Impact of Comorbidities on Acute Injury and Recovery in Preclinical Stroke Research: Focus on Hypertension and Diabetes.

Human ischemic stroke is very complex, and no single preclinical model can comprise all the variables known to contribute to stroke injury and recovery. Hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia are leading comorbidities in stroke patients. The use of predominantly young adult and healthy animals in experimental stroke research has created a barrier for translation of findings to patients.

Proinflammatory isoforms of IL-32 as novel and robust biomarkers for control failure in HIV-infected slow progressors.

HIV-infected slow progressors (SP) represent a heterogeneous group of subjects who spontaneously control HIV infection without treatment for several years while showing moderate signs of disease progression. Under conditions that remain poorly understood, a subgroup of these subjects experience failure of spontaneous immunological and virological control. Here we determined the frequency of SP subjects who showed loss of HIV control within our Canadian Cohort of HIV(+) Slow Progressors and identified the proinflammatory cytokine IL-32 as a robust biomarker for control failure.

Renin-angiotensin system as a potential therapeutic target in stroke and retinopathy: experimental and clinical evidence.

As our knowledge expands, it is now clear that the renin-angiotensin (Ang) system (RAS) mediates functions other than regulating blood pressure (BP). The RAS plays a central role in the pathophysiology of different neurovascular unit disorders including stroke and retinopathy. Moreover, the beneficial actions of RAS modulation in brain and retina have been documented in experimental research, but not yet exploited clinically.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Knockdown Blocks the Angiogenic and Protective Effects of Angiotensin Modulation After Experimental Stroke.

Angiotensin type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs) have been shown to be neuroprotective and neurorestorative in experimental stroke. The mechanisms proposed include anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic effects, as well as stimulation of endogenous trophic factors leading to angiogenesis and neuroplasticity. We aimed to investigate the involvement of the neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in ARB-mediated functional recovery after stroke.

Photo-Response of Functionalized Self-Assembled Graphene Oxide on Zinc Oxide Heterostructure to UV Illumination.

Convective assembly technique which is a simple and scalable method was used for coating uniform graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films. Upon UV irradiation, an enhancement in the on-off ratio was observed after functionalizing ZnO films by GO nanosheets. The calculations of on-off ratio, the device responsivity, and the external quantum efficiency were investigated and implied that the GO layer provides a stable pathway for electron transport.

The generality of kinase-catalyzed biotinylation.

Kinase-catalyzed protein phosphorylation is involved in a wide variety of cellular events. Development of methods to monitor phosphoproteins in normal and diseased states is critical to fully characterize cell signaling. Towards phosphoprotein analysis tools, our lab reported kinase-catalyzed labeling where γ-phosphate modified ATP analogs are utilized by kinases to label peptides or protein substrates with a functional tag.

Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Emirati Residents in Ajman, United Arab Emirates.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly type-2 is a major public health concern worldwide. Not much information is available with regard to the incidence of DM in United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed at determining the incidence rate of diabetes mellitus among Emirati population in Ajman, UAE.

Not every worm wrapped around a stick is a guinea worm: a case of Onchocerca volvulus mimicking Dracunculus medinensis.

Background: Despite being certified guinea worm free in 2007, Cameroon continues surveillance efforts to ensure rapid verification of any suspected reoccurrence. This includes the investigation of every rumor and confirmation of each suspicious expulsed worm. This paper presents fieldwork carried out to investigate a guinea worm rumor in Cameroon which turned out to be an Onchocerca volvulus mimicking Dracunculus medinensis.

A Cell-Permeable ATP Analogue for Kinase-Catalyzed Biotinylation.

ATP analogues have been powerful compounds for the study of kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation. However, the cell impermeability of ATP analogues has largely limited their use to in vitro lysate-based experiments. Herein, we report the first cell-permeable ATP analogue, ATP-polyamine-biotin (APB).

Sequential Therapy with Minocycline and Candesartan Improves Long-Term Recovery After Experimental Stroke.

Minocycline and candesartan have both shown promise as candidate therapeutics in ischemic stroke, with multiple, and somewhat contrasting, molecular mechanisms. Minocycline is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic agent and a known inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Yet, minocycline exerts antiangiogenic effects both in vivo and in vitro.

Influence of homo buffer layer thickness on the quality of ZnO epilayers.

ZnO buffer layers with different thicknesses were deposited on a-plane sapphire substrates at 300 °C. ZnO epilayers were grown on ZnO buffers at 600 °C by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and vacuum annealed at 900 °C for an hour. Influence of nucleation layer thickness on the structural and quality of ZnO thin films was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy.

