Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of red clover extract and red grape seed extract on human adult malignant brain tumours in vitro

Gliomas are rare intrinsic brain tumours which account for 2% of all cancers. Glioblastoma multiforme is the most malignant malignant glioma form and remains incurable. The biological features which preclude successful therapy include heterogeneity, diffuse invasive patterns and angiogenesis. Despite, advances in current conventional treatments the median survival time is only 14 months. Hence there is a need to investigate novel therapeutic approaches which can be included alongside conventional treatment. One such approach is the use of micronutrients in the management of glioblastoma multiforme. This study evaluated the affects of two micronutrient extracts, red clover extract (RCE) and red grape seed extract (RGSE), on human adult malignant brain tumours in vitro. Four primary (or short-term) cell cultures derived from human brain tumour biopsies, an established cell line and normal human brain cells from an epileptic pateint were used to measure the cell viability, anti-invasive, anti-angiogenic and pro-apoptotic potentials, following 48-hour treatment with the IC50s of either micronutrient extract. Both RCE and RGSE exhibited similar affects on the glioma cell cultures. They both appeared to reduce cell viability, invasive potential and angiogenesis potential though did not appear to have any significant affect on the apoptotic portential of the glioma cultures. For example, incubation with 0.007-1ug/ml RCE caused a significant (p<0.05) reduction of in viability of glioma cells but did not affect viability of normal astrocytes. Similar results were obtained for RGSE. These doses also resulted in a significant decrease in invasion and angiogenesis (p<0.05). Effects varied between cell lines but in general decreased by 50-60%. This suggests that both RCE and RGSE do affect the development of glioma cell cultures in vitro and warrant further study into the pathways in which this may occur

Crucial involvement of xanthine oxidase in the intracellular signalling networks associated with human myeloid cell function

Xanthine oxidase (XOD) is an enzyme which plays a central role in purine catabolism by converting hypoxanthine into xanthine and then further into uric acid. Here we report that XOD is activated in THP-1 human myeloid cells in response to pro-inflammatory and growth factor stimulation. This effect occurred following stimulation of THP-1 cells with ligands of plasma membrane associated TLRs 2 and 4, endosomal TLRs 7 and 8 as well as stem cell growth factor (SCF). Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcription complexes were found to be responsible for XOD upregulation. Importantly, the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a major myeloid cell translation regulator, was also found to be essential for XOD activation. Specific inhibition of XOD by allopurinol and sodium tungstate led to an increase in intracellular AMP levels triggering downregulation of mTOR activation by phosphorylation of its T2446 residue. Taken together, our results demonstrate for the first time that XOD is not only activated by pro-inflammatory stimuli or SCF but also plays an important role in maintaining mTOR-dependent translational control during the biological responses of human myeloid cells

TASK-3 Two-Pore Potassium Channels drive neuronal excitability of the circadian clock and entrainment to challenging light environments

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the mammalian circadian clock, is a heterogenous structure made of several neuron types that generate a circadian electrical activity profile. However, it is unclear how such regulation in endogenous neuronal excitability is maintained. Background two- pore domain potassium channels (K2P), such as TASK-3, play an important role in inhibiting neuronal activity. Here, we utilize a TASK-3 KO mouse model to unravel the role played by this channel in SCN circadian neuronal regulation and behavioral photoentrainment. Our results reveal that TASK-3 is needed to adapt to challenging lighting conditions, such as those experienced through seasonal changes and jet lag. From our investigations this appears to be very distinct from pathways that drive acute, ‘one-off’ adjustments in clock phase, in response to single pulses of light. These findings provide crucial information on the intricate pathways linking clock output to behavioral adaptation to light-dark cycles

Evaluation of Ovarian Lesions Inducing Endometrial Hyperplasia or Carcinoma in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern India

Background: Excessive and prolonged estrogenic stimulation results in endometrial hyperplasias or endometrioid adenocarcinomas. One of the major reasons for an excess endogenous estrogen production is estrogen secreting ovarian lesions which could either be neoplastic or non-neoplastic.Aims: This was a study done to evaluate and correlate presence of ovarian lesions in uterus harboring endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial carcinoma.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at a referral hospital in South India over a 16-year period. Histology of ovaries were studied in panhysterectomy cases with a tissue diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial carcinoma. The data was evaluated as only percentage. Results: A total of 118 specimens revealed pathological proliferative lesion of the endometrium with endometrial hyperplasias occurring in 78 (66.1%) and endometrioid adenocarcinoma in the remaining 40 (33.9%) cases. Fifty-two cases showed lesions in ovary/ovaries. Forty-two (35.6%) of them revealed estrogen-secreting lesions in ovaries. The rest showed non-estrogen producing lesions. Follicular cyst was the predominant estrogen elaborating lesions in the ovary with 23 cases (44.2%). In 21.1% of cases, ovaries featured stromal hyperplasia and 7.7% showed granulosa cell tumor. Only one (1.9%) case of thecoma was identifi ed. Two cases showed twin lesions with follicular cyst and stromal hyperplasia. All patients except for one were in post-menopausal age group.Conclusion: Follicular cyst was the predominant lesion associated with endometrial hyperplasia and endometrioid adenocarcinoma of endometrium in post-menopausal age group. In addition, hyperplastic lesions in endometrium can occur in non-hormonal secreting ovarian epithelial tumors possibly due to functioning stromal cells. Keywords: Carcinoma, endometrium, estrogen, hyperplasia, ovar

Teachers’ Voices on the Impact of COVID-19 on School Education: Are Ed-Tech Companies Really the Panacea?

