Ameliorating potentials of antioxidants on the lead-induced immunotoxicity in male Wistar rats

Lead exposure is a significant environmental and public health concern, known for its detrimental effects on various physiological systems, including the immune system. The study was undertaken to establish the ameliorating action of antioxidants on lead-induced toxicity on immunoglobulins using male Wistar rats as experimental models. One hundred and sixty-two male Wistar rats with weights between 180 and 200 g were obtained from the Experimental Animal Farm of the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The Wistar rats were housed in wooden animal cages in a well-ventilated experimental room. Handling of the animals was in accordance with relevant institutional and ethical guidelines as approved for scientific study. The control group (group 1) was orally given 0.5 ml of distilled water, while the treatment groups (groups 2 to 9) were orally given different substances as follows: 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) of lead only, 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C only, 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E only, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 40 mg/BW levamisole, 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 200 mg/kg BW of vitamin C + 40 mg/BW levamisole, and 10 mg/kg BW of lead + 1000 iu/kg BW of vitamin E + 40 mg/BW levamisole, respectively, once a day. The experiment was conducted in three phases (phases 1 to 3), which lasted for 7 days (acute phase), 30 days (sub-acute phase), and 60 days (chronic phase). At the end of the experimentation for each phase, five rats were sacrificed, and blood samples were collected from each rat and examined for immunological parameters. The effects of treatment with lead and antioxidants were compared with the control group. There was a significant decrease in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in the lead group with respect to the control in all the phases. There was also a significant increase in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in groups 3 and 4 with respect to the control in phases 1 and 2 and a significant increase in the concentrations of the immunoglobulins in groups 5 to 9 with respect to the lead group in all three phases. The antioxidants have, therefore, demonstrated the ability to ameliorate the lead-induced toxicity on the immunoglobulins

Vaste krachtvoergiften aan melkvee

Bij het voeren van melkvee is het voor de hand liggend om rekening te houden met de melkproductie. Omdat het grootste deel van onze koeien in ligboxenstallen wordt gehouden kunnen we alleen voor wat betreft de krachtvoergift een differentiatie naar melkproductie aanbrengen. Het ruwvoer wordt immers als groepsvoedering aan het voerhek verstrekt. Omdat er hierdoor weinig zicht is op de individuele ruwvoeropname kan men zich afvragen of het wel zo zinvol is om de hoeveelheid krachtvoer per koe exact te berekenen

Curcuma longa (Turmeric) and Cucumis sativus (Cucumber) Juice Ameliorative Hematological Effects in Lead Induced Toxicity in Male Wistar Rats

Hematological parameters are essential clinical indicators of health status, which are of great research interest. Our study attempts an assessment of the possible ameliorative hematological effects of Turmeric and Cucumber juice in lead induced toxicity using male Wistar rats as models. Experimental animals were acclimatized for 2 weeks and were subsequently randomly distributed into five groups made up of five rats per group. Lead toxicity was induced through a single daily oral administration of 2.25mg/kg body weight of lead in all rat groups except groups1 and 7 for 28 days and were treated as follows: Group 1: Control; animals in this group had free access to tap water and normal rat chow at will. Group 2: Pb only; animals in this group received 2.25mg/kg bw of lead acetate only. Group 3: Pb + TUM; rats in this group got 1ml of Turmeric juice only following induction of lead toxicity. Group 4: Pb + CUC; animals in this group were given 1ml of Cucumber juice only following induction of lead toxicity. Group 5: Pb + TUM + CUC; animals in this group received 1ml of Turmeric and 1ml of Cucumber juice following induction of lead toxicity. Group 6: Pb + bioferon; animals in this group received 0.23ml/kg body weight dose of bioferon following lead induced toxicity. Group 7: Bioferon Only; animals in this group received 0.23ml/kg body weight dose of bioferon only. All administrations were orally carried out once a day in the morning hours (between 8am-9am) using oral cannula. On day 29, experimental animals were anesthetized using diethyl ether and blood samples taken via cardiac puncture for serum erythrocyte parameters (PCV, Hb and RBC) and total WBC and PLT counts determination. Assayed parameters were assessed using a reflotron produced by Boehringer Mannhein. Predictably, administration of 2.25mg/kg bw of lead acetate to group 2 (Pb Only) rats produced a significant reduction (p<0.05) in PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC and PLT counts when compared to group 1 (Control) rats. This is suggestive of a possible deleterious effect of lead acetate at the administered dose. However, administration of 1ml each of turmeric and cucumber juice respectively significantly increased (p<0.05) the above parameters amongst groups 3 (Pb + TUM) and 4 (Pb + CUC) rats when compared to group 2 (Pb Only) rats with turmeric showing a better effect. Significantly higher (p<0.05) values of PCV, Hb, RBC, WBC, and platelet counts were observed amongst group 5 (Pb + TURM + CUC) rats co-administered 1ml each of both turmeric and cucumber juice, compared togroups1 (Control), 2 (PbOnly), 3 (Pb + TUM) and 4 (Pb + CUC) rats. Indicating a possible greater hematopoietic effect of the combined administration of both juices compared to single administration of either juice. Our findings suggest a possible synergistic effects of the juices on haematological indices when combined following lead administration in experimental rats

Differential cortical activation patterns: pioneering sub-classification of tinnitus with and without hyperacusis by combining audiometry, gamma oscillations, and hemodynamics

