Amelioration of amyloid beta (Aβ1-40) neurotoxicity by administration of silibinin; a behavioral and biochemical assessment

Objective(s): Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and death in the world. Currently, treatment mostly used to slow down the disease progression. Herbal remedies are considered by many in the community as a natural and safe treatment with fewer side effects. Silibinin, the active ingredient of Silybum marionum, has anti-oxidant, neurotrophic and neuroprotective characteristics. Therefore, here, the effect of different doses of Silibinin extract on oxidative stress and expression of neurotrophic factors was investigated. Materials and Methods: Forty eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into sham, lesion; Aβ1-40 injection, lesion-treatment; Aβ1-40 injection followed by different doses of silibinin (50, 100, 200 mg / kg) through gavage and lesion-vehicle group; Aβ1-40 injection + vehicle of silibinin. Morris water Maze (MWM) was done 28 days after the last treatment. Hippocampal tissue was removed for biochemical analysis. Production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), expression of BDNF/VEGF and cell viability were measured using Griess, fluorimetry, Western blotting and MTT techniques.  Results: Different concentrations of silibinin improved behavioral performance in animals. Higher doses of Silibinin could improve memory and learning function through MWM. Also, increasing the concentration of silibinin resulted in decreased ROS and NO production in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion: Consequently, silibinin may act as a potential candidate for alleviating symptoms of AD

Global systematic review of primary immunodeficiency registries

Introduction During the last 4 decades, registration of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) has played an essential role in different aspects of these diseases worldwide including epidemiological indexes, policymaking, quality controls of care/life, facilitation of genetic studies and clinical trials as well as improving our understanding about the natural history of the disease and the immune system function. However, due to the limitation of sustainable resources supporting these registries, inconsistency in diagnostic criteria and lack of molecular diagnosis as well as difficulties in the documentation and designing any universal platform, the global perspective of these diseases remains unclear. Areas covered Published and unpublished studies from January 1981 to June 2020 were systematically reviewed on PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Additionally, the reference list of all studies was hand-searched for additional studies. This effort identified a total of 104614 registered patients and suggests identification of at least 10590 additional PID patients, mainly from countries located in Asia and Africa. Molecular defects in genes known to cause PID were identified and reported in 13852 (13.2% of all registered) patients. Expert opinion Although these data suggest some progress in the identification and documentation of PID patients worldwide, achieving the basic requirement for the global PID burden estimation and registration of undiagnosed patients will require more reinforcement of the progress, involving both improved diagnostic facilities and neonatal screening.Peer reviewe

Determination of Spontaneous Locomotor Improvement in Rats with Spinal Cord Chronic Injury

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious clinical disorder, which involves the patient’s family as well as the community. After sever SCI, astrocytes of the central nervous system become reactive astrocytes, and produce glial scar which is a major obstacle to axons regeneration in the spinal cord. However, some studies have confirmed a spontaneous partial locomotor recovery in injured animals in the course of time and without any therapeutic interventions. Thus, in this study, locomotor function of animals with SCI was assessed to determine the exact scope of such a recovery through BBB (Basso, Bresnahan and Beattie) locomotor test during 20 weeks.   Materials and Methods: In this research, 18 adult male Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into 3equale groups: the  normal control, the sham, the injured. Animals in the normal control group did not received any intervention, but for the sham and injured groups, laminectomy and contusion model in segment T10 of spinal cord were accomplished, respectively. Locomotor improvement of animals in all the groups was evaluated for 20 weeks.   Findings: According to our investigation, comparison of the results of locomotor assessment of the second week against that of the 20th week of the spinal cord injured group without treatment demonstrated  a partial locomotor recovery, since the BBB score of lesion in these animals was 1.4 in the second week and reached up to 16 in the Twentieth week.   Discussion & Conclusion: Our Results showed that spontaneous locomotor recovery in animals with spinal cord defects increases after 20 weeks (from 16 21 score) in the course of  time and without any therapeutic interventions

Functional recovery assessment of spinal cord contusion model in male rats without therapeutic interventions

