Distribution of nociceptin in pancreatic islet cells of normal and diabetic rats.

Objectives: Nociceptin has been reported to play an important role in the regulation of pancreatic exocrine secretion. Most of the studies performed on nociceptin are mainly physiological rather than morphological in nature. The present study investigated the pattern of distribution of nociceptin in the endocrine pancreas of normal and diabetic rats.

Rapidly improving stroke symptoms: a pilot, prospective study.

Background: Rapidly improving stroke symptoms (RISSs) are a controversial exclusion for intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We estimated the frequency of 4 prespecified RISS definitions and explored their relationship to clinical outcome.

Methods: Pilot, prospective study of AIS patients admitted within 4.

Common risk factors for the development of anti tuberculosis treatment induced hepatotoxicity.

Background: Tuberculosis is a global pandemic which affects millions of people every year. The treatment of tuberculosis consists of simultaneous use of a number of drugs for a prolonged period of time, therefore anti-tuberculosis treatment induced toxicity is a real problem. Many risk factors which make a tuberculosis patient prone to the development of hepatotoxicity associated with the anti-tuberculosis treatment have been identified.

Anatomical evidence that the uninjured adjacent L4 nerve plays a significant role in the development of peripheral neuropathic pain after L5 spinal nerve ligation in rats.

Rats develop hyperalgesia and allodynia in the hind paw after L5 spinal nerve ligation. Phosphorylated extracellular regulated kinase (pERK) was used as a pain marker to investigate the potential role of adjacent uninjured L4 nerve in the development of heat hyperalgesia after L5 nerve injury. Left L5 nerve was ligated and sectioned in rats.

Serum leptin levels in polycystic ovary syndrome and its relationship with metabolic and hormonal profile in pakistani females.

The study aimed to investigate the levels of serum leptin in PCOS females and to correlate it with metabolic and hormonal parameters. Sixty-two PCOS and ninety normal cycling (NC) females with matched age and body mass index (BMI) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Serum leptin, FSH, LH, E2, free testosterone, progesterone, thyroid profile, and FBG levels were measured.

Photodegradation of α-cypermethrin in soil in the presence of trace metals (Cu2+, Cd2+, Fe2+ and Zn2+).

The influence of trace metals (Cu(2+), Zn(2+), Cd(2+) and Fe(2+)) on the photodegradation of α-cypermethrin (α-CYM) in agricultural soil was studied. The soil samples were spiked with α-cypermethrin with/without the presence of metal ions, irradiated under a UV irradiation chamber for a regular period of time and analyzed by using HPLC. The dark control sterile and unsterile soil samples spiked with α-cypermethrin and selected trace metals were incubated for the same interval of time at 25 °C.

Effect of ibandronate therapy on serum homocysteine and leptin in postmenopausal osteoporotic females.

Unlabelled: A significant change in serum leptin level and no change in homocysteine were observed with ibandronate treatment. No correlation of homocysteine and leptin was found with bone mass density (BMD). Results indicate that ibandronate reduces serum leptin levels but how does it help in reducing the osteoporosis.

Sonic hedgehog signalling pathway: a complex network.

Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) signalling cascade is one of the intricate signal transduction mechanisms that govern the precisely regulated developmental processes of multicellular organisms. Along with establishing the patterns of cellular differentiation to direct complex organ formation, it also has an important role in post-embryonic tissue regeneration and repair processes. Especially, Shh signalling is implicated in the induction of multifarious neuronal populations in central nervous system.

In vitro attenuation of thermal-induced protein denaturation by aerial parts of Artemisia scoparia.

The goal of this study was to explore the aerial parts of Artemisia scoparia (crude extract, total flavonoid contents, and aqueous fraction) for protein denaturation potential. The crude extract provoked marked attenuation of thermal-induced denatured protein in a concentration-dependent manner with maximum inhibition of 54.05 μg/mL at 500 μg/mL and IC50 of 449.

The effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 in the management of diabetes mellitus: cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Incretins, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP)-1, have been shown to elevate plasma insulin concentration. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cellular and molecular basis of the beneficial effects of GLP-1. Normal and diabetic male Wistar rats were treated with GLP-1 (50 ng/kg body weight) for 10 weeks.

Patient perception of treatment burden is high in celiac disease compared with other common conditions.

Objectives: The only treatment for celiac disease (CD) is life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet (GFD). Noncompliance is associated with signs and symptoms of CD, yet long-term adherence rates are poor. It is not known how the burden of the GFD compares with other medical treatments, and there are limited data on the socioeconomic factors influencing treatment adherence.

Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) are present in fractions related to exosomes released by EBV-transformed cells.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic herpesvirus associated with a number of human malignancies of epithelial and lymphoid origin. However, the mechanism of oncogenesis is unclear. A number of viral products, including EBV latent proteins and non-protein coding RNAs have been implicated.

