Melatonin decreases brain apoptosis, oxidative stress, and CD200 expression and increased survival rate in mice infected by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.

Background: Pro-inflammatory and oxidative events during brain Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus infection could lead to apoptosis and induce anti-inflammatory responses (increased expression of CD200). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of melatonin on brain apoptosis, oxidative stress, and CD200 molecule in mice and neuroblastoma cultures infected by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus.

Methods: Mice were infected with 10 median lethal doses (LD50) of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, treated with melatonin (500 µg/kg bw; three days before infection and during all experimental time) and sacrificed on days 1, 3, and 5 postinfection.

[Evidence that suggest the reality of reincarnation].

Worldwide, children can be found who reported that they have memories of a previous life. More than 2,500 cases have been studied and their specifications have been published and preserved in the archives of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia (United States). Many of those children come from countries where the majority of the inhabitants believe in reincarnation, but others come from countries with different cultures and religions that reject it.

Melatonin, minocycline and ascorbic acid reduce oxidative stress and viral titers and increase survival rate in experimental Venezuelan equine encephalitis.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus causes an acute central nervous system infection in human and animals. Melatonin (MLT), minocycline (MIN) and ascorbic acid (AA) have been shown to have antiviral activities in experimental infections; however, the mechanisms involved are poorly studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of those compounds on the viral titers, NO production and lipid peroxidation in the brain of mice and neuroblastoma cultures infected by VEE virus.

Ultrastructural Changes of Caudate Nucleus in Mice Chronically Treated with Manganese.

Manganese (Mn) is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and induces functional and structural alterations during the intoxication by this metal. Therefore, the effects of chronic administration of Mn in the caudate nucleus of mice were evaluated by electron microscopy. Male albino mice were injected intraperitoneally with MnCl2 (5 mg/kg/d) 5 d per week during 9 weeks.

John of God: an enigma for the medical sciences.

Some cures carried out by Medium João Teixeira de Faría (John of God) are presented. He claims to channel spiritual entities (Drs. Augusto de Almeida, Oswaldo Cruz, and José Valdivino) that have instantaneous access to the physical, emotional and spiritual history of each patient who is then treated by physical or "spiritual" surgeries, herbs, meditation, prayers and the ingestion of "energized" water.

Longterm melatonin administration alleviates paraquat mediated oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster.

We investigated the effect of melatonin (MEL) in the activities of cytosolic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase as well as in the levels of H2O2 and mitochondrial malondialdehyde (MDA) in paraquat-intoxicated Drosophila melanogaster. Paraquat (40 mM) was administrated for 36 h. Three groups of flies intoxicated with paraquat were used: PQ (exposed during 36h to paraquat), PQ-MEL (exposed during 36h to paraquat and then treated with MEL [0.

[Is the brain the creator of psychic phenomena or is a paradigm shift inevitable?].

Every day new scientific information is appearing that cannot be explained using the classical Newtonian model and is calling for the emergence of a new paradigm that would include the explanation of such phenomena as telepathy, clairvoyance, presentiment, precognition, out of the body experiences, psychic healing, after-death communication, near-death experiences and reincarnation. The materialist paradigm which considers the brain as the sole cause of consciousness and psychic phenomena has been challenged by a new paradigm that seems to demonstrate that there is not a cause-effect relationship between brain activity and psychic phenomena but only a correlation between them, since these phenomena can be experienced without the body and appear to have an extra-cerebral origin (cosmic field, cosmic consciousness?). Of course, the brain is intensely involved in the manifestation of consciousness in our daily life but this is not equivalent to affirm that brain creates consciousness.

Effects of melatonin on oxidative stress, and resistance to bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections: a review.

Melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland, works directly and indirectly as a free radical scavenger. Its other physiological or pharmacological activities could be dependent or independent of receptors located in different cells, organs, and tissues. In addition to its role in promoting sleep and circadian rhythms regulation, it has important immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects suggesting that this indole must be considered as a therapeutic alternative against infections.

Minocycline increases the activity of superoxide dismutase and reduces the concentration of nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide and mitochondrial malondialdehyde in manganese treated Drosophila melanogaster.

The toxicity caused by high concentrations of manganese (Mn) could be due to a production of free radicals. Minocycline is an effective antioxidant with a high potential to capture free radicals. We investigated the effect of minocycline in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, and in the concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and mitochondrial malondialdehyde (MDA) in manganese-treated Drosophila melanogaster.

[Distant mental influence on living organisms].

This article reviews studies of distant mental influence on living organisms, including mental suggestions of sleeping and awakening, mental influence at long distances, mental interactions with remote biological systems, mental effects on physiological activity and the sense of being stared at. Significant effects of distant mental influence have been shown in several randomized controlled trials in humans, animals, plants, bacteria and cells in the laboratory. Although distant mental influence on living organisms appears to contradict our ordinary sense of reality and the laws defined by conventional science, several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the observed effects; they include skeptical, signal transfer, field, multidimensional space/time and quantum mechanics hypotheses.

Minocycline, but not ascorbic acid, increases motor activity and extends the life span of Drosophila melanogaster.

In the present study we compared the effects of minocycline and ascorbic acid in the life span, motor activity and lipid peroxidation of Drosophila melanogaster, in an effort to find a substance capable of providing protection against oxidative stress in aging. In the flies treated with minocycline a very significant increase in the life span (101 +/- 1.33 days) was observed when compared to those treated with ascorbic acid and controls (42.

