Department of Physiological Sciences
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Metabolic syndrome and body shape predict differences in health parameters in farm working women
(BioMed Central, 2018-04-04)Background: Sufficient evidence associate body shape to detrimental lifestyle diseases including the metabolic syndrome (MetS). The prevalence of the MetS, as well as effects of the MetS and body shape on body ...
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Investigating the effects of chronic doxorubicin and ghrelin treatment on hepatic tissue
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective and widely used chemotherapeutic agent. However, its toxicity on healthy tissue limits its usage. DOX is known to induce damage mainly via oxidative stress ...
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Neuro- and immunomodulatory effects of Sceletium tortuosum
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Chronic lifestyle stress translates to chronic physiological and psychological conditions. Continual stress-response activation plays a key role in the development of inflammatory diseases, such as diabetes, ...
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Investigation into potential endocrine disruptive effects of Sceletium tortuosum
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Depression has been recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the leading cause of disability, affecting an estimated 300 million people globally. To date antidepressants are prescribed as the ...
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The potential toxic effects of chronic doxorubicin treatment on the rat pancreas and the role of ghrelin in this context
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Doxorubicin (DOX), is a chemotherapeutic drug that has potent anti-neoplastic actions. It is for this reason that it remains one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic agents that has led ...
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Domesticating cancer : an evolutionary strategy in the war on cancer
(Frontiers Media, 2017)Since cancer shares the same molecular machinery as the host, most therapeutic interventions that aim to target cancer would inadvertently also adversely affect the host. In addition, cancer continuously evolves, streamlining ...
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Aspalathin protects the heart against hyperglycemia-induced oxidative damage by up-regulating Nrf2 expression
(MDPI, 2017)Aspalathin (ASP) can protect H9c2 cardiomyocytes against high glucose (HG)-induced shifts in myocardial substrate preference, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. The protective mechanism of ASP remains unknown. However, as ...
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The transcription profile unveils the cardioprotective effect of aspalathin against lipid toxicity in an in Vitro H9c2 model
(MDPI, 2017)Aspalathin, a C-glucosyl dihydrochalcone, has previously been shown to protect cardiomyocytes against hyperglycemia-induced shifts in substrate preference and subsequent apoptosis. However, the precise gene regulatory ...
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Metabolic reprograming and cancer resistance : an investigation into the metabolic control of cancer-associated fibroblasts on breast cancer cell survival and metastasis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2018-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute the most abundant mesenchymal cell type present within the tumour microenvironment. Recent evidence suggests that nutrient deprived cancer ...
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Anti-inflammatory cellular targets on neutrophils elucidated using a novel cell migration model and confocal microscopy : a clinical supplementation study
(BioMed Central, 2018-01-05)Background In vivo studies have shown grape seed-derived polyphenols (GSP) to benefit in recovery from muscle injury by modulation of neutrophil infiltration into damaged tissue, thereby reducing secondary ...
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Introduction of sugar tax in South Africa : placebo or panacea to curb the onset of cardio-metabolic diseases?
(South African Heart Association, 2017)During 2016 an announcement was made that South Africans will be obliged to pay a 20% “sugar tax’’ that will soon be implemented in order to help curb the rising prevalence of cardio-metabolic diseases. This announcement ...
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Substantial fibrin amyloidogenesis in type 2 diabetes assessed using amyloid-selective fluorescent stains
(Biomed Central, 2017)Background: We have previously shown that many chronic, inflammatory diseases are accompanied, and possibly partly caused or exacerbated, by various coagulopathies, manifested as anomalous clots in the form of ‘dense ...
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An investigation into the potential cardioprotective effects of ghrelin in a rat model of chronic Doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-12)ENGLISH SUMMARY: Introduction Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline that has significantly improved the outcome of cancer patients since its discovery. However, its clinical success remains limited due to the dose-dependent ...
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Endocrine and immune effects of dexamethasone in unilateral total knee replacement
(SAGE Publications, 2006)The effect of acute pre-surgery dexamethasone treatment on the inflammatory immune and endocrine responses to orthopaedic surgery was investigated. Whole blood samples were obtained before and 5 days after surgery for ...
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Ageing-associated oxidative stress and inflammation are alleviated by products from grapes
(Hindawi, 2016)Advanced age is associated with increased incidence of a variety of chronic disease states which share oxidative stress and inflammation as causative role players. Furthermore, data point to a role for both cumulative ...
