Growth performance,haematological assessment and chemical composition of Nile tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) fed different levels of Aloe vera extract as feed additives in a closed aquaculture system

A 105-day experimental trial was conducted to assess different levels of dietary Aleo vera extract supplementation on water quality parameters, proximate composition, growth performance and haematological parameters of fry Oreochromis niloticus. Four different percentages of dietary leaf extract powder of Aleo vera (ALE) with a basal feed, designated as, i.e., T0 (Control group; without ALE), T1 (1% ALE), T2 (2% ALE), and T3 (3% ALE). Fish fry was reared in concrete tanks (7.0 m, 1.6 m, 1.0: L, W, H; water volume 11.2 m3/tank), with an average initial weight 4.04 ± 0.03 g/ fry, and each treatment was triplicated. Fry was randomly distributed at a stocking rate of 450 individuals/ tanks. The water quality parameters revealed that temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO) and nitrates were found in a promising range as given by FAO/WHO limits. However, the record values obtained for Electric Conductivity (EC), Total dissolved solids (TDS), and alkalinities were not found in all tanks' suitable range according to FAO/WHO limits. The results revealed a significant impact of different percentages of dietary ALE supplementation on fry's body composition and haematological parameters. Moreover, the final body weight, final body length, average daily weight gain (g), net weight gain (g) and specific growth rate (%) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in T1 and T2 compared with T0 and T3 treatments. The poorest feed conversion ratio was recorded in the T2 group compared with other treatments. Thus, the current study provides information about the nutritional quality of Nile tilapia culturing in Pakistan.     

Effects of dietary β-glucan and rice fermented on growth performance,fatty acids,and Newcastle disease immune response in turkey broilers

Poultry production has been developing in Vietnam with challenges of disease. Thus, feed additive should be investigated not only growth but also health enhancement. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae-fermented rice (FR) and β-glucan on turkey’s growth performance, carcass characteristics, immune and fatty acid (FA) profiles. A total of 180 turkey chicks aged 1–56 days were randomly assigned to five sextuplicate groups and the birds had ad libitum feed and water access throughout the experiment. The five treatment groups were given the same diet with different proportions of FR and β-glucan. Broilers supplemented with 4% β-glucan and 4% FR presented the highest and second-highest growth performance, respectively. The 4% β-glucan and 4% FR treatments resulted in the highest carcass characteristic values without significantly affecting the breast or thigh meat pH or cooking loss. The 4% β-glucan and 4% FR treatments maximally increased the Newcastle disease (ND) antibody titers at 28, 42 and 56 days, respectively as well as thymus organ index. The foregoing treatments did not significantly affect the blood profiles relative to the control. However, the 4% FR treatment lowered the blood cholesterol levels (p > 0.05). The total FA profiles did not significantly differ among treatments. Nevertheless, both the β-glucan and FR treatments increased the MUFA levels compared to that of the control (p > 0.05). Hence, the dietary administration of 4% β-glucan and FR to turkey broilers could effectively improve their growth performance and immunity.     

Sterubin protects against chemically-induced Alzheimer’s disease by reducing biomarkers of inflammation- IL-6/ IL-β/ TNF-α and oxidative stress- SOD/MDA in rats

Sterubin, a flavanone is an active chemical compound that possesses neuroprotective activity. The current investigation was intended to assess the sterubin effect in scopolamine-activated Alzheimer's disease. The rats were induced with scopolamine (1.5 mg/kg) followed by treatment with sterubin (10 mg/kg) for 14 days. Behavioural analysis was predictable by the Y-maze test and Morris water test. Biochemical variables like nitric oxide acetylcholinesterase, Choline acetyltransferase, antioxidant markers like superoxide dismutase, glutathione transferase, malondialdehyde, catalase, and myeloperoxidase activity, neuroinflammatory markers such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, nuclear factor kappa B, interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL-1β), and IL-6 were measured. The result stated that sterubin reversed the oxidative stress parameters, increased motor performance, and lowered the inflammatory markers in scopolamine-induced rats. The study demonstrated that sterubin possesses neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties which can be used as a beneficial medication in AD.     

