Feeding Brassica vegetables to rats leads to the formation of characteristic DNA adducts (from 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate) in many tissues

Juices of Brassica vegetables are mutagenic and form characteristic DNA adducts in bacteria and mammalian cells. In this study, we examined whether such adducts are also formed in vivo in animal models. Rats fed raw broccoli ad libitum in addition to normal laboratory chow for 5 weeks showed one major adduct spot and sometimes an additional minor adduct spot in liver, kidney, lung, blood and the gastrointestinal tract, as determined by 32P-postlabelling/thin-layer chromatography. Adducts with the same chromatographic properties were formed when herring sperm DNA (or dG-3’-phosphate) was incubated with 1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate (phytochemical present in Brassica plants), in the presence of myrosinase (plant enzyme that hydrolyses glucosinolates to bioactive breakdown products). UPLC–MS/MS analysis corroborated this finding: 1-Methoxy-3-indolylmethyl-substituted purine nucleosides were detected in the hepatic DNA of broccoli-fed animals, but not in control animals. Feeding raw cauliflower led to the formation of the same adducts. When steamed rather than raw broccoli was used, the adduct levels were essentially unchanged in liver and jejunum, but elevated in large intestine. Due to inactivation of myrosinase by the steaming, higher levels of the glucosinolates may have reached the large bowl to be activated by glucosidases from intestinal bacteria. In conclusion, the consumption of common Brassica vegetables can lead to the formation of substantial levels of DNA adducts in animal models. The adducts can be attributed to a specific phytochemical, neoglucobrassicin (1-methoxy-3-indolylmethyl glucosinolate).

Overview on Pediatric Myelodysplastic Syndrome: A Review

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a set of clonal bone marrow diseases in children that are characterised by peripheral cytopenia, dysplastic alterations in the bone marrow, and inefficient hematopoiesis. MDS is uncommon in children, with just 1-4 occurrences per million children afflicted. Adults, particularly the elderly, are more susceptible to the disease. Some hereditary disorders, such as Fanconi's anaemia, Shwachman's, and Down's syndromes, are known to predispose children to developing MDS. JCML and monosomy 7 syndrome are the two most frequent paediatric MDS types, both of which affect children in their early years. Approximately 20% of juvenile myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) cases are discovered by chance during normal laboratory testing or during the course of a suspected hereditary bone marrow failure (IBMF). Differentiating MDS with low blast numbers from aplastic anaemia (AA) and MDS with excess blasts from AML are the two key diagnostic issues in this condition. Bone marrow transplantation and stem cell transplantation is the treatment of choice in most cases. In this article we discuss the disease epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.

Pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in Iran

Aim: We report two cases of pediatric patients diagnosed and treated for pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) symptoms. Materials & methods: Two previously healthy 3- and 4-year-old boys were referred to the hospital after 5 days of 39°C fever, with symptoms such as erythema multiform in the lower extremities, irritability, refusal to eat, restlessness, lymphadenopathy, conjunctivitis and abnormal echocardiography. Results: After 8 days of hospitalization, the patients showed normal laboratory tests, improvement of clinical condition and were discharged from the hospital. Conclusion: This study raised several issues for physicians about SARS-CoV-2, its complications, diagnosis and treatment. Based on our results, pediatrics with PIMS-TS should be first screened for SARS-CoV-2, then treated with a combination of antivirals, anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and intravenous immune globulin.

Acute inflammatory transverse myelitis post-Pfizer-BioNTech-COVID-19 vaccine in 16-year-old

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated in China in early March 2019. Saudi Food and Drug Authority approved the registration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia on December 10, 2020, and on May 10, 2021, Pfizer-BioNTech was given an authorized emergency use in 12–15-years-old children. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health started Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination for 12–18-years-old on June 27, 2021. Here, we have a case of a 16-year-old female admitted to the medical ward diagnosed with acute inflammatory transverse myelitis after 2 weeks from second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The diagnosis was based on normal laboratory workup but significant radiological findings. She was discharged after a full recovery. There are multiple cases of post-vaccine acute inflammatory transverse myelitis shared by medical journals, but due to lack of literature review for the teenager population, we think our case may be the first case of acute inflammatory transverse myelitis following second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in this population.

Pituitary Macroadenoma: A Rare Presentation of Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disease which occurs when the levels of Thyroid hormones produced by the Thyroid gland are decreased. Here we present a case of a 19-year-old female, who presented with symptoms of hyperprolactinemia, weight gain, unilateral blurring of eyes and headache. Examination findings of the patient were significant for presence of Acanthosis Nigricans and Hirsutism. Rest of the systemic examination was normal. Laboratory investigations revealed Hyperprolactinemia, Hypothyroid profile and dyslipidemia. MRI brain and pituitary done showed findings consistent with Pituitary macroadenoma. Patient was treated along the lines of hypothyroidism with Thyroxine. Follow-up after 3 months showed improvement of her symptoms and disappearance of lesion of MRI scan. This case was a rare presentation of Hypothyroidism. Such unusual and uncommon presentations should be reported and studied in detail to prevent misdiagnosis and provide the correct treatment to the patients.