Introduction: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most serious clinical diseases, which not only affects the patient's physical and mental status, but its effects will be spread to family and community. After severe spinal cord injury, astrocytes of the central nervous system (CNS) become reactive astrocytes, and play the main role of glial scar formation. The scar is a major obstacle to regeneration of axons in the spinal cord. However, the studies have found that over time, a spontaneous partial motor recovery is observed in animals with injury without intervention. Thus, in this study, the recovery of animals with spinal cord injury was assessed after 12 weeks. Materials and methods: In this study, 12 adult male Wistar rats weighing approximately   265±15gr were used to assess spinal cord injury and randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control (n = 3), sham (n = 3), injury (n = 6). Healthy animals in the normal control group received no laminectomy or injury, and laminectomy with or without contusion model using weight drop in segment T10 of spinal cord were carried out in injury and sham groups, respectively. Locomotor function of animals in all groups were evaluated by BBB test at the first 48 hours per day and then weekly for 12 weeks. Results: Comparison of the results of motor evaluation from the second week to the twelfth week of the group with injury without treatment showed a relative functional recovery as the BBB score of animals from 1.4 in the second week after the injury reached to 6.5 in the twelfth week. Conclusion: The results indicate a spontaneous partial recovery in injured animals without intervention

Effect of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation on functional recovery in acute phase of spinal contused rats

Introduction: Spinal cord injuries (SCI) lead to permanent irreversible functional deficits.  Poor prognosis of patients is the motivation of searching a treatment for the chronic injury.  Planting stem cells provides us with a promising strategy. In the meanwhile, the use of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) has shown very good results.  This study aims at evaluating the effect of transplanted OECs on functional recovery of acute SCI in rats. Materials and methods: In this study, eighteen adult male Wistar rats weighting approximately 210 ± 10 gr were used to study spinal cord injury. They were randomly divided into four groups: Sham (n = 3), Control (n = 6), Vehicle (n=3) and Treatment (n=6). In the Sham Group, only laminectomy was performed in the area of T9 spinal cord. In three groups of Control, vehicle and Treatment, after laminectomy, spinal cord contusion model was performed using the Weight drop technique. Immediately after the injury, 10μl Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) alone or with 106 cells were injected to vehicle and Treatment Group animals. For culturing cells, the olfactory mucosa of 7-day-old male Wistar rats was used. Motor function of animals in all groups, was evaluated in the first 48 hours daily and then weekly for eight weeks. Results: Comparing the results of the second to eighth week of the study showed significant differences in the group receiving the OECs with the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results indicate a positive influence of the olfactory ensheathing cells in functional improvement of spinal cord injury in the acute phase of injury

Artificial Intelligence in Cancer Care: From Diagnosis to Prevention and Beyond

&lt;p&gt;Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in revolutionizing cancer care, encompassing various aspects from diagnosis to prevention and beyond. With its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, recognize patterns, and make accurate predictions, AI has emerged as a powerful tool in the fight against cancer. This article explores the applications of AI in cancer care, highlighting its role in diagnosis, treatment decision-making, prevention, and ongoing management. In the realm of cancer diagnosis, AI has demonstrated remarkable potential. By processing patient data, including medical imaging, pathology reports, and genetic profiles, AI algorithms can assist in early detection and accurate diagnosis. Image recognition algorithms can analyze radiological images, such as mammograms or CT scans, to detect subtle abnormalities and assist radiologists in identifying potential tumors. AI can also aid pathologists in analyzing tissue samples, leading to more precise and efficient cancer diagnoses. AI's impact extends beyond diagnosis into treatment decision-making. The integration of AI algorithms with clinical data allows for personalized treatment approaches. By analyzing patient characteristics, disease stage, genetic markers, and treatment outcomes, AI can provide valuable insights to oncologists, aiding in treatment planning and predicting response to specific therapies. This can lead to more targeted and effective treatment strategies, improving patient outcomes and reducing unnecessary treatments and side effects. Furthermore, AI plays a crucial role in cancer prevention. By analyzing genetic and environmental risk factors, AI algorithms can identify individuals at higher risk of developing certain cancers. This enables targeted screening programs and early interventions, allowing for timely detection and prevention of cancer. Additionally, AI can analyze population-level data to identify trends and patterns, contributing to the development of public health strategies for cancer prevention and control. AI's involvement in cancer care goes beyond diagnosis and treatment, encompassing ongoing management and survivorship. AI-powered systems can monitor treatment response, track disease progression, and detect recurrence at an early stage. By continuously analyzing patient data, including imaging, laboratory results, and clinical assessments, AI algorithms can provide real-time insights, facilitating timely interventions and adjustments to treatment plans. This proactive approach to disease management improves patient outcomes and enhances quality of life.&lt;/p&gt