Sustained Tau Phosphorylation and Microglial Activation Following Repetitive Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND: Repetitive traumatic brain injury (TBI), even without acute sequela, can induce a delayed neurodegenerative with overexpression of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) as hallmark, caused by chronic inflammation mediated in part by microglial activation. AIM: The aim of this study was to examine the dynamics of p-tau accumulation and microglial activation following repetitive TBI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty Sprague–Dawley rats were randomized into a sham control group and two treatment groups receiving three successive closed-skull impacts (TBI model) from a 40-g mass dropped from a 1-m height on alternating days (days 0, 1, 3, and 7). The first treatment group was sacrificed on the last day of trauma and the second treatment group after 7 days of no trauma. The expression level of p-tau was evaluated by AT-8 antibody immunostaining and microglial activation by anti-CD-68 immunostaining. RESULTS: Immunoexpression of AT-8 was significantly elevated 7 days after TBI compared to the last day of trauma and compared to the sham control group, while CD-68 expression was significantly higher than sham controls on the last day of trauma and remained elevated for 7 days without trauma. CONCLUSION: The study showed that brain trauma can induce p-tau overexpression and microglial activation that is sustained during the non-trauma period

Turmeric Extract Supplementation Reduces Tau Protein Level in Repetitive Traumatic Brain Injury Model

BACKGROUND: Repetitive traumatic brain injury (RTBI) has gained much attention in this decade, especially in contact sports athletes and military personals. This injury is correlated with early neurodegenerative changes that are marked with the increased of tau protein. Turmeric extract (TE) is a well-known anti-inflammation and antioxidant that decreases tau protein expression in neurodegenerative disease. AIM: This study aimed to prove the effect of TE on tau protein level after RTBI. METHODS: Forty Sprague Dawley mice were divided into four groups, i.e. negative sham control group, the control group, and two treatment groups. A weight drop model was used by applying a 40-gram mass that was dropped from a 1-meter height onto the vertex of the head, with a total frequency of 12 times, divided into 4 days (day 0, 1, 3, and 7; 3 traumas on each day). TE was given to all treatment groups with 500 mg/kg BW doses once daily. The first treatment group had TE for seven days along the trauma. The second treatment group had pretreatment TE extract, given from seven days before first trauma and continued along the trauma protocol days. Tau protein level was measured on brain and serum using ELISA method. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction of tau protein level in both treatment groups compared to trauma group, either in serum or brain, but we also found significant differences regarding brain tau level between the treatment and pretreatment group. CONCLUSION: This study might provide evidence of with the role of pretreatment TE in RTBI

Changes in thyroid function in prostate cancer patients receiving docetaxel chemotherapy at Haji Adam Malik Hospital, Indonesia

Background: Prostate cancer treatment is determined based on several factors, namely tumor grading, staging, co-morbidity, patient preferences, life expectancy at diagnosis. Today, taxanes are commonly prescribed to treat several types of cancer and have been shown to have antitumor effects in many cancers. This research has never been done in prostate cancer patients but similar studies have been done before in breast cancer patients. Materials and methods: The research design was observational analytic where this type of research was a prospective cohort where data was collected to record prostate cancer patients who received docetaxel chemotherapy which were then examined for thyroid function in cancer patients at the Adam Malik Hospital. Result: In this study, data were collected regarding the thyroid function of the study sample in the form of fT4 and TSH levels before chemotherapy with the docetaxel regimen. The mean of fT4 in all research subjects was 1.05 with a standard deviation of 0.26. The mean TSH in all study subjects was 1.52 with a standard deviation of 1.21. Thyroid function was examined after 3 cycles of docetaxel chemotherapy. The mean of fT4 in all research subjects was 0.91 with a standard deviation of 0.23. The mean TSH in all study subjects was 1.69 with a standard deviation of 1.09. Conclusion: There are traces of the use of docetaxel chemotherapy in prostate cancer patients on decreased thyroid function at the Adam Malik Hospital in the form of decreased fT4 levels and increased TSH

Korelasi antara Skor ICH C-Reactive Protein, D-Dimer terhadap Luaran Pasien Perdarahan Intraserebral