Subacute toxic effects of silver nanoparticles oral administration and withdrawal on the structure and function of adult Albino Rats’ hepatic tissue

Products containing Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are becoming vastly used in our daily life. The widespread increased introduction of Ag NPs in many aspects of life has raised researchers' concerns regarding their safety and toxicity for biological and environmental life in the past few years. The current study aimed to explore the subsequent effects of Ag NPs withdrawal, following short-term oral administration. Eighteen rats were assigned randomly into three groups (control group "1" and AG NPs treated groups "2" and "3"; 6 animals each). The control group received normal food and tap water while groups 2 & 3 received 0.5 ml of a solution containing 25 ppm Ag NPs for 14 days. Group 2 rats were sacrificed on day 14 whereas group 3 was left for another 14 days of particle cessation followed by euthanasia on day 28. Functional assessment was done by liver enzyme assays, hydrogen peroxide activity, hepatic Bdnf expression, and P53 immunoreactivity. Hepatic tissue structural assessment was done via hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff as well as Masson's trichrome stains. The results revealed a significant elevation of Hydrogen peroxide in group 2 only compared to the control group. Hepatic Bdnf and liver enzymes were both insignificantly affected. Structural abnormalities and enhanced apoptosis in hepatic tissue were found 14 days after ceasing the nanoparticles. In conclusion: Structural and functional insults following Ag NPs oral administration continues after particle withdrawal, and interestingly they do not necessitate apparent reflection on liver enzyme assays.     

Impact of iterative reconstructions on image quality and detectability of focal liver lesions in low-energy monochromatic images

PurposeTo assess the impact of iterative reconstructions on image quality and detectability of focal liver lesions in low-energy monochromatic images from a Fast kV-Switching Dual Energy CT (KVSCT) platform.MethodsAcquisitions on an image-quality phantom were performed using a KVSCT for three dose levels (CTDI_vol:12.72/10.76/8.79 mGy). Raw data were reconstructed for five energy levels (40/50/60/70/80 keV) using Filtered Back Projection (FBP) and four levels of ASIR (ASIR30/ASIR50/ASIR70/ASIR100). Noise power spectrum (NPS) and task-based transfer function (TTF) were measured before computing a Detectability index (d′) to model the detection task of liver metastasis (LM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as function of keV.ResultsFrom 40 to 70 keV, noise-magnitude was reduced on average by −68% ± 1% with FBP; −61% ± 3% with ASIR50 and −52% ± 6% with ASIR100. The mean spatial frequency of the NPS decreased when the energy level decreased and the iterative level increased. TTF values at 50% decreased as the energy level increased and as the percentage of ASIR increased. The detectability of both lesions increased with increasing dose level and percentage of ASIR. For the LM, d′ peaked at 70 keV for all reconstruction types, except for ASIR70 at 12.72 mGy and ASIR100, where d' peaked at 50 keV. For HCC, d’ peaked at 60 keV for FBP and ASIR30 but peaked at 50 keV for ASIR50, ASIR70 and ASIR100.ConclusionsUsing percentage of ASIR above 50% at low-energy monochromatic images could limit the increase of noise-magnitude, benefit from spatial resolution improvement and hence enhance detectability of subtle low contrast focal liver lesions such as HCC.     

Effects of gingerols-rich extract of ginger on growth performance,serum metabolites,meat quality and antioxidant activity of heat-stressed broilers

In order to investigate the effects of dietary ginger extract (GE) enriched in gingerols on broilers under heat stress (HS) from 21 to 42 days of age, a total of 144 Ross 308 male broilers were randomly allocated to three groups with six replicates of eight broilers per replicate. Broilers in the control group were raised at 22 °C and fed a basal diet, and broilers in the other two groups were raised under cyclic HS (34 °C from 9:00 to 17:00 and at 22 °C for the rest of the time) and fed the basal diet with or without 1000 mg/kg GE. Supplementation of GE improved (P < 0.05) final body weight, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of broilers under HS, and tended (P < 0.1) to increase breast muscle yield. The alterations of serum total protein, albumin, total cholesterol levels and aspartate aminotransferase activity under HS were reversed (P < 0.05) by GE, which also decreased (P < 0.05) serum triglyceride level and alanine aminotransferase activity. The decreased redness (a* value) and increased drip loss of breast muscle induced by HS were restored (P < 0.05) by GE. Moreover, GE supplementation increased (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity and decreased (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde content in liver and breast muscle, and increased (P < 0.05) glutathione peroxidase activity in serum and breast muscle. In conclusion, dietary GE supplementation restored growth performance, serum metabolites and meat quality of broilers under HS possibly by improving antioxidant activity.     