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Enhanced therapeutic efficacy in cancer patients by short-term fasting : the autophagy connection
(Frontiers Media, 2016)Preclinical studies suggest that fasting prior to chemotherapy may be an effective strategy to protect patients against the adverse effects of chemo-toxicity. Fasting may also sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy. It is ...
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Hyperglycaemia in critically ill patients : the immune system’s sweet tooth
(BioMed Central, 2017)There is an ongoing debate regarding the efficacy of glycaemic control in critically ill patients. Here we briefly highlight the key function of elevated glucose in critically ill patients, namely, to enable elevation of ...
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Limited role of culture conversion for decision-making in individual patient care and for advancing novel regimens to confirmatory clinical trials
(BioMed Central, 2016-02-04)Background: Despite recent increased clinical trials activity, no regimen has proved able to replace the standard 6-month regimen for drug-sensitive tuberculosis. Understanding the relationship between microbiological ...
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Bone mineral density in people living with HIV : a narrative review of the literature
(BioMed Central, 2017-07-26)Bone health status is largely absent in South Africa, the main reasons being the absence and cost-effectiveness of specific screening equipment for assessing bone mineral density (BMD). Various risk factors seem to play a ...
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Trimetazidine therapy for diabetic mouse hearts subjected to ex vivo acute heart failure
(Public Library of Science, 2017-06-20)Acute heart failure (AHF) is the most common primary diagnosis for hospitalized heart diseases in Africa. As increased fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) during heart failure triggers detrimental effects on the myocardium, we ...
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Resveratrol co-treatment attenuates the effects of HIV protease inhibitors on rat body weight and enhances cardiac mitochondrial respiration
(Public Library of Science, 2017-01-20)Since the early 1990s human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) emerged as a global health pandemic, with sub-Saharan Africa the hardest hit. While the successful roll-out of antiretroviral ...
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Exosome dynamics and changes in a selection of their microRNA cargo in response to an acute bout of eccentrically-biased exercise in healthy human volunteers
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale (30 to 1000 nm diameter) mediators of intercellular information transfer, shuttling diverse cargos including functional nucleic acids, proteins and ...
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Mitochondrial catastrophe during doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity : An evaluation of the protective role of melatonin.
(Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Anthracyclines, such as doxorubicin (DXR), are among the most valuable treatments for various cancers, but their clinical use is limited due to detrimental side-effects such as cardiotoxicity. ...
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Development of a transendothelial shuttle by macrophage modification
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2016-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Targeted stem cell delivery via macrophage modification is a novel and relatively non-invasive therapeutic intervention. Monocytes circulate through the vasculature and infiltrate damaged ...
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Elucidation of molecular mechanisms that may contribute to polyphenol-induced effects on neutrophil chemokinesis
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Grape-derived products are high in polyphenols and are known to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In vivo studies in the context of muscle injury-induced inflammation have proven grape ...
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An evaluation of the hepatic proteomic signature in identifying cancer tolerance and resistance mechanisms in a mouse allograft system
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background The unfavourable therapeutic index of most treatment modalities has greatly impeded progress in the development of effective cancer therapy. Therefore a need exists for treatment modalities ...
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Deubiquitination : does the answer to cardiotoxicity lie within the ubiquitin proteasome pathway
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Cardiotoxicity, a complication that arises from anthracycline use is one that has confounded scientists for decades. Attempts have been made to attenuate the development of this condition ...
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Assessment of Metabolic Therapy for Acute Heart Failure
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2017-03)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction Acute heart failure (AHF) is the most common primary diagnosis for hospitalized heart disease cases in Africa. Increased fatty acid oxidation (FAO) with heart failure (HF) triggers detrimental ...
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Injury surveillance during the 2011 FNB Varsity Cup rugby season
(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-12)ENGLISH ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to establish and compare the injury incidence in forwards and backline players during the 2011 FNB Varsity Cup season. The secondary objective was to establish and ...
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Sutherlandia frutescens may exacerbate HIV-associated neuroinflammation
(BioMed Central, 2015-07-18)Background: Neuroinflammation is central to the aetiology of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) that are prevalent in late stage AIDS. Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatments are rolled out relatively late in the ...
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