Background and Objective: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10% to 15% of all strokes and has a high mortality and morbidity rate in the world. The ICH score is valid for predicting the severity of intracerebral hemorrhage patients treated in the ICU. The increase in C-reactive protein (CRP) value is a predictor in the outcome of ICU patients. The aim of this study was to find out how the ICH, CRP and D-dimer scores correlated with the outcome in intracerebral hemorrhage patients. Subjects and Methods: The subjects of this study were 27 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who were treated in the ICU of H. Adam Malik Hospital and the University of North Sumatra Hospital. Data were collected using consecutive sampling, then ICH, CRP, D-dimer scores were measured and the examination was analyzed by length of stay. Results: Out of a total of 27 patients, 22 (81.5%) patients moved to the ward and 5 (18.5%) patients died. The mean for ICH score was 2.70(0.67), CRP was 1.41(0.72), and D-dimer was 2757.96(1230.73). The results of the correlation between ICH score and length of stay found a positive correlation (r = 0.498; p = 0.008), a correlation between CRP and length of stay had a weak correlation (r = 0.315; p = 0.109) and a correlation between D-dimer and length of stay and found a correlation positive (r = 0.546; p = 0.003). Conclusion: It was found that ICH, CRP and D-dimer scores had an effect on the length of stay of patients with intracerebral hemorrhag

The effect of intranasal administration of ACTH analogue toward neural progenitor/stem cells proliferation after traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health problem because of its high mortality and long-term disability worldwide. Neural progenitor/stem cells (NPSCs) that survive in certain parts of the brain, enable brain to produce new neurons and glia. ACTH4-10Pro8-Gly9-Pro10 has a modulation effect on the expression and activation of the BDNF/TrkB system in the hippocampus area. The BDNF/TrkB pathway system is a potential therapeutic target toward NPSCs proliferation after TBI. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups, i.e A=sham-operated controls; B=TBI; C=TBI+intranasal ACTH4-10Pro8-Gly9-Pro10 administration. After 24 h, rats’ brains were immunohistochemically processed, to observe the number of cells expressing mBDNF, TrkB, and SOX2 in the subgranular zone(SGZ) of the hippocampus dentate gyrus(DG). Data were analyzed with SPSS 17, ANOVA, Post Hoc Tukey HSD test, with p value < 0,05. Mean expression of BDNF group C=16.33 ± 2.83 increased significantly compared to group A=8.33 ± 1.32(p=0.0001) and group B=5.89 ±1.69(p=0.0001). Mean expression of TrkB group C=17.00 ± 1.58 increased significantly compared to group A=4.33 ± 1.73(p=0.0001) and group B=5.89 ± 2.47(p=0.0001), TrkB expression in group B increased insignificantly compared to group A (p= 0.234). Mean expression of SOX2 in group C=12.56 ± 2.07 increased significantly compared to group B = 8.89 ±2.318(p=0.0001) and group A=4.89 ± 2.42(p=0.0001). ACTH4-10Pro8-Gly9-Pro10 can increase the expression of BDNF and TrkB, and the proliferation of NPSCs in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampus dentate gyrus (DG)

Hygiene and Health Coaching for Community Readiness to Perform the Hajj during an Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, WHO declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic, which had a major impact on all mass gatherings (MG), including the Hajj. This has an impact for the government, as the party organizing the pilgrimage can make more mature preparations for a more optimal implementation of the pilgrimage. This study aimed to evaluate hygiene and health coaching for community readiness to perform the Hajj during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. We used a mixed qualitative and quantitative method, in which the quantitative component used an analytic cross-sectional design with a questionnaire given to 2425 pilgrims, while the qualitative component was carried out through Focus Group Discussion. During the pandemic, all hygiene and health coaching, including guidance, was carried out in three types of distance learning, called &ldquo;online&rdquo;, &ldquo;offline (face-to-face)&rdquo;, and &ldquo;combination&rdquo;. This study shows that face-to-face health coaching is low (50.5%), while online coaching is high (70.0%). The total fraction of pilgrims who participated in blended coaching sessions was 55.1%, and the highest frequency of coaching was under four times (38.7%). However, in its implementation, there is still no integration between programs. There is quite a lot of health information given to pilgrims, but the material still varies between regions. Information on guidelines for preventing and transmitting COVID-19 for officers and pilgrims has not been fully socialized. There exists an urgent need to establish messages that are clear, meaningful, empathetic, consistent, and in context in order to achieve health improvement of pilgrims

