Chlorella vulgaris triggers apoptosis in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats

Chlorella vulgaris (CV) has been reported to have antioxidant and anticancer properties. We evaluated the effect of CV on apoptotic regulator protein expression in liver cancer-induced rats. Male Wistar rats (200∼250 g) were divided into eight groups: control group (normal diet), CDE group (choline deficient diet supplemented with ethionine in drinking water to induce hepatocarcinogenesis), CV groups with three different doses of CV (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg body weight), and CDE groups treated with different doses of CV (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg body weight). Rats were sacrificed at various weeks and liver tissues were embedded in paraffin blocks for immunohistochemistry studies. CV, at increasing doses, decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, but increased the expression of pro-apoptotic protein, caspase 8, in CDE rats, which was correlated with decreased hepatoctyes proliferation and increased apoptosis as determined by bromodeoxy-uridine (BrdU) labeling and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay, respectively. Our study shows that CV has definite chemopreventive effect by inducing apoptosis via decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the expression of caspase 8 in hepatocarcinogenesis-induced rats. Project supported by Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, UKM Medical Center, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and the Malaysian Ministry of Science and Technological Innovation (MOSTI)     

Revisiting the "simple view of reading" in a group of children with poor reading comprehension

According to Gough and Tunmer's Simple View of Reading, Reading Comprehension = Decoding (D) x Listening Comprehension (C). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the model with a sample of First Nations children, known to have average decoding and listening comprehension but poor reading comprehension. In addition, the authors examined the contribution of naming speed and phonological awareness to reading comprehension beyond the effects of D and C. Consistent with the findings of previous studies, the children exhibited poor reading comprehension despite average performance in decoding and listening comprehension, a finding that challenges the simple view of reading. The results also revealed that an additive model (D + C) fitted the data equally well as a product model (D x C). Neither naming speed nor phonological awareness accounted for unique variance.     

Study of oxidative stress in obsessive compulsive disorder in response to treatment with Fluoxetine

Oxidative stress has been found to play important role in several neuropsychiatric diseases including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A longitudinal case control study was conducted to evaluate the oxidative stress in 30 newly diagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder patients and same number of control patients. Serum thiobarbituric acid reacting substances, plasma ascorbate were assessed to evaluate oxidative stress and Yale Brown obsessive compulsive scale for disease severity before and after treatment with Fluoxetine at the average dosage of 40 mg/day. Improvement in Yale Brown obsessive compulsive scale score by about 43% after 12 weeks treatment was associated with significantly decreased thiobarbituric acid reacting substances and increased plasma ascorbate values (p < 0.05). The newly diagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder patients had higher serum thiobarbituric acid reacting substances as well as a lower plasma ascorbate levels than the control population. Thus, the present study suggested a significant role of oxidative stress in obsessive compulsive disorder and showed that a successful treatment with Fluoxetine not only improves the clinical scenario but also reduces the oxidative stress that may further improve the prognosis of the disease.     

Stimation of reference interval of lipid profile in Assamese population

12hrs fasting samples of 1485 apparently healthy, Assamese population in the age group of 20–80 yrs., mostly from the urban area of Assam were tested for serum lipid profile that includes total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) over a period of three years. The values (median and range in mg/dl) obtained were 170 (93–263); 110 (40–256); 40 (23–73); 103 (40–173) and 22 (8–51) respectively. After grouping these subjects according to the age and sex no significant difference were observed between most of the groups. Median and upper range of total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C were found to be higher in women than in men in all the age groups. But triacylglycerol and VLDL-C concentrations were observed to be higher in the men than women except in age group of 61–70 yrs. It can be suggested that lipid values obtained in this study can be used as the reference value, based on which clinical correlation can be made.     

Science teachers accelerated programme model: a joint partnership in the Pacific region

The paper heralds a new pedagogical model known as the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme as a platform to upgrade the qualifications of secondary school science teachers throughout the Pacific region. Based on a tripartite partnership between a higher education provider, a regional government and a cohort of science teachers, the model offers an accelerated Bachelor’s degree programme to the cohort. Using this tripartite partnership model, a pilot of the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme is underway between the University of the South Pacific, the Government of Samoa and a cohort of science teachers in Samoa. The underpinning activities garnering social and academic integration are highlighted with analytics. The strengths, challenges and opportunities of the new, cohort-taught science model are presented with relevant diagnoses, interventions and adaptive works carried out in the first half of the delivery plan. While the Government of Samoa is considering the implementation of a second cycle, the University of the South Pacific is considering extending the model to other regional countries.     

