Effects of fasting on hematologic and clinical chemical values in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)

BACKGROUND

Fasting is an important pre-analytical factor that may affect clinical pathology parameters in toxicological and pharmacological studies. Little information is available on how fasting affects clinical pathology parameters in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis).The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of fasting on clinical pathology parameters in healthy adult cynomolgus monkeys.

METHODS

Five female and six male cynomolgus monkeys were fasted for 0, 8, 16, and 24 hours. Changes in body weight (BW), core hematologic, and serum clinical chemical parameters were evaluated.

RESULTS

The BW significantly decreased after 24 hours of fasting. Significant decreases in red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and mean corpuscular volume and increases in mean cell hemoglobin and mean cell hemoglobin concentration were observed at 16 hours in males. In females, increasing the duration of fasting caused a significant time-dependent increase in platelets. Blood urea nitrogen showed significant decreases in female and male monkeys after fasting. Alkaline phosphatase increased in females after fasting. Aspartate transaminase significantly increased both in females and males at 8 hours. In females, alanine transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase significantly increased at 8 hours. Albumin significantly decreased in males 24 hours, but increased in females 16 hours after fasting. Serum glucose and triglyceride were not affected by fasting. Serum calcium decreased and inorganic phosphorus increased in males after fasting.

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that clinical pathology data would vary after fasting. The decision to feed or fast before blood collection for clinical pathology tests should be made based on careful consideration.

Increased TRPV1 gene expression in esophageal mucosa of patients with non-erosive and erosive reflux disease

BACKGROUND

Transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily member-1 (TRPV1) may play a role in esophageal perception. TRPV1 mRNA and protein expression were examined in the esophageal mucosa of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and erosive esophagitis (EE) patients and correlated to esophageal acid exposure.

METHODS

Seventeen NERD patients, eight EE patients and 10 healthy subjects underwent endoscopy after a 3-week washout from proton pump inhibitors or H2 antagonists. Biopsies, obtained from the distal esophagus, were used for conventional histology, for Western blot analysis and/or quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Overall 13 NERD patients, four EE patients and five controls underwent ambulatory pH-testing.

KEY RESULTS

TRPV1 expression was increased in all NERD and EE patients, as measured by Western blot analysis (0.65 +/- 0.07 and 0.8 +/- 0.05 VS 0.34 +/- 0.04 in controls; P < 0.01) and by qPCR (1.98 +/- 0.21 and 2.52 +/- 0.46 VS 1.00 +/- 0.06; P < 0.01). Neutrophilic infiltration, in the mucosa, was detected only in EE patients.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Non-erosive reflux disease and EE patients presented increased TRPV1 receptors mRNA and protein, although no correlation with acid exposure was demonstrated. Increased TRPV1 in the esophageal mucosa may contribute to symptoms both in NERD and EE patients and possibly account for peripheral mechanisms responsible for esophageal hypersensitivity in NERD patients.

Correlated firing in tufted cells of mouse olfactory bulb

Temporally correlated spike discharges are proposed to be important for the coding of olfactory stimuli. In the olfactory bulb, correlated spiking is known in two classes of output neurons, the mitral cells and external tufted cells. We studied a third major class of bulb output neurons, the middle tufted cells, analyzing their bursting and spike timing correlations, and their relation to mitral cells. Using patch-clamp and fluorescent tracing, we recorded spontaneous spiking from tufted-tufted or mitral-tufted cell pairs with visualized dendritic projections in mouse olfactory bulb slices. We found peaks in spike cross-correlograms indicating correlated activity on both fast (peak width 1-50 ms) and slow (peak width>50 ms) time scales, only in pairs with convergent glomerular projections. Coupling appeared tighter in tufted-tufted pairs, which showed correlated firing patterns and smaller mean width and lag of narrow peaks. Some narrow peaks resolved into 2-3 sub-peaks (width 1-12 ms), indicating multiple modes of fast correlation. Slow correlations were related to bursting activity, while fast correlations were independent of slow correlations, occurring in both bursting and non-bursting cells. The AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX (20 microM) failed to abolish broad or narrow peaks in either tufted-tufted or mitral-tufted pairs, and changes of peak height and width in NBQX were not significantly different from spontaneous drift. Thus, AMPA-receptors are not required for fast and slow spike correlations. Electrical coupling was observed in all convergent tufted-tufted and mitral-tufted pairs tested, suggesting a potential role for gap junctions in concerted firing. Glomerulus-specific correlation of spiking offers a useful mechanism for binding the output signals of diverse neurons processing and transmitting different sensory information encoded by common olfactory receptors.

