PMID: 

Pediatrics. 1998 Mar ;101(3 Pt 1):383-7. PMID: 9481001

Abstract Title: 

Acute encephalopathy followed by permanent brain injury or death associated with further attenuated measles vaccines: a review of claims submitted to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

Abstract: 

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is evidence for a causal relationship between acute encephalopathy followed by permanent brain injury or death associated with the administration of further attenuated measles vaccines (Attenuvax or Lirugen, Hoechst Marion Roussel, Kansas City, MO), mumps vaccine (Mumpsvax, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), or rubella vaccines (Meruvax or Meruvax II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), combined measles and rubella vaccine (M-R-Vax or M-R-Vax II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), or combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (M-M-R or M-M-R II, Merck and Co, Inc, West Point, PA), the lead author reviewed claims submitted to the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.METHODS: The medical records of children who met the inclusion criteria of receiving the first dose of these vaccines between 1970 and 1993 and who developed such an encephalopathy with no determined cause within 15 days were identified and analyzed.RESULTS: A total of 48 children, ages 10 to 49 months, met the inclusion criteria after receiving measles vaccine, alone or in combination. Eight children died, and the remainder had mental regression and retardation, chronic seizures, motor and sensory deficits, and movement disorders. The onset of neurologic signs or symptoms occurred with a nonrandom, statistically significant distribution of cases on days 8 and 9. No cases were identified after the administration of monovalent mumps or rubella vaccine.CONCLUSIONS: This clustering suggests that a causal relationship between measles vaccine and encephalopathy may exist as a rare complication of measles immunization.

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PMID: 

BMJ. 2007 Jan 20 ;334(7585):120-3. PMID: 17235089

Abstract Title: 

What have we learnt from Vioxx?

Abstract: 

[n/a]

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PMID: 

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2018 ;113(8):e180063. Epub 2018 May 28. PMID: 29846395

Abstract Title: 

Discrepancies in the evaluation of the safety of the human papillomavirus vaccine.

Abstract: 

Despite being more than ten years since its introduction, global acceptance to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is still low. The immunogenetic background of the host, and HPV antigen recognition, are important in natural HPV infection, and should be taken into account in the understanding of adverse autoimmune reactions by the HPV vaccine in certain groups. There is no doubt of the benefit of vaccines in the reduction of the incidence of infectious diseases, and in the case of HPV, the prevention of persistent infection that would lead to cervical cancer. Side-effects, however, should be closely monitored and reported without any bias, to ensure that the benefits of vaccines outweigh the risks of adverse reactions. In this article we bring the attention on certain adverse effects of the vaccine against HPV that have not been well studied as they are not well defined. We also compare the different approaches on HPV vaccine policies regarding its adverse reactions in countries like Japan and Colombia, vs. the recommendations issued by the WHO.

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PMID: 

J Nutr. 1991 Nov ;121(11):1755-62. PMID: 1941183

Abstract Title: 

Dietary citrate and kidney function affect aluminum, zinc and iron utilization in rats.

Abstract: 

Four studies were conducted to examine the effect of dietary citrate and calcium and modest reductions in kidney function on aluminum utilization in rats. Ingestion of citrate increased retention of aluminum in bones of rats fed 1 mg Al/g diet and increased apparent absorption of zinc. The increased retention of aluminum was not linearly related to dietary citrate levels. These data suggest that citrate had a general effect on the solubility of trace elements in the gut that promoted absorption. When dietary calcium intake was increased from 67 to 250 mumol/g diet, aluminum concentrations in bone were reduced without a change in growth of rats. A reduction (approximately 30%) in kidney function, which was insufficient to alter growth, increased aluminum retention in bone by 34% in rats injected with aluminum and by 13% in rats fed aluminum. Rats fed aluminum seemed to retain in tissues only 0.01 to 0.05% as much aluminum as those injected with aluminum. Thus, tissue concentrations of aluminum, and presumably toxicity, can be altered by moderate changes in diet and kidney function even though overall retention of orally administered aluminum is extremely low.

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PMID: 

Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2007 Apr ;292(4):G1157-61. Epub 2007 Jan 18. PMID: 17234894

Abstract Title: 

Albumin synthesis in preterm infants on the first day of life studied with [1-13C]leucine.

Abstract: 

Albumin is the major binding protein in the human neonate. Low production of albumin will lower its transport and binding capacity. This is especially important in preterm infants, in whom albumin binds to potentially toxic products such as bilirubin and antibiotics. To study the metabolism of plasma albumin in preterm infants, we administered a 24-h constant infusion of [1-(13)C]leucine to 24 very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (28.4 +/- 0.4 wk, 1,080 +/- 75 g) on the first day of life. The caloric intake consisted of glucose only, and therefore amino acids for albumin synthesis were derived from proteolysis. The fractional synthesis rate (FSR) of plasma albumin was 13.9 +/- 1.5%/day, and the absolute synthesis rate was 148 +/- 17 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1). Synthesis rates were significantly lower (P

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PMID: 

Nutr Neurosci. 2019 Nov 18:1-12. Epub 2019 Nov 18. PMID: 31736428

Abstract Title: 

Acute effects of combined Bacopa, American ginseng and whole coffee fruit on working memory and cerebral haemodynamic response of the prefrontal cortex: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Abstract: 

