Analysis of clinical efficacy, side effects, and laboratory changes among patients with acne vulgaris receiving single versus twice daily dose of oral isotretinoin.

PubMed

Ahmad, Hesham M

2015-01-01

Acne vulgaris is a debilitating disorder and requires proper treatment. This work evaluates the clinical efficacy, side effects, and laboratory changes of serum lipids and liver function during oral isotretinoin therapy for acne vulgaris, comparing single versus twice daily dose. Fifty-eight patients with acne vulgaris were included and randomized into group I (26 patients), who received once daily dose, and group II (32 patients), who received twice daily dose of oral isotretinoin. Global acne scoring system was used to evaluate acne severity and post-treatment improvement. Both regimens resulted in highly significant clinical improvement of acne with no significant difference. However, side effects were significantly more common among patients of group I. Both regimens caused mild rise of serum cholesterol, alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) with more prominent rise of triglycerides especially with twice daily dose. Oral isotretinoin is a very effective treatment for acne vulgaris with no statistically significant difference in clinical efficacy between once and twice daily doses. However, dividing dose to twice per day might cause fewer incidence of side effects without reducing clinical efficacy. The drug causes mild clinically insignificant rise of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, AST, and ALT. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the improvement of swallowing function in patients with dysphagia caused by stroke

PubMed Central

Byeon, Haewon

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare improvements in swallowing function by the intervention of the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in patients with dysphagia caused by stroke. [Subjects and Methods] The Masako maneuver (n=23) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (n=24) were conducted in 47 patients with dysphagia caused by stroke over a period of 4 weeks. Swallowing recovery was recorded using the functional dysphagia scale based on videofluoroscopic studies. [Results] Mean functional dysphagia scale values for the Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation groups decreased after the treatments. However, the pre-post functional dysphagia scale values showed no statistically significant differences between the groups. [Conclusion] The Masako maneuver and neuromuscular electrical stimulation each showed significant effects on the improvement of swallowing function for the patients with dysphagia caused by stroke, but no significant difference was observed between the two treatment methods. PMID:27512266

Effects of gender and game type on autonomic nervous system physiological parameters in long-hour online game players.

PubMed

Lin, Tung-Cheng

2013-11-01

Online game playing may induce physiological effects. However, the physical mechanisms that cause these effects remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological effects of long-hour online gaming from an autonomic nervous system (ANS) perspective. Heart rate variability (HRV), a valid and noninvasive electrocardiographic method widely used to investigate ANS balance, was used to measure physiological effect parameters. This study used a five-time, repeated measures, mixed factorial design. Results found that playing violent games causes significantly higher sympathetic activity and diastolic blood pressure than playing nonviolent games. Long-hour online game playing resulted in the gradual dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system due to physical exhaustion. Gaming workload was found to modulate the gender effects, with males registering significantly higher sympathetic activity and females significantly higher parasympathetic activity in the higher gaming workload group.

Breakdown Cause and Effect Analysis. Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biały, Witold; Ružbarský, Juraj

2018-06-01

Every company must ensure that the production process proceeds without interferences. Within this article, the author uses the term "interferences" in reference to unplanned stoppages caused by breakdowns. Unfortunately, usually due to machine operators' mistakes, machines break, which causes stoppages thus generating additional costs for the company. This article shows a cause and effect analysis of a breakdown in a production process. The FMEA as well as quality management tools: the Ishikawa diagram and Pareto chart were used for the analysis. Correction measures were presented which allowed for a significant reduction in the number of stoppages caused by breakdowns.

Effect of bauhinia bauhinioides kallikrein inhibitor on endothelial proliferation and intracellular calcium concentration.

PubMed

Bilgin, M; Burgazli, K M; Rafiq, A; Mericliler, M; Neuhof, C; Oliva, M L; Parahuleva, M; Soydan, N; Doerr, O; Abdallah, Y; Erdogan, A

2014-01-01

Proteinase inhibitors act as a defensive system against predators e.g. insects, in plants. Bauhinia bauhinioides kallikrein inhibitor (BbKI) is a serine proteinase inhibitor, isolated from seeds of Bauhinia bauhinioides and is structurally similar to plant Kunitz-type inhibitors but lacks disulfide bridges. In this study we evaluated the antiproliferative effect of BbKI on endothelial cells and its impact on changes in membrane potential and intracellular calcium. HUVEC proliferation was significantly reduced by incubation with BbKI 50 and 100 µM 12% and 13%. Furthermore, BbKI (100 µM) exposure caused a significant increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration by 35% as compared to untreated control. The intracellular rise in calcium was not affected by the absence of extracellular calcium. BBKI also caused a significant change in the cell membrane potential but the antiproliferative effect was independent of changes in membrane potential. BBKI has an antiproliferative effect on HUVEC, which is independent of the changes in membrane potential, and it causes an increase in intracellular Ca2+.

Causes of toxicity to Hyalella azteca in a stormwater management facility receiving highway runoff and snowmelt. Part I: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals.

PubMed

Bartlett, A J; Rochfort, Q; Brown, L R; Marsalek, J

2012-01-01

The Terraview-Willowfield Stormwater Management Facility (TWSMF) receives inputs of multiple contaminants, including metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), road salt, and nutrients, via highway and residential runoff. Contaminant concentrations in runoff are seasonally dependent, and are typically high in early spring, coinciding with the snowmelt. In order to investigate the seasonal fluctuations of contaminant loading and related changes in toxicity to benthic invertebrates, overlying water and sediment samples were collected in the fall and spring, reflecting low and high contaminant loading, respectively, and four-week sediment toxicity tests were conducted with Hyalella azteca. The effects of metals and PAHs are discussed here; the effects of salts, nutrients, and water quality are discussed in a companion paper. Survival and growth of Hyalella after exposure to fall samples were variable: survival was significantly reduced (64-74% of controls) at three out of four sites, but there were no significant growth effects. More dramatic effects were observed after Hyalella were exposed to spring samples: survival was significantly reduced at the two sites furthest downstream (0-75% of controls), and growth was significantly lower in four out of five sites when comparing Hyalella exposed to site sediment with overlying site water versus site sediment with overlying control water. These seasonal changes in toxicity were not related to metals or PAHs: 1. levels of bioavailable metals were below those expected to cause toxicity, and 2. levels of PAHs in sediment were lowest at sites with the greatest toxicity and highest in water and sediment at sites with no toxicity. Although not associated with toxicity, some metals and PAHs exceeded probable and severe effect levels, and could be a cause for concern if contaminant bioavailability changes. Toxicity in the TWSMF appeared to be primarily associated with water-borne contaminants. The cause(s) of these effects are discussed in our companion manuscript. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lawsonia inermis - an alternative treatment for hyperthyroidism?

PubMed

Zumrutdal, E; Karateke, F; Daglioglu, K; Gulkaya, M; Colak, O; Koksal, F

2014-01-01

The goal of our study was to determine the effects of Lawsonia inermis (L. inermis) in mice, in which hyperthyroidism had been caused by thyroid stimulant hormone (TSH). The first phase of the study aimed to detect the effects of L. inermis on the amount of ionized hydrogen (pH) in cells. For this aim, the effect of L. inermis on pH levels in the liver tissues of mice, in whom Escherichia coli (E. coli) had caused peritonitis, was examined. In the second phase of the study, the effect of L. inermis on the serum T4 levels in the 24th and 48th hour in mice, whose thyroid cells showed an increased activity by TSH was measured. In the first phase, in mice, in whom E.coli had caused peritonitis, the pH in the liver tissue of the group that had been given L. inermis was found to be significantly alkaline (p<0.05). In the second phase, in mice, in whom TSH had caused hyperthyroidism, it was noted that serum total T4 levels were significantly lower than in the group that had been given L. inermis in the 48th hour (p<0.05). In our study, we detected that L. inermis significantly decreased serum total T4 levels in the 48th hour in mice in whom TSH had caused hyperthyroidism. These results suggest that L. inermis can be used as an alternative treatment for the Graves' disease (Tab. 2, Fig. 1, Ref. 34).

Erosion and abrasion on dental structures undergoing at-home bleaching

PubMed Central

Demarco, Flávio Fernando; Meireles, Sônia Saeger; Sarmento, Hugo Ramalho; Dantas, Raquel Venâncio Fernandes; Botero, Tatiana; Tarquinio, Sandra Beatriz Chaves

2011-01-01

This review investigates erosion and abrasion in dental structures undergoing at- home bleaching. Dental erosion is a multifactorial condition that may be idiopathic or caused by a known acid source. Some bleaching agents have a pH lower than the critical level, which can cause changes in the enamel mineral content. Investigations have shown that at-home tooth bleaching with low concentrations of hydrogen or carbamide peroxide have no significant damaging effects on enamel and dentin surface properties. Most studies where erosion was observed were in vitro. Even though the treatment may cause side effects like sensitivity and gingival irritation, these usually disappear at the end of treatment. Considering the literature reviewed, we conclude that tooth bleaching agents based on hydrogen or carbamide peroxide have no clinically significant influence on enamel/dentin mineral loss caused by erosion or abrasion. Furthermore, the treatment is tolerable and safe, and any adverse effects can be easily reversed and controlled. PMID:23674914

Anti-hyperalgesic activity of the aqueous and methanol extracts of the leaves of Pittosporum mannii Hook on CFA-induced persistent inflammatory pain.

PubMed

Wandji, Bibiane Aimée; Bomba, Francis Desire Tatsinkou; Nkeng-Efouet, Pepin Alango; Piegang, Basile Nganmegne; Kamanyi, Albert; Nguelefack, Télesphore Benoît

2018-02-01

Previous study showed that aqueous (AEPM) and methanol (MEPM) extracts from the leaves of Pittosporum mannii have analgesic effects in acute pain models. The present study evaluates the acute and chronic anti-hypernociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of AEPM and MEPM in a model of persistent inflammatory pain. The third day after induction of inflammatory pain by subplantar injection of 100 µL of CFA in Wistar rats, AEPM and MEPM were administered orally (75, 150 and 300 mg/kg/day) and their anti-hyperalgesic and anti-inflammatory effects were follow in acute (1-24 h) and chronic (for 14 days) treatments. At the end of the chronic treatment, oxidative stress and liver parameters were assessed. Effects of plant extracts were also evaluated on nociception induced by Phorbol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate (PMA) and 8-bromo 3',5'-cAMP (8-Br-cAMP) in mice. AEPM and MEPM significantly reversed the mechanical hyperalgesia caused by CFA in acute and chronic treatment. Moreover, AEPM and MEPM also significantly reduced the nociception caused by PMA (60%) and 8-Br-cAMP (87%). Nevertheless, AEPM and MEPM failed to inhibit the paw edema caused by CFA. Plant extracts significantly reduced the nitric oxide content in the spinal cord and the plasmatic concentration of alanine aminotransferase. MEPM also significantly increased the glutathione content in the spinal cord. AEPM and MEPM given orally are effective in inhibiting mechanical hyperalgesia in persistent inflammatory pain caused by CFA. Their mechanisms of action seem to involve an interaction with PKC, PKA and nitric oxide pathways. These extracts might be devoid of hepatotoxic effects.

Causes and Adverse Impact of Physician Burnout: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Azam, Kamran; Khan, Anwar; Alam, Muhammad Toqeer

2017-08-01

To review the significant causes and effects of physician burnout in published literature. Asystematic review was conducted for searching published literature on the causes and effects of burnout in three online databases. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed for final selection of papers. The selected papers were critically appraised and thematic analysis was done to identify major themes related to physician burnout. Thirty-one papers were finally selected among the 2,828 identified studies. The thematic analysis revealed demographic factors, e.g. age, gender, marital status, specialty and job position; and organizational factors, e.g. workload, interpersonal demands, job insecurity and lack of resources, as significant causes of burnout. The consequences of burnout included individual and organizational effects. The individual effects of burnout included physical health problems; while organizational effects included poor job performance, low organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Burnout is a recognized workplace hazard in the healthcare sector. The individual characteristics of physicians and working environment within hospitals are contributory factors of burnout. Therefore, proactive interventions should be taken at individual and institutional levels for preventing physician burnout by improving the personal lifestyle of physician and working environment in hospitals.

Protective but Non-Synergistic Effects of Nigella Sativa and Vitamin E against Cisplatin-Induced Renal Toxicity and Oxidative Stress in Wistar Rats.

PubMed

Busari, Abdulwasiu A; Adejare, Abdullahi A; Shodipe, Abiodun F; Oduniyi, Oludaisi A; Ismail-Badmus, Khadijah B; Oreagba, Ibrahim A

2018-06-26

Cisplatin is an anti-cancer drug that causes nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress. Extracts of Nigella sativa is nephroprotective. Vitamin E is also a potent antioxidant. This study sought to determine a possible synergistic effect of administering the two agents prior to cisplatin use on nephrotoxicity and oxidative stress. 48 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 rats each. Group I served as the control. Group II received cisplatin without any treatment for 6 days. Groups III, IV, V and VI received 100 mg/kg Nigella sativa (NS), 200 mg/kg NS, 100 mg/kg Vitamin E and 200 mg/kg NS+100 mg/kg Vitamin E respectively for 5 days prior to 6 days administration of cisplatin. On the last day of the experiment, all the animals were sacrificed and serum samples collected for analysis. Cisplatin administration caused a significant increase in creatinine level (p<0.01), urea level (p<0.01), sodium concentration and malondialdehyde level (p<0.001). Pre-administration with NS caused a significant reduction in creatinine level (p<0.001), urea level (p<0.001), sodium concentration (p<0.001) and malondialdehyde (p<0.01) level. Pre-administration with vitamin E caused a significant reduction in creatinine level (p<0.001), urea level (p<0.01), sodium concentration (p<0.001) and malondialdehyde level. They both also caused a significant increase in superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and catalase (CAT) levels. The combination of NS and vitamin E however did not show significant synergistic effects. These results suggest that even though pre-administration of the two agents protect against renal toxicity and oxidative stress, the effects are however not collaborative. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Effect of Maternal Thyroid Disorders (Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism) During Pregnancy and Lactation on Skin Development in Wistar Rat Newborns

PubMed Central

Amerion, Maryam; Tahajjodi, Somayye; Hushmand, Zahra; Mahdavi Shahri, Nasser; Nikravesh, Mohammad Reza; Jalali, Mahdi

2013-01-01

Objective(s): Previous studies have shown that thyroid hormones are necessary for normal development of many organs and because of the importance of skin as the largest and the most important organ in human body protection in spite of external environment, the study of thyroid hormones effects on skin development is considerable. In this survey we have tried to study the effects of maternal hypothyroidism on skin development in fetus during pregnancy and lactation by immunohistochemistry technique. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into 4 groups, hypothyroids, hyperthyroids, hypothyroids are treated with levothyroxin and a control group. The rat mothers were exposed to PTU with 50 mg/lit dosage and levothyroxin with 1 mg/lit dosage and PTU and levothyroxin simultaneously and with the same dosage respectively in hypothyroid, hyperthyroid and treated hypothyroids with levothyroxin groups. After 14 days, blood sample was taken from mothers, and if thyroid hormones level had change well, mating was allowed. After pregnancy and delivery, 1th day dorsal skin (as the sample for pregnancy assay) and 10th day skin (as for lactation assay) was used for immunohystochemical and morphometric studies. Results: In this study it was observed that maternal hypothyroidism during pregnancy and lactation causes significant increase in laminin expression, in most areas of skin, and maternal hyperthyroidism during pregnancy and lactation causes significant decrease in laminin expression. Also significant decrease was observed in hair follicles number and epidermis thickness in hypothyroidism groups. Conclusion: This study showed maternal hypothyroidism causes significant decrease in epidermis thickness and hair follicles number and it causes less hair in fetus. Also maternal hypothyroidism causes large changes in laminin expression in different parts of skin. At the same time,maternal hyperthyroidism causes opposite results. In fact, thyroid hormones regulate laminin expression negatively which means increase in thyroid hormone level, decreases laminin expression. So changes in thyroid hormones level can influence skin development significantly. PMID:23826487

The effects of vincristine on platelet aggregation studied by a filter loop technique in the rat.

PubMed Central

Bee, D.; Leach, E.; Martin, J. F.; Suggett, A. J.

1980-01-01

1 A method for measuring aggregation of platelets of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) is described using a filter inserted into the flowing aortic blood in the rat. 2 Repeated infusions of ADP resulted in a fall in the calculated aggregation index without significant changes in the platelet count. 3 Vincristine (0.05 mg/kg) intravenously caused significant inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation. 4 Infusion of ADP caused some peripheral vasodilatation though it is unlikely that this contributed to the effects seen to any great extent. PMID:7437636

Immunotoxicological effects of JP-8 jet fuel exposure.

PubMed

Harris, D T; Sakiestewa, D; Robledo, R F; Witten, M

1997-01-01

Chronic exposure to jet fuel has been shown to have adverse effects on human liver function, to cause emotional dysfunction, to cause abnormal electroencephalograms, to cause shortened attention spans, and to decrease sensorimotor speed (3-5). Due to the decision by the United States Air Force to implement the widespread use of JP-8 jet fuel in its operations, a thorough understanding of its potential effects upon exposed personnel is both critical and necessary. Exposure to potential environmental toxicants such as JP-8 may have significant effects on host systems beyond those readily visible (e.g., physiology, cardiology, respiratory, etc.); e.g., the immune system. Significant changes in immune consequences, even if short-lived, may have serious consequences for the exposed host that may impinge affect susceptibility to infectious agents. Major alterations in immune function that are long-lasting may result in an increased likelihood of development and/or progression of cancer, as well as autoimmune diseases. In the current study mice were exposed for 1h/day for 7 days to varying concentrations of aerosolized JP-8 jet fuel to simulate occupational exposures. Twenty-four hours after the last exposure the mice were analyzed for effects on their immune systems. It was observed that even at exposure concentrations as low as 100 mg/m3 detrimental effects on the immune system occurred. Decreases in viable immune cell numbers and immune organ weights were found. Jet fuel exposure resulted in losses of different immune cell subpopulations depending upon the immune organ being examined. Further, JP-8 exposure resulted in significantly decreased immune function, as analyzed by mitogenesis assays. Suppressed immune function could not be overcome by the addition of exogenous growth factors known to stimulate immune function. Thus, short-term, low concentration exposure of mice to JP-8 jet fuel caused significant toxicological effects on the immune system. It appears that the immune system may be the most sensitive indicator of toxicological damage due to JP-8 exposure, as effects were seen at concentrations of jet fuel that did not evidence change in other biological systems. Such changes may have significant effects on the health of the exposed individual.

Aircraft Corrosion

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

protective coating between the plates, the reduction in frictional effects caused by the fluid did cause a significant reduction in fatigue life ... surface treatments for aluminum alloys , there has been a return to anodizing for new weapons systems rather than chromate conversion coatings . Both sulfuric...good alternate coating material in many applications requiring good corrosion resistance and minimal effect on fatigue properties. Only two aluminum

Finding Root Causes Effectively a Powerful Way to Improve Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hegedus, Andrew S.

2010-01-01

Most School Improvement Plans (SIPs) in education do not guide staff efforts to tackle the root causes that prevent significant performance improvement. It is unlikely student achievement will improve should these root causes remain. As a result, NCLB mandated consequences will eventually be imposed. These consequences increase pressure to address…

Blueberry juice causes potent relaxation of rat aortic rings via the activation of potassium channels and the H₂S pathway.

PubMed

Horrigan, Louise A; Holohan, Catherine A; Lawless, Gráinne A; Murtagh, Melissa A; Williams, Carmel T; Webster, Christina M

2013-02-26

The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of blueberry juice on healthy rat aortic rings, and to explore the roles of potassium channels and of the hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S) pathway in mediating the effects of blueberry juice. Firstly, the antioxidant capacity of blueberry juice was compared to other popular juice drinks using the Folin-Ciocalteu and the DPPH assays. Blueberry juice had significantly higher total polyphenol content than any of the other drinks studied (p < 0.01). The effect of blueberry juice on noradrenaline-contracted aortic rings was then observed, and the juice caused significant inhibition of noradrenaline-induced contractions (p < 0.01). Voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv) blockers 4-aminopyridine (1 mM) and 3,4-diaminopyridine (1 mM), as well as the cystathionine γ-lysase (CSE) inhibitor d,l-propargylglycine (2 mM) were then utilised to elucidate the role of Kv channels and the CSE/H(2)S pathway. Kv channel blocker 3,4-diaminopyridine caused significant blockade at 1/100 and 1/50 dilutions of juice (p < 0.01), whilst 4-aminopyridine caused significant blockade of the 1/100 dilution of blueberry juice (p < 0.05). In addition, d,l-propargylglycine potently inhibited the effect of 1/100 and 1/50 dilutions of blueberry juice (p < 0.01). This study indicates that blueberry juice has potent vasorelaxing properties, and thus may be a useful dietary agent for the prevention and treatment of hypertension. This study also provides strong evidence that Kv channels and the CSE/H(2)S pathway may be responsible, at least in part, for mediating the effects of blueberry juice.

Comparison of treatment effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal-tactile stimulation on patients with sub-acute dysphagia caused by stroke.

PubMed

Byeon, Haewon; Koh, Hyeung Woo

2016-06-01

[Purpose] The effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the rehabilitation of swallowing remains controversial. This study compared the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation, a traditional swallowing recovery treatment, in patients with sub-acute dysphagia caused by stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects of the present study were 55 patients diagnosed with dysphagia caused by stroke. This study had a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. [Results] Analysis of pre-post values of videofluoroscopic studies of the neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation groups using a paired t-test showed no significant difference between the two groups despite both having decreased mean values of the videofluoroscopic studies after treatment. [Conclusion] This study's findings show that both neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation significantly enhanced the swallowing function of patients with sub-acute dysphagia.

Comparison of treatment effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal-tactile stimulation on patients with sub-acute dysphagia caused by stroke

PubMed Central

Byeon, Haewon; Koh, Hyeung Woo

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the rehabilitation of swallowing remains controversial. This study compared the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation, a traditional swallowing recovery treatment, in patients with sub-acute dysphagia caused by stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects of the present study were 55 patients diagnosed with dysphagia caused by stroke. This study had a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. [Results] Analysis of pre-post values of videofluoroscopic studies of the neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation groups using a paired t-test showed no significant difference between the two groups despite both having decreased mean values of the videofluoroscopic studies after treatment. [Conclusion] This study’s findings show that both neuromuscular electrical stimulation and thermal tactile oral stimulation significantly enhanced the swallowing function of patients with sub-acute dysphagia. PMID:27390421

DENTAL PATIENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING AND ATTITUDES ABOUT THE ROLE OF DENTISTS IN SMOKING CESSATION.

PubMed

Yahya, Nurul Asyikin; Saub, Roslan; Nor, Mariani Md; Yusoff, Noriah

2017-03-01

Dentists can offer their patients who smoke tobacco assistance with smoking cessation. We conducted this study to assess dental patient knowledge about the effects of smoking and perceptions and attitudes regarding the role of dentists in smoking cessation counselling. We conducted this study to inform tobacco cessation programs that could potentially include dentists. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire among 375 patients. The mean age of subjects was 33.4 years; females comprised 51.5%. Participants were divided into 3 groups: those who never smoked (n = 263, 70.7%), smokers (n = 92, 24.7%), and ex-smokers (n = 17, 4.5%). Significantly more participants (p = 0.046) who never smoked (92.9%) knew smoking can cause bad breath than smokers (86.9%). Significantly more participants (p = 0.002) who never smoked (74.8%) knew smoking can cause periodontal disease than smokers (57.6%). Significantly more participants (p < 0.001) who never smoked (84.5%) knew smoking can cause oral cancer than smokers (66.7%). Significantly more participants (p < 0.001) who never smoked (86.7%) knew smoking can cause lung cancer than smokers (69.7%). Significantly more participants who never smoked (85.5%) felt dentists should be interested in the smoking status of their patients (p = 0.004) than smokers (72.6%). Significantly more participants (p = 0.08) who never smoked (69.6%) stated dentists should give smoking cessation advice than smokers/ex-smokers (59.0%). Smoker/ ex-smokers had less knowledge about the effects of smoking on oral and general health than non-smokers. Both smokers/ex-smokers and non-smokers felt dentists should provide smoking cessation advice.

The effect of spironolactone in patients with resistant arterial hypertension in relation to baseline blood pressure and secondary causes of hypertension.

PubMed

Vaclavik, Jan; Sedlak, Richard; Jarkovsky, Jiri; Kocianova, Eva; Taborsky, Milos

2013-03-01

There are currently limited data about whether the effect of spironolactone in patients with resistant arterial hypertension depends on baseline blood pressure and the presence of a secondary cause of hypertension. Patients with office systolic blood pressure (BP) >140 mmHg or diastolic BP >90 mmHg, despite treatment with at least 3 antihypertensive drugs including a diuretic, were randomly assigned to receive spironolactone or a placebo for 8 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial (ASPIRANT). Analyses were done with 55 patients treated with spironolactone. The degree of BP reduction after 8 weeks of spironolactone treatment did not differ significantly between the three tertiles of baseline systolic BP and patients with and without a secondary cause of hypertension. The reduction of office systolic, office diastolic BP and office pulse pressure was significantly lower in the highest tertile with baseline diastolic BP > 97 mmHg. Spironolactone treatment is effective to a similar extent both in patients with and without a secondary cause of hypertension and regardless of the baseline value of systolic BP. Less effect of spironolactone was found in patients with the highest baseline diastolic BP.

Combined effect of short-term dehydration and sublethal acute oral dicrotophos exposure confounds the diagnosis of anticholinesterase exposure in common quail (Coturnix coturnix) using plasma cholinesterase activity.

PubMed

Heffernan, James; Mineau, Pierre; Falk, Ramona; Wickstrom, Mark

2012-07-01

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) were subjected to controlled and replicated experiments in the summer of 2008 to investigate the effects of short-term dehydration on cholinesterase activity in brain and plasma and the interaction between dehydration and exposure to the organophosphorus pesticide dicrotophos in these same tissues. Our objective was to determine if dehydration could confound the diagnosis of anticholinesterase exposure using inhibition of cholinesterase activity in quail tissues. The effect of dehydration was quantified using measures of plasma osmolality and hematocrit. Dicrotophos exposure caused significant inhibition of cholinesterase activity in brain, while the effects of dehydration and interaction were not significant. Dehydration caused significant duration-dependent increases in plasma osmolality and hematocrit. Dehydration also caused a significant increase in plasma cholinesterase activity. Variation in the change in plasma cholinesterase activity in response to dehydration was significantly and positively correlated with dehydration-induced variation in both the change in plasma osmolality and the change in hematocrit. These correlations suggest that plasma cholinesterase activity in quail is not limited to plasma but occupies some larger pool of the extracellular fluid volume, and we suggest lymph is part of that pool. The effects of dehydration on plasma cholinesterase activity masked the inhibitory effects of dicrotophos. Here, the combination of dehydration and dicrotophos exposure produced plasma cholinesterase activity that was not significantly different from reference and pre-exposure values, confounding the diagnosis of anticholinesterase exposure in dehydrated, dicrotophos-exposed quail. A method to adjust plasma cholinesterase activities for the confounding effects of dehydration and enable the diagnosis of anticholinesterase exposure in dehydrated, dicrotophos-exposed quail was developed. Clinicians and practitioners responsible for the diagnosis of anticholinesterase exposure in birds are cautioned that dehydration, commonly observed in sick wildlife, may mask the effect of anticholinesterases on plasma cholinesterase activity.

The effects of wildfire prevention activities

Treesearch

Douglas Thomas; David Butry; Jeffrey Prestemon

2013-01-01

Eighty percent of wildfires are human caused. Unintentional human-caused fires can be caused by carelessness, failure of equipment, or a number of other factors. A significant proportion of the literature on accidents, in general, focuses on occupational accidents. Approximately 80 % to 90 % of these accidents are thought to be due to human error (Heinrich et al 1980...

[Effects of glutamic acid and glutathione on the secretory function of the stomach].

PubMed

Shlygin, G K; Vasilevskaia, L S; Ignatenko, L G

1988-10-01

Experiments on dogs with Pavlov isolated pouches and gastric fistulas have shown that the ingested solution of MSG produces a potentiating effect on maximal gastric secretion caused by pentagastrin. This effect is apparently connected with the formation of glutathione in intestine. The glutathione concentration in blood after the intake of MSG is significantly elevated. It has been established that reduced glutathione administered in blood produced the similar potentiating effect on gastric secretion caused by pentagastrin.

Does the cause of the mild traumatic brain injury affect the expectation of persistent postconcussion symptoms and psychological trauma?

PubMed

Sullivan, Karen A; Wade, Christina

2017-05-01

A controlled experiment of the effect of injury cause on expectations of outcome from mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) was conducted. Ninety-three participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions. The participants read a vignette that described a mild TBI (with fixed injury parameters) from a different cause (sport, domestic assault, fall, or motor vehicle accident). The effect of the manipulation on expectations of persistent postconcussion symptoms and psychological trauma was assessed with standard measures and a novel "threat-to-life" measure. The Kruskal-Wallis H test for group differences revealed a significant but selective effect of group on symptom and trauma outcomes (ŋ 2 s ≥ .10; large effects). Post hoc pairwise tests showed that, in most cases, there was an expectation of a worse outcome following mild TBI from a domestic assault than from the other causes (small-to-medium effects). Expectations were selectively altered by an experimental manipulation of injury cause. Given that expectations of outcome are known to affect mild TBI prognosis, the findings suggest the need for greater attention to injury cause.

Short-term exposure to JP-8 jet fuel results in long-term immunotoxicity.

PubMed

Harris, D T; Sakiestewa, D; Robledo, R F; Witten, M

1997-01-01

Chronic exposure to jet fuel has been shown to have adverse effects on human liver function, to cause emotional dysfunction, to cause abnormal electroencephalograms, to cause shortened attention spans, and to decrease sensorimotor speed. Due to the decision by the United States Air Force to implement the widespread use of JP-8 jet fuel in its operations, a thorough understanding of its potential effects upon exposed personnel is both critical and necessary. Exposure to potential environmental toxicants such as JP-8 may have significant effects on host systems beyond those readily visible (i.e., physiology, cardiology, respiratory, etc.); e.g., the immune system. Previous studies have shown that short-term, low concentration JP-8 exposure had significant effects on the immune system, which should have serious consequences for the exposed host in terms of susceptibility to infectious agents. If these alterations in immune function were long-lasting, it might also result in an increased likelihood of development and/or progression of cancer, as well as autoimmune disease. In the current study, mice were exposed for 1 h/day for 7 days to a moderate (1000 mg/m3) and a high (2500 mg/m3) concentration of aerosolized JP-8 jet fuel to stimulate occupational exposures. One to 28 days after the last exposure the mice were analyzed for effects of the exposure on their immune systems. It was observed that decrease in viable immune cell numbers and immune organ weights found at 24 h after exposure persisted for extended periods of time. Further, JP-8 exposure resulted in significantly decreased immune infection, as analyzed by mitogenesis assays, which persisted for up to 4 weeks post-exposure. Thus, short-term exposure of mice to JP-8 jet fuel caused significant toxicological effects on the immune system, which were long-lasting and persistent. It appears that the immune system may be the most sensitive indicator of toxicological damage due to JP-8 exposure. Such long-term changes in immune status may have significant effects on the health of the exposed individual.

