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Prepubertal phthalate exposure can cause histopathological alterations, DNA methylation and histone acetylation changes in rat brain
No full textDi-2-(ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is a phthalate derivative used extensively in a wide range of materials, such as medical devices, toys, cosmetics, and personal care products. Many mechanisms, including epigenetics, may be involved in the effects of phthalates on brain development. In this study, Sprague-Dawley male rats were obtained 21-23 days after their birth (post-weaning) and were exposed to DEHP during the prepubertal period with low-dose DEHP (DEHP-L, 30 mg/kg/day) and high-dose DEHP (DEHP-H, 60 mg/kg/day, 37 days) until the end of adolescence (PND 60). The rats in the study groups were sacrificed during adulthood, and histopathological changes, epigenetic changes, and oxidative stress parameters were evaluated in brain tissues. Histopathological findings indicating the presence of deterioration in brain tissue morphology were obtained, more prominently in the DEHP-H group. Examining the hippocampus under the light microscope, pyramidal neuron loss was detected only in CA1 of the DEHP-L group, while in DEHP-H rats, pyramidal neuron losses were detected in the CA1, CA2, and CA3 regions. No significant change was observed in brain lipid peroxidation levels with DEHP compared to control. Significant increases in total glutathione (GSH) in both dose groups were considered to be an adaptive response to DEHP-induced oxidative stress. The decrease in DNA methylation in the brain, although not statistically significant, and the increase in histone modification showed that exposure to DEHP may cause epigenetic changes in the brain and these epigenetic changes may also take place as one of the mechanisms underlying the damage observed in the brain. The results suggest that DEHP exposure during early development may have a significant effect on brain development
Family Functioning and Parenting Styles in Adolescents Diagnosed with Trichotillomania
No full textThis study aimed to compare the family functioning and parenting styles in adolescents with trichotillomania (TTM) and healthy controls and to assess the relationships between the family functioning, parenting styles, and clinical features of TTM, including the severity of TTM, duration of illness, and concomitant psychiatric symptoms. The study sample consisted of 100 adolescents aged 12-18 years, 50 patients with TTM, and 50 healthy controls. All participants completed a sociodemographic and clinical data form, the Massachusetts General Hospital Hairpulling Scale (MGH-HPS), the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-Child Version (RCADS-CV), the Family Assessment Device (FAD), and the Perceived Parental Attitude Scale (PPAS). Results show that adolescents with TTM reported higher levels of comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms than healthy controls, and 64% of adolescents with TTM had at least one comorbid psychiatric disorder. Parents of adolescents with TTM also reported more significant impairment in the affective responsiveness, problem-solving, and general family functioning subscales of the FAD. Adolescents with TTM endorsed significantly more authoritarian perceptions of both parents on the PPAS. While the severity of hairpulling symptoms showed only a positive and significant relationship with the RCADS-CV total internalizing score, the duration of illness was positively and moderately correlated with the impairment in affective responsiveness, problem-solving, and general family functioning subscales of FAD. Finally, the RCADS-CV total internalizing score and the general functioning subscale of FAD were the most important predictors of TTM. The implications of family functioning and parenting styles, future targets for family-focused approaches in TTM, and study limitations are discussed
Hypotonic Swelling Method for the Isolation of Pure Mitochondria From Primary Human Skeletal Myoblasts for Proteomic Studies
No full textMitochondria play a fundamental role in energy metabolism, particularly in high-energy-demand tissues such as skeletal muscle. Understanding the proteomic composition of mitochondria in these cells is crucial for elucidating the mechanisms underlying muscle physiology and pathology. However, effective isolation of mitochondria from primary human skeletal muscle cells has been challenging due to the complex cellular architecture and the propensity for contamination with other organelles. Here, we compared four different methods to isolate mitochondria from primary human skeletal myoblasts regarding total protein yield, mitochondrial enrichment capacity and purity of the isolated fraction. We presented a modified method that combines differential centrifugation with a hypotonic swelling step and a subsequent purification process to minimise cellular contamination. We validated our method by demonstrating its ability to obtain highly pure mitochondrial fractions, as confirmed by Western Blot with mitochondrial, cytosolic and nuclear markers. We demonstrated that proteomic analysis can be performed with isolated mitochondria. Our approach provides a valuable tool for investigating mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and function in the context of skeletal muscle biology in health and disease. This methodological advancement opens new avenues for mitochondrial research and its implications in myopathies, sarcopenia, cachexia and metabolic disorders
Transcriptional profiling and proteomic validation revealed higher boron tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to salt pre-treatment
