PMID: 

Int J Yoga. 2019 May-Aug;12(2):120-123. PMID: 31143019

Abstract Title: 

The Efficacy of Yogic Breathing Exercise Bhramari Pranayama in Relieving Symptoms of Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Abstract: 

Introduction: A multitude of modalities are available for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis, however, each has its side effects and compliance issues. Bhramari pranayama, which is a breathing exercise in the practice of yoga, offers an inexpensive and free from side effect modality in this regard.Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Bhramari pranayama in relieving the symptoms of chronic sinusitis.Methodology: A total of 60 patients with chronic sinusitis were randomly divided into two groups, one received conventional treatment of chronic sinusitis and the other group was in addition taught to practice yogic breathing exercise Bhramari pranayama. The patients were advised to practice this breathing exercise twice a day and were followed up at 1, 4, and 12 weeks using the Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22 score).Results: The mean SNOT-22 score in the group following the Bhramari pranayama breathing exercise using the ANOVA test improved from 39.13± 9.10 to 24.79 ± 8.31 (= 0.0002), this improvement was seen by the end of 4 weeks itself and continued until the 12week of assessment.Conclusion: Integrating regular practice of Bhramari pranayama along with the conventional management of chronic rhinosinusitis is more effective than conventional management alone.

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PMID: 

Sci Rep. 2019 Jun 20 ;9(1):8941. Epub 2019 Jun 20. PMID: 31222078

Abstract Title: 

Antibiotic treatment and flares of rheumatoid arthritis: a self-controlled case series study analysis using CPRD GOLD.

Abstract: 

There is emerging evidence of the impact of infections on rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and flares. We aimed to study the association between antibiotic use (and timing of use), and the occurrence of flares in patients with RA. We nested a self-controlled case series (SCCS) of patients who have RA flares within a newly diagnosed RA cohort (n = 31,992) from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD dataset. We determined associations between exposure to antibiotics (beta-lactam, imidazole, macrolide, nitrofurantoin, quinolone, sulphonamide and trimethoprim, and tetracycline) and the occurrence of RA flares. Conditionalfixed-effects Poisson regression models were used to determine incidence rate ratios (IRR), offset by the natural logarithm of risk periods. A total of 1,192 (3.7%) of RA subjects had one or more flare/s during the study period, and were therefore included. Use of sulphonamide and trimethoprim was associated with an increased risk of RA flare at 29-90 days (IRR 1.71, CI 1.12-2.59, p = 0.012); 91-183 days (IRR 1.57, CI 1.06-2.33, p = 0.025); and 184-365 days (IRR 1.44, CI 1.03-2.02, p = 0.033) after commencement of antibiotic treatment. No other antibiotic group/s appear associatedwith RA flare/s risk. Usage of sulphonamide and trimethoprim antibiotics, is associated with a 70% increased risk of RA flare at 1-3 months, which decreases but remains significant up to 12 months after treatment. We hypothesise that the delayed onset of RA flares after specific antibiotics is mediated through the gut or urinary microbiomes. Further epidemiological and mechanistic research is needed to determine the role of infections in RA.

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PMID: 

BMC Med. 2019 Aug 7 ;17(1):154. Epub 2019 Aug 7. PMID: 31387605

Abstract Title: 

Antibiotic use and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based case-control study.

Abstract: 

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic-induced disturbances of the human microbiota have been implicated in the development of chronic autoimmune conditions. This study aimed to assess whether antibiotic use is associated with the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted utilising data from the primary care Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Patients with an incident diagnosis of RA were identified (1995-2017). Each case was matched on age, gender, and general practice to≥ 5 controls without RA. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine previous antibiotic prescriptions and RA onset after controlling for confounding factors.RESULTS: We identified 22,677 cases of RA, matched to 90,013 controls, with a median follow-up of 10 years before RA diagnosis. The odds of developing RA were 60% higher in those exposed to antibiotics than in those not exposed (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.51-1.68). A dose- or frequency-dependent association was observed between the number of previous antibiotic prescriptions and RA. All classes of antibiotics were associated with higher odds of RA, with bactericidal antibiotics carrying higher risk than bacteriostatic (45% vs. 31%). Those with antibiotic-treated upper respiratory tract (URT) infections were more likely to be RA cases. However, this was not observed for URT infections not treated with antibiotics. Antifungal (OR = 1.27; 95% CI 1.20-1.35) and antiviral (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.14-1.24) prescriptions were also associated with increased odds of RA.CONCLUSION: Antibiotic prescriptions are associated with a higher risk of RA. This may be due to microbiota disturbances or underlying infections driving risk. Further research is needed to explore these mechanisms.

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PMID: 

Dis Model Mech. 2010 May-Jun;3(5-6):366-76. Epub 2010 Jan 18. PMID: 20083577

Abstract Title: 

Neuroligin-deficient mutants of C. elegans have sensory processing deficits and are hypersensitive to oxidative stress and mercury toxicity.

