Comprehensive Risk Assessment of Infection Induced by SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which devastated the global economy and healthcare system. The infection caused an unforeseen rise in COVID-19 patients and increased the mortality rate globally. This study gives an overall idea about host-pathogen interaction, immune responses to COVID-19, recovery status of infection, targeted organs and complications associated, and comparison of post-infection immunity in convalescent subjects and non-infected individuals. The emergence of the variants and episodes of COVID-19 infections made the situation worsen. The timely introduction of vaccines and precautionary measures helped control the infection's severity. Later, the population that recovered from COVID-19 grew significantly. However, understanding the impact of healthcare issues resulting after infection is paramount for improving an individual's health status. It is now recognised that COVID-19 infection affects multiple organs and exhibits a broad range of clinical manifestations. So, post COVID-19 infection creates a high risk in individuals with already prevailing health complications. The identification of post-COVID-19-related health issues and their appropriate management is of greater importance to improving patient's quality of life. The persistence, sequelae and other medical complications that normally last from weeks to months after the recovery of the initial infection are involved with COVID-19. A multi-disciplinary approach is necessary for the development of preventive measures, techniques for rehabilitation and strategies for clinical management when it comes to long-term care.

Dataset on factors associated with social cohesion of urban life in Jakarta

The data article examines the level of social cohesion among neighborhood communities in the urban context. Increased socioeconomic challenges of urban life affect how urban citizens interact one another, shaping their daily behavior as a cohesive urban society. Social cohesion is measured against five variables, namely trust, recognition, participation, reciprocity, and insertion. This dataset provides a closer look into how citizens of the megacity of Jakarta, Indonesia build relationships at the individual level to negotiate their social and cultural differences. It presents the pattern of social cohesion that binds the entire Jakarta population. The present dataset includes two thousand and fifty-two (2,052) survey questionnaires from Jakarta citizens. The data was collected proportionately from forty-four (44) districts (kecamatan) of Jakarta by using stratified random sampling techniques. This article includes information on reliability and factor loadings, as well as results of regression analyses.

Microfluidic devices for the detection of disease-specific proteins and other macromolecules, disease modelling and drug development: A review

Microfluidics is a revolutionary technology that has promising applications in the biomedical field.Integrating microfluidic technology with the traditional assays unravels the innumerable possibilities for translational biomedical research. Microfluidics has the potential to build up a novel platform for diagnosis and therapy through precise manipulation of fluids and enhanced throughput functions. The developments in microfluidics-based devices for diagnostics have evolved in the last decade and have been established for their rapid, effective, accurate and economic advantages. The efficiency and sensitivity of such devices to detect disease-specific macromolecules like proteins and nucleic acids have made crucial impacts in disease diagnosis. The disease modelling using microfluidic systems provides a more prominent replication of the in vivo microenvironment and can be a better alternative for the existing disease models. These models can replicate critical microphysiology like the dynamic microenvironment, cellular interactions, and biophysical and biochemical cues. Microfluidics also provides a promising system for high throughput drug screening and delivery applications. However, microfluidics-based diagnostics still encounter related challenges in the reliability, real-time monitoring and reproducibility that circumvents this technology from being impacted in the healthcare industry. This review highlights the recent microfluidics developments for modelling and diagnosing common diseases, including cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory and autoimmune disorders, and its applications in drug development.

Using a health belief model to assess COVID-19 vaccine intention and hesitancy in Jakarta, Indonesia

Since January 2021, Indonesia has administered a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination. This study examined vaccine intention and identified reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the capital city of Jakarta. This is a cross-sectional online survey using the Health Belief Model (HBM) to assess vaccine intent predictors and describe reasons for hesitancy among Jakarta residents. Among 11,611 respondents, 92.99% (10.797) would like to get vaccinated. This study indicated that all HBM constructs predict vaccine intention (P< 0.05). Those with a high score of perceived susceptibility to the COVID-19 vaccine were significantly predicted vaccine hesitancy (OR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.16-0.21). Perceived higher benefits of COVID-19 vaccine (OR = 2.91, 95% CI: 2.57-3.28), perceived severity of COVID-19 disease (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.24-1.60), and perceived susceptibility of the current pandemic (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.06-1.38) were significantly predicted vaccination intend. Needle fears, halal concerns, vaccine side effects, and the perception that vaccines could not protect against COVID-19 disease emerged as reasons why a small portion of the respondents (n = 814, 7.23%) are hesitant to get vaccinated. This study demonstrated a high COVID-19 vaccine intention and highlighted the reasons for vaccine refusal, including needle fears, susceptibility to vaccine efficacy, halal issues, and concern about vaccine side effects. The current findings on COVID-19 vaccination show that the government and policymakers should take all necessary steps to remove vaccine hesitancy by increasing awareness of vaccine efficacy and benefit interventions.

The precarious use of charm needles susuk in treatment of low back pain by traditional medicine practitioners and its possible risk to patient safety

A 68-year-old female presented with a 1-month history of lower back pain with right-sided radiculopathy and numbness. She was diagnosed with lumbar spondylosis and treated conservatively with analgesia and physiotherapy. Imaging showed multiple susuk, a metal alloy, in the lower back region and other regions of the body. The patient had undergone traditional medicine consultation 10 years earlier when the susuk was inserted in the lower back as talisman. The practice of the insertion of susuk is popular in rural East Malaysia and Indonesia. These foreign bodies act as possible causes of chronic inflammation and granuloma formation. In addition, the localised heighten peril upon imaging. This report suggests that the insertion of multiple susuk as talisman carries risk to safety of patients when imaging, and this practice complicates the management of musculoskeletal disorders.

