Effects of Arctium lappa aqueous extract on lipid profile and hepatic enzyme levels of sucrose-induced metabolic syndrome in female rats

Arctium lappa is known to have antioxidant and antidiabetic effects in traditional medicine. Objectives: The aim of this paper was to study the effects of A. lappa root extract (AE) on lipid profile and hepatic enzyme levels in sucrose-induced metabolic syndrome (MS) in female rats. The study used 40 adult female Wistar rats weighing 150 g-250 g randomly divided into five groups: control, metabolic syndrome (MS), metabolic syndrome+AE at 50,100, 200 mg/kg. MS was induced by administering 50% sucrose in drinking water for 6 weeks. AE was intra-peritoneally administered daily at doses of 50,100, and 200 mg/kg for two sequential weeks at the end of the fourth week in metabolic syndrome rats. Twenty-four hours after the last administration of AE, blood was collected and centrifuged, and then the serum was used for the measurement of lipid profile and hepatic enzyme. Serum glucose, insulin, fasting insulin resistance index, body weight, water intake, lipid profile, and hepatic enzymes were significantly increased although food intake was decreased in MS rats compared to the control rats. The lipids and liver enzymes were reduced by AE extracts in the MS group. This study showed that the A. lappa root aqueous extract exhibits a hypolipidemic activity of hyperlipidemic rats. This activity is practically that of a triple-impact antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hepatoprotective

Hexavalent Chromium Induced Oxidative Stress and Toxicity on isolated human lymphocytes

Introduction: The most toxic form of chromium (Cr) in the environment is the oxyanion chromate (Cr (VI)). In this form it is soluble and is transported into the cells. Chromate structurally resemble phosphate and sulfate, and can be transported into cells by the anion carrier.  Methods and Results: In this study, toxicity effects of Cr (VI) on isolated human lymphocytes was studied using accelerated cytotoxicity mechanisms screening (ACMS) technique. Human lymphocytes were isolated from blood of healthy persons using Ficoll-paque PLUS standard method. The trypan blue dye was used to cytotoxicity assay. The mechanistic parameters including reactive oxygen species (ROS), lysosomal membrane destabilization, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, lipid peroxidation, GSH and GSSG levels were assessed after 1, 2 and 3 hrs in potassium dichromate treated lymphocytes. The results indicate that toxicity of Cr (VI) was concentration dependent in human lymphocytes. Cr (VI) significantly (p<0.05) induced ROS production, MMP reduction, lysosomal membrane destabilization and lipid peroxidation in human lymphocytes. There was also a decrease in intracellular GSH and raise in extracellular GSSG levels in Cr (VI) treated lymphocytes.  Conclusion: OOur findings revealed that ROS formation with subsequent cellular damages is the molecular mechanism for Cr (VI) induced human blood lymphocyte toxicity

Dietary Patterns Prior to Pregnancy and Associations with Pregnancy Complications

Few studies have explored pre-pregnancy diet and its relationship with pregnancy outcomes. The objectives of this study were to: (1) derive pre-pregnancy dietary patterns for women enrolled in a prospective cohort in the province of Alberta, Canada; (2) describe associations between dietary patterns and socio-demographic characteristics; and (3) describe associations between dietary patterns and pregnancy complications. Upon enrolment into the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study (median age of gestation, 17 weeks), women (n = 1545) completed a validated 142-item food frequency questionnaire recording food and beverages consumed "in the 12 months prior to pregnancy". Other assessments included pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, and socio-demographic characteristics. Dietary patterns were derived using principal components analysis. Scores were calculated to represent adherence with each dietary pattern retained. Four dietary patterns were retained, accounting for 22.9% of the variation in the overall diet. Dietary patterns were named the "healthy", "meat and refined carbohydrate", "beans, cheese and salad" or "tea and coffee" patterns. Higher "healthy" pattern scores prior to pregnancy were associated with lower odds of developing gestational hypertension during pregnancy (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR): 0.6, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 0.4, 0.9). Diet prior to pregnancy is an important target for interventions and may reduce the likelihood of developing complications such as gestational hypertension during pregnancy

One-pot, four-component synthesis of novel cytotoxic agents 1-(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methanamines

