The impact of restricted diet on brain function using BOLD-fMRI

We investigated the effect of a restricted diet model on activity in the human motor cortex using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Two series of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)-fMRI measurements were made in healthy subjects performing simple motor tasks using their right hands. The first series was done 5-10days prior to the restricted diet schedule (controls), and the second series was performed after 25-28days of restricted diet, in the form of a religious fast (Ramadan). The size and intensity of the activated area in the motor cortex increased during the time of restricted diet versus the controls. We conclude that restricted diet has a significant effect on cerebral activity, as shown by BOLD-fMRI, although the exact relationship between the images and neuronal activity due to the restricted diet is still to be determine

Chemical, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory assessment of honey bee venom from Apis mellifera intermissa

The venom from Apis mellifera intermissa, the main honey bee prevailing in Morocco, has been scarcely studied, despite its known potential for pharmacological applications. In the present work, we investigated the composition, the anti-inflammatory activity, and the venom’s cytotoxic properties from fifteen honey bee venom (HBV) samples collected in three regions: northeast, central, and southern Morocco. The chemical assessment of honey bee venom was performed using LC-DAD/ESI/MSn , NIR spectroscopy and AAS spectroscopy. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated using human tumor cell lines, including breast adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Likewise, we assessed the anti-inflammatory activity using the murine macrophage cell line. The study provides information on the honey bee venom subspecies’ main components, such as melittin, apamin, and phospholipase A2, with compositional variation depending on the region of collection. Contents of toxic elements such as cadmium, chromium, and plumb were detected at a concentration below 5 ppm, which can be regarded as safe for pharmaceutical use. The data presented contribute to the first study in HBV from Apis mellifera intermissa and highlight the remarkable antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of HBV, suggesting it to be a candidate natural medicine to explore.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chemical, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory assessment of honey bee venom from Apis mellifera intermissa

The venom from Apis mellifera intermissa, the main honey bee prevailing in Morocco, has been scarcely studied, despite its known potential for pharmacological applications. In the present work, we investigated the composition, the anti-inflammatory activity, and the venom’s cytotoxic properties from fifteen honey bee venom (HBV) samples collected in three regions: northeast, central, and southern Morocco. The chemical assessment of honey bee venom was performed using LC-DAD/ESI/MSn, NIR spectroscopy and AAS spectroscopy. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated using human tumor cell lines, including breast adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Likewise, we assessed the anti-inflammatory activity using the murine macrophage cell line. The study provides information on the honey bee venom subspecies’ main components, such as melittin, apamin, and phospholipase A2, with compositional variation depending on the region of collection. Contents of toxic elements such as cadmium, chromium, and plumb were detected at a concentration below 5 ppm, which can be regarded as safe for pharmaceutical use. The data presented contribute to the first study in HBV from Apis mellifera intermissa and highlight the remarkable antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of HBV, suggesting it to be a candidate natural medicine to explore.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020) and to FRC (UIDB/00239/2020). Thanks to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project PDR2020-1.0.1-FEADER- 031734: “DivInA-Diversification and Innovation on Beekeeping Production” and project GreenHealth, Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042. Thanks to the national funding by FCT- Foundation for Science and Technology, through the institutional scientific employment program-contract with Soraia I. Falcão.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Strategies for Assessing Diffusion Anisotropy on the Basis of Magnetic Resonance Images: Comparison of Systematic Errors

Diffusion weighted imaging uses the signal loss associated with the random thermal motion of water molecules in the presence of magnetic field gradients to derive a number of parameters that reflect the translational mobility of the water molecules in tissues. With a suitable experimental set-up, it is possible to calculate all the elements of the local diffusion tensor (DT) and derived parameters describing the behavior of the water molecules in each voxel. One of the emerging applications of the information obtained is an interpretation of the diffusion anisotropy in terms of the architecture of the underlying tissue. These interpretations can only be made provided the experimental data which are sufficiently accurate. However, the DT results are susceptible to two systematic error sources: On one hand, the presence of signal noise can lead to artificial divergence of the diffusivities. In contrast, the use of a simplified model for the interaction of the protons with the diffusion weighting and imaging field gradients (b matrix calculation), common in the clinical setting, also leads to deviation in the derived diffusion characteristics. In this paper, we study the importance of these two sources of error on the basis of experimental data obtained on a clinical magnetic resonance imaging system for an isotropic phantom using a state of the art single-shot echo planar imaging sequence. Our results show that optimal diffusion imaging require combining a correct calculation of the b-matrix and a sufficiently large signal to noise ratio

