Lipid lowering and anti-atherosclerotic properties of Tinospora crispa aqueous extract on high-cholesterol diet-induced hyperlipidemic rabbits

This study was aimed to investigate the hypocholestrolemic and anti-atherosclerotic properties of Tinospora crispa aqueous extract (TCAE) on rabbits for 10  weeks. The hyperlipidemic rabbits were induced and the rabbit were given different concentration of TCAE (200, 450 and 600 mg/kg). Results from lipid analysis  show that the level of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and LDL-C on the hyperlipidemic rabbits were reduced with the treatment of TCAE while HDL level  was elevated. Through plasma analysis, the activity of gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphates (ALP) were also reduced with the treatment of  TCAE compared to hyperlipidemia group. All group of rabbits tested with TCAE again had significantly higher (p < 0.05) total  antioxidant status (TAS), glutathione  peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. Among the concentrations of TCAE tested, medium dose showed more potent effect in reducing blood  serum TC, TG and LDL-C levels and increasing HDL-C level compared to low and high dosages counterparts. No foam cell formation was visible in aorta of rabbits treated with TCAE in dose dependent manner. However, there was visible foam cell formation in the aorta of hyperlipidemia group. In conclusion, this study suggests that supplementation of 450 mg/kg of T. crispa extract would be able to reduce or retard the progression of atherosclerotic plaque development induced by dietary cholesterol.Key words: Hypocholesterolemia, Tinospora crispa, anti-atherosclerotic properties, cardiovascular diseases

Antidepressant-like effect of aqueous extract of Channa striatus fillet in mice models of depression.

Background and Objectives: Channa (C.) striatus (Malay-Haruan), is a fresh water snakehead fish, consumed as a rejuvenating diet in post-parturition period in local Malay population. The aqueous extract of C. striatus fillet (AECSF) was reported to act through serotonergic receptor system in a previous study. There is no scientific report on neuropharmacological effects of C. striatus. Based on these data, the antidepressant-like effect of C. striatus was evaluated in mice models of depression. Materials and Methods: AECSF was prepared by steaming the fillets as described previously. Antidepressant activity was studied in male ICR mice using forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). Open-field test was used to evaluate any psychomotor stimulant activity. AECSF was administered intraperitoneally at the concentrations of 30%, 40% and 50% w/v at the dosage of 10 ml/kg. Amitriptyline (10 mg/kg) was used as positive control. Results: All the three concentrations of AECSF (30%, 40% and 50% w/v) significantly reduced the immobility time (p < 0.001) in FST and TST. All the three concentrations of AECSF (30%, 40% and 50% w/v) significantly (p < 0.001) reduced locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner in open-field test. Conclusions: AECSF produced significant reduction of immobility time in both FST and TST. Amitriptyline produced a significant reduction of immobility time in both FST and TST similar to previous findings. The AECSF produced a dose-dependent decrease in locomotor activity in the open-field test. This hypolocomotion effect indicated the absence of any psychomotor stimulant activity thereby supporting the antidepressant-like effect of the AECSF. The pharmacological mechanisms of the observed antidepressant-like effect and hypolocomotion effect are not understood from our study. Hence, further studies are required

Involvement of monoaminergic system in the antidepressant-like effect of aqueous extract of Channa striatus in mice

BACKGROUND: In our previous study, the aqueous extract of Channa striatus (family: Channidae) fillet (AECSF) showed an antidepressant-like effect in mice. However, the mechanism of the antidepressant-like effect is unknown. AIM: The objective of this study was to explore the involvement of monoamines in the antidepressant-like effect of AECSF in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AECSF was prepared by steaming the fillets of C. striatus. The male ICR mice were pretreated with various monoaminergic antagonists viz., p-chlorophenylalanine (100 mg/kg, i.p.), prazosin (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p.), SCH23390 (0.05 mg/kg, s.c.) and sulpiride (50 mg/kg, i.p.) followed by treatment with AECSF and tested in tail suspension test (TST). Two-way ANOVA with Tukey test were used at p < 0.05 for significance. RESULTS: The pretreatments with p-chlorophenylalanine, prazosin and yohimbine, but not with SCH23390 and sulpiride, were able to reverse the antidepressant-like effect of AECSF in TST. CONCLUSIONS: The antidepressant-like effect of AECSF may be mediated through the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems and not through the dopaminergic system