Healing Fukushima: Radiation hazards and disaster medicine in post-3.11 Japan

What happens when expertise is forced to face disasters of unprecedented scales? How is knowledge produced in critical moments when every action and decision is a matter of life and death? And how are local social networks mobilized to cope with unforeseen crisis? This paper addresses these questions by examining the emergence of disaster medicine expertise in the aftermath of Fukushima nuclear disaster that struck Japan in 2011. Studies on Fukushima's impact have to date revolved around the suffering of Tōhoku citizens and the development of Japan's nuclear energy industry. Acknowledging the gravity of such work, this paper offers an alternative, but equally crucial angle on the disaster: that of the medical caregiving and public health system built in response to radiation hazards resulting from the triple meltdowns at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. Through detailed interviews conducted with eight medical practitioners in Fukushima Prefecture, this paper analyses the significance and impact of Japan's most recent radiation disaster on its public health infrastructure. To describe the contingent nature of radiation disaster medicine developed in response to radiation risk in Fukushima, we draw on Jasanoff's characterization of scientific knowledge as 'serviceable truths' with regards to public policy and the law, suggesting that expertise in relation to disasters is usefully understood in analogous terms.

Sociotechnical Resilience: A Preliminary Concept

This article presents the concept of sociotechnical resilience by employing an interdisciplinary perspective derived from the fields of science and technology studies, human factors, safety science, organizational studies, and systems engineering. Highlighting the hybrid nature of sociotechnical systems, we identify three main constituents that characterize sociotechnical resilience: informational relations, sociomaterial structures, and anticipatory practices. Further, we frame sociotechnical resilience as undergirded by the notion of transformability with an emphasis on intentional activities, focusing on the ability of sociotechnical systems to shift from one form to another in the aftermath of shock and disturbance. We propose that the triad of relations, structures, and practices are fundamental aspects required to comprehend the resilience of sociotechnical systems during times of crisis.

Daily morphine injection and withdrawal disrupt 24-h wheel running and PERIOD2 expression patterns in the rat limbic forebrain

Symptoms of opiate withdrawal include disturbances in circadian rhythms. We examined in male Wistar rats (n=48) the effects of a daily, mid-morning morphine injection (5-40 mg/kg, i.p.) and its withdrawal on 24-h wheel-running activity and on the expression of the clock protein, PERIOD2 (PER2), in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTov), central amygdala (CEA), and dorsal striatum. Rats were killed over 2 days at 10, 22, 46, and 58 h after the last daily morphine injection at zeitgeber times (ZT) 1 or ZT13. Daily morphine injections and their withdrawal suppressed nighttime wheel running, but did not entrain any increase in activity in advance of the injection. Neither morphine injection nor its withdrawal affected PER2 expression in the SCN, whereas the normal daily peaks of PER2 in the BNSTov, CEA, and dorsal striatum were blunted both during morphine administration and its withdrawal. Treatment with a dopaminergic agonist (the D2/3 agonist, quinpirole, 1.0 mg/kg) or a noradrenergic agonist (alpha2 agonist, clonidine, 0.1 mg/kg) in morphine withdrawal did not restore normal PER2 patterns in each affected region; however, both quinpirole and clonidine themselves altered normal daily PER2 expression patterns in morphine-naive rats. These findings confirm and extend previous observations that opiates disrupt daily patterns of clock gene expression in the limbic forebrain. Furthermore, catecholaminergic drugs, which have been previously found to alleviate symptoms of opiate withdrawal, do not alleviate the effects of morphine withdrawal on PER2, but do modulate daily patterns of PER2 expression in saline controls.

The cellular immune response to influenza vaccination is preserved in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with rituximab

OBJECTIVES

Yearly vaccination against influenza is currently recommended to patients with rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Antibody and cell-mediated responses are both involved in the defense against influenza. Humoral responses to influenza vaccine are impaired in RA patients treated with rituximab (RTX). The objectives of this study were to comparatively assess cell mediated and humoral responses to influenza vaccination in RA patients with or without RTX-induced CD20 B-cell depletion.

METHODS

Trivalent influenza subunit vaccine was administered to 46 RA patients and to 16 healthy controls. The RA group included 29 patients treated by RTX and 17 on conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), mostly methotrexate. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and sera were obtained immediately before and 4-6 weeks after vaccination. Cell-mediated response to influenza antigens was evaluated by flow cytometry for activated CD4 T-cells. Humoral response was evaluated by haemagglutination inhibition assay.

RESULTS

Cellular response: Cell-mediated responses were comparable in RTX-treated vs. DMARDs-treated patients. The recall postvaccination CD4+ cellular response was similar in RA patients and healthy controls. A positive correlation was found between CD19+ cell count on the day of vaccination and cellular response in RTX-treated RA patients. Humoral response: The antibody response rate was significantly impaired in the RTX group: being 26.4%, 68.4% and 47.1% in RTX-treated, DMARDs-treated and controls, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Cellular immunity to influenza vaccination in RTX-treated patients was similar to DMARDs-treated patients and healthy controls, while humoral immunity was severely impaired. The preservation of cellular immunity may explain the relatively low rate of infection among B-cell depleted patients.

Abstract P6-06-04: Preliminary Studies Characterizing the Prevalence of Mouse Mammary Tumor-Like Sequences in Human Tissues of Pakistani Origin

Background: Pakistan has the second highest rate of breast cancer in Asia after Israel with nearly 1 out of 9 women at risk of developing breast cancer at some stage in their lifetime. A potential role of viruses in human breast cancer induction/development is increasingly coming to surface. Several different groups around the world have demonstrated the presence of mousemammary tumor virus (MMTV)-like sequences in tumor but not normal breast tissue. However, these findings are controversial and seem to differ depending upon the geographic location and ethnicity of a population. Some find MMTV-like sequences in tumors of breast cancer patients only, while others believe these results are due to PCR contamination. Yet others believe that these sequences are real and represent endogenous retroviruses that reside within the human genome.