In vitro effects of famotidine and ranitidine on lower esophageal sphincter tone in rats.

PubMed

Özer, Mahmut; Duman, Mustafa; Taş, Şükrü; Demırcı, Yeliz; Aydin, Muhammet Fatih; Reyhan, Enver; Atici, Ali Emre; Bostanci, Erdal Birol; Akoğlu, Musa; Genç, Ece

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the H2 receptor antagonists famotidine and ranitidine on lower esophageal sphincter pressure in the rat isolated lower esophageal sphincter preparation contracted with carbachol. Lower esophageal sphincter tissues of eight rats for each group were placed in a standard organ bath. After contraction with carbachol, freshly prepared famotidine and ranitidine were added directly to the tissue bath in cumulatively increasing concentrations. Activities were recorded on an online computer using the software BSL PRO v 3.7, which also analyzed the data. Ranitidine caused a small statistically insignificant relaxation in the contracted lower esophageal sphincter at the two applied concentrations. Although 1.5 x 10⁻⁵ M famotidine did not cause a significant relaxation in lower esophageal sphincter tone, this value for 4.5 x 10⁻⁵ M famotidine was 9.33%, and the relaxation was significant when compared with controls (p<0.05). Neither famotidine nor ranitidine caused any direct significant change in lower esophageal sphincter tone in the therapeutic dose range applied to the organ bath. However, the higher dose of famotidine caused a significant relaxation in the lower esophageal sphincter tone. Further in vivo human studies may affect the usage of these drugs during gastroesophageal reflux disease treatment.

Laxative effects of agarwood on low-fiber diet-induced constipation in rats.

PubMed

Kakino, Mamoru; Tazawa, Shigemi; Maruyama, Hiroe; Tsuruma, Kazuhiro; Araki, Yoko; Shimazawa, Masamitsu; Hara, Hideaki

2010-11-15

Agarwood (Aquilaria sinensis), well known as incense in Southeast Asia, has been used as a digestive in traditional medicine. We investigated the laxative effects of an ethanol extract of agarwood leaves (EEA) in a rat model of low-fiber diet-induced constipation. A set of rats was bred on a normal diet while another set was placed on a low-fiber diet to induce constipation. The laxative effect of agarwood was then investigated on both sets of rats. Pretreatment of normal rats with single dose of EEA (600 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly increased frequency and weight of stools. Also, treatments with EEA (300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days caused a significant increase in stool frequency and weight. Feeding of the animals with a low-fiber diet resulted in a decrease in stool weight, frequency, and water content and also delayed carmine egestion. A single treatment with EEA (600 mg/kg) or senna (150 and 300 mg/kg) significantly increased stool frequency, weight, and water content and also accelerated carmine egestion in the model rats. Once daily administrations of EEA (150 mg/kg), for 14 days, caused a significant increase in water content of stools. The higher doses of EEA (300 and 600 mg/kg) significantly increased frequency, weight, and water content of the stools while accelerating carmine egestion in the constipated rats. Senna (150 and 300 mg/kg) produced similar effect as the higher doses of EEA but, in addition, induced severe diarrhea. These findings indicate that EEA has a laxative effect, without causing diarrhea, in a rat model of low-fiber diet-induced constipation. These findings suggest that EEA may be highly effective on constipation as a complementary medicine in humans suffering from life style-induced constipation.

Lower energy and pulse stacking. A safer alternative for skin tightening using fractional CO2 laser.

PubMed

Motta, Marcos Matias; Stelini, Rafael Fantelli; Calderoni, Davi Reis; Gilioli, Rovilson; Kharmandayan, Paulo

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effect of different energies and stacking in skin shrinkage. Three decreasing settings of a fractional CO2 laser were applied to the abdomen of Twenty five Wistar rats divided into three groups. Group I (n=5) was histologically evaluated for microthermal zones dimensions. Groups II and III (n=10 each) were macroscopic evaluated with freeware ImageJ for area contraction immediately and after 30 and 60 days. No statistical significance was found within microthermal zone histological dimensions (Group I) in all settings studied. (Ablation depth: 76.90 to 97.18µm; Coagulation depth: 186.01 to 219.84 µm). In Group II, macroscopic evaluation showed that all settings cause significant immediate skin contraction. The highest setting cause significant more intense tightening effect initially, contracting skin area from 258.65 to 179.09 mm2. The same pattern was observed in Group III. At 30 and 60 days, the lowest setting significantly sustained contraction. Lower fractional CO2 laser energies associated to pulse stacking could cause consistent and long lasting tissue contraction in rats.

The effects of electron cyclotron heating and current drive on toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes in tokamak plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharapov, S. E.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Van Zeeland, M. A.; Bobkov, B.; Classen, I. G. J.; Ferreira, J.; Figueiredo, A.; Fitzgerald, M.; Galdon-Quiroga, J.; Gallart, D.; Geiger, B.; Gonzalez-Martin, J.; Johnson, T.; Lauber, P.; Mantsinen, M.; Nabais, F.; Nikolaeva, V.; Rodriguez-Ramos, M.; Sanchis-Sanchez, L.; Schneider, P. A.; Snicker, A.; Vallejos, P.; the AUG Team; the EUROfusion MST1 Team

2018-01-01

Dedicated studies performed for toroidal Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in ASDEX-Upgrade (AUG) discharges with monotonic q-profiles have shown that electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) can make TAEs more unstable. In these AUG discharges, energetic ions driving TAEs were obtained by ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH). It was found that off-axis ECRH facilitated TAE instability, with TAEs appearing and disappearing on timescales of a few milliseconds when the ECRH power was switched on and off. On-axis ECRH had a much weaker effect on TAEs, and in AUG discharges performed with co- and counter-current electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), the effects of ECCD were found to be similar to those of ECRH. Fast ion distributions produced by ICRH were computed with the PION and SELFO codes. A significant increase in T e caused by ECRH applied off-axis is found to increase the fast ion slowing-down time and fast ion pressure causing a significant increase in the TAE drive by ICRH-accelerated ions. TAE stability calculations show that the rise in T e causes also an increase in TAE radiative damping and thermal ion Landau damping, but to a lesser extent than the fast ion drive. As a result of the competition between larger drive and damping effects caused by ECRH, TAEs become more unstable. It is concluded, that although ECRH effects on AE stability in present-day experiments may be quite significant, they are determined by the changes in the plasma profiles and are not particularly ECRH specific.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strayer, R.F.; Edwards, N.T.; Walton, B.T.

Contaminated soil samples collected from the site of a coal liquefaction product spill were used to study potential fates and effects of this synthetic fuel. Simulated weathering in the laboratory caused significant changes in residual oil composition. Soil column leachates contained high phenol levels that decreased exponentially over time. Toxicity tests demonstrated that the oil-contaminated soil was phytotoxic and caused embryotoxic and teratogenic effects on eggs of the cricket Acheta domesticus.

Effect of corticosteroids on phlebitis induced by intravenous infusion of antineoplastic agents in rabbits

PubMed Central

Kohno, Emiko; Murase, Saori; Matsuyama, Kenji; Okamura, Noboru

2009-01-01

Purpose: Phlebitis caused by intravenous infusion of antineoplastic agents is one of the critical problems when anticancer therapy is prolonged. We have already reported that both rapid infusion and dilution of the injection solution were effective methods for reducing phlebitis caused by vinorelbine (VNR) in rabbits. The aim of this study was to explore other practical methods for preventing phlebitis caused by VNR and doxorubicin (DXR) in a rabbit model. VNR is often used with cisplatin, and dexamethasone (DEX) has been co-administered for prevention of cisplatin-induced nausea. DXR is used with prednisolone (PSL) in the CHOP regimen for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Therefore, the present study investigated the prevention of phlebitis due to VNR with DEX and that due to DXR with PSL. Methods: VNR and DXR were diluted with normal saline to prepare test solutions at concentrations of 0.6 mg/mL and 1.4 mg/mL, respectively. Each test solution was infused into the auricular veins of rabbits. Two days after VNR infusion and three days after DXR infusion, the veins were evaluated histopathologically. The effect of DEX on VNR-induced phlebitis was evaluated by infusion of DEX before or after VNR. The effect of PSL on DXR-induced phlebitis was similarly evaluated by co-infusion of PSL. Results: The histopathological features of phlebitis caused by the antineoplastic agents differed between VNR and DXR: VNR did not cause the loss of venous endothelial cells, but caused inflammatory cell infiltration, edema, and epidermal degeneration. In contrast, DXR caused the loss of venous endothelial cells and chrondrocyte necrosis. Pre-treatment and post-treatment with DEX significantly decreased VNR-induced phlebitis compared with the control group and pre-treatment was particularly effective. Co-infusion of PSL also significantly decreased phlebitis caused by DXR, but its effect was less marked. Conclusion: The present findings suggested that pre-treatment with DEX may be a useful method for preventing phlebitis due to VNR, and that co-infusion of PSL has the potential to prevent phlebitis caused by DXR. PMID:19680474

Effect of corticosteroids on phlebitis induced by intravenous infusion of antineoplastic agents in rabbits.

PubMed

Kohno, Emiko; Murase, Saori; Matsuyama, Kenji; Okamura, Noboru

2009-08-06

Phlebitis caused by intravenous infusion of antineoplastic agents is one of the critical problems when anticancer therapy is prolonged. We have already reported that both rapid infusion and dilution of the injection solution were effective methods for reducing phlebitis caused by vinorelbine (VNR) in rabbits. The aim of this study was to explore other practical methods for preventing phlebitis caused by VNR and doxorubicin (DXR) in a rabbit model. VNR is often used with cisplatin, and dexamethasone (DEX) has been co-administered for prevention of cisplatin-induced nausea. DXR is used with prednisolone (PSL) in the CHOP regimen for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Therefore, the present study investigated the prevention of phlebitis due to VNR with DEX and that due to DXR with PSL. VNR and DXR were diluted with normal saline to prepare test solutions at concentrations of 0.6 mg/mL and 1.4 mg/mL, respectively. Each test solution was infused into the auricular veins of rabbits. Two days after VNR infusion and three days after DXR infusion, the veins were evaluated histopathologically. The effect of DEX on VNR-induced phlebitis was evaluated by infusion of DEX before or after VNR. The effect of PSL on DXR-induced phlebitis was similarly evaluated by co-infusion of PSL. The histopathological features of phlebitis caused by the antineoplastic agents differed between VNR and DXR: VNR did not cause the loss of venous endothelial cells, but caused inflammatory cell infiltration, edema, and epidermal degeneration. In contrast, DXR caused the loss of venous endothelial cells and chrondrocyte necrosis. Pre-treatment and post-treatment with DEX significantly decreased VNR-induced phlebitis compared with the control group and pre-treatment was particularly effective. Co-infusion of PSL also significantly decreased phlebitis caused by DXR, but its effect was less marked. The present findings suggested that pre-treatment with DEX may be a useful method for preventing phlebitis due to VNR, and that co-infusion of PSL has the potential to prevent phlebitis caused by DXR.

The evaluation of long-term effects of cinnamon bark and olive leaf on toxicity induced by streptozotocin administration to rats.

PubMed

Onderoglu, S; Sozer, S; Erbil, K M; Ortac, R; Lermioglu, F

1999-11-01

The effects of cinnamon bark and olive leaf have been investigated on streptozotocin-induced tissue injury, and some biochemical and haematological changes in rats. The effects on glycaemia were also evaluated. Long-term administration of olive leaf caused significant improvement in tissue injury induced by streptozotocin treatment; the effect of cinnamon bark was less extent. No effects on blood glucose levels were detected. However, significant decreases in some increased biochemical and haematological parameters of streptozotocin-treated rats were observed. Aspartate aminotransferase, urea and cholesterol levels were significantly decreased by treatment with both plant materials, and alanine aminotransferase by treatment with olive leaf. Cinnamon bark also caused a significant decrease in platelet counts. In addition, any visible toxicity, except decrease in body weight gain, attributable to the long-term use of plant materials was not established in normal rats. The data indicate that long-term use of olive leaf and cinnamon bark may provide benefit against diabetic conditions. Determination of underlying mechanism(s) of beneficial effects, toxicity to other systems and clinical assessments of related plant materials are major topics requiring further studies.

Toxicological aspects of photocatalytic degradation of selected xenobiotics with nano-sized Mn-doped TiO2.

PubMed

Ozmen, Murat; Güngördü, Abbas; Erdemoglu, Sema; Ozmen, Nesrin; Asilturk, Meltem

2015-08-01

The toxic effects of two selected xenobiotics, bisphenol A (BPA) and atrazine (ATZ), were evaluated after photocatalytic degradation using nano-sized, Mn-doped TiO2. Undoped and Mn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis-diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and BET surface area. The photocatalytic efficiency of the undoped and Mn-doped TiO2 was evaluated for BPA and ATZ. The toxicity of the synthesized photocatalysts and photocatalytic by-products of BPA and ATZ was determined using frog embryos and tadpoles, zebrafish embryos, and bioluminescent bacteria. Possible toxic effects were also evaluated using selected enzyme biomarkers. The results showed that Mn-doped TiO2 nanoparticles did not cause significant lethality in Xenopus laevis embryos and tadpoles, but nonfiltered samples caused lethality in zebrafish. Furthermore, Mn-doping of TiO2 increased the photocatalytic degradation capability of nanoparticles, and it successfully degraded BPA and AZT, but degradation of AZT caused an increase of the lethal effects on both tadpoles and fish embryos. Degradation of BPA caused a significant reduction of lethal effects, especially after 2-4h of degradation. However, biochemical assays showed that both Mn-doped TiO2 and the degradation by-products caused a significant change of selected biomarkers on X. laevis tadpoles; thus, the ecological risks of Mn-doped TiO2 should be considered due to nanomaterial applications and for spilled nanoparticles in an aquatic ecosystem. Also, the risk of nanoparticles should be considered using indicator reference biochemical markers to verify the environmental health impacts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Ezetimibe on Major Atherosclerotic Disease Events and All-Cause Mortality

PubMed Central

Hayek, Sami; Escaro, Fabrizio Canepa; Sattar, Assad; Gamalski, Steven; Wells, Karen E.; Divine, George; Ahmedani, Brian K.; Lanfear, David E.; Pladevall, Manel; Williams, L. Keoki

2012-01-01

Despite ezetimibe’s ability to reduce serum cholesterol levels, there are concerns over its vascular effects and whether it prevents or ameliorates atherosclerotic disease (AD). Our objective was to estimate the effect of ezetimibe use on major AD events and all-cause mortality and to compare these associations to those observed for hydroxy-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitor (i.e., statin) use. We identified 367 new ezetimibe users between November 1, 2002 and December 31, 2009. These individuals were ≥18 years of age and had no prior statin use. One to four statin user matches were identified for each ezetimibe user resulting in a total of 1,238 closely matched statin users. Pharmacy data and drug dosage information were used to estimate a moving window of ezetimibe and statin exposure for each day of study follow-up. The primary outcome was a composite of major AD events (coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease events) and all-cause death. Both ezetimibe use (odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% CI 0.13–0.86) and statin use (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.36–1.04) were associated with reductions in the likelihood of the composite outcome. These protective associations were most significant for cerebrovascular disease events and all-cause death. Subgroup analyses by sex, race-ethnicity, prior history of AD, diabetes status, and estimated renal function showed consistent estimates across strata with no significant differences between ezetimibe and statin use. In conclusion, ezetimibe appeared to have a protective effect on major AD events and all-cause death which was not significantly different from that observed for statin use. PMID:23219178

Depletion interaction between colloids mediated by an athermal polymer blend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chervanyov, A. I.

2018-03-01

We calculate the immersion energy of a colloid and the potential of the depletion interaction (DI) acting between colloids immersed in an athermal polymer blend. The developed theory has no limitations with respect to the polymer-to-colloid size ratios and polymer densities, covering, in particular, dense polymer blends. We demonstrate that in addition to the standard compressibility-induced mechanism of the DI there exists the mechanism relying on the correlations between compositional fluctuations specific to polymer blends. We quantitatively investigate this "compositional" mechanism of the DI and demonstrate that it causes significant contributions to the effective force acting between colloids. Further we show that relative significance of the contributions to the colloid immersion energy and the depletion potential caused by the above compositional mechanism strongly depends on the mass fractions of the polymer species and their size ratio. We find out that these contributions strongly affect the range of the DI, thus causing a significant increase in the absolute value of the second virial coefficient of the effective potential acting between colloids.

Health effects of acid aerosols formed by atmospheric mixtures.

PubMed Central

Kleinman, M T; Phalen, R F; Mautz, W J; Mannix, R C; McClure, T R; Crocker, T T

1989-01-01

Under ambient conditions, sulfur and nitrogen oxides can react with photochemical products and airborne particles to form acidic vapors and aerosols. Inhalation toxicological studies were conducted, exposing laboratory animals, at rest and during exercise, to multicomponent atmospheric mixtures under conditions favorable to the formation of acidic reaction products. Effects of acid and ozone mixtures on early and late clearance of insoluble radioactive particles in the lungs of rats appeared to be dominated by the oxidant component (i.e., the mixture did cause effects that were significantly different from those of ozone alone). Histopathological evaluations showed that sulfuric acid particles alone did not cause inflammatory responses in centriacinar units of rat lung parenchyma (expressed in terms of percent lesion area) but did cause significant damage (cell killing followed by a wave of cell replication) in nasal respiratory epithelium, as measured by uptake of tritiated thymidine in the DNA of replicating cells. Mixtures of ozone and nitrogen dioxide, which form nitric acid, caused significant inflammatory responses in lung parenchyma (in excess of effects seen in rats exposed to ozone alone), but did not damage nasal epithelium. Mixtures containing acidic sulfate particles, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide damaged both lung parenchyma and nasal epithelia. In rats exposed at rest, the response of the lung appeared to be dominated by the oxidant gas-phase components, while responses in the nose were dominated by the acidic particles. In rats exposed at exercise, however, mixtures of ozone and sulfuric acid particles significantly (2.5-fold) elevated the degree of lung lesion formation over that seen in rats exposed to ozone alone under an identical exercise protocol. PMID:2707193

Development of an Integrated Toxicity Assessment System for use in Operational Deployment and Materials Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-05-01

In addition to NBC concerns, there are issues in many current military settings for exposures to toxic industrial chemicals or materials (TICs or TIMs...Significant health issues caused by use of legacy chemicals have emphasized the need for more effective predication of chemical toxicity . This paper...current military settings for exposures to toxic industrial chemicals or materials (TICs or TIMs). Significant health issues caused by use of legacy

Is survival improved by the use of NIV and PEG in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)? A post-mortem study of 80 ALS patients.

PubMed

Burkhardt, Christian; Neuwirth, Christoph; Sommacal, Andreas; Andersen, Peter M; Weber, Markus

2017-01-01

Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) are guideline-recommended interventions for symptom management in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Their effect on survival is controversial and the impact on causes of death is unknown. To investigate the effect of NIV and PEG on survival and causes of death in ALS patients. Eighty deceased ALS patients underwent a complete post mortem analysis for causes of death between 2003 and 2015. Forty-two of these patients consented for genetic testing. Effects of NIV and PEG on survival and causes of death were analyzed in a multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression. Six patients, who requested assisted suicide causing drug-induced hypoxia, were excluded from final analysis. Respiratory failure was the main cause of death in 72 out of 74 patients. Fifteen out of 74 died of aspiration pneumonia 23/74 of bronchopneumonia and 8/74 of a combination of aspiration pneumonia and bronchopneumonia. Twenty died of hypoxia without concomitant infection, and six patients had pulmonary embolism alone or in combination with pneumonia. NIV (p = 0.01) and PEG (p<0.01) had a significant impact on survival. In patients using NIV bronchopneumonia was significantly more frequent (p <0.04) compared to non-NIV patients. This effect was even more pronounced in limb onset patients (p<0.002). Patients with C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions showed faster disease progression and shorter survival (p = 0.01). The use of NIV and PEG prolongs survival in ALS. This study supports current AAN and EFNS guidelines which recommend NIV and PEG as a treatment option in ALS. The risk of bronchopneumonia as cause of death may be increased by NIV.

Modifying effect of dynamic space flight factors on radiation damage of air-dry seeds of Crepis capillaris (L) Wallr.

PubMed

Vaulina, E N; Kostina, L N

1975-01-01

The influence of dynamic factors (vibration and linear acceleration) on the rate of chromosome aberrations in Crepis capillaris was studied. The vibrational process simulated was similar in its characteristics to that occurring at the launch of spaceships. In combination with linear acceleration it caused a statistically significant increase in the rate of chromosome aberrations compared with the control (R=7.70). The dynamic factors modified the effect of radiation damage induced by acute gamma-irradiation (3 krad). Pre-radiation treatment with vibration and acceleration on the seeds caused a significant decrease (R=10.23) of the effect of radiation damage, from 15.57% to 9.74%. The post-radiation treatment of C. capillaris seeds with the dynamic factors did not change the rate of chromosome aberrations significantly (from 15.57% to 15.90%).

Reducing Visual Discomfort with HMDs Using Dynamic Depth of Field.

PubMed

Carnegie, Kieran; Rhee, Taehyun

2015-01-01

Although head-mounted displays (HMDs) are ideal devices for personal viewing of immersive stereoscopic content, exposure to VR applications on them results in significant discomfort for the majority of people, with symptoms including eye fatigue, headaches, nausea, and sweating. A conflict between accommodation and vergence depth cues on stereoscopic displays is a significant cause of visual discomfort. This article describes the results of an evaluation used to judge the effectiveness of dynamic depth-of-field (DoF) blur in an effort to reduce discomfort caused by exposure to stereoscopic content on HMDs. Using a commercial game engine implementation, study participants report a reduction of visual discomfort on a simulator sickness questionnaire when DoF blurring is enabled. The study participants reported a decrease in symptom severity caused by HMD exposure, indicating that dynamic DoF can effectively reduce visual discomfort.

Renal Effects of Long Term Administration of Triamcinolone Acetonide in Normal Dogs

PubMed Central

Osbaldiston, G. W.

1971-01-01

Triamcinolone acetonide was administered in excessive dosage to dogs to study the renal mechanism responsible for polyuria which is a clinically undesirable side effect of long term glucocorticoid therapy. Polyuria occurred coincident with a significant increase in urinary solute output. Although continuous administration of triamcinolone acetonide at 0.1 or 0.2 mg/lb/day caused a small but significant increase in creatinine output, the primary mechanism for the polyuria was increased solute excretion. Associated with the polyuria was pronounced hyperphagia and polydipsia. The cause of the hyperphagia was not established. The increase in electrolyte excretion caused by this synthetic steroid was probably compensated for by the hyperphagia. Because all the dogs showed muscle weakness and loss of body condition, it is likely that alteration in protein and amino acid metabolism was responsible for the hyperphagia. PMID:4251411

The inhibitory effect of herbal medicine -Dai Kenchu To (DKT)- on the colonic motility in rats in vitro.

PubMed

Tulimat, M A; Ishiguchi, T; Kurosawa, S; Nakamura, T; Takahashi, T

2001-01-01

Dai-Kenchu-To (DKT) is a herbal medicine and is currently used as the treatment of paralytic ileus in Japan. We investigated the mechanism of beneficial effects of DKT in vitro. DKT-extract powder (DKT-EP; 30-300 microg/ml) caused a significant inhibition on carbachol (CCH: 10(-6))-induced contraction in a concentration dependent manner of the rat distal colon. DKT-EP (100 microg/ml) consists of 20 microg/ml of Zanthoxylum Fruit, 30 microg/ml of Ginseng Root and 50 microg/ml of Ginger Rhizome. Although each of them had no effect on CCH-induced muscle contraction, the combination of three ingredients caused a significant inhibition on CCH-induced contraction.

Silibinin inhibits ultraviolet B radiation-induced DNA-damage and apoptosis by enhancing interleukin-12 expression in JB6 cells and SKH-1 hairless mouse skin.

PubMed

Narayanapillai, Sreekanth; Agarwal, Chapla; Deep, Gagan; Agarwal, Rajesh

2014-06-01

Recent studies have demonstrated silibinin efficacy against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced skin carcinogenesis via different mechanisms in cell lines and animal models; however, its role in regulating interleukin-12 (IL-12), an immunomodulatory cytokine that reduces UVB-induced DNA damage and apoptosis, is not known. Here, we report that UVB irradiation causes caspase 3 and PARP cleavage and apoptosis, and addition of recombinant IL-12 or silibinin immediately after UVB significantly protects UVB-induced apoptosis in JB6 cells. IL-12 antibody-mediated blocking of IL-12 activity compromised the protective effects of both IL-12 and silibinin. Both silibinin and IL-12 also accelerated the repair of UVB-caused cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) in JB6 cells. Additional studies confirmed that indeed silibinin causes a significant increase in IL-12 levels in UVB-irradiated JB6 cells as well as in mouse skin epidermis, and that similar to cell-culture findings, silibinin topical application immediately after UVB exposure causes a strong protection against UVB-induced TUNEL positive cells in epidermis possibly through a significantly accelerated repair of UVB-caused CPDs. Together, these findings for the first time provide an important insight regarding the pharmacological mechanism wherein silibinin induces endogenous IL-12 in its efficacy against UVB-caused skin damages. In view of the fact that an enhanced endogenous IL-12 level could effectively remove UVB-caused DNA damage and associated skin cancer, our findings suggest that the use of silibinin in UVB-damaged human skin would also be a practical and translational strategy to manage solar radiation-caused skin damages as well as skin cancer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diabetes disease management in Medicare Advantage reduces hospitalizations and costs.

PubMed

Rosenzweig, James L; Taitel, Michael S; Norman, Gordon K; Moore, Tim J; Turenne, Wendy; Tang, Pei

2010-07-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephonic diabetes disease management intervention in a Medicare Advantage population with comorbid diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD). Prospective unequal randomization design of 526 members from a Medicare Advantage segment of one region of a large national health plan from May 2005 through April 2007. High-risk and high-cost patients with diabetes and CAD who were enrolled in telephonic diabetes disease management were compared with a randomly selected comparison group receiving usual care. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to compare the groups on all-cause hospital admissions, diabetes-related hospital admissions, all-cause and diabetes-related emergency department (ED) visits, and all-cause medical costs. Changes in self-reported clinical outcomes also were measured in the intervention group. Patients receiving telephonic diabetes disease management had significantly decreased all-cause hospital admissions and diabetes-related hospital admissions (P <.05). The intervention group had decreased all-cause and diabetes-related ED visits, although the difference was not statistically significant. The comparison group had increased ED utilization. The intervention group decreased their all-cause total medical costs by $984.87 per member per year (PMPY) compared with a $4547.06 PMPY increase in the comparison group (P <.05). All clinical measures significantly improved (P <.05) in the intervention group. A disease management program for high-risk patients with diabetes and CAD was effective in reducing hospital inpatient admission and total costs in a Medicare Advantage population.

Biological Effects of Clinically Relevant CoCr Nanoparticles in the Dura Mater: An Organ Culture Study

PubMed Central

Papageorgiou, Iraklis; Abberton, Thomas; Fuller, Martin; Tipper, Joanne L.; Fisher, John; Ingham, Eileen

2014-01-01

Medical interventions for the treatment of spinal disc degeneration include total disc replacement and fusion devices. There are, however, concerns regarding the generation of wear particles by these devices, the majority of which are in the nanometre sized range with the potential to cause adverse biological effects in the surrounding tissues. The aims of this study were to develop an organ culture model of the porcine dura mater and to investigate the biological effects of CoCr nanoparticles in this model. A range of histological techniques were used to analyse the structure of the tissue in the organ culture. The biological effects of the CoCr wear particles and the subsequent structural changes were assessed using tissue viability assays, cytokine assays, histology, immunohistochemistry, and TEM imaging. The physiological structure of the dura mater remained unchanged during the seven days of in vitro culture. There was no significant loss of cell viability. After exposure of the organ culture to CoCr nanoparticles, there was significant loosening of the epithelial layer, as well as the underlying collagen matrix. TEM imaging confirmed these structural alterations. These structural alterations were attributed to the production of MMP-1, -3, -9, -13, and TIMP-1. ELISA analysis revealed that there was significant release of cytokines including IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, ECP and also the matrix protein, tenascin-C. This study suggested that CoCr nanoparticles did not cause cytotoxicity in the dura mater but they caused significant alterations to its structural integrity that could lead to significant secondary effects due to nanoparticle penetration, such as inflammation to the local neural tissue. PMID:28344233

Medications not intended for treatment of dyslipidemias and with a variable effect on lipids.

PubMed

Whayne, Thomas F; Mukherjee, Debabrata

2014-01-01

Many therapeutically active medications have significant side effects, some of which can compromise the intended therapeutic goal. The development of plasma lipid abnormalities or a dyslipidemia as the result of a medication intended for an unrelated effect has been reported. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can cause dyslipidemia as can the medications used to treat this infection. Such dyslipidemia can be a significant problem made more relevant by the already increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease faced by these patients. Some hypoglycemic medications used to treat diabetes can also be associated with dyslipidemia, most notably rosiglitazone. Antihypertensive medications are intended to decrease CV risk but are not free of dyslipidemia problems with thiazides able to cause hypertriglyceridemia and older beta-blockers without an alpha-blocking effect associated with moderate plasma lipid abnormalities and altered glucose metabolism. Estrogen administered orally can be associated with a severe hypertriglyceridemia. Currently-used antipsychotic medications have a significant association with hypertriglyceridemia. Clinicians must be aware of the dyslipidemias caused by these medications and know how to manage them, even treating a secondary dyslipidemia with another medication as in the case of HIV infection rather than trying to switch treatment of the infection in many cases. Mention is also made of lipid lowering effects of medications intended for other purposes (e.g. angiotensin receptor blockers and orlistat).

Effects of three vertebrate hormones on the growth, development, and reproduction of the tomato moth, Lacanobia oleracea L. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

PubMed

Kirkbride-Smith, A E; Bell, H A; Edwards, J P

2001-08-01

In recent years, concern has been growing that numerous manmade chemicals entering the environment are capable of mimicking endogenous hormones in wildlife. In an attempt to define and evaluate the possible impact of endocrine-disrupting substances (EDS) on insects, three vertebrate hormones were tested for their effects on growth, development, and reproduction of the tomato moth. Lacanobia oleracea. Dietary administration of estrogen or thyroxine caused a significant increase in the length of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth larval stadia (p < 0.001). The mean time for development of the pupa, however, was not significantly different between treatments. Relative to the control groups, a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the mean weights of fifth- and sixth-instar larvae was also observed when larvae were exposed to estrogen or thyroxine and in pupae derived from insects exposed to thyroxine or testosterone (p < 0.001). Despite this, the number of larvae that survived to adulthood was not affected by any of the treatments; neither was the pupal sex ratio affected. However, exposure of larvae to testosterone significantly (p < 0.05) increased the number of deformed pupae. In addition, the reproductive potential of adults derived from the testosterone treatment was markedly reduced. Exposure of L. oleracea larvae to this steroid caused a highly significant (p < 0.001) decrease in egg production. coupled with a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in egg viability. The physiological effects observed in L. oleracea and their possible causes are presented in this paper, and the likely impact of EDS and their effects on terrestrial invertebrates are discussed.