Relationship between hepatic and mitochondrial ceramides: a novel in vivo method to track ceramide synthesis

Ceramides (CERs) are key intermediate sphingolipids implicated in contributing to mitochondrial dysfunction and the development of multiple metabolic conditions. Despite the growing evidence of CER role in disease risk, kinetic methods to measure CER turnover are lacking, particularly using in vivo models. The utility of orally administered ¹³C₃, ¹⁵N l-serine, dissolved in drinking water, was tested to quantify CER 18:1/16:0 synthesis in 10-week-old male and female C57Bl/6 mice. To generate isotopic labeling curves, animals consumed either a control diet or high-fat diet (HFD; n = 24/diet) for 2 weeks and varied in the duration of the consumption of serine-labeled water (0, 1, 2, 4, 7, or 12 days; n = 4 animals/day/diet). Unlabeled and labeled hepatic and mitochondrial CERs were quantified using liquid chromatography tandem MS. Total hepatic CER content did not differ between the two diet groups, whereas total mitochondrial CERs increased with HFD feeding (60%, P < 0.001). Within hepatic and mitochondrial pools, HFD induced greater saturated CER concentrations (P < 0.05) and significantly elevated absolute turnover of 16:0 mitochondrial CER (mitochondria: 59%, P < 0.001 vs. liver: 15%, P = 0.256). The data suggest cellular redistribution of CERs because of the HFD. These data demonstrate that a 2-week HFD alters the turnover and content of mitochondrial CERs. Given the growing data on CERs contributing to hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction and the progression of multiple metabolic diseases, this method may now be used to investigate how CER turnover is altered in these conditions.     

Bone Mineral Density of the 1/3 Radius Refines Osteoporosis Diagnosis,Correlates With Prevalent Fractures,and Enhances Fracture Risk Estimates

ObjectiveTo investigate the added value of 1/3 radius (1/3R) for the diagnosis of osteoporosis by spine and hip sites and its correlation with prevalent fractures and predicted fracture risk.MethodsFracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) scores for hip and major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) with/without trabecular bone score were considered proxy for fracture risk. The contribution of 1/3R to risk prediction was depicted via linear regression models with FRAX score as the dependent variable—first only with central and then with radius T-score as an additional covariate. Significance of change in the explained variance was compared by F-test.ResultsThe study included 1453 patients, 86% women, aged 66 ± 10 years. A total of 32% (n = 471) were osteoporotic by spine/hip and 8% (n = 115) by radius only, constituting a 24.4% increase in the number of subjects defined as osteoporotic (n = 586, 40%). Prior fracture prevalence was similar among patients with osteoporosis by spine/hip (17.4%) and radius only (19.1%) (P = .77).FRAX prediction by a regression model using spine/hip T-score yielded explained variance of 51.8% and 49.9% for MOF and 39.8% and 36.4% for hip (with/without trabecular bone score adjustment, respectively). The contribution of 1/3R was statistically significant (P < .001) and slightly increased the explained variance to 52.3% and 50.4% for MOF and 40.9% and 37.4% for hip, respectively.ConclusionReclassification of BMD results according to radius measurements results in higher diagnostic output. Prior fractures were equally prevalent among patients with radius-only and classic-site osteoporosis. FRAX tool performance slightly improved by incorporating radius BMD. Whether this approach may lead to a better fracture prediction warrants further prospective evaluation.     

