Social media uses amongst adolescents: motives, minority stress and eudaimonic well-being / Uso de redes sociales en adolescentes: motivación, estrés de minorías y bienestar eudaimónico

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In gen-eral, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives:This study ex-amines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M= 16.19; SD= 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Net-working Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results:The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online;and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discus-sion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Dif-ferentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

Introduction: The scientific evidence regarding the effects of online social media use on the well-being of adolescents is mixed. In general, passive uses (receiving, viewing content without interacting) and more screen time are related to lower well-being when compared with active uses (direct interactions and interpersonal exchanges). Objectives: This study examines the types and motives for social media usage amongst adolescents, differentiating them by gender identity and sexual orientation, as well as its effects on eudaimonic well-being and minority stress. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1259 adolescents, aged 14 to 19 (M = 16.19; SD = 1.08), analysing the Scale of Motives for Using Social Networking Sites, eudaimonic well-being, the Sexual Minority Adolescent Stress Inventory, screen time and profile type. Results: The results found that longer use time is related to finding partners, social connection and friendships; that gay and bisexual (GB) adolescents perceive more distal stressors online; and that females have higher levels of well-being. Discussion: The public profiles of GB males increase self-expression, although minority stress can be related to discrimination, rejection or exclusion. Differentiated socialization may contribute to a higher level of well-being in females, with both active and passive uses positively effecting eudaimonic well-being in adolescents.(AU)

The cytidine deaminase APOBEC3C has unique sequence and genome feature preferences.

APOBEC proteins are cytidine deaminases that restrict the replication of viruses and transposable elements. Several members of the APOBEC3 family, APOBEC3A, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3H-I, can access the nucleus and cause what is thought to be indiscriminate deamination of the genome, resulting in mutagenesis and genome instability. Although APOBEC3C is also present in the nucleus, the full scope of its deamination target preferences is unknown. By expressing human APOBEC3C in a yeast model system, I have defined the APOBEC3C mutation signature, as well as the preferred genome features of APOBEC3C targets. The APOBEC3C mutation signature is distinct from those of the known cancer genome mutators APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B. APOBEC3C produces DNA strand-coordinated mutation clusters, and APOBEC3C mutations are enriched near the transcription start sites of active genes. Surprisingly, APOBEC3C lacks the bias for the lagging strand of DNA replication that is seen for APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B. The unique preferences of APOBEC3C constitute a mutation profile that will be useful in defining sites of APOBEC3C mutagenesis in human genomes.

Temperature-responsive hydrogel-grafted vessel-on-a-chip: Exploring cold-induced endothelial injury.

Cold-induced vasoconstriction is a significant contributor that leads to chilblains and hypothermia in humans. However, current animal models have limitations in replicating cold-induced acral injury due to their low sensitivity to cold. Moreover, existing in vitro vascular chips composed of endothelial cells and perfusion systems lack temperature responsiveness, failing to simulate the vasoconstriction observed under cold stress. This study presents a novel approach where a microfluidic bioreactor of vessel-on-a-chip was developed by grafting the inner microchannel surface of polydimethylsiloxane with a thermosensitive hydrogel skin composed of N-isopropyl acrylamide and gelatin methacrylamide. With a lower critical solution temperature set at 30°C, the gel layer exhibited swelling at low temperatures, reducing the flow rate inside the channel by 10% when the temperature dropped from 37°C to 4°C. This well mimicked the blood stasis observed in capillary vessels in vivo. The vessel-on-a-chip was further constructed by culturing endothelial cells on the surface of the thermosensitive hydrogel layer, and a perfused medium was introduced to the cells to provide a physiological shear stress. Notably, cold stimulation of the vessel-on-a-chip led to cell necrosis, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) collapse, cytoskeleton disaggregation, and increased levels of reactive oxygen species. In contrast, the static culture of endothelial cells showed limited response to cold exposure. By faithfully replicating cold-induced endothelial injury, this groundbreaking thermosensitive vessel-on-a-chip technology offers promising advancements in the study of cold-induced cardiovascular diseases, including pathogenesis and therapeutic drug screening.

