The effects of easy goals versus difficult goals on acquisition and retention of a sport skill in children with intellectual disability.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of easy goals versus difficult goals on acquisition and retention of basketball free throws in children with intellectual disability. Twenty-one children with intellectual disability were randomly assigned to an easy goals or difficult goals group. The participants were required to improve their basketball free throws according to their own scores in the previous exercise session. More difficult goals were set for the difficult goals group than for the easy goals group. The groups exercised the task for nine sessions. Both groups performed pretest, acquisition, and retention tests. Results showed that participants with easy goals improved their performance while the participants with difficult goals failed to improve their performance. These findings indicate that providing children with intellectual disability with easy goals facilitates the process of sport skill learning.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of curcumin-loaded affibody-decorated liposomes against breast cancerous cell lines.

Curcumin is known as an effective anticancer herbal medicine but unfortunately, its bioavailability is poor which necessitate efforts for developing more efficient and specific delivery systems. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2) due to its overexpression in various types of cancers, is demonstrated to be a good candidate as a target for anticancer therapy. In this study, cytotoxicity of curcumin encapsulated in ZHER2:342 Affibody-decorated liposome was investigated against SKBR3 and MCF-7 cancerous cell lines. Curcumin-containing liposomes were prepared from soybeans lecetin and cholesterol by thin-film hydration method. Affibody ZHER2:342 molecules via C-terminal cysteine residue were conjugated covalently to the prepared liposomes. Particle size analysis was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Curcumin loading was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and cytotoxic activity of curcumin formulations against cancerous cell lines was investigated by MTT assay. Induction of apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry through Annexin V staining. Particle analysis showed the formation of spherical liposomes with a mean diameter of about 150 nm. Cytotoxic activity of curcumin was improved by its encapsulation in both liposomes and affibody-decorated liposomes. The Annexin V staining indicated the induction of apoptosis by affibody-decorated liposomes in both MCF-7 and SKBR3 cells. Decoration of curcumin-loaded liposomes with affibody ZHER2:342 may improve curcumin apoptotic function independently of HER2 expression level.

Ischemic post-conditioning is neuroprotective even at delayed tPA administration after embolic stroke in female rats.

Objectives: Delayed tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) thrombolysis is accompanied by different complications in stroke patients. Studies reported sex differences in stroke therapy. Ischemic postconditioning (PC) unveils neuroprotection in stroke models. In this study, we investigate the combined effect of delayed tPA therapy and PC procedure during an embolic stroke experimental model in female rats. Materials and Methods: Female Wistar rats were randomly divided into control (saline), tPA, PC, and tPA+PC groups after stroke induction via clot injection to the middle cerebral artery. tPA treatment was initiated 6 hr after stroke, and PC procedure was performed 6.5 hr post-ischemia induction (occlusion: 10 sec; reopening: 30 sec; 5 cycles). The cerebral blood flow (CBF) was recorded up to 60 min from IV tPA injection time. The parameters of brain edema, infarct volume, disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), behavioral tests, and matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) were evaluated. Results: This study revealed that PC conduction prevents excessive CBF increase by tPA and played a protective role in infarct volume reduction (P<0.05). The combination of PC and tPA reduced the infarct volume, brain edema, and protected BBB. tPA+PC could alleviate neurobehavioral disorders compared with control or tPA. Moreover, PC had the capability of MMP-9 reduction when combined with delayed tPA (P<0.05). Conclusion: Conduction of PC not only alleviated some stroke complications but also enhanced the therapeutic time window of tPA in female rats under embolic stroke.