Methods: These possibilities were tested by collecting blood and breast tissue samples from breast cancer and normal individuals after informed consent and ethical approval. A total of 146 blood and tumor samples from cancer patients and 164 blood genomic DNA samples from healthy individuals were collected and subjected to PCR. Primers for different regions of the virus were designed in such a manner that they encompassed regions conserved among different MMTV strains, but were different at their 3’ ends from the human endogenous virus K (HERV-K) that has -50% homology to MMTV.

Results: Single PCR screening of all samples gave sporadic, mostly weak positive results. However, nested PCR of a subset of the samples from normal and cancer patients revealed that for the pol region, over 50-100% of the samples were positive, for env 15-75% of the samples were positive, while for long terminal repeat (LTR) 5-100% of the samples were positive, depending upon whether they were from blood or breast tissue. Sequencing of the PCR fragments further revealed these sequences to be 90-100% homologous to Mtv-8 but not HERV-K, thus identifying these amplified bands to be of MMTV origin. Finally, test of the wild Pakistani Mus musculus revealed that they contain endogenous MMTVs very similar to Mtv-8.

Conclusions: Together, these unexpected results suggest that the Pakistani population may be exposed to MMTV, maybe through zoonotic transmission from mice. These observations need further stringent study and confirmation. Differential expression studies are in the process as well as hunt for viral integration sites. It is only with a positive demonstration of integration sites in normal individuals that one can definitively prove whether MMTV is actually in the human population.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-06-04.

Food-entrainable circadian oscillators in the brain

Circadian rhythms in mammalian behaviour and physiology rely on daily oscillations in the expression of canonical clock genes. Circadian rhythms in clock gene expression are observed in the master circadian clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus but are also observed in many other brain regions that have diverse roles, including influences on motivational and emotional state, learning, hormone release and feeding. Increasingly, important links between circadian rhythms and metabolism are being uncovered. In particular, restricted feeding (RF) schedules which limit food availability to a single meal each day lead to the induction and entrainment of circadian rhythms in food-anticipatory activities in rodents. Food-anticipatory activities include increases in core body temperature, activity and hormone release in the hours leading up to the predictable mealtime. Crucially, RF schedules and the accompanying food-anticipatory activities are also associated with shifts in the daily oscillation of clock gene expression in diverse brain areas involved in feeding, energy balance, learning and memory, and motivation. Moreover, lesions of specific brain nuclei can affect the way rats will respond to RF, but have generally failed to eliminate all food-anticipatory activities. As a consequence, it is likely that a distributed neural system underlies the generation and regulation of food-anticipatory activities under RF. Thus, in the future, we would suggest that a more comprehensive approach should be taken, one that investigates the interactions between multiple circadian oscillators in the brain and body, and starts to report on potential neural systems rather than individual and discrete brain areas.

Brain glucocorticoid receptors are necessary for the rhythmic expression of the clock protein, PERIOD2, in the central extended amygdala in mice

The adrenal glucocorticoid, corticosterone, induces changes in gene expression in both neural and non-neural tissues. The rhythmic release of corticosterone has been shown in rats to be necessary for the rhythmic expression of the clock protein PERIOD2 (PER2) in select regions of the limbic forebrain. The mechanisms mediating the effects of glucocorticoids on changes in gene expression have been linked to the transcriptional activity of the low affinity glucocorticoid receptor, GR. We examined the patterns of PER2 expression in the brains of mice containing an inactivation of GR gene restricted to neural tissues (GR(NesCre) mice). We found that central deletion of the GR gene blunts the daily pattern of PER2 expression in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTov) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) both of which make up the central extended amygdala, but not in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), basolateral amygdala (BLA) or dentate gyrus of the hippocampus (DG). These results implicate brain GR receptors in the regulation of PER2 expression in the BNSTov and CEA and are consistent with our previous findings that the rhythmic expression of PER2 in these areas is selectively sensitive to fluctuations in circulating corticosterone.

Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during composting of activated sewage sludge with green waste

The level and fate of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), targeted by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), has been studied over 90 days of composting of activated sludge with green waste, under a semi-arid climate. The total PAH calculated from the sum of the amounts of the 16 PAHs in the initial mixture of activated sludge and green waste, was lower than accepted European Union cut-off limits by about 0.48mgkg(-1). The treatment by composting led to a decrease of all PAHs mainly in the stabilization phase, but some differences could be observed between PAHs with three or fewer aromatic rings (N< or = 3) and those with four or more (N> or = 4). The former (except phenanthrene) exhibited a continuous decrease, while the latter PAHs with N of four or more and phenanthrene showed increases in the intermediate stages (30-60 days). This indicates the high potential sorption mainly of PAH with high molecular weight (> or = N4) plus phenanthrene, their tight adsorption makes them inaccessible for microbial attack. The high molecular weight PAHs showed a greater reduction of their bioavailability than those of low molecular weight. Naphthalene, with the lowest molecular weight, showed the smallest decrease (about 67.8%) compared to other PAHs of higher molecular weight (decrease reaching 100%). This is in agreement with the fact that the adsorption is less reversible with increased numbers of fused aromatic rings or an increase of their hydrophobicity.

