Placental protein 13 (PP13) shows beneficial effects on the maternal vasculature in pregnant rats: Potential benefits in preeclampsia and IUGR

Reduced first-trimester concentrations of placental protein 13 (PP13) are associated with subsequent development of preeclampsia, a major pregnancy disorder. We previously showed that PP13 has a vasodilatory effect, reduces blood pressure and augments expansive remodeling of the uteroplacental vasculature in pregnant rats. In this study, slow-release osmotic pumps were implanted in gravid rats (on day 8) to provide 1 week of PP13 supplementation. Treatment was associated with a reversible blood pressure reduction that returned to normal on day 15. In addition, PP13 caused venous expansion that is larger in the venous branches closer to the placenta. Then, it increased placental and pup weights. Similar administration of a truncated PP13 variant (DelT221) that is unable to bind carbohydrates (a rare spontaneous mutation associated with a high frequency of severe early preeclampsia among Blacks in South Africa) produced a hypotensive effect similar to the full-length molecule, but without venous remodeling and increased placental and pup weights. These results indicate the importance of PP13 carbohydrate binding for inducing vascular remodeling and improving reproductive outcome. Future studies are needed to determine whether beneficial effects would be evident in animal models of preeclampsia or in women predisposed to the development of preeclampsia.

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A study of effect of Centella asiatica on oxidative markers in the hippocampus of offsprings born to alcohol-fed pregnant rats and the correlation with their cognitive functions

Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1515/jcim-2020-0472 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Mitha K.V. ◽

Saraswati Jaiswal Yadav ◽

Ganaraja Bolumbu

Keyword(s):

Brain Damage ◽

Water Extract ◽

Centella Asiatica ◽

Protein Carbonyl ◽

Memory Retention ◽

Pregnant Rats ◽

Shuttle Box ◽

Cognitive Efficiency ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Oxidative Markers

Abstract Objectives Alcohol consumption causes several harmful effects on the organs, which is hugely understated. Many deformities occur in the fetus when pregnant mothers indulge in alcoholism. Alcohol is a known teratogen, hence organ formation, particularly development of parts brain critical for cognitive function may be affected. The oxidative brain damage also could contribute to reduced cognitive efficiency of brain exposed to alcohol. In this study, effect of Centella asiatica in relieving the oxidative brain damage in offspring of alcohol fed mother rats was evaluated. Methods In this study we fed alcohol (5 g/kg body weight, 30% w/v) to a group of pregnant Wistar rats during gestation period, and another group served as control. Four groups of rats (n = 6 each) were selected from the offspring of these mother rats. The groups were, control, positive (treated) control, untreated and treated from alcohol-fed mother. Their cognitive parameters were tested in water maze, shuttle box and compared. Further their oxidative status was evaluated by estimating malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, total antioxidants and glutathione reductase (GSH) in hippocampus. Results The results suggested that there was significantly high cognitive performance in maze test and shuttle box memory retention in rats treated with C. asiatica water extract and the antioxidant levels were high in their hippocampus. Conclusions The outcome of the study suggested that C. asiatica produced beneficial effects in reversing the alcohol induced brain damage in pregnancy.

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In Vitro Pharmaco-Toxicological Characterization of Melissa officinalis Total Extract Using Oral, Pharynx and Colorectal Carcinoma Cell Lines

Processes ◽

10.3390/pr9050850 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 850

Author(s):

Kristine Guran ◽

Roxana Buzatu ◽

Iulia Pinzaru ◽

Madalina Boruga ◽

Iasmina Marcovici ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Carcinoma ◽