Effect of soaking, boiling, and steaming on total phenolic contentand antioxidant activities of cool season food legumes.

PubMed

Xu, Baojun; Chang, Sam K C

2008-09-01

The effects of soaking, boiling and steaming processes on the total phenolic components and antioxidant activity in commonly consumed cool season food legumes (CSFL's), including green pea, yellow pea, chickpea and lentil were investigated. As compared to original unprocessed legumes, all processing steps caused significant (p<0.05) decreases in total phenolic content (TPC), DPPH free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) in all tested CSFL's. All soaking and atmospheric boiling treatments caused significant (p<0.05) decreases in oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC). However, pressure boiling and pressure steaming caused significant (p<0.05) increases in ORAC values. Steaming treatments resulted in a greater retention of TPC, DPPH, and ORAC values in all tested CSFL's as compared to boiling treatments. To obtain cooked legumes with similar palatability and firmness, pressure boiling shortened processing time as compared to atmospheric boiling, resulted in insignificant differences in TPC, DPPH for green and yellow pea. However, TPC and DPPH in cooked lentils differed significantly between atmospheric and pressure boiling. As compared to atmospheric processes, pressure processes significantly increased ORAC values in both boiled and steamed CSFL's. Greater TPC, DPPH and ORAC values were detected in boiling water than that in soaking and steaming water. Boiling also caused more solid loss than steaming. Steam processing exhibited several advantages in retaining the integrity of the legume appearance and texture of the cooked product, shortening process time, and greater retention of antioxidant components and activities. Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Warming Aggravates Degradation-Induced Topsoil Drought in Alpine Meadows of The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, X.

2017-12-01

Climatic warming is presumed to cause topsoil drought by increasing evapotranspiration and water infiltration, and by progressively inducing land degradation in alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. However, how soil moisture and temperature patterns of degraded alpine meadows respond to climate warming remains unclear. A six-year continuous warming experiment was carried out in both degraded and undegraded alpine meadows in the source region of the Yangtze River. The goal was to identify the effects of climatic warming and land degradation on soil moisture (θ), soil surface temperature (Tsfc), and soil temperature (Ts). In the present study, land degradation significantly reduced θ by 4.5-6.1% at a depth of 0-100 cm (P < 0.001), and increased the annual mean Tsfc by 0.8°C. Warming with an infrared heater (radiation output of 150 W m-2) significantly increased the annual mean Tsfc by 2.5°C (P < 0.001) and significantly increased θ by 4.7% at a depth of 40-60 cm. Experimental warming in degraded land reversed the positive effects of the infrared heater and caused the yearly average θ to decrease significantly by 3.7-8.1% at a depth of 0-100 cm. Our research reveals that land degradation caused a significant water deficit near the soil surface. Experimental warming aggravated topsoil drought caused by land degradation, intensified the magnitude of degradation, and caused a positive feedback in the degraded alpine meadow ecosystem. Therefore, an immediate need exists to restore degraded alpine meadow grasslands in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in anticipation of a warmer future.

Comparative study of the effect of BPA and its selected analogues on hemoglobin oxidation, morphological alterations and hemolytic changes in human erythrocytes.

PubMed

Maćczak, Aneta; Bukowska, Bożena; Michałowicz, Jaromir

2015-01-01

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown to provoke many deleterious impacts on human health, and thus it is now successively substituted by BPA analogues, whose effects have been poorly investigated. Up to now, only one study has been realized to assess the effect of BPA on human erythrocytes, which showed its significant hemolytic and oxidative potential. Moreover, no study has been conducted to evaluate the effect of BPA analogues on red blood cells. The purpose of the present study was to compare the impact of BPA and its selected analogues such as bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol AF (BPAF) on hemolytic and morphological changes and hemoglobin oxidation (methemoglobin formation) of human erythrocytes. The erythrocytes were incubated with different bisphenols concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 500μg/ml for 1, 4 and 24h. The compounds examined caused hemolysis in human erythrocytes with BPAF exhibiting the strongest effect. All bisphenols examined caused methemoglobin formation with BPA inducing the strongest oxidative potential. Flow cytometry analysis showed that all bisphenols (excluding BPS) induced significant changes in erythrocytes size. Changes in red blood cells shape were conducted using phase contrast microscopy. It was noticed that BPA and BPAF induced echinocytosis, BPF caused stomatocytosis, while BPS did not provoke significant changes in shape of red blood cells. Generally, the results showed that BPS, which is the main substituent of bisphenol A in polymers and thermal paper production, exhibited significantly lower disturbance of erythrocyte functions than BPA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifting of Administrative Stay for Hydrogen Sulfide

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA lifted the Administrative Stay of the TRI reporting requirements for hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide can reasonably be anticipated to cause chronic health effects in humans and significant adverse effects in aquatic organisms.

[Reduction of automobile traffic: urgent health promotion policy].

PubMed

Tapia Granados, J A

1998-03-01

During the last few decades, traffic injuries have become one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. In urban areas, traffic congestion, noise, and emissions from motor vehicles produce subjective disturbances and detectable pathological effects. More than one billion people are exposed to harmful levels of environmental pollution. Because its combustion engine generates carbon dioxide (CO2), the automobile is one of the chief sources of the gases that are causing the greenhouse effect. The latter has already caused a rise in the average ambient temperature, and over the next decades it will predictable cause significant climatic changes whose consequences, though uncertain, are likely to be harmful and possibly catastrophic. Aside from the greenhouse effect, the relentless growth of parking zones, traffic, and the roadway infrastructure in urban and rural areas is currently one of the leading causes of environmental degradation. Urban development, which is nearly always "planned" around traffic instead of people, leads to a significant deterioration in the quality of life, while it also destroys the social fabric. Unlike the private automobile, public transportation, bicycles, and walking help reduce pollution, congestion, and traffic volume, as well as the morbidity and mortality resulting from injuries and ailments related to pollution. Non-automobile transportation also encourages physical activity--with its positive effect on general health--and helps reduce the greenhouse effect. The drop in traffic volume and the increased use of alternate means of transportation are thus an integrated health promotion policy which should become an inherent part of the movement for the promotion of healthy cities and of transportation policies and economic policy in general.

Effect of Seasonal Changes in Soil Temperature and Moisture on Wood Consumption and Foraging Activity of the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to determine whether seasonal changes cause significant effects on the foraging activity and wood consumption of C. formosanus in New Orleans and how changes in specific climatic variables affect termite foraging behavior. There was a significant correlation between w...

Image processing methods for quantitatively detecting soybean rust from multispectral images

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is one of the most destructive diseases for soybean production. It often causes significant yield loss and may rapidly spread from field to field through airborne urediniospores. In order to implement timely fungicide treatments for the most effective c...

Estrogen via estrogen receptor beta partially inhibits mandibular condylar cartilage growth.

PubMed

Chen, J; Kamiya, Y; Polur, I; Xu, M; Choi, T; Kalajzic, Z; Drissi, H; Wadhwa, S

2014-11-01

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases predominantly afflict women, suggesting a role for female hormones in the disease process. However, little is known about the role of estrogen receptor (ER) signaling in regulating mandibular condylar cartilage growth. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effects of altered estrogen levels on the mandibular condylar cartilage in wild type (WT) and ER beta Knockout (KO) mice. 21-day-old female WT (n = 37) and ER beta KO mice (n = 36) were either sham operated or ovariectomized, and treated with either placebo or estradiol. The mandibular condylar cartilage was evaluated by histomorphometry, proliferation was analyzed by double ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine/bromodeoxyuridine (EdU/BrdU) labeling, and assays on gene and protein expression of chondrocyte maturation markers were performed. In WT mice, ovariectomy caused a significant increase in mandibular condylar cartilage cell numbers, a significant increase in Sox9 expression and a significant increase in proliferation compared with sham operated WT mice. In contrast, ovariectomy did not cause any of these effects in the ER beta KO mice. Estrogen replacement treatment in ovariectomized WT mice caused a significant decrease in ER alpha expression and a significant increase in Sost expression compared with ovariectomized mice treated with placebo. Estrogen replacement treatment in ovariectomized ER beta KO mice caused a significant increase in Col2 expression, no change in ER alpha expression, and a significant increase in Sost expression. Estrogen via ER beta inhibits proliferation and ER alpha expression while estrogen independent of ER beta induces Col2 and Sost expression. Copyright © 2014 China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and Peking University. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attitudes of Students at a US Medical School Toward Mental Illness and Its Causes.

PubMed

Chiles, Catherine; Stefanovics, Elina; Rosenheck, Robert

2017-06-01

Stigma among health care providers toward people with mental illness is a worldwide problem. This study at a large US university examined medical student attitudes toward mental illness and its causes, and whether student attitudes change as they progress in their education. An electronic questionnaire focusing on attitudes toward people with mental illness, causes of mental illness, and treatment efficacy was used to survey medical students at all levels of training. Exploratory factor analysis was used to establish attitudinal factors, and analysis of variance was used to identify differences in student attitudes among these factors. Independent-samples t tests were used to assess attitudes toward efficacy of treatments for six common psychiatric and medical conditions. The study response rate was 42.6 % (n = 289). Exploratory factor analysis identified three factors reflecting social acceptance of mental illness, belief in supernatural causes, and belief in biopsychosocial causes. Stages of student education did not differ across these factors. Students who had completed the psychiatry clerkship were more likely to believe that anxiety disorders and diabetes could be treated effectively. Students reporting personal experiences with mental illness showed significantly more social acceptance, and people born outside the USA were more likely to endorse supernatural causes of mental illness. Sociocultural influences and personal experience with mental illness have a greater effect than medical education on attitudes toward people with mental illness. Psychiatric education appears to have a small but significant effect on student attitudes regarding treatment efficacy.

Anti-hypernociceptive properties of agmatine in persistent inflammatory and neuropathic models of pain in mice.

PubMed

Paszcuk, Ana Flávia; Gadotti, Vinicius M; Tibola, Daiane; Quintão, Nara L M; Rodrigues, Ana Lúcia S; Calixto, João B; Santos, Adair R S

2007-07-23

The present study examined the anti-hypernociceptive effects of agmatine (AGM) in acute and chronic models of behavioural pain in mice. Agmatine (30 mg/kg, i.p. 30 min early), produced time-dependent inhibition of mechanical hypernociception induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) injected in the mice paw (inhibition of 52+/-7%) after 4 h. Given chronically (twice a day) during 10 days, AGM significantly reversed the mechanical hypernociception caused by CFA (inhibition of 43+/-6% to 67+/-5%). Moreover, AGM also significantly reduced the mechanical hypernociception caused by partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSNL) during 6 h, with inhibition of 81+/-8%. In thermal hypernociception (cold stimuli) caused by PSNL the antinociceptive effect of AGM was prolonged by 4 h with inhibition of 97+/-3% observed 1 h after the treatment. Nevertheless, AGM failed to inhibit the paw oedema caused by CFA and the myeloperoxidase enzyme activity. Of note, AGM (10-100 mg/kg, i.p., 30 min before) also elicited a pronounced inhibition of the biting response induced by TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in mice, with mean ID(50) values of 61.3 mg/kg (47.7-78.6 mg/kg) and 30.4 mg/kg (18.6-49.8 mg/kg) and inhibitions of 75+/-5% and 66+/-6%, respectively. Together, present and previous findings show that AGM given systemically is effective in inhibiting mechanical and thermal hypernociception present in chronic inflammatory processes caused by CFA and also the neuropathic pain caused by PSNL.

Impacts of cold weather on all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Texas, 1990-2011.

PubMed

Chen, Tsun-Hsuan; Li, Xiao; Zhao, Jing; Zhang, Kai

2017-06-01

Cold weather was estimated to account for more than half of weather-related deaths in the U.S. during 2006-2010. Studies have shown that cold-related excessive mortality is especially relevant with decreasing latitude or in regions with mild winter. However, only limited studies have been conducted in the southern U.S. The purpose of our study is to examine impacts of cold weather on mortality in 12 major Texas Metropolitan Areas (MSAs) for the 22-year period, 1990-2011. Our study used a two-stage approach to examine the cold-mortality association. We first applied distributed lag non-linear models (DLNM) to 12 major MSAs to estimate cold effects for each area. A random effects meta-analysis was then used to estimate pooled effects. Age-stratified and cause-specific mortalities were modeled separately for each MSA. Most of the MSAs were associated with an increased risk in mortality ranging from 0.1% to 5.0% with a 1 °C decrease in temperature below the cold thresholds. Higher increased mortality risks were generally observed in MSAs with higher average daily mean temperatures and lower latitudes. Pooled effect estimate was 1.58% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) [0.81, 2.37]) increase in all-cause mortality risk with a 1 °C decrease in temperature. Cold wave effects in Texas were also examined, and several MSAs along the Texas Gulf Coast showed statistically significant cold wave-mortality associations. Effects of cold on all-cause mortality were highest among people over 75 years old (1.86%, 95% CI [1.09, 2.63]). Pooled estimates for cause-specific mortality were strongest in myocardial infarction (4.30%, 95% CI [1.18, 7.51]), followed by respiratory diseases (3.17%, 95% CI [0.26, 6.17]) and ischemic heart diseases (2.54%, 95% CI [1.08, 4.02]). In conclusion, cold weather generally increases mortality risk significantly in Texas, and the cold effects vary with MSAs, age groups, and cause-specific deaths. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of alpha2-adrenoceptor agents on anti-hyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine in a rat model of inflammatory pain.

PubMed

Vucković, Sonja M; Tomić, Maja A; Stepanović-Petrović, Radica M; Ugresić, Nenad; Prostran, Milica S; Bosković, Bogdan

2006-11-01

In this study, the effects of yohimbine (alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist) and clonidine (alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist) on anti-hyperalgesia induced by carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine in a rat model of inflammatory pain were investigated. Carbamazepine (10-40 mg/kg; i.p.) and oxcarbazepine (40-160 mg/kg; i.p.) caused a significant dose-dependent reduction of the paw inflammatory hyperalgesia induced by concanavalin A (Con A, intraplantarly) in a paw pressure test in rats. Yohimbine (1-3 mg/kg; i.p.) significantly depressed the anti-hyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Both drug mixtures (carbamazepine-clonidine and oxcarbazepine-clonidine) administered in fixed-dose fractions of the ED50 (1/2, 1/4 and 1/8) caused significant and dose-dependent reduction of the hyperalgesia induced by Con A. Isobolographic analysis revealed a significant synergistic (supra-additive) anti-hyperalgesic effect of both combinations tested. These results indicate that anti-hyperalgesic effects of carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine are, at least partially, mediated by activation of adrenergic alpha2-receptors. In addition, synergistic interaction for anti-hyperalgesia between carbamazepine and clonidine, as well as oxcarbazepine and clonidine in a model of inflammatory hyperalgesia, was demonstrated.

Effects of duration and other noise characteristics on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.; Powell, C. A.

1979-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effects of duration and other noise characteristics on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise. Duration, doppler shift, and spectra were individually controlled by specifying aircraft operational factors, such as velocity, altitude, and spectrum, in a computer synthesis of the aircraft-noise stimuli. This control allowed the separation of the effects of duration from the other main factors in the experimental design: velocity, tonal content, and sound pressure level. The annoyance of a set of noise stimuli which were comprised of factorial combinations of a 3 durations, 3 velocities, 3 sound pressure levels, and 2 tone conditions were judged. The judgements were made by using a graphical scale procedure similar to numerical category scaling. Each of the main factors except velocity was found to affect the judged annoyance significantly. The interaction of tonal content with sound pressure level was also found to be significant. The duration correction used in the effective-perceived-noise-level procedure, 3 dB per doubling of effective duration, was found to account most accurately for the effect of duration. No significant effect doppler shift was found.

Immunomodulatory and antioxidant protective effect of Sarcocornia perennis L. (swampfire) in lead intoxicated rat.

PubMed

Gargouri, Manel; Hamed, Houda; Akrouti, Amel; Christian, Magné; Ksouri, Riadh; El Feki, Abdelfattah

2017-11-01

Lead (Pb) is a very toxic metal present in the environment, causing disturbances of several functions. Preventive or curative effects of halophytic plants against these disorders may be a promising and safe therapeutic strategy. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate in vivo immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects of Sarcocornia perennis extract (Sp) against lead toxicity in rats. Groups of six animals each were treated with plant extract (via food), 6 g/L lead acetate (via drinking water) or a combination of both. At the end of the three-week period, rat exposure to lead caused reduction of liver weight but an increase of that of kidney. Moreover, lead intoxication-induced oxidative stress manifested by significant increases of inflammatory cytokines (except IL-10) and lipid peroxidation (TBARS), compared with the control group. Meanwhile, interleukin-10 (IL-10) and glutathione levels (GSH), as well as antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), were decreased. Considering liver and renal markers, lead treatment induced a significant increase in the activities of aminotransferases (AST, ALT), and in the levels of urea, creatinine and phosphorous, whereas total plasma protein, albumin and calcium levels were significantly decreased. S. perennis extract alone did not induce any significant changes in hepatic or renal markers, whereas the antioxidant markers were significantly increased. S. perennis supplementation significantly reduced the lead-induced elevation of serum IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and TBARS but increased the IL-10 and antioxidant enzyme activities. Overall, plant components ameliorated hepatorenal damages caused by lead.

Effect of celecoxib on the antihypertensive effect of losartan in a rat model of renovascular hypertension.

PubMed

Boshra, Vivian; El Wakeel, Gehan Abdel Hamid; Nader, Manar A

2011-02-01

Certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been reported to elevate blood pressure in some hypertensive patients, who are either untreated or treated with antihypertensive agents. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, celecoxib, on the antihypertensive effects of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) antagonist, losartan potassium. We studied the effect of oral treatment with losartan (30 mg/kg), celecoxib (3 mg/kg), and their combination on the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), plasma renin activity (PRA), and plasma prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in male Sprague-Dawley rats with renovascular hypertension (RVH) induced by partial subdiaphragmatic aortic constriction. Treatment was continued for 7 days after aortic coarctation. Aortic coarctation led to significant increases in the MAP, PRA, and plasma PGE2. In RVH rats, losartan treatment caused a significant decrease of MAP with a significant increase in both plasma PGE2 and PRA. Celecoxib caused a nonsignificant change in MAP with a significant decrease in the raised levels of plasma PGE2 and PRA. Concomitant administration of celecoxib and losartan did not significantly affect the lowering effect of losartan on MAP with a subsequent significant decrease in the plasma PGE2 and PRA in RVH rats. Therefore, celecoxib could be used in renin-dependent hypertensive patients who receive losartan, without fear of a rise in their blood pressure.

[Effect of electromagnetic pulse irradiation on mice reproduction].

PubMed

Wang, Shui-ming; Wang, De-wen; Peng, Rui-yun; Chen, Hao-yu; Gao, Ya-bing; Cao, Xiao-zhe; Cui, Xue-mei; Zhao, Mei-lan

2003-10-01

To evaluate the effect of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) irradiation on mice reproduction. Female/male Kunming mice, 6 - 8 weeks old, prior to mating, or female after pregnancy were treated with whole body irradiation by 6 x 10(4) V/m electromagnetic pulse (EMP) for five times. The pregnant mice were killed on the 18th days, and teratological markers were analysed. EMP irradiation caused no significant changes in most of female organ weight and organ/body weight ratio. But it caused significant shortening in tail length of live foetus in the female mice before conception (prior to mating) or after pregnancy (P < 0.05), and obvious decrease in male offspring ratio (0.85 +/- 0.09 vs 1.09 +/- 0.17, P < 0.05). The male offspring ratio also significantly decreased (0.76 +/- 0.18 vs 1.09 +/- 0.17, P < 0.01) after male mice irradiated by EMP. The tail length of live foetus was shortened and male offspring sex ratio was increased after both male and female mice were irradiated by EMP. EMP irradiation also caused a significantly higher fetal death rate than normal control (P < 0.05). The embryo absorption rate was increased after irradiation except that was decreased in male mice. EMP irradiation has effect on pregnancy and offspring development in both male and female mice before mating and in female mice after pregnancy.

An analysis of the effectiveness of two topical anesthetics.

PubMed Central

Rosivack, R. G.; Koenigsberg, S. R.; Maxwell, K. C.

1990-01-01

This study compared the effectiveness of topical benzocaine 20%, lidocaine 5%, and a placebo in reducing the pain caused by needle insertion when the medicament was placed in the mucobuccal fold above the maxillary canine eminence. Both topical anesthetics and the placebo were randomly tested against each other bilaterally. For uniformity the agents were left in place for three minutes before needle insertion. A 27 gauge short needle mounted on an aspirating syringe was then inserted just past the bevel. Each subject rated the degree of pain on a visual analogue scale 100 mm in length. A pulse oximeter was used to record the heart rate. The results indicate that both topical anesthetics are significantly better than the placebo in reducing pain caused by needle insertion, although no statistically significant differences were found between the two topical anesthetics. Statistically significant differences in heart rate were seen, but these differences were not clinically significant. It is concluded that benzocaine 20% and lidocaine 5% significantly reduce the pain during needle insertion. PMID:2097909

Increased mortality associated with extreme-heat exposure in King County, Washington, 1980-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaksen, Tania Busch; Fenske, Richard A.; Hom, Elizabeth K.; Ren, You; Lyons, Hilary; Yost, Michael G.

2016-01-01

Extreme heat has been associated with increased mortality, particularly in temperate climates. Few epidemiologic studies have considered the Pacific Northwest region in their analyses. This study quantified the historical (May to September, 1980-2010) heat-mortality relationship in the most populous Pacific Northwest County, King County, Washington. A relative risk (RR) analysis was used to explore the relationship between heat and all-cause mortality on 99th percentile heat days, while a time series analysis, using a piece-wise linear model fit, was used to estimate the effect of heat intensity on mortality, adjusted for temporal trends. For all ages, all causes, we found a 10 % (1.10 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.06, 1.14)) increase in the risk of death on a heat day versus non-heat day. When considering the intensity effect of heat on all-cause mortality, we found a 1.69 % (95 % CI, 0.69, 2.70) increase in the risk of death per unit of humidex above 36.0 °C. Mortality stratified by cause and age produced statistically significant results using both types of analyses for: all-cause, non-traumatic, circulatory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and diabetes causes of death. All-cause mortality was statistically significantly modified by the type of synoptic weather type. These results demonstrate that heat, expressed as humidex, is associated with increased mortality on heat days, and that risk increases with heat's intensity. While age was the only individual-level characteristic found to modify mortality risks, statistically significant increases in diabetes-related mortality for the 45-64 age group suggests that underlying health status may contribute to these risks.

Safety and efficacy of cell-based therapy on critical limb ischemia: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ai, Min; Yan, Chang-Fu; Xia, Fu-Chun; Zhou, Shuang-Lu; He, Jian; Li, Cui-Ping

2016-06-01

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a major health problem worldwide, affecting approximately 500-1000 people per million per annum. Cell-based therapy has given new hope for the treatment of limb ischemia. This study assessed the safety and efficacy of cellular therapy CLI treatment. We searched the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases through October 20, 2015, and selected the controlled trials with cell-based therapy for CLI treatment compared with cell-free treatment. We assessed the results by meta-analysis using a variety of outcome measures, as well as the association of mononuclear cell dosage with treatment effect by dose-response meta-analysis. Twenty-five trials were included. For the primary evaluation index, cell-based therapy significantly reduced the rate of major amputation (odds ratio [OR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32-0.60, P = 0.000) and significantly increased the rate of amputation-free survival (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.70-4.61, P = 0.000). Trial sequence analysis indicated that optimal sample size (n = 3374) is needed to detect a plausible treatment effect in all-cause mortality. Cell-based therapy significantly improves ankle brachial index, increases the rate of ulcer healing, increases the transcutaneous pressure of oxygen, reduces limb pain and improves movement ability. Subgroup analysis indicated heterogeneity is caused by type of control, design bias and transplant route. In the dose-response analysis, there was no significant correlation between cell dosage and the therapeutic effect. Cell-based therapy has a significant therapeutic effect on CLI, but randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials are needed to improve the credibility of this conclusion. Assessment of all-cause mortality also requires a larger sample size to arrive at a strong conclusion. In dose-response analysis, increasing the dosage of cell injections does not significantly improve the therapeutic effects of cell-based therapy. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of ibuprofen, diclofenac and paracetamol on hatch and motor behavior in developing zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

Xia, Liang; Zheng, Liang; Zhou, Jun Liang

2017-09-01

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which are widely used as pain relief medicines are causing increasing environmental concern due to their incomplete removal in wastewater treatment plant and potential toxicity on endocrine, kidney and reproduction in teleost fish. This study focused on the effects of widely used ibuprofen, diclofenac and paracetamol on the hatch and motor ability of early-stage zebrafish, by exposing embryos to the target chemicals at 5, 50 and 500 μg/L starting from 6 h postfertilization (hpf). A significant reduction in hatch rate at 55 hpf was caused by both ibuprofen (-63%) and diclofenac (-58%) at 500 μg/L. Exposure to high concentration of ibuprofen significantly decreased the spontaneous movement by 25%, and reduced the free swimming distance, duration and speed under dark condition by 41%, 29% and 30%, respectively. High concentration of diclofenac also caused 23% decrease in spontaneous movement, and reduced the swimming distance as well as active duration by 17% and 13% under light stimulation. In comparison, the exposure to paracetamol did not cause any notable effect. Among neuron related genes tested, the expression of neurog1 was down-regulated from ibuprofen and diclofenac exposure by 19% and 26%, while the expression of neurod1 was up-regulated only by ibuprofen (31%). These findings indicated that ibuprofen and diclofenac significantly affected embryo locomotivity and were potentially neurotoxic, thus posing threats to zebrafish development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Role of cytoskeletal mechanics and cell membrane fluidity in the intracellular delivery of molecules mediated by laser-activated carbon nanoparticles.

PubMed

Holguin, Stefany Y; Anderson, Caleb F; Thadhani, Naresh N; Prausnitz, Mark R

2017-10-01

Exposure of cells and nanoparticles to near-infrared nanosecond pulsed laser light can lead to efficient intracellular delivery of molecules while maintaining high cell viability by a photoacoustic phenomenon known as transient nanoparticle energy transduction (TNET). Here, we examined the influence of cytoskeletal mechanics and plasma membrane fluidity on intracellular uptake of molecules and loss of cell viability due to TNET. We found that destabilization of actin filaments using latrunculin A led to greater uptake of molecules and less viability loss caused by TNET. Stabilization of actin filaments using jasplakinolide had no significant effect on uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. To study the role of plasma membrane fluidity, we increased fluidity by depletion of membrane cholesterol using methyl-β-cyclodextrin and decreased fluidity by enrichment of the membrane with cholesterol using water-soluble cholesterol. Neither of these membrane fluidity changes significantly altered cellular uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. We conclude that weakening mechanical integrity of the cytoskeleton can increase intracellular uptake and decrease loss of cell viability, while plasma membrane fluidity does not appear to play a significant role in uptake or viability loss caused by TNET. The positive effects of cytoskeletal weakening may be due to an enhanced ability of the cell to recover from the effects of TNET and maintain viability. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2390-2399. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Delayed age at transfer of adoptees to adoptive parents is associated with increased mortality irrespective of social class of the adoptive parents: a cohort study.

PubMed

Petersen, Liselotte; Andersen, Per Kragh; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Mortensen, Erik Lykke

2018-04-24

Adverse early life experience and development may have long-term health consequences, but later environmental conditions may perhaps protect against the effects of such early life adversities. The aim was to investigate whether cause-specific and overall mortality rates among adoptees are associated with the age at which they were transferred to the adoptive family and whether the social class of the adoptive family modifies this association. A cohort of 10,592 non-familial adoptions (biologically unrelated adoptee and adoptive parents) of Danish-born children formally granted in 1924-47 and with follow-up of total and cause-specific mortality through ages up to 85 years. The rates of death after the age of 16 from all causes combined, all natural causes, all external causes, and suicide were compared according to the age at which adoptees were transferred to their adoptive family by estimating hazard ratios in Cox regression models. Death rates from all causes were significantly higher in adoptees transferred between age 1 month and 4 years compared to those transferred immediately after birth with the hazard ratio peaking at 1.19 (95% confidence limit: 1.08 to 1.32) for adoptees transferred between 6 and 11 months. This result was primarily driven by a similar pattern for natural causes of death. For death from external causes and for suicide the hazard ratios were increasing with increasing age at transfer, and tests for trend were statistically significant. The social class of the adoptive family did not significantly modify these associations. Transfer to an adoptive family later than at the time of birth may have adverse long-term consequences affecting overall and cause-specific mortality. These effects were not modified by the environment provided by the adoptive family as indicated by the social class of these families.

The effect of health system factors on outcomes and costs after bariatric surgery in a universal healthcare system: a national cohort study of bariatric surgery in Canada.

PubMed

Doumouras, Aristithes G; Saleh, Fady; Anvari, Sama; Gmora, Scott; Anvari, Mehran; Hong, Dennis

2017-11-01

Previous data demonstrate that patients who receive bariatric surgery at a Center of Excellence are different than those who receive care at non-accredited centers. Canada provides a unique opportunity to naturally exclude confounders such as insurance status, hospital ownership, and lack of access on comparisons between hospitals and surgeons in bariatric surgery outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hospital accreditation and other health system factors on all-cause morbidity after bariatric surgery in Canada. This was a population-based study of all patients aged ≥18 who received a bariatric procedure in Canada (excluding Quebec) from April 2008 until March 2015. The main outcomes for this study were all-cause morbidity and costs during the index admission. All-cause morbidity included any documented complication which extended length of stay by 24 h or required reoperation. Risk-adjusted hierarchical regression models were used to determine predictors of morbidity and cost. Overall, 18,398 patients were identified and the all-cause morbidity rate was 10.1%. Surgeon volume and teaching hospitals were both found to significantly decrease the odds of all-cause morbidity. Specifically, for each increase in 25 bariatric cases per year, the odds of all-cause morbidity was 0.94 times lower (95% CI 0.87-1.00, p = 0.03). Teaching hospitals conferred a 0.75 lower odds of all-cause morbidity (95% CI 0.58-0.95, p < 0.001). Importantly, formal accreditation was not associated with a decrease in all-cause morbidity within a universal healthcare system. No health system factors were associated with significant cost differences. This national cohort study found that surgeon volume and teaching hospitals predicted lower all-cause morbidity after surgery while hospital accreditation was not a significant factor.

Thalidomide attenuates learning and memory deficits induced by intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin in rats.

