Clavulanic Acid Attenuating Effect on the Diabetic Neuropathic Pain in Rats

Neurochemical Research - Diabetic neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus. Excess glutamate release and oxidative stress are hypothesized to be involved in the...     

Brush cytology of gastric malignancies

OBJECTIVE: To compare endoscopic biopsy and cytology versus biopsy alone in the diagnosis of gastric malignancies. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study included 229 cases referred for endoscopy for visible gastric lesions during a four-year period (1996-2000). Both biopsy and brush cytology were performed, and all the slides were screened by a cytotechnologist and reviewed by a pathologist. RESULTS: Of the 229 cases, 97 (42.4%) were proven to be malignant and 132 (57.6%) definitely benign. Biopsy was positive in 90 patients (92.7%), while brush cytology was positive in 85 (87.1%). Combined use of biopsy and brush cytology yielded higher diagnostic sensitivity (100%). CONCLUSION: Brush cytology is a safe, easy and rapid method of diagnosing gastric malignancies. Brush cytology is a useful adjunct in the diagnosis of gastric malignancies and should be considered a routine method in combination with biopsy. Multiple repeated endoscopies are recommended in cases of positive cytology and negative biopsy to rule out or confirm malignancy.     

Electrochemical detection of the MT-ND6 gene and its enzymatic digestion: Application in human genomic sample

A simple electrochemical biosensor was developed for the detection of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase 6 gene (MT-ND6) and its enzymatic digestion by BamHI enzyme. This biosensor was fabricated by modification of a glassy carbon electrode with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs/GCE) and a probe oligonucleotide (ssDNA/AuNPs/GCE). The probe, which is a thiolated segment of the MT-ND6 gene, was deposited by self-assembling immobilization on AuNPs/GCE. Two indicators including methylene blue (MB) and neutral red (NR) were used as the electroactive indicators and the electrochemical response of the modified electrode was measured by differential pulse voltammetry. The proposed biosensor can detect the complementary sequences of the MT-ND6 gene. Also the modified electrode was used for the detection of an enzymatic digestion process by BamHI enzyme. The electrochemical biosensor can detect the MT-ND6 gene and its enzymatic digestion in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA extracted from human blood. Also the biosensor was used directly for detection of the MT-ND6 gene in all of the human genome.     

Phage display-derived antibody fragments against conserved regions of VacA toxin of Helicobacter pylori

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - Infection with Helicobacter pylori may result in the emergence of gastric adenocarcinoma. Among various toxins assisting pathogenesis of H. pylori,...     

Efficient adventitious shoot regeneration and somatic embryogenesis in pea

A rapid and simple method for adventitious shoot regeneration and somatic embryogenesis from immature cotyledon explants of pea (Pisum sativum L.) is described. Cotyledon size and the explant orientation to the medium surface were shown to have a clear effect on shoot regeneration. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration was achieved when the distal end of the greenest cotyledons (7–8 mm in size) were placed in contact with the agar surface. Shoots rooted at a frequency of 80–90% and grew into normal fertile plants. Somatic embryos were induced in cultures of immature cotyledons on modified MS medium containing high levels of -naphthaleneacetic acid (27–215 M) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (23–181 M). A higher frequency of somatic embryos with a normal morphology were induced using -naphthaleneacetic acid.Abbreviations BA 6-benzyladenine - 2,4-d dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyric acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid     

HCV core protein immunization with Montanide/CpG elicits strong Th1/Th2 and long-lived CTL responses

An efficient vaccine against Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires induction of strong humoral and cellular responses against viral proteins. We evaluated the immunogenicity of HCV core protein (HCVcp), a prime vaccine candidate, formulated in various human compatible adjuvants. An Escherichia coli-expressed HCVcp, purified in native conditions was used for murine immunization in separate groups of: free HCVcp (Ag), Ag+C/IFA (Freunds), Ag+CpG, Ag+M720 (Montanide ISA 720), Ag+F127 (Pluronic acid) and cocktails of Ag+F127+CpG and Ag+M720+CpG. Mice immunized with M720(+CpG) developed the highest HCVcp-specific titers of total IgG, IgG1, 2a, 2b, and that of IFN-gamma and IL-4 cytokines compared to all other groups. HCVcp-specific-CTLs against relevant MHC class I peptides were detected only for Ag+M720+CpG, Ag+M720, and Ag+CpG groups and could be blocked by antimouse-CD8 antibodies. While CTLs were stable, only F127 formulated groups demonstrated detectable IgG antibodies one year post-immunization. Hence, HCVcp formulated in M720 (with a synergistic effect by inclusion of CpG) could induce balanced and strong Th1/Th2 responses with long-lived CD4(-)CD8(+) CTLs.     

