The effect of inflammatory factors and their inhibitors on the hematopoietic stem cells fate

Inflammatory cytokines exert different effects on hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), lead to the development of various cell lineages in bone marrow (BM) and are thus a differentiation axis for HSCs. The content used in this article has been obtained by searching PubMed database and Google Scholar search engine of English-language articles (1995–2020) using “Hematopoietic stem cell,” “Inflammatory cytokine,” “Homeostasis,” and “Myelopoiesis.” Inflammatory cytokines are involved in the differentiation and proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors to compensate for cellular death due to inflammation. Since each of these cytokines differentiates HSCs into a specific cell line, the difference in the effect of these cytokines on the fate of HSC progenitors can be predicted. Inhibitors of these cytokines can also control the inflammatory process as well as the cells involved in leukemic conditions. In general, inflammatory signaling can specify the dominant cell line in BM to counteract inflammation and leukemic condition via stimulating or inhibiting hematopoietic progenitors. Therefore, detection of the effects of inflammatory cytokines on the differentiation of HSCs can be an appropriate approach to check inflammatory and leukemic conditions and the suppression of these cytokines by their inhibitors allows for control of homeostasis in stressful conditions.     

Massage and stretching reduce spinal reflex excitability without affecting twitch contractile properties

Both stretching and massage can increase range of motion. Whereas the stretching-induced increases in ROM have been attributed to changes in neural and muscle responses, there is no literature investigating the ROM mechanisms underlying the interaction of stretch and massage. The objective of this paper was to evaluate changes in neural and evoked muscle responses with two types of massage and static stretching. With this repeated measures design, 30 s of plantar flexors musculotendinous junction (MTJ) and tapotement (TAP) massage were implemented either with or without 1 min of concurrent stretching as well as a control condition. Measures included the soleus maximum H-reflex/M-wave (H/M) ratio, as well as electromechanical delay (EMD), and evoked contractile properties of the triceps surae. With the exception of EMD, massage and stretch did not significantly alter triceps surae evoked contractile properties. Massage with and without stretching decreased the soleus H/M ratio. Both TAP conditions provided greater H/M ratio depression than MTJ massage while the addition of stretch provided the greatest inhibition. Both massage types when combined with stretching increased the duration of the EMD. In conclusion, MTJ and TAP massage as well as stretching decreased spinal reflex excitability, with TAP providing the strongest suppression. While static stretching prolongs EMD, massage did not affect contractile properties.     

Tissue-Specific Expression and Mapping of theCox7ahGene in Mouse

We have isolated and examined the gene for the heart isoform of cytochromecoxidase subunit VIIa (COX VIIa-H) in mouse, an isoform gene previously thought to be lacking in rodents. Interspecies amino acid comparisons indicate that mouse COX VIIa-H protein displays 82.5 and 70.9% identity with the bovine and human heart isoforms of COX VIIa, but only 53.7% identity with the paralogous mouse liver isoform (COX VIIa-L). Expression in adult mouse tissues is limited to heart and skeletal muscle, as found in other species. In the early mouse embryo,Cox7alwas the exclusive isoform expressed andCox7ahmRNA was not detectable until day 17postcoitum.That the mouseCox7ahgene characterized in this study is orthologous to the humanCOX7AHgene was also suggested by its mapping to mouse chromosome 7, to a conserved region syntenic with the human chromosome location ofCOX7AH,19q13.1. As a result, all three COX heart isoform genes in mouse group to chromosome 7. Interestingly, mapping of the mouseCox7alto chromosome 9 suggests a new syntenic region between the mouse and the human genomes.     

High Connectivity in Rastrelliger kanagurta: Influence of Historical Signatures and Migratory Behaviour Inferred from mtDNA Cytochrome b

Phylogeographic patterns and population structure of the pelagic Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta were examined in 23 populations collected from the Indonesian-Malaysian Archipelago (IMA) and the West Indian Ocean (WIO). Despite the vast expanse of the IMA and neighbouring seas, no evidence for geographical structure was evident. An indication that R. kanagurta populations across this region are essentially panmictic. This study also revealed that historical isolation was insufficient for R. kanagurta to attain migration drift equilibrium. Two distinct subpopulations were detected between the WIO and the IMA (and adjacent populations); interpopulation genetic variation was high. A plausible explanation for the genetic differentiation observed between the IMA and WIO regions suggest historical isolation as a result of fluctuations in sea levels during the late Pleistocene. This occurrence resulted in the evolution of a phylogeographic break for this species to the north of the Andaman Sea.     

EEG Biofeedback for Treatment of Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) in Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Report

Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback - The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of EEG biofeedback for treatment of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in a...     

