Recent Development of Probiotic Bifidobacteria for Treating Human Diseases

Bifidobacterium is a non-spore-forming, Gram-positive, anaerobic probiotic actinobacterium and commonly found in the gut of infants and the uterine region of pregnant mothers. Like all probiotics, Bifidobacteria confer health benefits on the host when administered in adequate amounts, showing multifaceted probiotic effects. Examples include B. bifidum, B. breve, and B. longum, common Bifidobacterium strains employed to prevent and treat gastrointestinal disorders, including intestinal infections and cancers. Herein, we review the latest development in probiotic Bifidobacteria research, including studies on the therapeutic impact of Bifidobacterial species on human health and recent efforts in engineering Bifidobacterium. This review article would provide readers with a wholesome understanding of Bifidobacteria and its potentials to improve human health.

THERAPEUTIC PROFILING OF NANO ENCAPSULATED DIOSGENIN VIA ATTENUATING HORMONAL STATUS, CELL PROLIFERATION, INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES, AND APOPTOSIS IN AN ANIMAL MODEL OF MAMMARY ONCOGENESIS

Objective: The central motive of this study is to explore the therapeutic impact of Diosgenin encapsulated Chitosan nanoparticles (DG@CS-NP) on mammary carcinogenesis in female Sprague Dawley rats via modulating hormonal status, cell proliferation, inflammatory responses, and Apoptosis. Methods: 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) was administered subcutaneously near the mammary gland (25 mg/kg b. wt) to provoke mammary tumor in female Sprague Dawley rats. Following the progress of a tumor, DMBA-induced tumor-bearing rats were medicated orally with 5 mg/kg b. wt of DG@CS-NP. Consequently, the expression of ER, PR, PCNA, Cyclin D1, NF-κB, TNF-α, Bcl-2, Caspases-3, and p53 in experimental rats were revealed via architectural immunohistochemistry. Further, Diosgenin interactions with these proteins were evidently confirmed by molecular docking analysis. Results: As a result, we noticed diminished levels of ER, PR, PCNA, Cyclin D1, NF-κB, TNF-α, and Bcl-2 expressions in DG@CS-NP medicated rats as well as with elevated levels of Caspases-3 and p53 expressions. In DMBA rats, the expressions were vice versa. Additionally, molecular docking analyses support these outcomes by highlighting the strong interaction between Diosgenin and breast cancer targets. Conclusion: These reports prove that DG@CS-NP imposes its therapeutic impact by hormonal adjustments, downregulating proteins involved in inflammation and cellular proliferation, and thereby promotes apoptosis by impeding apoptotic inhibitors.

Kidney biopsy in very elderly patients: indications, therapeutic impact and complications

Background Few data is available on the risk/benefit balance of native kidney biopsy (KB) in very elderly patients. Methods Multicenter retrospective cohort study in the Aix-Marseille area: the results of KB and medical charts of all patients over 85 years biopsied between January 2010 and December 2018 were reviewed. Results 104 patients were included. Median age was 87 years. Indications for KB were: acute kidney injury (AKI) in 69.2% of patients, nephrotic syndrome (NS) with AKI in 13.5%, NS without AKI in 12.5%, and proteinuria in 4.8%. Median serum creatinine was 262 μmol/L, 21% of patients required dialysis at the time of KB. Significant bleeding occurred in 7 (6.7%) patients, requiring blood cell transfusion in 4 (3.8%), and radiological embolization in 1 (1%). The most frequent pathological diagnoses were: non-diabetic glomerular diseases (29.8%, including pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis in 9.6%), hypertensive nephropathy (27.9%), acute interstitial nephritis (16.3%), renal involvement of hematological malignancy (8.7%), and acute tubular necrosis (6.7%). After KB, 51 (49%) patients received a specific treatment: corticosteroids (41.3%), cyclophosphamide (6.7%), rituximab (6.7%), bortezomib (3.8%), other chemotherapies (3.8%). Median overall survival was 31 months. Conclusions KB can reveal a diagnosis with therapeutic impact even in very elderly patients. Severe bleeding was not frequent in this cohort, but KB may have not been performed in more vulnerable patients.