Microbial community dynamics during composting of sewage sludge and straw studied through phospholipid and neutral lipid analysis

The composting process involves a succession of different communities of microorganisms that decompose the initial material, transforming it into a stable final product. In this work, the levels of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) and sterol were monitored in compost versus time, as indicators of the activity of various microorganisms (Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, etc.). During composting, the PLFA and NLFA from Gram-negative bacteria and eukaryotes (2-OH 10; 3-OH 12; 2-OH 14; 13:0; 16:1; 18:1 trans) as well as some sterols of plant origin (e.g. monostearin sterols) decreased until the end of composting. In contrast, the branched fatty acids with iso- and anteiso-forms (i-15:0; a-15:0; i-16; i-17) increased mainly in the thermophilic phase, but decreased right after. The PLFA 18:2 (6; 9), which is used as an index of the occurrence of some fungi, rose strongly at the beginning of composting, but fell after peak heating. In contrast, the other main sterol indicative of fungi, ergosterol, decreased at the beginning of the thermophilic phase, but increased strongly by the end of composting. Accordingly, cluster and PCA analysis separated the PLFA of Gram-negative bacteria and eukaryotic cells from those of Gram-positive bacteria and long-chain fatty acids. The fungal PLFA considered, 18:2 (9, 12), was clustered more closely to iso- and anteiso-branched PLFAs. Stigmasterol, squalene and cholesterol occurred in the lower right part of the loading plot and were clustered more closely to iso-, anteiso-branched PLFAs and 18:2 w 6,9 suggesting their relationship to microbial activities. We also observed the tendency of resistance of fatty acid PLFAs and NLFAs of long chain (19:0 (cis-9); 20:0) and some recalcitrant sterols, e.g. sitosterol, at the end of composting. The presence of high levels of the latter in the final stage indicates their contribution to the structural stability of organic matter fractions. These recalcitrant components were more clustered and occurred in the lower right part of the loading plot.

Timed restricted feeding restores the rhythms of expression of the clock protein, Period2, in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala in adrenalectomized rats

Feeding schedules that limit food availability to a set time of day are powerful synchronizers of the rhythms of expression of the circadian clock protein Period 2 (PER2) in the limbic forebrain in rats. Little is known, however, about the mechanisms that mediate the effect of such timed restricted feeding (TRF) schedules on the expression of PER2. Adrenal glucocorticoids have been implicated in the circadian regulation of clock genes expression in peripheral tissues as well as in the control of the rhythms of expression of PER2 in certain limbic forebrain regions, such as the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTov) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) in rats. To study the possible involvement of glucocorticoids in the regulation of PER2 expression by TRF, we assessed the effect of adrenalectomy on TRF-entrained PER2 rhythms in the limbic forebrain in rats. Adrenalectomy selectively abolished the rhythms of PER2 in the BNSTov and CEA in normally fed rats, as previously shown, but had no effect on TRF-entrained PER2 rhythms in the same structures. These findings show that the effect of TRF on PER2 rhythms in the limbic forebrain is independent of adrenal glucocorticoids and demonstrate that the involvement of glucocorticoids in the regulation PER2 rhythms in the limbic forebrain is not only region specific, as previously shown, but also state dependent.

Phospholipid fatty acid analysis to monitor the co-composting process of olive oil mill wastes and organic household refuse

The co-composting of olive oil mill wastes and household refuse was followed for 5 months. During the thermophilic phase of composting, the aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (AHB) count, showed a significant rise with a slight regression of fungal biomass. In the same way, phospholipid fatty acids PLFAs common in bacteria, showed a significant increase of hydroxyl and branched PLFAs. The evaluation of the ratio of octadecenoic PLFAs to stearic acid (C18:1omega/C18:0) revealed a significant reduction while a significant rise in the length of aliphatic chains evaluated by the stearic acid to palmitic acid ratio (C18:0/C16:0) was noted during the stabilization phase. The follow-up of PLFAs, indicates the degree of biodegradation that occurs during composting, it can be regarded an indicator of the stability and maturity of the end product.

Structural study of the fulvic fraction during composting of activated sludge-plant matter: elemental analysis, FTIR and 13C NMR

The starting fulvic structures isolated from an initial mixture of activated sludge and plant matter presented abundant peptide structures and hydrocarbons that absorb in FTIR spectra around (1650 and 1560 cm(-1)) and 1072 cm(-1), respectively. They also present a high resonance signal in the O- and N-alkyl areas of (13)C NMR spectra. As composting proceeded, some changes led to the formation of the molecular structures of fulvic fraction as demonstrated by a decrease of intensity of compounds absorbing around 1072 cm(-1) and an increase of those absorbing around 1140 cm(-1). The resonance of O- and N-substituted alkyl carbon also decreased from 55.7% to 33.8%, with an increase in the intensity of aromatic carbons, alkyls and carboxyls. These data indicate that the microbial community that developed during composting used polysaccharides as an energy source, structures which are supplied in abundance in the initial material. The fulvic fraction of the final compost is much richer in aromatic structures and aliphatic ethers/esters, which are most likely preserved from the original material but probably also synthesized through the microbial activities. The occurrence of alkyl ethers/esters at the end of composting is demonstrated by strong absorbance around 1140 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectra and large peaks at 32 and 174 ppm in the NMR spectra. These structures could also be produced following the creation of ether/ester bonds during the humification process.

