The larvicidal effect of neemazal T/S, clove oil and ginger oil on tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta compared to coragen.

The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity and biochemical changes of Tuta absoluta 3rd instar larvae affected by neemazal T/S, clove oil and ginger oil. These compounds were evaluated compared to the recommended pesticide, Coragen 20% SC. by means of sublethal concentrations, LC25 and LC50 under constant laboratory conditions. Results showed that neemazal T/S is more toxic than detected oils compared with higher toxicity of coragen with LC50 values of 57.52, 159.94, 633.38 and 930.71 µg mL-1 for coragen, neemazal, ginger oil and clove oil, respectively. There were highly significant differences between all treatments and untreated larvae. Neemazal possessed the greatest effect on activity level of most physiological parameters than selected oils. Larval content of digestive enzymes was decreased significantly 48 h after all treatments except for lipase, α-esterase and ß-esterase (in case of coragen and clove oil). Also, total proteins, total carbohydrates, total lipids and total free amino acids take the same trend. Based on this study, these sublethal doses caused a significantly dose-dependent perturbation in determined components.

Monocyte/granulocyte to lymphocyte ratio and the MELD score as predictors for early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after trans-arterial chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND: The first-line treatment option for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma is trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Blood indices, such as lymphocyte/monocyte ratio (LMR), lymphocyte count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-granulocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MGLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW), are prognostic biomarkers in certain diseases. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores have been designed for patients with cirrhosis waiting for liver transplantation and in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. We hypothesized possible roles for these blood indices, and the MELD and CTP scores as predictors for early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after TACE. METHODS: Routine laboratory indices determined the NLR, LMR, MGLR, RDW, PLR, as well as MELD and CTP scores in 147 patients. Sensitivity and specificity of the indices for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence 36 months after TACE were estimated by receiver operator characteristic curve. RESULTS: In multivariate regression analysis, only male sex, the lymphocyte count, CTP, the MGLR and the MELD score significantly (P < 0.01) predicted recurrence. The area under curve (AUC) for detection of recurrence for MGLR at a cut-off value 2.75 was 0.63 (95% CI 0.54-0.72) with sensitivity 70.7%, specificity 59.2% and accuracy 63%. The MELD score at cut-off value 9.5 had diagnostic performance with AUC 0.71 (0.63-0.79), sensitivity 80% and specificity 55.8% and accuracy 71.3%. CONCLUSIONS: High MGLR and MELD scores are linked to increasing frequency of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence after TACE and could be used as novel, simple, non-invasive prognostic tests.

Potential protective role of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors captopril and enalapril against adriamycin-induced acute cardiac and hepatic toxicity in rats.

Captopril and enalapril-angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors-were evaluated for their antioxidative protective action against adriamycin-induced cardiac and hepatic toxicity. Rats were treated with either captopril (10 mg kg(-1)) or enalapril (2 mg kg(-1)) intragastrically (i.g.) daily for 7 days before single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection with adriamycin (15 mg kg(-1)). The animals were killed 30 h after adriamycin administration. Adriamycin produced significant elevation in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), which is an indicator of lipid peroxidation, and significantly inhibited the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in heart and liver tissues, with a significant rise in the serum levels of glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), indicating acute cardiac toxicity. A single injection of adriamycin did not affect the cardiac or hepatic glutathione (GSH) content or cardiac catalase (CAT) activity, but hepatic CAT activity was elevated. Pretreatment with ACE inhibitors significantly reduced the TBARS concentration in both heart and liver and ameliorated the inhibition of cardiac and hepatic SOD activity. In addition, the ACE inhibitors significantly improved the serum levels of GOT, GPT, CK-MB and LDH in adriamycin-treated rats. Thus, these results suggest that captopril and enalapril possess antioxidative potential that may protect the heart against adriamycin-induced acute oxidative toxicity. This protective effect might be mediated, at least in part, by the limitation of culprit free radicals and the amelioration of oxidative stress.

Attenuation of the acute adriamycin-induced cardiac and hepatic oxidative toxicity by N-(2-mercaptopropionyl) glycine in rats.