Gradient failure mechanism and control technology of deep roadways under the action of deviatoric stress field.

Deformation control of deep roadways is a major challenge for mine safety production. Taking a deep roadway with a burial depth of 965 m in a mine in North China as the engineering background, on-site investigation found that significant creep deformation occurred in the surrounding rock of the roadway. The original supporting U-shaped steel support failed due to insufficient supporting strength. The rock mass near the roadway experienced a transition from triaxial stress conditions to biaxial and even uniaxial stress states as a result of excavation and unloading, leading to a gradient stress distribution in the surrounding rock. From the perspective of the roadway's deviatoric stress field distribution, we investigated the gradient failure mechanism of the roadway and validated it through theoretical analysis and numerical simulations. The study found that the ratio of horizontal principal stress and vertical principal stress determines the distribution shape of the surrounding rock deviatoric stress field. The gradient distribution of the stress field in the roadway will cause time-related deformation of the roadway, which will lead to large deformation and failure of the roadway. Based on this, the control mechanism of roadway gradient failure was studied, and then a combined support technology of CFST supports with high bearing capacity was proposed.

Aerobic training attenuates cardiac remodeling in mice post-myocardial infarction by inhibiting the p300/CBP-associated factor.

Aerobic training (AT), an effective form of cardiac rehabilitation, has been shown to be beneficial for cardiac repair and remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI). The p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) is one of the most important lysine acetyltransferases and is involved in various biological processes. However, the role of PCAF in AT and AT-mediated cardiac remodeling post-MI has not been determined. Here, we found that the PCAF protein level was significantly increased after MI, while AT blocked the increase in PCAF. AT markedly improved cardiac remodeling in mice after MI by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). In vivo, similar to AT, pharmacological inhibition of PCAF by Embelin improved cardiac recovery and attenuated ERS in MI mice. Furthermore, we observed that both IGF-1, a simulated exercise environment, and Embelin protected from H2O2-induced cardiomyocyte injury, while PCAF overexpression by viruses or the sirtuin inhibitor nicotinamide eliminated the protective effect of IGF-1 in H9C2 cells. Thus, our data indicate that maintaining low PCAF levels plays an essential role in AT-mediated cardiac protection, and PCAF inhibition represents a promising therapeutic target for attenuating cardiac remodeling after MI.

Effect of co-administration of gallic acid and quercetin or gallic acid and rutin on impaired spermatogenesis and oxidative damage in a busulfan-treated rat model.

Gallic acid (GAL), rutin (RUT), and quercetin (QUE) are common antioxidant agents in fruits and vegetables with intriguing pharmacological effects. In the present study, we compared the therapeutic outcomes of GAL + QUE in comparison with GAL + RUT co-treatment in a busulfan (BUS) model of testicular injury in Wistar rats. BUS (4 mg kg-1 body weight (b.w) was injected intraperitoneally daily for 4 days. GAL + RUT or GAL + QUE (20 mg kg-1 b. w) was delivered by oral gavage for 52 days. Examination of the testes of BUS-treated rats both biochemically and under light microscopy revealed an increased level of lipid peroxidation, DNA fragmentation, glutathione-S-transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase with a concomitant decrease in the level of antioxidants: glutathione, ascorbic acid, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities, suggesting testicular injury. Tissue sections confirmed the testicular injury-induced by BUS, including diminished spermatogenesis score index, tubular diameter, gonado-somatic index, testis weight, epithelia thickness and higher percentage of aberrant tubules. GAL + QUE co-administration had better recovery effects than GAL + RUT on the biochemical markers and protected against BUS-induced testicular damage. GAL + QUE treatment regimen has better capacity to maintain the antioxidant capacity of the testes and is more potent at reducing BUS-induced oxidative damage compared to GAL + RUT.