Melissa Officinalis ◽

Pharmacological Profile ◽

In Ovo ◽

Total Extract ◽

Antiangiogenic Effect ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria ◽

Potential Benefits

Melissa officinalis is a medicinal herb with an extensive pharmacological profile that has been proven to have beneficial effects in oral and gastrointestinal disorders. However, the effects of this plant in oral, pharyngeal, and colorectal malignancies, types of cancer with an increased incidence in recent years, are less investigated. The present study aims to evaluate the pharmacological profile of a Melissa officinalis total extract for potential benefits in oral, pharynx and colorectal carcinoma. The LC-MS profile of MO total extract (MOte) indicated a rich content in polyphenols, data that support the potent antioxidant capacity exhibited and the antimicrobial activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, MOte triggered a dose-dependent and selective decrease in the viability of tumor cells (tongue and pharynx squamous cell carcinomas, and colorectal adenocarcinoma), with the most significant effect being recorded at 100 µg/mL. At the same concentration, MOte exhibited an antiangiogenic effect by inhibiting the process of angiogenesis in ovo. Overall, our findings support the potential benefits of Melissa officinalis leaf total extract as a valuable candidate for the prophylaxis of oral, pharyngeal and colorectal neoplasms.

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Impact of flaxseed intake upon metabolic syndrome indicators in female Wistar rats

Acta Cirurgica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s0102-86502012000800004 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 27 (8) ◽

pp. 537-543 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Lívia Hipólito Cardozo Brant ◽

Ludmila Ferreira Medeiros de França Cardozo ◽

Luís Guillermo Coca Velarde ◽

Gilson Teles Boaventura

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Weight Gain ◽

Control Group ◽

Lactation Period ◽

Pregnant Rats ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Cholesterol Levels ◽

Female Wistar Rats ◽

Glucose Profiles

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the prolonged consumption of flaxseed minimize the factors that trigger MS in healthy rats. METHODS: Pregnant rats were divided immediately after delivery into two groups during the lactation period, a control group (CG) receiving casein-based diet with 17% of protein, and a Flaxseed group (FG) with casein-based diet plus 25% of flaxseed. At weaning, 12 offspring of each group continued to receive the same feed but with 10% of protein up to 200 days old. RESULTS: FG showed a significant reduction in body weight (p=0.001), total cholesterol levels (p<0.0001), triglycerides (p=0.0001), and glucose (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: The flaxseed alters the indicators related to development of metabolic syndrome, because it has beneficial effects on lipids and glucose profiles and prevents the excess of body weight gain.

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Storytelling as a trigger for sharing conversations

Exchanges The Interdisciplinary Research Journal ◽

10.31273/eirj.v1i2.86 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 206-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Emma Louise Parfitt ◽

Emma Louise Parfitt

Keyword(s):

Young People ◽

Fairy Tales ◽

Oral Storytelling ◽

Safe Place ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Historical Perspectives ◽

Safe Area ◽

The Social ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Research Analysis

This article explores whether traditional oral storytelling can be used to provide insights into the way in which young people of 12-14 years identify and understand the language of emotion and behaviour. Following the preliminary analysis, I propose that storytelling may trigger sharing conversations. My research attempts to extend the social and historical perspectives of Jack Zipes, on fairy tales, into a sociological analysis of young people’s lives today. I seek to investigate the extent that the storytelling space offers potential benefits as a safe place for young people to share emotions and experiences, and learn from one another. My research analysis involved NVivo coding of one hour storytelling and focus group sessions, held over five weeks. In total, there were six groups of four children, of mixed ethnicity, gender, ability, and socio-economic background, from three schools within Warwickshire. The results confirmed that the beneficial effects of the storytelling space include a safe area for sharing emotions and experiences, and in general for supporting young people outside formal learning settings.

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Pro-/Anti-Inflammatory Bioactive Proteins and Peptides

Role of Nutrition in Providing Pro-/Anti-Inflammatory Balance - Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-3594-3.ch005 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 106-141

Author(s):

Fatma Esra Güneş

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Peptides ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Specific Protein ◽

Food Proteins ◽

Protein Fragments ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Anti Inflammatory ◽

New Generation

Bioactive peptides (BP) are specific protein fragments that can affect biological processes or substrates that have a positive impact on functions and conditions on body health. Plant and animal sources that contain physiologically active food proteins, native or processed, are rich sources of bioactive peptides. Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins have been demostrated to have variety of beneficial effects, such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. BP are accepted the new generation of biologically active regulators; they can prevent oxidation and microbial degradation in foods and furthermore improve quality of life by treating various diseases and disorders. The present review highlights the recent findings on the roles of various food-derived bioactive peptides in inflammation and oxidative stress and discuss the potential benefits and limitations of using these compounds against the burden of chronic diseases.

