Ageing and stress exposure may lead to memory impairment while oxidative stress is thought to be one of the underlying mechanisms involved. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effects of Tualang honey supplementation on memory performance in aged rats exposed to noise stress. Tualang honey supplementation was given orally, 200 mg/kg body weight for 28 days. Rats in the stress group were subjected to loud noise, 100 dB(A), 4 hours daily for 14 days. All rats were subjected to novel object recognition test for evaluation of memory performance. It was observed that the rats subjected to noise stress exhibited significantly lower memory performance and higher oxidative stress as evident by elevated malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl levels and reduction of antioxidant enzymes activities compared to the nonstressed rats. Tualang honey supplementation was able to improve memory performance, decrease oxidative stress levels, increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentration, decrease acetylcholinesterase activity, and enhance neuronal proliferation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. In conclusion, Tualang honey protects against memory decline due to stress exposure and/or ageing via enhancement of mPFC and hippocampal morphology possibly secondary to reduction in brain oxidative stress and/or upregulation of BDNF concentration and cholinergic system.

REM sleep is a crucial component of sleep. Animal studies indicate that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep deprivation elicits changes in gene expression. Down regulatory antagonist modulator (DREAM) is a protein which downregulates other gene transcriptions by binding to the downstream response element site. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of REM sleep deprivation on DREAM expression in ventrobasal thalamic nuclei (VB) of rats. Seventy-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four major groups consisting of free-moving control rats (FMC) (n = 18), 72-h REM sleep-deprived rats (REMsd) (n = 18), 72-h REM sleep-deprived rats with 72-h sleep recovery (RG) (n = 18), and tank control rats (TC) (n = 18). REM sleep deprivation was elicited using the inverted flower pot technique. DREAM expression was examined in VB by immunohistochemical, Western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) studies. The DREAM-positive neuronal cells (DPN) were decreased bilaterally in the VB of rats deprived of REM sleep as well as after sleep recovery. The nuclear DREAM extractions were increased bilaterally in animals deprived of REM sleep. The DREAM messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were decreased after sleep recovery. The results demonstrated a link between DREAM expression and REM sleep deprivation as well as sleep recovery which may indicate potential involvement of DREAM in REM sleep-induced changes in gene expression, specifically in nociceptive processing.

The neuroprotective effects of Tualang honey in stress-induced young and aged rats were investigated. Tualang honey (200 mg/kg body weight) was administered for 28 days. Stressinduced rats were subjected to loud noise 100 dB(A) 4 hours daily for 14 days. Stress exposure significantly induced memory impairment, increased brain oxidation indices, and decreased antioxidant enzymes activities and neuronal density in mPFC, CA2 and CA3 hippocampal areas in both young and aged rats. The stressed rats treated with Tualang honey showed a significant decrease in stress hormone levels and brain oxidation indices, and increase in memory, antioxidant enzymes activities, and neuronal density in mPFC and hippocampus compared to the vehicle-treated stressed rats. The protective effect of Tualang honey was more prominent in young than aged rats. These results suggest the neuroprotective effects of Tualang honey against oxidative stress and memory decline due to stress exposure and/or ageing through its antioxidant property. ARTICLE HISTORY

Background:Obese subjects are at risk of multiple comorbidities including stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD), which is partly due to disturbances in the hemostatic system.Aims:The aims of the present study were to determine the effects of a weight-loss program on fibrinogen and fibrinolytic markers.Materials and Methods:Twenty-eight obese subjects were involved in a weight-loss program consisted of exercise and nutritional education for 12-weeks duration. Physical parameters were documented and blood specimen was tested at pre and post-intervention for fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI). Paired t-test was used for statistical analysis.Results:There was a significant decline in the levels of t-PA, PAI-I, TAFI and fibrinogen following the weight-loss program (P < 0.01 for each). A significant positive correlation between tPA levels and body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and fat-free mass were found. There was also a significant correlation betwen BMI and other blood parameters.Conclusion:Reduced fibrinogen, fibrinolytic, and physical parameters were demonstrated in obese subjects following the weight reduction program. These findings suggest the possible beneficial effects of this program on the hemostatic burden particularly on the fibrinolytic biomarkers.

ObjectivesOverweight and obesity are known to cause various patterns of alteration to the pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters. We sought to investigate gender differences in PFT parameters and examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and PFT parameters.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of 126 patients referred for a PFT by various medical specialties between January and December 2015. PFT was measured using spirometry, and BMI was calculated using Quetelet’s index.ResultsFemale patients exhibited lower mean values for all PFT parameters compared to male patients. The forced vital capacity (FVC)% predicted was less than 80% for all patients while the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/FVC was higher with increased BMI. BMI was positively correlated with peak expiratory flow in all patients, and with FEV1/FVC ratio in males but not in females.ConclusionsIn our studied population, males exhibited higher mean values of PFT parameters than females. Increased BMI may be associated with a restrictive pattern on spirometry.

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Abstract:The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the association of changes in body composition with changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults participating in a weight loss program. Thirty four obese adults were recruited from the Obesity Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to voluntarily participate in a weight loss program comprising of physical exercise and dietary modification. Levels/activities of oxidative stress markers were measured before and after the program. Mean body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC) and percentage of body fat mass decreased significantly while mean body lean mass and body water increased significantly after the weight loss program. Plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) concentration increased significantly while other enzymatic antioxidant activities such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were not significantly increased. The ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was significantly decreased. There was no significant association between changes in body composition and changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults. In conclusion, changes in body composition were not associated with changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults.

INTRODUCTION: Prenatal stress has been shown to be associated with development of abnormal behaviour as well as disruption of learning and memory processing of spatial information in the offspring. METHODS: This study investigated whether alteration of memory, changes in the hippocampus morphology, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the hippocampus of adult rat offspring following prenatal stress could be prevented by administration of Tualang honey in the pregnant dams.Twenty-four pregnant rats were randomized into control (C), stress group (S) and stress group treated with Tualang honey (TH). Twenty-four adult off spring were sacrificed following Novel Object Recognition Test. Their brains were removed and histolological changes, level of MDA and NMDA receptors in the hippocampus were determined. RESULTS: The offspring from TH group showed significant increase in preference index (p< 0.05) and improved hippocampal morphology compared to S group The group also demonstrated a significantly lower level of MDA and NMDA receptors (P<0.01; P<0.05 respectively) compared to S group. There were no differences in the parameters investigated between C and TH groups. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The study has shown that Tualang honey administration was associated with improvement in memory and morphology, levels of MDA and NMDA receptors in the hippocampus in the adult offspring following prenatal stress. The results suggest the protective role of Tualang in prenatally stressed rat offspring