PubMed

Elçioğlu, Hk; Kabasakal, L; Alan, S; Salva, E; Tufan, F; Karan, Ma

2013-05-01

Neuroinflammatory responses caused by amyloid β (Aβ) peptide deposits are involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Thalidomide has a significant anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting TNF-α, which plays role in Aβ neurotoxicity. We investigated the effect of thalidomide on AD-like cognitive deficits caused by intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Intraperitoneal thalidomide was administered 1 h before the first dose of STZ and continued for 21 days. Learning and memory behavior was evaluated on days 17, 18 and 19, and the rats were sacrificed on day 21 to examine histopathological changes. STZ injection caused a significant decrease in the mean escape latency in passive avoidance and decreased improvement of performance in Morris water maze tests. Histopathological changes were examined using hematoxylin-eosin and Bielschowsky staining. Brain sections of STZ treated rats showed increased neurodegeneration and disturbed linear arrangement of cells in the cortical area compared to controls. Thalidomide treatment attenuated significantly STZ induced cognitive impairment and histopathological changes. Thalidomide appears to provide neuroprotection from the memory deficits and neuronal damage induced by STZ.

CF6 High Pressure Compressor and Turbine Clearance Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radomski, M. A.; Cline, L. D.

1981-01-01

In the CF6 Jet Engine Diagnostics Program the causes of performance degradation were determined for each component of revenue service engines. It was found that a significant contribution to performance degradation was caused by increased airfoil tip radial clearances in the high pressure compressor and turbine areas. Since the influence of these clearances on engine performance and fuel consumption is significant, it is important to accurately establish these relatonships. It is equally important to understand the causes of clearance deterioration so that they can be reduced or eliminated. The results of factory engine tests run to enhance the understanding of the high pressure compressor and turbine clearance effects on performance are described. The causes of clearance deterioration are indicated and potential improvements in clearance control are discussed.

Effects of vertical rotation on Arabidopsis development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, A. H.; Chapman, D. K.; Dahl, A. O.

1975-01-01

Various gross morphological end points of Arabidopsis development are examined in an attempt to separate the effects of growth on the horizontal clinostat into a component caused by rotation alone and another component caused by the altered position with respect to the direction of the g-vector. In a series of tests which involved comparisons between vertical stationary plants, vertical rotated plants, and plants rotated on clinostats, certain characters were consistently influenced by vertical rotation alone. The characters for which this effect was statistically significant were petiole length and leaf blade width.

Proton Conductivity in Phosphoric Acid: The Role of Quantum Effects

DOE PAGES

Heres, M.; Wang, Y.; Griffin, P. J.; ...

2016-10-07

Phosphoric acid has one of the highest intrinsic proton conductivities of any known liquids, and the mechanism of this exceptional conductivity remains a puzzle. In our detailed experimental studies we discovered a strong isotope effect in the conductivity of phosphoric acids caused by (i) a strong isotope shift of the glass transition temperature and (ii) a significant reduction of the energy barrier by zero-point quantum fluctuations. Our results suggest that the high conductivity in phosphoric acids is caused by a very efficient proton transfer mechanism, which is strongly assisted by quantum effects.

Bacteria permeabilization and disruption caused by sludge reduction technologies evaluated by flow cytometry.

PubMed

Foladori, P; Tamburini, S; Bruni, L

2010-09-01

Technologies proposed in the last decades for the reduction of the sludge production in wastewater treatment plants and based on the mechanism of cell lysis-cryptic growth (physical, mechanical, thermal, chemical, oxidative treatments) have been widely investigated at lab-, pilot- and, in some cases, at full-scale but the effects on cellular lysis have not always been demonstrated in depth. The research presented in this paper aims to investigate how these sludge reduction technologies affect the integrity and permeabilization of bacterial cells in sludge using flow cytometry (FCM), which permits the rapid and statistically accurate quantification of intact, permeabilised or disrupted bacteria in the sludge using a double fluorescent DNA-staining instead of using conventional methods like plate counts and microscope. Physical/mechanical treatments (ultrasonication and high pressure homogenisation) caused moderate effects on cell integrity and caused significant cell disruption only at high specific energy levels. Conversely, thermal treatment caused significant damage of bacterial membranes even at moderate temperatures (45-55 °C). Ozonation significantly affected cell integrity, even at low ozone dosages, below 10 mgO(3)/gTSS, causing an increase of permeabilised and disrupted cells. At higher ozone dosages the compounds solubilised after cell lysis act as scavengers in the competition between soluble compounds and (particulate) bacterial cells. An original aspect of this paper, not yet reported in the literature, is the comparison of the effects of these sludge reduction technologies on bacterial cell integrity and permeabilization by converting pressure, temperature and ozone dosage to an equivalent value of specific energy. Among these technologies, comparison of the applied specific energy demonstrates that achieving the complete disruption of bacterial cells is not always economically advantageous because excessive energy levels may be required. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of chronic intracortical microstimulation on neural tissue and fine motor behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajan, Alexander T.; Boback, Jessica L.; Dammann, John F.; Tenore, Francesco V.; Wester, Brock A.; Otto, Kevin J.; Gaunt, Robert A.; Bensmaia, Sliman J.

2015-12-01

Objective. One approach to conveying sensory feedback in neuroprostheses is to electrically stimulate sensory neurons in the cortex. For this approach to be viable, it is critical that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) causes minimal damage to the brain. Here, we investigate the effects of chronic ICMS on the neuronal tissue across a variety of stimulation regimes in non-human primates. We also examine each animal’s ability to use their hand—the cortical representation of which is targeted by the ICMS—as a further assay of possible neuronal damage. Approach. We implanted electrode arrays in the primary somatosensory cortex of three Rhesus macaques and delivered ICMS four hours per day, five days per week, for six months. Multiple regimes of ICMS were delivered to investigate the effects of stimulation parameters on the tissue and behavior. Parameters included current amplitude (10-100 μA), pulse train duration (1, 5 s), and duty cycle (1/1, 1/3). We then performed a range of histopathological assays on tissue near the tips of both stimulated and unstimulated electrodes to assess the effects of chronic ICMS on the tissue and their dependence on stimulation parameters. Main results. While the implantation and residence of the arrays in the cortical tissue did cause significant damage, chronic ICMS had no detectable additional effect; furthermore, the animals exhibited no impairments in fine motor control. Significance. Chronic ICMS may be a viable means to convey sensory feedback in neuroprostheses as it does not cause significant damage to the stimulated tissue.

Effects of halothane and methoxyflurane on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in rat.

PubMed

Karuri, A R; Engelking, L R; Kumar, M S

1998-10-01

Effects of acute exposure (2 h) to either 1.5% halothane or 0.5% methoxyflurane on chemical mediators of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis were evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats immediately after exposure, after the righting reflex (4 h), or 24 h postexposure. Effects of these anesthetics on hippocampal corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) were also evaluated. Methoxyflurane caused significant elevations in pituitary adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-like immunoreactivities in all three of the experiment's time groups, yet halothane failed to cause the same response immediately after exposure. Serum ACTH-like immunoreactivities were significantly elevated immediately after exposure to both anesthetics, but were not elevated at 4 and 24 h postexposure. Corticosterone (CORT)-like immunoreactivities were significantly elevated by halothane in all experimental groups, and in the 2- and 24-h groups following methoxyflurane exposure. Hippocampal CRF-like immunoreactivities remained unaffected by either anesthetic. Results indicate that a 2-h exposure to either halothane or methoxyflurane results in significant activation of the rat hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and that the activation appears to be sustained over a 24-h period.

Effects of hypergravity on rat liver regeneration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feller, D. D.

1982-01-01

The effects of centrifugation on liver regrowth were examined by measuring mitotic activity. The results indicate that the increased gravity caused a delay in the onset of mitotic activity and a significant decrease in overall mitotic activity.

The effect of antiemetics in childhood gastroenteritis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Diarrheal diseases are the second leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries and an important cause of malnutrition. An estimated 0.75 million children below 5 years of age die from diarrhea. Vomiting associated with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is a distressing symptom and limits the success of oral rehydration in AGE leading to an increased use of intravenous rehydration, prolonged emergency department stay and hospitalization. In this review we estimate the effect of antiemetics in gastroenteritis in children. Methods We conducted a systematic review of all the efficacy and effectiveness studies. We used a standardized abstraction and grading format and performed meta-analyses for all outcomes with more than two studies. The estimated effect of antiemetics was determined by applying the standard Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG) rules. Results We included seven studies in the review. Antiemetics significantly reduced the incidence of vomiting and hospitalization by 54%. Antiemetics also significantly reduced the intravenous fluid requirements by 60%, while it had a non-significant effect on the ORT tolerance and revisit rates. Conclusion Antiemetics are effective for the management of gastroenteritis in children and have the potential to decrease morbidity and mortality burden due to diarrhea, when introduced and scaled up. PMID:24564795

Betahistine metabolites, aminoethylpyridine, and hydroxyethylpyridine increase cochlear blood flow in guinea pigs in vivo.

PubMed

Bertlich, Mattis; Ihler, Fritz; Sharaf, Kariem; Weiss, Bernhard G; Strupp, Michael; Canis, Martin

2014-10-01

Betahistine is a histamine-like drug that is used in the treatment of Ménière's disease. It is commonly believed that betahistine increases cochlear blood flow and thus decreases the endolymphatic hydrops that is the cause of Ménière's. Despite common clinical use, there is little understanding of the kinetics or effects of its metabolites. This study investigated the effect of the betahistine metabolites aminoethylpyridine, hydroxyethylpyridine, and pyridylacetic acid on cochlear microcirculation. Guinea pigs were randomly assigned to one of the groups: placebo, betahistine, or equimolar amounts of aminoethylpyridine, hydroxyethylpyridine, or pyridylacetic acid. Cochlear blood flow and mean arterial pressure were recorded for three minutes before and 15 minutes after treatment. Thirty Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs assigned to one of five groups with six guinea pigs per group. Betahistine, aminoethylpyridine, and hydroxyethylpyridine caused a significant increase in cochlear blood flow in comparison to placebo. The effect seen under aminoethylpyridin was greatest. The group treated with pyridylacetic acid showed no significant effect on cochlear blood flow. Aminoethylpyridine and hydroxyethylpyridine are, like betahistine, able to increase cochlear blood flow significantly. The effect of aminoethylpyridine was greatest. Pyridylacetic acid had no effect on cochlear microcirculation.

Effects of Nitrogen Deposition and Empirical Nitrogen Critical Loads for Ecoregions of the United States

EPA Science Inventory

Human activity in the last century has led to a significant increase in nitrogen (N) emissions and atmospheric deposition. This N deposition has reached a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United St...

Efficacy of bacillus biocontrol agents for management of sheath blight and narrow brown leaf spot in organic rice

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Organic rice production has significantly increased in the U. S. over the last decade. Growers lack effective tools to manage sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani, and narrow brown leaf spot (NBLS), caused by Cercospora janseana, two major diseases affecting organic rice production. An experi...

Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2016 ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA partners with over 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, the significance of these changes, and their possible consequences for people, the environment, and society. This is the fourth edition of the Climate Change Indicators in the United States report. To summarize and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change.

The effects of ingested plastic on growth and survival of albatross chicks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sievert, Paul R.; Sileo, Louis

1993-01-01

We studied the effects of ingested plastic on the growth and survival of chicks of Laysan Albatrosses Diomedea immutabilis and Black-footed albatrosses D. nigripes on Midway Atoll during the nesting seasons of 1986 and 1987. Weights and proventricular contents of the chicks were determined periodically through the nesting cycle. Large (>22 cm1)volumes of plastic were present in the proventriculi of 27% of the Laysan and 16% of the Black-footed albatross chicks examined by endoscopy. Prior to fledging, albatross chicks regurgitated pellets composed of plastic and other indigestible material from their proventriculi. Laysan Albatross chicks with large volumes of proventricular plastic had asymptotic fledging weights significantly lower (122 g) than did chicks with low amounts of plastic. The effect of depresses fledging weights on postfledging survival was not determined. Plastic had no detectable effect on the growth of Black-footed Albatross chicks. All chicks that died were examined by necropsy. Mechanical lesions from ingested plastic were the cause of death of one of 45 Laysan Albatross chicks examined in 1986, but were not the cause of death of 93 individuals examined in 1987. Dehydration was the most common cause of death. In general, ingested plastic was not a significant direct cause of death in nestlings, but there was some evidence that it may have affected survival in 1986, when the volume of plastic ingested was highest.

The hormesis effect of BDE-47 in HepG2 cells and the potential molecular mechanism.

PubMed

Wang, Liulin; Zou, Wen; Zhong, Yufang; An, Jing; Zhang, Xinyu; Wu, Minghong; Yu, Zhiqiang

2012-03-07

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) had been used extensively in electrical and electronic products as brominated flame retardants. PBDEs are widely distributed in environment media and wildlife since they are lipophilic and persistent, resulting in bioaccumulation and bioamplification through food chains. Accumulation of PBDEs in the environment and human tissues will consequently cause potential negative effects on the ecological environment and human health. To date, some in vitro and in vivo studies have reported that PBDEs possess neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, immunotoxicity, reproduction toxicity, endocrine disrupting activity and carcinogenicity. BDE-47 is one of the most predominant PBDE congeners detected in human tissues. The objective of this study is to investigate whether low concentration of BDE-47 could cause hormesis effect in the human hepatoma HepG(2) cells, and to explore the possible molecular mechanism. The results showed that low concentration of BDE-47 (10(-10), 10(-9) and 10(-8) M) could promote cell proliferation and cause no obvious change in DNA damage or cell apoptosis, while the high concentration significantly inhibit cell proliferation. Meanwhile, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in low concentration BDE-47 (10(-10), 10(-9) and 10(-8) M) treated groups significantly elevated compared with the control group. After low concentration BDE-47 treatment, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Cyclin D1, DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) in the HepG(2) cells was markedly up-regulated. However, in DNA-PKcs inhibited cells, the promotion effect on cell proliferation was significantly suppressed. Cell cycle analysis showed a significant decrease in G1 phase after exposure to low concentration of BDE-47. Moreover, pre-exposure to low concentration BDE-47 seemed alleviate the negative effects of high concentration (50 μM) exposure to cause DNA damage and apoptosis. These results suggested that BDE-47 has a hormesis effect in HepG(2) cells and DNA-PKcs/Akt pathway may be involved in regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of pathogenicity of Alternaria pellucida and Curvularia lunata on weed Echinochloa species.

PubMed

Reza, Mohammad; Motlagh, Safari

2015-07-01

Echinochloa spp. are the most important weeds in rice fields. In this research Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida were isolated from these weeds and their pathogenicity effects were compared on these weeds and five rice cultivars in a completely random design with three replications in greenhouse conditions. Fungi were inoculated on weeds and rice cultivars, using spore suspension consisting of 10' spore ml(-1) of distilled water. Results indicated significant effect of Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida on Echinochloa oryzicola and E. crus-galli. In the present study, effect of C. lunata on fresh weight, dry weight and height of Echinochloa species based on variance analysis table, a significant reaction was observed for height and fresh weight, but for dry weight reaction was not significant. The effect of A. pellucida on fresh weight, dry weight and height of Echinochloa species based on variance analysis table, a significant reaction was observed for all the three traits. Also, rice cultivars did not show any significant reaction to C. lunata and A. pellucida. The results showed that in comparison between effect of Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida on Echinochloa spp., disease rating caused by A. pellucida on E. oryzicola and E. crusalli was more than disease rating caused by C. lunata and these species of weed were more susceptible to A. pellucida. However, A. alternata can be considered as a better promising bioherbicide to control Echinochloa spp.

Laboratory plasma interactions experiments: Results and implications to future space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Philip

1986-01-01

The experimental results discussed show the significance of the effects caused by spacecraft plasma interactions, in particular the generation of Electromagnetic Interference. As the experimental results show, the magnitude of the adverse effects induced by Plasma Interactions (PI) will be more significant for spacecraft of the next century. Therefore, research is needed to control possible adverse effects. Several techniques to control the selected PI effects are discussed. Tests, in the form of flight experiments, are needed to validate these proposed ideas.

Dietary Supplements and Risk of Cause-Specific Death, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Primary Prevention Trials.

PubMed

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Boeing, Heiner; Stelmach-Mardas, Marta; Gottschald, Marion; Dietrich, Stefan; Hoffmann, Georg; Chaimani, Anna

2017-01-01

Our aim was to assess the efficacy of dietary supplements in the primary prevention of cause-specific death, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer by using meta-analytical approaches. Electronic and hand searches were performed until August 2016. Inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) minimum intervention period of 12 mo; 2) primary prevention trials; 3) mean age ≥18 y; 4) interventions included vitamins, fatty acids, minerals, supplements containing combinations of vitamins and minerals, protein, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics; and 5) primary outcome of all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes of mortality or incidence from CVD or cancer. Pooled effects across studies were estimated by using random-effects meta-analysis. Overall, 49 trials (69 reports) including 287,304 participants met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two trials were judged as low risk-, 15 trials as moderate risk-, and 2 trials as high risk-of-bias studies. Supplements containing vitamin E (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.96) significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality risk, whereas supplements with folic acid reduced the risk of CVD (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.94). Vitamins D, C, and K; selenium; zinc; magnesium; and eicosapentaenoic acid showed no significant risk reduction for any of the outcomes. On the contrary, vitamin A was linked to an increased cancer risk (RR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.35). Supplements with β-carotene showed no significant effect; however, in the subgroup with β-carotene given singly, an increased risk of all-cause mortality by 6% (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10) was observed. Taken together, we found insufficient evidence to support the use of dietary supplements in the primary prevention of cause-specific death, incidence of CVD, and incidence of cancer. The application of some supplements generated small beneficial effects; however, the heterogeneous types and doses of supplements limit the generalizability to the overall population. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Dietary Supplements and Risk of Cause-Specific Death, Cardiovascular Disease, and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Primary Prevention Trials123

PubMed Central

Boeing, Heiner; Stelmach-Mardas, Marta; Gottschald, Marion; Dietrich, Stefan; Hoffmann, Georg; Chaimani, Anna

2017-01-01

Our aim was to assess the efficacy of dietary supplements in the primary prevention of cause-specific death, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer by using meta-analytical approaches. Electronic and hand searches were performed until August 2016. Inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) minimum intervention period of 12 mo; 2) primary prevention trials; 3) mean age ≥18 y; 4) interventions included vitamins, fatty acids, minerals, supplements containing combinations of vitamins and minerals, protein, fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics; and 5) primary outcome of all-cause mortality and secondary outcomes of mortality or incidence from CVD or cancer. Pooled effects across studies were estimated by using random-effects meta-analysis. Overall, 49 trials (69 reports) including 287,304 participants met the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two trials were judged as low risk–, 15 trials as moderate risk–, and 2 trials as high risk–of-bias studies. Supplements containing vitamin E (RR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.96) significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality risk, whereas supplements with folic acid reduced the risk of CVD (RR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.70, 0.94). Vitamins D, C, and K; selenium; zinc; magnesium; and eicosapentaenoic acid showed no significant risk reduction for any of the outcomes. On the contrary, vitamin A was linked to an increased cancer risk (RR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.35). Supplements with β-carotene showed no significant effect; however, in the subgroup with β-carotene given singly, an increased risk of all-cause mortality by 6% (RR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.10) was observed. Taken together, we found insufficient evidence to support the use of dietary supplements in the primary prevention of cause-specific death, incidence of CVD, and incidence of cancer. The application of some supplements generated small beneficial effects; however, the heterogeneous types and doses of supplements limit the generalizability to the overall population. PMID:28096125

Dopamine agonist 3-PPP fails to protect against MPTP-induced toxicity.

PubMed

Muralikrishnan, Dhanasekaran; Ebadi, Manuchair; Brown-Borg, Holly M

2004-02-01

We investigated the neuroprotective effect of the dopamine agonist, 3-PPP [3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-propylpiperidine] against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity. MPTP (30 mg/kg, i.p., twice, 16 h apart) causes significant dopamine depletion in nucleus caudatus putamen (NCP) by 1 week. 3-PPP had no effect on the monoamine oxidase-B activity (MAO-B) activity in NCP. 3-PPP did not affect dopamine uptake, whereas mazindol significantly blocked the uptake of dopamine dose dependently. MPTP-induced behavioral changes in mice were not reduced by pretreatment with 3-PPP. This dopamine agonist did not prevent dopamine depletion caused by MPTP. MPP+ (20 microM) significantly inhibited the cell proliferation of SH-SY5Y dopaminergic neuronal cells. 3-PPP had no effect on the SH-SY5Y neuronal cell growth in culture and did not block the MPP(+)-induced cytotoxicity. This study shows that the dopamine agonist 3-PPP failed to protect against MPTP-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity.

Functional changes in cerebral 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism in the mouse induced by anticonvulsant drugs.

PubMed Central

Chadwick, D; Gorrod, J W; Jenner, P; Marsden, C D; Reynolds, E H

1978-01-01

1 Acute administration of clonazepam, diazepam, and diphenylhydantoin to mice elevated cerebral 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA); chronic administration had less effect. 2 Acute administration of clonazepam and diazepam but not diphenylhydantoin raised cerebral trytophan levels; chronic administration of clonazepam caused a smaller elevation of cerebral tryptophan but chronic administration of diazepam still caused a large rise in cerebral tryptophan. 3 Neither clonazepam nor diazepam caused induction of drug metabolizing enzymes on chronic administration but diphenylhydantoin had a marked effect. 4 These data suggest that the altered 5-HT metabolism caused by these compounds is unrelated to a common action on tryptophan levels, and that the reduced effect of clonazepam and diazepam on chronic administration cannot be attributed to increased metabolism of these compounds. 5 Clonazepam induced abnormal head movements in mice in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment of animals with tranylcypromine increased the intensity of movement, although pargyline was without effect. Similar effects were observed with diazepam and diphenylhydantoin, suggesting that the increase in cerebral 5-HT caused by these compounds is of functional significance in stimulating 5-HT receptors. PMID:620092

Associations of all-cause mortality with census-based neighbourhood deprivation and population density in Japan: a multilevel survival analysis.

PubMed

Nakaya, Tomoki; Honjo, Kaori; Hanibuchi, Tomoya; Ikeda, Ai; Iso, Hiroyasu; Inoue, Manami; Sawada, Norie; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2014-01-01

Despite evidence that neighbourhood conditions affect residents' health, no prospective studies of the association between neighbourhood socio-demographic factors and all-cause mortality have been conducted in non-Western societies. Thus, we examined the effects of areal deprivation and population density on all-cause mortality in Japan. We employed census and survival data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study, Cohort I (n = 37,455), consisting of middle-aged residents (40 to 59 years at the baseline in 1990) living in four public health centre districts. Data spanned between 1990 and 2010. A multilevel parametric proportional-hazard regression model was applied to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality by two census-based areal variables--areal deprivation index and population density--as well as individualistic variables such as socioeconomic status and various risk factors. We found that areal deprivation and population density had moderate associations with all-cause mortality at the neighbourhood level based on the survival data with 21 years of follow-ups. Even when controlling for individualistic socio-economic status and behavioural factors, the HRs of the two areal factors (using quartile categorical variables) significantly predicted mortality. Further, this analysis indicated an interaction effect of the two factors: areal deprivation prominently affects the health of residents in neighbourhoods with high population density. We confirmed that neighbourhood socio-demographic factors are significant predictors of all-cause death in Japanese non-metropolitan settings. Although further study is needed to clarify the cause-effect relationship of this association, the present findings suggest that health promotion policies should consider health disparities between neighbourhoods and possibly direct interventions towards reducing mortality in densely populated and highly deprived neighbourhoods.

Associations of All-Cause Mortality with Census-Based Neighbourhood Deprivation and Population Density in Japan: A Multilevel Survival Analysis

PubMed Central

Nakaya, Tomoki; Honjo, Kaori; Hanibuchi, Tomoya; Ikeda, Ai; Iso, Hiroyasu; Inoue, Manami; Sawada, Norie; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2014-01-01

Background Despite evidence that neighbourhood conditions affect residents' health, no prospective studies of the association between neighbourhood socio-demographic factors and all-cause mortality have been conducted in non-Western societies. Thus, we examined the effects of areal deprivation and population density on all-cause mortality in Japan. Methods We employed census and survival data from the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study, Cohort I (n = 37,455), consisting of middle-aged residents (40 to 59 years at the baseline in 1990) living in four public health centre districts. Data spanned between 1990 and 2010. A multilevel parametric proportional-hazard regression model was applied to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality by two census-based areal variables —areal deprivation index and population density—as well as individualistic variables such as socioeconomic status and various risk factors. Results We found that areal deprivation and population density had moderate associations with all-cause mortality at the neighbourhood level based on the survival data with 21 years of follow-ups. Even when controlling for individualistic socio-economic status and behavioural factors, the HRs of the two areal factors (using quartile categorical variables) significantly predicted mortality. Further, this analysis indicated an interaction effect of the two factors: areal deprivation prominently affects the health of residents in neighbourhoods with high population density. Conclusions We confirmed that neighbourhood socio-demographic factors are significant predictors of all-cause death in Japanese non-metropolitan settings. Although further study is needed to clarify the cause-effect relationship of this association, the present findings suggest that health promotion policies should consider health disparities between neighbourhoods and possibly direct interventions towards reducing mortality in densely populated and highly deprived neighbourhoods. PMID:24905731

Suppressive Effects of Resveratrol Treatment on The Intrinsic Evoked Excitability of CA1 Pyramidal Neurons

PubMed Central

Meftahi, Gholamhossein; Ghotbedin, Zohreh; Eslamizade, Mohammad Javad; Hosseinmardi, Narges; Janahmadi, Mahyar

2015-01-01

Objective Resveratrol, a phytoalexin, has a wide range of desirable biological actions. Despite a growing body of evidence indicating that resveratrol induces changes in neu- ronal function, little effort, if any, has been made to investigate the cellular effect of res- veratrol treatment on intrinsic neuronal properties. Materials and Methods This experimental study was performed to examine the acute effects of resveratrol (100 µM) on the intrinsic evoked responses of rat Cornu Ammonis (CA1) pyramidal neurons in brain slices, using whole cell patch clamp re- cording under current clamp conditions. Results Findings showed that resveratrol treatment caused dramatic changes in evoked responses of pyramidal neurons. Its treatment induced a significant (P<0.05) increase in the after hyperpolarization amplitude of the first evoked action potential. Resveratrol-treated cells displayed a significantly broader action potential (AP) when compared with either control or vehicle-treated groups. In addition, the mean instantaneous firing frequency between the first two action potentials was significantly lower in resveratrol-treated neurons. It also caused a significant reduction in the time to maximum decay of AP. The rheobase current and the utilization time were both significantly greater following resveratrol treatment. Neurons exhibited a significantly depolarized voltage threshold when exposed to resveratrol. Conclusion Results provide direct electrophysiological evidence for the inhibitory effects of resveratrol on pyramidal neurons, at least in part, by reducing the evoked neural activity. PMID:26464825

Comparative effects of graphene and graphene oxide on copper toxicity to Daphnia magna: Role of surface oxygenic functional groups.

PubMed

Liu, Yingying; Fan, Wenhong; Xu, Zhizhen; Peng, Weihua; Luo, Shenglian

2018-05-01

Although the risk of graphene materials to aquatic organisms has drawn wide attention, the combined effects of graphene materials with other contaminants such as toxic metals, which may bring about more serious effects than graphene materials alone, have seldom been explored. Herein, the effects of graphene (GN) and graphene oxide (GO, an important oxidized derivative of graphene) on copper (Cu) toxicity to Daphnia magna were systematically investigated. The results indicated that GN remarkably increased the Cu accumulation in D. magna and enhanced the oxidative stress injury caused by Cu, whereas did not significantly alter D. magna acute mortality within the tested Cu concentrations (0-200 μg L -1 ). On the contrary, GO significantly decreased the Cu accumulation in D. magna and alleviated the oxidative stress injury caused by Cu. Meanwhile, the presence of GO significantly reduced the mortality of D. magna when Cu concentration exceeded 50 μg L -1 . The different effects of GN and GO on Cu toxicity were possibly dependent on the action of surface oxygenic functional group. Because of the introduction of surface oxygenic functional groups, the adsorption ability to metal ions, stability in water and interaction mode with organisms of GO are quite different from that of GN, causing different effects on Cu toxicity. This study provides important information on the bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals as affected by graphene materials in natural water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Insulin Exhibits an Antiproliferative and Hypertrophic Effect in First Trimester Human Extravillous Trophoblasts.

PubMed

Silva, Cláudia; Nunes, Catarina; Correia-Branco, Ana; Araújo, João R; Martel, Fátima

2017-04-01

Our aim was to investigate the effect of high levels of glucose, insulin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor alpha, biomarkers of diabetes in pregnancy, in the process of placentation, using as a cell model a first trimester extravillous human trophoblast cell line (HTR8/SVneo cells). Exposure of HTR8/SVneo cells for 24 hours to either glucose (20 mmol/L) or leptin (25-100 ng/mL) did not cause significant changes in cell proliferation and viability. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (24 hours; 10-100 ng/L) caused a small decrease (10%) in cell proliferation and an increase (9%) in cell viability; however, both effects disappeared when exposure time was increased. Insulin (24 hours; 1-10 nmol/L) caused a concentration- and time-dependent decrease (10%-20%) in cell proliferation; the effect of insulin (10 nmol/L) was more pronounced after a 48 hours exposure (35%). In contrast, exposure to insulin (10 nmol/L; 48 hours) showed no significant effect on cell viability, apoptosis, and migration capacity. Insulin appears to cause hypertrophy of HTR8/SVneo cells as it reduces the cell mitotic index while increasing the culture protein content. The antiproliferative effect of insulin seems to involve activation of mammalian target of rapamycin, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Finally, simvastatin and the polyphenol quercetin potentiated the antiproliferative effect of insulin; on the contrary, the polyphenol resveratrol, the polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, and folic acid were not able to change it. In conclusion, we show that insulin has an antiproliferative and hypertrophic effect on a first trimester extravillous human trophoblast cell line. So insulin might affect the process of placentation.

Climate impact of idealized winter polar mesospheric and stratospheric ozone losses as caused by energetic particle precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meraner, Katharina; Schmidt, Hauke

2018-01-01

Energetic particles enter the polar atmosphere and enhance the production of nitrogen oxides and hydrogen oxides in the winter stratosphere and mesosphere. Both components are powerful ozone destroyers. Recently, it has been inferred from observations that the direct effect of energetic particle precipitation (EPP) causes significant long-term mesospheric ozone variability. Satellites observe a decrease in mesospheric ozone up to 34 % between EPP maximum and EPP minimum. Stratospheric ozone decreases due to the indirect effect of EPP by about 10-15 % observed by satellite instruments. Here, we analyze the climate impact of winter boreal idealized polar mesospheric and polar stratospheric ozone losses as caused by EPP in the coupled Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). Using radiative transfer modeling, we find that the radiative forcing of mesospheric ozone loss during polar night is small. Hence, climate effects of mesospheric ozone loss due to energetic particles seem unlikely. Stratospheric ozone loss due to energetic particles warms the winter polar stratosphere and subsequently weakens the polar vortex. However, those changes are small, and few statistically significant changes in surface climate are found.