Evaluation of North Sea saturation procedures through divers monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Saturation diving is a standard method of intervention for commercial diving during offshore operations. Current saturation procedures achieve a high level of safety with regards to decompression sickness but still put the divers under multiple stressors: 1) Environmental stress (long confinement, heat/cold, dense gases, high oxygen levels), 2) Work stress (muscular fatigue, psychological pressure, breathing equipment, etc.), 3) venous gas emboli associated with decompression, 4) Inflammation related to oxidative stress and microparticles. We present the results of a saturation divers monitoring campaign performed in the North Sea Danish sector, on the Tyra field, during 2022. The study was supported by TotalEnergies, the field operator, and performed by Boskalis Subsea Services, the diving contractor, onboard the diving support vessel Boka Atlantis. The objective was twofold: document the level of diving stress during saturation operations in the Danish sector, and compare the performances of two saturation procedures, the Boskalis and the NORSOK procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen divers volunteered for the study. The monitoring package include weight and temperature measurements, psychomotor tests (objective evaluation) and questionnaires (subjective evaluation), Doppler bubble detection and bioimpedance. The results were presented in a radar diagram that provides a general view of the situation. RESULTS: The data were analysed along 3 dimensions: work and environmental, desaturation bubbles, oxidative stress and inflammation. The results showed little or no variations from the reference values. No bubbles were detected after excursion dives and the final decompression, except for two divers with a grade 1 after arriving at surface. No statistical difference could be found between the Boskalis and the NORSOK saturation procedures. CONCLUSIONS: At a depth of 40-50 msw corresponding to the Danish sector, the two saturation procedures monitored induce no or little stress to the divers. The divers know how to manage their diet, equilibrate their hydration and pace their effort. Data available on divers' post saturation period show a recovery over the 24-48 hours following the end of the decompression. Further research should focus on diving deeper than 100 msw where a greater stress can be anticipated.

Non-invasive determination of critical dissolved oxygen thresholds for stress physiology in fish using triple-oxygen stable isotopes and aquatic respirometry.

Understanding the critical thresholds of dissolved oxygen (O2) that trigger adaptive physiological responses in aquatic organisms is long hampered by a lack of robust, non-lethal or non-invasive methodologies. The isotope fractionation of triple O2 isotopes (18O/17O/16O) during respiration is linked to the amount of oxygen utilised, offering a potential avenue for new insights. Our experimental research involved measuring the oxygen isotope fractionation of dissolved O2 in closed-system aquatic respirometry experiments with wild sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). These fish were either naturally adapted or experimentally acclimated to hypoxic and normoxic conditions. The aim was to observe their oxygen usage and isotope fractionation in response to increasingly severe hypoxia. Initial observations revealed a progressive 18O enrichment from the preferential uptake of 16O to a dissolved oxygen threshold of 3-5 mg O2 L-1, followed by an apparent reversal in oxygen isotope fractionation, which is mixing of 16O and 17O with the remaining O2 pool across all populations and indicative of a systematic change in oxygen metabolism among the fish. Unexpectedly, sticklebacks adapted to hypoxia but acclimated to normoxia exhibited stronger oxygen isotope fractionation compared to those adapted to normoxia and acclimated to hypoxia, contradicting the hypothesis that hypoxia adaptation would lead to reduced isotope discrimination due to more efficient oxygen uptake. These preliminary experimental results highlight the novel potential of using dissolved O2 isotopes as a non-invasive, non-lethal method to quantitatively assess metabolic thresholds in aquatic organisms. This approach could significantly improve our understanding of the critical oxygen responses and adaptation mechanisms in fish and other aquatic organisms across different oxygen environments, marking a significant step forward in aquatic ecological and physiological research.