A Complex Connection Between the Diversity of Human Gastric Mucin O-Glycans,Helicobacter pylori Binding,Helicobacter Infection and Fucosylation

Helicobacter pylori colonizes the stomach of half of the human population. Most H. pylori are located in the mucus layer, which is mainly comprised by glycosylated mucins. Using mass spectrometry, we identified 631 glycans (whereof 145 were fully characterized and the remainder assigned as compositions) on mucins isolated from 14 Helicobacter spp.-infected and 14 Helicobacter spp.-noninfected stomachs. Only six identified glycans were common to all individuals, from a total of 60 to 189 glycans in each individual. An increased number of unique glycan structures together with an increased intraindividual diversity and larger interindividual variation were identified among O-glycans from Helicobacter spp.-infected stomachs compared with noninfected stomachs. H. pylori strain J99, which carries the blood group antigen–binding adhesin (BabA), the sialic acid–binding adhesin (SabA), and the LacdiNAc-binding adhesin, bound both to Lewis b (Leb)-positive and Leb-negative mucins. Among Leb-positive mucins, H. pylori J99 binding was higher to mucins from Helicobacter spp.-infected individuals than noninfected individuals. Statistical correlation analysis, binding experiments with J99 wt, and J99ΔbabAΔsabA and inhibition experiments using synthetic glycoconjugates demonstrated that the differences in H. pylori-binding ability among these four groups were governed by BabA-dependent binding to fucosylated structures. LacdiNAc levels were lower in mucins that bound to J99 lacking BabA and SabA than in mucins that did not, suggesting that LacdiNAc did not significantly contribute to the binding. We identified 24 O-glycans from Leb-negative mucins that correlated well with H. pylori binding whereof 23 contained α1,2-linked fucosylation. The large and diverse gastric glycan library identified, including structures that correlated with H. pylori binding, could be used to select glycodeterminants to experimentally investigate further for their importance in host–pathogen interactions and as candidates to develop glycan-based therapies.     

Dosimetric and radiobiological comparison in head-and-neck radiotherapy using JO-IMRT and 3D-CRT

IntroductionDosimetric and radiobiological evaluations for the Jaws-only Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (JO-IMRT) technique for head and neck jaws-only intensity-modulated radiation therapy (JO-IMRT) and 3D conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT). To compare the head-and-neck therapeutic approaches utilizing JO-IMRT and 3D-CRT techniques, different radiation dose indices were calculated, including: conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), and radiobiological variables like Niemierko's equivalent uniform dose based tumor control probability (TCP) of planning target volume (PTV), normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of organs at risk (OAR) (brainstem, spinal cord, and parotid grand).Materials and methodsTwenty-five nasopharynx patients were studied using the Prowess Panther Treatment Planning System (Prowess Inc). The results were compared with the dose distribution obtained using 3D-CRT.ResultsRegarding tumor coverage and CI, JO-IMRT showed better results than 3D-CRT. The average doses received by the PTVs were quite similar: 72.1 ± 0.8 Gy by 3D-CRT and 72.5 ± 0.6 Gy by JO-IMRT plans (p > 0.05). The mean doses received by the parotid gland were 56.7 ± 0.7 Gy by 3D-CRT and 26.8 ± 0.3 Gy by JO-IMRT (p > 0.05). The HI and CI were 0.13 ± 0.01 and 0.14 ± 0.05 and (p > 0.05) by 3D-CRT and 0.83 ± 0.05 and 0.73 ± 0.10 by JO-IMRT (p < 0.05). The average TCP of PTV was 0.82 ± 0.08 by 3D-CRT and 0.92 ± 0.02 by JO-IMRT. Moreover, the NTCP of the parotid glands, brain stem, and spinal cord were lower using the JO-IMRT than 3D-CRT plans. In comparison to the 3D-CRT approach, the JO-IMRT technique was able to boost dose coverage to the PTV, improve the target's CI and HI, and spare the parotid glands. This suggests the power of the JO-IMRT over 3D-CRT in head-and-neck radiotherapy.     

