Reproductive toxicity of manganese dioxide in forms of micro- and nanoparticles in male rats

Background: Manganese Dioxide (MnO2) has long been used in industry, and its application has recently been increasing in the form of nanoparticle. Objective: The present study was an attempt to assess the effects of MnO2 nanoparticles on spermatogenesis in male rats. Materials and Methods: Micro- and nanoparticles of MnO2 were injected (100 mg/kg) subcutaneously to male Wistar rats (150 ± 20 gr) once a week for a period of 4 weeks, and the vehicle group received only normal saline (each group included 8 rats). The effect of these particles on the bodyweight, number of sperms, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, diameter of seminiferous tubes, testosterone, estrogen, follicle stimulating factor, and the motility of sperms were evaluated and then compared among the control and vehicle groups as the criteria for spermatogenesis. Results: The results showed that a chronic injection of MnO2 nanoparticles caused a significant decrease in the number of sperms, spermatogonia, spermatocytes, diameter of seminiferous tubes (p < 0.001) and in the motility of sperms. However, no significant difference was observed in the weight of prostate, epididymis, left testicle, estradiol (p = 0.8) and testosterone hormone (p = 0.2). Conclusion: It seems that the high oxidative power of both particles was the main reason for the disturbances in the function of the testis. It is also concluded that these particles may have a potential reproductive toxicity in adult male rats. Further studies are thus needed to determine its mechanism of action upon spermatogenesis

Changes in apoptotic factors caspase-3, PARP and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the ventral tegmental area after the acquisition and extinction of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in the rat

Introduction: Chronic high doses of morphine inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell death. One of the centers in reward pathway is the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Stimulation of opioid receptors in the reward circuit in the brain by morphine could be enabling a factor induce apoptosis in some brain regions, and expression of death receptors increases on the cell surface. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of morphine on changes in apoptotic factors (Bax/Bcl-2, PARP and caspase-3) in the VTA during the acquisition of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) and extinction period. Materials and Methods: In this study, in behavioral experiments, the CPP paradigm was done on 64 adult male albino Wistar rats. In saline-control and three doses of morphine (0.5, 5, 10 mg/kg) experimental groups in acquisition, in addition with effective dose of morphine (5 mg/kg) evaluate extinction period (8 days). Then, in the molecular section the changes in apoptotic proteins assess with western blot technique.Results: We found that apoptotic factors increase in all three experimental groups in response to morphine. However, the most response was significantly occurred at the dose of 5 mg/kg morphine. Additionally, there is no change has been seen in the apoptotic factors during the extinction period. Conclusion: It seems that morphine in all doses cause apoptosis, but quite contrary, by increasing the dose of morphine, the number of receptors involved in apoptosis increases and morphine’s neuroprotective effects are appeared

Cannabidiol and substance use disorder: Dream or reality

International audienc

Cannabidiol and substance use disorder: Dream or reality

International audienc

Safety and outcomes of intravenous thrombolytic therapy in ischemic stroke patients with COVID-19: CASCADE initiative

BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding the safety of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV-tPA) in patients with stroke and COVID-19. METHODS: This multicenter study included consecutive stroke patients with and without COVID-19 treated with IV-tPA between February 18, 2019, to December 31, 2020, at 9 centers participating in the CASCADE initiative. Clinical outcomes included modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at hospital discharge, in-hospital mortality, the rate of hemorrhagic transformation. Using Bayesian multiple regression and after adjusting for variables with significant value in univariable analysis, we reported the posterior adjusted odds ratio (OR, with 95% Credible Intervals [CrI]) of the main outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 545 stroke patients, including 101 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated. Patients with COVID-19 had a more severe stroke at admission. In the study cohort, 85 (15.9%) patients had a hemorrhagic transformation, and 72 (13.1%) died in the hospital. After adjustment for confounding variables, discharge mRS score ≥2 (OR: 0.73, 95% CrI: 0.16, 3.05), in-hospital mortality (OR: 2.06, 95% CrI: 0.76, 5.53), and hemorrhagic transformation (OR: 1.514, 95% CrI: 0.66, 3.31) were similar in COVID-19 and non COVID-19 patients. High-sensitivity C reactive protein level was a predictor of hemorrhagic transformation in all cases (OR:1.01, 95%CI: 1.0026, 1.018), including those with COVID-19 (OR:1.024, 95%CI:1.002, 1.054). CONCLUSION: IV-tPA treatment in patients with acute ischemic stroke and COVID-19 was not associated with an increased risk of disability, mortality, and hemorrhagic transformation compared to those without COVID-19. IV-tPA should continue to be considered as the standard of care in patients with hyper acute stroke and COVID-19