Neuroprotective Effects of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Bilateral Common Carotid Arteries Occlusion Model of Cerebral Ischemia in Rat

Cell therapy is the most advanced treatment of the cerebral ischemia, nowadays. Herein, we discuss the neuroprotective effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on rat hippocampal cells following intravenous injection of these cells in an ischemia-reperfusion model. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: control, sham (surgery without blockage of common carotid arteries), ischemia (common carotid arteries were blocked for 30 min prior to reperfusion), vehicle (7 days after ischemia PBS was injected via the tail vein), and treatment (injections of BMSC into the tail veins 7 days after ischemia). We performed neuromuscular and vestibulomotor function tests to assess behavioral function and, finally, brains were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), anti-Brdu immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL staining. The ischemia group had severe apoptosis. The group treated with BMSCs had a lower mortality rate and also had significant improvement in functional recovery (P<0.001). Ischemia-reperfusion for 30 min causes damage and extensive neuronal death in the hippocampus, especially in CA1 and CA3 regions, leading to several functional and neurological deficits. In conclusion, intravenous injection of BMSCs can significantly decrease the number of apoptotic neurons and significantly improve functional recovery, which may be a beneficial treatment method for ischemic injuries. © 2016 Bagher Pourheydar et al

Validating the suinn-lew Asian self-identity acculturation scale among middle Eastern Migrants: Linear versus orthogonal approaches

The current study aimed at validating the 26-item Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation scale (SL-ASIA) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in first-generation young adult Middle Eastern (ME) migrants, and also exploring the agreement between the outcomes of linear and orthogonal approaches of acculturation using SL-ASIA. The CFA and convergent and discriminant validity measures were employed to validate the original linear SL-ASIA and the subsequently designed orthogonal SL-ASIA for first-generation young adult ME migrants in Australia (n = 382). Cohen’s Kappa coefficient was used to measure the agreement between classifica-tions obtained by the linear and orthogonal methods of measuring acculturation. The CFAs of the initial six-factor 21-item linear scale and the two-factor five-item orthogonal scale indicated poor fits. However, after model specification and validation, satisfac-tory fit and validity indices were achieved for the modified scales. The validated linear SL-ASIA comprised five factors and 15 items, and the validated orthogonal SL-ASIA comprised two factors and four items. The Kappa coefficient showed a high level of consistency between the linear and orthogonal models of acculturation, confirming that the use of either scale can lead to similar research out-comes. The study also supports the use of the validated linear and/or orthogonal scales to measure acculturation. This finding responds to the existing gap in the literature that until now, no acculturation scale is validated for ME migrants, and also no study is conducted to validate the orthogonal SL-ASIA

Urban megaprojects and water justice in Southeast Asia: Between global economies and community transitions

Available online 1 April 2021Within the Southeast Asian context, urban megaprojects are often delivered in aquatic or semi-aquatic contexts, transforming local hydrological systems used for sanitation, agriculture, sustenance, resource use and cultural purposes by the local populations. This paper addresses a key knowledge gap on the impacts of urban mega-projects on water security and water-related human rights in Southeast Asia through a literature review, field observations and digital earth observation. Three case studies in Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar were used to develop a picture of urban megaproject impacts on urban water landscapes and the human rights of local communities. The paper adapts recent human rights frameworks developed specifically for megaproject life cycles and applies them to the selected urban megaproject case studies. The seven stages in the megaproject life cycle are linked with specific accountability measures for duty bearers. Current challenges and opportunities for the global urban development community are developed in relation to water justice and megaprojects. Further the question of a just urban transition is developed to mediate between megaproject proponents and local communities in the Global South.Scott Hawken, Behnaz Avazpour, Mike S. Harris, Atousa Marzban, Paul George Munr

Lithium attenuated the depressant and anxiogenic effect of juvenile social stress through mitigating the negative impact of interlukin-1β and nitric oxide on hypothala...

Abstract—The neuroimmune-endocrine dysfunction has been accepted as one of fundamental mechanisms contributing to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the involvement of hypothalamic–pituitary–adre nal (HPA) axis, interleukin-1b, and nitrergic system in mediating the negative behavioral impacts of juvenile social isolation stress (SIS) in male mice. We also investigated the possible protective effects of lithium on behavioral and neurochemical changes in socially isolated animals. Results showed that experiencing 4-weeks of juvenile SIS provoked depressive and anxiety-like behaviors that were associated with hyper responsiveness of HPA axis, upregulation of interleukin-1b, and nitric oxide (NO) overproduction in the pre-frontal cortex and hippocampus. Administration of lithium (10 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the depressant and anxiogenic effects of SIS in behavioral tests. Lithium also restored the negative effects of SIS on cortical and hippocampal interleukin-1b and NO as well as HPA axis deregulation. Unlike the neutralizing effects of L-arginine (NO precursor), administration of L-NAME (3 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (20 mg/kg) potentiated the positive effects of lithium on the behavioral and neurochemical profile of isolated mice. In conclusion, our results revealed that juvenile SIS-induced behavioral deficits are associated with abnormalities in HPA-immune function. Also, we suggest that alleviating effects of lithium on behavioral profile of isolated mice may be partly mediated by mitigating the negative impact of NO on HPA-immune function. � 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Blockade of p75 neurotrophin receptor reverses irritability and anxiety-related behaviors in a rat model of status epilepticus

