Influence of genetic variants in asparaginase pathway on the susceptibility to asparaginase-related toxicity and patients' outcome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Background: Asparaginase (ASNase) is a key component in the treatment protocols of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Asparagine synthetase (ASNS) and the basic region leucine zipper activating transcription factor 5 (ATF5) mediate the anti-leukemic effect of ASNase. Only a few reports studied the association between polymorphisms in these genes and treatment-related toxicity and response.

Treatment of hypersaline hazardous landfill leachate using a baffled constructed wetland system: effect of granular packing media and vegetation.

Constructed wetland is an engineered system that attains more attention as a feasible technology for the treatment of municipal landfill leachate. However, its feasibility for treatment of toxic, hazardous, and hypersaline leachate remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of using a baffled constructed wetland (BCW) system for the treatment of hypersaline hazardous landfill leachate.

Grape seed extract Vitis vinifera protects against radiation-induced oxidative damage and metabolic disorders in rats.

Whole body exposure to ionizing radiation induces the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in different tissues provoking oxidative damage, organ dysfunction and metabolic disturbances. The present study was designed to determine the possible protective effect of grape seed extract (GSE), rich in proanthocyanidins against gamma-radiation-induced oxidative stress in heart and pancreas tissues associated with serum metabolic disturbances. Irradiated rats were whole body exposed to 5 Gy gamma-radiation.

Effects of vitamin E, age and sex on performance of Japanese quail. 1. Haematological indices and liver function.

1. A trial was conducted to examine the effects of dietary vitamin E content, age and sex on haematological indices and liver enzymes of Japanese quails. A total of 800 1-d-old quail chicks were assigned at random into 4 equal groups and fed on starter and layer diets containing 0, 1, 5 or 10 times the NRC recommended supplements of vitamin E.

In vitro effects of nifedipine on human red cell metabolism and blood coagulation.

In the present investigation, the effects of nifedipine on red cell deformability, intra-erythrocytic calcium and ATP as well as clotting time, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were determined in blood obtained from normal healthy individuals. Results obtained from this study showed that the addition of nifedipine (a membrane-active agent which inhibits Ca(2+)-Mg2+ ATPase) increased the deformability of these RBCs; this increase was statistically significant at p < 0.0001.