Corticotropin-releasing factor projections from limbic forebrain and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to the region of the ventral tegmental area

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a peptide neurotransmitter with high numbers of cell bodies found in limbic regions of the rat brain including the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTov) and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) as well as in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). CRF systems are activated in response to acute stressors and mediate a wide variety of physiological and behavioral responses to acute stress including aversive responses and responses that support appetitive behaviors. CRF is released in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), the cell body region of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic neurons, in response to acute stress and plays a role in stress-activation of appetitive behavior [Wang B, Shaham Y, Zitzman D, Azari S, Wise RA, You ZB (2005) Cocaine experience establishes control of midbrain glutamate and dopamine by corticotropin-releasing factor: a role in stress-induced relapse to drug seeking. J Neurosci 25:5389-5396]. However, although it is known that the VTA region contains significant levels of CRF-immunoreactive fibers [Swanson LW, Sawchenko PE, Rivier J, Vale WW (1983) Organization of ovine corticotropin-releasing factor immunoreactive cells and fibers in the rat brain: an immunohistochemical study. Neuroendocrinology 36:165-186], the source of CRF input to the region has not been identified. We used infusions of a fluorescent retrograde tracer, fluorogold, into the VTA region, combined with fluorescent immunocytochemistry for CRF to identify sources of this input. Double-labeled cells were found in BNSTov, CeA and PVN. The percent of fluorogold-labeled cells in each region that were CRF-positive was 30.8, 28.0 and 16.7% respectively. These data point to diffusely distributed sources of CRF-containing fibers in the VTA.

Differential regulation of the expression of Period2 protein in the limbic forebrain and dorsomedial hypothalamus by daily limited access to highly palatable food in food-deprived and free-fed rats

Circadian clock genes are rhythmically expressed in many areas of the brain and body and are thought to underlie most endogenous circadian behaviors and physiological processes. Daily rhythms of clock gene expression throughout the brain and body are normally coordinated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), but they are also strongly influenced by daily temporal restrictions of food availability. Here, we studied the effects of a daily restricted presentation of highly palatable complete meal replacement, chocolate Ensure Plus (Ensure) in food-deprived (restricted feeding, RF) and free-fed (restricted treat, RT) rats, on the expression of the clock protein, Period2 (PER2) in regions of the brain involved in motivational and emotional regulation; these include the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTov), the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA), the basolateral amygdala (BLA), the dentate gyrus (DG) and the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH). RF and RT rats consumed similar amounts of Ensure, but changes in the pattern of PER2 expression were seen only in the RF condition, suggesting that changes in PER2 expression in these regions are triggered by the daily alleviation of a negative metabolic state associated with RF and are independent of the positive incentive properties of the consumed substance, per se. In contrast, the expression of the immediate early gene, Fos, was increased in these regions by both RF and RT schedules, showing that signals concerning the incentive value of the consumed food reach these regions. No changes in either PER2 or Fos expression were observed in the SCN of RF or RT rats. These findings demonstrate that mechanisms leading to changes in the expression of PER2 and those affecting the induction of Fos under RF and RT are, at least in part, dissociable.

Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in human tumorigenesis

Hypoxia is a major event that occurs in most solid tumors. Intratumoral hypoxia is sufficient to activate the key transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) that mediates the activation of the "survival machinery" in cancer cells. HIF can also be induced by oxygen-independent genetic alterations that activate a variety of oncogenic signaling pathways or inactivate tumor suppressors. Increased tumor HIF occurs at early stages of carcinogenesis and is often correlated with increased angiogenesis, malignant progression, poor patient prognosis and chemoradio-resistance. HIF-alpha subunit, the oxygen-regulated subunit of HIF is overexpressed in a wide range of human solid tumors. Nuclear HIF-alpha protein immunostaining was restricted to tumor cells compared to normal tissues. Herein, we review and discuss the role of HIF in tumorigenesis and describe the overexpression of HIF-alpha proteins in human cancers and its association with overall clinical outcomes.

Restricted access to food, but not sucrose, saccharine, or salt, synchronizes the expression of Period2 protein in the limbic forebrain

Restricted feeding schedules (RF) in which daily access to food is limited to a few hours each day can entrain the rhythms of expression of circadian clock genes in the brain and periphery in rodents. The critical factors mediating the effect of RF on rhythms of clock gene expression are unknown. Previously, we demonstrated that daytime RF shifts the phase of expression of the clock protein, Period2 (PER2) in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in rats kept on a 12-h light/dark cycle, and restored the rhythm of PER2 expression in rats housed in constant light. We now report that RF also modifies the rhythms of PER2 expression in the central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala and in the dentate gyrus, such that all three areas become synchronized, peaking 12 h after the time of food presentation. Daily limited access to sucrose or saccharine in freely fed rats or scheduled access to saline in sodium-deprived rats had no effect on these PER2 rhythms. Thus, it would appear that the rhythms of PER2 in limbic forebrain structures are sensitive to signals that arise from the alleviation of a negative metabolic state associated with scheduled feeding and that access to rewarding substances in the absence of food deprivation or metabolic challenges, per se, is not sufficient to alter the rhythms of PER2 expression in these regions.

Rabies vaccination programme for red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and golden jackals (Canis aureus) in Israel (1999-2004)

Since 1956, red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and, to a lesser extent, golden jackals (Canis aureus), have been the primary vectors maintaining endemic wildlife rabies in Israel. Starting in the autumn of 1998, oral rabies vaccination campaigns have been conducted in Israel targeting these two wildlife species, with increasing yearly geographical extension. Significant data have been accumulated from an area of approximately 5,200 km2 in Northern Israel. In the spring of 2003 the project was extended to 14,000 km2 and in the autumn to 21,000 km2, covering almost all inhabited areas in Israel and the West Bank. A total of two million RABORAL V-RG (Merial) vaccine-filled baits were distributed bi-annually by plane or helicopter at 14-19 baits km2. Since the onset of oral vaccination activities in 1998, annual bait acceptance in the vaccination zones has been demonstrated by biomarker detection (with tetracycline) in 55 % (429/783) of bone samples of target animals submitted for diagnosis. In 1999 to 2004, vaccine contact and induction of immunity in animals collected from the vaccination zones were reflected by seroconversion in 66 of 284 animals (23 %). By the year 2004, rabies cases declined sharply in all progressively vaccinated areas.