Thunbergia laurifolia leaf extract partially recovers lead-induced renotoxicity through modulating the cell signaling pathways

This research investigated the reno-protective effect of Thunbergia laurifolia Linn. (TL) in a lead-induced toxicity test through the modulation of cell signaling pathways. The study carried out to evaluate the effect of TL leaf extracts in Swiss Albino mice exposed to lead acetate (PbAc). Prior to in vivo study, a probable kidney-protective effect of the plant leaf extract was presumed through an activity-specific (PASS) molecular docking analysis. In animal model study, albino mice were divided in seven groups and co-treated with PbAc and TL (100, 200 mg/kgBW) or vitamin E (100 mg/kgBW) for 38 days, whereas the untreated control, TL control, and vehicle control groups received sodium acetate, PbAc, sodium acetate plus mineral oil, respectively. At the end of treatment, blood and kidney tissue were collected for investigating Pb concentration, estimating biochemical profile, evaluating oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters. The histopathological change of kidney along with apoptosis was assessed from kidney sections using H & E staining and TUNEL assay. Pb-exposed mice were found to be increased concentration of Pb in the blood and kidney sample, which further led to increased MDA levels in the plasma, blood, and tissue. Followed by kidney damage, increased expression of TNF-α, iNOS, and COX-2 in kidney tissues were noticed, which were related to elevated TNF-α in the systemic circulation of Pb-treated mice. Co-treatment with TL or vitamin E significantly reduced altered structure and apoptosis of kidney tissues. Downregulation of inflammatory markers especially TNF-α, iNOS, and COX-2 with simultaneous improvement of renal function through reduced plasma BUN and creatinine levels demonstrate that TL act as a potential dietary supplement to detoxify Pb in kidney showing an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect.     

A Conservative Point Mutation in a Dynamic Antigen-binding Loop of Human Immunoglobulin λ6 Light Chain Promotes Pathologic Amyloid Formation

Immunoglobulin light chain (LC) amyloidosis (AL) is a life-threatening human disease wherein free mono-clonal LCs deposit in vital organs. To determine what makes some LCs amyloidogenic, we explored patient-based amyloidogenic and non-amyloidogenic recombinant LCs from the λ6 subtype prevalent in AL. Hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, structural stability, proteolysis, and amyloid growth studies revealed that the antigen-binding CDR1 loop is the least protected part in the variable domain of λ6 LC, particularly in the AL variant. N32T substitution in CRD1 is identified as a driver of amyloid formation. Substitution N32T increased the amyloidogenic propensity of CDR1 loop, decreased its protection in the native structure, and accelerated amyloid growth in the context of other AL substitutions. The destabilizing effects of N32T propagated across the molecule increasing its dynamics in regions ∼30 Å away from the substitution site. Such striking long-range effects of a conservative point substitution in a dynamic surface loop may be relevant to Ig function. Comparison of patient-derived and engineered proteins showed that N32T interactions with other substitution sites must contribute to amyloidosis. The results suggest that CDR1 is critical in amyloid formation by other λ6 LCs.     

Partial substitution of organic nitrogen with synthetic nitrogen enhances rice yield,grain starch metabolism and related genes expression under the dual cropping system

Improving grain filling in the presernt farming systems is crucial where grain filling is a concern due to the extreme use of chemical fertilizers (CF). A field experiment was conducted at the experimental station of Guangxi University, China in 2019 to test the hypothesis that cattle manure (CM) and poultry manure (PM) combined with CF could improve rice grain filling rate, yield, biochemical and qualitative attributes. A total of six treatments, i.e., no fertilizer (T₁), 100% CF (T₂), 60% CM + 40% CF (T₃), 30% CM + 70% CF (T₄), 60% PM + 40% CF (T₅), and 30% PM + 70% CF (T₆) were used in this study. Results showed that the combined treatment T₆increased starch metabolizing enzymes activity (SMEs), such as ADP-glucose phosphorylase (ADGPase) by 8 and 12%, soluble starch synthase (SSS) by 7 and 10%, granule bound starch synthesis (GBSS) by 7 and 9%, and starch branching enzyme (SBE) by 14 and 21% in the early and late seasons, respectively, compared with T₂. Similarly, higher rice grain yield, grain filling rate, starch, and amylose content were also recorded in combined treatments. In terms of seasons, higher activity of SMEs , grain starch, and amylose content was noted in the late-season compared to the early season. The increment in these traits was mainly attributed to a lower temperature in the late season during the grain filling period. Furthermore, our results suggested that an increment in starch accumulation and grain filling rate were mainly associated with the enhanced sink capacity by regulating key enzyme activities involved in Suc-to-starch conversion. In-addition, RT-qPCR analysis showed higher expression levels of AGPS2b, SSS1, GBSS1, and GBSE11b genes, which resultantly increased the activities of SMEs during the grain filling period under combined treatments. Linear regression analysis revealed that the activity of ADGPase, SSS, GBSS, and SBE were highly positively correlated with starch and amylose accumulation. Thus, we concluded that a combination of 30% N from PM or CM with 70% N from CF is a promising option in terms of improving rice grain yield and quality. Our study provides a sustainable fertilizer management strategy to enhance rice grain yield and quality at the lowest environmental cost.     