Abstract: 

Neuroligins are postsynaptic cell adhesion proteins that bind specifically to presynaptic membrane proteins called neurexins. Mutations in human neuroligin genes are associated with autism spectrum disorders in some families. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has a single neuroligin gene (nlg-1), and approximately a sixth of C. elegans neurons, including some sensory neurons, interneurons and a subset of cholinergic motor neurons, express a neuroligin transcriptional reporter. Neuroligin-deficient mutants of C. elegans are viable, and they do not appear deficient in any major motor functions. However, neuroligin mutants are defective in a subset of sensory behaviors and sensory processing, and are hypersensitive to oxidative stress and mercury compounds; the behavioral deficits are strikingly similar to traits frequently associated with autism spectrum disorders. Our results suggest a possible link between genetic defects in synapse formation or function, and sensitivity to environmental factors in the development of autism spectrum disorders.

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PMID: 

PLoS One. 2019 ;14(8):e0220642. Epub 2019 Aug 22. PMID: 31437166

Abstract Title: 

The long-term consequences of antibiotic therapy: Role of colonic short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) system and intestinal barrier integrity.

Abstract: 

Epidemiological studies revealed that antibiotics exposure increases a risk of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) development. It remained largely unknown how antibiotic-induced dysbiosis confers the risk for enhanced inflammatory response. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that SCFAs, their receptors and transporters mediate the antibiotic long-term effects on the functional state of colonic mucosa and susceptibility to the experimental colitis. Male Wistar rats were treated daily for 14 days with antibiotic ceftriaxone (300 mg/kg, i.m.) or vehicle; euthanized by CO2 inhalation followed by cervical dislocation in 1, 14 or 56 days after antibiotic withdrawal. We found increased cecum weight and sustained changes in microbiota composition after ceftriaxone treatment with increased number of conditionally pathogenic enterobacteria, E. coli, Clostridium, Staphylococcus spp. and hemolytic bacteria even at 56 days after antibiotic withdrawal. The concentration of SCFAs was decreased after ceftriaxone withdrawal. We found decreased immunoreactivity of the FFA2, FFA3 receptors, SMCT1 and increased MCT1&MCT4 transporters of SCFAs in colon mucosa. These changes evoked a significant shift in colonic mucosal homeostasis: the disturbance of oxidant-antioxidant balance; activation of redox-sensitive transcription factor HIF1α and ERK1/2 MAP kinase; increased colonic epithelial permeability and bacterial translocation to blood; morphological remodeling of the colonic tissue. Ceftriaxone pretreatment significantly reinforced inflammation during experimental colitis 56 days after ceftriaxone withdrawal, which was confirmed by increased histopathology of colitis, Goblet cell dysfunction, colonic dilatation and wall thickening, and increased serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-10). Since the recognition of the importance of microbiota metabolic activity rather than their composition in the development of inflammatory disorders, e.g. IBD, the present study is the first report on the role of the SCFA system in the long lasting side effects of antibiotic treatment and its implication in IBD development.

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PMID: 

J Appl Toxicol. 2019 Aug ;39(8):1096-1107. Epub 2019 Mar 25. PMID: 30907447

Abstract Title: 

Activation of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor is involved in glyphosate-induced renal proximal tubule cell apoptosis.

Abstract: 

Glyphosate-based herbicides have been used worldwide for decades and have been suggested to induce nephrotoxicity, but the underlying mechanism is not yet clear. In this study, we treated a human renal proximal tubule cell line (HK-2) with glyphosate for 24 hours at concentrations of 0, 20, 40 and 60 μm. Glyphosate was found to reduce cell viability and induce apoptosis and oxidative stress in a dose-dependent manner. Because the chemical structures of glyphosate and those of its metabolite AMPA are similar to glycine and glutamate, which are agonists of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), we investigated the potential role of the NMDAR pathway in mediating the proapoptotic effect of glyphosate on proximal tubule cells. We found that NMDAR1 expression, as well as intracellular Ca([Ca]) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, increased after glyphosate treatment. Blocking NMDAR attenuated glyphosate-induced upregulation of [Ca]and ROS levels as well as apoptosis. Meanwhile, inhibition of [Ca]reduced glyphosate-induced ROS and apoptosis, and inhibition of ROS alleviated glyphosate-induced apoptosis. In mice exposed to 400 mg/kg glyphosate, the urine low molecular weight protein levels started to increase from day 7. Upregulation of apoptosis and NMDAR1 expression in renal proximal tubule epithelium and an imbalance of oxidant and antioxidative products were observed. These results strongly suggest that activation of the NMDAR1 pathway, together with its downstream [Ca]and oxidative stress, is involved in glyphosate-induced renal proximal tubule epithelium apoptosis.