Effect of stress-induced hyperglycemia on long-term mortality in non-diabetic patients with acute type A aortic dissection: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (AAAD) is one of the most life-threatening diseases, often associated with transient hyperglycemia induced by acute physiological stress. The impact of stress-induced hyperglycemia on the prognosis of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction has been reported. However, the relationship between stress-induced hyperglycemia and the prognosis of AAAD patients remains uncertain. METHODS: The clinical data of 456 patients with acute type A aortic dissection were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups based on their admission blood glucose. Cox model regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between stress-induced hyperglycemia and the 30-day and 1-year mortality rates of these patients. RESULTS: Among the 456 patients, 149 cases (32.7%) had AAAD combined with stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH). The results of the multifactor regression analysis of the Cox model indicated that hyperglycemia (RR = 1.505, 95% CI: 1.046-2.165, p = 0.028), aortic coarctation involving renal arteries (RR = 3.330, 95% CI: 2.237-4.957, p < 0.001), aortic coarctation involving superior mesenteric arteries (RR = 1.611, 95% CI: 1.056-2.455, p = 0.027), and aortic coarctation involving iliac arteries (RR = 2.034, 95% CI: 1.364-3.035, p = 0.001) were independent influences on 1-year postoperative mortality in AAAD patients. CONCLUSION: The current findings indicate that stress-induced hyperglycemia measured on admission is strongly associated with 1-year mortality in patients with AAAD. Furthermore, stress-induced hyperglycemia may be related to the severity of the condition in patients with AAAD.

Intergenerational associations between childhood maltreatment, post-traumatic stress symptoms, and chronic pain in young adult offspring and their parents.

Findings have revealed a strong link between exposure to child maltreatment (CM) and later chronic pain. Concurrently, other findings have been grounded in the understanding that CM consequences may not end with the exposed individual, rather, they extend to their offspring. However, little is known regarding the possible intergenerational transmission of chronic pain following CM. This study examines whether chronic pain among parents and their young adult offspring may be associated with parental exposure to CM. Three hundred ninety-three parent-offspring dyads (parents' mean age = 58, SD = 5.91 years; offspring's mean age = 27, SD = 3.91 years) completed self-report questionnaires, assessing CM (CTQ), posttraumatic stress (PTS) and disturbances in self-organisation (DSO) symptoms (ITQ), and chronic pain. CM was associated with chronic pain mediated by DSO symptoms among parents (indirect effect = 0.77; p = 0.007) and PTS symptoms among offspring (indirect effect = 0.285; p = 0.005). Offspring chronic pain was significantly associated with parental CM through two intergenerational paths: the mediation of parents' DSO symptoms and chronic pain (indirect effect = 0.298; p = 0.011), and through parents' PTS symptoms and offspring's PTS symptoms (indirect effect = 0.077; p = 0.004). This study's findings support the relevance of the intergenerational transmission of chronic pain following parental exposure to CM. Furthermore, the findings reveal complex PTS symptoms as a possible underlying mechanism for the intergenerational associations of chronic pain following CM.

The Role of Excitotoxicity, Oxidative Stress and Bioenergetics Disruption in the Neuropathology of Nonketotic Hyperglycinemia.

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH) is an inherited disorder of amino acid metabolism biochemically characterized by the accumulation of glycine (Gly) predominantly in the brain. Affected patients usually manifest with neurological symptoms including hypotonia, seizures, epilepsy, lethargy, and coma, the pathophysiology of which is still not completely understood. Treatment is limited and based on lowering Gly levels aiming to reduce overstimulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Mounting in vitro and in vivo animal and human evidence have recently suggested that excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and bioenergetics disruption induced by Gly are relevant mechanisms involved in the neuropathology of NKH. This brief review gives emphasis to the deleterious effects of Gly in the brain of patients and animal models of NKH that may offer perspectives for the development of novel adjuvant treatments for this disorder.

Instability in Computational Models of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Contraction.