Designing plasmas for chronic wound disinfection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nosenko, T.; Shimizu, T.; Morfill, G. E.

2009-11-01

Irradiation with low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma provides a promising method for chronic wound disinfection. To be efficient for this purpose, plasma should meet the following criteria: it should significantly reduce bacterial density in the wounded area, cause a long-term post-irradiation inhibition of bacterial growth, yet without causing any negative effect on human cells. In order to design plasmas that would satisfy these requirements, we assessed the relative contribution of different components with respect to bactericidal properties due to irradiation with argon plasma. We demonstrate that plasma-generated UV radiation is the main short-term sterilizing factor of argon plasma. On the other hand, plasma-generated reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause a long-term 'after-irradiation' inhibition of bacterial growth and, therefore, are important for preventing wound recolonization with bacteria between two treatments. We also demonstrate that at certain concentrations plasma-generated RNS and ROS cause significant reduction of bacterial density, but have no adverse effect on human skin cells. Possible mechanisms of the different effects of plasma-generated reactive species on bacteria and human cells are discussed. The results of this study suggest that argon plasma for therapeutic purposes should be optimized in the direction of reducing the intensity of plasma-generated UV radiation and increasing the density of non-UV plasma products.

Metabolic effects of cortisol, ACTH, adrenalin and insulin in the marsupial sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps.

PubMed

Bradley, A J; Stoddart, D M

1990-11-01

The effects of cortisol, ACTH, adrenalin and insulin on indices of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism were investigated in the conscious marsupial sugar glider Petaurus breviceps. Short-term i.v. infusion of cortisol at dose rates of 0.02, 0.2 and 1.0 mg/kg per h caused the plasma glucose concentration to rise sharply from the normal range of 3.3-4.4 to 8.1-8.7 mmol/l at the end of the infusion period without significant alteration in plasma free fatty acid (FFA), amino acid or urea concentrations. Infusions of ACTH at dose rates of 0.02, 0.06 and 0.45 IU/kg per h caused a similar rise in plasma glucose concentration; however, this was now accompanied by an elevation in plasma FFA concentration, but again without significant changes in either plasma amino acid or urea concentrations. Infusion of adrenalin at 10 micrograms/kg per h caused an increase in the plasma concentrations of both glucose and FFA. Intravenous injections of 0.15 IU insulin/kg caused a rapid and marked decrease in the plasma glucose concentration within 30 min and an increase in the plasma free cortisol concentration. Associated with this change was a marked rise in the plasma concentration of both FFA and free cortisol. The rise in free cortisol was, however, significantly reduced by infusion of glucose. Pretreatment with five daily i.m. injections of 1 mg cortisol acetate/kg, which produced an increase in plasma free cortisol concentration to near the maximum of the physiological range, caused a marked reduction in insulin sensitivity. Cortisol pretreatment caused an increase in the plasma FFA and amino acid concentrations. Petaurus breviceps is highly sensitive to the metabolic effects of glucocorticoids and is similar in this respect to the brush-tailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula. The interactive effects between insulin and glucocorticoids on carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism in Petaurus breviceps are similar to those shown by Trichosurus vulpecula and some eutherian mammals but contrast with the pattern described for two macropodid marsupials, the red kangaroo Macropus rufus and the quokka Setonix brachyurus.

Molindone: higher doses needed to block pergolide-induced elevation of serum corticosterone than to elevate dopamine metabolites in brain.

PubMed

Fuller, R W; Snoddy, H D

1983-12-05

Molindone at a dose of 3 mg/kg i.p. in rats prevented pergolide-induced decreases in brain DOPAC (3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) and HVA (homovanillic acid), causing instead significant increases in these dopamine metabolites when given in combination with pergolide. Molindone alone at 3 mg/kg caused two-fold or greater increases in DOPAC and HVA and at doses as low as 0.3 mg/kg caused significant increases in these metabolites. However, molindone at 3 mg/kg and lower doses was without effect on pergolide-induced elevation of serum corticosterone, though a higher dose of molindone, 10 mg/kg, significantly antagonized this increase in corticosterone. These data support earlier findings with molindone, suggesting it has greater affinity for presynaptic dopamine autoreceptors than for postsynaptic dopamine receptors.

Effects of Diethylstilbestrol in Fathead Minnows: Part 1. Effects on Reproductive Endocrine Function

EPA Science Inventory

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages, and was used as a growth promoter in feed for beef and poultry production. After it was determined that DES caused significant adverse effects in the offspring of mo...

[The antiamnestic effect of nootropic substances in rats].

PubMed

Iasnetsov, Vik V; Krylova, I N

2013-01-01

It has been established in experiments in rats that some nootropic substances (oxyracetam, aniracetam, nooglutil, mexidol, new 3-hydroxypyridine derivative SK-170, piracetam and noopept) produce marked antiamnestic effect on various models of amnesia (induced by microwave irradiation, acute hypoxia, and motion sickness). At the same time, meclophenoxate exhibited antiamnestic effect in the first and second models of amnesia, while 9-aminoacridine derivative HTOS-404 was only effective in the model of amnesia caused by microwave irradiation. The antiamnestic effect of nooglutil and SK-170 was caused to a significant degree by activation of non-NMDA receptors of excitatory amino acids (generally AMPA receptors), while the effect of mexidol was related to GABA(A) receptors.

The effect on toxicology, biochemistry and immunology investigations by the use of targeted post-mortem computed tomography angiography.

PubMed

Rutty, G N; Smith, P; Visser, T; Barber, J; Amorosa, J; Morgan, B

2013-02-10

It is recognised in autopsy practice that investigations such as toxicology can be affected by post-mortem change. Post-mortem computed tomography angiography (PMCT-A) involves the injection of contrast agents. This could cause dilution of a biological fluid sample or cause the circulation of blood after death by mechanical pumping, and thus has the potential to affect laboratory investigations. We undertook a small sample study to consider whether targeted PMCT-A had any significant effect on subsequent samples taken for biochemical, toxicological or immunological investigations. Although the results of our study do illustrate differences between the pre and post PMCT-A results, these differences are considered not to be of diagnostic significance and not due to the direct effect of targeted PMCT-A. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal trends in the leading causes of death among a large national cohort of patients with colorectal cancer from 1975 to 2009 in the United States.

PubMed

Tong, Liyue; Ahn, Chul; Symanski, Elaine; Lai, Dejian; Du, Xianglin L

2014-06-01

To assess the distribution of proportion of deaths from causes other than colorectal cancer (CRC) over time and temporal trends of cause-specific cumulative incidence of death due to six leading causes in patients with CRC. Overall, 375,462 patients with CRC in nine Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries from 1975 to 2009 were included. Competing risks proportional hazards regression was used to examine the effect of diagnostic periods on the risk of cause-specific death. From 1975 to 2009 by 5-year interval, the proportion of deaths from causes other than CRC increased significantly with diagnostic periods according to the lengths of follow-up (P < .0001). The 5-year risk of death significantly decreased with diagnostic periods for all-cause, CRC, and circulation diseases among all age groups (<65, 65-74, and ≥75 years) but increased for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer disease among patients aged 65 years or older. Deaths due to causes other than CRC increased significantly over time regardless of tumor stage and site but more sharply in those with early-stage and distal colon cancer. The increasing leading causes of death are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer disease, which may be prevented or delayed substantially by modification or intervention in lifestyle or other factors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decline in hospitalisations due to dog bite injuries in Catalonia, 1997-2008. An effect of government regulation?

PubMed

Villalbí, Joan R; Cleries, Montse; Bouis, Susana; Peracho, Víctor; Duran, Julia; Casas, Conrad

2010-12-01

To analyse population-based data on hospitalisation caused by dog bite injuries after changes in legal regulations on dog ownership, including breed-specific regulations. Descriptive study. Hospitals in Catalonia (Spain), 1997-2008. Persons hospitalised with injuries caused by dog bites. There has been a significant decline in hospitalisation caused by injuries from dog bites from 1.80/100,000 in 1997-9 to 1.11/100,000 in 2006-8, after the enactment of stricter regulations on dog ownership in 1999 and 2002. The magnitude of this change is significant (-38%), and has been greatest in less urban settings. Government regulations were associated with a sizable decrease in injuries caused by dog bites in Catalonia. More evaluative studies in this field may provide criteria to focus future regulations and other preventive interventions.

Evaluation of effects of Mycoplasma mastitis on milk composition in dairy cattle from South Australia.

PubMed

Al-Farha, Abd Al-Bar; Hemmatzadeh, Farhid; Khazandi, Manouchehr; Hoare, Andrew; Petrovski, Kiro

2017-11-25

Mycoplasma mastitis is increasingly posing significant impact on dairy industry. Although the effects of major conventional mastitis pathogens on milk components has been widely addressed in the literature, limited data on the effects of different Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma spp. on milk quality and quantity is available. The aim of this study was to determine the casual relationship of Mycoplasma spp. and A. laidlawii to mastitis and compare them to subclinical mastitis caused by conventional mastitis pathogens from a single dairy herd in South Australia; Mycoplasma spp. and A. laidlawii were detected using PCR applied directly to milk samples. The herd had mastitis problem with high somatic cell count and low response rate to conventional antimicrobial therapy. A total of 288 cow-level milk samples were collected aseptically and used in this study. Conventional culture showed a predominance of coagulase-negative staphylococci, followed by coagulase-positive staphylococci, Streptococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., E. coli, and Klebsiella spp. PCR results showed a high prevalence of mycoplasmas (76.7%), including A. laidlawii (10.8%), M. bovis (6.2%), M. bovirhinis (5.6%), M. arginini (2%), and (52.1%) of cows were co-infected with two or more Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma species. Mycoplasma co-infection significantly increased somatic cell counts (SCC) similar to conventional mastitis pathogens and compared to non-infected cows with 389.3, 550.3 and 67.3 respectively; and decreased the milk yield with 29.0, 29.9 and 34.4 l, respectively. Mycoplasma co-infection caused significant increase in protein percentage, and significant decrease in fat percentage and total milk solids, similar to other conventional mastitis pathogens. In contrast, changes in milk composition and yield caused by various individual Mycoplasma species were non-significant. Mycoplasma mastitis had on-farm economic consequences similar to common conventional mastitis pathogens. Results of our study indicate that co-infection Mycoplasma mastitis caused similar effect on milk composition to other mastitis pathogens and we hope these findings raise the awareness of the importance of their detection on routine diagnostic panels.

Hard-to-cook phenomenon in chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L): effect of accelerated storage on quality.

PubMed

Reyes-Moreno, C; Okamura-Esparza, J; Armienta-Rodelo, E; Gómez-Garza, R M; Milán-Carrillo, J

2000-01-01

Storage, at high temperature (> or = 25 degrees C) and high relative humidity (> or = 65%), causes development of hard to cook (HTC) phenomenon in grain legumes. The objective of this work was to study the effect of storage simulating tropical conditions on chickpeas quality. The hardening of the Surutato 77, Mocorito 88, and Blanco Sinaloa 92 chickpea varieties was produced using adverse storage (32 +/- 1 degrees C, RH = 75%, 160 days) conditions. For all samples, the Hunter 'L' values decreased and deltaE values increased during storage, meaning a loss of color lightness and development of darkening. Accelerated storage caused a significant decrease in the water absorption capacities and cooking times of whole seeds, cotyledons and seed coats of all samples, being more pronounced in The Blanco Sinaloa 92 variety. Furthermore, storage produced significant decreases in the seed coat tannin content of the three materials; this parameter increased significantly in the cotyledon. In all samples, the levels of phytic acid decreased significantly with the seed hardness. Hardening of chickpea grains caused a decrease in the in vitro protein digestibilities of all varieties. These results suggest that both the cotyledon and seed coat play a significant role in the process of chickpea hardening. Blanco Sinaloa 92 and Mocorito 88 might be classified as varieties with high and low proneness, respectively, to the development of the HTC condition.

Characterization of anti-inflammatory properties and evidence for no sedation liability for the novel antihistamine SUN-1334H.

PubMed

Mandhane, Sanjay N; Shah, Jigar H; Bahekar, Prashant C; Mehetre, Sameer V; Pawar, Chandrashekhar A; Bagad, Ashish S; Chidrewar, Gajanan U; Rao, Chitturi Trinadha; Rajamannar, Thennati

2010-01-01

The anti-inflammatory potential of antihistamines has significant clinical utility. Long-term pharmacotherapy of so-called 'safe' antihistamines may be hampered by side effects in the central nervous system. In the present study, the new potential antihistamine SUN-1334H was compared with different antihistamines for anti-inflammatory effects, sedation potential and interaction with alcohol. Nasal and skin allergy were induced in guinea pig and mice by ovalbumin sensitization and challenge. Neurogenic nasal inflammation was induced by capsaicin. Sedation potential and interaction with alcohol were assessed by i.v. and intracerebroventricular pentobarbital-induced sedation and alcohol-induced ataxia models. Ovalbumin sensitization and challenge caused rhinitis pathology including inflammatory cell infiltration, IL-4, and protein leakage in the nasal lavage fluid (NLF) and presence of inflammatory cells in nasal epithelium. A 5-day treatment of antihistamines reduced these markers of inflammation. SUN-1334H, cetirizine and hydroxyzine caused comparable inhibition of NLF leukocytes, IL-4 and total protein concentrations. Fexofenadine and desloratadine showed moderate inhibition of NLF leukocytes and had no significant effect on IL-4 concentration. While fexofenadine had no effect on total protein concentration, the effect of desloratadine was comparable with the other antihistamines. In neurogenic nasal inflammation induced by capsaicin, SUN-1334H and fexofenadine caused better inhibition at lower and middle dose levels than the other antihistamines. In skin allergy models, SUN-1334H showed potent reduction of passive and active cutaneous anaphylactic reactions. In central nervous system side effects models, SUN-1334H, desloratadine and fexofenadine were devoid of any significant effects. The results are suggestive of a high anti-inflammatory to sedation index of SUN-1334H among leading antihistamines.

76 FR 5272 - Removal of Limitation of Approval of Prevention of Significant Deterioration Provisions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Administrative Procedure Act (APA). DATES: This action is effective January 31, 2011. ADDRESSES: EPA has...'' exemption in section 553(b)(3)(B) of the APA. That provision authorizes agencies, upon finding ``good cause... CFR 52.53 that no longer serves any purpose. EPA also finds that there is good cause under APA section...

76 FR 5274 - Removal of Limitation of Approval of Prevention of Significant Deterioration Provisions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-31

... Administrative Procedure Act (APA). DATES: This action is effective January 31, 2011. ADDRESSES: EPA has...)(3)(B) of the APA. That provision authorizes agencies, upon finding ``good cause,'' to dispense with... any purpose. EPA also finds that there is good cause under APA section 553(d)(3) for this action to...

Tillage, Fungicide, and Cultivar Effects on Frogeye Leaf Spot Severity and Yield in Soybean

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Frogeye leaf spot (FLS) of soybean, caused by Cercospora sojina K. Hara, has been a problem in the southern USA for many years but has recently become an increasing problem causing significant yield losses in the northern USA. This increase in disease severity in the north USA has been attributed t...

Effects of forcing uncertainties in the improvement skills of assimilating satellite soil moisture retrievals into flood forecasting models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Floods have negative impacts on society, causing damages in infrastructures and industry, and in the worst cases, causing loss of human lives. Thus early and accurate warning is crucial to significantly reduce the impacts on public safety and economy. Reliable flood warning can be generated using ...

Causes of Nonattendance and Its Effect on Student Achievement at the High School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bracht, Kelly D.

2010-01-01

Many high schools in America have issues with student nonattendance. The researcher designed this mixed methods study to determine the affect of nonattendance on student achievement and to ascertain whether home-related factors or school-related factors were more significant causes of nonattendance. Both the high school in this study and other…

Evaluation of Baroreflex Effectiveness Index during Real and Simulated Microgravity: Relation to Orthostatic Intolerance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Rachel; Stenger, Michael; Platts, Steven; Lee, Stuart

2013-01-01

Bed Rest and Space Flight cause a significant decrease in BEI. BR causes similar changes to BEI as SF. BEI may not correlate with subjects experiencing presyncope, but error is high and n is low. Compression Garments have the potential to restore BEI after short duration BR, but do not prevent recovery.

EDTA ameliorates phytoextraction of lead and plant growth by reducing morphological and biochemical injuries in Brassica napus L. under lead stress.

PubMed

Kanwal, Urooj; Ali, Shafaqat; Shakoor, Muhammad Bilal; Farid, Mujahid; Hussain, Sabir; Yasmeen, Tahira; Adrees, Muhammad; Bharwana, Saima Aslam; Abbas, Farhat

2014-01-01

Brassica species are very effective in remediation of heavy metal contaminated sites. Lead (Pb) as a toxic pollutant causes number of morphological and biochemical variations in the plants. Synthetic chelator such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) improves the capability of plants to uptake heavy metals from polluted soil. In this regard, the role of EDTA in phytoextraction of lead, the seedlings of Brassica napus L. were grown hydroponically. Lead levels (50 and 100 μM) were supplied alone or together with 2.5 mM EDTA in the nutrient culture. After 7 weeks of stress, plants indicated that toxicity of Pb caused negative effects on plants and significantly reduced growth, biomass, chlorophyll content, gas exchange characteristics, and antioxidant enzymes activities such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and catalase (CAT). Exposure to Pb induced the malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generation in both shoots and roots. The addition of EDTA alone or in combination with Pb significantly improved the plant growth, biomass, gas exchange characteristics, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzymes activities. EDTA also caused substantial improvement in Pb accumulation in Brassica plants. It can be deduced that application of EDTA significantly lessened the adverse effects of lead toxicity. Additionally, B. napus L. exhibited greater degree of tolerance against Pb toxicity and it also accumulated significant concentration of Pb from media.

Zebrafish embryo toxicity of anaerobic biotransformation products from the insensitive munitions compound 2,4-dinitroanisole.

PubMed

Olivares, Christopher I; Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes; Abrell, Leif; Chorover, Jon; Simonich, Michael; Tanguay, Robert L; Field, Jim A

2016-11-01

2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is an emerging insensitive munitions compound that readily undergoes anaerobic nitro-group reduction to 2-methoxy-5-nitroaniline (MENA) and 2,4-diaminoanisole (DAAN), followed by formation of unique azo dimers. Currently there is little knowledge on the ecotoxicity of DNAN (bio)transformation products. In the present study, mortality, development, and behavioral effects of DNAN (bio)transformation products were assessed using zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. The authors tested individual products, MENA and DAAN, as well as dimer and trimer surrogates. As pure compounds, 3-nitro-4-methoxyaniline and 2,2'-dimethoxy-4,4'-azodianiline caused statistically significant effects, with lowest-observable-adverse effect levels (LOAEL) at 6.4 μM on 1 or 2 developmental endpoints, respectively. The latter had 6 additional statistically significant developmental endpoints with LOAELs of 64 μM. Based on light-to-dark swimming behavioral tests, DAAN (640 μM) caused reduction in swimming, suggestive of neurotoxicity. No statistically significant mortality occurred (≤64 μM) for any of the individual compounds. However, metabolite mixtures formed during different stages of MENA (bio)transformation in soil were characterized using high-resolution mass spectrometry in parallel with zebrafish embryo toxicity assays, which demonstrated statistically significant mortality during the onset of azo-dimer formation. Overall the results indicate that several DNAN (bio)transformation products cause different types of toxicity to zebrafish embryos. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2774-2781. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Oxidative metabolism of limbic structures after acute administration of diazepam, alprazolam and zolpidem.

PubMed

González-Pardo, Héctor; Conejo, Nélida M; Arias, Jorge L

2006-08-30

The effects of acute administration of two benzodiazepines and a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic on behavior and brain metabolism were evaluated in rats. After testing the behavioral action of the benzodiazepines on the open field and the elevated plus-maze, the effects of the three drugs on neuronal metabolism of particular limbic regions were measured using cytochrome c oxidase (CO) histochemistry. Diazepam (5 mg/kg i.p.) and alprazolam (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) induced clear anxiolytic effects and a decrease in locomotion, whereas zolpidem (2 mg/kg i.p.) caused an intense hypnotic effect. The anxiolytic effects of alprazolam were distinguishable from diazepam due to the pharmacological and clinical profile of this triazolobenzodiazepine. CO activity decreased significantly in almost all the limbic regions evaluated after zolpidem administration. However, significant prominent decreases in CO activity were found after diazepam treatment in the medial mammillary nucleus, anteroventral thalamus, cingulate cortex, dentate gyrus and basolateral amygdala. Alprazolam caused similar decreases in CO activity, with the exception of the prelimbic and cingulate cortices, where significant increases were detected. In agreement with previous studies using other functional mapping techniques, our results indicate that particular benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics induce selective changes in brain oxidative metabolism.

Antiplatelet effects of protopine isolated from Corydalis tubers.

PubMed

Ko, F N; Wu, T S; Lu, S T; Wu, Y C; Huang, T F; Teng, C M

1989-10-15

Protopine inhibited the aggregation and ATP release of rabbit platelets induced by ADP, arachidonic acid, PAF, collagen and ionophore A23187. Although the platelet aggregation caused by thrombin was not inhibited by protopine (100 micrograms/ml), the release reaction was partially suppressed. In rabbit platelet-rich plasma, protopine also inhibited the platelet aggregation caused by ADP, arachidonic acid, PAF and collagen. The thromboxane B2 formation of washed platelets caused by arachidonic acid, collagen, ionophore A23187 and thrombin was suppressed by protopine. Protopine inhibited the intracellular calcium increase caused by arachidonic acid in quin-2/AM loaded rabbit platelets. In the presence of indomethacin, the intracellular calcium increase caused by collagen and PAF was completely suppressed by protopine, and the intracellular calcium increase caused by thrombin was partially inhibited. The phosphoinositides breakdown caused by collagen and PAF was inhibited by protopine, but that by thrombin was not affected significantly. Protopine did not cause the elevation of cyclic AMP level of platelets. It is concluded that the antiplatelet effects of protopine is due to inhibition on thromboxane formation and phosphoinositides breakdown and then lead to the decrease of intracellular calcium concentration.

Effects of propofol and sevoflurane on isolated human umbilical arteries pre-contracted with dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline.

PubMed

Gunduz, Ergun; Arun, Oguzhan; Bagci, Sengal Taylan; Oc, Bahar; Salman, Alper; Yilmaz, Setenay Arzu; Celik, Cetin; Duman, Ates

2015-05-01

To assess the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on the contraction elicited by dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline on isolated human umbilical arteries. Umbilical arteries were cut into endothelium-denuded spiral strips and suspended in organ baths containing Krebs-Henseleit solution bubbled with O2 +CO2 mixture. Control contraction to phenylephrine (10(-5)  M) was recorded. Response curves were obtained to 10(-5)  M dopamine, 10(-5)  M adrenaline or 10(-5)  M noradrenaline. Afterwards, either cumulative propofol (10(-6)  M, 10(-5)  M and 10(-4)  M) or cumulative sevoflurane (1.2%, 2.4% and 3.6%) was added to the organ bath, and the responses were recorded. Responses are expressed percentage of phenylephrine-induced contraction (mean ± standard deviation) (P < 0.05 = significance). Propofol and sevoflurane elicited concentration-dependent relaxations in strips pre-contracted with dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline (P < 0.05). Highest (10(-4)  M) concentration of propofol caused significantly higher relaxation compared with the highest (3.6%) concentration of sevoflurane in the contraction elicited by dopamine. High (10(-5)  M) and highest concentrations of propofol caused significantly higher relaxation compared with the high (2.4%) and highest concentrations of sevoflurane on the contraction elicited by adrenaline. High and highest concentrations of sevoflurane caused significantly higher relaxation compared with the high and highest concentrations of propofol on the contraction elicited by noradrenaline. Dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline elicit contractions in human umbilical arteries, and noradrenaline causes the highest contraction. Both propofol and sevoflurane inhibit these contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Propofol caused greater relaxation in the contractions elicited by dopamine and adrenaline while sevoflurane caused greater relaxation in the contraction elicited by noradrenaline. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Effect of cevimeline on radiation-induced salivary gland dysfunction and AQP5 in submandibular gland in mice.

PubMed

Takakura, Katsuhiro; Takaki, Sachiko; Takeda, Ienaka; Hanaue, Nobuyuki; Kizu, Yasuhiro; Tonogi, Morio; Yamane, Gen-yuki

2007-05-01

The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of the muscarinic receptor agonist, cevimeline, on saliva flow and expression of aquaporin5 (AQP5) in submandibular gland after X-ray irradiation. Using a previously established radiation-induced xerostomia model mouse, saliva flow from at 7 days before irradiation to at 28 days after irradiation was investigated in mice that were treated with cevimeline before or after irradiation. Radiation caused a significant decrease in saliva flow compared with nonirradiated salivary glands. Cevimeline post-treatment also caused a significant decrease in saliva flow. In contrast, cevimeline pre-treatment did not significantly decrease saliva flow. Expression of AQP5 fluorescent intensity and mRNA were also analyzed. Irradiation significantly decreased expression of AQP5 in submandibular gland. However, pre-treatment with cevimeline prevented this decrease in AQP5 expression. These data suggest that pretreatment with cevimeline prevents radiation-induced xerostomia and radiation-induced decrease in expression of AQP5 in submandibular gland.

Effect of calcium channels blockers and inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system on renal outcomes and mortality in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhao, Hong-Jin; Li, Yan; Liu, Shan-Mei; Sun, Xiang-Guo; Li, Min; Hao, Yan; Cui, Lian-Qun; Wang, Ai-Hong

2016-07-01

The renoprotective effect of inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been identified through placebo-controlled trials. However, the effect of calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) on renal system is still controversial. Our current meta-analysis includes available evidences to compare the effect of dihydropyridine CCBs and ACEIs or ARBs on renal outcomes and mortality. We also further investigate whether CCBs can be used in combination with inhibitors of RAS to improve the prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Electronic databases were searched up to July 2012, for clinical randomized controlled trials, assessing the effect of dihydropyridine CCBs on the incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and all-cause mortality in contrast to ACEIs or ARBs. Eight clinical trials were included containing 25,647 participants. ESRD showed significantly higher frequency with CCBs therapy compared with ACEIs or ARBs therapy, though blood pressure was decreased similarly in both groups in every trial (OR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.48; p = 0.01). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the incidence of all-cause mortality between these two groups, though ACEIs or ARBs exhibited better renoprotective effect compared to CCBs (OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.89-1.03; p = 0.24). CCBs did not increase all-cause mortality incidence in patients with CKD though they displayed weaker renoprotective, compared to ACEIs or ARBs therapy. Our results suggest the combination of a CCB and an ACEI or ARB should be a preferable antihypertensive therapy in patients with CKD, considering their higher effect in decreasing blood pressure and fewer adverse metabolic problems caused.

Effects of Taxol plus radiation on the apoptotic and mitotic indices of mouse intestinal crypt cells.

PubMed

Ozkan, L; Ozuysal, S; Egeli, U; Adim, S B; Tunca, B; Aydemir, N; Ceçener, G; Ergül, E; Akpinar, G; Cimen, C; Engin, K; Ahmed, M M

2001-07-01

In this study we investigated the effect of Taxol, radiation, or Taxol plus radiation on highly proliferative normal tissue--the intestinal crypt cells of Swiss albino mice. Swiss-albino mice, 3-4 months old, were used in this study. Taxol was administered by bolus intravenously through the tail vein. Radiation was given using a linear accelerator. There were four treatment categories, which comprised a total of 34 groups. Each group consisted of five animals. The first category was a control category which comprised one group (n = 5). The second treatment category was Taxol alone which comprised three groups (n = 15). The third treatment category was radiation alone which comprised three groups (n = 15). The fourth treatment category was Taxol plus radiation which comprised 27 groups (n = 135). Mice were killed 24 h after Taxol or radiation or combined administration using ether anesthesia. Using a light microscope, apoptotic and mitotic indices were counted on jejunal crypt cells of mice that were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Differences between groups were statistically evaluated with Student's t-test. Taxol caused a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis (P = 0.045) and decreased the mitotic index (P = 0.006) at high doses. Similarly, radiation caused a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis (P = 0.046) and decreased the mitotic index (P = 0.299) at higher radiation doses. Compared to radiation alone, Taxol caused a significant induction of apoptosis (P = 0.010). In combination, no significant radiosensitizing effect of Taxol was observed (enhancement ratio < 1), when compared to radiation alone. However, an increase in apoptosis was observed after 24 h of Taxol exposure when compared to 12 or 48 h of Taxol exposure (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0001). These findings suggest that Taxol did not cause a radiosensitizing effect in intestinal crypt cells. However, a 24-hour pretreatment of Taxol exposure followed by radiation caused significant induction of apoptosis and reduction of the mitotic index when compared to other Taxol timing sequences. Thus, the lack of a radiosensitizing effect of Taxol in these proliferative cells may be due to enhanced mitotic death rather than apoptotic death.

Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli*

PubMed Central

Yuan, Gao-feng; Sun, Bo; Yuan, Jing; Wang, Qiao-mei

2009-01-01

The effects of five domestic cooking methods, including steaming, microwaving, boiling, stir-frying, and stir-frying followed by boiling (stir-frying/boiling), on the nutrients and health-promoting compounds of broccoli were investigated. The results show that all cooking treatments, except steaming, caused significant losses of chlorophyll and vitamin C and significant decreases of total soluble proteins and soluble sugars. Total aliphatic and indole glucosinolates were significantly modified by all cooking treatments but not by steaming. In general, the steaming led to the lowest loss of total glucosinolates, while stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling presented the highest loss. Stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling, the two most popular methods for most homemade dishes in China, cause great losses of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, and glucosinolates, but the steaming method appears the best in retention of the nutrients in cooking broccoli. PMID:19650196

Reducing the health burden of HPV infection through vaccination.

PubMed

Soper, David

2006-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection and the etiologic cause of genital warts and cervical cancer, is highly prevalent in sexually active men and women. Although cervical screening procedures have significantly reduced the disease burden associated with HPV infection, they are expensive and abnormal results cause significant emotional distress. Therefore, prevention may be an effective strategy for reducing the economic, psychosocial, and disease burden of HPV infection. Multivalent vaccines are now in clinical development. A bivalent vaccine that protects against HPV 16 and 18, and a quadrivalent vaccine which protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, have been shown to significantly reduce the occurrence of incident and persistent HPV infections in phase 2 clinical trials; phase 3 trials are currently underway. HPV vaccines will be most effective when administered prior to initiation of sexual activity, and vaccination campaigns should aggressively target preadolescent and adolescent populations.