Low-frequency pulse echo reflection of the fundamental shear horizontal mode from part-thickness elliptical defects in plates

Defect characterization using guided ultrasonic waves remains a challenging subject and requires a full understanding of the interaction of guided waves with a realistic representation of the defect. The characteristics of pulse echo reflection of the SH0 mode from part-thickness elliptical defects in plates is studied via finite element analysis and experimental measurements. The study shows that the reflection ratio spectrum of the SH0 mode from an elliptical defect exhibits periodic pattern due to interference between reflections from the two edges of the defect. The pattern of the reflection ratio spectrum is determined by the ratio of defect length in the incidence direction to wavelength, while the magnitude is affected by the maximum depth and the effective aspect ratio of the defect. Both the pattern and magnitude of the reflection ratio spectrum are found to be highly sensitive to the incidence angle, and the form of the variation of the reflection with angle is a strong function of the defect shape. In addition, a study of circular defects with tapered depth profiles reveals that the reflection is a function of average length of the tapered defect to wavelength ratio, and the magnitude of the reflection diminishes as the ratio increases.

Rehmanniae Radix provides most of the free fructose and glucose in Si-Wu-Tang decoction

Our previous study showed that free fructose is an important active constituent responsible for Si-Wu-Tang's (SWT) effect promoting hematopoiesis and immunity. However, the contribution from SWT's four ingredient drugs to the free fructose content in the SWT decoction was not clear. To answer this question, in this study, the fructose, glucose and sucrose content in the SWT decoction, in the decoctions of each single ingredient drug, and in the decoctions of the four formulae lacking each single ingredient drug were determined by HPLC-ELSD. The results showed that the fructose and glucose content in the decoction of single Rehmanniae Radix were almost the same as those in the SWT decoction. In the single Rehmanniae Radix decoction concentrations were: 4.25 ± 0.53 mg/mL for fructose, and 3.43 ± 0.60 mg/mL for glucose; in the SWT decoction concentrations were: 4.10 ± 0.43 mg/mL for fructose, and 3.42 ± 0.32 mg/mL for glucose, while the content of fructose and glucose in the decoctions of single Angelica Radix, single Paeoniae Radix, single Chuanxiong Rhizoma and the formula lacking Rehmanniae Radix were either very small or undetectable. On the other hand, the fructose and glucose content in the decoctions of the formulae lacking Angelica Radix, lacking Paeoniae Radix and lacking Chuanxiong Rhizoma also were approximately the same as those in the SWT decoction. This indicated that Rehmanniae Radix provides most of the free fructose and glucose in the SWT decoction, and therefore plays an important role in SWT's effect promoting hematopoiesis and immunity. As for sucrose in the SWT decoction, Angelica Radix was shown to be a major donor.

The scattering of the fundamental torsional mode from axi-symmetric defects with varying depth profile in pipes

Guided ultrasonic waves have been successfully applied to detect defects and corrosion in plates and pipes; however, defect sizing remains challenging due to the complex profiles of the defects encountered in practice. A study of the reflection of the fundamental torsional mode T(0,1) from an axi-symmetric defect with varying depth profile has been carried out via finite element modeling and experimental validation. Defects with gradually varying depth are represented by a series of tapered steps. It is revealed that, for both tapered up- and down-steps, the wave packet is reflected only at the start and end of the steps. The reflections from the start and end of the step have been predicted, and the frequency dependence of the overall reflection from the step has been studied. The study shows that the reflection coefficient varies as a function of the ratio of the average length of the tapered defect to the wavelength due to the interference between the waves reflected from the two ends of the defect. The reflection coefficient maxima decrease as the slope of the taper becomes more gradual, this effect being more pronounced when the ratio of the average defect length to the wavelength increases.