Glucocorticoid rhythms control the rhythm of expression of the clock protein, Period2, in oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala in rats

We investigated the involvement of the adrenal glucocorticoid, corticosterone, in the control of the rhythmic expression of the circadian clock protein, Period2, in forebrain nuclei known to be sensitive to glucocorticoids, stressors and drugs of abuse, the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the central nucleus of the amygdala. We found previously that the daily rhythm of Period2 in these nuclei is uniquely dependent on the integrity of the adrenal glands (Amir S, Lamont EW, Robinson B, Stewart J (2004) A circadian rhythm in the expression of PERIOD2 protein reveals a novel SCN-controlled oscillator in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. J Neurosci 24:781-790; Lamont EW, Robinson B, Stewart J, Amir S (2005) The central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala exhibit opposite diurnal rhythms of expression of the clock protein Period2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102:4180-4184). We now show that, in rats, in the absence of the adrenals, corticosterone replacement via the drinking water, which is associated with daily fluctuations in corticosterone levels, restores the rhythm of Period2 in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala. Corticosterone replacement via constant-release pellets has no effect. These results underscore the importance of circadian glucocorticoid signaling in Period2 rhythms in the oval nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and central nucleus of the amygdala and suggest a novel mechanism whereby stressors, drugs of abuse, and other abnormal states that affect the patterns of circulating glucocorticoids can alter the functional output of these nuclei.

Daily restricted feeding rescues a rhythm of period2 expression in the arrhythmic suprachiasmatic nucleus

Second only to light, daily restricted feeding schedules can entrain circadian rhythms in mammals [Neurosci Biobehav Rev 4 (1980) 119; J Biol Rhythms 17 (2002) 284]. Contrary to light, however, such feeding schedules have been found not to affect the master circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) [Genes Dev 14 (2000) 2950; Eur J Neurosci 13 (2001) 1190]. Here, we show that in rats that are arrhythmic as a consequence of prolonged housing in constant light, a daily restricted feeding schedule not only restores behavioral rhythmicity, as previously shown [Physiol Behav 53 (1993) 509], but in addition, induces a rhythm of the clock protein, Period2 in the SCN. These findings challenge the idea that the SCN is invulnerable to feeding schedules and call for a reevaluation of the role of the SCN clock in the circadian effects of such schedules.

Fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during composting of lagooning sewage sludge

The fate of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), targeted by the USEPA agency, has been investigated during composting of lagooning sludge. Composting shows efficient decrease of the content and the bioavailability of each PAH. Biodegradation and sorption are suggested as the main mechanisms contributing to this decrease. During the stabilization phase of composting, extensive microbial degradation of PAHs, mainly those with a low number of aromatic rings, was achieved following development of intense thermophilic communities. However, partial sorption of PAH to non-accessible sites temporarily limits the mobility mainly of PAHs with a high number of aromatic rings plus acenaphthene and acenaphthylene, and allows them to escape microbial attack. During the maturation phase, the development of a mesophilic population could play an important role in the degradation of the remaining PAH. During this phase of composting, PAH sequestration and binding of their oxidative metabolites within new-formed humic substances might also explain PAH decrease at the end of composting. The tendency of change of content or bioavailability of various PAH compounds during composting is found to be strongly related to the number of their aromatic rings, their molecular weight and structure.

The eyes suppress a circadian rhythm of FOS expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the absence of light

Photic information transmitted from the eyes to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is essential for entrainment of circadian behavioral and physiological rhythms in mammals. Under conditions of constant darkness, these rhythms are maintained by the circadian pacemaker cells of the SCN [Bioessays 22 (2000) 23]. It is possible, however, that even in the absence of light, the eyes, which also contain autonomous circadian pacemakers [Science 272 (1996) 419; Chronobiol Int 16 (1999) 229], modulate circadian rhythms in the SCN. Indeed, it was shown recently that removal of the eyes abolishes an endogenous circadian rhythm within cells of the SCN [Nat Neurosci 6 (2003) 111], a finding that led to the suggestion that specific rhythms of the SCN are driven by input from the eyes. In contrast, we show here that removal of the eyes amplifies a normally dampened endogenous circadian rhythm within the SCN, indicating that the eyes can suppress the expression of specific rhythms within the SCN while promoting others.

Prolactin and oxytocin interaction in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei: effects on oxytocin mRNA and nitric oxide synthase

We investigated the contribution of prolactin and oxytocin to the increase in staining for NADPH-d and oxytocin mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) observed at the end of pregnancy, or following a steroid-priming regimen that mimics the hormonal profile of late pregnant females. Ovariectomized rats received chronic implants of silastic capsules containing oestrogen and progesterone followed by progesterone removal. In experiment 1, oxytocin antagonist (OTA) was administered to rats to investigate whether intranuclear oxytocin release was necessary for NADPH-d staining. In experiments 2a and b, rats received concurrent treatment with bromocryptine (0.5 mg/day) to suppress endogenous prolactin release, and either systemic prolactin (0.5 mg once daily), or prolactin (2 micro g/ micro l), or vehicle infused twice a day into the third ventricle, or chronic oxytocin infusion (24 ng/day) for 3 days following progesterone removal. Brains were then processed for NADPH-d histochemistry. In experiment 3, the interaction of prolactin and oxytocin on oxytocin mRNA within the SON and PVN was examined. NADPH-d staining in the SON and PVN was reduced by the highest dose of the OTA, and by bromocryptine treatment. Central prolactin and oxytocin replacement completely restored NADPH-d staining in bromocryptine-treated rats. Finally, both bromocryptine and the OTA suppressed oxytocin mRNA expression and prolactin replacement restored expression levels to that of controls. Together, these data suggest that the increased capacity to produce nitric oxide in the SON and PVN during late pregnancy is dependent on prolactin stimulating oxytocin gene mRNA and hence intranuclear oxytocin release.

