Precipitating and relieving factors of migraine versus tension type headache

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: To determine the differences of precipitating and relieving factors between migraine and tension type headache METHODS: This is a cross sectional study. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 250 migraine patients and 250 patients diagnosed as tension type headache from the specialized headache clinic in Dept. of Neurology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Data were collected through a predesigned questionnaire containing information on age, sex, social status and a predetermined list of precipitating and relieving factors. RESULTS: In this study, the female patients predominated (67%). Most of the patients were within 21--30 years age group (58.6%). About 58% of them belonged to middle class families. The common precipitating factors like stress, anxiety, activity, journey, reading, cold and warm were well distributed among both the migraine and tension type headache (TTH) patients. But significant difference was demonstrated for fatigue (p < 0.05), sleep deprivation (p < 0.05), sunlight (p < 0.01) and food (p < 0.05), which were common among migraineurs. In consideration of relieving factors of pain, different maneuvers were commonly tried by migraineurs and significant difference were observed for both analgesic drug and massage (p < 0.05), which relieved migraine headache. But maneuvers like sleep, rest and posture were used by both groups. CONCLUSION: The most frequent precipitating factors for headache appear to be identical for both migraine and TTH patients. Even though some factors like fatigue, sleep deprivation, sunlight and food significantly precipitate migraine and drug, massage are effective maneuver for relieving pain among migrianeurs.     

Optimization of Pre-transplantation Conditions to Enhance the Efficacy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered a potential tool for cell based regenerative therapy due to their immunomodulatory property, differentiation potentials, trophic activity as well as large donor pool. Poor engraftment and short term survival of transplanted MSCs are recognized as major limitations which were linked to early cellular ageing, loss of chemokine markers during ex vivo expansion, and hyper-immunogenicity to xeno-contaminated MSCs. These problems can be minimized by ex vivo expansion of MSCs in hypoxic culture condition using well defined or xeno-free media i.e., media supplemented with growth factors, human serum or platelet lysate. In addition to ex vivo expansion in hypoxic culture condition using well defined media, this review article describes the potentials of transient adaptation of expanded MSCs in autologous serum supplemented medium prior to transplantation for long term regenerative benefits. Such transient adaptation in autologous serum supplemented medium may help to increase chemokine receptor expression and tissue specific differentiation of ex vivo expanded MSCs, thus would provide long term regenerative benefits.     

Growth from Spores of Nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum in Heat-Treated Vegetable Juice

Unheated spores of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum were able to lead to growth in sterile deoxygenated turnip, spring green, helda bean, broccoli, or potato juice, although the probability of growth was low and the time to growth was longer than the time to growth in culture media. With all five vegetable juices tested, the probability of growth increased when spores were inoculated into the juice and then heated for 2 min in a water bath at 80°C. The probability of growth was greater in bean or broccoli juice than in culture media following 10 min of heat treatment in these media. Growth was prevented by heat treatment of spores in vegetable juices or culture media at 80°C for 100 min. We show for the first time that adding heat-treated vegetable juice to culture media can increase the number of heat-damaged spores of C. botulinum that can lead to colony formation.     

Blimp-1-Dependent IL-10 Production by Tr1 Cells Regulates TNF-Mediated Tissue Pathology

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is critical for controlling many intracellular infections, but can also contribute to inflammation. It can promote the destruction of important cell populations and trigger dramatic tissue remodeling following establishment of chronic disease. Therefore, a better understanding of TNF regulation is needed to allow pathogen control without causing or exacerbating disease. IL-10 is an important regulatory cytokine with broad activities, including the suppression of inflammation. IL-10 is produced by different immune cells; however, its regulation and function appears to be cell-specific and context-dependent. Recently, IL-10 produced by Th1 (Tr1) cells was shown to protect host tissues from inflammation induced following infection. Here, we identify a novel pathway of TNF regulation by IL-10 from Tr1 cells during parasitic infection. We report elevated Blimp-1 mRNA levels in CD4⁺ T cells from visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients, and demonstrate IL-12 was essential for Blimp-1 expression and Tr1 cell development in experimental VL. Critically, we show Blimp-1-dependent IL-10 production by Tr1 cells prevents tissue damage caused by IFNγ-dependent TNF production. Therefore, we identify Blimp-1-dependent IL-10 produced by Tr1 cells as a key regulator of TNF-mediated pathology and identify Tr1 cells as potential therapeutic tools to control inflammation.     

Emerging Role of Combination of All-trans Retinoic Acid and Interferon-gamma as Chemoimmunotherapy in the Management of Human Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is the most malignant and common type of brain tumor with devastating outcome. Because current treatment modalities are mostly ineffective in controlling and curing glioblastoma, new and innovative therapeutic strategies must be developed. This article describes recent advances in chemoimmunotherapy, which is combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, against glioblastoma. We provide an overview of available treatment options for glioblastomas, gaps in our knowledge of immune recognition of these malignant tumors, and chemotherapeutic and immunotherapeutic agents that need to be further explored for designing novel chemoimmunotherapeutic strategy for the management of human glioblastomas. Our recent study demonstrated that combination of the chemotherapeutic agent all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and the immunotherapeutic agent interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) could concurrently induce differentiation, apoptotic death, and immune components in two different human glioblastoma cell lines. We propose that combination of ATRA and IFN-γ can become an efficacious chemoimmunotherapy for the treatment of human glioblastoma. Special issue in honor of Naren Banik.     