Assessment of dispersion of airborne particles of oral/nasal fluid by high flow nasal cannula therapy

Background Nasal High Flow (NHF) therapy delivers flows of heated humidified gases up to 60 LPM (litres per minute) via a nasal cannula. Particles of oral/nasal fluid released by patients undergoing NHF therapy may pose a cross-infection risk, which is a potential concern for treating COVID-19 patients. Methods Liquid particles within the exhaled breath of healthy participants were measured with two protocols: (1) high speed camera imaging and counting exhaled particles under high magnification (6 participants) and (2) measuring the deposition of a chemical marker (riboflavin-5-monophosphate) at a distance of 100 and 500 mm on filter papers through which air was drawn (10 participants). The filter papers were assayed with HPLC. Breathing conditions tested included quiet (resting) breathing and vigorous breathing (which here means nasal snorting, voluntary coughing and voluntary sneezing). Unsupported (natural) breathing and NHF at 30 and 60 LPM were compared. Results Imaging: During quiet breathing, no particles were recorded with unsupported breathing or 30 LPM NHF (detection limit for single particles 33 μm). Particles were detected from 2 of 6 participants at 60 LPM quiet breathing at approximately 10% of the rate caused by unsupported vigorous breathing. Unsupported vigorous breathing released the greatest numbers of particles. Vigorous breathing with NHF at 60 LPM, released half the number of particles compared to vigorous breathing without NHF. Chemical marker tests: No oral/nasal fluid was detected in quiet breathing without NHF (detection limit 0.28 μL/m3). In quiet breathing with NHF at 60 LPM, small quantities were detected in 4 out of 29 quiet breathing tests, not exceeding 17 μL/m3. Vigorous breathing released 200–1000 times more fluid than the quiet breathing with NHF. The quantities detected in vigorous breathing were similar whether using NHF or not. Conclusion During quiet breathing, 60 LPM NHF therapy may cause oral/nasal fluid to be released as particles, at levels of tens of μL per cubic metre of air. Vigorous breathing (snort, cough or sneeze) releases 200 to 1000 times more oral/nasal fluid than quiet breathing (p < 0.001 with both imaging and chemical marker methods). During vigorous breathing, 60 LPM NHF therapy caused no statistically significant difference in the quantity of oral/nasal fluid released compared to unsupported breathing. NHF use does not increase the risk of dispersing infectious aerosols above the risk of unsupported vigorous breathing. Standard infection prevention and control measures should apply when dealing with a patient who has an acute respiratory infection, independent of which, if any, respiratory support is being used

Effect of Hydrochloric Acid Concentration on Morphology of Polyaniline Nanofibers Synthesized by Rapid Mixing Polymerization

Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers with diameters ranging from 60 nm to 190 nm were successfully synthesized by rapid mixing polymerization method at room temperature. The effects of synthesis conditions such as concentration of hydrochloric acid (HCl), ammonium persulfate (APS), and aniline monomer (Ani) on the morphology of PANI nanofibers were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR and UV-Vis analysis were performed to characterize the PANI nanofibers. The effect of polymerization time and electrical properties of PANI nanofibers was also discussed. A rapid mixing polymerization method is found to be advantageous in producing bulk quantities of nanofibers

Application of graphene oxide based Microfiber-Knot resonator for relative humidity sensing

A relative humidity (RH) sensor is proposed and demonstrated using a micro-knot resonator (MKR) enhanced with a layer graphene oxide (GO) coating. The MKR is fabricated by means of tapering a standard fiber, with the GO coating added by the drop-cast method. The proposed sensor is tested for an RH range of between 0% and 80% at 20% intervals, and the configurations with and without the GO coating achieve sensitivities of 0.0104 nm/% and 0.0095 nm/%, respectively. The MKR configuration without the GO coating has a linear response correlation coefficient of 0.9098 and a resolution of 0.1%, while the configuration with the GO coating has a linear response correlation coefficient of 0.9548 and a resolution of 0.096% which is better. The proposed sensor has multiple applications, especially in the area of climate and atmospheric measurement and monitoring