Light suppresses Fos expression in the shell region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus at dusk and dawn: implications for photic entrainment of circadian rhythms

The transcription factor Fos is implicated in neuronal signaling in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the mammalian circadian clock (Ikonomov and Stoynev, 1994; Klein et al., 1991; Kornhauser et al., 1996). Fos is expressed in two different regions within the suprachiasmatic nucleus. In the ventrolateral, retinorecipient, core region (Leak et al., 1999; Moga and Moore, 1997), Fos is induced by light and expression is closely linked, both temporally and functionally, to clock resetting and entrainment of circadian rhythms (Aronin et al., 1990; Beaulé and Amir, 1999; Hastings et al., 1995; Kornhauser et al., 1996; Kornhauser et al., 1990; Rea, 1989, 1998; Rusak et al., 1990; Wollnik et al., 1995). In the dorsomedial shell region (Leak et al., 1999), Fos expression is rhythmic (Guido et al., 1999a,b; Rusak et al., 1992; Sumova and Illnerova, 1998; Sumova et al., 1998). Expression is high during the subjective day when photic sensitivity of the core is minimal, and low in the subjective night, when photic sensitivity of the core is maximal. Although it has been shown that the pattern of Fos expression in the shell tracks the photoperiod (Sumova et al., 2000), nothing is known about whether light influences the expression of Fos in the shell region or about the role of Fos expression in the shell in clock resetting and entrainment. In the present study we found that, in rats maintained in constant darkness, brief exposure to light in the early subjective day or night induced Fos in the core, as expected, and acutely suppressed the levels of Fos immunoreactivity in the shell region. Similar changes in Fos expression in the core and shell regions were seen after exposure to a brief entraining light. Light exposure in the mid-subjective day or night differentially affected Fos expression in the core, as previously shown, but had no effect on Fos expression in the shell region. The finding that Fos expression in the shell region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus is suppressed by light at dawn and dusk suggests a critical role for the shell in photic entrainment of circadian rhythms in nocturnal rodents.

A novel, associative process modulating photic resetting of the circadian clock

Appropriate timing of physiological and behavioral processes requires that the circadian clock be reset daily by salient cues in the environment, particularly light. It is known that the ability of light to reset the clock depends both on its intensity and on the circadian time when it is applied (Daan and Pittendrigh, 1976; Moore-Ede et al., 1982). Here we show that the ability of a weak light stimulus to reset the clock is dramatically enhanced when it is presented daily at the same circadian time. Equivalent daily presentations of this light stimulus, but at different circadian times each day, do not lead to such enhancement. These findings suggest that the ability of light to reset the clock can be modified through a novel, and previously unrecognized, conditioning-like associative process in which circadian time serves as the conditioned stimulus and light as the unconditioned stimulus. The idea that circadian time can serve as a conditioned stimulus to modulate the effectiveness of light provides a new perspective on the lasting impact that light schedules have on the circadian clock and, thus, may have implications for existing models of photic entrainment (Pittendrigh and Daan, 1976; Moore-Ede et al., 1982).

Integration of visual quality considerations in development of Israeli vegetation management policy

This article deals with the visual quality of Mediterranean vegetation groups in northern Israel, the public's preference of these groups as a visual resource, and the policy options for their management. The study is based on a sample of 44 Mediterranean vegetation groups and three population groups of local residents, who were interviewed using a questionnaire and photographs of the vegetation groups. The results of the research showed that plant classification methods based on flora composition, habitat, and external appearance were found to be suitable for visual plant classification and for the evaluation of visual preference of vegetation groups by the interviewed public. The vegetation groups of planted pine forests and olive groves, characterizing a cultured vegetation landscape, were preferred over typical Mediterranean landscapes such as scrub and grassed scrub. The researchers noted a marked difference between the two products of vegetation management policy, one that proposes the conservation and restoration of the variety of native Mediterranean vegetation landscape, and a second that advanced the development of the cultured landscape of planted olive groves and pines forests, which were highly preferred by the public. The authors suggested the development of an integrated vegetation management policy that would combine both needs and thus reduce the gap between the policy proposed by planners and the local population's visual preference.

Photic regulation of circadian rhythms and the expression of p75 neurotrophin receptor immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus in rats

Neurotrophic factors have been implicated in the mechanism underlying photic regulation of circadian rhythms in mammals. In rats, the most abundant neurotrophin receptor found in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian clock, is the low affinity p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). This receptor is expressed by retinal afferents of the SCN, but nothing is known about its role in photic regulation of circadian rhythms. We show here that neonatal treatment with the retinal neurotoxin, monosodium glutamate (MSG), which has no effect on photic entrainment of circadian rhythms, nearly completely abolished p75NTR immunoreactivity in the SCN in rats. These findings suggest that p75NTR from retinal sources do not play an essential role in the mechanism mediating photic entrainment of circadian rhythms in rats.