PURPOSE: Through their contractile and synthetic capacity, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) can regulate the stiffness and resistance of the circulation. To model the contraction of blood vessels, an active stress component can be added to the (passive) Cauchy stress tensor. Different constitutive formulations have been proposed to describe this active stress component. Notably, however, measuring biomechanical behaviour of contracted blood vessels ex vivo presents several experimental challenges, which complicate the acquisition of comprehensive datasets to inform complex active stress models. In this work, we examine formulations for use with limited experimental contraction data as well as those developed to capture more comprehensive datasets. METHODS: First, we prove analytically that a subset of constitutive active stress formulations exhibits unstable behaviours (i.e., a non-unique diameter solution for a given pressure) in certain parameter ranges, particularly for large contractile deformations. Second, using experimental literature data, we present two case studies where these formulations are used to capture the contractile response of VSMCs in the presence of (1) limited and (2) extensive contraction data. RESULTS: We show how limited contraction data complicates selecting an appropriate active stress model for vascular applications, potentially resulting in unrealistic modelled behaviours. CONCLUSION: Our data provide a useful reference for selecting an active stress model which balances the trade-off between accuracy and available biomechanical information. Whilst complex physiologically motivated models' superior accuracy is recommended whenever active biomechanics can be extensively characterised experimentally, a constant 2nd Piola-Kirchhoff active stress model balances well accuracy and applicability with sparse contractile data.

Setting the Stage for Cancer: Stay Soft and Optimistic.

In the Netherlands, one out of two people will be confronted with the diagnosis of cancer sometime in their life. Against this increased number of patients, a large proportion luckily can be cured. Today, a rather high proportion of people receive treatment to control cancer growth or stabilize the disease, sometimes, for the rest of their lives. If such long-standing treatment is administered for more than 10-20 years, the stage of cancer is presently often not referred to as "palliative" anymore, but much more often as "chronic." It could be argued that regardless of the cancer disease stage you are in and whether you are or can be cured, your cancer diagnosis nevertheless has become part of your life, including the experience of chronicity. Discussions surrounding the chronicity of cancer in the context of cancer are still ongoing. This is especially the case because "experiencing chronicity" is dependent on the type of cancer and is less applicable in cancers where the prognosis is often less than one year, such as is more frequently the case with lung or pancreatic cancer. In all situations, experiencing chronicity nevertheless brings along uncertainty, either with or without chronic stress. Combatting stress by choosing the right wording, maintaining an optimistic stance along with physical activity and/or psychosocial education seems important to optimize well-being and to stabilize tumor growth or remove the tumor. In conclusion, chronicity in the context of treating and caring for cancer seems a somewhat gray area. However, regardless in how we, as medical professionals, speak about cancer with long-standing disease trajectories (that sometimes even can be cured), it first of all seems important to approach, take care, and treat patients well. This can facilitate discussions with patients about their disease and disease experiences. Moreover, it can stimulate patients themselves to take responsibility for their own health, which can be of added value to the entire disease trajectory.

Saliva stress biomarkers in ERCP trainees before and after familiarisation with ERCP on a virtual simulator.

Background: Stress during the early ERCP learning curve may interfere with acquisition of skills during training. The purpose of this study was to compare stress biomarkers in the saliva of trainees before and after familiarisation with ERCP exercises on a virtual simulator. Methods: Altogether 26 endoscopists under training, 14 women and 12 men, completed the three phases of this study: Phase 1. Three different ERCP procedures were performed on the simulator. Saliva for α-amylase (sAA), Chromogranin A (sCgA), and Cortisol (sC) were collected before (baseline), halfway through the exercise (ex.), and 10 min after completion of the exercise (comp.); Phase 2. A three-week familiarisation period where at least 30 different cases were performed on the virtual ERCP simulator; and Phase 3. Identical to Phase 1 where saliva samples were once again collected at baseline, during, and after the exercise. Percentage differences in biomarker levels between baseline and exercise (Diffex) and between baseline and completion (Diffcomp) during Phase 1 and Phase 3 were calculated for each stress marker. Results: Mean % changes, Diffex and Diffcomp, were significantly positive (p < 0.05) for all markers in both Phase 1 and Phase 3. Diffex in Phase 1 was significantly greater than Diffex in Phase 3 (p < 0.05) for sAA and sCgA. Diffcomp for sAA in Phase 1 was significantly greater than Diffcomp in Phase 3 (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in sC concentration between Phases 1 and 3. Conclusion: This study shows that familiarisation with the ERCP simulator greatly reduced stress as measured by the three saliva stress biomarkers used with sAA being the best. It also suggests that familiarisation with an ERCP simulator might reduce stress in the clinical setting.

