Exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IH) is associated with cognitive impairments and oxidative stress in brain regions involved in learning and memory. In earlier studies, erythropoietin (EPO) showed a neuroprotective effect in large doses. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of smaller doses of EPO, such as those used in the treatment of anemia, on IH-induced cognitive deficits and hippocampal oxidative stress in young rats. The effect of concurrent EPO treatment (500 and 1,000 IU/kg/day ip) on spatial learning and memory deficits induced by long-term exposure to IH for 6 weeks was tested using the Morris water maze (MWM) test and the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Moreover, the effect on hippocampal glutamate and oxidative stress were assessed. Exposure to IH induced a significant impairment of spatial learning and cognition of animals in both MWM and EPM performance parameters. Moreover, hippocampal glutamate and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) increased while antioxidant defenses (GSH and GSH-Px) decreased. EPO in the tested doses significantly reduced the IH-induced spatial learning deficits in both MWM and EPM tests and dose-dependently antagonized the effects of IH on hippocampal glutamate, TBARS, GSH levels, and GSH-Px activity. Treatment with EPO in moderate doses that used for anemia, concurrently with IH exposure can antagonize IH-induced spatial learning deficits and protect hippocampal neurons from IH-induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress-induced damage in young rats, possibly through multiple mechanisms involving a potential antioxidative effect.
The current work was devoted to study the solidification of bioproducts originated from the bioremediation of mixture of solid cellulose-based radioactive waste simulates using a mushroom (Pleurotus pulmonarius), in Portland cement. The obtained solidified waste form was subjected to mechanical integrity qualification after curing periods of 28 and 90 days. Chemical performance of the cement-waste form was also evaluated in different leachant media during 540 days. The results obtained gave useful information about the mechanical, physical, and chemical performances of the final cement-waste form incorporated the radioactive bioproducts. Moreover, it indicated that cement can provide a highly durable form that ensures a long-term stability of the solidified waste material and can act as a first barrier against the release of radiocontaminants from radioactive wastes to the surrounding environment.
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a tremendously widespread endocrine disease that causes many complications risking patient’s quality of life. The current study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of curcumin nanoparticles (Curc-NPs), Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and Curcumin/Zinc oxide nanocomposite (Curc/ZnO-NC) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Results are compared to rats treated by traditional anti-diabetic Diamicron and to normal non-diabetic rats. Adult Wistar albino rats with weight (180-200 g) were divided into 6 groups, each group contains 8 rats (4 males and 4 females). To induce type 2 DM, five groups were injected intraperitoneal with a single dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. freshly prepared STZ. Each group of diabetic rats were treated orally with a daily dose of 50 mg/kg b.w. of Curc-NPs, 10 mg/kg b.w. of both ZnO-NPs & Curc/ZnO-NC, and 5 mg/kg b.w. of Diamicron for 21 days. The antidiabetic potential of every treatment against diabetic rats was evaluated by investigating different biochemical parameters (glucose, insulin, urea, creatinine, HbA1-C, AST, ALT) and histopathological parameters as well as protein expression of Glucokinase (GK) and Glucose transporter protein 2 (GLUT-2) in the pancreas and livers of diabetic rats. All treated groups showed significant reduction in blood glucose, elevated insulin levels, regulated GLUT-2 and GK genes, however, Curc/ZnO-NC showed the most potent anti-diabetic activity compared to normal rats, the histopathological findings correlate with the achieved data.
Pleurotus pulmonarius was excellent growth on determined weights of the wet rice straw, non irradiated plastic, irradiated plastic, mixture of rice straw and non irradiated plastic and mixture of rice straw and irradiated plastic. maximum value of cellulase recorded on rice straw, mixture of rice straw and irradiated plastic, mixture of rice straw and non-irradiated plastic (1.7, 1.5 and 1.3 unit/gm waste), respectively, which recorded after first harvest; but irradiated plastic and non-irradiated plastic giving highest values at promordium stage; (1.14 and 0.79 unit/gm waste). The spawn of P. pulmonarius was irradiated at the does 0.5, 1 and 2 KGy, and inoculated on each different wastes separately to detect the cellulase activity which was increased in the various wastes by exposing the spawn of P. pulmonarius to gamma irradiation and detectable raises in the cellulase activity was recorded at dose 0.5 KGy, Any further increase in the irradiation dose was accompanied by a decrease in cellulase activity until reach lowest value at 2 KGy.
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