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Mediterranean Diet: Lipids, Inflammation, and Malaria Infection

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21124489 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (12) ◽

pp. 4489

Author(s):

Adriana R. Silva ◽

Bianca P. T. Moraes ◽

Cassiano F. Gonçalves-de-Albuquerque

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Malaria Infection ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Fatty Acid Content ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Omega 6 ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

3 Omega

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) consists of consumption of vegetables and healthy oils and have beneficial effects on metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Our goal here is to discuss the role of fatty acid content in MedDiet, mostly omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 on malaria. Malaria affects millions of people around the globe. The parasite Plasmodium causes the disease. The metabolic and inflammatory alterations in the severe forms have damaging consequences to the host. The lipid content in the MedDiet holds anti-inflammatory and pro-resolutive features in the host and have detrimental effects on the Plasmodium. The lipids from the diet impact the balance of pro- and anti-inflammation, thus, lipids intake from the diet is critical to parasite elimination and host tissue damage caused by an immune response. Herein, we go into the cellular and molecular mechanisms and targets of the MedDiet fatty acids in the host and the parasite, reviewing potential benefits of the MedDiet, on inflammation, malaria infection progression, and clinical outcome.

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Applications of Nano Technology in Civil Engineering

International Journal of Strategic Engineering ◽

10.4018/ijose.2018010104 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 48-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Arslan Shamim ◽

Sajjad Ahmad ◽

Anwar Khitab ◽

Waqas Anwar ◽

Rao Arsalan Khushnood ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Performance ◽

Civil Engineering ◽

Nano Materials ◽

Nano Tio2 ◽

Nano Technology ◽

Performance Improvements ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Potential Benefits ◽

Carbon Nano Tubes ◽

Recent Trends

This article presents the recent trends in the field of civil engineering with an emphasis on the applications of nano materials and their beneficial effects at nano scale. The role and utilization of nanoparticles such as nano silica, carbon nano tubes, graphene, nano clays, nano CaCO3, nano TiO2, etc., is sharply increasing with the passage of time for achieving high performance composites. These nano materials not only enhance the mechanical properties of the resulting composites but also produce multifunctional characteristics. In this review, the authors have highlighted the various types of nanomaterials being used in the field of civil engineering and the performance improvements achieved by their utilization. Besides the potential benefits of Nano materials, they may pose some health and environmental concerns. A brief discussion is also provided on this issue.

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Astragaloside IV ameliorates preeclampsia-induced oxidative stress through the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in a rat model

AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1152/ajpendo.00357.2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 319 (5) ◽

pp. E904-E911 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Shuangyan Yang ◽

Ruixue Zhang ◽

Baoheng Xing ◽

Ling Zhou ◽

Peipei Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Rat Model ◽

Target Genes ◽

Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽

Related Factor ◽

Astragaloside Iv ◽

Pregnant Rats ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Antioxidative Effects ◽

Protein Serum

Preeclampsia (PE) can cause serious health problems for pregnant women and their infants. Astragaloside IV has been shown to exert cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects on various disorders. We aimed to study the effects of Astragaloside IV on PE symptoms using an NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME)-induced rat model of PE. The pregnant rats’ physiological features, including blood pressure, urine protein, serum soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase- 1 ( sFlt - 1)/placental growth factor (PlGF) ratio, and weight of placenta, as well as the weight, length, and survival of pups, were documented. The expression levels of target genes were analyzed by Western blot and qRT-PCR assays. The levels of target secreted proteins were determined by ELISA. We demonstrated that the administration of Astragaloside IV might exert a multitude of beneficial effects on attenuated PE symptoms in a rat model of PE. We further revealed that the effects of Astragaloside IV on PE rats were achieved, at least partially, through elimination of oxidative stress and stimulation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. Our study indicated that Astragaloside IV may serve as a promising candidate for the development of new therapeutic methods for patients with PE.

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