Hygiene and Health Coaching for Community Readiness to Perform the Hajj during an Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

In March 2020, WHO declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a global pandemic, which had a major impact on all mass gatherings (MG), including the Hajj. This has an impact for the government, as the party organizing the pilgrimage can make more mature preparations for a more optimal implementation of the pilgrimage. This study aimed to evaluate hygiene and health coaching for community readiness to perform the Hajj during an ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. We used a mixed qualitative and quantitative method, in which the quantitative component used an analytic cross-sectional design with a questionnaire given to 2425 pilgrims, while the qualitative component was carried out through Focus Group Discussion. During the pandemic, all hygiene and health coaching, including guidance, was carried out in three types of distance learning, called “online”, “offline (face-to-face)”, and “combination”. This study shows that face-to-face health coaching is low (50.5%), while online coaching is high (70.0%). The total fraction of pilgrims who participated in blended coaching sessions was 55.1%, and the highest frequency of coaching was under four times (38.7%). However, in its implementation, there is still no integration between programs. There is quite a lot of health information given to pilgrims, but the material still varies between regions. Information on guidelines for preventing and transmitting COVID-19 for officers and pilgrims has not been fully socialized. There exists an urgent need to establish messages that are clear, meaningful, empathetic, consistent, and in context in order to achieve health improvement of pilgrims

Chemical Composition and Neuroprotective Properties of Indonesian Stingless Bee (<i>Geniotrigona thoracica</i>) Propolis Extract in an In-Vivo Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage (ICH)

Stroke is the world’s second-leading cause of death. Current treatments for cerebral edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) mainly involve hyperosmolar fluids, but this approach is often inadequate. Propolis, known for its various beneficial properties, especially antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, could potentially act as an adjunctive therapy and help alleviate stroke-associated injuries. The chemical composition of Geniotrigona thoracica propolis extract was analyzed by GC-MS after derivatization for its total phenolic and total flavonoid content. The total phenolic content and total flavonoid content of the propolis extract were 1037.31 ± 24.10 μg GAE/mL and 374.02 ± 3.36 μg QE/mL, respectively. By GC-MS analysis, its major constituents were found to be triterpenoids (22.4% of TIC). Minor compounds, such as phenolic lipids (6.7% of TIC, GC-MS) and diterpenic acids (2.3% of TIC, GC-MS), were also found. Ninety-six Sprague Dawley rats were divided into six groups; namely, the control group, the ICH group, and four ICH groups that received the following therapies: mannitol, propolis extract (daily oral propolis administration after the ICH induction), propolis-M (propolis and mannitol), and propolis-B+A (daily oral propolis administration 7 days prior to and 72 h after the ICH induction). Neurocognitive functions of the rats were analyzed using the rotarod challenge and Morris water maze. In addition, the expression of NF-κB, SUR1-TRPM4, MMP-9, and Aquaporin-4 was analyzed using immunohistochemical methods. A TUNEL assay was used to assess the percentage of apoptotic cells. Mannitol significantly improved cognitive–motor functions in the ICH group, evidenced by improved rotarod and Morris water maze completion times, and lowered SUR-1 and Aquaporin-4 levels. It also significantly decreased cerebral edema by day 3. Similarly, propolis treatments (propolis-A and propolis-B+A) showed comparable improvements in these tests and reduced edema. Moreover, combining propolis with mannitol (propolis-M) further enhanced these effects, particularly in reducing edema and the Virchow-Robin space. These findings highlight the potential of propolis from the Indonesian stingless bee, Geniotrigona thoracica, from the Central Tapanuli region as a neuroprotective, adjunctive therapy