Tumor-resident adenosine-producing mesenchymal stem cells as a potential target for cancer treatment

Clinical and Experimental Medicine - The development of new therapies based on tumor biology is one of the main topics in cancer treatment. In this regard, investigating the...     

Nitric oxide metabolite levels during the ectopic osteoinduction in rats

Nitric oxide (NO) is a cell-signaling molecule that has diverse biological functions. Recent evidence suggests that its production may regulate the metabolism of the osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The aim of this study was to evaluate levels of nitrite and nitrates (NO metabolites) during ectopic osteoinduction in rats. Eighteen male Sprague–Dawley rats (body weight 200–300 g) were used in this study. All animals were anesthetized and the right and left flank areas were shaved, and under aseptic conditions, a muscular pouch was created in each flank: the left was filled with 20 mg of demineralized bone matrix and the right remained empty (sham). Radiographs were taken at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery to trace the ectopic bone formation and muscle mineralization. Blood samples were taken before (as baseline values) and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery. The mean values of NO metabolites after 6 weeks were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than baseline data and at 2 weeks post-surgery. Results from this study indicate that the ectopic osteoinduction caused increased activity of the osteoblasts which subsequently caused increased serum levels of NO metabolites (nitrites and nitrates).     

Detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in experimentally infected broiler chickens using Culture, SPA, ELISA, and PCR methods

Avian mycoplasmosis is caused by several pathogenic mycoplasmas of which Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae are the most important. This experiment was designed to study the diagnosis of M. gallisepticum infection in broiler chicken receiving M. ga llisepticum. One hundred and twenty one-day-old chickens were raised in separate isolated rooms and equally allocated into two groups and renamed groups A and B were 121-day-old chickens. At 3 weeks old, group A was considered as the control group while group B was challenged with M. gallisepticum containing 1?×?10⁶ CFU/bird via an eye drop. In this study, culture, serum plate agglutination (SPA) test, the commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were compared for the detection of M. gallisepticum infection during the 1–7 weeks of age. Results revealed that M. gallisepticum was found in group B using culture and PCR during the 4–7-week-old period. The SPA results showed positive reactors in group B during the 5–7-week-old period. The positive reactors were detected by commercial ELISA test kit from 6 to 7 weeks of age. In this study, sensitivity of the PCR method was higher as compared to culture and serological tests. Its high sensitivity and fast turnaround time is making it the most frequently used test to monitor M. gallisepticum infection beside other tests.     

Neuroprotective effect of herniarin following transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats

Metabolic Brain Disease - Ischemic stroke is a devastating central nervous disease. Despite extensive research in to this area, few innovative neuroprotective treatments have been presented....