GTP, GppNHp, NaF or hormones (isoproterenol, glucagon, secretin) in the presence of GTP. At high concentration, all the enzyme activities are inhibited. At low concentration, adenylate cyclase activity is either unchanged or potentiated depending on both the stimulus and the alkanols involved. Potentiation is due to an increase of maximum velocity with no change in the activation constant of the enzyme. Basal activity is unchanged as well as the isoproterenol-and glucagon-stimulated enzyme. The secretin-stimulated enzyme is potentiated. It is the guanyl nucleotide regulatory protein-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase which is mainly affected. An attempt was made to relate these effects on adenylate cyclase with physical parameters of the alkanols (partition coefficient). From the data obtained as a function of the alkanol chain-length and of temperature on the adenylate cyclase stimulated by GTP, GppNHp, NaF and permanently activated, it is concluded that the increase in efficacy observed in the presence of alkanol is due to an interaction with the protein moeity particularly with the guanyl nucleotide regulatory protein.     

Cardiac‐specific overexpression of metallothionein attenuates L‐NAME‐induced myocardial contractile anomalies and apoptosis

Hypertension contributes to the high cardiac morbidity and mortality. Although oxidative stress plays an essential role in hypertensive heart diseases, the mechanism remains elusive. Transgenic mice with cardiac overexpression of metallothionein, a heavy metal‐binding scavenger, were challenged with N^G‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) for 14 days prior to measurement of myocardial contractile and intracellular Ca²⁺ anomalies as well as cell signalling mechanisms using Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. L‐NAME challenge elicited hypertension, macrophage infiltration, oxidative stress, inflammation and cardiac dysfunction manifested as increased proinflammatory macrophage marker F4/80, interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), intracellular production, LV end systolic and diastolic diameters as well as depressed fractional shortening. L‐NAME treatment reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), impaired cardiomyocyte contractile and intracellular Ca²⁺ properties as evidenced by suppressed peak shortening, maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening, rise in intracellular Ca²⁺, along with elevated baseline and peak intracellular Ca²⁺. These unfavourable mechanical changes and decreased MMP (except blood pressure and macrophage infiltration) were alleviated by overexpression of metallothionein. Furthermore, the apoptosis markers including BAD, Bax, Caspase 9, Caspase 12 and cleaved Caspase 3 were up‐regulated while the anti‐apoptotic marker Bcl‐2 was decreased by L‐NAME treatment. Metallothionein transgene reversed L‐NAME‐induced changes in Bax, Bcl‐2, BAD phosphorylation, Caspase 9, Caspase 12 and cleaved Caspase 3. Our results suggest that metallothionein protects against L‐NAME‐induced myocardial contractile anomalies in part through inhibition of apoptosis.