Imbalance of the nerve growth factor and its precursor as a potential biomarker for diabetic retinopathy.

Our previous studies have demonstrated that diabetes-induced oxidative stress alters homeostasis of retinal nerve growth factor (NGF) resulting in accumulation of its precursor, proNGF, at the expense of NGF which plays a critical role in preserving neuronal and retinal function. This imbalance coincided with retinal damage in experimental diabetes. Here we test the hypothesis that alteration of proNGF and NGF levels observed in retina and vitreous will be mirrored in serum of diabetic patients.

Cellular connections, microenvironment and brain angiogenesis in diabetes: Lost communication signals in the post-stroke period.

Diabetes not only increases the risk but also worsens the motor and cognitive recovery after stroke, which is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Repair after stroke requires coordinated communication among various cell types in the central nervous system as well as circulating cells. Vascular restoration is critical for the enhancement of neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.

Compound 21 is pro-angiogenic in the brain and results in sustained recovery after ischemic stroke.

Introduction: Angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) stimulation is neuroprotective after experimental stroke. However, the therapeutic utility of AT2R stimulation has been hampered by the lack of a specific agonist with favourable bioavailability. Compound 21 (C21) - the first non-peptide AT2R agonist - offers a potential option to enhance stroke recovery.

Low-dose candesartan enhances molecular mediators of neuroplasticity and subsequent functional recovery after ischemic stroke in rats.

We have previously reported that angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) blockade with candesartan exerts neurovascular protection after experimental cerebral ischemia. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a low, subhypotensive dose of candesartan enhances neuroplasticity and subsequent functional recovery through enhanced neurotrophic factor expression in rats subjected to ischemia reperfusion injury. Male Wistar rats (290-300 g) underwent 90 min of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and received candesartan (0.

Factors influencing parental consent for participation in clinical research involving their children in Egypt.

Factors affecting parents' decision to involve their children in clinical research have not been studied in all cultural backgrounds. We aimed to explore the attitudes and beliefs influencing parents' decision to involve their children in clinical research in Mansoura, Egypt. Of 523 families approached, 357 filled the questionnaire.

Thioredoxin-interacting protein: a novel target for neuroprotection in experimental thromboembolic stroke in mice.

Redox imbalance in the brain significantly contributes to ischemic stroke pathogenesis, but antioxidant therapies have failed in clinical trials. Activation of endogenous defense mechanisms may provide better protection against stroke-induced oxidative injury. TXNIP (thioredoxin-interacting protein) is an endogenous inhibitor of thioredoxin (TRX), a key antioxidant system.

Fever of Unknown Origin in Children: A 6 year- Experience in a Tertiary Pediatric Egyptian Hospital.

Background: Fever of unknown origin (FUO) is among the most conditions which poses challenge in diagnosis. The presence of information on regional patterns of FUO will shorten the time for diagnosis and reduces health services costs. There are almost no previous studies describing the etiology of FUO in children of Egypt or nearby countries.

Anti-inflammatory IL-10 is upregulated in both hemispheres after experimental ischemic stroke: Hypertension blunts the response.

Background: Exogenous administration of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10 (IL-10), is known to promote neuroprotection and mitigate neuroinflammation after ischemia. However, endogenous expression and localization of IL-10 and its receptor (IL-10R) in the post-ischemic brain are still to be elucidated. In this investigation we aimed at determining the temporospatial expression of IL-10 in the rat brain relative to its systemic levels after ischemic stroke.

Cerebral neovascularization in diabetes: implications for stroke recovery and beyond.

Neovascularization is an innate physiologic response by which tissues respond to various stimuli through collateral remodeling (arteriogenesis) and new vessel formation from existing vessels (angiogenesis) or from endothelial progenitor cells (vasculogenesis). Diabetes has a major impact on the neovascularization process but the response varies between different organ systems. While excessive angiogenesis complicates diabetic retinopathy, impaired neovascularization contributes to coronary and peripheral complications of diabetes.

15-PGDH inhibitors: the antiulcer effects of carbenoxolone, pioglitazone and verapamil in indomethacin induced peptic ulcer rats.

Background And Aim: 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) is the enzyme responsible for prostaglandins (PGs) metabolism. PGs have an important role in the protection of stomach mucosa against destructive stimuli. The aim of the present study is to investigate the inhibitory effect of carbenoxolone, pioglitazone and verapamil on 15-PGDH enzyme.

Adenocarcinoma of the colon in children: case series and mini-review of the literature.

Colon cancer is extremely rare in children. This article reports three cases of adenocarcinoma of the colon. A 12-year-old boy, a 13-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old girl presented with constipation and abdominal enlargement over a two-month duration.