Background: Many recent epidemiological studies have shown that epileptic patients are more likely suffer from depression, anxiety, and irritability. However, the cellular mechanisms of epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors are not fully elucidated. Neurotrophin receptors have been suggested to be involved in epilepsy and also in psychiatric disorders. Up-regulation of p75NTR expression and activation of p75NTR signalling cascades after the seizure have been shown, but the role of the p75 receptor in epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors has not been documented so far. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the effect of p75 receptor blockade on seizure activity, irritability, and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of status epilepticus. Methods: Rats were injected with pilocarpine (350 mg/ kg, i.p.) to induce status epilepticus. Then various behavioral tests were performed after the blockade of p75NTR alone or in combination with p75 antagonist and phenobarbital. Molecular analysis by PCR was performed to investigate the expression of p75 and pro-NGF. Results: Molecular findings indicated a high level of mRNA expression for both p75 receptors and pro-NGF in the epileptic model group. Results also showed that the administration of p75 antagonist alone or in combination with phenobarbital was able to significantly influence the behavioral responses. Furthermore, 20-hours video monitoring showed a decrease in the frequency and duration of seizures in the rat group receiving p75 antagonist. Conclusion: Taken together, the present study suggests that the blockade of the p75 receptor may affect the irritability and anxiety-related behavior in a rat model of status epilepticus. © 2018, Pasteur Institute of Iran. All rights reserved

Blockade of p75 neurotrophin receptor reverses irritability and anxiety-related behaviors in a rat model of status epilepticus

Background: Many recent epidemiological studies have shown that epileptic patients are more likely suffer from depression, anxiety, and irritability. However, the cellular mechanisms of epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors are not fully elucidated. Neurotrophin receptors have been suggested to be involved in epilepsy and also in psychiatric disorders. Up-regulation of p75NTR expression and activation of p75NTR signalling cascades after the seizure have been shown, but the role of the p75 receptor in epilepsy-induced psychotic behaviors has not been documented so far. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate the effect of p75 receptor blockade on seizure activity, irritability, and anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of status epilepticus. Methods: Rats were injected with pilocarpine (350 mg/ kg, i.p.) to induce status epilepticus. Then various behavioral tests were performed after the blockade of p75NTR alone or in combination with p75 antagonist and phenobarbital. Molecular analysis by PCR was performed to investigate the expression of p75 and pro-NGF. Results: Molecular findings indicated a high level of mRNA expression for both p75 receptors and pro-NGF in the epileptic model group. Results also showed that the administration of p75 antagonist alone or in combination with phenobarbital was able to significantly influence the behavioral responses. Furthermore, 20-hours video monitoring showed a decrease in the frequency and duration of seizures in the rat group receiving p75 antagonist. Conclusion: Taken together, the present study suggests that the blockade of the p75 receptor may affect the irritability and anxiety-related behavior in a rat model of status epilepticus. © 2018, Pasteur Institute of Iran. All rights reserved

Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA) for Typing Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolated from Urine Samples of Different Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered as one of the important causes of urinary infections in hospitals. The aim of the current study is the genetic typing for the number of bacterial strains isolated from patients using MLVA technique. METHODS: In this study, 70 isolates were collected from different hospitals located in Tehran city. First, DNA extraction was conducted for genotyping analysis by MLVA method. Subsequently, VNTR sequences located in several genes of bacterial genomes such as MS-214, MS-215, MS-217, MS-222, MS-223, MS-142 and MS-173 were amplified by specific primers using PCR technique. After confirming the PCR amplification using electrophoresis and visualization of their bonds on agarose gel, relationship evolutionary graph for the different strains was constructed based on MLVA technique. FINDINGS: After the electrophoresis of PCR products and determination of VNTR copy-numbers, 70 strains were classified as 39 types and genetic evolutionary tree was also constructed based on VNTRs Data. According to the MST algorithm, 70 clinical strains divided into 11 clonal complexes which these criteria is interpreted as genetic distance based on the difference of VNTR copy numbers for each group. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that MLVA could be helpful for typing clinical strains of P. aeruginosa. The results also showed that this method had great potential to differentiate those strains with high phenotypic similarity