Stem cells therapy as a treatment for spinal cord injury

Stem cells therapy holds a great promise to treat several degenerative diseases and repair damaged tissues that are otherwise very difficult to treat by conventional therapies. In future, stem cells therapy will treat spinal cord injury [SCI] which is a major problem associated with demyelination of neurons caused by trauma resulting in cell death that is irreplaceable. Patients usually survive with spinal cord injury but this trauma remains uncure. After SCI, endogenous neuroprogenitor cells migrate towards the affected tissue but many messenger cascades suppress their proliferative activity. Different exogenous stem cells sources are another option to treat SCI patients. Although there is no permanent cure of SCI patients but due to excitable development in the field of stem cells transplantation, promises a hope for its cure in future. Due to intricacy of factors involved after SCI, there is a need for combinatorial therapies

overview of purification, biological activities and therapeutic applications of thymosin alpha

Thymosin alpha 1 [T alpha 1] is 28 amino acid residues peptide. Thymic epithelial cells produce acetylated N-terminal T alpha 1 that has powerful immunostimulatory and antitumor activites. Inside the body T alpha 1 effects endocrine, immune and central nervous system. T alpha 1 can be purified by using fractionation procedures from thymus. Many recombinant DNA techniques are being used for the production of T alpha 1. In addition T alpha 1 is being expressed as fusion proteins with other therapeutically important proteins. For the high-throughput production of T alpha 1, different expression systems are being used such as E.coli and yeast. T alpha 1 has unique antitumor and immunoregulatory properties and also have capacity to protect cells from oxidative damage. T alpha 1 has many therapeutic applications specifically against many infectious diseases [hepatitis B and C, AIDS, SARS etc.] and cancer

Intramuscular ketamine for prevention of postanesthesia shivering in children

To compare the effects of intramuscular ketamine with pethidine and placebo on post operative shivering in children undergoing tonsillectomy. A prospective randomized double-blind study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Naval Base Hospital, Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from November 2006 to October 2007. One hundred and twenty children [American Society of Anesthesiologists Grade 1, aged 5-12 years] were enrolled. Children were randomly allocated to receive ketamine 1 mg/kg [group K, n=40], or pethidine 0.5 mg/kg [group P, n=40], or normal saline [group S, n=40] intramuscularly just after induction of general anesthesia. Hemodynamic parameters, oxygen saturation and tympanic temperature were measured and recorded before induction of anesthesia and at regular intervals thereafter. An investigator blinded to the treatment group, graded postoperative shivering using a 5 point scale. The number of patients shivering on arrival to the recovery room and at 10 and 20 minutes after operation were significantly less in groups K [1,1,1] than in group S [19,12,17]. No patient that received pethidine shivered. The time to first analgesic requirement in group S was shorter than groups K and P [p=0.001]. The study indicates that the use of a prophylactic low dose ketamine was found to be effective in preventing post anesthesia shivering in children undergoing tonsillectomy. Ketamine may have at least theoretical advantages over pethidine as regard respiratory depression, nausea, and vomiting

Residues and adverse effects of tilmicosin in laying hens

Eggs and tissue residues and the adverse effects of tilmicosin were investigated in laying hens after repeated oral administrations [25 mg/kg b.wt.] once daily for 5 consecutive days. Tilmicosin was completely cleared from blood, eggs and all tested tissue [lung, liver, kidney, thoracic muscles, ovary, oviduct] at 7 days after the last dose. The effect of the tested antibacterial on some enzymatic activities [ALT, AST and ALP], blood constituents [glucose, cholesterol, total proteins, urea, creatinine] and blood picture [Hb, PCV%, RBCs and WBCs counts] revealed significant alterations after discontinuation of drug regimen. It was concluded that the withdrawal time of tilmicosin in eggs and muscles and tissues of laying hens was 5, 6 days for lung and 7 days for liver. Thus, chicken must not be slaughtered for human consumption for a period of at least 7 days after the last treatment with tilmicosin. Moreover, our data suggest that repeated administration of tilmicosin could induce deleterious effects represented by hepatic and renal dysfunction as well as possible microcytic anaemia

Impact of chronic noise exposure on stress response, cardiovascular system and auditory system among marble and granite workers

Noise-induced hearing loss is a major health risk worldwide. Also, noise is one of the commonest physical stressors to which industrial workers are exposed. The objective of this study was to find out whether chronic exposure of workers to loud occupational noise during the daytime would cause changes in their cardiovascular system, stress hormone levels and their hearing thresholds. Thirty eight male marble and granite workers were interviewed, using questionnaires, as regards their medical and occupational history, use of hearing protection and they underwent clinical and laboratory examinations including measurement of blood pressure, ECG and pure-tone audiometry. We assessed noise-induced alterations in physiological stress by measuring serum and urinary levels of cortisol, catecholamines and the lipid profile. In the study areas, the noise levels ranged from 90 to 105 dBA. Results were analyzed and compared with the data of 20 normal persons matched in age, sex and socioeconomic status. Compared to the control group, the exposed workers showed statistically significant noise-induced hearing loss. Noise exposure produced physiological stress responses in workers in the form of significant increase in the serum and urinary cortisol levels after exposure to noise. Also, the exposed group displayed greater serum lipid responses and higher catecholamines levels than their controls. urthermore, blood pressure was significantly higher and ECG changes were more significant among the exposed than the control group. The present data suggest that chronic noise exposure might potentially lead to endocrine dysfunctions. Thus, we can say that workers exposed to loud occupational noise react to the stress and show, in addition to the NIHL, changes in the ECG and development of hypertension which may be attributed to the exposure to noise

Spectrophotometric and polarographic study of Uranium in acetate medium in the presence of resorcinol

The redution of uranyl ion is studied in acetate buffer containing resorcinol. Two waves were obtained for all pH. Resorcinol can be used as a maximum suppressor. Complexation of uranium with resorcinol is accompanied by a decrease in diffusion current and shift of half-wave potential to more negative values. Mixed complexes of acetate and resorcinol are formed with uranium. Resorcinol is found to stabilize the pentavalent uranium by complexation

complexation of some transition metals by acetoacetanilidehydrazo ligands stability constants

A cetcscetanilide [AAA] was known as chelating agent, and was used for determination of Fe [3+] [1], by spectrophotetric methods. Diazodazation of AAA leads to useful chelating agents. Yoshiharu [2-6] in an extended study, tried to make clear the structure of phenylhydrazoacetoacetanilideacetanilide PHAAA] and related compounds, the author synthesized some analogus compounds. The relationship between the chemical structure and the electronic and infrared absorption spectra were discussed [2-4]. The spectrophotometric studies of the complexes of PHAAA and related derivatives, with Cr[3+], Al[3+] and Fe[3+] were reported [5,6]. In the present investigation two hydrazo derivatives of AAA were prepared. Ortho-carboxyphenylhdrazoacetoacetanilide [o-CPHAAA] and Ortho-carboxyphenylhydrazopara -chloro-acetanilide [o-CPH-P-Cl-AAA] represent such derivatives. Little work is only available on the stability constants of these organic ligands with transition elements. The aim of the present investigation is to study the acid dissociation constants and the stability constants of these ligands for C[u][2+], N[i][2+],Co+ Z[n][2+], M[n][2+] and C[d][2+]. This study is performed in 75 percent dioxane-water at 30 degree and constant ionic strength [0.1 M KNO[3]]. The study was completed by pH- metric technique