Silicon application induces changes C:N:P stoichiometry and enhances stoichiometric homeostasis of sorghum and sunflower plants under salt stress

Beneficial effects of silicon (Si) on growth have been observed in some plant species, reportedly due to stoichiometric changes of C, N, and P. However, little is known about the effects on the stoichiometric relationships between C, N, and P when silicon is supplied via different modes in sorghum and sunflower plants under salt stress conditions. Therefore, the current study was performed to investigate the impact of differing modes of Si supply on shoot biomass production and C:N:P stoichiometry in sorghum and sunflower plants under salt stress. Two experiments were performed in a glass greenhouse using the strong Si-accumulator plant sorghum, as well as the intermediate type Si-accumulator sunflower, both of which were grown in pots filled with washed sand. Plant species were cultivated for 30 days in the absence or presence of salt stress (0 or 100 mM) and supplemented with one of four Si treatments: control plants (without Si), 28.6 mmol Si L⁻¹ via foliar application, 2.0 mmol Si L⁻¹ via nutrient solution, and combined application of foliar and nutrient solution, each group with five replications. The results revealed that supplied Si modified the C, N, and P concentrations, thereby enhancing the C:N:P stoichiometry and shoot dry matter of sorghum and sunflower plants under salt stress. Both application of Si via nutrient solution, as well as combined application via foliar and nutrient solution, increased the C:N ratio in both plant species under salt stress, but in sorghum plants decreased the C:P and N:P ratios and increased the shoot biomass production by 39%, while in sunflower plants increased the C:P and N:P ratios and increased the shoot biomass production by 24%. Our findings suggest that salt stress alleviation by Si impacts C:N:P stoichiometric relationships in a variable manner depending on the ability of the species to accumulate Si, as well as the route of Si administration.     

High temperature acclimation alters upper thermal limits and growth performance of Indian major carp,rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822)

Increase in water temperature due to anthropogenic and climatic changes is expected to affect physiological functions of fish. In this study, we determined high temperature tolerance (CTmax) of a common aquacultured Indian major carp, rohu, Labeo rohita fingerlings (15.96 ± 0.72 g BW, 11.56 ± 0.42 cm TL) followed by acclimatization at three temperatures (30, 33, 36 °C). To determine the CTmax, we analyzed the major hemato-biochemical indices - hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), blood glucose levels, and erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENAs) and erythrocytic cellular abnormalities (ECAs) of peripheral erythrocytes in the fish sampled at the start and end point at each acclimated temperature. Significantly decreased CTmax of the fish was found at 36 °C compared to 30 °C and 33 °C. The fish in the highest (36 °C) temperature were found with significantly lower Hb and RBC content and significantly higher WBC and blood glucose levels than that of the fishes in the lowest (30 °C) temperature both at the start and end points. The highest frequencies of ENAs and ECAs were found in the highest (36 °C) temperature group compared to the lowest (30 °C) temperature group at both the points. We also evaluated growth performance of the rohu fingerlings reared in the three temperatures for 60 days. The growth parameters - final weight gain, percent weight gain and specific growth rate were the highest at 33 °C and the lowest at 36 °C. The present study revealed that the highest temperature (36 °C) tested here may be hazardous to rohu and the temperature should be kept below 36 °C in the aquaculture setting to avoid physiological damage and growth and production loss to the fish.     