No full textBoron (B), which has a very narrow range of deficiency and toxicity, is an essential and unique micronutrient for plants. The negative effects of B toxicity in plants have been recently alleviated by various treatments such as salt, melatonin, nitrit oxide etc. This study aimed to evaluate the alleviating effect of salt pre-treatment (SP) on boron stress by investigating B accumulation, photosynthetic activity, oxidative damage, and antioxidant defense system and the changes in transcriptomic responses and proteomic validation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Twelve-day-old A. thaliana plants grown under control conditions were transferred to plates including 40 mM NaCl for 3 days and, then, the seedlings with/without SP were transferred to plates containing 3 mM H3BO3 (3B) and 5 mM H3BO3 (5B) for 7 days. B toxicity led to a decrease in leaf area, biomass, the photosynthetic performance and the content of photosynthetic pigments and an increase in the accumulation of B, the contents of anthocyanin, while SP treatments mitigated the adverse effects of B toxicity on these parameters in Arabidopsis thaliana. According to RNA-seq analysis, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was higher in 5B than in 3B treatment in leaf tissues. Also, SP treatments induced more genes than 3B and 5B treatments and it was higher in SP-5B than in SP-3B treatment. These genes related to mainly the metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, ribosome, plant-pathogen interaction, plant hormone signal transduction, carbon metabolism, biosynthesis of amino acids, photosynthesis, and ribosome biogenesis. Especially, the genes of ribosome biogenesis were induced under all conditions and in fact, it was determined that they were induced more following SP treatments compared to 3B and 5B. In conclusion, SP treatments can reduce the detrimental effect of B toxicity on Arabidopsis thaliana by inducing more internal B defense and detoxification mechanism, and the genes of some metabolic pathways. (c) 2025 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies
ZnO nanoparticle-embedded Gellan Gum Based Sponge for Accelerated Wound Healing: An in vitro Study on Physicochemical, Antibacterial and Hemostatic Properties
No full textIn the current study, a biocompatible zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle embedded gellan gum (GG) (GG-ZnNP) sponge with excellent antibacterial activity, enhanced wound healing and hemostatic properties was presented. Firstly, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation methods and characterized through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The size distribution and morphology of the ZnO nanoparticles were investigated by applying dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Presence and distribution of the ZnO nanoparticles in GG sponges were examined with Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) Thermogravitational Analysis (TGA) conducted to evaluate the thermal stability of GG-ZnO sponges. Following that, ZnO nanoparticles were embedded into GG sponges to enhance their antimicrobial properties. The physicochemical properties of GG-ZnNP sponges were characterized by FTIR, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), swelling and degradation tests. The agar disk diffusion test and colony-forming unit assay findings showed that all GG-ZnNP sponges had a strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria. Furthermore, in vitro blood absorption tests indicated that GG-ZnNP sponges could effectively shorten bleeding time and increase blood absorption capacity. Cell viability studies conducted by MTT and scratch assay with L929 fibroblast cells. MTT assay were performed to found applicable ZnO dose of the sponges to be use as a wound dressings. In vitro scratch assays showed that GG-ZnNP sponges promoted wound closure and re-epithelialization in L929 fibroblast cells at increasing incubation time. GG-ZnNP sponges have a significant and improvable potential for wound dressing applications with their antibacterial and superior hemostatic properties
Examination of the Relationship Between Sensory Processing Skills, Kinesiophobia and Fear of Falling in Older Adults with Hypertension and Normotension
No full textObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate fear of falling, kinesiophobia, and sensory processing in older adults with hypertension and normotension. MethodsOlder adults, 62 with hypertension and 62 with normotension, aged 65-84 years were included in the study. The assessment of fear of falling was conducted using the Tinetti Falls Efficacy Scale, kinesiophobia was evaluated with the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale, and sensory processing skills were analyzed with the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile. ResultsSignificant differences were found between the groups in terms of vestibular processing, visual processing and activity level, fear of falling and kinesiophobia (p < .05). No significant differences were found between the groups with respect to taste/smell, tactile, and auditory processing skills. The findings revealed that older adults with hypertension exhibited diminished vestibular and visual processing abilities, reduced activity levels, and heightened concerns about falling and a tendency to experience kinesiophobia. Fear of falling and kinesiophobia were found to increase with decreasing vestibular processing skills and activity levels in both groups (p < .05). Regression analysis revealed that age, kinesiophobia, vestibular processing, and activity levels were significant determinants of fear of falling (p < .05). ConclusionIt is recommended that older adults with hypertension be assessed in terms of sensory, functional, and mental health, with the objective of planning appropriate intervention approaches. [GRAPHICS]
A phase 3 study of first-line sotorasib, panitumumab, and FOLFIRI versus FOLFIRI with or without bevacizumab-awwb for patients with <i>KRAS </i>G12C-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (CodeBreaK 301).
No full textAssessment of compatibility of dextran/PEMA blends by thermal, topologic and viscoelastic analysis
No full textIn this study, the compatibility of polymer blends of dextran (DEX) and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA) was evaluated with their enhanced thermal and dynamic mechanical properties as well as structural and topological properties. Blends were prepared in various ratios via solution casting method. The effects of composition and dispersion on interactions, thermal, viscoelastic and topological properties of the blends were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. TGA results indicated that blends exhibited higher thermal stability than the individual polymers, with residue percentages increasing from 13.57 % and 11.43 % for DEX and PEMA, respectively, to 27.42 %-16.86 % for the blends at 605 degrees C. DMA results showed that all blends remained intact at higher temperatures compared to the polymers, with higher Tg values due to the H-bonding interactions confirmed by ATR-FTIR. AFM phase imaging enabled the visualization of miscibility distinctions, revealing that the 30/70 DEX/PEMA blend had a uniform phase distribution and minimal phase shifts, suggesting improved miscibility. In contrast, other blends exhibited more heterogeneous miscibility. These findings highlight that DEX/PEMA blends, with their enhanced thermal and dynamic mechanical properties, have significant potential for various applications