Identification and validation of a major QTL conferring crown rot resistance in hexaploid wheat

Crown rot (CR), caused by various Fusarium species, is a chronic wheat disease in Australia. As part of our objective of improving the efficiency of breeding CR resistant wheat varieties, we have been searching for novel sources of resistance. This paper reports on the genetic control of one of these newly identified resistant genotypes, 'CSCR6'. A population derived from a cross between CSCR6 and an Australian variety 'Lang' was analyzed using two Fusarium isolates belonging to two different species, one Fusarium pseudograminearum and the other Fusarium graminearum. The two isolates detected QTL with the same chromosomal locations and comparable magnitudes, indicating that CR resistance is not species-specific. The resistant allele of one of the QTL was derived from 'CSCR6'. This QTL, designated as Qcrs.cpi-3B, was located on the long arm of chromosome 3B and explains up to 48.8% of the phenotypic variance based on interval mapping analysis. Another QTL, with resistant allele from the variety 'Lang', was located on chromosome 4B. This QTL explained up to 22.8% of the phenotypic variance. A strong interaction between Qcsr.cpi-3B and Qcsr.cpi-4B was detected, reducing the maximum effect of Qcrs.cpi-3B to 43.1%. The effects of Qcrs.cpi-3B were further validated in four additional populations and the presence of this single QTL reduced CR severity by up to 42.1%. The fact that significant effects of Qcrs.cpi-3B were detected across all trials with different genetic backgrounds and with the use of isolates belonging to two different Fusarium species make it an ideal target for breeding programs as well as for further characterization of the gene(s) involved in its resistance.

Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) and nanoparticulate tetrac arrest growth of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid

CONTEXT

Tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) blocks angiogenic and tumor cell proliferation actions of thyroid hormone initiated at the cell surface hormone receptor on integrin alphavbeta3. Tetrac also inhibits angiogenesis initiated by vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor.

OBJECTIVE

We tested antiangiogenic and antiproliferative efficacy of tetrac and tetrac nanoparticles (tetrac NP) against human medullary thyroid carcinoma (h-MTC) implants in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and h-MTC xenografts in the nude mouse.

DESIGN

h-MTC cells were implanted in the CAM model (n = 8 per group); effects of tetrac and tetrac NP at 1 microg/CAM were determined on tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth after 8 d. h-MTC cells were also implanted sc in nude mice (n = 6 animals per group), and actions on established tumor growth of unmodified tetrac and tetrac NP ip were determined.

RESULTS

In the CAM, tetrac and tetrac NP inhibited tumor growth and tumor-associated angiogenesis. In the nude mouse xenograft model, established 450-500 mm(3) h-MTC tumors were reduced in size over 21 d by both tetrac formulations to less than the initial cell mass (100 mm(3)). Tumor tissue hemoglobin content of xenografts decreased by 66% over the course of administration of each drug. RNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR of tumor cell mRNAs revealed that both tetrac formulations significantly induced antiangiogenic thrombospondin 1 and apoptosis activator gene expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Acting via a cell surface receptor, tetrac and tetrac NP inhibit growth of h-MTC cells and associated angiogenesis in CAM and mouse xenograft models.

Effects of sleep deprivation on human postural control, subjective fatigue assessment and psychomotor performance

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on postural control, subjective fatigue assessment and psychomotor performance, and to assess the efficiency of an objective posturographic test as an indicator of mental fatigue. Postural sway using static posturography (Romberg's test), subjective fatigue assessment (Stanford Sleepiness Scale) and psychomotor performance (Sternberg dual-task test) were assessed in 12 subjects before and after 24 h of sustained wakefulness. After sustained wakefulness, the Romberg test parameters of circumference area and rectangle area with the eyes-closed, and standard deviation in the anterior-posterior direction with the eyes-open were significantly higher compared with baseline values (before sustained wakefulness). Subjective fatigue assessment scores were also significantly increased, while psychomotor performance was unchanged. Sleep deprivation can arouse a feeling of fatigue and can affect postural stability, hence an objective posturographic test score may be useful as an indicator of mental fatigue.

Seasonal variation in prey abundance influences habitat use by greater horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in a temperate deciduous forest

The hypothesis that patterns of habitat selection of greater horseshoe bats ( Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774)) vary across seasons in a temperate deciduous forest was investigated. Variables associated with potentially important ecological factors for greater horseshoe bats (physical structure of shrub stratum, crown canopy, insect availability, lunar phase, and weather) were collected for different seasons, and 75 sampling sites were established in the Luotong Mountain Nature Reserve in northeast China. Insect abundance was highest in late summer and lowest in late autumn. Poisson generalized linear models showed that the activity of greater horseshoe bats was positively related to the height and density of shrub stratum in late summer, whereas the activity of greater horseshoe bats was associated with insect abundance in early and late autumn. During periods of intermediate prey abundance (early summer), the height and density of shrub stratum, as well as insect abundance, influenced the activity of greater horseshoe bats. Shrub stratum may provide shelter against predation for foraging greater horseshoe bats. These results support our prediction that there was a trade-off between importance of food and cover among seasons for foraging bats. These findings are useful for the conservation and management of greater horseshoe bats.