Edible bird’s nest protects histomorphology of rat’s uterus against cadmium (Cd) toxicity through a reduction of Cd deposition and enhanced antioxidant activity

Cadmium (Cd) is often associated with reproductive disorders of mammals. Edible bird’s nest (EBN) is a natural food product made of swiftlet's salivary secretion used to make their nests and it has been consumed as a tonic food for decades. This research aimed to study the protective effects of EBN against Cd-induced uterine toxicity in Sprague Dawley rats. Thirty (30) female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned into five groups as follows: group 1- negative control (NC) received distilled water; group 2 - positive control (PC) administered with CdCl₂, 5 mg/kg BW; while groups EBN-1, EBN-2, and EBN-3 received CdCl₂ (5 mg/kg BW) plus graded concentrations of 60, 90 and 120 mg/kg BW of EBN, respectively. After four weeks of daily oral treatment, rats were euthanized to collect the uterus for evluations of histopathological changes, Cd concentrations and Metallothionein (MT) expressions using H&E stain, inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Blood samples were collected for superoxide dismutase (SOD) analysis using SOD assay kit. Results revealed that the CdCl₂ without EBN supplement (PC) group had elevated levels of Cd in the uterus along with increased MT expressions and decreased SOD enzyme activity as compared to the NC group. Moreover, uterine histopathological changes, including glandular cysts and loss of normal structure of luminal epithelium (LE) and glandular epithelium (GE) were found in the PC group. Interestingly, groups treated with CdCl₂ along with EBN (EBN1, EBN2, EBN3) showed lower levels of uterine tissue Cd deposition and MT expression, lower degenerative changes with normal histomorphology of glands, and increased SOD activity as compared to the PC group. Overall, the findings revealed that oral exposure to Cd at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW resulted in significant alterations in the rat's uterus. However, the toxicity effect was averted by EBN treatment in a dose dependant manner; highest protection achieved with EBN 120 mg/kg BW, through a possible detoxification mechanism and prevention of Cd deposition.     

Post-COVID-19 effect on biochemical parameters in children: Should we take heed?

The aim of this research is to analyze the potential impact of the COVID-19 infection on the serum biochemical concentration of children 6 months after recovery from the infection.The study included 72 children with a median age of 11 years. The case group consisted of 37 children who had contracted COVID-19 6 months prior to the analysis. They reported no other pre- or post-covid chronic or systemic diseases. The control group consisted of 35 children who had no prior record of COVID-19 infection.The analysis showed a substantial variation (P = 0.026) in the mean urea values (mmol/L) between the case group (4.513 ± 0.839) and the control group (5.425 ± 1.173). However, both groups' urea levels were within the normal range of their age group. No statistical differences were found analyzing the variations between the two groups in the levels of LDH, AST, ALT, BiliT, GGT, AlbBCG2, CRP, CK, AlKP, UA, Phos, Crea2, Gluc, Ca, Na, K, Cl, TP, TC, TG, and HDL (P > 0.05). The DMFT score was substantially greater (P < 0.002) in the infected team (5.38 ± 2.841) in comparison to the non-infected group (2.6 ± 2.257).The study indicates that COVID-19 infection does not leave biochemical alterations among children who did not have pre-existing conditions. The biochemical analysis suggests that children recover better than adults from COVID-19. Furthermore, it calls for investigating non-lethal COVID-19 infection as a tool to discover underlying conditions. The DMFT score shows a correlation between COVID-19 infection and caries. However, the nature of the correlation is yet to be investigated.     

Optimization of growing conditions for pigments production from microalga Navicula incerta using response surface methodology and its antioxidant capacity