A series of N-benzyl-1-(5-aryl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)-1-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methanamines were synthesized via one-pot reaction of appropriate benzylamine, pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde, (N-isocyanimino)triphenylphosphorane, and a carboxylic acid. The anti-tumor potential of title compounds was tested against several cancer cell lines by using MTT assay. Some tested compounds including 5e, 5p and 5q exhibited comparable or better cytotoxic activity against A549, HT29 or HT1080 cells in comparison to the reference drug doxorubicin. Also, the cytotoxic activity of compounds 5d and 5n against MCF-7 was better than that of doxorubicin. Compound 5n with IC50 value of 4.3 mM was 4-fold more potent than doxorubicin. The structureeactivity relationship study revealed that the introduction of halogen atoms on both 5-phenyl ring and N-benzyl part improved the cytotoxic activity against all tested cell lines

Class representatives: Collaborating with students to improve teaching & learning in a large first-year course

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Effects of Topical Fluoride on the Marginal Microleakage of Composite Resin and Resin-Modified Glass Ionomer Restorations in Primary Molars: An In-vitro Study

Introduction: Topical fluoride may deteriorate dental restorations. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of topical fluoride on the marginal microleakage of composite resin and resin-modified glass ionomer (RMGI) restorations in primary molars. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 60 primary molars were randomly divided into six groups of 10 based on the type of the restoration materials and before/after the application of fluoride gel, including FC (fluoride + composite), CF (composite + fluoride), C (composite), FG (fluoride + RMGI), GF (RMGI + fluoride), and G (RMGI). Class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surface, so that the gingival margins were located in cementum. After storing, thermocycling, and immersing the specimens in basic fuchsin, they were sectioned buccolingually and evaluated in terms of dye penetration. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 18 using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test at the significance level of 0.05. Results: No significant difference was observed between the three composite groups in terms of microleakage (P>0.05). In the RMGI groups, GF showed a significantly higher microleakage compared to G (P=0.029). However, no significant difference was observed between the other groups in this regard (P>0.05). Moreover, comparison of composite and RMGI groups (matched in terms of fluoride application) indicated that microleakage was significantly higher in FG than FC (P=0.024), as well as in GF than CF (P=0.002). However, no significant difference was observed between groups C and G in this regard (P=0.268). Conclusion: According to the results, the marginal seal of composite restorations in the primary molars were not affected by the acidic fluoride gel. On the other hand, applying the acidic fluoride gel was associated with a higher microleakage in the cavities restored with RMGI

Secondary Otalgia Outcomes in Patients Treated for Temporomandibular Disorder: A Scoping Review

Ear pain, or otalgia, is one of the most common clinical presentations seen in primary care, emergency medicine, and Otolaryngology (Kozin et al. 2015). Otalgia is subdivided into two categories: primary and secondary otalgia. Primary otalgia refers to pain emanating from structures in the inner, middle, or outer ear and typically presents with additional otologic symptoms such as otorrhea, vertigo, and loss of hearing (Hwa and Brant 2021). Secondary otalgia refers to ear pain that is related to non-otologic etiologies and often does not present with other otologic symptoms as would be seen in primary otalgia. Secondary otalgia presentations comprise close to half of all otalgia cases (Hwa and Brant 2021). A common etiology of secondary otalgia a group of conditions associated with musculoskeletal and neuromuscular pathology of the temporomandibular joint, muscles involved in mastication, and their associated structures, known collectively as Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD). It is reported that greater than 55% of adult patients with TMD report otalgia (Porto De Toledo et al. 2017). Anecdotally, a large number of care providers suggest management of possible TMD in patients presenting with secondary otalgia. However, the literature lacks consensus and strong evidence to suggest that TMD treatment results in resolution of secondary otalgia (Morell 2018; Hernández-Nuño de la Rosa et al. 2022). Further, the pathophysiology of TMD and secondary otalgia is also poorly understood . One recent systematic review linked several studies where patients experienced another otologic symptom, tinnitus, to an anatomic cause of TMD (Hernández-Nuño de la Rosa et al. 2022). While this review provided a brief overview on possible anatomical etiologies of secondary otalgia related to TMD, further investigation of the literature is warranted. The objective of this study is to conduct a thorough literature review to synthesize a concise scoping review to explain the anatomical relationship between TMD, and in doing so provide an overview on how various treatments affect the outcome of patients with concomitant secondary otalgia due specifically to TMD related to anatomic causes. The intent of this scoping review is to aid clinicians in providing stronger recommendations to their patients who suffer with secondary otalgia due to TMD