Tanshinone II A attenuates inflammatory responses of rats with myocardial infarction by reducing MCP-1 expression

The root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, has been used effectively for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases for a long time. The mechanisms underlying this therapeutic effect are not, however, fully understood. Tanshinone IIA (Tan IIA) is one of the major active components of this Chinese medicine. Therefore, the present study was performed to investigate whether Tan IIA, which has shown a cardio-protective capacity in myocardial ischemia, has an inhibitory effect on the inflammatory responses following myocardial infarction (MI) and its potential mechanisms. In an in vivo study, rat MI model was induced by permanent left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. After the operation rats were divided into three groups (sham, MI and Tan IIA). Tan IIA was administered intragastrically at a dose of 60mg/kg body wt./day. One week later, rats were sacrificed and the hemodynamic, pathological and molecular biological indices were examined. In an in vitro study, the inflammatory model was established by TNF-alpha stimuli on cardiacmyocyte and cardiac fibroblasts. Tan IIA attenuates the MI pathological changes and improves heart function, and reduces expression of MCP-1, TGF-beta(1) and macrophage infiltration. Furthermore, Tan IIA could also decrease the expression of TNF-alpha and activation of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB). In vitro, Tan IIA could reduce MCP-1 and TGF-beta(1)secretion of cardiac fibroblasts. The present study demonstrated that the cardioprotective effects of Tan IIA might be attributed to its capacity for inhibiting inflammatory responses.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase mediates CD40 ligand-induced oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction via Rac1 and NADPH oxidase 2

OBJECTIVES

CD40 ligand (CD40L) has been implicated as an inducer of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in endothelial cells, but definitive evidence for this and the in vivo relevance haves not been demonstrated fully. We thus investigated whether phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) was linked to ROS generation and endothelial reactivity in response to CD40L.

METHODS AND RESULTS

CD40L treatment activated PI3K activity by regulating the association between PI3K p85 and the CD40 receptor. CD40L exposure also stimulated the GTPase Rac1, which is known to activate NADPH oxidases, and enhanced ROS formation, whereas PI3K inhibition or depletion by small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented these responses. Subsequently, PI3K overexpression activated Rac1 and increased ROS generation. These responses were not observed in the presence of inactive Rac1 or siRNA against the NADPH oxidase subunit NOX2. Protein kinase Czeta mediates PI3K-regulated NADPH oxidase activation by promoting cellular p47phox translocation. Importantly, PI3K inhibition prevented CD40L-mediated ROS generation and endothelial dysfunction in a mouse model. In summary, PI3K mediates CD40L-induced ROS production and subsequent endothelial dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeting PI3K may provide a new therapeutic approach in diseases associated with oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction.

Search for muon-neutrino to electron-neutrino transitions in MINOS

This Letter reports on a search for nu(mu) --> nu(e) transitions by the MINOS experiment based on a 3.14x10(20) protons-on-target exposure in the Fermilab NuMI beam. We observe 35 events in the Far Detector with a background of 27+/-5(stat)+/-2(syst) events predicted by the measurements in the Near Detector. If interpreted in terms of nu(mu) --> nu(e) oscillations, this 1.5sigma excess of events is consistent with sin2(2theta(13)) comparable to the CHOOZ limit when |Delta m2|=2.43x10(-3) eV2 and sin2(2theta(23))=1.0 are assumed.

Enhancement of photon number reflected by the relativistic flying mirror

Laser light reflection by a relativistically moving electron density modulation (flying mirror) in a wake wave generated in a plasma by a high intensity laser pulse is investigated experimentally. A counterpropagating laser pulse is reflected and upshifted in frequency with a multiplication factor of 37-66, corresponding to the extreme ultraviolet wavelength. The demonstrated flying mirror reflectivity (from 3 x 10(-6) to 2 x 10(-5), and from 1.3 x 10(-4) to 0.6 x 10(-3), for the photon number and pulse energy, respectively) is close to the theoretical estimate for the parameters of the experiment.