Sarcoplasmic reticulum and calcium signaling in muscle cells: Homeostasis and disease.

The sarco/endoplasmic reticulum is an extensive, dynamic and heterogeneous membranous network that fulfills multiple homeostatic functions. Among them, it compartmentalizes, stores and releases calcium within the intracellular space. In the case of muscle cells, calcium released from the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum in the vicinity of the contractile machinery induces cell contraction.

Subchronic toxicity and anti-HSV-1 activity in experimental animal of dolabelladienetriol from the seaweed, Dictyota pfaffii.

This study examined in rats the subchronic toxicity and anti- HSV-1activity after oral administration of dolabelladienetriol (D1), a diterpene isolated from the seaweed Dictyota pfaffii. In subchronic toxicity (SCT) tests, female rats received D1 by gavage 15 mg/kg/day (n = 5) for 50 days, and general behavior, death, hematological, biochemical and histological changes in the liver, kidney, stomach, and duodenum were determined. For the anti-HSV-1 activity, female mice were infected and treated orally with a dose of 20 mg/kg (n = 5) twice a day with D1 and any lesions in the skin were then recorded for 18 days.

Novel Therapies Targeting Cardioprotection and Regeneration.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. The heart is susceptible to pathologies that impact the myocardium directly, such as myocardial infarction and consequent heart failure, as well as conditions with indirect cardiac effects, such as cancer treatment-related cardiotoxicity. As the contractile cells of the heart, cardiomyocytes are essential for normal cardiac function.

New Molecular Insights of Insulin in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a highly prevalent disease worldwide. Cardiovascular disorders generated as a consequence of T2DM are a major cause of death related to this disease. Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by the morphological, functional and metabolic changes in the heart produced as a complication of T2DM.

Synthesis, antiviral activity and molecular modeling of oxoquinoline derivatives.

In the present article, we describe the synthesis, anti-HIV1 profile and molecular modeling evaluation of 11 oxoquinoline derivatives. The structure-activity relationship analysis revealed some stereoelectronic properties such as LUMO energy, dipole moment, number of rotatable bonds, and of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors correlated with the potency of compounds. We also describe the importance of substituents R(2) and R(3) for their biological activity.

The serum D-xylose test as a useful tool to identify malabsorption in rats with antigen specific gut inflammatory reaction.

The inappropriate immune response to foods, such as peanut, wheat and milk may be the basis in the pathogenesis of enteropathies like coeliac and Crohn disease, which present small intestinal malabsorption. A number of recent studies have utilized d-xylose absorption as an investigative tool to study small intestinal function in a variety of clinical settings. Thus, the aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the intestinal absorption of D-xylose in an antigen-specific gut inflammatory reaction rat model.

Food allergy/hypersensitivity: antigenicity or timing?

Mechanisms involved in the induction of oral tolerance (OT) or systemic immunization through the oral rout are still poorly understood. In our previous studies, we have shown that when normal mice eat peanuts they become tolerant, with no gut alterations. Conversely, if immunized with peanut proteins prior to a challenge diet (CD) containing peanuts they develop chronic inflammation of the gut.