This study assessed whether a multi-ingredient herbal supplement containing(BM),(PQ) and whole coffee fruit extract (WCFE) could enhance cognitive performance and cerebral-cortical activation during tasks of working memory and attention.In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study, 40 healthy adults between 18-60 years ( = 34.46 SD = 12.95) completed tasks of working memory and attention at baseline and 45 min post active or placebo supplement consumption. During the cognitive testing, changes in hemodynamic response in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were continuously measured using functional near-infraredspectroscopy (fNIRS).Working memory task performance on the N-back task was significantly improved following active supplement consumption compared to placebo in terms of accuracy ( 

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PMID: 

Arch Physiol Biochem. 2019 Nov 22:1-11. Epub 2019 Nov 22. PMID: 31755309

Abstract Title: 

extract mitigates isoproterenol-induced cardiac stress via Nrf2/Keap1/NQO1 mediated pathway.

Abstract: 

The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of standardised hydroalcoholic extract of(BME) against isoproterenol (ISO) induced cardiac stress. Isoproterenol (85 mg/kg body weight) was administered intraperitoneally to induce cardiac stress in rats.(BME75 and 150 mg/kg) was orally administered for 21 days followed by ISO on 22nd and 23rd experimental days. ISO caused significant cardiac damage, which was concomitant with increased apoptosis and attenuated expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and regulating apoptotic protein expressions of Bax, Bcl2 and NOS2. Treatment with BME in rats significantly improved cardiac dysfunction by maintaining cardiac rhythm, myocardial integrity. Decreased oxidative stress by restored expressions of Nrf2, NQO1 and HO-1 followed by elevating antioxidant enzymes and total glutathione levels. Our present results suggest that the BME treatment strengthening the endogenous defence system through Nrf2 modulation and played a key role against cardiac oxidative stress induced by ISO in rats.

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PMID: 

Eur J Pediatr. 2005 Jul ;164(7):432-5. Epub 2005 Apr 21. PMID: 15843978

Abstract Title: 

Apnoea and bradycardia in preterm infants following immunisation with pentavalent or hexavalent vaccines.

Abstract: 

UNLABELLED: There is a lack of data regarding the incidence and clinical significance of apnoea or bradycardia (AB) following immunisation with combination vaccines containing an acellular pertussis (Pa) component in respiratory stable preterm infants. Medical records of respiratory stable preterm infants who received a first dose of a combined diphtheria (D) and tetanus (T) toxoids, Pa, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), inactivated poliovirus (IPV) vaccine with or without hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the University Children's Hospital Basel between January 2000 and June 2003 were analysed. For each infant, clinical data were recorded for a 72 h period before and after immunisation. Of 53 infants with a mean gestational age of 28 weeks, 7 (13%) showed a transient recurrence of or increase in episodes of AB following immunisation. Five of these seven infants required intervention ranging from tactile stimulation to bag and mask ventilation. Regarding risk factors, children with recurrent or increased AB were indistinguishable from those without such events. The rate of fever (>38 degrees C) following immunisation was higher in affected infants compared to those without recurrence of or increase in AB (3/7 vs 2/46, P = 0.01).CONCLUSION: Although most infants tolerated immunisation well, the incidence of recurrent or increased apnoea or bradycardia in respiratory stable preterm infants following the first immunisation with penta- or hexavalent vaccines was 13%. Most apnoea or bradycardia events required intervention but did not have serious consequences. Monitoring of all preterm infants following immunisation in the neonatal intensive care unit is recommended.

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PMID: 

Cancer Invest. 2014 Oct ;32(8):402-8. Epub 2014 Jul 14. PMID: 25019212

Abstract Title: 

Betulinic acid-induced cytotoxicity in human breast tumor cell lines MCF-7 and T47D and its modification by tocopherol.

Abstract: 

Betulinic acid (BA) has been shown to cause apoptosis in neuroblastoma and melanoma cell lines. We evaluated the cytotoxicity of BA in two breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and T47D differing in their p53 status. Treatment with BA resulted in a dose dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. This indicates p53-independent apoptotic pathway, because response of both p53 mutant and wild type cell line were found unaffected after treatment with pifithrin-α, an inhibitor of p53. Cells were significantly protected when treated by tocopherol suggesting involvement of membrane centered lipid peroxidation-mediated mechanism in BA-induced apoptosis.

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PMID: 

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2015 ;11(11):2556-63. PMID: 26291883

Abstract Title: 

Immunization of preterm infants.

Abstract: 

Vaccinations of premature infants are often delayed despite being at an increased risk of contracting vaccine preventable diseases. This article reviews the current knowledge on the immune response to widely used vaccines, on the protection derived from routine immunization and on vaccine safety and tolerability in a population of preterm infants. Available data evaluating the immune response of preterm infants support early immunization without correction for gestational age. For a number of antigens, the antibody response to initial doses of vaccines may be lower than that of term infants, but protective concentrations are often achieved and memory successfully induced. Vaccines are immunogenic, safe and well tolerated in preterm infants. Preterm infants should be vaccinated using the same schedules as those usually recommended for full-term infants, with the exception of the hepatitis B vaccine, where additional doses should be administered in infants receiving the first dose during the first days of life if they weighed less than 2000 g because of a documented reduced immune response.

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