Scurvy: A Case Report

Scurvy is a rare case found in many countries, but it is often found in refugeeareas, especially in Africa. Vitamin C deficiency varies based on season and occursmore in men with age. The purpose of this research is to avoid misdiagnosis so thatit can be a reference in the field of medicine to diagnose and provide managementon scurvy. This prospective research was conducted with one sample of research.Observation had been carried out for two months, starting at one month after thepatient was suspected with the diagnosis of scurvy. Computer Tomography (CT)Scan lumbosacral to pelvic results were normal. Laboratory test of HB result was9.5 g/dl, in which MCV was 63.2 fL, MCH was 20.3 pg, and MCHC was 32.1 g/dl.Scurvy treatment in the first visit was 3x1 tablets vitamin C, 3x5 ml ibuprofen Syr,and physiotherapy. The results were that the patient still suffered swollen andbleeding gums, but the pain no longer existed, pale, behavioural disorders, unableto walk, and pain in both knees. After the second visit, the child got therapy of 4x50mg vitamin C, 1x1 tablets vitamin B12, 1x150 IU vitamin E, 1x1 tablets cavit D3,and physiotherapy. After two weeks of treatment, there were no complaints ofswelling, painful or bleeding gums. The child could straighten her legs, but she wasstill unable to walk due to the trauma of feeling great pain while walking. Specialattention is required to diagnose appropriately so the doctor can minimize andprevent complications.

Acute inflammatory Transverse Myelitis post Pfizer-BioNTech-COVID-19 vaccine in 16-year-old

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated in China in early March 2019. Saudi Food and Drug Authorityapproved the registration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Saudi Arabia on December 10, 2020 and on May 10, 2021, Pfizer-BioNTech was given an authorized emergency use in 12 to 15 years old children. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health started Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination for 12 to 18 years old on June 27, 2021. Here we have a case of 16-year-old female admitted to the medical ward diagnosed with acute inflammatory transverse myelitis after two weeks from second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The diagnosis was based on normal laboratory workup but significant radiological findings. She was discharged after a full recovery.There are multiple cases of post-vaccine acute inflammatory transverse myelitisshared by medical journals, but due to lack of literature review for the teenager population, we think our case may be the first case of acute inflammatory transverse myelitis following second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in this population.

Identification of the cell-type-specific ER membrane protein Tanmp expressed in hypothalamic tanycytes and subsets of neurons

Genomes of higher eukaryotes encode many uncharacterized proteins, and the functions of these proteins cannot be predicted from the primary sequences due to a lack of conserved functional domains. During a screening of novel noncoding RNAs abundantly expressed in mouse brains, we incidentally identified a gene termed Tanmp, which encoded an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein without known functional domains. Tanmp is specifically expressed in the nervous system, and the highest expression was observed in a specialized cell type called tanycyte that aligns the ventral wall of the third ventricle in the hypothalamus. Immunostaining of Tanmp revealed the fine morphology of tanycytes with highly branched apical ER membranes. Immunoprecipitation revealed that Tanmp associates with mitochondrial ATPase at least in vitro, and ER and mitochondrial signals occasionally overlapped in tanycytes. Mutant mice lacking Tanmp did not exhibit overt phenotypes, suggesting that Tanmp is not essential in mice reared under normal laboratory conditions. We also found that RNA probes that are predicted to uniquely detect Tanmp mRNA cross-reacted with uncharacterized RNAs, highlighting the importance of experimental validation of the specificity of probes during the hybridization-based study of RNA localization.

“An Intrinsic Program Determines Key Age-Associated Changes in Adaptive Immunity That Limit Response to Non-Pathogens”

As mice age their adaptive immune system changes dramatically, leading to weakened responses to newly encountered antigens and poor efficacy of vaccines. A shared pattern emerges in the aged, with both CD4 T and B cell responses requiring higher levels of pathogen recognition. Moreover, in aged germ-free mice we find accumulation of the same novel age-associated T and B cell subsets that we and others have previously identified using mice maintained in normal laboratory animal housing conditions, suggesting that their development follows an intrinsic program.

Hyperphosphatemia and Cardiovascular Disease

Hyperphosphatemia or even serum phosphate levels within the “normal laboratory range” are highly associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk and mortality in the general population and patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD). As the kidney function declines, serum phosphate levels rise and subsequently induce the development of hypertension, vascular calcification, cardiac valvular calcification, atherosclerosis, left ventricular hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis by distinct mechanisms. Therefore, phosphate is considered as a promising therapeutic target to improve the cardiovascular outcome in CKD patients. The current therapeutic strategies are based on dietary and pharmacological reduction of serum phosphate levels to prevent hyperphosphatemia in CKD patients. Large randomized clinical trials with hard endpoints are urgently needed to establish a causal relationship between phosphate excess and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to determine if lowering serum phosphate constitutes an effective intervention for the prevention and treatment of CVD.