Critical involvement of the ATM-dependent DNA damage response in the apoptotic demise of HIV-1-elicited syncytia

DNA damage can activate the oncosuppressor protein ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), which phosphorylates the histone H2AX within characteristic DNA damage foci. Here, we show that ATM undergoes an activating phosphorylation in syncytia elicited by the envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) in vitro. This was accompanied by aggregation of ATM in discrete nuclear foci that also contained phospho-histone H2AX. DNA damage foci containing phosphorylated ATM and H2AX were detectable in syncytia present in the brain or lymph nodes from patients with HIV-1 infection, as well as in a fraction of blood leukocytes, correlating with viral status. Knockdown of ATM or of its obligate activating factor NBS1 (Nijmegen breakage syndrome 1 protein), as well as pharmacological inhibition of ATM with KU-55933, inhibited H2AX phosphorylation and prevented Env-elicited syncytia from undergoing apoptosis. ATM was found indispensable for the activation of MAP kinase p38, which catalyzes the activating phosphorylation of p53 on serine 46, thereby causing p53 dependent apoptosis. Both wild type HIV-1 and an HIV-1 mutant lacking integrase activity induced syncytial apoptosis, which could be suppressed by inhibiting ATM. HIV-1-infected T lymphoblasts from patients with inactivating ATM or NBS1 mutations also exhibited reduced syncytial apoptosis. Altogether these results indicate that apoptosis induced by a fusogenic HIV-1 Env follows a pro-apoptotic pathway involving the sequential activation of ATM, p38MAPK and p53.     

Childhood Hygienic Practice and Family Education Status Determine the Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Iran

Background: Management of Helicobacter pylori , a causative agent of gastrointestinal diseases is an important health problem in most countries. The main reasons include poorly defined epidemiological status and unrecognized mode of bacterial transmission. Our objective was to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori infection in a representative population of Iran and to evaluate possible risk factors for the H. pylori infection.
Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2561 healthy individuals aged 18–65 years (mean age, 35.5 years) were selected out of 12,100,000 inhabitants of Tehran province by cluster sampling. Infection with H. pylori was evaluated by detection of anti- H. pylori IgG antibody in serum. Sociodemographic status of each subject was determined by filling up a questionnaire.
Results: Prevalence of H. pylori infection was 69% and was correlated with increasing age. The highest infection rate (79.2%) was seen in individuals 46–55 years old. No association was detected between H. pylori positivity and gender. Low education of the study subjects; low father's and mother's education; poor tooth brushing habit; crowded families in childhood; and lack of household bath, hygienic drinking water, and swage disposal facility in childhood were determined as possible risk factors.
Conclusions: The rate of prevalence of H. pylori infection was higher than developed countries. Low socioeconomic status, poor sanitary indications, and crowded families in childhood were related to high prevalence of H. pylori infection in Iran. Accordingly, fecal–oral and oral–oral routes could be considered as the main pathways of transmission of H. pylori .     

Examination of the protective roles of helmet/faceshield and directionality for human head under blast waves

A parametric study was conducted to delineate the efficacy of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as ballistic faceshields and advanced combat helmets, in the case of a blast. The propagations of blast waves and their interactions with an unprotected head, a helmeted one, and a fully protected finite element head model (FEHM) were modeled. The biomechanical parameters of the brain were recorded when the FEHM was exposed to shockwaves from the front, back, top, and bottom. The directional dependent tissue response of the brain and the variable efficiency of PPE with respect to the blast orientation were two major results of this study.     

MicroRNA and target protein patterns reveal physiopathological features of glioma subtypes

Gliomas such as oligodendrogliomas (ODG) and glioblastomas (GBM) are brain tumours with different clinical outcomes. Histology-based classification of these tumour types is often difficult. Therefore the first aim of this study was to gain microRNA data that can be used as reliable signatures of oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas. We investigated the levels of 282 microRNAs using membrane-array hybridisation and real-time PCR in ODG, GBM and control brain tissues. In comparison to these control tissues, 26 deregulated microRNAs were identified in tumours and the tissue levels of seven microRNAs (miR-21, miR-128, miR-132, miR-134, miR-155, miR-210 and miR-409-5p) appropriately discriminated oligodendrogliomas from glioblastomas. Genomic, epigenomic and host gene expression studies were conducted to investigate the mechanisms involved in these deregulations. Another aim of this study was to better understand glioma physiopathology looking for targets of deregulated microRNAs. We discovered that some targets of these microRNAs such as STAT3, PTBP1 or SIRT1 are differentially expressed in gliomas consistent with deregulation of microRNA expression. Moreover, MDH1, the target of several deregulated microRNAs, is repressed in glioblastomas, making an intramitochondrial-NAD reduction mediated by the mitochondrial aspartate-malate shuttle unlikely. Understanding the connections between microRNAs and bioenergetic pathways in gliomas may lead to identification of novel therapeutic targets.