Different effects of acute and chronic oxidative stress on the intestinal flora and gut-liver axis in weaned piglets.

Introduction: Oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in modulating the balance of intestinal flora and the gut-liver axis, while also serving as a key determinant of the growth potential of weaned piglets. However, few studies have subdivided and compared acute and chronic oxidative stress. Methods: In this study, an intestinal model of acute oxidative stress in weaned piglets using paraquat (PQ) and a chronic oxidative stress model using D-galactosa in weaned piglets were conducted. And we further systematically compare their effects. Results: Both acute and chronic oxidative stress models impaired intestinal barrier function and liver function. Chronic stress caused by D-galactose can result in severe redox dysregulation, while acute stress caused by paraquat can lead to inflammation and liver damage. Additionally, the components involved in the CAR pathway were expressed differently. Chronic or acute oxidative stress can reduce the diversity and composition of intestinal flora. In the PQ group, the richness of Mogibacterium and Denitratisoma improved, but in the D-gal group, the richness of Catenisphaera and Syntrophococcus increased. Discussion: Not only does this research deepen our understanding of the effects of acute and chronic oxidative stress on intestinal functions, but it also characterizes characteristic changes in the gut flora, potentially identifying novel therapeutic targets and opening new avenues for future research.

Bioenergetic myths of energy transduction in eukaryotic cells.

The study of energy transduction in eukaryotic cells has been divided between Bioenergetics and Physiology, reflecting and contributing to a variety of Bioenergetic myths considered here: 1) ATP production = energy production, 2) energy transduction is confined to mitochondria (plus glycolysis and chloroplasts), 3) mitochondria only produce heat when required, 4) glycolysis is inefficient compared to mitochondria, and 5) mitochondria are the main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells. These myths constitute a 'mitocentric' view of the cell that is wrong or unbalanced. In reality, mitochondria are the main site of energy dissipation and heat production in cells, and this is an essential function of mitochondria in mammals. Energy transduction and ROS production occur throughout the cell, particularly the cytosol and plasma membrane, and all cell membranes act as two-dimensional energy conduits. Glycolysis is efficient, and produces less heat per ATP than mitochondria, which might explain its increased use in muscle and cancer cells.

Network analysis of occupational stress and job satisfaction among radiologists.

Background: Occupational stress and job satisfaction significantly impact the well-being and performance of healthcare professionals, including radiologists. Understanding the complex interplay between these factors through network analysis can provide valuable insights into intervention strategies to enhance workplace satisfaction and productivity. Method: In this study, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit 312 radiologists for participation. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, job satisfaction measured by the Minnesota job satisfaction questionnaire revised short version (MJSQ-RSV), and occupational stress assessed using the occupational stress scale. Network analysis was employed to analyze the data in this study. Results: The network analysis revealed intricate patterns of associations between occupational stress and job satisfaction symptoms among radiologists. Organizational management and occupational interests emerged as crucial nodes in the network, indicating strong relationships within these domains. Additionally, intrinsic satisfaction was identified as a central symptom with high connectivity in the network structure. The stability analysis demonstrated robustness in the network edges and centrality metrics, supporting the reliability of the findings. Conclusion: This study sheds light on the complex relationships between occupational stress and job satisfaction in radiologists, offering valuable insights for targeted interventions and support strategies to promote well-being and job satisfaction in healthcare settings.

