Toxicity studies of ethanol extract of the leaves of Datura stramonium in rats

The effect of administration of ethanol extract of the leaves of Datura stramonium on some serum biochemical parameters was studied in rats to establish its safety. 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg doses of the extract were administered to the rats for five weeks. Parameters studied were the indices of liver and kidney function and some biochemical and hematological parameters. Feed intake, final body weight, serum AST, ALT, bilirubin, total protein, urea and the electrolytes studied were all not affected by the extract administration. Serum creatinine levels were however significantly raised in the rats administered the 200 mg/kg body weight ethanol extract. The biochemical and hematological parameters studied were also not affected. Administration of the extract for the five weeks period did not therefore establish its complete safety

AGEs Secreted by Bacteria Are Involved in the Inflammatory Response

Advanced Glycated End Products (AGEs) are formed by non-enzymatic protein glycation and are implicated in several physiological aspects including cell aging and diseases. Recent data indicate that bacteria – although short lived – produce, metabolize and accumulate AGEs. Here we show that Escherichia coli cells secret AGEs by the energy-dependent efflux pump systems. Moreover, we show that in the presence of these AGEs there is an upshift of pro-inflammatory cytokins by mammalian cells. Thus, we propose that secretion of AGEs by bacteria is a novel avenue of bacterial-induced inflammation which is potentially important in the pathophysiology of bacterial infections. Moreover, the sensing of AGEs by the host cells may constitute a warning system for the presence of bacteria

The association of aggressive and chronic periodontitis with systemic manifestations and dental anomalies in a jordanian population: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p><b>Background</b></p> <p>The relationship between dental anomalies and periodontitis has not been documented by earlier studies. Although psychological factors have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of periodontitis, very little information has so far been published about the association of anxiety and depression with aggressive periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis with certain systemic manifestations and dental anomalies.</p> <p><b>Methods</b></p> <p>A total of 262 patients (100 chronic periodontitis, 81 aggressive periodontitis and 81 controls), attending the Periodontology clinics at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Dental Teaching Centre) were included. All subjects had a full periodontal and radiographic examination to assess the periodontal condition and to check for the presence of any of the following dental anomalies: dens invaginatus, dens evaginatus, congenitally missing lateral incisors or peg-shaped lateral incisors. Participants were interrogated regarding the following: depressive mood, fatigue, weight loss, or loss of appetite; and their anxiety and depression status was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale.</p> <p><b>Results</b></p> <p>Patients with aggressive periodontitis reported more systemic symptoms (51%) than the chronic periodontitis (36%) and control (30%) patients (<it>p </it>< 0.05). Aggressive periodontitis patients had a higher tendency for both anxiety and depression than chronic periodontitis and control patients. Dental anomalies were significantly (<it>p </it>< 0.05) more frequent among both of chronic and aggressive periodontitis patients (15% and 16%, respectively), compared to controls.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b></p> <p>In this group of Jordanians, systemic symptoms were strongly associated with aggressive periodontitis, and dental anomalies were positively associated with both aggressive and chronic periodontitis.</p

Histone deacetylase inhibitors in Hodgkin lymphoma

Although Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is considered one of the most curable human cancers, the treatment of patients with relapsed and refractory disease, especially those who relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation, remains challenging. Furthermore, because of the young age of these patients, the impact of early mortality on the number of years lost from productive life is remarkable. Patients with relapsed HL post stem cell transplantation currently have no curative therapy, and are in need for new drugs and novel treatment strategies. While no new drugs have been approved for the treatment of patients with HL in more than three decades, several new agents are demonstrating promising results in early clinical trials. This review will focus on the emerging role of histone deacetylase inhibitors in patients with relapsed HL

Rural-urban difference in levels of physical activity among hausa-fulani of north-western Nigeria

Lifestyles, including physical inactivity are known risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Urbanization has been associated with physic.il inactivity. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the level of physical activity among the Hausa Fulani of Sokoto. Nigeria and to compare physical activity levels between rurul and urban Hausa fulani of the sub-region. Method: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Sokoto State in Northern Nigeria using multistage sampling design. Seven hundred and eighty-two participants were recruited. Using the WHOSTEP wise approach to surveillance (STEP) Instrument, information on socio-demographic, physical Activity and anthropometric data was obtained. Being physically active was defined -is participating in 3H or more minutes of moderate or vigorous activity per day for at least 5 days in a week. Results: The mean (SD) age of the study population was 38.9 (36.6) years. Four hundred and sixty-two (59.0%) subjects comprising of 182 (46.8%) and 280 (71-2%) from the urban and rural locations respectively, were physically active. The male subjects (64.1) were more physically active than die females (53.6%) (P=0.002). Occurrence of physical inactivity in the Hausa-Fulani increases with increased age and body mass index. Conclusion: Physical inactivity is common among the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group of North -Western Nigeria. It is commoner in the urban compared to the rural dwellers. There is therefore the need for public health interventions to improve physical activity so as to reduce the risk of non- communicable diseases associated with physical inactivity

Social imaginaries of subsea cables: recovering connections between Broome and Banyuwangi

As most data travel through subsea cables, this article investigates social imaginaries of the cable laid in 1889 from Banyuwangi in south-eastern Java to Broome in north-western Australia. Through collaborative fieldwork in Broome and Banyuwangi, radically different representations are identified at either end of the cable. In Broome, the cable telegraph station is memorialized for introducing colonial sophistication to a town where Java is celebrated for facilitating communication with Britain. In Banyuwangi, there is no mention of Broome and little mention of the undersea cable. Instead, there are mythical and haunted representations of a decrepit British Hostel occasionally associated with telegraph operations. Despite some similarities in Indigenous perspectives and entrepreneurial desire to realize tourism income from cable heritage, an ocean-size gulf was identified between the social imaginaries that enabled the cable to be dug up and normalized as a cultural attraction in Broome while remaining buried, almost forgotten, in Banyuwangi