Material and method: In order to clarify the mechanism, the amounts of biofilm on the Ag/HA composite coating and HA coating were determined, the release rates of silver nanoparticles in simulated body fluid (SBF) were detected by atomic absorption spectrometry, and the expression values of atlE, fbe, sap, iapB genes of Staphylococcus aureus were studied when they grew on Ag/HA composite coating and HA coating.
Results: The amount of the biofilm on the Ag/HA composite coating was significantly less than that on the HA coating, and the bacterial adhesion was decreased. The silver nanoparticles were released continuously in SBF and the release rate decreased gradually with time. The expression values of atlE, fbe and sap were high in the initial stage of adhesion and the expression value of iapB was high in the colonies-gathering stage in the control group, but they were all significantly inhibited in the presence of Ag.
Conclusion: These results indicated that the main antibacterial effect of Ag/HA composite coating was achieved by the release of silver nanoparticles. The addition of Ag inhibited the expression of genes related to biofilm formation, which in turn inhibited the formation of biofilms. This provided theoretical support for the clinical application of Ag/HA composite coating.
Subjects and Method: A retrospective and prospective study was performed of patients who had undergone testicular cancer from 2011-2013. The overall age of the testicular cancer patients at the time of diagnosis, their marital status, stage of disease and treatment strategies, testosterone level etc were analysed using linear regression and t-test.
Results: Most of the patients had seminoma tumour. A greater number of patients were diagnosed in the later stages of the disease. Before chemotherapy, testosterone level was normal and decreased during chemotherapy but after completion, it returned to normal level.
Conclusion: There is an early onset of testicular cancer in the Pakistani population. There is no effect of chemotherapy on testosterone production in late survivors.
METHOD: By using various electronic search databases, a comprehensive English literature search was conducted. Different search terms were used by combining all the search fields in titles, abstracts and keywords.
RESULTS: Curcuma longa,a spice, is commonly known as turmeric and belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. Piper nigrumis also a spice, commonly called black pepper, and belongs to the family Piperaceae. Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date fruit, belongs to the family Arecaceae. From ancient times, they have been traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases. Among various activities, regulation of hyperglycaemia is considered one of their important effects. One of the aetiological factors implicated in the development of diabetes and its complications is the damage induced by free radicals. Antioxidant properties of antidiabetic compounds would be more beneficial. Extracts of these plants have shown hypoglycaemic and hypolipidaemic effects by the involvement of several mechanisms. In the future, further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms involved in their hypoglycaemic potential and their active constituents as synthetic analogues.
CONCLUSIONS: This review focusses on some medicinal plants that have antidiabetic effect, thus contributing to the reduction of risk factors associated with diabetes, and related beneficial effects are compiled.