Selenium and antioxidant levels in children with intractable epilepsy receiving ketogenic diet.

Ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and adequate-protein diet. It is well-established as a treatment option for drug-resistant childhood epilepsies. Our study aimed to evaluate Selenium levels and oxidative stress in children receiving ketogenic diet for intractable seizures for 6 months.

Evaluation of interleukin 23 (IL-23) as a non-invasive test of disease severity in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background And Study Aims: Studies have found increased expression of IL-23 in inflamed and non-inflamed mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). We hypothesized that serum interleukin-23 as a non-invasive test has a role in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis disease and correlates with the disease severity.

Patients And Methods: Forty patients with biopsy proven ulcerative colitis, recruited from Ain Shams University hospitals were included.

Multidrug-resistant organisms in neonatal sepsis in two tertiary neonatal ICUs, Egypt.

Background: Neonatal sepsis remains a serious problem in any neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Bacterial organisms have developed increased resistance to commonly used antibiotics. Because not enough data are available from Egypt, the aim of the present study was to determine the causative bacteria and the level of their resistance to commonly used antibiotics in tertiary NICUs in Cairo, Egypt.

Predictors of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations among a Sample of Egyptian Schoolchildren.

Objective: To assess the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D status among a sample of Egyptian schoolchildren and to evaluate predictors of deficiency and insufficiency.

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising 200 prepubescent schoolchildren aged from 9 to 11 years was performed. A questionnaire including frequency of midday sun exposure, milk intake, physical activity, and level of maternal education was taken.

Serum level of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) among patients with bipolar disorder.

Background: There is a growing body of evidence that serum brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is altered during the episodes of bipolar disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate serum BDNF levels in bipolar disorder patients during manic and depressive episodes and its clinical utility in bipolar disorder compared to other psychiatric disorders.

Methods: The study was conducted on 80 Egyptian patients, who were classified into 4 groups: group Ia (25 patients with depressive episodes), group Ib (25 patients with manic episodes), group II (15 patients having Schizophrenia) as pathological controls and group III (15 healthy subjects) as controls.

Histological study on effect of mesenchymal stem cell therapy on experimental renal injury induced by ischemia/reperfusion in male albino rat.

Background And Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) represents a major clinical problem with high mortality and limited treatment protocols. This study was planned to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of bone marrow - derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in a rat model of ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) AKI.

Methods And Results: This study was carried out on thirty adult male albino rats.

Blueberry-induced changes in spatial working memory correlate with changes in hippocampal CREB phosphorylation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels.

Phytochemical-rich foods have been shown to be effective at reversing age-related deficits in memory in both animals and humans. We show that a supplementation with a blueberry diet (2% w/w) for 12 weeks improves the performance of aged animals in spatial working memory tasks. This improvement emerged within 3 weeks and persisted for the remainder of the testing period.

Biomarkers of the intake of dietary polyphenols: strengths, limitations and application in nutrition research.

In order to establish firm evidence for the health effects of dietary polyphenol consumption, it is essential to have quantitative information regarding their dietary intake. The usefulness of the current methods, which rely mainly on the assessment of polyphenol intake using food records and food composition tables, is limited as they fail to assess total intake accurately. This review highlights the problems associated with such methods with regard to polyphenol-intake predictions.

Distribution of [3H]trans-resveratrol in rat tissues following oral administration.

Resveratrol has been widely investigated for its potential health properties, although little is known about its metabolism in vivo. Here we investigated the distribution of metabolic products of [3H]trans-resveratrol, following gastric administration. At 2 h, plasma concentrations reached 1.

Absorption, tissue distribution and excretion of pelargonidin and its metabolites following oral administration to rats.

Recent reports have demonstrated various cardiovascular and neurological benefits associated with the consumption of foods rich in anthocyanidins. However, information regarding absorption, metabolism, and especially, tissue distribution are only beginning to accumulate. In the present study, we investigated the occurrence and the kinetics of various circulating pelargonidin metabolites, and we aimed at providing initial information with regard to tissue distribution.

Age-associated changes in protein oxidation and proteasome activities in rat brain: modulation by antioxidants.

The free radical theory of ageing postulates that age-associated neurodegeneration is caused by an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants resulting in oxidative stress. The current study showed regional variation in brain susceptibility to age-associated oxidative stress as shown by increased lipofuscin deposition and protein carbonyl levels in male rats of age 15-16 months compared to control ones (3-5 months). The hippocampus is the area most vulnerable to change compared to the cortex and cerebellum.

The differential tissue distribution of the citrus flavanone naringenin following gastric instillation.

Citrus flavonoids have been investigated for their biological activity, with both anti-inflammatory and -carcinogenic effects being reported. However, little information is known on the bioavailability of these compounds in vivo. The objectives of this study were to determine the tissue distribution of naringenin after gastric gavage of [3H]-naringenin to rats.

Cellular uptake and metabolism of flavonoids and their metabolites: implications for their bioactivity.

Flavonoids have been proposed to act as beneficial agents in a multitude of disease states, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. The biological effect of these polyphenols and their in vivo circulating metabolites will ultimately depend on the extent to which they associate with cells, either by interactions at the membrane or more importantly their uptake. This review summarises the current knowledge on the cellular uptake of flavonoids and their metabolites with particular relevance to further intracellular metabolism and the generation of potential new bioactive forms.

Uptake and metabolism of epicatechin and its access to the brain after oral ingestion.

Epicatechin is a flavan-3-ol that is commonly present in green teas, red wine, cocoa products, and many fruits, such as apples. There is considerable interest in the bioavailability of epicatechin after oral ingestion. In vivo studies have shown that low levels of epicatechin are absorbed and found in the circulation as glucuronides, methylated and sulfated forms.