Amperometric detection of insulin at renewable sol-gel derived carbon ceramic electrode modified with nickel powder and potassium octacyanomolybdate(IV)

A renewable three-dimensional chemically modified carbon ceramic electrode (CCE) containing nickel powder and K4[Mo(CN)8] was constructed by sol-gel technique. The electrochemical properties and stability of modified electrode was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry in pH range 4-10. The redox couple of [Mo(CN)8] (4-/3-) was shown both as a solute in electrolyte solution and as a component of a carbon based conducting composite electrode. The apparent electron transfer rate constant (ks) and transfer coefficient (alpha) were determined by cyclic voltammetry and they were about 17.1 and 0.57 s(-1), respectively. The catalytic activity of the modified CCE toward insulin oxidation was investigated at pH range of 3-8 by cyclic votammetry. The modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity toward insulin electroxidation at physiological pH value. The modified electrode was used for insulin detection chronoamperometrically at pH 7. Under optimized condition in amperometry method, the concentration calibration range, detection limit and sensitivity were 0.5-500 nM, 0.45 nM and 6140 nA/microM, respectively. Flow injection amperometric determination of insulin at pH 7.4, at this modified electrode yielded a calibration curve with the following characteristics, linear dynamic range 100-500 pM; sensitivity 8.1 nA/nM and detection limit 40 pM (based on S/N = 3). The inherent stability at wide pH range, high sensitivity, low detection limit, low cost and ease of preparation are of advantageous of this insulin sensor. This sensor indicates great promise for monitory insulin in chromatographic effluents.     

Synthesis and characterization of some atypical sphingoid bases

Sphingolipids are ubiquitous and abundant components of all eukaryotic and some prokaryotic organisms. Sphingolipids show a large structural variety not only between the different species, but also within an individual cell. This variety is not limited to alterations in the polar headgroups of e.g. glycosphingolipids, but also affects the lipophilic anchors comprised of different fatty acids on the one hand and different sphingoid bases on the other hand. The structural variations within different sphingoid bases e.g. in pathogens can be used to identify novel biomarkers and drug targets and the specific change in the profile of common and uncommon sphingolipids are associated with pathological conditions like diabetes or cancer. Therefore, the emerging field of sphingolipidomics is dedicated to collect data on the sphingolipidome of a cell and hence to assign changes therein to certain states of a cell or to pathological conditions. This powerful tool however is still limited by the availability of structural information about the individual lipid species as well as by the availability of appropriate internal standards for quantification. Herein we describe the synthesis of a variety of 1-deoxy-sphingoid bases. 1-DeoxySphingolipids have recently acquired significant attention due to its pathological role in the rare inherited neuropathy, HSAN1 but also as predictive biomarkers in diabetes type II. Some of the compounds synthesized and characterized herein, have been used and will be used to elucidate the correct structure of these disease-related lipids and their metabolites.     

Immunopathological Changes in the Brain of Immunosuppressed Mice Experimentally Infected with Toxocara canis

Toxocariasis is a soil-transmitted helminthozoonosis due to infection of humans by larvae of Toxocara canis. The disease could produce cognitive and behavioral disturbances especially in children. Meanwhile, in our modern era, the incidence of immunosuppression has been progressively increasing due to increased incidence of malignancy as well as increased use of immunosuppressive agents. The present study aimed at comparing some of the pathological and immunological alterations in the brain of normal and immunosuppressed mice experimentally infected with T. canis. Therefore, 180 Swiss albino mice were divided into 4 groups including normal (control) group, immunocompetent T. canis-infected group, immunosuppressed group (control), and immunosuppressed infected group. Infected mice were subjected to larval counts in the brain, and the brains from all mice were assessed for histopathological changes, astrogliosis, and IL-5 mRNA expression levels in brain tissues. The results showed that under immunosuppression, there were significant increase in brain larval counts, significant enhancement of reactive gliosis, and significant reduction in IL-5 mRNA expression. All these changes were maximal in the chronic stage of infection. In conclusion, the immunopathological alterations in the brains of infected animals were progressive over time, and were exaggerated under the effect of immunosuppression as did the intensity of cerebral infection.     

Structure-activity study of phosphoramido acid esters as acetylcholinesterasf inhibitors

Phosphoramido acid esters (CH₃)₂NP(O)X(p-OC₆H₄-CH₃) (containing P-Cl (1), P-O (2), P-F (3), P-CN (5), and P-N (4,6) bonds, X for 2, 4 and 6 is OCH₃, (C₂H₅)₂N and morpholin) have been synthesized to investigate the structure-activity study of AChE enzyme inhibition, through the parameters logP, δ³¹P and IC₅₀. After their characterization by ³¹P, ³¹P{¹H}, ¹³C, ¹H NMR, IR and mass spectroscopy, the parameters logP and δ³¹P (³¹P chemical shift in NMR) were used to evaluated the lipophilicity and electronical properties. The ability of compounds to inhibit human AChE was predicted by PASS software (version 1.193), and experimentally evaluated by a modified Ellman's assay.