The cardioprotective properties of Persicaria maculosa and Citrus sinensis extracts against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in mice.

Objective: This study assessed the cardioprotective properties of Persicaria maculosa (PME) and Citrus sinensis (CME) hydro-methanolic extracts, besides Citrus sinensis aqueous extract (CWE) against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. Materials and Methods: The extracts were characterized. Mice were divided into eight groups: control (saline), DOX, protected (injected with 200 mg/kg of PME, CWE or CME for 21 days, orally, and DOX), and extracts (PME, CWE or CME administration, orally, for 21 days). DOX was injected (5 mg/kg, ip) on days 8, 13 and 18 of the experiment. Cardiac tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and carbonyl reductase 1 (CBR1) expression levels, besides superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide and total protein levels were evaluated. Serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase cardiac isoenzyme, aspartate transaminase, cholesterol, triglycerides and creatinine levels, as well as the cardiac tissues were examined. Results: Comparing with the control, DOX considerably (p<0.01) up-regulated TNF-α expression, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, cardiac enzymes, lipids and creatinine levels, while it significantly (p<0.01) down-regulated Nrf2 and CBR1. Additionally, DOX interfered with antioxidant enzymes' activities (p<0.01). Conversely, protected groups showed a significant (p<0.01) amelioration of DOX-induced cardiotoxic effects. Conclusion: The current study provides a new understanding of P. maculosa and C. sinensis cardioprotective mechanisms. The extracts' cardioprotective effects may be due to their antioxidant activities, ability to maintain the redox homeostasis through regulation of important antioxidant genes and primary antioxidant enzymes, and capability to recover inflammatory cytokines and lipids levels. Noteworthy, the tested extracts showed no toxic changes on the normal mice.

The effects of Artemisia Sieberi, Achillea Fragrantissima, and Olea Europaea leaves on the performance and physiological parameters in heat-stressed broiler chickens.

High temperatures have detrimental effects on the performance and physiology of broiler chickens. Medicinal plants have various biological activities and may enhance the heat resistance of chickens during heat waves. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential roles of using specific local medicinal plants to alleviate the negative impacts of heat stress (HS) in broilers. In this study, 180 day-old chicks were used to investigate the effects of HS and dietary indigenous medicinal plants on growth performance, antioxidant biomarkers, and intestinal health. The chicks were assigned to six groups (18 pens with 10 chicks per pen) with three replicates each. In the first group, the chicks were kept under thermoneutral conditions (CON) and fed a basal diet. The other five groups were exposed to recurrent heat stress and fed a basal diet (T1, HS group) or supplemented with Artemisia Sieberi (1.25 g/kg of feed; T2), Achillea Fragrantissima (15 g/kg of feed; T3), Olea europaea (10 g/kg of feed; T4), and all the previous additives (all-in-one) combined at the same dose levels mentioned above (T5). At 21 days of age, the chicks from each group were exposed to two phases of heat stress: phase 1 from days 21 to 34 (34 ± 1°C) followed by phase 2 from days 35 to 39 (37 ± 1°C). The results indicate that HS significantly increased rectal temperature and respiration rate in broiler chickens. Feed intake and body weight gain were improved in all supplemented groups, while the feed conversion ratio was decreased in response to the dietary inclusion of medicinal plants. Additionally, glutathione peroxidase and immunoglobulin G levels were increased in the T3, T4, and T5 groups compared to the other groups. HS induced significant upregulated in the mRNA levels of heat shock protein 70 and interleukin-8, while the mRNA of occludin was decreased. The T3, T4, and T5 showed significantly decreased expression of hepatic HSP70 and ileum IL-8 genes and increased ileum mRNA occludin levels relative to the CON and T1 groups. In conclusion, supplementation with these plants enhances growth performance and maintains intestinal health sustaining the productivity of broiler chickens under HS conditions.