Pirfenidone mitigates demyelination and electrophysiological alterations in multiple sclerosis: Targeting NF-κB, sirt1, and neurotrophic genes.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease affecting the central nervous system associated with progressive neurodegeneration. Pirfenidone (Pir) is a well-known antifibrotic agent; however, Pir's function in MS is little explored. We evaluated the neuroprotective effects of Pir in MS and its possible underlying mechanisms.

Impact of combined ischemic preconditioning and melatonin on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

Objectives: Studying the effect of melatonin pretreatment and ischemic preconditioning on renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).

Materials And Methods: Forty-eight Wistar rats were randomized into six groups: control, sham operation, IRI (IRI in left kidney + right nephrectomy), IRI+ischemic preconditioning, IRI+Melatonin, and IRI+ischemic preconditioning+Melatonin groups. Melatonin (10 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected for 4 weeks before renal IRI.

mRNA Expression of the CUB and Sushi Multiple Domains 1 () and Its Serum Protein Level as Predictors for Psychosis in the Familial High-Risk Children and Young Adults.

: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is still a challenging, refractory, and severe disorder. It is not a fully understood disease with genetic and epigenetic susceptibility and about 80% substantial heritability. The CUB and Sushi multiple domains 1 () gene is implicated in neurogenesis, memory, immunity, neuropsychology, and monoamine metabolism.

Countering adipose tissue dysfunction could underlie the superiority of telmisartan in the treatment of obesity-related hypertension.

Background: The prevalence of hypertension and obesity has increased significantly in recent decades. Hypertension and obesity often coexist, and both are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. Obese hypertensive patients usually require special anti-hypertensive treatment strategy due to the increased risk of treatment resistance.

Serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 and lung ultrasound B lines as potential diagnostic and prognostic factors for rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) (RA-ILD) is a serious systemic RA manifestation with high mortality that needs proper, accurate, and sensitive assessment tools.

Objectives: Firstly, evaluate serum Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) levels and lung ultrasound B lines (LUS B lines) score in RA-ILD correlating them with the severity of ILD assessed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Secondly, determine cut-off values for LUS and KL-6 in RA-ILD assessment and outcome prediction.

miRNA-451a and miRNA-125a Expression Levels in Ankylosing Spondylitis: Impact on Disease Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Outcomes.

Background: Early diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is yet not elucidated, with a potential diagnostic glance of microRNAs (miRNAs).

Aim: Study the expression profile of miRNA-451a and miRNA-125a in AS patients and their impact on disease activity and prognosis.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 55 AS patients diagnosed according to modified New York criteria in 1984 with 55 matched healthy controls.

Attenuation of sleep deprivation dependent deterioration in male fertility parameters by vitamin C.

Purpose: Male fertility is multifaceted and its integrity is as well multifactorial. Normal spermatogenesis is dependent on competent testicular function; namely normal anatomy, histology, physiology and hormonal regulation. Lifestyle stressors, including sleep interruption and even deprivation, have been shown to seriously impact male fertility.

Value of Soluble Transferrin Receptors and sTfR/log Ferritin in the Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Accompanied by Acute Infection.

There are many causes of anemia; the most common of these are acute and chronic infections, iron deficiency, or both. Identifying the cause is a very important step in management of anemia. So, we evaluated the usefulness of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and of the sTfR/log ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia accompanied by acute infection.

Development and validation of a stability-indicating micellar liquid chromatographic method for the determination of timolol maleate in the presence of its degradation products.

A stability-indicating micellar liquid chromatographic (MLC) method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of timolol maleate (TM) in the presence of its degradation products resulting from accelerated degradation in a run time not more than 8 min. TM was subjected to stress conditions of hydrolysis (including alkaline, acidic and thermal hydrolysis) and oxidation. An isocratic, rapid and mobile phase saving the micellar LC method was developed with a BioBasic phenyl column (150 × 1.

Capillary electrophoretic determination of antimigraine formulations containing caffeine, ergotamine, paracetamol and domperidone or metoclopramide.

A novel, fast, sensitive and specific technique using capillary electrophoresis coupled to a diode array detector has been developed for the separation and simultaneous determination of two antimigraine mixtures in tablet formulation. The two combinations are ergotamine tartrate (ERG), caffeine (CAF) and paracetamol (PAR) with either domperidone (DOM), combination (I) or metoclopramide (MET), combination (II). The proposed method utilized a fused silica capillary (55 cm × 75 µm i.

Derivative spectrophotometric analysis of benzophenone (as an impurity) in phenytoin.

Three simple and rapid spectrophotometric methods were developed for detection and trace determination of benzophenone (the main impurity) in phenytoin bulk powder and pharmaceutical formulations. The first method, zero-crossing first derivative spectrophotometry, depends on measuring the first derivative trough values at 257.6 nm for benzophenone.

Changing the pathogenetic roadmap of liver fibrosis? Where did it start; where will it go?

The pathophysiology of liver injury has attracted the interest of experimentalists and clinicians over many centuries. With the discovery of liver-specific pericytes - formerly called fat-storing cells, Ito-cells, lipocytes, and currently designated as hepatic stellate cells (HSC) - the insight into the cellular and molecular pathobiology of liver fibrosis has evolved and the pivotal role of HSC as a precursor cell-type for extracellular matrix-producing myofibroblasts has been established. Although activation and transdifferentiation of HSC to myofibroblasts is still regarded as the pathogenetic key mechanism of fibrogenesis, recent studies point to a prominent heterogeneity of the origin of myofibroblasts.

Spectrophotometric determination of four macrolide antibiotics in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids via binary complex formation with eosin [corrected].

A simple, rapid, and sensitive validated spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of certain macrolide antibiotics namely, erythromycin (I), azithromycin dihydrate (II), clarithromycin (III), and roxithromycin (IV) in bulk powders, pharmaceutical formulations, and spiked biological fluids. The proposed method is based on the formation of a binary complex between each of the studied drugs and eosin Y in aqueous buffered medium. Under the optimum conditions, the binary complexes showed absorption maxima at 542-544 nm.

Cutaneous mononuclear cells and eosinophils are significantly increased after warm water challenge in pruritic areas of polycythemia vera.

Background: Increased cutaneous cells following warm water challenge in pruritus-related polycythemia vera (PV) have been reported, but their nature and magnitude are not known.

Methods: Qualitative and quantitative assessments (digital image analysis) of the cutaneous mononuclear cells, eosinophils and mast cells were carried out in PV patients and healthy controls (n = 10 each) following exposures to water at room temperature and warm water.

Results: Infiltration of the spongiotic epidermis and dermis by mononuclear cells and eosinophils together with edema and vasodilatation of upper dermis following warm water contact was clearly observed only in PV patients.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of ciclopirox olamine via ternary complex with Tb(III) and EDTA.

A highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of ciclopirox olamine in raw material and in dosage forms. The proposed method is based on the formation of a ternary complex with Tb(III) in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. It was found that this complex manifests intense fluorescence at lambda(em) 489 and 545 nm with excitation at 295 nm.