The protective effect of Zingiber officinale L. extract on kidney tissues and blood factors of kidney functions after the damage caused by Azathioprine

The most commonly prescribed medication for autoimmune disorders is Azathioprine (AZA), which negatively affects renal function and tissue structure. The aim of this work was to measure the therapeutic impact of Zingiber officinale L. extract (ZOE) on improving the function and structure of AZA-induced renal damaged tissue. Methods: 70 rats with a weight range of 200±10 g and an age of 95±5 days were chosen for this experimental study. The animals were grouped into seven groups of ten, with two groups receiving no treatment (control groups) and five groups receiving ZOE, AZA, “AZA + ZOE”, and normal saline. AZA was given intraperitoneally, and ZOE was given by gavage (i.e., nasogastric tube) for 21 days. Finally, urea, uric acid, creatinine parameters, and the diameter of some key or important parts of the kidney were measured in different animal groups. Results: it was found that the use of AZA (50 mg/kg) increased serum urea and creatinine concentrations, blood uric acid in comparison to the group of control (P<0.05). Whereas injecting ZOE (200 mg/kg) induces a considerable decrease in the concentration of the compounds mentioned above as compared to control animals and animals given AZA (P<0.05). Furthermore, the findings revealed that AZA caused inflammation and kidney tissue destruction, while ZOE improved, restored, and recovered the affected kidney tissue. Conclusion: according to the research findings, it can be decided that ZOE has a protective and therapeutic impact on kidney tissue owing to its strong antioxidant attributes and its ability to inhibit free radicals produced by azathioprine

Evoked Electromyographic Fatigue Indices During Intermittent Stimulation Towards Dynamic Wrist Contractions

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) in stroke rehabilitation is hindered by early patient fatigue. Therefore the study of FES-elicited fatigue is needed to optimise its therapeutic impact. In this study, the reliability of evoked electromyography (EMG) median frequency (MDF) and peak-to-peak (PTP) fatigue indices were investigated during stimulation of the forearm. During isometric constant stimulation the MDF-time and PTP-time waveforms exhibited negative gradients in the ranges (−1.3 to −3.6) Hz · s−1 and (−0.013 to −0.016) V · s−1 respectively, most with coefficients of determination (R2) greater than 0.83. During vEMG-controlled stimulation the MDF-contraction waveforms exhibited negative gradients in the range (−2.4 to −9.0) Hz · Cont−1 while the PTP gradients ranged from (0.0070 to −0.019) V · Cont−1. For these datasets the MDF waveforms’ R2 &gt; 0.62 and most PTP waveforms’ R2 &lt; 0.35. These findings suggest that the MDF and PTP amplitude are suitable fatigue indices during isometric constant stimulation but the PTP-based index becomes unreliable during vEMG-controlled stimulation.

Unseen Women in Psychedelic History

The drug experiences of women in Western society have been both sensationalized for their scandalous aspects and sterilized in clinical reports, but the role of women in the investigation of psychedelics in modern Western history is obscure, and the identities and activities of early women participants are often unknown. This paper explores some of the under-reported history of women’s contributions to psychedelic exploration and research in the twentieth century. Mabel Luhan and Valentina Wasson represent women whose stories have entered the canon of psychedelic history but have failed to fully represent their individual impact. Wasson’s work is often subsumed under that of her more well-known husband. Luhan is considered to be a psychedelic pioneer, but her pattern of interference in the politics of peyote in the Taos Pueblo is often overlooked. The poet Mary Barnard is well-known as a translator of Sappho, but her lyrical writing on psychedelics is less celebrated. Gertrude Paltin and Kay Parley are female therapists and authors whose valuable writing on psychedelics is almost unknown in the field. There remain many women whose significant contributions to the exploration and employment of psychedelics for spiritual development, personal discovery, individual betterment or therapeutic impact have not been well recorded.