Reducing the Health Burden of HPV Infection Through Vaccination

PubMed Central

Soper, David

2006-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection and the etiologic cause of genital warts and cervical cancer, is highly prevalent in sexually active men and women. Although cervical screening procedures have significantly reduced the disease burden associated with HPV infection, they are expensive and abnormal results cause significant emotional distress. Therefore, prevention may be an effective strategy for reducing the economic, psychosocial, and disease burden of HPV infection. Multivalent vaccines are now in clinical development. A bivalent vaccine that protects against HPV 16 and 18, and a quadrivalent vaccine which protects against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, have been shown to significantly reduce the occurrence of incident and persistent HPV infections in phase 2 clinical trials; phase 3 trials are currently underway. HPV vaccines will be most effective when administered prior to initiation of sexual activity, and vaccination campaigns should aggressively target preadolescent and adolescent populations. PMID:16967913

Discovery and Optimization of 5-Amino-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamide Series against Trypanosoma cruzi.

PubMed

Brand, Stephen; Ko, Eun Jung; Viayna, Elisabet; Thompson, Stephen; Spinks, Daniel; Thomas, Michael; Sandberg, Lars; Francisco, Amanda F; Jayawardhana, Shiromani; Smith, Victoria C; Jansen, Chimed; De Rycker, Manu; Thomas, John; MacLean, Lorna; Osuna-Cabello, Maria; Riley, Jennifer; Scullion, Paul; Stojanovski, Laste; Simeons, Frederick R C; Epemolu, Ola; Shishikura, Yoko; Crouch, Sabrinia D; Bakshi, Tania S; Nixon, Christopher J; Reid, Iain H; Hill, Alan P; Underwood, Tim Z; Hindley, Sean J; Robinson, Sharon A; Kelly, John M; Fiandor, Jose M; Wyatt, Paul G; Marco, Maria; Miles, Timothy J; Read, Kevin D; Gilbert, Ian H

2017-09-14

Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is the most common cause of cardiac-related deaths in endemic regions of Latin America. There is an urgent need for new safer treatments because current standard therapeutic options, benznidazole and nifurtimox, have significant side effects and are only effective in the acute phase of the infection with limited efficacy in the chronic phase. Phenotypic high content screening against the intracellular parasite in infected VERO cells was used to identify a novel hit series of 5-amino-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxamides (ATC). Optimization of the ATC series gave improvements in potency, aqueous solubility, and metabolic stability, which combined to give significant improvements in oral exposure. Mitigation of a potential Ames and hERG liability ultimately led to two promising compounds, one of which demonstrated significant suppression of parasite burden in a mouse model of Chagas' disease.

Effects of leisure-time and occupational physical activity on total mortality risk in NHANES III according to sex, ethnicity, central obesity, and age.

PubMed

Richard, Aline; Martin, Brian; Wanner, Miriam; Eichholzer, Monika; Rohrmann, Sabine

2015-02-01

Associations of physical activity with all-cause mortality seem to be quite strong, but little is known about potential effect modifiers as sex, race/ethnicity, age, and obesity. Data of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), conducted 1988-1994 with mortality follow-up until 2006, were used to compare mortality risk between different levels of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and occupational physical activity (OPA). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). LTPA (n = 15,307) was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.64-0.88 for regular vs. no LTPA). There was a statistically significant interaction with age (P = .03), with participants over 60 years of age benefitting more from regular or irregular LTPA. OPA was positively associated with all-cause mortality (HR 1.25, 95% CI 0.85-1.84 for high vs. low OPA), particularly among Mexican-Americans (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.23-4.22); statistically significant interactions were observed for obesity and gender. LTPA clearly predicts all-cause mortality. However, associations between OPA and all-cause mortality are unclear and need further research with special regard to ethnic differences.

Current and emerging pharmacological treatments for sarcoidosis: a review

PubMed Central

Beegle, Scott H; Barba, Kerry; Gobunsuy, Romel; Judson, Marc A

2013-01-01

The treatment of sarcoidosis is not standardized. Because sarcoidosis may never cause significant symptoms or organ dysfunction, treatment is not mandatory. When treatment is indicated, oral corticosteroids are usually recommended because they are highly likely to be effective in a relative short period of time. However, because sarcoidosis is often a chronic condition, long-term treatment with corticosteroids may cause significant toxicity. Therefore, corticosteroid sparing agents are often indicated in patients requiring chronic therapy. This review outlines the indications for treatment, corticosteroid treatment, and corticosteroid sparing treatments for sarcoidosis. PMID:23596348

Effect of depression before breast cancer diagnosis on mortality among postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Liang, Xiaoyun; Margolis, Karen L; Hendryx, Michael; Reeves, Katherine; Wassertheil-Smoller, Sylvia; Weitlauf, Julie; Danhauer, Suzanne C; Chlebowski, Rowan T; Caan, Bette; Qi, Lihong; Lane, Dorothy; Lavasani, Sayeh; Luo, Juhua

2017-08-15

Few previous studies investigating depression before the diagnosis of breast cancer and breast cancer-specific mortality have examined depression measured at more than 1 time point. This study investigated the effect of depression (combining depressive symptoms alone with antidepressant use) measured at 2 time points before the diagnosis of breast cancer on all-cause mortality and breast cancer-specific mortality among older postmenopausal women. A large prospective cohort, the Women's Health Initiative, was used. The study included 3095 women with incident breast cancer who had measures of depressive symptoms and antidepressant use before their diagnosis at the baseline and at year 3. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) between depression at the baseline, depression at year 3, and combinations of depression at these time points and all-cause mortality and breast cancer-specific mortality. Depression at year 3 before a breast cancer diagnosis was associated with higher all-cause mortality after adjustments for multiple covariates (HR, 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.78). There was no statistically significant association of baseline depression and all-cause mortality or breast cancer-specific mortality whether or not depression was also present at year 3. In women with late-stage (regional- or distant-stage) breast cancer, newly developed depression at year 3 was significantly associated with both all-cause mortality (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.13-3.56) and breast cancer-specific mortality (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.24-4.70). Women with newly developed depression before the diagnosis of breast cancer had a modestly but significantly increased risk for death from any cause and for death from breast cancer at a late stage. Cancer 2017;123:3107-15. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Possible GABAergic modulation in the protective effect of zolpidem in acute hypoxic stress-induced behavior alterations and oxidative damage.

PubMed

Kumar, Anil; Goyal, Richa

2008-03-01

Hypoxia is an environmental stressor that is known to elicit alterations in both the autonomic nervous system and endocrine functions. The free radical or oxidative stress theory holds that oxidative reactions are mainly underlying neurodegenerative disorders. In fact among complex metabolic reactions occurring during hypoxia, many could be related to the formation of oxygen derived free radicals, causing a wide spectrum of cell damage. In present study, we investigated possible involvement of GABAergic mechanism in the protective effect of zolpidem against acute hypoxia-induced behavioral modification and biochemical alterations in mice. Mice were subjected to acute hypoxic stress for a period of 2 h. Acute hypoxic stress for 2 h caused significant impairment in locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, and antinocioceptive effect in mice. Biochemical analysis revealed a significant increased malondialdehyde, nitrite concentrations and depleted reduced glutathione and catalase levels. Pretreatment with zolpidem (5 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly improved locomotor activity, anti-anxiety effect, reduced tail flick latency and attenuated oxidative damage (reduced malondialdehyde, nitrite concentration, and restoration of reduced glutathione and catalase levels) as compared to stressed control (hypoxia) (P < 0.05). Besides, protective effect of zolpidem (5 mg/kg) was blocked significantly by picrotoxin (1.0 mg/kg) or flumazenil (2 mg/kg) and potentiated by muscimol (0.05 mg/kg) in hypoxic animals (P < 0.05). These effects were significant as compared to zolpidem (5 mg/kg) per se (P < 0.05). Present study suggest that the possible involvement of GABAergic modulation in the protective effect of zolpidem against hypoxic stress.

Effect of ingested concentrate and components of sake on epidermal permeability barrier disruption by UVB irradiation.

PubMed

Hirotsune, Masato; Haratake, Akinori; Komiya, Aya; Sugita, Jun; Tachihara, Toru; Komai, Tsuyoshi; Hizume, Kazuhisa; Ozeki, Kenji; Ikemoto, Takeshi

2005-02-23

Daily topical applications of the concentrate of sake (CS) have been shown to reduce epidermal barrier disruption in murine skin caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, while one of the components of sake, ethyl alpha-D-glucoside (alpha-EG), also reduces barrier disruption. We confirmed the effect of oral ingestion of various doses of CS on epidermal barrier disruption caused by UVB irradiation in hairless mice. Then, to identify the effective components, we quantitatively analyzed alpha-EG, organic acids, and glycerol, the main components of CS, and examined the effect of various concentration of each on barrier disruption. alpha-EG and organic acids showed comparable results to CS itself, and transepidermal water loss levels in murine skin were significantly decreased as compared with the control. Furthermore, an investigation of the dose dependency of these agents was performed and the results showed the significant effectiveness of alpha-EG. In addition, red wine concentrate (WC) and beer concentrate (BC) were examined in order to confirm the unique effects of CS. Similar effects were not found with WC and BC.

Mortality and repellent effects of microbial pathogens on Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Two entomopathogenic fungi, Isaria fumosorosea and Metarhizium anisopliae, and one bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, were tested for their ability to cause mortality of Formosan subterranean termites (FST), Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki), after liquid exposure, and for their lack of propensity to repel FST. Results The fungus Isaria fumosorosea at 108 spores/ml caused 72.5% mortality on day 7, significantly higher than the control and 106 spores/ml treatment. On day 14, the 106 and 108 concentrations caused 38.8% and 92.5% mortality, respectively, significantly higher than the control. On day 21, 82.5% and 100% of the termites were killed by the 106 and 108 treatments, respectively. I. fumosorosea did not repel termites at 106 nor 108 spores/g in sand, soil or sawdust. The fungus Metarhizium anisopliae at 108 spores/ml caused 57.5% mortality on day 7, 77.5% mortality on day 14 and 100% mortality on day 21. Conclusions On all three days the rate of mortality was significantly higher than that of the control and 106 spores/ml treatment with I. fumosorosea. Neither I. fumosorosea nor M. anisopliae caused repellency of FST in sand, soil or sawdust. The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis did not cause significant mortality on days 7, 14 or 21. When termites were exposed to cells of B. thuringiensis in sawdust and when termites were exposed to a mixture of spores and cells in sand, a significantly higher number remained in the control tubes. Repellency was not seen with B. thuringiensis spores alone, nor with the above treatments in the other substrates. PMID:23241169

Do native parasitic plants cause more damage to exotic invasive hosts than native non-invasive hosts? An implication for biocontrol.

PubMed

Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

2012-01-01

Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community.

Increased intestinal absorption in the rat caused by sodium lauryl sulphate, and its possible relation to the cAMP system.

PubMed

Briseid, G; Briseid, K; Kirkevold, K

1976-01-01

The increases in the absorption of ouabain, phenolsulphonphthalein and pralidoxime caused by 17 mM sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) from jejunal loops of anaesthetized rats were significantly reduced if sodium and chloride (Briseid et al., 1974) or chloride and bicarbonate were replaced by other ions in the loop fluid. Separate substitutions of sodium, chloride of bicarbonate did not significantly alter the SLS-caused absorption, except that the substitution of choline for sodium reduced the absorption of pralidoxime, both in the presence and in the absence of SLS. The increases in the absorption of phenolsulphonphthalein and pralidoxime caused by SLS were potentiated by theophylline (25 mM) and reduced by imidazole (25 mM). The addition of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2.5 mM) to the loop fluid increased this absorption of the test substances. This effect was reduced by imidazole, but under the experimental conditions it was not potentiated by theophylline. Determinations of cyclic AMP in the rat intestinal mucosa showed that the level of this substance was significantly higher in the presence than in the absence of SLS. The experimental conditions were as described for the absorption experiments. It is concluded that the data obtained support the idea of an increased level of cyclic AMP as the main basis for the effect of SLS on the absorption.

The Epidemiology of Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer

PubMed Central

Yadav, Dhiraj; Lowenfels, Albert B.

2013-01-01

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal causes for hospital admission in the US. Chronic pancreatitis, although lower in incidence, significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Pancreatic cancer has high mortality and is 1 of the top 5 causes of death from cancer. The burden of pancreatic disorders is expected to increase over time. The risk and etiology of pancreatitis differ with age and sex, and all pancreatic disorders affect Blacks more than any other race. Gallstones are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis, and early cholecystectomy eliminates the risk of future attacks. Alcohol continues to be the single most important risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Smoking is an independent risk factor for acute and chronic pancreatitis, and its effects could synergize with those of alcohol. Significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking and non-O blood groups. Alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation can alter progression of pancreatitis and reduce recurrence; smoking cessation is the most effective strategy to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. PMID:23622135

Environmental stress, inbreeding, and the nature of phenotypic and genetic variance in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed Central

Fowler, Kevin; Whitlock, Michael C

2002-01-01

Fifty-two lines of Drosophila melanogaster founded by single-pair population bottlenecks were used to study the effects of inbreeding and environmental stress on phenotypic variance, genetic variance and survivorship. Cold temperature and high density cause reduced survivorship, but these stresses do not cause repeatable changes in the phenotypic variance of most wing morphological traits. Wing area, however, does show increased phenotypic variance under both types of environmental stress. This increase is no greater in inbred than in outbred lines, showing that inbreeding does not increase the developmental effects of stress. Conversely, environmental stress does not increase the extent of inbreeding depression. Genetic variance is not correlated with environmental stress, although the amount of genetic variation varies significantly among environments and lines vary significantly in their response to environmental change. Drastic changes in the environment can cause changes in phenotypic and genetic variance, but not in a way reliably predicted by the notion of 'stress'. PMID:11934358

Ionospheric Impacts on UHF Space Surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, J. C.

2017-12-01

Earth's atmosphere contains regions of ionized plasma caused by the interaction of highly energetic solar radiation. This region of ionization is called the ionosphere and varies significantly with altitude, latitude, local solar time, season, and solar cycle. Significant ionization begins at about 100 km (E layer) with a peak in the ionization at about 300 km (F2 layer). Above the F2 layer, the atmosphere is mostly ionized but the ion and electron densities are low due to the unavailability of neutral molecules for ionization so the density decreases exponentially with height to well over 1000 km. The gradients of these variations in the ionosphere play a significant role in radio wave propagation. These gradients induce variations in the index of refraction and cause some radio waves to refract. The amount of refraction depends on the magnitude and direction of the electron density gradient and the frequency of the radio wave. The refraction is significant at HF frequencies (3-30 MHz) with decreasing effects toward the UHF (300-3000 MHz) range. UHF is commonly used for tracking of space objects in low Earth orbit (LEO). While ionospheric refraction is small for UHF frequencies, it can cause errors in range, azimuth angle, and elevation angle estimation by ground-based radars tracking space objects. These errors can cause significant errors in precise orbit determinations. For radio waves transiting the ionosphere, it is important to understand and account for these effects. Using a sophisticated radio wave propagation tool suite and an empirical ionospheric model, we calculate the errors induced by the ionosphere in a simulation of a notional space surveillance radar tracking objects in LEO. These errors are analyzed to determine daily, monthly, annual, and solar cycle trends. Corrections to surveillance radar measurements can be adapted from our simulation capability.

To live and die in L.A. County: neighborhood economic and social context and premature age-specific mortality rates among Latinos.

PubMed

Bjornstrom, Eileen

2011-01-01

This ecological study compares the utility of neighborhood economic, social, and co-ethnic concentration characteristics in explaining mortality among Latinos aged 25-64 due to all causes and heart disease in Los Angeles County from 2000 to 2004. Results indicate that local economic well-being and social resources are beneficial for both outcomes to varying degrees. Economic well-being is the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality rates among Latinos aged 25-64 and was the only characteristic that significantly predicted heart disease mortality among those aged 45-64. Among social resources, results indicate collective efficacy is comparatively more important for mortality in younger adults. Social interaction was associated with lower mortality but the effect was not significant for any outcome. Co-ethnic concentration was consistently associated with increased mortality, but only achieved significance for all-cause mortality in younger adults. This effect was mediated by neighborhood income. Though social resources appear to be beneficial to a lesser extent, results suggest policy should first aim to address income disparities across local communities. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 6.102 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT AND ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ABROAD OF EPA ACTIONS General Provisions for... in section 6.204 of this part that may cause a significant environmental effect such that a proposed...

In vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo antidepressant-like effect of α-(phenylselanyl) acetophenone in mice.

PubMed

Gerzson, Mariana Freire Barbieri; Victoria, Francine N; Radatz, Cátia S; de Gomes, Marcelo G; Boeira, Silvana P; Jacob, Raquel G; Alves, Diego; Jesse, Cristiano Ricardo; Savegnago, Lucielli

2012-07-01

In this study, the antioxidant and antidepressant-like effects of α-(phenylselanyl) acetophenone (PSAP), an organoselenium compound, were investigated. To assess the in vitro antioxidant properties, PSAP was evaluated in four test systems (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and inhibition of lipid peroxidation). PSAP (100-500 μM) showed potent antioxidant activity and protected against lipid peroxidation. Additionally, we investigated whether PSAP, when administered in mice (100, 200 and 400mg/kg, per oral, p.o.), could cause acute toxicity. Our results demonstrated that PSAP did not cause the death of any animal, significantly reduce body weight or cause any oxidative tissue stress following treatment. This study also evaluated the effect of PSAP (0.1-10 mg/kg, p.o) on mice in a forced swim test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST), assays that are predictive of depressant activity and motor activity in the open-field. PSAP (5-10 mg/kg) significantly reduced immobility time in the FST and TST without affecting motor activity. In addition, the antidepressant-like effect caused by PSAP (5m/kg, p.o) in mice during the TST was dependent on an interaction with the serotonergic system (5-HT(1A) receptors), but not with the noradrenergic, dopaminergic or adenosinergic system. Together, these results suggest that PSAP possesses antioxidant and antidepressant-like properties and may be of interest as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of depressive disorders. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overgrowth.

PubMed

Verge, Charles F; Mowat, David

2010-06-01

Overgrowth presenting at birth requires blood glucose monitoring while a cause is sought. Among older children presenting with tall stature, common causes such as familial tall stature and simple obesity must be distinguished from rarer endocrine and genetic causes. Several genetic overgrowth syndromes carry increased risk of malignancy and regular screening is recommended. The use of high-dose oestrogen or testosterone in an attempt to limit final stature has limited efficacy and carries a significant risk of side effects. Endocrine and genetic assessment ought to be considered for cases of unexplained overgrowth.

Conformational Effects of UV Light on DNA Origami.

PubMed

Chen, Haorong; Li, Ruixin; Li, Shiming; Andréasson, Joakim; Choi, Jong Hyun

2017-02-01

The responses of DNA origami conformation to UV radiation of different wavelengths and doses are investigated. Short- and medium-wavelength UV light can cause photo-lesions in DNA origami. At moderate doses, the lesions do not cause any visible defects in the origami, nor do they significantly affect the hybridization capability. Instead, they help relieve the internal stress in the origami structure and restore it to the designed conformation. At high doses, staple dissociation increases which causes structural disintegration. Long-wavelength UV does not show any effect on origami conformation by itself. We show that this UV range can be used in conjunction with photoactive molecules for photo-reconfiguration, while avoiding any damage to the DNA structures.

Effect of dietary fibers on losartan uptake and transport in Caco-2 cells.

PubMed

Iwazaki, Ayano; Takahashi, Naho; Miyake, Reiko; Hiroshima, Yuka; Abe, Mariko; Yasui, Airi; Imai, Kimie

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of dietary fibers on the transport of losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, in small intestinal cells. Using Caco-2 cells in vitro, losartan uptake and transport were evaluated in the presence of various fibers (cellulose, chitosan, sodium alginate and glucomannan). Dietary fibers caused a decrease in the uptake of losartan, with chitosan causing a significant reduction. Chitosan and glucomannan significantly reduced the transport of losartan, while cellulose or sodium alginate did not. Dietary fibers also reduced the level of free losartan; however, this did not correlate with the observed reduction in losartan uptake and transport. In summary, chitosan had the greatest inhibitory effect on losartan uptake and transport, and this potential interaction should be considered in patients taking losartan. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Neurochemical differences in learning and memory paradigms among rats supplemented with anthocyanin-rich blueberry diets and exposed to acute doses of 56Fe particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulose, Shibu M.; Rabin, Bernard M.; Bielinski, Donna F.; Kelly, Megan E.; Miller, Marshall G.; Thanthaeng, Nopporn; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

2017-02-01

The protective effects of anthocyanin-rich blueberries (BB) on brain health are well documented and are particularly important under conditions of high oxidative stress, which can lead to "accelerated aging." One such scenario is exposure to space radiation, consisting of high-energy and -charge particles (HZE), which are known to cause cognitive dysfunction and deleterious neurochemical alterations. We recently tested the behavioral and neurochemical effects of acute exposure to HZE particles such as 56Fe, within 24-48 h after exposure, and found that radiation primarily affects memory and not learning. Importantly, we observed that specific brain regions failed to upregulate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in response to this insult. To further examine these endogenous response mechanisms, we have supplemented young rats with diets rich in BB, which are known to contain high amounts of antioxidant-phytochemicals, prior to irradiation. Exposure to 56Fe caused significant neurochemical changes in hippocampus and frontal cortex, the two critical regions of the brain involved in cognitive function. BB supplementation significantly attenuated protein carbonylation, which was significantly increased by exposure to 56Fe in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Moreover, BB supplementation significantly reduced radiation-induced elevations in NADPH-oxidoreductase-2 (NOX2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Overall results indicate that 56Fe particles may induce their toxic effects on hippocampus and frontal cortex by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overload, which can cause alterations in the neuronal environment, eventually leading to hippocampal neuronal death and subsequent impairment of cognitive function. Blueberry supplementation provides an effective preventative measure to reduce the ROS load on the CNS in an event of acute HZE exposure.

GABA(A) receptors in the pontine reticular formation of C57BL/6J mouse modulate neurochemical, electrographic, and behavioral phenotypes of wakefulness.

PubMed

Flint, RaShonda R; Chang, Theresa; Lydic, Ralph; Baghdoyan, Helen A

2010-09-15

Drugs that potentiate transmission at GABA(A) receptors are widely used to enhance sleep and to cause general anesthesia. The mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that GABA(A) receptors in the pontine reticular nucleus, oral part (PnO) of mouse modulate five phenotypes of arousal: sleep and wakefulness, cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) activity, acetylcholine (ACh) release in the PnO, breathing, and recovery time from general anesthesia. Microinjections into the PnO of saline (vehicle control), the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol, muscimol with the GABA(A) receptor antagonist bicuculline, and bicuculline alone were performed in male C57BL/6J mice (n = 33) implanted with EEG recording electrodes. Muscimol caused a significant increase in wakefulness and decrease in rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep. These effects were reversed by coadministration of bicuculline. Bicuculline administered alone caused a significant decrease in wakefulness and increase in NREM sleep and REM sleep. Muscimol significantly increased EEG power in the delta range (0.5-4 Hz) during wakefulness and in the theta range (4-9 Hz) during REM sleep. Dialysis delivery of bicuculline to the PnO of male mice (n = 18) anesthetized with isoflurane significantly increased ACh release in the PnO, decreased breathing rate, and increased anesthesia recovery time. All drug effects were concentration dependent. The effects on phenotypes of arousal support the conclusion that GABA(A) receptors in the PnO promote wakefulness and suggest that increasing GABAergic transmission in the PnO may be one mechanism underlying the phenomenon of paradoxical behavioral activation by some benzodiazepines.

Effect of acute lateral hemisection of the spinal cord on spinal neurons of postural networks

PubMed Central

Zelenin, P. V.; Lyalka, V. F.; Orlovsky, G. N.; Deliagina, T. G.

2016-01-01

In quadrupeds, acute lateral hemisection of the spinal cord (LHS) severely impairs postural functions, which recover over time. Postural limb reflexes (PLRs) represent a substantial component of postural corrections in intact animals. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of acute LHS on two populations of spinal neurons (F and E) mediating PLRs. For this purpose, in decerebrate rabbits, responses of individual neurons from L5 to stimulation causing PLRs were recorded before and during reversible LHS (caused by temporal cold block of signal transmission in lateral spinal pathways at L1), as well as after acute surgical (Sur) LHS at L1. Results obtained after Sur-LHS were compared to control data obtained in our previous study. We found that acute LHS caused disappearance of PLRs on the affected side. It also changed a proportion of different types of neurons on that side. A significant decrease and increase in the proportion of F- and non-modulated neurons, respectively, was found. LHS caused a significant decrease in most parameters of activity in F-neurons located in the ventral horn on the lesioned side and in E-neurons of the dorsal horn on both sides. These changes were caused by a significant decrease in the efficacy of posture-related sensory input from the ipsilateral limb to F-neurons, and from the contralateral limb to both F- and E-neurons. These distortions in operation of postural networks underlie the impairment of postural control after acute LHS, and represent a starting point for the subsequent recovery of postural functions. PMID:27702647

Root causes, clinical effects, and outcomes of unintentional exposures to buprenorphine by young children.

PubMed

Lavonas, Eric J; Banner, William; Bradt, Pamela; Bucher-Bartelson, Becki; Brown, Kimberly R; Rajan, Pradeep; Murrelle, Lenn; Dart, Richard C; Green, Jody L

2013-11-01

To characterize the rates, root causes, and clinical effects of unintentional exposures to buprenorphine sublingual formulations among young children and to determine whether exposure characteristics differ between formulations. Unintentional exposures to buprenorphine-containing products among children 28 days to less than 6 years old were collected from the Researched Abuse, Diversion, and Addiction-Related Surveillance System Poison Center Program and Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals' pharmacovigilance system from October 2009-March 2012. After adjustment for drug availability, negative binomial regression was used to estimate average exposure rates. Root cause assessment was conducted, and an expert clinician panel adjudicated causality and severity of moderate to severe adverse events (AEs). A total of 2380 cases were reviewed, including 4 deaths. Exposures to buprenorphine-naloxone combination film were significantly less frequent than exposures to buprenorphine tablets (rate ratio 3.5 [95% CI, 2.7-4.5]) and buprenorphine-naloxone combination tablets (rate ratio 8.8 [7.2-10.6]). The most commonly identified root causes were medication stored in sight, accessed from a bag or purse, and not stored in the original packaging. Among 536 panel review cases, the most common AEs reported for all formulations were lethargy, respiratory depression, miosis, and vomiting. The highest level AE severity did not differ significantly by formulation. Unintentional exposure to buprenorphine can cause central nervous system depression, respiratory depression, and death in young children. Exposure rates to film formulations are significantly less than to tablet formulations. Package and storage deficiencies contribute to unintentional exposures in young children. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of rosiglitazone on the risk of myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular causes.

PubMed

Nissen, Steven E; Wolski, Kathy

2007-06-14

Rosiglitazone is widely used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but its effect on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined. We conducted searches of the published literature, the Web site of the Food and Drug Administration, and a clinical-trials registry maintained by the drug manufacturer (GlaxoSmithKline). Criteria for inclusion in our meta-analysis included a study duration of more than 24 weeks, the use of a randomized control group not receiving rosiglitazone, and the availability of outcome data for myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular causes. Of 116 potentially relevant studies, 42 trials met the inclusion criteria. We tabulated all occurrences of myocardial infarction and death from cardiovascular causes. Data were combined by means of a fixed-effects model. In the 42 trials, the mean age of the subjects was approximately 56 years, and the mean baseline glycated hemoglobin level was approximately 8.2%. In the rosiglitazone group, as compared with the control group, the odds ratio for myocardial infarction was 1.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 to 1.98; P=0.03), and the odds ratio for death from cardiovascular causes was 1.64 (95% CI, 0.98 to 2.74; P=0.06). Rosiglitazone was associated with a significant increase in the risk of myocardial infarction and with an increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular causes that had borderline significance. Our study was limited by a lack of access to original source data, which would have enabled time-to-event analysis. Despite these limitations, patients and providers should consider the potential for serious adverse cardiovascular effects of treatment with rosiglitazone for type 2 diabetes. Copyright 2007 Massachusetts Medical Society.

Banking crises and mortality during the Great Depression: evidence from US urban populations, 1929-1937.

PubMed

Stuckler, David; Meissner, Christopher; Fishback, Price; Basu, Sanjay; McKee, Martin

2012-05-01

Previous research suggests that the Great Depression led to improvements in public health. However, these studies rely on highly aggregated national data (using fewer than 25 data points) and potentially biased measures of the Great Depression. The authors assess the effects of the Great Depression using city-level estimates of US mortality and an underlying measure of economic crisis, bank suspensions, at the state level. Cause-specific mortalities covering 114 US cities in 36 states between 1929 and 1937 were regressed against bank suspensions and income data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Database, using dynamic fixed-effects models and adjustments for potential confounding variables. Reductions in all-cause mortalities were mainly attributable to declines in death rates owing to pneumonia (26.4% of total), flu (13.1% of total) and respiratory tuberculosis (11.2% of total), while death rates increased from heart disease (19.4% of total), cancer (8.1% of total) and diabetes (2.9%). Only heart disease can plausibly relate to the contemporaneous economic shocks. The authors found that a higher rate of bank suspensions was significantly associated with higher suicide rates (β=0.32, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.41) but lower death rates from motor-vehicle accidents (β=-0.18, 95% CI -0.29 to -0.07); no significant effects were observed for 30 other causes of death or with a time lag. In contrast with existing research, the authors find that many of the changes in deaths from different causes during the Great Depression were unrelated to economic shocks. Further research is needed to understand the causes of the marked variations in mortality change across cities and states, including the effects of the New Deal and Prohibition.

Efficacy of 3,5-dibromo-L-phenylalanine in rat models of stroke, seizures and sensorimotor gating deficit

PubMed Central

Cao, W; Shah, HP; Glushakov, AV; Mecca, AP; Shi, P; Sumners, C; Seubert, CN; Martynyuk, AE

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: Abnormal glutamatergic activity is implicated in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Selective glutamate receptor antagonists were highly effective in animal models of stroke and seizures but failed in further clinical development because of serious side effects, including an almost complete set of symptoms of schizophrenia. Therefore, the novel polyvalent glutamatergic agent 3,5-dibromo-L-phenylalanine (3,5-DBr-L-Phe) was studied in rat models of stroke, seizures and sensorimotor gating deficit. Experimental approach: 3,5-DBr-L-Phe was administered intraperitoneally as three boluses after intracerebral injection of endothelin-1 (ET-1) adjacent to the middle cerebral artery to cause brain injury (a model of stroke). 3,5-DBr-L-Phe was also given as a single bolus prior to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) injection to induce seizures or prior to the administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) to cause disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle (sensorimotor gating deficit). Key results: Brain damage caused by ET-1 was reduced by 52%, which is comparable with the effects of MK-801 in this model as reported by others. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe significantly reduced seizures induced by PTZ without the significant effects on arterial blood pressure and heart rate normally caused by NMDA antagonists. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe prevented the disruption of PPI measured 3 days after the administration of ET-1. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe also eliminated sensorimotor gating deficit caused by MK-801. Conclusion and implications: The pharmacological profile of 3,5-DBr-L-Phe might be beneficial not only for developing a therapy for the neurological and cognitive symptoms of stroke and seizures but also for some neuropsychiatric disorders. PMID:20050189

Efficacy of 3,5-dibromo-L-phenylalanine in rat models of stroke, seizures and sensorimotor gating deficit.