Biochemical Profile of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients in Eastern India with Histopathological Correlation

Aminotransferase assay is often used as a screening test as well as an endpoint for resolution of disease in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship of transaminase level with metabolic variables and histology in NAFLD. Single center observational study was conducted in a gastroenterology clinic at Cuttack in coastal Odisha. Subjects were consecutive patients presenting with functional bowel disease and undergoing abdominal sonography. All participants were evaluated for the presence of metabolic syndrome (MS), insulin resistance, liver function test and lipid profile. Various parameters were compared between NAFLD subjects and controls. 53.5 % of NAFLD had normal serum transaminases, whereas 20.8 % of healthy controls had transaminitis. NAFLD patients had significantly higher BMI, fasting plasma glucose, serum transaminases, serum triglycerides, serum insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) IR than controls. NAFLD patients who had transaminitis had significantly higher incidence of MS and higher mean HOMA IR than those without. There was no significant difference in histopathological features between NAFLD with and without transaminitis. To conclude, over half of NAFLD subjects do not have transaminitis while transaminitis is present in a fifth of healthy people without fatty liver. Hence serum transaminase should not be used as screening test for NAFLD. NAFLD patients with transaminitis had a higher incidence of MS and insulin resistance than those without. However, there was no significant difference in histopathological features between these two groups.     

Effect of Tulsi (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ocimum sanctum</Emphasis> Linn.) Supplementation on Metabolic Parameters and Liver Enzymes in Young Overweight and Obese Subjects

Ocimum sanctum Linn. (also known as Tulsi) is a sacred Indian plant, the beneficial role of which, in obesity and diabetes is described traditionally. This is a randomized, parallel group, open label pilot study to investigate the effect of O. sanctum on metabolic and biochemical parameters in thirty overweight/obese subjects, divided into two groups A and B. Group A (n = 16) received one 250 mg capsule of Tulsi (O. sanctum) extract twice daily in empty stomach for 8 weeks and group B (n = 14) received no intervention. Statistically significant improvements in the values of serum triglycerides (p = 0.019); low density lipoprotein (p = 0.001); high density lipoprotein (p = 0.001); very low density lipoprotein (p = 0.019); Body Mass Index, BMI (p = 0.005); plasma insulin (p = 0.021) and insulin resistance (p = 0.049) were observed after 8 weeks in the O. sanctum intervention group. The improvement in HDL-C in the intervention group when compared to the control group was also statistically significant (p = 0.037). There was no significant alteration of the liver enzymes SGOT and SGPT in both the intervention (p = 0.141; p = 0.074) and control arms (p = 0.102; p = 0.055) respectively. These observations clearly indicate the beneficial effects of O. sanctum on various biochemical parameters in young overweight/obese subjects.     

Effects of chronic ethanol exposure on renal function tests and oxidative stress in kidney

After administration, ethanol and its metabolites go through the kidneys and are excreted into urine. The kidney seems to be the only vital organ generally spared in chronic alcoholics. Therefore, we investigated the multiple effects of chronic ethanol exposure on renal function tests and on oxidative stress related parameters in the kidney. Chronic ethanol (1.6 g ethanol/ kg body weight/ day) exposure did not show any significant change in relative weight (g/ 100g body weight) of kidneys, serum calcium level or glutathione s-transferase activity. However, urea and creatinine concentration in serum, and TBARS level in kidney elevated significantly, while reduced glutathione content and activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase diminished significantly after 12 weeks of ethanol exposure. Catalase activity showed increased activity after 4 weeks of ethanol exposure and decreased activity after 12 weeks of ethanol exposure. Genesis of renal ultrastructural abnormalities after 12 weeks of ethanol exposure may be important for the development of functional disturbances. This study revealed that chronic ethanol exposure for longer duration is associated with deleterious effects in the kidney.     

Cultural influences on the relation between executive functions and academic achievement

Reading and Writing - The purpose of this study was to examine which of the components of executive functions (EF)—inhibition, shifting, and working memory—predict reading and...