The protective effect of the synthetic aminothiol, N-(2-mercaptopropionyl) glycine (MPG) on adriamycin (ADR) induced acute cardiac and hepatic oxidative toxicity was evaluated in rats. ADR toxicity, induced by a single intraperitoneal injection (15 mg/kg), was indicated by an elevation in the level of serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). ADR produced significant elevation in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), indicating lipid peroxidation, and significantly inhibited the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in heart and liver tissues. In contrast, a single injection of ADR did not affect the cardiac or hepatic glutathione (GSH) content and cardiac catalase (CAT) activity but elevated hepatic CAT. Pretreatment with MPG, (2.5 mg/kg) intragastrically, significantly reduced TBARS concentration in both heart and liver and ameliorated the inhibition of cardiac and hepatic SOD activity. In addition, MPG significantly decreased the serum level of GOT, GPT, CK-MB, and LDH of ADR treated rats. These results suggest that MPG exhibited antioxidative potentials that may protect heart and liver against ADR-induced acute oxidative toxicity. This protective effect might be mediated, at least in part, by the high redox potential of sulfhydryl groups that limit the activity of free radicals generated by ADR.

The spleen of the one humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) has a unique histological structure.

The histology and structure of 38 spleens of the dromedary (aged 0.5-15 y) were studied in relation to age. The spleen was found to have a thick capsule (292+/-106 mm) divided into an outer layer (113+/-39 mm) composed mainly of connective tissue and an inner layer (180+/-81 mm) consisting mainly of smooth muscle cells. Vascular and avascular trabeculae extend from the capsule, the former containing arteries and nerves but no trabecular veins, the latter being divided structurally into primary and secondary trabeculae. Subcapsular and peritrabecular blood sinuses around primary and vascular trabeculae are unique to the camel spleen. The central artery emerges from the periarterial lymphatic sheath and branches into up to 4 penicilli which extend as sheathed arterioles (42+/-8 microm). These are found near or surrounded by blood sinusoids of the red pulp. A wide marginal zone surrounds the white pulp and contains sheathed arteries but no marginal sinuses. The red pulp is characteristically divided into cords by secondary trabeculae and contains venous sinusoids of different sizes. The camel spleen is of a sinusal type that can store blood. The thick muscular capsule and trabeculae pump the stored blood according to the body's need. Both closed and open circulations are found. The venous return is unique as the blood flow is from the venous sinusoids of the red pulp to the peritrabecular sinuses to the subcapsular sinuses to the splenic vein. No significant structural differences related to age were found.

Expression of glutathione S-transferase activity and glutathione content in squamous cell carcinoma of bladder associated with schistosomiasis in a population in Egypt.

The present study was designed to describe the expression of the glutathione S-transferase/glutathione system in squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in a population in Egypt. The glutathione-S transferase activity was significantly higher in bladder cancer specimens (n = 40) in comparison with schistosomiasis cystitis tissue (n = 42) (4-fold, p = 1 x 10(-12)) and with healthy control samples (n = 9) (10-fold, p = 1 x 10(-6)). The glutathione content was also significantly higher in bladder cancer than in cystitis tissue (2-fold, p = 8 x 10(-6)) and in control samples (6-fold, 8 x 10(-6)). When control mucosa and cystitis samples were compared, 2-fold increased values were obtained for glutathione-S transferase (p = 4 x 10(-3)) and glutathione (p = 1 x 10(-3)) in schistosomiasis bladder tissue. Results describe an over-expression of glutathione-S transferase and glutathione levels in squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder, and indicate a possible role in chemoresistance to pharmacological therapy.

Influence of smoking in the glutathione-S-transferase M1 deficiency--associated risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in schistosomiasis patients in Egypt.

In this study we show an effect of the glutathione-S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) null phenotype on the risk for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the bladder among male smokers in Egypt, with an adjusted odds ratio of 4.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.06-21.77). However, no overall effect of the GSTM1 null phenotype on the risk for bladder SCC was observed.