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The asymptomatic and clinical stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) are associated with comorbid non-motor symptoms including gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction. Although the neuroprotective and gastroprotective roles of kolaviron (KV) have been reported independently, whether KV-mediated GI-protective capacity could be beneficial in PD is unknown. We therefore investigated the modulatory effects of KV on the loss of dopaminergic neurons, locomotor abnormalities, and ileal oxidative damage when rats are lesioned in the nigrostriatal pathway. KV treatment markedly suppressed the behavioral deficit and apomorphine-induced rotations associated with rotenone lesioning. KV attenuated the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and perturbations in the striatal glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) and X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) levels. Ileal epithelial injury following stereotaxic rotenone infusion was associated with oxidative stress and marked inhibition of acetylcholine esterase activity and reduced expression of occludin in the crypt and villi. While KV treatment attenuated the redox imbalance in the gut and enhanced occludin immunoreactivity, acetylcholinesterase activity was not affected. Our data demonstrate ileal oxidative damage as a characteristic non-motor gut dysfunction in PD while showing the potential dual efficacy of KV in the attenuation of both neural defects and gut abnormalities associated with PD.

Idiopathic lung fibrosis (ILF) is a severe and life threatening lung disorder that is characterized by scarring of lung tissue, leading to thickening and stiffening of affected areas. This study looked at the role played by PI3K-Akt/PKB-mToR signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)-induced lung fibrotic injury, and the effects of syringic acid (SYR) and ascorbic acid (ASC) treatments in male Wistar rats. Pulmonary fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg NDMA once daily, thrice (consecutively) a week for four weeks, and this condition was treated daily with SYR (50 mg/kg) and ASC (100 mg/kg) acids orally for four weeks. Fibrogenesis, following NDMA administration was marked by a significant increase in collagen-1 and α-SMA levels, while oxidative stress was marked by a significant decrease in GSH level, GST, GPx, CAT, and SOD activities. Also, NDMA significantly increased lung Bax, p53, caspase-3, TNF-α, IL-1β, NFkB, and decreased Bcl-2, mdm2, cyclin D1 and Nrf-2 levels. Looking at the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, NDMA administration significantly activated lung PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, and deactivated PTEN, FoxO1 and TSC2. Treatments with SYR and ASC significantly reduced oxidative stress by restoring the antioxidant systems via Nrf2 activation, decreased the levels of inflammatory markers through inhibition of NFkB, downregulated p53, Bax, and caspase-3 via up-regulation of mdm2 and cyclin D1. SYR and ASC also regulated the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway via the deactivation of PI3K, Akt, and mTOR, and up-regulation of PTEN, FoxO1 and TSC2. Overall, SYR and ASC modulate the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway via inhibition of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in NDMA-induced lung fibrosis.

The inauguration of the United States first Black President has prompted mass discussions of race relations in America. It is often articulated that America is now in a post-racial society. However, the question still remains: does the election of a Black president demonstrate that America is now a “color-blind” society? To answer this question, we rely on data collected by PEW (2007). Our results suggest that white and African Americans differ significantly in the extent to which they express post-racial attitudes. Specifically, we find that whites more commonly express post-racial attitudes, claiming that racism and discrimination are rare, in opposition to African American views. On the other hand, blacks are more likely to believe that discrimination still occurs. We further find that whites' post-racial beliefs are significant determinants of their attitudes towards race-related policies, such as affirmative action.