Comparison of efficacy of ondansetron and dexamethasone combination and ondansetron alone in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of ondansetron alone and combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone in preventing post-operative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods: The randomised control trial was conducted from April 23 to August 22, 2009, at the Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, and comprised 100 American Society of Anaesthesiology I and II patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Half of the subjects comprised Group A and received ondansetron alone, while Group B received combination of ondansetron and dexamethasone.

Cardiac sequelae of human immunodeficiency virus disease.

Presently, patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection are living longer and are frequently encountered in medical practice. HIV infection is a systemic disease, which affects a wide spectrum of organs. Cardiac involvement is frequent, and the consequent clinical manifestations are a common reason to seek medical advice.

Clinical utility of celiac disease-associated HLA testing.

Background: Negative predictive value (NPV) of celiac disease (CD)-related human leukocyte antigens (HLA) DQ2 and DQ8 approaches 100 % in individual patients. However, studies evaluating its exclusionary utility in patient groups are lacking.

Aim: We aim to assess the performance of HLA testing when applied to patient groups with varying characteristics and propose evidence-based recommendations for its clinical use.

Cadmium chloride toxicity revisited: effect on certain andrological, endocrinological and biochemical parameters of adult male rabbits.

The present study was devised to assess the effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl(2)) administration on certain andrological, endocrinological and biochemical alterations in adult male rabbits (n=24). The animals were assigned to control (n=8) and experimental (n=16) group. Experimental group was orally administered with 1.

Immunologic status and virologic outcomes in repeat pregnancies to HIV-positive women not on antiretroviral therapy at conception: a case for lifelong antiretroviral therapy?

During their second pregnancy with diagnosed HIV (n = 1177), two-fifths of women in the UK/Ireland not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at conception had an immunological indication for treatment (CD4(+) <350 cells/μl), of whom nearly half had CD4(+) at least 350 cells/μl in their previous pregnancy. Those initiating ART during pregnancy had a 4.3-fold increased odds of detectable viral load at delivery compared with those conceiving on treatment, suggesting that continuation of ART after pregnancy may be beneficial for many women.

Antipyretic activity of decoction of Joshanda and its saponin and sterol contents: validation in an animal-based model.

Joshanda is a polyherbal product that is commonly used in the treatment of cold and flu usually accompanied by fever. The present study was designed to scrutinize the antipyretic activity of a decoction of Joshanda and its total saponin and sterol contents in brewer's yeast induced febrile mice. The results revealed marked attenuation of induced pyrexia by the decoction and its saponin contents during various assessment times (1-5 hours) in a dose-dependent manner, which were not supported by sterol contents.

HDL hypothesis: where do we stand now?

There is robust epidemiological evidence dating back to the original Framingham Heart Study from 1977 that indicates an important inverse relationship between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and risk of incident coronary artery disease (CAD). Despite this body of scientific information demonstrating that low levels of HDL-C are an independent predictor of subsequent CAD events, multiple therapeutic attempts to raise HDL-C levels have failed to demonstrate a consistent reduction in prognostically important endpoints such as death, myocardial infarction (MI), and stroke. Recently, several major randomized trials using different therapeutic interventions have raised appropriate concerns about our basic understanding of HDL-C and whether the "HDL hypothesis" of lowering cardiovascular events through therapeutic interventions directed at raising HDL-C is a scientifically viable one.

Attenuation of erythrocytic acetyl cholinesterase by paracetamol and chloroquine: evidence in an in vitro study.

The present study deals with the erythrocytic acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of paracetamol and chloroquine in an in vitro protocol using Michaelis Menten parameters (Apparent Michaelis Constant (aKm) and Apparent Maximum Velocity (aVm). Paracetamol showed marked inhibition of the erythrocytic acetylcholinesterase. The inhibitory values for aKm and aVm were 65.

Design and fabrication of branched polyamine functionalized mesoporous silica: an efficient absorbent for water remediation.

A novel branched polyamine (polyethyleneimine, PEI) functionalized mesoporous silica (MS) adsorbent is developed via a facile "grafting-to" approach. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy verified the effective surface functionalization of MS with monolayer and polymer. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was employed to reveal the morphology of the fabricated materials.

Mechanism of the beneficial and protective effects of exenatide in diabetic rats.

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) agonists are promising therapeutic agents in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. This study examines the mechanism of the protective effects of exenatide in experimental diabetes, employing four groups of ten rats each, in which two groups were streptozotocin-induced diabetic and two were control groups. One control and one diabetic group were treated with exenatide (1 μg/kg body weight (BW)) for 10 weeks.

Barriers in participant recruitment of diverse ethnicities in the state of Kuwait.

Background: High rejection rates of subject recruitments for research studies have been reported in immigrants in many countries. However, the barriers in recruiting members of the expatriate population in Kuwait have not yet been investigated. This study was therefore designed to identify barriers in recruiting expatriates for research studies in the state of Kuwait.