PubMed

Cao, W; Shah, H P; Glushakov, A V; Mecca, A P; Shi, P; Sumners, C; Seubert, C N; Martynyuk, A E

2009-12-01

Abnormal glutamatergic activity is implicated in neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders. Selective glutamate receptor antagonists were highly effective in animal models of stroke and seizures but failed in further clinical development because of serious side effects, including an almost complete set of symptoms of schizophrenia. Therefore, the novel polyvalent glutamatergic agent 3,5-dibromo-L-phenylalanine (3,5-DBr-L-Phe) was studied in rat models of stroke, seizures and sensorimotor gating deficit. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe was administered intraperitoneally as three boluses after intracerebral injection of endothelin-1 (ET-1) adjacent to the middle cerebral artery to cause brain injury (a model of stroke). 3,5-DBr-L-Phe was also given as a single bolus prior to pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) injection to induce seizures or prior to the administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801) to cause disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle (sensorimotor gating deficit). Brain damage caused by ET-1 was reduced by 52%, which is comparable with the effects of MK-801 in this model as reported by others. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe significantly reduced seizures induced by PTZ without the significant effects on arterial blood pressure and heart rate normally caused by NMDA antagonists. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe prevented the disruption of PPI measured 3 days after the administration of ET-1. 3,5-DBr-L-Phe also eliminated sensorimotor gating deficit caused by MK-801. The pharmacological profile of 3,5-DBr-L-Phe might be beneficial not only for developing a therapy for the neurological and cognitive symptoms of stroke and seizures but also for some neuropsychiatric disorders.

Lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on Engytatus varians (Heteroptera: Miridae), a predator of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae).

PubMed

Pérez-Aguilar, Daniel Alberto; Soares, Marianne Araújo; Passos, Luis Clepf; Martínez, Ana Mabel; Pineda, Samuel; Carvalho, Geraldo Andrade

2018-06-19

The mirid Engytatus varians (Distant) is a promising biological control agent of the tomato borer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), one of the most destructive pests of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The effects of five insecticides commonly used on tomato crops in Brazil were evaluated on E. varians in laboratory and semifield conditions. Glass Petri dish with residues of chlorfenapyr, thiamethoxam, and abamectin caused ˃90% mortality in both stages of the predator 72 h post-treatment, except imidacloprid that caused 78% of nymphs mortality. Teflubenzuron caused 24 and 66% mortality on adults and nymphs, respectively. The offspring of females derived from treated nymphs with teflubenzuron was significantly lower than the control but not when females were treated as adults. Longevity of males derived from nymphs treated with teflubenzuron was significantly reduced, but no effects were observed on females. When males and females were treated as adults with teflubenzuron there were no effects on their longevity. In the greenhouse-aged tomato plants, the 2 h-old residues of thiamethoxam, chlorfenapyr, and abamectin caused more than 70% of mortality of third instar of E. varians at 72 h post-treatment, 12 day-old residues of all three compounds caused a mortality lower than 30%. These data suggest that teflubenzuron can be associated with releases of E. varians adults, while the use of other evaluated pesticides should be avoided in this situation. Although, the low persistence of these products indicate that their spraying and later releases of E. varians adults on tomato crops are a possible strategy to control T. absoluta.

Direct anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins from diverse plant sources against Ascaris suum.

PubMed

Williams, Andrew R; Fryganas, Christos; Ramsay, Aina; Mueller-Harvey, Irene; Thamsborg, Stig M

2014-01-01

Ascaris suum is one of the most prevalent nematode parasites in pigs and causes significant economic losses, and also serves as a good model for A. lumbricoides, the large roundworm of humans that is ubiquitous in developing countries and causes malnutrition, stunted growth and compromises immunity to other pathogens. New treatment options for Ascaris infections are urgently needed, to reduce reliance on the limited number of synthetic anthelmintic drugs. In areas where Ascaris infections are common, ethno-pharmacological practices such as treatment with natural plant extracts are still widely employed. However, scientific validation of these practices and identification of the active compounds are lacking, although observed effects are often ascribed to plant secondary metabolites such as tannins. Here, we extracted, purified and characterised a wide range of condensed tannins from diverse plant sources and investigated anthelmintic effects against A. suum in vitro. We show that condensed tannins can have potent, direct anthelmintic effects against A. suum, as evidenced by reduced migratory ability of newly hatched third-stage larvae and reduced motility and survival of fourth-stage larvae recovered from pigs. Transmission electron microscopy showed that CT caused significant damage to the cuticle and digestive tissues of the larvae. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the strength of the anthelmintic effect is related to the polymer size of the tannin molecule. Moreover, the identity of the monomeric structural units of tannin polymers may also have an influence as gallocatechin and epigallocatechin monomers exerted significant anthelmintic activity whereas catechin and epicatechin monomers did not. Therefore, our results clearly document direct anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins against Ascaris and encourage further in vivo investigation to determine optimal strategies for the use of these plant compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of ascariosis.

Direct Anthelmintic Effects of Condensed Tannins from Diverse Plant Sources against Ascaris suum

PubMed Central

Williams, Andrew R.; Fryganas, Christos; Ramsay, Aina; Mueller-Harvey, Irene; Thamsborg, Stig M.

2014-01-01

Ascaris suum is one of the most prevalent nematode parasites in pigs and causes significant economic losses, and also serves as a good model for A. lumbricoides, the large roundworm of humans that is ubiquitous in developing countries and causes malnutrition, stunted growth and compromises immunity to other pathogens. New treatment options for Ascaris infections are urgently needed, to reduce reliance on the limited number of synthetic anthelmintic drugs. In areas where Ascaris infections are common, ethno-pharmacological practices such as treatment with natural plant extracts are still widely employed. However, scientific validation of these practices and identification of the active compounds are lacking, although observed effects are often ascribed to plant secondary metabolites such as tannins. Here, we extracted, purified and characterised a wide range of condensed tannins from diverse plant sources and investigated anthelmintic effects against A. suum in vitro. We show that condensed tannins can have potent, direct anthelmintic effects against A. suum, as evidenced by reduced migratory ability of newly hatched third-stage larvae and reduced motility and survival of fourth-stage larvae recovered from pigs. Transmission electron microscopy showed that CT caused significant damage to the cuticle and digestive tissues of the larvae. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the strength of the anthelmintic effect is related to the polymer size of the tannin molecule. Moreover, the identity of the monomeric structural units of tannin polymers may also have an influence as gallocatechin and epigallocatechin monomers exerted significant anthelmintic activity whereas catechin and epicatechin monomers did not. Therefore, our results clearly document direct anthelmintic effects of condensed tannins against Ascaris and encourage further in vivo investigation to determine optimal strategies for the use of these plant compounds for the prevention and/or treatment of ascariosis. PMID:24810761

Comparison of Objective and Subjective Changes Induced by Multiple-Pinhole Glasses and Single-Pinhole Glasses

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Multiple-pinhole (MPH) glasses are currently sold in many countries with unproven advertisements; however, their objective and subjective effects have not been investigated. Therefore, to investigate the effects of MPH glasses excluding the single-pinhole (SPH) effect, we compared the visual functional changes, reading speed, and ocular discomfort after reading caused by MPH and SPH glasses. Healthy 36 participants with a mean age of 33.1 years underwent examinations of pupil size, visual acuity (VA), depth of focus (DOF), and near point accommodation (NPA); tests for visual field (VF), contrast sensitivity (CS), stereopsis, and reading speed; and a survey of ocular discomfort after reading. Both types of pinhole glasses enlarged pupil diameter and improved VA, DOF, and NPA. However, CS, stereopsis, and VF parameters deteriorated. In comparison with SPH glasses, MPH glasses induced smaller pupil dilation (5.3 and 5.9 mm, P < 0.001) and showed better VF parameters with preserved peripheral VF. However, no significant difference was observed for VA, DOF, NPA, stereopsis, and CS. Reading speed using pinhole glasses was significantly slower than baseline; SPH glasses showed the slowest reading speed. Both types of glasses caused significant ocular discomfort after reading compared with baseline, and symptoms were worst with MPH glasses. In conclusion, both types of pinhole glasses had positive effects due to the pinhole effect; however, they had negative effects on VF, CS, stereopsis, reading speed, and ocular discomfort. In spite of the increased luminance and preserved peripheral VF with MPHs, these glasses caused more severe ocular discomfort than SPH glasses. This clinical trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02572544). PMID:28378561

AFM of the ultrastructural and mechanical properties of lipid-raft-disrupted and/or cold-treated endothelial cells.

PubMed

Wu, Li; Huang, Jie; Yu, Xiaoxue; Zhou, Xiaoqing; Gan, Chaoye; Li, Ming; Chen, Yong

2014-02-01

The nonionic detergent extraction at 4 °C and the cholesterol-depletion-induced lipid raft disruption are the two widely used experimental strategies for lipid raft research. However, the effects of raft disruption and/or cold treatment on the ultrastructural and mechanical properties of cells are still unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of raft disruption and/or cold (4 °C) treatment on these properties of living human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). At first, the cholesterol-depletion-induced raft disruption was visualized by confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in combination with fluorescent quantum dots. Next, the cold-induced cell contraction and the formation of end-branched filopodia were observed by confocal microscopy and AFM. Then, the cell-surface ultrastructures were imaged by AFM, and the data showed that raft disruption and cold treatment induced opposite effects on cell-surface roughness (a significant decrease and a significant increase, respectively). Moreover, the cell-surface mechanical properties (stiffness and adhesion force) of raft-disrupted- and/or cold-treated HUVECs were measured by the force measurement function of AFM. We found that raft disruption and cold treatment induced parallel effects on cell stiffness (increase) or adhesion force (decrease) and that the combination of the two treatments caused dramatically strengthened effects. Finally, raft disruption was found to significantly impair cell migration as previously reported, whereas temporary cold treatment only caused a slight but nonsignificant decrease in cell migration performed at physiological temperature. Although the mechanisms for causing these results might be complicated and more in-depth studies will be needed, our data may provide important information for better understanding the effects of raft disruption or cold treatment on cells and the two strategies for lipid raft research.

Effect of curtovirus species competitiveness in host plants on transmission and incidence of Beet severe curly top virus and Beet mild curly top virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Curly top disease, caused by viruses in the genus Curtovirus, causes significant economic losses for sugarbeet and other crops throughout the western United States. Recent studies demonstrated the two most abundant curtovirus species in the US are Beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) and Beet mild c...

Differential genotoxicity of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 and diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe)2

PubMed Central

Meinerz, Daiane Francine; Allebrandt, Josiane; Mariano, Douglas O.C.; Waczuk, Emily P.; Soares, Felix Antunes

2014-01-01

Organoselenium compounds have been pointed out as therapeutic agents. In contrast, the potential therapeutic aspects of tellurides have not yet been demonstrated. The present study evaluated the comparative toxicological effects of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2 and diphenyl ditelluride (PhTe)2 in mice after in vivo administration. Genotoxicity (as determined by comet assay) and mutagenicicity were used as end-points of toxicity. Subcutaneous administration of high doses of (PhSe)2 or (PhTe)2 (500 µmol/kg) caused distinct genotoxicity in mice. (PhSe)2 significantly decreased the DNA damage index after 48 and 96 h of its injection (p < 0.05). In contrast, (PhTe) caused a significant increase in DNA damage (p < 0.05) after 48 and 96 h of intoxication. (PhSe)2 did not cause mutagenicity but (PhTe)2 increased the micronuclei frequency, indicating its mutagenic potential. The present study demonstrated that acute in vivo exposure to ditelluride caused genotoxicity in mice, which may be associated with pro-oxidant effects of diphenyl ditelluride. In addition, the use of this compound and possibly other related tellurides must be carefully controlled. PMID:24711962

The Antiparkinsonian and Antidyskinetic Mechanisms of Mucuna pruriens in the MPTP-Treated Nonhuman Primate

PubMed Central

Lieu, Christopher A.; Venkiteswaran, Kala; Gilmour, Timothy P.; Rao, Anand N.; Petticoffer, Andrew C.; Gilbert, Erin V.; Deogaonkar, Milind; Manyam, Bala V.; Subramanian, Thyagarajan

2012-01-01

Chronic treatment with levodopa (LD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) can cause drug induced dyskinesias. Mucuna pruriens endocarp powder (MPEP) contains several compounds including natural LD and has been reported to not cause drug-induced dyskinesias. We evaluated the effects of Mucuna pruriens to determine if its underlying mechanistic actions are exclusively due to LD. We first compared MPEP with and without carbidopa (CD), and LD+CD in hemiparkinsonian (HP) monkeys. Each treatment ameliorated parkinsonism. We then compared the neuronal firing properties of the substantia nigra reticulata (SNR) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) in HP monkeys with MPEP+CD and LD+CD to evaluate basal ganglia circuitry alterations. Both treatments decreased SNR firing rate compared to HP state. However, LD+CD treatments significantly increased SNR bursting firing patterns that were not seen with MPEP+CD treatments. No significant changes were seen in STN firing properties. We then evaluated the effects of a water extract of MPEP. Oral MPWE ameliorated parkinsonism without causing drug-induced dyskinesias. The distinctive neurophysiological findings in the basal ganglia and the ability to ameliorate parkinsonism without causing dyskinesias strongly suggest that Mucuna pruriens acts through a novel mechanism that is different from that of LD. PMID:22997535

The Antiparkinsonian and Antidyskinetic Mechanisms of Mucuna pruriens in the MPTP-Treated Nonhuman Primate.

PubMed

Lieu, Christopher A; Venkiteswaran, Kala; Gilmour, Timothy P; Rao, Anand N; Petticoffer, Andrew C; Gilbert, Erin V; Deogaonkar, Milind; Manyam, Bala V; Subramanian, Thyagarajan

2012-01-01

Chronic treatment with levodopa (LD) in Parkinson's disease (PD) can cause drug induced dyskinesias. Mucuna pruriens endocarp powder (MPEP) contains several compounds including natural LD and has been reported to not cause drug-induced dyskinesias. We evaluated the effects of Mucuna pruriens to determine if its underlying mechanistic actions are exclusively due to LD. We first compared MPEP with and without carbidopa (CD), and LD+CD in hemiparkinsonian (HP) monkeys. Each treatment ameliorated parkinsonism. We then compared the neuronal firing properties of the substantia nigra reticulata (SNR) and subthalamic nucleus (STN) in HP monkeys with MPEP+CD and LD+CD to evaluate basal ganglia circuitry alterations. Both treatments decreased SNR firing rate compared to HP state. However, LD+CD treatments significantly increased SNR bursting firing patterns that were not seen with MPEP+CD treatments. No significant changes were seen in STN firing properties. We then evaluated the effects of a water extract of MPEP. Oral MPWE ameliorated parkinsonism without causing drug-induced dyskinesias. The distinctive neurophysiological findings in the basal ganglia and the ability to ameliorate parkinsonism without causing dyskinesias strongly suggest that Mucuna pruriens acts through a novel mechanism that is different from that of LD.

Naltrexone modulates dopamine release following chronic, but not acute amphetamine administration: a translational study

PubMed Central

Jayaram-Lindström, N; Guterstam, J; Häggkvist, J; Ericson, M; Malmlöf, T; Schilström, B; Halldin, C; Cervenka, S; Saijo, T; Nordström, A-L; Franck, J

2017-01-01

The opioid antagonist naltrexone has been shown to attenuate the subjective effects of amphetamine. However, the mechanisms behind this modulatory effect are currently unknown. We hypothesized that naltrexone would diminish the striatal dopamine release induced by amphetamine, which is considered an important mechanism behind many of its stimulant properties. We used positron emission tomography and the dopamine D2-receptor radioligand [11C]raclopride in healthy subjects to study the dopaminergic effects of an amphetamine injection after pretreatment with naltrexone or placebo. In a rat model, we used microdialysis to study the modulatory effects of naltrexone on dopamine levels after acute and chronic amphetamine exposure. In healthy humans, naltrexone attenuated the subjective effects of amphetamine, confirming our previous results. Amphetamine produced a significant reduction in striatal radioligand binding, indicating increased levels of endogenous dopamine. However, there was no statistically significant effect of naltrexone on dopamine release. The same pattern was observed in rats, where an acute injection of amphetamine caused a significant rise in striatal dopamine levels, with no effect of naltrexone pretreatment. However, in a chronic model, naltrexone significantly attenuated the dopamine release caused by reinstatement of amphetamine. Collectively, these data suggest that the opioid system becomes engaged during the more chronic phase of drug use, evidenced by the modulatory effect of naltrexone on dopamine release following chronic amphetamine administration. The importance of opioid-dopamine interactions in the reinforcing and addictive effects of amphetamine is highlighted by the present findings and may help to facilitate medication development in the field of stimulant dependence. PMID:28440810

Effects of mipafox, paraoxon, chlorpyrifos and its metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon on the expression of biomarker genes of differentiation in D3 mouse embryonic stem cells.

PubMed

Sogorb, Miguel A; Fuster, Encarnación; Del Río, Eva; Estévez, Jorge; Vilanova, Eugenio

2016-11-25

Chlorpyrifos (CPS) is an organophosphorus compound (OP) capable of causing well-known cholinergic and delayed syndromes through the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE), respectively. CPS is also able to induce neurodevelopmental toxicity in animals. NTE is codified by the Pnpla6 gene and plays a central role in differentiation and neurodifferentiation. We tested, in D3 mouse embryonic stem cells under differentiation, the effects of the NTE inhibition by the OPs mipafox, CPS and its main active metabolite chlorpyrifos-oxon (CPO) on the expression of genes Vegfa, Bcl2, Amot, Nes and Jun, previously reported to be under- or overexpressed after Pnpla6 silencing in this same cellular model. Mipafox did not significantly alter the expression of such genes at concentrations that significantly inhibited NTE. However, CPS and CPO at concentrations that caused NTE inhibition at similar levels to mipafox statistically and significantly altered the expression of most of these genes. Paraoxon (another OP with capability to inhibit esterases but not NTE) caused similar effects to CPS and CPO. These findings suggest that the molecular mechanism for the neurodevelopmental toxicity induced by CPS is not based on NTE inhibition, and that other unknown esterases might be potential targets of neurodevelopmental toxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Protective effects of resveratrol and its analogs on age-related macular degeneration in vitro.

PubMed

Kang, Jung-Hwan; Choung, Se-Young

2016-12-01

Damage of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells by A2E may be critical for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) management. Accumulation and photooxidation of A2E are known to be one of the critical causes in AMD. Here, we evaluated the protective effect of resveratrol (RES), piceatannol (PIC) and RES glycones on blue-light-induced RPE cell death caused by A2E photooxidation. A2E treatment followed by blue light exposure caused significant damages on human RPE cells (ARPE-19). But the damages were attenuated by post- and pre-treatment of RES and PIC in our in vitro models. The results of cell free system and FAB-MS analysis clearly showed that the reduction of A2E by blue light exposure was significantly rescued, and that oxidized forms of A2E were significantly reduced by RES or PIC treatment. Besides, RES or PIC inhibited the intracellular accumulation of A2E. Not only RES and PIC but RES glycones showed protection of ARPE-19 cells against A2E and blue-light-induced photo-damage. These findings demonstrate that RES and its analogs may have protective effects against A2E and blue-light-induced ARPE-19 cell death through regulation of A2E accumulation as well as photooxidation of A2E. Thus RES and its analogs may be beneficial for AMD treatment.

Long-term Coexposure to Hexavalent Chromium and B[a]P Causes Tissue-Specific Differential Biological Effects in Liver and Gastrointestinal Tract of Mice

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Martín, Francisco Javier; Fan, Yunxia; Carreira, Vinicius; Ovesen, Jerald L.; Vonhandorf, Andrew; Xia, Ying; Puga, Alvaro

2015-01-01

Complex mixtures of environmental agents often cause mixture-specific health effects that cannot be accounted for by a single mechanism. To study the biological effects of exposure to a mixture of chromium-VI and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), often found together in the environment, we exposed mice for 60 days to 0, 55, 550, or 5500 ppb Cr(VI) in drinking water followed by 90 days of coexposure to B[a]P at 0, 1.25, 12.5, or 125 mg/kg/day and examined liver and gastrointestinal (GI) tract for exposure effects. In the liver, the mixture caused more significant histopathology than expected from the sum of effects of the individual components, while in the GI tract, Cr(VI) alone caused significant enterocyte hypertrophy and increases in cell proliferation and DNA damage that were also observed in mice coexposed to B[a]P. Expression of genes involved in drug metabolism, tumor suppression, oxidative stress, and inflammation was altered in mixed exposures relative to control and to singly exposed mice. Drug metabolism and oxidative stress genes were upregulated and tumor suppressor and inflammation genes downregulated in the proximal GI tract, whereas most markers were upregulated in the distal GI tract and downregulated in the liver. Oral exposure to Cr(VI) and B[a]P mixtures appears to have tissue-specific differential consequences in liver and GI tract that cannot be predicted from the effects of each individual toxicant. Tissue specificity may be particularly critical in cases of extended exposure to mixtures of these agents, as may happen in the occupational setting or in areas where drinking water contains elevated levels of Cr(VI). PMID:25820237

Efficacy of Glutathione in Ameliorating Sulfur Mustard Analog-Induced Toxicity in Cultured Skin Epidermal Cells and in SKH-1 Mouse Skin In Vivo

PubMed Central

Tewari-Singh, Neera; Agarwal, Chapla; Huang, Jie; Day, Brian J.; White, Carl W.

2011-01-01

Exposure to chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard (HD) is reported to cause GSH depletion, which plays an important role in HD-linked oxidative stress and skin injury. Using the HD analog 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), we evaluated the role of GSH and its efficacy in ameliorating CEES-caused skin injury. Using mouse JB6 and human HaCaT epidermal keratinocytes, we observed both protective and therapeutic effects of exogenous GSH (1 or 10 mM) in attenuating a CEES-caused decrease in cell viability and DNA synthesis, as well as S and G2M phase arrest in cell cycle progression. However, the protective effect of GSH was stronger than its ability to reverse CEES-induced cytotoxic effect. The observed effect of GSH could be associated with an increase in intracellular GSH levels after its treatment before or after CEES exposure, which strongly depleted cellular GSH levels. N-Acetyl cysteine, a GSH precursor, also showed both protective and therapeutic effects against CEES-caused cytotoxicity. Buthionine sulfoximine, which reduces cellular GSH levels, caused an increased CEES cytotoxicity in both JB6 and HaCaT cells. In further studies translating GSH effects in cell culture, pretreatment of mice with 300 mg/kg GSH via oral gavage 1 h before topical application of CEES resulted in significant protection against CEES-caused increase in skin bifold and epidermal thickness, apoptotic cell death, and myeloperoxidase activity, which could be associated with increased skin GSH levels. Together, these results highlight GSH efficacy in ameliorating CEES-caused skin injury and further support the need for effective antioxidant countermeasures against skin injury by HD exposure. PMID:20974699

Efficacy of glutathione in ameliorating sulfur mustard analog-induced toxicity in cultured skin epidermal cells and in SKH-1 mouse skin in vivo.

PubMed

Tewari-Singh, Neera; Agarwal, Chapla; Huang, Jie; Day, Brian J; White, Carl W; Agarwal, Rajesh

2011-02-01

Exposure to chemical warfare agent sulfur mustard (HD) is reported to cause GSH depletion, which plays an important role in HD-linked oxidative stress and skin injury. Using the HD analog 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), we evaluated the role of GSH and its efficacy in ameliorating CEES-caused skin injury. Using mouse JB6 and human HaCaT epidermal keratinocytes, we observed both protective and therapeutic effects of exogenous GSH (1 or 10 mM) in attenuating a CEES-caused decrease in cell viability and DNA synthesis, as well as S and G(2)M phase arrest in cell cycle progression. However, the protective effect of GSH was stronger than its ability to reverse CEES-induced cytotoxic effect. The observed effect of GSH could be associated with an increase in intracellular GSH levels after its treatment before or after CEES exposure, which strongly depleted cellular GSH levels. N-Acetyl cysteine, a GSH precursor, also showed both protective and therapeutic effects against CEES-caused cytotoxicity. Buthionine sulfoximine, which reduces cellular GSH levels, caused an increased CEES cytotoxicity in both JB6 and HaCaT cells. In further studies translating GSH effects in cell culture, pretreatment of mice with 300 mg/kg GSH via oral gavage 1 h before topical application of CEES resulted in significant protection against CEES-caused increase in skin bifold and epidermal thickness, apoptotic cell death, and myeloperoxidase activity, which could be associated with increased skin GSH levels. Together, these results highlight GSH efficacy in ameliorating CEES-caused skin injury and further support the need for effective antioxidant countermeasures against skin injury by HD exposure.

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MORINGA PEREGRINA LEAVES EXTRACT ON ACETAMINOPHEN -INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY IN ALBINO RATS.

PubMed

Azim, Samy Abdelfatah Abdel; Abdelrahem, Mohamed Taha; Said, Mostafa Mohamed; Khattab, Alshaimaa

2017-01-01

Acetaminophen is a common antipyretic drug but at overdose can cause severe hepatotoxicity that may further develop into liver failure and hepatic centrilobular necrosis in experimental animals and humans. This study was undertaken to assess the ameliorative role of Moringa peregrina leaves extract against acetaminophen toxicity in rats. Induction of hepatotoxicity was done by chronic oral administration of acetaminophen (750 mg/kg bwt) for 4 weeks. To study the possible hepatoprotective effect, Moringa peregrina leaves extract (200 mg/kg bwt) or Silymarin (50 mg/kg bwt) was administered orally, for 4 weeks, along with acetaminophen. acetaminophen significantly increased serum liver enzymes and caused oxidative stress, evidenced by significantly increased tissue malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, hepatic DNA fragmentation, and significant decrease of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes in liver, blood and brain. On the other hand, administration of Moringa peregrina leaves extract reversed acetaminophen-related toxic effects through: powerful malondialdehyde suppression, glutathione peroxidase normalization and stimulation of the cellular antioxidants synthesis represented by significant increase of glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase in liver, blood and brain, besides, DNA fragmentation was significantly decreased in the liver tissue. acetaminophen induced oxidative damage can be improved by Moringa peregrina leaves extract-treatment, due to its antioxidant potential.

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF MORINGA PEREGRINA LEAVES EXTRACT ON ACETAMINOPHEN -INDUCED LIVER TOXICITY IN ALBINO RATS

PubMed Central

Azim, Samy Abdelfatah Abdel; Abdelrahem, Mohamed Taha; Said, Mostafa Mohamed; khattab, Alshaimaa

2017-01-01

Background: Acetaminophen is a common antipyretic drug but at overdose can cause severe hepatotoxicity that may further develop into liver failure and hepatic centrilobular necrosis in experimental animals and humans. This study was undertaken to assess the ameliorative role of Moringa peregrina leaves extract against acetaminophen toxicity in rats. Materials and methods: Induction of hepatotoxicity was done by chronic oral administration of acetaminophen (750 mg/kg bwt) for 4 weeks. To study the possible hepatoprotective effect, Moringa peregrina leaves extract (200 mg/kg bwt) or Silymarin (50 mg/kg bwt) was administered orally, for 4 weeks, along with acetaminophen. Results: acetaminophen significantly increased serum liver enzymes and caused oxidative stress, evidenced by significantly increased tissue malondialdehyde, glutathione peroxidase, hepatic DNA fragmentation, and significant decrease of glutathione and antioxidant enzymes in liver, blood and brain. On the other hand, administration of Moringa peregrina leaves extract reversed acetaminophen-related toxic effects through: powerful malondialdehyde suppression, glutathione peroxidase normalization and stimulation of the cellular antioxidants synthesis represented by significant increase of glutathione, catalase and superoxide dismutase in liver, blood and brain, besides, DNA fragmentation was significantly decreased in the liver tissue. Conclusion: acetaminophen induced oxidative damage can be improved by Moringa peregrina leaves extract-treatment, due to its antioxidant potential. PMID:28573237

Detection and validation of QTL affecting bacterial cold water disease resistance in rainbow trout using restriction-site associated DNA sequencing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) causes significant economic loss in salmonid aquaculture. Using microsatellites genome scan we have previously detected significant and suggestive QTL with major effects on the phenotypic variation of survival following challenge with Flavobacterium psychrophilum...

Toward Using Confidence Intervals to Compare Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zou, Guang Yong

2007-01-01

Confidence intervals are widely accepted as a preferred way to present study results. They encompass significance tests and provide an estimate of the magnitude of the effect. However, comparisons of correlations still rely heavily on significance testing. The persistence of this practice is caused primarily by the lack of simple yet accurate…

Novel anticancer alkene lactone from Persea americana.

PubMed

Falodun, Abiodun; Engel, Nadja; Kragl, Udo; Nebe, Barbara; Langer, Peter

2013-06-01

Persea americana Mill (Lauraceae) root bark is used in ethnomedicine for a variety of diseases including cancer. To isolate and characterize the chemical constituent in P. americana, and also to determine the anticancer property of a new alkene lactone from the root bark of P. americana. The MCF-7 cells were treated with different concentrations of the pure compound for 48 h. The percentage of cells in the various phases, online monitoring of metabolic changes and integrin receptor expression determined by flow cytometry. One novel alkene lactone (4-hydroxy-5-methylene-3-undecyclidenedihydrofuran-2 (3H)-one) (1) was isolated and characterized using 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR, infrared, UV and MS. At a concentration of 10 µg/mL, significant reduction of proliferation of MCF-7 was induced while MCF-12 A cell was significantly stimulated by 10 µg/mL. The IC50 value for MCF-7 cells is 20.48 µg/mL. Lower concentration of 1 harbor no significant effect on either MCF-7 or MCF-12A. The apoptotic rates of MCF-7 cells were increased significantly. At the final concentration 10 µg/mL, up to 80% of all breast cancer cells were dead. On the non-tumorigenic cell line MCF-12A, the same concentrations (1 and 10 µg/mL) of compound 1 caused significant enhanced apoptotic rates. A total of 1 µg/mL of 1 caused a decrease of α4-, α6-, β1- and β3-integrin expression. The compound caused a stimulatory effect on non-tumorigenic MCF-12A cells with respect to cell adhesion while tumorigenic MCF-7 cells detached continuously. This is the first report on the anticancer effects of this class of compound.

Influence of Dexamethasone on Some Reproductive Hormones and Uterine Progesterone Receptor Localization in Pregnant Yankasa Sheep in Semiarid Zones of Nigeria.