COVID-19 has brought about changes to the education system that impact teachers in multiple ways. The article discusses the views of affected teachers under the three-gap framework: access, usage, and pedagogical skills gap. Between 29 April 2020, and 29 May 2020, an online survey was administered to 550 Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) teachers, of which 288 responded. The data show that the inequalities between private schools and government schools are sharpened by the move to online education. This is compounded by the fact that students from economically weaker sections of society have become hard to reach, and teachers do not know how to support hardto-reach students who are also severely affected by the pandemic. The data also show that teachers have not been trained in online pedagogies. Ed-Tech companies have been stepping in, presenting themselves as a panacea to the problem with further consequences to teachers’ profession, standing, and livelihoods. However, Ed-Tech solutions are not relevant for hard-to-reach students or teachers in schools that serve hard-to-reach communities. The article first presents the voices of teachers affected by the pandemic and then critically examines the role of Ed-Tech companies, which pertain to fill the online pedagogical ga

Study on nutritional status of children under 5 years in palpa district, nepal: speacial reference to baal vita

Background: Malnutrition is a pathological state resulting from a relative or absolute deficiency or excess of one or more essential nutrients. Malnutrition is a major underlying cause of the child morbidity and mortality in Nepal. Adequate nutrition is a fundamental right for every human being. Malnourished child is depriving from physical and mental development. Objectives: To assess the nutritional status of children under 5 years and to find out the knowledge and practice regarding micronutrient powder “Baal vita” Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross sectional community based study was conducted in Palpa district, total of 390 respondents at the age of 6-59 months were selected with the help of multistage sampling. Through anthropometry, prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was determined. Results: Prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 25.9%, 27.2% and 7.3% respectively. The association between age of the mother at the birth of the children and nutritional status of children is not statistically significant. Majority of the children (80.5%) used to take junk foods sometimes, followed by 16.7% very often, 2.8% children never used to take. Majority of the children (52.6%) were taken the micronutrient powder (first course) but the coverage of second course of micronutrient powder was 29.5% and followed by third course coverage was only 18.9%. Conclusion: The nutritional status of children in this study were found to be satisfactory because compared to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target but the coverage of micronutrient powder is low

Methyl Mercury Induced Changes in the Serum Proteins of Bluegills – Lepomis Macrochirus (Teleostei)

Author Institution: Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State UniversityThere were qualitative and quantitative changes in the serum proteins of bluegills, Lepomis macrochirus, exposed to 8.728 X 10~4 ppb (W/V) of methyl mercury (MeHg) for 24, 48, and 72 hr. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of serum proteins revealed significant changes in the qualitative and quantitative profiles at 24 and 48 hr. However, at 72 hr a trend to return to control levels was noted. The data suggest that at the dose tested, MeHg produced repairable lesions in certain tissues or organs of bluegills

The Role of Acculturative Stress in Immigrant Mental Health

Acculturative stress, the stress that originates from adapting to a new culture, is investigated for its role in immigrant mental health. Prior research shows that acculturative stress is commonly associated with adverse mental health outcomes, but this relationship is not inevitable and depends upon many in-group and individual characteristics. This survey study intended to determine whether the relationship found in the literature exists among UCF undergraduate immigrants and whether new variables can play a role in this relationship. Valid and reliable scales were used to measure acculturative stress, mental health, social support, subjective wellbeing, bicultural integration, and cultural orientation. Inconsistent with predictions, immigrants and nonimmigrants were found to have a similar degree of mental health symptoms. Consistent with previous research, a positive correlation between acculturative stress and mental health symptoms was found. Results also show social support, bicultural integration, and acculturative stress to collectively predict immigrant mental health. Immigrant generation and undergraduate year-in-college were found to play a significant role in the relationships investigated. The application of this research in the context of mental health stigmatization and other immigrant phenomena is discussed. Limitations, possible future research, and clinical implications are also shared to address further gaps in the literature

Group treatments for sensitive health care problems : a randomised controlled trial of group versus individual physiotherapy sessions for female urinary incontinence

Background: The aim was to compare effectiveness of group versus individual sessions of physiotherapy in terms of symptoms, quality of life, and costs, and to investigate the effect of patient preference on uptake and outcome of treatment. Methods: A pragmatic, multi-centre randomised controlled trial in five British National Health Service physiotherapy departments. 174 women with stress and/or urge incontinence were randomised to receive treatment from a physiotherapist delivered in a group or individual setting over three weekly sessions. Outcome were measured as Symptom Severity Index; Incontinence-related Quality of Life questionnaire; National Health Service costs, and out of pocket expenses. Results: The majority of women expressed no preference (55%) or preference for individual treatment (36%). Treatment attendance was good, with similar attendance with both service delivery models. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in symptom severity or quality of life outcomes between the models. Over 85% of women reported a subjective benefit of treatment, with a slightly higher rating in the individual compared with the group setting. When all health care costs were considered, average cost per patient was lower for group sessions (Mean cost difference £52.91 95%, confidence interval (£25.82 - £80.00)). Conclusion: Indications are that whilst some women may have an initial preference for individual treatment, there are no substantial differences in the symptom, quality of life outcomes or non-attendance. Because of the significant difference in mean cost, group treatment is recommended