Zeaxanthin Attenuates the Vicious Circle Between Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Tau Phosphorylation: Involvement of GSK-3β Activation

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) characterized by neurofibrillary tangles caused by hyperphosphorylated tau is the most common cause of dementia. Zeaxanthin (Zea), derived from fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of AD. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) might cause memory impairment in AD. Objective: Here, we studied protective role of Zea on the relationship among ERS, activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β, tau phosphorylated kinase), and p-Tau (Ser 396 and Thr 231). Methods: The results were obtained in non-RA and RA group by using different treatment, such as 9-cis-retinoic acid (RA), TM (ERS inducer), Zea, 4-PBA (ERS inhibitor), and SB216763 (GSK-3β inhibitor). The methods included flow cytometry and MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] for the detections of cell cycle and cell viability and western blot as a third measure of proteins in relation to ERS and tau phosphorylation. We have collected and analyzed all the data that suggested application of drugs for the treatment in non-RA and RA group. Results: Zea displays its protection on TM-induced cell injury, upregulation of GRP78 expression, and change of GSK-3β activity and tau phosphorylation when 4-PBA and SB216763 interfere with the process. Conclusion: These studies indicated that Zea is in vicious circle in ERS, GSK-3β, and tau phosphorylation, and further reflect its potential value in AD.

Microcirculation and Macrocirculation in Hypertension: A Dangerous Cross-Link?

Microcirculation and macrocirculation are tightly interconnected into a dangerous cross-link in hypertension. Small artery damage includes functional (vasoconstriction, impaired vasodilatation) and structural abnormalities (mostly inward eutrophic remodeling). These abnormalities are major determinants of the increase in total peripheral resistance and mean blood pressure (BP) in primary hypertension, which in the long term induces large artery stiffening. In turn, large artery stiffening increases central systolic and pulse pressures, which are further augmented by wave reflection in response to the structural alterations in small resistance arteries. Finally, transmission of high BP and flow pulsatility to small resistance arteries further induces functional and structural abnormalities, thus leading to increased total peripheral resistance and mean BP, thus perpetuating the vicious circle. Hyperpulsatility, in addition to higher mean BP, exaggerates cardiac, brain, and kidney damages and leads to cardiovascular, cerebral, and renal complications. The dangerous cross-link between micro and macrocirculation can be reversed into a virtuous one by ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors, sartans, and calcium channel blockers. These three pharmacological classes are more potent than β-blockers and diuretics for reducing arterial stiffness and small artery remodeling. The same ranking was observed for their effectiveness at reducing left ventricular hypertrophy, preserving glomerular filtration rate, and preventing dementia, suggesting that they can act beyond brachial BP reduction, by breaking the micro/macrocirculation vicious circle.

Procreation Right of Prisoners

Prisoners form the most ignored community, and their rights are most overtly denied and treated as degraded human beings. Prisons are looked down as burden on state exchequer. Allocation for welfare activities of prisoners formed only 0.6 % of total prison budget. Prisons are highly congested with minute care toward maintenance, hygiene, sanitation, and quality of food along with severe staff crunch. Currently, prisons are the hub to the suppression of human dignity and natural rights. Mostly overlooked, extremely stigmatised and least cared and discussed for, and mostly coming from the already marginalised sections, prisoners get trapped in the vicious circle of living a hell life. It’s the crime which needs to be shaded off not the criminal per se. Only with such improvements availability of procreation right would bring respite especially toward the women and children involved. Things need to be moved hand in hand. In this article author tries to throw light own issues that must be looked into while drafting policies for prisoners’ rights.

Current caselaw discrepancies in the protection of national symbols and state representatives between the European Court of Human Rights and Spanish courts: a vicious circle

Despite the general consensus about freedom of expression being a basic fundamental right on every democratic society, the debate about its boundaries has never found such a pacific agreement. Thus, the Spanish Penal Code has several articles that punish its abuse that are highly contested, like articles 490.3 and 543 that penalize the offenses directed towards national symbols or State representatives. This being so, this article examines the controversy generated by the application of this articles through the analysis of two judgements issued by the European Court of Human Rights against Spain, and a third one issued by the Spanish Constitutional Court that could follow the same path. This work will be done to describe the clash that exists between the caselaw of these two jurisdictions, in order to critically analyze the approach Spanish courts have to behaviors that criticize national symbols and state representatives.

