Histological effect of cola nitida aqueous extract on rat's liver during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Hepatocarcinogenesis can be defined as precancerous lesion which will develop into Hepatocellular Carcinoma. It has been carried out previously that Cola nut (Cola nitida) has beneficial medicinal properties. In this study, we have assumed efforts to ascertain the histological anticancer potency of Cola Nitida aqueous extract on DEN/AAF induced hepatocarcinogenesis rat's liver. The structural components of the liver include plates of liver, called hepatocytes. The normal hepatocytes were well organized and arranged. Cells membranes were markedly clear. The nuclei were round and uniform with little variation in size causing no pleomorphis. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided to eleven groups. Hepatocarcinogenesis was induced in seven groups of rats by employing two carcinogen systems: an intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg DEN as initiator, followed by 0.02% of AAF in rat chow to promote carcinogenesis. The effect of 1, 2.5 and 5% cola nitida aqueous extract on hepatocarcinogenesis induced male rats and normal ones was investigated. Histological evaluation of rat liver revealed DEN/AAF induced and untreated rats group showed higher inflammation or necrosis, and in general abnormality; compared to all other groups. The results indicate that, Cola nitida might act as an antioxidant agent, which could inhibit or slow down histopathological changes induced by DEN/AAF

RiceWrist Robotic Device for Upper Limb Training: Feasibility Study and Case Report of Two Tetraplegic Persons with Spinal Cord Injury

Regaining upper extremity function is the primary concern of persons with tetraplegia caused by spinal cord injury (SCI). Robotic rehabilitation has been inadequately tested and underutilized in rehabilitation of the upper extremity in the SCI population. Given the acceptance of robotic training in stroke rehabilitation and SCI gait training, coupled with recent evidence that the spinal cord, like the brain, demonstrates plasticity that can be enhanced by repetitive movement training such as that available with robotic devices, it is probable that robotic upper extremity training of persons with SCI could be clinically beneficial. The primary goal of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of using a novel robotic device –the RiceWrist Exoskeleton- for rehabilitation of the upper limbs (UL) of two tetraplegic persons with incomplete SCI. Two pilot experiments were conducted. Experiment 1was the first novel attempt to administer treatment with the RiceWrist. The left UL of a tetraplegic subject was treated during seven therapy sessions. The subject’s feedback and the investigator’s obser-vations were used to enhance the robotic device and the corresponding graphical-interface. In Experiment 2, a second tetra-plegic subject underwent 10 three-hour training sessions administered by a physical therapist. Smoothness factor (FS) –a new measure developed in Experiment 1- was used as the primary outcome to test the subject’s performance before and after the training. The RiceWrist was modified according to the feedback obtained in Experiment 1. Thereafter, the device was suc-cessfully administered for upper limb training of the tetraplegic individual. Noticeable improvements in FS were observed for the stronger arm of the subject who completed 10 sessions of training. Improvements were also observed in the subject’s hand according to the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test. Results from this study suggest a potential application of the RiceWrist for rehabilitation of SCI individuals and offer valuable information regarding development of UL robotic devices for this population

Rehabilitation of hand function after spinal cord injury using a novel handgrip device: a pilot study

BackgroundActivity-based therapy (ABT) for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), which consists of repetitive use of muscles above and below the spinal lesion, improves locomotion and arm strength. Less data has been published regarding its effects on hand function. We sought to evaluate the effects of a weekly hand-focused therapy program using a novel handgrip device on grip strength and hand function in a SCI cohort.MethodsPatients with SCI were enrolled in a weekly program that involved activities with the MediSens (Los Angeles, CA) handgrip. These included maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and a tracking task that required each subject to adjust his/her grip strength according to a pattern displayed on a computer screen. For the latter, performance was measured as mean absolute accuracy (MAA). The Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) was used to measure each subject's independence prior to and after therapy.ResultsSeventeen patients completed the program with average participation duration of 21.3 weeks. The cohort included patients with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale (AIS) A (n = 12), AIS B (n = 1), AIS C (n = 2), and AIS D (n = 2) injuries. The average MVC for the cohort increased from 4.1 N to 21.2 N over 20 weeks, but did not reach statistical significance. The average MAA for the cohort increased from 9.01 to 21.7% at the end of the study (p = .02). The cohort's average SCIM at the end of the study was unchanged compared to baseline.ConclusionsA weekly handgrip-based ABT program is feasible and efficacious at increasing hand task performance in subjects with SCI

Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: Prospect and challenges in Africa

: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and “big data” processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world.At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratifcation of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the profciency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among diferent human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences

Stratigraghy and Identifying Boundaries of Mozduran Formation with Magnetite Method in East Kopet-Dagh Basin

Kopet-Dagh Mountain Range is located in the north and northeast of Iran. Mozduran Formation in the east of Kopet-Dagh is mainly composed of limestone, dolomite, with shale and sandstone interbedded. Mozduran Formation is reservoir rock of the Khangiran gas field. The location of the study was east Kopet-Dagh basin (Northeast Iran) where the deliberate thickness of formation is 418 meters. In the present study, a total of 57 samples were gathered. Moreover, 100 thin sections were made out of 52 samples. According to the findings of the thin section study, 18 genera and nine species of foraminifera and algae were identified. Based on the index fossils, the age of the Mozduran Formation was identified as Upper Jurassic (Kimmerdgian-Tithonian) in the east of Kopet-Dagh basin. According to the magnetite data (total intensity and RTP map), there is a disconformity (low intensity) between the Kashaf-Rood Formation and Mozduran Formation. At the top, where among Mozduran Formation and Shurijeh Formation, is high intensity and a widespread disconformity (high intensity)

Rye secalin characterisation and use to improve zein-based film performance

Rye prolamins (secalin) were extracted, characterised and used as biopolymer source to produce plasticised films, as well as composite films in the presence of corn zein. Secalin film showed lower contact angle values and higher moisture content, solubility and swelling index than zein film, whereas the water vapour permeability of the two films was not different. Also, secalin film exhibited lower tensile strength and Young’s modulus and higher elongation at break. The average functional properties of the secalin/zein blend were morphologically confirmed by SEM analysis of the composite film surface that showed a good miscibility and compatibility of the two different biopolymers. These results indicated that secalin films were less hydrophobic and more flexible than those previously prepared by using other prolamins, whereas a material with hydrophobic features similar to those of zein films and a flexibility comparable to that exhibited by secalin films was obtained by preparing a secalin/zein blend

Secalin films acylated with capric acid chloride

Secalin was chemically modified using the acylation reaction with the aim to prepare less hydrophilic protein-based films with features suitable for applications in food packaging. The acylation of secalin was done at different capric acid chloride concentrations (2–6 mmol/g) and confirmed using elementary and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. The water sensitivity of the films prepared with acylated secalin was observed to be significantly improved. The control film elongation at break was ~67% and increased up to 141% at high levels of acylation, whereas tensile strength and Young's modulus increased up to 4.5 and 39.4 MPa, respectively when lower amounts of capric acid chloride were used and, on the other hand, decreased with increasing amounts. Thermal analyses suggested that the glass transition temperature of acylated films was lower at higher capric acid chloride concentrations, whereas the melting temperature increased and the thermal stability improved. Scanning electron microscopy showed a more homogeneous surface of the films obtained with acylated secalin