Navicula incerta is a marine microalga distributed in Baja California, México, commonly used in aquaculture nutrition, and has been extended to human food, biomedical, and pharmaceutical industries due to its high biological activity. Therefore, the study aimed to optimize culture conditions to produce antioxidant pigments. A central composite experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to analyze the best culture conditions. The medium (nitrogen-deficient concentrations), salinity (PSU = Practical Salinity Unity [g/kg]), age of culture (days), and solvent extraction (ethanol, methanol, and acetone) were the factors used for the experiment. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) and total carotenoids (T-Car), determined spectroscopically, were used as the response variables. The antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH^? and ABTS^?+ radical inhibition, FRAP, and anti-hemolytic activity. According to the overlay plots, the optimum growth conditions for Chl a and T-Car production were the following conditions: medium = 0.44 mol·L^-1 of NaNO₃, salinity = 40 PSU, age of culture: 3.5 days, and solvent = methanol. The pigment extracts obtained in these optimized conditions had high antioxidant activity in ABTS^?+ (86.2–92.1% of inhibition) and anti-hemolytic activity (81.8–96.7% of hemolysis inhibition). Low inhibition (33–35%) was observed in DPPH^?. The highest value of FRAP (766.03 ± 16.62 μmol TE/g) was observed in the acetonic extract. The results demonstrated that RSM could obtain an extract with high antioxidant capacity with potential applications in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industry, which encourages the use of natural resources for chemoprevention of chronic-degenerative pathologies.     

Efficacy of choline and DHA supplements or enriched environment exposure during early adult obesity in mitigating its adverse impact through aging in rats

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of choline and DHA or exposure to environmental enrichment in obese adult and aging rats on alterations in body mass index, serum lipid profile and arterial wall changes, despite stopping high fat diet consumption and interventions during adulthood.Methods21 day old male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned as Experiment-1 & 2 - PND rats were divided into 4 groups with interventions for 7 months (n = 8/group). NC– Normal control fed normal chow diet; OB- Obese group, fed high fat diet; OB + CHO + DHA- fed high fat diet and oral supplementation of choline, DHA. OB + EE- fed high fat diet along with exposure to enriched environment .Experiment-2 had similar groups and interventions as experiment 1 but for next 5 months were fed normal chow diet without any interventions. Body mass index was assessed and blood was analyzed for serum lipid profile. Common Carotid Artery (CCA) was processed for Haematoxylin and eosin, Verhoff Vangeison stains. Images of tissue sections were analyzed and quantified using image J and tissue quant software.ResultsIn experiment.1, mean body mass index (p < 0.001), serum lipid profile (p < 0.01), thickness of tunica intima (p < 0.05), tunica media (p < 0.01) and percentage of collagen fibers (p < 0.01) of CCA were significantly increased in OB compared to NC. These were significantly attenuated in OB + CHO + DHA and OB + EE compared to OB. In experiment.2, mean body mass index (p < 0.01), serum lipid profile (p < 0.05) and thickness of tunica media of CCA (p < 0.01) were significantly increased in OB compared to NC. In OB + CHO + DHA and OB + EE, significant attenuation was observed in mean body mass index and mean thickness of tunica media compared to same in OB.ConclusionAdult obesity has negative impact on body mass index, serum lipid profile and arterial wall structure that persists through aging. Supplementation of choline and DHA or exposure to enriched environment during obesity attenuates these negative impacts through aging.     

Antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of two extracts from Capparis spinosa L. and Rumex nervosus and molecular docking investigation of selected major compounds

The present study examined the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, antimicrobial properties, and molecular docking of different solvents extracts (methanol and water) of two medicinal plants, namely, Capparis spinosa L (CS) and Rumex nervosus (RN). Phytochemical analysis showed that total phenol, flavonoids, alkaloids, and vitamin C were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in the methanolic extract of both plants than in other solvents. However, tannin content was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) high in the water extract for both plants. Chloroform and acetone extracts were significantly lower in phytochemicals than other solvents, therefore excluded in this study. GC–MS analysis showed one dominant compound in CS (isopropyl isothiocyanate) and two in RN (pyrogallol and palmitic acid). The antioxidant methods applied (DPPH, ABTS, β-Carotene/linoleic acid assay, and reducing the power) showed that the methanolic extract of CS exerted higher activity in methanolic extract but lower than that of BHA standard. The methanolic extract of both plants inhibited the bacterial pathogens when a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method was applied, compared to water extract with RN-methanolic extract had a lower inhibition concentration than CS-methanolic extract. The molecular interactions study revealed that the palmitic acid and pyrogallol interacted with the receptors' active site. This work concluded that CS and RN showed a remarkable antioxidant and antibacterial effect with the high antimicrobial activity of RN extract.