Bee Bread Ameliorates Vascular Inflammation and Impaired Vasorelaxation in Obesity-Induced Vascular Damage Rat Model: The Role of eNOS/NO/cGMP-Signaling Pathway

Obesity and hyperlipidemia are major risk factors for developing vascular diseases. Bee bread (BB) has been reported to exhibit some biological actions, including anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidemic. This study aims to investigate whether bee bread can ameliorate vascular inflammation and impaired vasorelaxation activity through eNOS/NO/cGMP pathway in obese rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10/group), namely: control (normal group), obese rats (OB group), obese rats treated with bee bread (0.5 g/kg/day, OB/BB group) and obese rats treated with orlistat (10 mg/kg/day, OB/OR group). The latter three groups were given a high-fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks to induced obesity before being administered with their respective treatments for another 6 weeks. After 12 weeks of the total experimental period, rats in the OB group demonstrated significantly higher Lee obesity index, lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein), aortic proinflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, nuclear factor-κβ), aortic structural damage and impairment in vasorelaxation response to acetylcholine (ACh). Bee bread significantly ameliorated the obesity-induced vascular damage manifested by improvements in the lipid profile, aortic inflammatory markers, and the impaired vasorelaxation activity by significantly enhancing nitric oxide release, promoting endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) immunoexpression. These findings suggest that the administration of bee bread ameliorates the impaired vasorelaxation response to ACh by improving eNOS/NO/cGMP-signaling pathway in obese rats, suggesting its vascular therapeutic role.     

Vector coupled-mode theory of dielectric waveguides

A consistent derivation of a system of vector coupled-mode (VCM) equations for parallel dielectric waveguides is presented and compared with earlier versions of the improved coupled-mode theory (ICMT). As a validity test, it is shown that the effectively scalar transverse electric and transverse magnetic (TM) coupled-mode (CM) equations are direct limits of our full VCM formulation. In particular, our formulation does not lead to the fundamental error found with earlier coupled-mode theories (CMTs) in a case of TM fields. Functional equations of our VCMT are consistent with Maxwell's equations and lead to higher precision. They can be applied to complicated arrays of strongly coupled parallel dielectric waveguides with true vectorial behavior.     

Application of novel extractants for actinide(III)/ lanthanide(III) separation in hollow-fibre modules

Separation tests using hollow-fibre modules were performed for the difficult selective extraction of trivalent actinides over fission lanthanides from acidic media. This article shows that with 2,6-di(5,6-dipropyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine as the extractant, up to 94% americium could be extracted from 1.0 kmol/m³ HNO₃, with minimal lanthanide co-extraction. Using a synergistic mixture of bis(chlorophenyl)dithiophosphinic acid and tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide, tests were performed on extraction, lanthanide scrubbing and stripping. In the extraction test, up to 99.99% americium could be extracted from 0.5 kmol/m³ HNO₃, with approximately one third of the lanthanides being co-extracted. Mass transfer calculations using a consistent set of input data showed good agreement with the experiments.     

Histochemical evaluation of placental dipeptidyl peptidase IV (CD26) in pre-eclampsia: enzyme activity in villous trophoblast indicates an enhanced likelihood of gestational hypertensive disorders

Nitric oxide (NO) acts as a modulator of neuronal transmission in mature neuronal systems, including the retina. Recently, NO has also been suggested to have a trophic function during development. We examined immunocytochemically the distribution of NO-producing cells in developing and transplanted rabbit retinas. An antibody detecting the neuronal isoform of its biosynthetic enzyme, nitric oxide synthase (NOS), was used on normal developing retinas [starting at embryonic day (E) 15] and on rabbit retinal transplants after various survival times (1-139 days after surgery). Weakly stained cell bodies were first observed in the proximal margin of the neuroblastic layer at E 29. Stained processes projecting towards a developing inner plexiform layer were also visible at this time point. Immunoreactive cells were located at later stages in the innermost part of the inner nuclear layer and in the ganglion cell layer, and are likely to correspond mainly to amacrine cells. NOS-labelled cells were also found in retinal transplants. The first NOS-labelled cells appeared, as in normal developing retinas, in ages corresponding to E 29 and were still detected in transplants corresponding to postnatal day 123. NOS-labelled cells were seen in areas between rosettes, where amacrine cells are located. NOS-labelled processes were at times seen to project for long distances, forming very distinct plexuses. NOS-containing amacrine cells thus appear both in the transplants and in developing retinas in the embryonic stages, long before synaptic function involving these cells can be expected, suggesting a role for NO not only in neuromodulation but also in retinal development.     

Short-term preoperative radiotherapy results in down-staging of rectal cancer: a study of 1316 patients

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of back pain in children in our country is unknown. Several causes can produce this symptom, but it is necessary to rule out pathologies that require specific treatments. The goal of this work was to study the incidence and the etiology of back pain in children in our country. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a prospective study done in our Orthopedic Department during a period of 7 months. Twenty-two patients were referred with back pain of at least two months duration. The incidence was 2.9% compared to the total number of patients. The average age ranged from 7 to 17 years. RESULTS: A careful history and a radiological examination diagnosed 50% (11 cases) of the causes of backache in the present study. An idiopathic etiology was the most frequent cause and represented 9 patients (41%). In the remaining 12 cases (59%) pathological causes that required special treatment were identified including 2 cases of Scheuermann disease, 4 cases of painful scoliosis, 3 spondylolysis with spondylolisthesis, 2 cases of discitis, 1 benign neoplasm and 1 psychogenic cause. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend conservative management with the use of medication for relief of pain and physical therapy in the idiopathic cases. In the remaining cases, the specific treatment of the disease can improve the back pain.     

“Technically Unavoidable” in Terms of Genetically Modified Organisms – an Approach for Food Control

In case of findings of authorized genetically modified (gm) plant ingredients below the 0.9 per cent threshold, exceptions from labelling requirements according to regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 can only be made, “provided that this presence is adventitious or technically unavoidable”. The authors describe factors that should be considered regarding contaminations by gm plant ingredients as technically unavoidable or not. A practical approach for interpretation, taking into account quality control measures and documentation as well as present findings in comparable products is proposed. Received: February 23, 2007     

A device to measure the cross-sectional area of soft connectivetissues

A device has been designed and fabricated to measure the cross-sectional area of soft connective tissues ex vivo. It consists of two displacement transducers; one sensing tissue thickness and the other sensing width. Outputs are recorded (via an analog to digital interface) using a personal computer. Numerical integration of a thickness versus width plot computes cross-sectional area. This plot also provides a quality check of acquired data. This device has been successfully used in biomechanical studies of rabbit patellar tendons, rat medial collateral ligaments, and dissected specimens of human fascia.