Popular Uprisings in Sudan: Revolutionary Processes Intercepted

This article tries to go beyond the general features of the Sudanese three popular Uprisings of 1964, 1985 and 2018/19, to explore their root causes. It argues that the revolutionary processes in the Sudan have been impeded by such factors as: (1) lack of visionary leaders; (2) inter-elites dissensions; (3) intra-party schisms and inter-party conflicts (over interests); and (4) absence of coherent programmatic and mass political parties. Since independence in 1956, the Sudan has been trapped in a vicious circle—oscillating between democratic and military rules. So: “why does democracy fail in Sudan? It compares the different settings that differentiate the Uprising (of 2018/19) from the previous two, with especial emphasis on the latest one—one of the most successful non-violent civil resistances. The article explains that those uprisings could have escalated into full-fledged revolution but were let down by the civil elites who disappointed any prospects for revolutionary achievement”. Hence, the article rests on the hypothesis that “the political elite are responsible for the failure of the popular uprisings in Sudan”. The article provides empirical explanations for this hypothesis and suggests adoption of consociationalism which is more likely to suit the highly diversified Sudanese society with deep ethno-political polarization.

Instability will follow presidential run-off in Chile

Significance Gabriel Boric, on the left, and Jose Antonio Kast, on the right, represent very different paths forward as Chile grapples to understand and respond to the wave of social protests that swept the country in late 2019. Impacts After three decades dominating politics, the centre no longer has effective leadership. For either candidate, fiscally unsustainable measures will be an important temptation. The absence of clear majorities in Congress could prompt virtuous agreements or a vicious circle of legislative paralysis.

A Vicious Circle of Clonal Haematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential and Cardiovascular Disease

Clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) represents a recently identified overlap between cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). CHIP develops as a result of certain acquired somatic mutations that predispose to leukaemia, but clinically even more prevalent, associate with increased risk for CVD and CVD-related death. Experimental studies suggest a causal role for CHIP aggravating inflammatory processes in CVD, and recent epidemiologic and genetic studies indicate that classical CVD risk factors may increase the risk of acquiring CHIP driver mutations, thus fuelling a vicious circle. The potential mechanism underlying the associative link between CHIP and CVD and mortality has been the focus of a few recent excellent experimental and observational studies which are summarized and discussed in this concise non-systematic review article. These data support a pathomechanistic view of a spiralling vicious circle in which CHIP aggravates the inflammatory immune response in CVD, and CVD-driven elevated haematopoietic activity promotes CHIP development.

«Terrible triad» of the shoulder. Biomechanicalsemi-natural modeling andjustificationto rotator cuff restoration

The aim of this study: was determine the force of tension and deformation of axillary nerve in rupture rotator cuff and paresis of deltoid muscle of the shoulder joint. Material and methods: Semi-natural modelling based on the axial scans spiral computed tomography of the intact shoulder joint was performed to determine the degree of traction load on the axillary nerve with distal displacement shoulder head and tendon rupture which paresis of the deltoid muscle. Result: The values of deformations for axillary nerve being at the limit of tissue strength at distal displacement of humeral head of the model by 50 %, progressively increased with increasing distal displacement of humeral head to 100 % of its diameter, reaching values 1.7 times higher than the strength nervous tissue. Conclusion: The progressive changes occurring in the axillary nerve under the action of traction loads, and as a consequence of its ischemia, over time can lead not only to demyelination, but also to the defeat of the axons themselves atrophy of its fibers. In turn, deltoid muscle atrophy increases the traction load on the affected axillary nerve, which forms a vicious circle. The only possible option to "break" the vicious circle is restore the stabilizing structures damaged during the injury, among which one of the most important is the tendons of the rotator cuff of the shoulder. Surgical restoration of the integrity rotator cuff of the shoulder reduces the traction load acting on the axillary nerve, which in turn significantly improves the conditions for reinnervation of the deltoid muscle.