[The formative causation].

The hypothesis of formative causation proposed by Rupert Sheldrake in 1981, affirms that morphogenetic fields play a causal role in the development and maintenance of the forms of systems at all levels of complexity and that nature is governed by habits. All animals and plants draw upon and contribute to the collective memory of their species. The author suggested that memory is inherent in nature and it is transmitted by a process called morphic resonance and works through fields called morphic fields.

The life span of Drosophila melanogaster is affected by melatonin and thioctic acid.

Aging and reduced longevity are due in part to the action of free radicals (FR). Melatonin (Mel) and thioctic acid (TA) are effective in protecting against the damage caused by FR. In this study, the effect of Mel and TA on the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster was determined.

Effectiveness of melatonin in tardive dyskinesia.

Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder associated with the clinical administration of antipsychotics. It is believed that TD is due, among other factors, to an increase in the oxidative damage produced by free radicals. Antioxidants, like vitamin E, have been used in the treatment of TD but there is no evidence of their effectiveness.

[Near-death experiences].

Near-death experiences (NDE) are lucid events that take place when a person is so physically compromised that he would die if its condition does not improve. He is unconscious, without heartbeats and breath, and with a flat-line electroencephalogram. NDE may include some of the following elements: Out of the body experiences or separation of consciousness from the physical body, increase in sensory perception and intense emotions, travel into or through a tunnel, encounter with a brilliant light and mystical beings, deceased relatives or friends, a sense of alteration in time and space, visualization of unworldly realms and a special knowledge, encounter with a barrier or boundary, and a return to the body, either voluntary or involuntary.

[Mind-body connection, parapsychological phenomena and spiritual healing. A review].

Evidence regarding the influence of the mind on the body is abundant. Several mind-body healing procedures are currently being used, among them hypnosis, biofeedback, meditation, visualizations, management of emotions and prayer. Since the Big Bang, we are entangled with everything.

Ultrastructural changes of the olfactory bulb in manganese-treated mice.

The effect of manganese toxicity on the ultrastructure of the olfactory bulb was evaluated. Male albino mice were injected intraperitoneally with MnCl2 (5 mg/Kg/day) five days per week during nine weeks. The control group received NaCl (0.

[Evidence about the power of intention].

Intention is defined as a directed thought to perform a determined action. Thoughts targeted to an end can affect inanimate objects and practically all living things from unicelular organisms to human beings. The emission of light particles (biophotons) seems to be the mechanism through which an intention produces its effects.

[Increase of interleukin-1 beta, gamma interferon and tumor necrosis factor alpha in serum and brain of mice infected with the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus].

Considerable efforts have been directed to clarify the main protective and recovery mechanisms in acute viral infections and, the possible role of the cytokines involved in the primary immune response induced by an epizootic strain of the Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis (VEE) virus. This study examined the levels of TH1 cytokines Interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), TH2 cytokines Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha) in serum and brain of mice infected with the VEE virus during different post infection periods. NMRI albino male mice infected with a suspension (10 DL50) of the Guajira strain of the VEE virus, and a control group (without infection) were used.

Antagonistic effect of luzindole in mice treated with melatonin during the infection with the venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.

The effect of Luzindole (LZ) in mice treated with melatonin (MEL) during the infection with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus was examined. Melatonin (500 microg/Kg b.w.

Melatonin decreases nitric oxide production and lipid peroxidation and increases interleukin-1 beta in the brain of mice infected by the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.

Melatonin, a potent antioxidant, has shown to be beneficial in murine Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus infection. In addition, melatonin can induces the production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), a cytokine capable of inducing increased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase; the activity of this enzyme is increased in the brain of mice infected with VEE virus. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of VEE virus on the nitric oxide (NO) production, lipid peroxidation and IL-1beta production in the brain and serum of mice infected with VEE virus, and to investigate the modulatory role of melatonin during this viral infection.

Paraquat-induced oxidative stress in drosophila melanogaster: effects of melatonin, glutathione, serotonin, minocycline, lipoic acid and ascorbic acid.

The efficacy of melatonin, glutathione, serotonin, minocycline, lipoic acid and ascorbic acid in counteracting the toxicity of paraquat in Drosophila melanogaster was examined. Male Oregon wild strain flies were fed for 5 days with control food or food containing the test substance. They were transferred in groups of five to vials containing only filter paper soaked with 20 mM paraquat in 5% sucrose solution.

[Quality of sleep in hospitalized psychiatric patients].

To determine the global sleep quality and its components in patients of the Psychiatric Hospital of Maracaibo we performed a cross-sectional descriptive study based on a personal survey and the application of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in 57 individuals selected among all the 70 patients hospitalized in the Psychiatric Hospital of Maracaibo in the month of May of 2004. 91.22% of the patients displayed alterations of the sleep (slight 28.

In vitro, melatonin treatment decreases nitric oxide levels in murine splenocytes cultured with the venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus.

The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of melatonin on the nitric oxide levels in murine splenocytes cultured with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus. After incubation, nitric oxide levels were measured by the diazotization assay. Those cultures with the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus increased nitric oxide levels.

[Spontaneous motor activity and brain catecholamines in C57BL/6 and albino mice treated with manganese].

The present study was conducted to further examine the observed phenotypic differences in the sensitivity to chronic manganese exposure. Albino mice (NMRI-IVIC strain) and C57BL/6 black mice were divided into two groups. One group of mice was given daily i.