The ongoing controversies about the neural basis of tinnitus, whether linked with central neural gain or not, may hamper efforts to develop therapies. We asked to what extent measurable audiometric characteristics of tinnitus without (T) or with co-occurrence of hyperacusis (TH) are distinguishable on the level of cortical responses. To accomplish this, electroencephalography (EEG) and concurrent functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) were measured while patients performed an attentionally demanding auditory discrimination task using stimuli within the individual tinnitus frequency (fTin) and a reference frequency (fRef). Resting-state-fMRI-based functional connectivity (rs-fMRI-bfc) in ascending auditory nuclei (AAN), the primary auditory cortex (AC-I), and four other regions relevant for directing attention or regulating distress in temporal, parietal, and prefrontal cortex was compiled and compared to EEG and concurrent fNIRS activity in the same brain areas. We observed no group differences in pure-tone audiometry (PTA) between 10 and 16 kHz. However, the PTA threshold around the tinnitus pitch was positively correlated with the self-rated tinnitus loudness and also correlated with distress in T-groups, while TH experienced their tinnitus loudness at minimal loudness levels already with maximal suffering scores. The T-group exhibited prolonged auditory brain stem (ABR) wave I latency and reduced ABR wave V amplitudes (indicating reduced neural synchrony in the brainstem), which were associated with lower rs-fMRI-bfc between AAN and the AC-I, as observed in previous studies. In T-subjects, these features were linked with elevated spontaneous and reduced evoked gamma oscillations and with reduced deoxygenated hemoglobin (deoxy-Hb) concentrations in response to stimulation with lower frequencies in temporal cortex (Brodmann area (BA) 41, 42, 22), implying less synchronous auditory responses during active auditory discrimination of reference frequencies. In contrast, in the TH-group gamma oscillations and hemodynamic responses in temporoparietal regions were reversed during active discrimination of tinnitus frequencies. Our findings suggest that T and TH differ in auditory discrimination and memory-dependent directed attention during active discrimination at either tinnitus or reference frequencies, offering a test paradigm that may allow for more precise sub-classification of tinnitus and future improved treatment approaches

Integration of radiation oncology teaching in medical studies by German medical faculties due to the new licensing regulations: an overview and recommendations of the consortium academic radiation oncology of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO)

The new Medical Licensing Regulations 2025 (Ärztliche Approbationsordnung, ÄApprO) will soon be passed by the Federal Council (Bundesrat) and will be implemented step by step by the individual faculties in the coming months. The further development of medical studies essentially involves an orientation from fact-based to competence-based learning and focuses on practical, longitudinal and interdisciplinary training. Radiation oncology and radiation therapy are important components of therapeutic oncology and are of great importance for public health, both clinically and epidemiologically, and therefore should be given appropriate attention in medical education. This report is based on a recent survey on the current state of radiation therapy teaching at university hospitals in Germany as well as the contents of the National Competence Based Learning Objectives Catalogue for Medicine 2.0 (Nationaler Kompetenzbasierter Lernzielkatalog Medizin 2.0, NKLM) and the closely related Subject Catalogue (Gegenstandskatalog, GK) of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions (Institut für Medizinische und Pharmazeutische Prüfungsfragen, IMPP). The current recommendations of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Radioonkologie, DEGRO) regarding topics, scope and rationale for the establishment of radiation oncology teaching at the respective faculties are also included

An in vivo screen identifies ependymoma oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes

Cancers are characterized by non-random chromosome copy number alterations that presumably contain oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes (TSGs). The affected loci are often large, making it difficult to pinpoint which genes are driving the cancer. Here we report a cross-species in vivo screen of 84 candidate oncogenes and 39 candidate TSGs, located within 28 recurrent chromosomal alterations in ependymoma. Through a series of mouse models, we validate eight new ependymoma oncogenes and ten new ependymoma TSGs that converge on a small number of cell functions, including vesicle trafficking, DNA modification and cholesterol biosynthesis, identifying these as potential new therapeutic targets.We are grateful to F.B. Gertler (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and S. Gupton (University of North Carolina) for the generous gift of the VAMP7-phlorin construct and the staffs of the Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, the Small Animal Imaging Center, the Animal Resources Center, the Cell and Tissue Imaging Center, and the Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting Shared Resource at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (R01CA129541, P01CA96832 and P30CA021765, R.J.G.), by the Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network (CERN) and by the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC)

Is prolonged infusion of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in critically ill patients associated with improved pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and patient outcomes? An observation from the Defining Antibiotic Levels in Intensive care unit patients (DALI) cohort

Objectives:We utilized the database of the Defining Antibiotic Levels in Intensive care unit patients (DALI) study to statistically compare the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic and clinical outcomes between prolonged-infusion and intermittent-bolus dosing of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in critically ill patients using inclusion criteria similar to those used in previous prospective studies.Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective, multicentre pharmacokinetic point-prevalence study (DALI), which recruited a large cohort of critically ill patients from 68 ICUs across 10 countries.Results: Of the 211 patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem in the DALI study, 182 met inclusion criteria. Overall, 89.0% (162/182) of patients achieved the most conservative target of 50% fT(> MIC) (time over which unbound or free drug concentration remains above the MIC). Decreasing creatinine clearance and the use of prolonged infusion significantly increased the PTA for most pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic targets. In the subgroup of patients who had respiratory infection, patients receiving beta-lactams via prolonged infusion demonstrated significantly better 30 day survival when compared with intermittent-bolus patients [86.2% (25/29) versus 56.7% (17/30); P=0.012]. Additionally, in patients with a SOFA score of >= 9, administration by prolonged infusion compared with intermittent-bolus dosing demonstrated significantly better clinical cure [73.3% (11/15) versus 35.0% (7/20); P=0.035] and survival rates [73.3% (11/15) versus 25.0% (5/20); P=0.025].Conclusions: Analysis of this large dataset has provided additional data on the niche benefits of administration of piperacillin/tazobactam and meropenem by prolonged infusion in critically ill patients, particularly for patients with respiratory infections