Time acts as a conditioned stimulus to control behavioral sensitization to amphetamine in rats

Repeated exposure to the psychostimulant drug, amphetamine, results in a persistent increase in the ability of the drug to elicit behavioral activation.(14,19) The development of sensitized responses to amphetamine involves long-lasting neuroadaptations within defined circuitry.(3,6,12,15,23) The behavioral expression of sensitization, however, can come under the control of specific environmental cues. Thus, the sensitized locomotor response to a challenge injection of amphetamine is greater if the drug is given in the environment previously associated with intermittent injections than if given in a different environmental context.(2,13,16,18,20,21) Contrary to the wealth of information on the significance of contextual cues, little is known about the importance of time cues in the expression of sensitized responding to amphetamine. In the present study we, therefore, asked whether time of injection might influence the expression of amphetamine sensitization. We found that time can readily act as a conditioned stimulus to control the expression of behavioral sensitization to amphetamine in rats. This finding is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying sensitization to psychostimulant drugs and its impact on behavior.

Calbindin-D28k immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the circadian response to constant light in the rat

Recent studies in the hamster have led to the discovery that the expression of the calcium binding protein, calbindin-D28k, is a defining feature of neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms by environmental light.(2,18, 19,32) To study further the involvement of calbindin-D28k, we examined the effect of exposure to constant light on calbindin-D28k immunoreactivity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of intact rats and of rats treated neonatally with the retinal neurotoxin, monosodium glutamate. Exposure to constant light is known to disrupt circadian rhythms in rodents and we found previously that treatment with monosodium glutamate selectively prevents the disruptive effect of constant light on circadian rhythms in rats.(7,9) In the present study we found that exposure to light suppresses calbindin-D28k expression in the ventrolateral retinorecipient region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of rats and that neonatal treatment with monosodium glutamate blocks the suppressive effect of constant light on calbindin-D28k expression. These findings are consistent with the proposed role of calbindin-D28k in photic signaling in the suprachiasmatic nucleus,(32) and point to the possibility that suppression of calbindin-D28k expression is linked to the mechanism by which constant light disrupts circadian rhythms.

Enhanced fos expression within the primary olfactory and limbic pathways induced by an aversive conditioned odor stimulus

A central question in olfactory learning is how animals become tuned to odor stimuli that gain significance through conditioning. A leading view is that tuning to conditioned odor stimuli involves functional modifications within the primary olfactory pathways, themselves.(7) Here we studied this idea further by investigating responses within the olfactory system to an odor that had previously been paired with footshock in classical fear-conditioning trials in adult rats. Using the transcription factor Fos as a marker of odor-induced neuronal activation,(1,14) we found that in rats that had received forward pairings of odor and footshock during training, presentation of the conditioned odor stimulus, alone, produced an enhanced increase in levels of Fos in the main and accessory olfactory bulbs and anterior olfactory nucleus compared with that found in animals that had received backward presentations of the stimuli or of odor alone. These results demonstrate that Fos responses to an odor within the primary olfactory pathways can be modified through aversive conditioning, and are consistent with other evidence that olfactory conditioning can lead to functional changes within these pathways.(7)

Expression profiles of JunB and c-Fos proteins in the rat circadian system

The immediate-early genes c-Fos and JunB are implicated in light signaling within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the mammalian circadian clock. Light induces phase-dependent expression of c-Fos and JunB within the retinorecipient SCN. In the absence of light, rhythmic expression of these genes has been observed in the dorsal region of the SCN with peak expression observed near dawn. The present study examined the pattern of induction of c-Fos and JunB in the SCN and intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) of rats housed in constant conditions, under light-dark cycles, or in dark-adapted light-stimulated animals. In contrast with previous studies, no evidence of expression of c-Fos and JunB was observed within the dorsal SCN, regardless of circadian time. Strain differences could account for the absence of rhythmic JunB expression, whereas the use of a monoclonal anti-c-Fos antibody in the present study may account for the absence of dorsal SCN c-Fos staining. The profile of light-induced c-Fos and JunB expression was consistent with previous observations. In the SCN, light-induced expression of c-Fos and JunB was phase dependent, whereas in the IGL light-induced both c-Fos and JunB regardless of circadian time.

Circadian modulation of fos responses to odor of the red fox, a rodent predator, in the rat olfactory system

We have previously shown that neuronal responses to a biologically neutral odor, cedar wood oil, in the olfactory system are greater in the subjective night compared to subjective day. In the present study, we confirm these results and extend them to a biologically relevant odor, the urine of the red fox, a rodent predator. Fos induced by exposure of rats to fox urine or a neutral odor, mineral oil, was markedly enhanced during the subjective night compared to subjective day in the main olfactory bulb, primary olfactory cortex, and other structures related to olfaction. These results show that neuronal responses to an ethologically relevant odor follow a circadian rhythm similar to biologically neutral odors. Fos responses induced by fox urine were observed to be of greater magnitude than a neutral odor in brain areas involved in fear responses, suggesting that fox urine activates fear circuitry.

Conditioned stimulus control in the rat circadian system depends on clock resetting during conditioning

The authors examined the ability of a conditioned stimulus (CS; mild air disturbance) previously paired with an entraining light pulse to reset the circadian pacemaker in rats. Rats were entrained to a single 30-min light stimulus delivered every 25 hr or 24 hr (T cycle). Each daily light presentation was paired with the CS. After at least 20 days of stable entrainment to each of the T cycles, the rats were allowed to free run and were then presented with the CS at circadian time 15. CS-induced phase shifts in wheel-running activity rhythms were taken as evidence for conditioning. For the most part, conditioning occurred after CS-light pairings on the 25-hr but not 24-hr T cycle. The results suggest that CS control of the circadian clock phase depends on the effect that the entraining light pulse has on the clock during conditioning.