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PMID: 

Environ Pollut. 2019 Jul ;250:29-39. Epub 2019 Apr 2. PMID: 30981933

Abstract Title: 

Widespread occurrence and spatial distribution of glyphosate, atrazine, and neonicotinoids pesticides in the St. Lawrence and tributary rivers.

Abstract: 

The occurrence and spatial distribution of selected pesticides were investigated along a 200-km reach of the St. Lawrence River (SLR) and tributaries in Quebec, Canada. Surface water samples (n = 68) were collected in the summer 2017 and analyzed for glyphosate, atrazine (ATZ), 8 systemic insecticides (acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, fipronil, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam) and some metabolites. Overall, 99% of the surface water samples were positiveto at least one of the targeted pesticides. The most recurrent compounds were glyphosate (detection frequency: 84%), ATZ (82%), thiamethoxam (59%), desethylatrazine (DEA: 47%), and clothianidin (46%). Glyphosate displayed variable levels (4-3,000 ng L), with higher concentrations in south tributaries (e.g., Nicolet and Yamaska). In positive samples, the sum of ATZ and DEA varied between 5 and 860 ng L, and the sum of 6 priority neonicotinoids between 1.5 and 115 ng L. From Repentigny to the Sorel Islands, the spatial distribution of pesticides within the St. Lawrence River was governed by the different upstream sources (i.e., Great Lakes vs. Ottawa River) due to the limited mixing of the different water masses. Cross-sectional patterns revealed higher concentrations of glyphosate and neonicotinoids in the north portions of transects, while the middle and south portions showed higher levels of atrazine. In Lake St. Pierre and further downstream, cross-sections revealed higher levels of the targeted pesticides near the southern portions of the SLR. This may be due to the higher contributions from south shore tributaries impacted by major agricultural areas, compared to north shore tributaries with forest land and less cropland use. Surface water samples were compliant with guidelines for the protection of aquatic life (chronic effects) for glyphosate and atrazine. However, 31% of the samples were found to surpass the guideline value of 8.3 ng Lfor the sum of six priority neonicotinoids.

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Thirty years of research reveals 10 of the best food phytonutrients to ingest to protect against and even treat the root cause of most cancers. 

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PMID: 

Toxicol Res (Camb). 2019 Mar 1 ;8(2):238-245. Epub 2019 Jan 7. PMID: 30997023

Abstract Title: 

Protective effects of resveratrol on biomarkers of oxidative stress, biochemical and histopathological changes induced by sub-chronic oral glyphosate-based herbicide in rats.

Abstract: 

The aim of this sub-chronic toxicity study is to determine the protective effects of Resveratrol (Res) on oxidative stress, biochemical and histopathological changes induced by glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) in the blood, brain, heart, liver and renal tissues. A total of 28 male Wistar rats were equally divided into 4 groups so that each group included 7 rats. In the study, Group I (control group) was given normal rodent feed and tap water. Group II (Res group) was given Res 20 mg kg, Group III (GBH group) was given GBH of 375 mg kgto achieve 1/10 of Lethal Dose 50% (LD50), and Group IV (Res + GBH) was given Res 20 mg kgand GBH 375 mg kgwith oral gavage once a day for 8 weeks. While GBH decreased the glutathione (GSH) levels in the blood, brain, heart, liver and renal tissues, it significantly increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In contrast, the aforementioned parameters were seen to recover in the group to which Res was administered. Moreover, it was observed that Res improved the histopathological changes induced by GBH in rat tissues. In conclusion, Res prevents oxidative stress caused by GBH by preventing lipid peroxidation (LPO) and boosting the antioxidant defense system and decreases the damage in the brain, heart, liver and renal tissues of Wistar rats.

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PMID: 

Tanaffos. 2018 Oct ;17(4):264-271. PMID: 31143217

Abstract Title: 

Effect of Chamomile Hydroalcoholic Extract on Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Rat.

Abstract: 

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Chamomile hydroalcoholic extract on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rat.Materials and Methods: Rats (N.Mari, 180-220 g) of either sex were given a single intratracheal instillation of bleomycin (7.5 IU/Kg) or the vehicle (saline). Treatment groups were given the same dose of bleomycin and then received different doses of oral chamomile hydroalcoholic extract (400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg/day) for two weeks.Results: Histological and pharmacological experiments of bleomycin-treated animals showed that bleomycin could cause marked pulmonary fibrosis within two weeks. In addition, administration of Chamomile hydroalcoholic extract reduced such damages in lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner. Best results were obtained with 1500 /kg/day of Chamomile hydroalcoholic extract.Conclusion: From the results of current study, it can be concluded that Chamomile hydroalcoholic extract may be able to diminish the toxic effects of bleomycin on the lung tissues. Such effect of Chamomile can be attributed to the ingredients of this plant with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties.

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