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging strategies for color mapping of human brain anatomy

Background: A color mapping of fiber tract orientation using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be prominent in clinical practice. The goal of this paper is to perform a comparative study of visualized diffusion anisotropy in the human brain anatomical entities using three different color-mapping techniques based on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and DTI. Methods: The first technique is based on calculating a color map from DWIs measured in three perpendicular directions. The second technique is based on eigenvalues derived from the diffusion tensor. The last technique is based on three eigenvectors corresponding to sorted eigenvalues derived from the diffusion tensor. All magnetic resonance imaging measurements were achieved using a 1.5 Tesla Siemens Vision whole body imaging system. A single-shot DW echoplanar imaging sequence used a Stejskal–Tanner approach. Trapezoidal diffusion gradients are used. The slice orientation was transverse. The basic measurement yielded a set of 13 images. Each series consists of a single image without diffusion weighting, besides two DWIs for each of the next six noncollinear magnetic field gradient directions. Results: The three types of color maps were calculated consequently using the DWI obtained and the DTI. Indeed, we established an excellent similarity between the image data in the color maps and the fiber directions of known anatomical structures (e.g., corpus callosum and gray matter). Conclusions: In the meantime, rotationally invariant quantities such as the eigenvectors of the diffusion tensor reflected better, the real orientation found in the studied tissue

Assessment of the focal hepatic lesions using diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging

The goal is assessing the diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) method efficiency in characterizing focal hepatic lesions (FHLs). About 28-FHL patients were studied in Radiology and Clinical Imaging Department of our University Hospital using 1.5 Tesla MRI system between January 2010 and June 2011. Patients underwent hepatic MRI consisting of dynamic T1- and T2-weighted imaging. The dMRI was performed with b-values of 200 s/mm 2 and 600 s/mm 2 . About 42 lesions measuring more than 1 cm were studied including the variation of the signal according to the b-value and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). The diagnostic imaging reference was based on standard MRI techniques data for typical lesions and on histology after surgical biopsy for atypical lesions. About 38 lesions were assessed including 13 benign lesions consisting of 1 focal nodular hyperplasia, 8 angiomas, and 4 cysts. About 25 malignant lesions included 11 hepatocellular carcinoma, 9 hepatic metastases, 1 cholangiocarcinoma, and 4 lymphomas. dMRI of soft lesions demonstrated higher ADC of 2.26 ± 0.75 mm 2 /s, whereas solid lesions showed lower ADC 1.19 ± 0.33 mm 2 /s with significant difference (P = 0.05). Discrete values collections were noticed. These results were correlated to standard MRI and histological findings. Sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 84% were found in diagnoses of malignant tumors with an ADC threshold of 1.6 × 10−3 mm 2 /s. dMRI is important characterization method of FHL. However, it should not be used as single criteria of hepatic lesions malignity. MRI, clinical, and biological data must be correlated. Significant difference was found between benign and solid malignant lesions without threshold ADC values. Hence, it is difficult to confirm ADC threshold differentiating the lesion classification

Fatal colchicine intoxication

Colchicine is an alkaloid extracted from autumnal Colchicum plant which is used primarily for its anti-inflammatory therapy effect. Acute intoxication with colchicine is uncommon but often severe and results in multiple visceral organ dysfunctions. The intoxication severity and mortality are directly depending on the ingested dose. The treatment is manly symptomatic. However, the development of specific anti-colchicine immunotherapy would offer a new therapeutic perspective. Authors report a case of a young patient that ingested 40 tablets colchicine, which caused a multiple organ failure and with fatal outcome