Mobility of IT professionals in Malaysia

This paper is based on a research study with the aim to investigate the mobility of IT professionals in Malaysia and come up with suggestions to improve recruitment and retention policies for the IT profession.A questionnaire,namely the IT Professional Turnover/Mobility Survey for the Management of IS/IT Department was constructed and administered to 415 respondents IT employees listed in the Malaysian National Computer Confederation (MNCC) registration list with a 25% response rate.Data gathered were statistically analysed descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages,cross-tabulation,and correlation analysis.A research model was constructed based on review of related articles to determine factors that contribute tomobility of IT professionals.Among the major findings were a large majority of respondents would never or seldom moved and likely to stay for more than five years.Majority of respondents also indicated that they would remain as IT professionals with no plans to change their career.The findings also suggest that the three most attractive factors for moving among IT professionals are better salary,better working condition and better environment.The most common reasons for leaving was not happy with working conditions and no opportunity for self development.Good pay/renumeration was considered the best factor for staying in current organization,location (nearer to home) and career advancement opportunities were the two most popular factors chosen.On mobility factor,the variables found to be significantly related to mobility of IT professionals are: Age, Marital Status and Experience (Demographic Information);Tryout and Travel (Personality factor);Quitting Job and Satisfaction (Job Satisfaction);Salary (Career Advancement); and Work Condition and Flexi Time (Organizational Factor).On the employer's perspektive,the three most critical problems faced by employers when their IT personnel leave were disruption to scheduler,retraining, and difficulty to get replacement.In summary, the findings presented in this study suggest that IT professionals are likely to stay in their professions,felt that they have made the right choice in their career with the intention of staying with their current job,whilst charting their career goals within the IT profession, but less ambitious in taking up a more senior position within or outside the organization

A phenylbutenoid dimer, cis-3-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-3′′′,4′′′-dimethoxystyryl] cyclohex-1-ene, exhibits apoptogenic properties in T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells via induction of p53-independent mitochondrial signalling pathway

The current study was designed to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity effect of a phenylbutenoid dimer, cis-3-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)- 3‴,4‴-dimethoxystyryl]cyclohex-1-ene (ZC-B11) isolated from the rhizome of Zingiber cassumunar on various cancer cell line, and normal human blood mononuclear cells, and to further investigate the involvement of apoptosis-related proteins that leads, to the probable pathway in which apoptosis is triggered. Cytotoxicity test using MTT assay showed selective inhibition of ZC-B11 towards T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells, CEMss, with an ICvalue of 7.11 ± 0.240 g/mL, which did not reveal cytotoxic effects towards normal human blood mononuclear cells (IC> 50 g/mL). Morphology assessments demonstrated distinctive morphological changes corresponding to a typical apoptosis. ZC-B11 also arrested cell cycle progression at S phase and causes DNA fragmentation in CEMss cells. Decline of mitochondrial membrane potential was also determined qualitatively. In the apoptosis-related protein determination, ZC-B11 was found to significantly upregulate Bax, caspase 3/7, caspase 9, cytochrome c, and SMAC and downregulate Bcl-2, HSP70, and XIAP, but did not affect caspase 8, p53, and BID. These results demonstrated for the first time the apoptogenic property of ZC-B11 on CEMss cell line, leading to the programmed cell death via intrinsic mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis induction

Improving the lipid profile in hypercholesterolemia-induced rabbit by supplementation of germinated brown rice.

It is imperative that there be a diet designed specifically to improve lipid profile in order to impede the progress of atherosclerosis. Because rice is a staple food in Asia, it will be chosen as the diet of interest. This study sets out to discover whether consumption of different processed rice diets may result in a change of the lipid profile. The experiment was done on male New Zealand white rabbits after 10 weeks of treatment with diet containing 0.5% cholesterol. The experimental diets include white rice (WR), brown rice (BR), and germinated brown rice (GBR). Among them, rabbits fed a GBR diet demonstrated significantly lower levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), LDL/HDL, and atherogenic index (AI) and a higher level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Results from atherosclerotic plaque assessment further support the findings. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA), which acts as an indicator for oxidative stress, was also reduced by GBR diet. The positive change in lipid profile in the rabbits fed GBR appeared to correspond with the higher amounts of γ-oryzanol, tocopherol, and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) content