Comparative cytotoxicity study of nicotine and cotinine on MRC-5 cell line

Nicotine has several health hazards regarding carcinogenic potential. It also imparts increased risk for respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal disorders. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the carcinogenic potential, including effects on cell proliferation, inducing oxidative stress, DNA mutation, or inhibition of apoptosis. The cotinine metabolite is generally thought to have effects similar to nicotine in some experimental systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the nicotine and cotinine cytotoxicity on MRC-5 lung fibroblasts. The pulmonary fibroblasts were treated with various concentrations of nicotine or cotinine (in the range 1 µM – 2 mM) for 24 or 48 h and analyzed for cell viability by MTT test. The results indicated that high nicotine concentrations (2 mM) induced marked cell death (about 50%) in MRC-5 cell line. Cotinine showed lower toxicity than nicotine on the MRC-5 cells. In contrast to nicotine treatment, cells treated with cotinine continued to proliferate after the 48h incubation period

Zenker’s diverticulum and squamous esophageal cancer: a case report

Zenker’s diverticulum represents a rare esophageal lesion developed especially in the elderly population due to herniation of esophageal mucosa above the cricopharyngeus muscle. The condition leads to food retention, regurgitation, aspiration, and dysphagia in affected patients. Progressive dysphagia also characterizes malignant diseases of the esophagus like squamous esophageal carcinoma that typically appears in male patients in the seventh decade of life, with a history of cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse. We report a case of a male patient who presented with dysphagia for both solids and liquids along with significant weight loss, and who was diagnosed with medium esophageal cancer associated with Zenker’s diverticulum

Comparative cytotoxicity study of nicotine and cotinine on MRC-5 cell line

Nicotine has several health hazards regarding carcinogenic potential. It also imparts increased risk for respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal disorders. Several mechanisms have been proposed for the carcinogenic potential, including effects on cell proliferation, inducing oxidative stress, DNA mutation, or inhibition of apoptosis. The cotinine metabolite is generally thought to have effects similar to nicotine in some experimental systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the nicotine and cotinine cytotoxicity on MRC-5 lung fibroblasts. The pulmonary fibroblasts were treated with various concentrations of nicotine or cotinine (in the range 1 µM – 2 mM) for 24 or 48 h and analyzed for cell viability by MTT test. The results indicated that high nicotine concentrations (2 mM) induced marked cell death (about 50%) in MRC-5 cell line. Cotinine showed lower toxicity than nicotine on the MRC-5 cells. In contrast to nicotine treatment, cells treated with cotinine continued to proliferate after the 48h incubation period

Skeletal pathology and variable anatomy in elephant feet assessed using computed tomography

Foot problems are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in elephants, but are underreported due to difficulties in diagnosis, particularly of conditions affecting the bones and internal structures. Here we evaluate post-mortem computer tomographic (CT) scans of 52 feet from 21 elephants (seven African Loxodonta africana and 14 Asian Elephas maximus), describing both pathology and variant anatomy (including the appearance of phalangeal and sesamoid bones) that could be mistaken for disease. We found all the elephants in our study to have pathology of some type in at least one foot. The most common pathological changes observed were bone remodelling, enthesopathy, osseous cyst-like lesions, and osteoarthritis, with soft tissue mineralisation, osteitis, infectious osteoarthriti, subluxation, fracture and enostoses observed less frequently. Most feet had multiple categories of pathological change (81% with two or more diagnoses, versus 10% with a single diagnosis, and 9% without significant pathology). Much of the pathological change was focused over the middle/lateral digits, which bear most weight and experience high peak pressures during walking. We found remodelling and osteoarthritis to be correlated with increasing age, more enthesopathy in Asian elephants, and more cyst-like lesions in females. We also observed multipartite, missing and misshapen phalanges as common and apparently incidental findings. The proximal (paired) sesamoids can appear fused or absent, and the predigits (radial/tibial sesamoids) can be variably ossified, though are significantly more ossified in Asian elephants. Our study reinforces the need for regular examination and radiography of elephant feet to monitor for pathology and as a tool for improving welfare

SYNTHESIS, MECHANICAL AND STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SOME NANOSTRUCTURED BONE SCAFFOLDS

Three new biodegradable and bioactive scaffolds based on hydroxyapatite (HAP), β tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and a composite HAP+β-TCP are studied in this paper. Their mechanical, structural properties and long term behaviour in simulated body fluid (SBF) were analysed. Also, these scaffolds were subjected to in vitro evaluation of cell behaviour. The open porosity from 16.41% to 34.26% it resulted. The compression resistance (2-3 MPa) is very close to the cancellous bone. It resulted that simultaneously with the dissolution, on the surface of materials were deposited calcium and phosphorous ions, namely, these materials are favourable to the bone formation. The scaffold morphology showed a dense polycrystalline structure with cavities (porosity), junctions and interconnections that can facilitate the cell proliferation. SEM micrographs revealed that, after 2100 immersion hours in SBF, the scaffolds coated with a layer of micro-sized grains. The in vitro results proved that hFOB 1.19 cells are able to attach, migrate in the interior of scaffolds, proliferate, synthesize and extracellularly assemble ECM molecules

Compound-based Chinese medicine formula: From discovery to compatibility mechanism.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chinese medicine formula (CMF) has a long history of clinical use in the treatment of various diseases under the guidance of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory. The application of CMF can be divided into three levels, crude extracts, homologous compounds mixture, and specific compounds. However, the modern scientific connotation of the CMF theory has not been clarified. AIM OF THE REVIEW: To critically evaluate the research strategy for the investigation of compound-based CMF (CCMF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The related information was collected from the scientific databases, including CNKI, Elsevier, ScienceDirect, PubMed, SpringerLink, Web of Science, and Wiley Online. RESULTS: The research design including discovery, screening, optimization, pharmacodynamics models, and target research techniques including the targets for compatibility compounds were evaluated. Essentially it has been evaluated that the in vitro multicellular three-dimensional culture or organoid model has been proposed for the optimization model for compatibility research of CCMF. Based on these, the traditional compatibility theory of CMF, such as Monarch-Minister-Assistant-Guide (Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi in Chinese), can probably be elucidated by the CCMF research. CONCLUSIONS: CCMF has the clear advantage of providing the exact composition and controllable quality of modern medicines, in addition to having the characteristics of multi-ingredients and multi-targets synergistic effects of TCM. However, CCMF is still associated with challenges which need to be addressed for its future use

PRO - ACTIVE CONSUMERS ENGAGEMENT AS DRIVER OF CO - INNOVATION - THE CASE OF ELECTROLUX (A)

This paper aims to highlight the importance and need for consumers’ engagement as co – innovators in the product development process or innovative activities within organizational context. The research will be conducted based on analysis of value co – creation process as the trigger for innovation, the consumers as drivers for product design and development, the need of internet of things as driver for co – innovation and the emergence of platforms as key instruments for pro – active consumers’ engagement. Thus the foreseen outcome is to show how organizations are adapting to digitalized innovation and are enhancing pro – active collaboration in order to explore new market opportunities through platform implementation. Based on case study of Electrolux company, there will be highlighted the most important drivers of co – innovation, such as organizational structure, policies, strategies and occurred concerns of innovation and the platform implementation as pro – active consumers’ engagement through creative ideas, design and need for change