Surface components of shigellae involved in adhesion and haemagglutination

Strains of Shigella species were studied for their ability to adhere and agglutinate mammalian erythrocytes. Shigella dysenteriae and Sh. flexneri exhibited haemagglutinating (HA) properties when cultured in Casamino Acids-Yeast Extract (CYE) broth in the presence of 1 mmol 1^-1 calcium chloride, but other shigellae did not show this property under the same culture conditions. Repeated subcultivation of Sh. boydii, Sh. sonnei and HA negative strains of Sh. dysenteriae and Sh. flexneri in CYE broth medium induced adhesive and haemagglutinating properties that were inhibited by sodium periodate. HA activities of Shigella spp. were also inhibited by N -acetylneuraminic acid, α₁-glycoprotein and fetuin, but not by protease. Electron microscopy of Sh. dysenteriae 1, Sh. flexneri 2a, Sh. boydii 12 and Sh. sonnei 1 grown in CYE broth showed the presence of an extracellular slime layer that promoted agglutination of erythrocytes. The slime layer extracted from the cell surface of Shigella spp. showed HA properties, whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS) obtained from the same strains, except Sh. dysenteriae 1, did not agglutinate erythrocytes. This evidence suggests that the cell surface haemagglutinin is a loosely bound slime layer which is expressed in CYE broth medium.     

Loss of irreversibility of granulocytic differentiation induced by dimethyl sulfoxide in HL-60 sublines with a homogeneously staining region.

The human HL-60 acute leukemia cell line harbors double minutes (dmins) during early passages. During its continuous culture for a long term, a single marker chromosome with a homogeneously staining region (HSR) replaces the dmins. The both structures harbor amplified c-MYC sequences. Here we ask how the cellular phenotype is altered by the c-MYC integration into a HSR. Treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide induces granulocytic differentiation in the both types of cells. In contrast to HL-60/dmin cells, however, no apoptosis followed differentiation and the differentiation phenotype was reverted upon withdrawal of the drug in HL-60/HSR cells. Terminal differentiation and loss of DNase I hypersensitivity sites at c-MYC P2 promoter appeared to be unlinked in the both types of cells. By comparison with HL-60/dmin cells, we conclude that the integration into a HSR of an extrachromosomal gene(s) but not c-MYC likely leads to the loss of irreversibility of the differentiation phenotype.     

In vitro study of alginate–chitosan microcapsules: an alternative to liver cell transplants for the treatment of liver failure

The application of alginate–chitosan (AC) microcapsules to liver cell transplantation has not been previously investigated. In the current in vitro study, we have investigated the potential of AC microcapsules for the encapsulation of liver cells and show that the AC membrane supports the survival, proliferation and protein secretion by entrapped hepatocytes. The AC membrane provides cell immuno-isolation and has the potential for cell cryopreservation. The AC microcapsule has several advantages compared to more widely used alginate–poly-L-lysine (APA) microcapsules for the application of cell therapy.     

Callus mediated shoot organogenesis and regeneration of cytologically stable plants of Ledebouria revoluta: An ethnomedicinal plant with promising antimicrobial potency

Ledebouria revoluta are important ethnomedicinal plant found in India and South Africa. Micropropagation via indirect shoot organogenesis had been established from three types of explant (i.e. scale leaf, leaf lamina and root) of L. revoluta. Scale leaf was found superior as compared to leaf lamina and root explant with respect to their organogenic callus induction potentiality. Murashige and Skoog (1962) [MS] media supplemented with 3.0?mg?L^?1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 0.75?mg?L^?1 β-naphthoxyacetic acid were best effective for inducing organogenic callus. Maximum 17.0?±?0.52 bulblets were induced from about 500?mg of callus within 42–46?days sub-culturing on a medium containing 0.75?mg?L^?1 kinetin. The bulblets were matured (86.7% success) after one month culture on the same medium composition. The best result of in vitro root induction with 100% response and 8.4?±?0.31 roots per bulb was achieved after 18?days of implantation on MS medium containing 2.0?mg?L^?1 indole-3-butyric acid. Plantlets were acclimatized with a 96.0% survival rate. Chromosomal studies revealed cytological stability of callus cells and all regenerants containing 2n?=?30 chromosomes, same as parental plants. Antimicrobial activity of L. revoluta was tested against two Gram-positive bacteria, three Gram-negative bacteria and two fungi. The methanol and ethanol extract proved more effective against bacteria, whereas acetone and chloroform extract shows potential anti-fungal activities. Present protocol can be applied reliably to produce uniform planting materials in large scale. In addition, this efficient indirect regeneration pathway via callus culture opens a way for improvement through genetic transformation.