PubMed

Yahi, Dauda; Ojo, Nicholas Adetayo; Mshelia, Gideon Dauda

2017-01-01

Dexamethasone is widely used in both veterinary and human medical practices. However, it seems to cause some deleterious effects on pregnancy probably by causing changes in the reproductive hormone levels and their corresponding receptor concentrations. This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone on these parameters. Twenty healthy adult Yankasa sheep comprising 18 ewes and 2 rams were used for this study. Pregnancies were achieved by natural mating after estrus synchronization. Dexamethasone was administered at 0.25 mg/kg body weight on days 1, 3, and 5 during first trimester; days 51, 53, and 55 during second trimester; and days 101, 103, and 105 during the third trimester. Blood samples were collected biweekly for hormonal assay. Uterine biopsies were harvested through caesarean section for immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed that dexamethasone significantly ( p < 0.05) decreased progesterone concentrations and caused abortion in Yankasa sheep but had no significant ( p > 0.05) effect on estrogen, while progesterone receptors (PR) were upregulated. The abortion could probably be due to decreased progesterone concentrations as a consequence of the adverse effects on placenta. The PR upregulation may be a compensatory mechanism to increase progesterone sensitivity. It was concluded that dexamethasone should not be used in advanced pregnancy in Yankasa sheep.

Influence of Dexamethasone on Some Reproductive Hormones and Uterine Progesterone Receptor Localization in Pregnant Yankasa Sheep in Semiarid Zones of Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ojo, Nicholas Adetayo; Mshelia, Gideon Dauda

2017-01-01

Dexamethasone is widely used in both veterinary and human medical practices. However, it seems to cause some deleterious effects on pregnancy probably by causing changes in the reproductive hormone levels and their corresponding receptor concentrations. This study investigated the effects of dexamethasone on these parameters. Twenty healthy adult Yankasa sheep comprising 18 ewes and 2 rams were used for this study. Pregnancies were achieved by natural mating after estrus synchronization. Dexamethasone was administered at 0.25 mg/kg body weight on days 1, 3, and 5 during first trimester; days 51, 53, and 55 during second trimester; and days 101, 103, and 105 during the third trimester. Blood samples were collected biweekly for hormonal assay. Uterine biopsies were harvested through caesarean section for immunohistochemical analysis. Results showed that dexamethasone significantly (p < 0.05) decreased progesterone concentrations and caused abortion in Yankasa sheep but had no significant (p > 0.05) effect on estrogen, while progesterone receptors (PR) were upregulated. The abortion could probably be due to decreased progesterone concentrations as a consequence of the adverse effects on placenta. The PR upregulation may be a compensatory mechanism to increase progesterone sensitivity. It was concluded that dexamethasone should not be used in advanced pregnancy in Yankasa sheep. PMID:29181440

Minimal vascular flows cause strong heat sink effects in hepatic radiofrequency ablation ex vivo.

PubMed

Lehmann, Kai S; Poch, Franz G M; Rieder, Christian; Schenk, Andrea; Stroux, Andrea; Frericks, Bernd B; Gemeinhardt, Ole; Holmer, Christoph; Kreis, Martin E; Ritz, Jörg P; Zurbuchen, Urte

2016-08-01

The present paper aims to assess the lower threshold of vascular flow rate on the heat sink effect in bipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) ex vivo. Glass tubes (vessels) of 3.4 mm inner diameter were introduced in parallel to bipolar RFA applicators into porcine liver ex vivo. Vessels were perfused with flow rates of 0 to 1,500 ml/min. RFA (30 W power, 15 kJ energy input) was carried out at room temperature and 37°C. Heat sink effects were assessed in RFA cross sections by the decrease in ablation radius, area and by a high-resolution sector planimetry. Flow rates of 1 ml/min already caused a significant cooling effect (P ≤ 0.001). The heat sink effect reached a maximum at 10 ml/min (18.4 mm/s) and remained stable for flow rates up to 1,500 ml/min. Minimal vascular flows of ≥1 ml/min cause a significant heat sink effect in hepatic RFA ex vivo. A lower limit for volumetric flow rate was not found. The maximum of the heat sink effect was reached at a flow rate of 10 ml/min and remained stable for flow rates up to 1,500 ml/min. Hepatic inflow occlusion should be considered in RFA close to hepatic vessels. © 2016 Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery.

Developmental effects of ambient UV-B light and landfill leachate in Rana blairi and Hyla chrysoscelis.

PubMed

Bruner, M A; Shipman, P A; Rao, M; Bantle, J A

2002-09-01

This study assessed the effects of ambient UV light on the development of two native species of anurans, Rana blairi and Hyla chrysoscelis, during their normal breeding season in Oklahoma. Additionally, the effects of ambient UV light and water contaminated with landfill leachate in Rana blairi were examined. Embryos were collected from the field and distributed equally among replicates of four filter treatments of ambient UV light in experimental tubs filled with either FETAX solution or landfill leachate diluted to 25, 10, and 5% concentrations. Three endpoints (mortality, teratogenesis, and growth) were compared between filter treatments. By itself, UV-B caused no significant effects. Leachate at 10 and 25% concentrations caused 100% mortality across all filter treatments. There was a significant interaction between filter treatment and water toxicity at leachate concentrations of 5% for both malformation and growth. Increased UV-B exposure decreased the malformation rate and increased growth in the leachate treatments.

Effects of sound level fluctuations on annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccurdy, D. A.

1979-01-01

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine the effects of variations in the rate and magnitude of sound level fluctuations on the annoyance caused by aircraft-flyover noise. The effects of tonal content, noise duration, and sound pressure level on annoyance were also studied. An aircraft-noise synthesis system was used to synthesize 32 aircraft-flyover noise stimuli representing the factorial combinations of 2 tone conditions, 2 noise durations, 2 sound pressure levels, 2 level fluctuation rates, and 2 level fluctuation magnitudes. Thirty-two test subjects made annoyance judgements on a total of 64 stimuli in a subjective listening test facility simulating an outdoor acoustic environment. Variations in the rate and magnitude of level fluctuations were found to have little, if any, effect on annoyance. Tonal content, noise duration, sound pressure level, and the interaction of tonal content with sound pressure level were found to affect the judged annoyance significantly. The addition of tone corrections and/or duration corrections significantly improved the annoyance prediction ability of noise rating scales.

Effect of 12-monoketocholic acid on modulation of analgesic action of morphine and tramadol.

PubMed

Kuhajda, Ivan; Posa, Mihalj; Jakovljević, Vida; Ivetić, Vesna; Mikov, Momir

2009-01-01

This work is concerned with the potential promotive action of 12-monoketocholic acid (12-MKC) on the analgesic effect of morphine and tramadol. The investigation was carried out on laboratory Wistar rats divided into five test groups, each treated with either morphine (2 mg/kg), tramadol (9.6 mg/kg), 12-MKC (2 mg/kg), morphine + 12-MKC, or tramadol + 12-MKC, the control group receiving physiological solution (2 mg/kg). The effect of 12-MKC on the analgesic action of morphine and tramadol was determined by radiation heat method. Morphine and tramadol, given in equimolar doses, did not show significant difference in the degree of analgesia. In combination with morphine, 12-MKC increased significantly the analgesic effect compared with the group treated with morphine alone. However, 12-MKC caused no change in the action of tramadol. The 5-day intravenous application of 12-MKC in combination with the two analgesics caused no changes in the biochemical parameters nor pathohistological changes in the liver parenchyma of tested animals.

The effect of sunblock against oxidative stress in farmers: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Kim, Yong-Dae; Yim, Dong-Hyuk; Eom, Sang-Yong; Yeoun Lee, Ji; Kim, Heon

2017-01-01

Farmers are frequently exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation which causes various diseases by inducing oxidative stress. This study aimed to assess the effects of sunblock on oxidative stress in the body. Eighty-seven farmers were divided into two groups: those who wore sunblock for five days and those who did not. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in urine, which is an antioxidant indicator, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels in urine, an oxidative stress indicator, were measured. The urinary TAC of sunblock users was significantly higher than that of non-users, but urinary 8-OHdG levels were not significantly different. Even after adjustment for potential confounders, urinary TAC was found to be markedly increased with sunblock usage. These results suggest that sunblock is effective in preventing oxidative stress among farmers. In addition, they show that urinary TAC can be used as a good effect marker of oxidative stress caused by UV exposure. PMID:28808206

Effect of Venom from the Jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on the Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

PubMed

Yu, Huahua; Li, Rongfeng; Chen, Xiaolin; Yue, Yang; Xing, Ronge; Liu, Song; Li, Pengcheng

2015-09-24

The silkworm Bombyx mori L. (B. mori) has a significant impact on the economy by producing more than 80% of the globally produced raw silk. The exposure of silkworm to pesticides may cause adverse effects on B. mori, such as a reduction in the production and quality of silk. This study aims to assay the effect of venom from the jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai on growth, cuticle and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the silkworm B. mori by the leaf dipping method. The experimental results revealed that the four samples caused neither antifeeding nor a lethal effect on B. mori. The sample SFV inhibited B. mori growth after 6 days of treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The samples SFV, DSFV and Fr-1 inhibited the precipitation and synthesis of chitin in the cuticle after 12 and 14 days of treatment. In the case of the four samples, the AChE was significantly improved after 14 days of treatment.

Investigation of the effects of P2 purinoceptor ligands on the micturition reflex in female urethane-anaesthetized rats.

PubMed

King, Brian F; Knowles, Ian D; Burnstock, Geoffrey; Ramage, Andrew G

2004-06-01

1 The effects of purinoceptor ligands for P2X1 and/or P2X3 receptors (alpha,beta-meATP, IP(5)I, TNP-ATP, MRS 2179, PPADS, Phenol red and RO116-6446/008; i.v., n=4-5) and for P2Y1 receptors (PPADS, MRS 2179 and MRS 2269; i.v., n=3-5) were investigated on the distension-evoked 'micturition reflex' in the urethane-anaesthetized female rat. 2 Alpha,beta-meATP (180 nmol kg(-1) min(-1)), IP5I (10, 30 and 100 nmol kg(-1)), TNP-ATP (1 micromol kg(-1)), MRS 2179 (1 micromol kg(-1)) and PPADS (17 micromol kg(-1)) each caused maintained bladder contractions to occur during the infusion of saline into the bladder. PPADS (17 micromol kg(-1) min(-1)) had a similar effect when infused intravesicularly. Regular bladder contractions were not observed until the infusion of saline was halted. For IP5I, TNP-ATP, MRS 2179 and PPADS, the magnitude of postinfusion isovolumetric contractions was significantly reduced and, for IP5I, this action was also associated with a significant reduction in urethral relaxation. Additionally, TNP-ATP caused a significant increase in the pressure and volume thresholds required to initiate a reflex. 3 Phenol red (a P2X1/P2X3 antagonist; 0.1 and 1 micromol kg(-1)) caused a significant increase in the pressure and volume thresholds required to initiate a reflex and, at the higher dose, also caused a reduction in postinfusion isovolumetric contractions. 4 RO116-6446/008 (a P2X1-selective antagonist; 1 and 10 micromol kg(-1)) only caused a reduction in postinfusion isovolumetric contractions. 5 It is concluded that P2X1 and P2X3 receptors play a fundamental role in the micturition reflex in urethane-anesthetized female rats. P2X3 receptor blockade raised the pressure and volume thresholds for the reflex, whereas P2X1 receptor blockade diminished motor activity associated with voiding. P2Y1 receptors may be involved in inhibition of rat detrusor tone.

Leukocyte and platelet changes following low-dose lipopolysaccharide administration in five dogs.

PubMed

Flatland, B; Fry, M M; LeBlanc, C J; Rohrbach, B W

2011-02-01

Effects of low-dose LPS (0.1 μg/kg i.v.) on leukocyte and platelet parameters measured using an Advia 120 hematology analyzer were investigated. Five dogs received a saline sham treatment prior to LPS, and blood was collected before and 3, 6, and 24 h post-treatment. LPS-treated dogs had mild neutrophil toxic change and increased neutrophil bands at 3 and 6 h. Compared to saline-treated controls, total leukocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts of LPS-treated dogs were significantly decreased at 3 h and increased at 24 h. Compared to baseline, total leukocyte counts of LPS-treated dogs were significantly decreased at 3 h and increased at 24 h. Mean platelet volume was significantly increased and mean platelet component concentration was decreased at 3 h compared to baseline. Platelet count was significantly decreased at 3 and 6 h; plateletcrit did not change significantly. High dosage is not required in order to detect LPS-mediated hematologic effects in dogs. Low-dose LPS administration causes significant changes in leukocyte and platelet indices in dogs without causing severe clinical signs or death. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies of atmosphere radio-sounding for monitoring of radiation environments around nuclear power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyarchuk, Kirill; Karelin, Alexander; Tumanov, Mikhail

2014-05-01

The nuclear power plants practically do not discharge to the atmosphere any products causing significant radioactive contaminations. However, during the years of the nuclear power industry, some large accidents occurred at the nuclear objects, and that caused enormous environmental contamination. Among the most significant accidents are: thermal explosion of a reservoir with high-level wastes at the Mayak enterprise in the South Ural region, near the town of Kyshtym, in the end of September 1957; accident at the nuclear power plant in Windscale, UK, in October 1957; accident at the Three-Mile Island, USA, in 1979; accident at the Chernobyl power plant in April 1986. In March of 2011, a large earthquake and the following tsunami caused the largest nuclear catastrophe of XXI century, the accident at the Fucushima-1 power plant. The last accident highlighted the need to review seriously the safety issues at the active power plants and to develop the new effective methods for remote detection and control over radioactive environmental contamination and over general geophysical situation in the areas. The main influence of the fission products on the environment is its ionisation, and therefore various detectable biological and physical processes that are caused by ions. Presence of an ionisation source within the area under study may cause significant changes of absolute humidity and, that is especially important, changes of the chemical potential of atmosphere vapours indicating presence of charged condensation centres. These effects may cause anomalies in the IR radiation emitted from the Earth surface and jumps in the chemical potentials of water vapours that may be observed by means of the satellite remote sensing by specialized equipment (works by Dimitar Ouzounov, Sergey Pulinets, e.a.). In the current study, the theoretical description is presented from positions of the molecular-kinetic condensation theory that shows significant changes of the absolute and relative humidity values in the near-earth air layer. The detailed calculations of the water vapours in atmosphere were carried out with use of detailed non-stationary kinetic model of moist atmosphere air. The processes of condensation and evaporation were effectively considered with use of reactions of neutral water molecules' association under presence of a third particle, conversion of water molecules with an ion cluster to a more complicated cluster, and the relevant counter reactions' splits of neutral and ion clusters.

Oligofructose protects against arsenic-induced liver injury in a model of environment/obesity interaction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Massey, Veronica L.; Stocke, Kendall S.; Schmidt, Robin H.

Arsenic (As) tops the ATSDR list of hazardous environmental chemicals and is known to cause liver injury. Although the concentrations of As found in the US water supply are generally too low to directly damage the liver, subhepatotoxic doses of As sensitize the liver to experimental NAFLD. It is now suspected that GI microbiome dysbiosis plays an important role in development of NALFD. Importantly, arsenic has also been shown to alter the microbiome. The purpose of the current study was to test the hypothesis that the prebiotic oligofructose (OFC) protects against enhanced liver injury caused by As in experimental NAFLD.more » Male C57Bl6/J mice were fed low fat diet (LFD), high fat diet (HFD), or HFD containing oligofructose (OFC) during concomitant exposure to either tap water or As-containing water (4.9 ppm as sodium arsenite) for 10 weeks. HFD significantly increased body mass and caused fatty liver injury, as characterized by an increased liver weight-to-body weight ratio, histologic changes and transaminases. As observed previously, As enhanced HFD-induced liver damage, which was characterized by enhanced inflammation. OFC supplementation protected against the enhanced liver damage caused by As in the presence of HFD. Interestingly, arsenic, HFD and OFC all caused unique changes to the gut flora. These data support previous findings that low concentrations of As enhance liver damage caused by high fat diet. Furthermore, these results indicate that these effects of arsenic may be mediated, at least in part, by GI tract dysbiosis and that prebiotic supplementation may confer significant protective effects. - Highlights: • Arsenic (As) enhances liver damage caused by a high-fat (HFD) diet in mice. • Oligofructose protects against As-enhanced liver damage caused by HFD. • As causes dysbiosis in the GI tract and exacerbates the dysbiosis caused by HFD. • OFC prevents the dysbiosis caused by HFD and As, increasing commensal bacteria.« less

Mitigation of heat stress-related complications by a yeast fermentate product.

PubMed

Giblot Ducray, Henri Alexandre; Globa, Ludmila; Pustovyy, Oleg; Reeves, Stuart; Robinson, Larry; Vodyanoy, Vitaly; Sorokulova, Iryna

2016-08-01

Heat stress results in a multitude of biological and physiological responses which can become lethal if not properly managed. It has been shown that heat stress causes significant adverse effects in both human and animals. Different approaches have been proposed to mitigate the adverse effects caused by heat stress, among which are special diet and probiotics. We characterized the effect of the yeast fermentate EpiCor (EH) on the prevention of heat stress-related complications in rats. We found that increasing the body temperature of animals from 37.1±0.2 to 40.6±0.2°C by exposure to heat (45°C for 25min) resulted in significant morphological changes in the intestine. Villi height and total mucosal thickness decreased in heat-stressed rats pre-treated with PBS in comparison with control animals not exposed to the heat. Oral treatment of rats with EH before heat stress prevented the traumatic effects of heat on the intestine. Changes in intestinal morphology of heat-stressed rats, pre-treated with PBS resulted in significant elevation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) level in the serum of these animals. Pre-treatment with EH was effective in the prevention of LPS release into the bloodstream of heat-stressed rats. Our study revealed that elevation of body temperature also resulted in a significant increase of the concentration of vesicles released by erythrocytes in rats, pre-treated with PBS. This is an indication of a pathological impact of heat on the erythrocyte structure. Treatment of rats with EH completely protected their erythrocytes from this heat-induced pathology. Finally, exposure to heat stress conditions resulted in a significant increase of white blood cells in rats. In the group of animals pre-treated with EH before heat stress, the white blood cell count remained the same as in non-heated controls. These results showed the protective effect of the EH product in the prevention of complications, caused by heat stress. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Mutated-leptin gene transfer induces increases in body weight by electroporation and hydrodynamics-based gene delivery in mice.

PubMed

Xiang, Lan; Murai, Atsushi; Muramatsu, Tatsuo

2005-12-01

To investigate whether in vivo gene transfer causes leptin-antagonistic effects on food intake, animal body weight and fat tissue weight, the R128Q mutated-leptin gene, an R to Q substitution at position 128 of mouse leptin, was transferred into mouse liver and leg muscle by electroporation and hydrodynamics-based gene delivery. Mutated-leptin gene transfer by electroporation caused significant increases in body weight at 5 days and after (5.4% increase relative to control; p<0.05). Hydrodynamics-based gene delivery of the mutated-leptin gene also caused an increase in body weight (3.0% increase relative to control; p<0.05). Mutated-leptin gene transfer by electroporation significantly increased the tissue weight of epididymal white fat and neuropeptide Y mRNA expression in the hypothalamus compared with those of the control group 3 weeks after gene transfer (p<0.05). These results suggest that mutated-leptin gene transfer successfully produced leptin-antagonistic effects by modulating the central regulator of energy homeostasis. Also, the extent of leptin-antagonistic effects by electroporation was much higher than hydrodynamics-based gene delivery, with at least single gene transfer.

Effects of the nematicide imicyafos on soil nematode community structure and damage to radish caused by Pratylenchus penetrans

PubMed Central

Toyota, Koki; Takada, Atsushi

2011-01-01

The effects of the non-fumigant nematicide imicyafos on soil nematode community structure and damage to radish caused by Pratylenchus penetrans were evaluated in two field experiments in consecutive years (2007 and 2008). Nematode densities in soil at 0 - 10 cm (the depth of nematicide incorporation) and 10 - 30 cm were measured. The application of imicyafos had a significant impact on the density of P. penetrans at 0 - 10 cm but had no effect on free-living nematode density. PCR-DGGE analysis conducted using extracted nematodes showed that the nematode community structure 12 d after application in 2007 was altered by the application of imicyafos at the 0 - 10 cm depth, but not at 10 - 30 cm. No significant differences were observed in the diversity of the nematode community at harvest (89 and 91 d after application) between the control and imicyafos treatments in both depths and both years. In both years, the damage to radish caused by P. penetrans was markedly suppressed by the nematicide. Overall, the nematicide imicyafos decreased populations of P. penetrans in soil and thereby decreased damage to radish, while having little impact on the soil nematode community. PMID:22791909

Antihypercholesterolemic Effects of Fruit Aqueous Extract of Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore in Mice Diet-Induced Hypercholesterolemia

PubMed Central

Benjamin, Stephen Rathinaraj; Rondina, Davide; Marques, Márcia Maria Mendes; Viana, Daniel de Araújo; Gonzaga, Maria Leônia da Costa; Vieira, Ícaro Gusmão Pinto; Mendes, Francisca Noélia Pereira; Rodrigues, Paula Alves Salmito

2017-01-01

The present objective of the investigation is to evaluate the antihypercholesterolemic activity of the aqueous fruit pulp extract (APE) of Copernicia prunifera (Miller) H. E. Moore (Arecaceae family). Various chemical characterization methods like thin layer chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 1H and 13C NMR, and molecular weight by gel permeation chromatography have been employed to characterize the extracted pectin. The present study demonstrated that hypercholesterolemic diet (HD) created hypercholesterolemia, caused significant increases in body weight, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein, and caused decreases in high-density lipoprotein in serum compared with SD group. Two doses (APE 150 and 300 mg/Kg b.w./day) were administered to hyperlipidemic mice for 90 days. APE reversed body weight changes, changed serum lipids to normal values, and significantly inhibited the changes of lipid peroxidation and inflammation in the liver tissues. The renal parameters analyzed (urea and creatinine) altered by diet were reverted to normal values. Our results revealed that aqueous fruit pulp extracts of carnauba reduced hypercholesterolemia showing a potential preventive effect against cardiovascular diseases without side effects cause. PMID:29081820

Effects of illegal cyanide fishing on vitellogenin in the freshwater African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822).

PubMed

Authman, Mohammad M N; Abbas, Wafaa T; Abumourad, Iman M K; Kenawy, Amany M

2013-05-01

The effects of cyanide, used in illegal fishing, on one of the most economically important Nile fishes, the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), were studied. Cyanide impacts were evaluated in terms of biochemical, molecular and histopathological characteristics. After exposure to sublethal concentration (0.05mg/l) of potassium cyanide (KCN) for two and four weeks, GOT (glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase) was significantly increased in both male and female, while GPT (glutamate pyruvate transaminase), total plasma protein, phosphoprotein phosphorus (Vgt) in serum, vitellogenin gene expression (Vtg mRNA) and estrogen receptors (ER mRNA) were significantly decreased in female. On the other hand, male C. gariepinus showed a significant increase in Vtg and Vtg mRNA. Liver, testis and ovaries showed distinct histopathological changes. It was concluded that, cyanide caused damaging effects to fish and can cause serious disturbance in the natural reproduction and a drastic decline in fish population. Therefore, it is recommended that, the use of cyanide compounds must be prohibited to conserve the fisheries resources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Very Long Baseline Interferometry Applied to Polar Motion, Relativity and Geodesy. Ph.D. Thesis - Maryland Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, C.

1978-01-01

The causes and effects of diurnal polar motion are described. An algorithm is developed for modeling the effects on very long baseline interferometry observables. Five years of radio-frequency very long baseline interferometry data from stations in Massachusetts, California, and Sweden are analyzed for diurnal polar motion. It is found that the effect is larger than predicted by McClure. Corrections to the standard nutation series caused by the deformability of the earth have a significant effect on the estimated diurnal polar motion scaling factor and the post-fit residual scatter. Simulations of high precision very long baseline interferometry experiments taking into account both measurement uncertainty and modeled errors are described.

Anti-Adrenergic and Hemodynamic Effects of Ranolazine in Conscious Dogs Zhao, Anti-Adrenergic Effect of Ranolazine

PubMed Central

Zhao, Gong; Walsh, Erin; Shryock, John; Messina, Eric; Wu, Yuzhi; Zeng, Dewan; Xu, Xiaobin; Ochoa, Manuel; Baker, Stephen; Hintze, Thomas; Belardinelli, Luiz

2012-01-01

Effects of ranolazine alone and in the presence of phenylephrine (PE) or isoproterenol (ISO) on hemodynamics, coronary blood flow (CBF) and heart rate (HR) in the absence and presence of hexamethonium (a ganglionic blocker) were studied in conscious dogs. Ranolazine (0.4, 1.2, 3.6 and 6 mg/kg, IV) alone caused transient (<1 min) and reversible hemodynamic changes. PE (0.3 to 10 μg/kg) caused a dose-dependent increase in BP and decrease in HR. ISO (0.01 to 0.3 μg/kg) caused a dose-dependent decrease in BP and increase in HR. Ranolazine at moderate (4-5 μM) and high (11-13 μM) concentrations did not affect the changes in MAP and HR caused by either PE or ISO, or partially attenuated these effects, respectively. However, in dogs treated with hexamethonium (20 mg/kg) to cause autonomic blockade, ranolazine (both 4-5 and 11-13 μM) significantly attenuated both the PE- and ISO-induced changes in MAP. The results suggest that a potential anti-adrenergic effect of ranolazine was masked by autonomic control mechanisms in conscious dogs, but could be observed when these mechanisms were inhibited (e.g., in the hexamethonium-treated dog). Ranolazine, at plasma concentrations below 10 μM and in conscious dogs with intact autonomic regulation, had minimal anti-adrenergic (α and β) effects. PMID:21633249

Toxicity of DEDGN (Diethyleneglycol Dinitrate), Synthetic-HC Smoke Combustion Products, Solvent Yellow 33 and Solvent Green 3 to Freshwater Aquatic Organisms.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-15

stock mixture of these components caused both an algistatic and algicidal effect on the alga. The rainbow trout and the water flea had 96-h and 48-h...stock mixture of these components caused both an algistatic and algicidal effect on the alga. LC50 values for the rainbow trout and the water flea...growth period, cell counts did not increase significantly from the initial inoculum level. 2. Algicidal concentration. This is the lowest concentration

Mechanism of poliovirus inactivation by ammonia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, R.L.

1978-05-01

Poliovirus inactivation by ammonia causes a slight reduction in the sedimentation coefficients of viral particles, but has no detectable effect on either the electrophoretic pattern of viral capsid proteins or the isoelectric points of inactivated particles. These virions still attach to cells, but are unable to repress host translation or stimulate the synthesis of detectable amounts of viral RNA. Although ammonia has no detectable effect on naked poliovirus RNA, it causes cleavage of this RNA when still within viral particles. Therefore, the RNA genome appears to be the only component of poliovirus significantly affected by ammonia.

Perineal Massage Improves the Dyspareunia Caused by Tenderness of the Pelvic Floor Muscles.

PubMed

Silva, Ana Paula Moreira da; Montenegro, Mary Lourdes; Gurian, Maria Beatriz Ferreira; Mitidieri, Andreia Moreira de Souza; Lara, Lucia Alves da Silva; Poli-Neto, Omero Benedicto; Rosa E Silva, Julio Cesar

2017-01-01

Aim  To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of perineal Thiele massage in the treatment of women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles. Methods  A total of 18 women with diagnoses of dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles were included in the study. The women were divided in two groups: the dyspareunia (D) group - 8 women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles; and the chronic pelvic pain group (CPP) group - 10 women with dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles associated with CPP. Each patient filled out the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the McGill Pain Index, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). After an evaluation, the women underwent transvaginal massage using the Thiele technique over a period of 5 minutes, once a week for 4 weeks. Results  All women had significant improvements in their dyspareunia according the VAS and the McGill Pain Index ( p  < 0,001), but the HADS scores did not show significant differences. Regarding sexual function, the D group showed improvements on all aspects of sexual function, while the CPP group showed differences only in the pain domain. Conclusion  Thiele massage is effective in the treatment of dyspareunia caused by tenderness of the pelvic floor muscles with a long-term pain relief. Thieme-Revinter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Potential adverse effects of oseltamivir in rats: males are more vulnerable than females.

PubMed

El-Sayed, Wael M; Al-Kahtani, Mohamed Ali

2011-09-01

Oseltamivir is the most widely used antiviral drug for the treatment and prophylaxis of influenza. However, not much is known about its adverse effects. The potential side effects were investigated in male and female rats (140-170 g). Oseltamivir was administered at 2.2 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1) for 5 days. For both genders, treatment with oseltamivir resulted in significant reductions in the hepatic activities of glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase. Also for both genders, oseltamivir produced modest reductions in the hepatic activities of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, quinone oxidoreductase, thioredoxin reductase, CYP1A1/2, and CYP3A, as well as hepatic glutathione content. For both genders, neither the kidney functions nor protein profile was affected by oseltamivir. Oseltamivir also caused significant elevation in serum levels of both triacylglycerols and LDL-cholesterol and in the activity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, in both genders. For male animals only, oseltamivir treatment elevated the serum level of total cholesterol as well as the activity of serum alanine aminotransferase, and reduced the hepatic activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Oseltamivir caused oxidative stress and acute toxicity in the liver, and disrupted the cholesterol and lipid metabolism but was less likely to cause serious drug interactions. There was a sexual differentiation in these adverse effects, with adverse effects being more evident in male rats.

Health effects of subchronic inhalation exposure to gasoline engine exhaust.

PubMed

Reed, M D; Barrett, E G; Campen, M J; Divine, K K; Gigliotti, A P; McDonald, J D; Seagrave, J C; Mauderly, J L; Seilkop, S K; Swenberg, J A

2008-10-01

Gasoline engine emissions are a ubiquitous source of exposure to complex mixtures of particulate matter (PM) and non-PM pollutants; yet their health hazards have received little study in comparison with those of diesel emissions. As a component of the National Environmental Respiratory Center (NERC) multipollutant research program, F344 and SHR rats and A/J, C57BL/6, and BALBc mice were exposed 6 h/day, 7 days/week for 1 week to 6 months to exhaust from 1996 General Motors 4.3-L engines burning national average fuel on a simulated urban operating cycle. Exposure groups included whole exhaust diluted 1:10, 1:15, or 1:90, filtered exhaust at the 1:10 dilution, or clean air controls. Evaluations included organ weight, histopathology, hematology, serum chemistry, bronchoalveolar lavage, cardiac electrophysiology, micronuclei in circulating cells, DNA methylation and oxidative injury, clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the lung, and development of respiratory allergic responses to ovalbumin. Among the 120 outcome variables, only 20 demonstrated significant exposure effects. Several statistically significant effects appeared isolated and were not supported by related variables. The most coherent and consistent effects were those related to increased red blood cells, interpreted as likely to have resulted from exposure to 13-107 ppm carbon monoxide. Other effects supported by multiple variables included mild lung irritation and depression of oxidant production by alveolar macrophages. The lowest exposure level caused no significant effects. Because only 6 of the 20 significant effects appeared to be substantially reversed by PM filtration, the majority of effects were apparently caused by non-PM components of exhaust.

The effect of nonablative laser energy on joint capsular properties. An in vitro histologic and biochemical study using a rabbit model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayashi, K.; Thabit, G. 3rd; Vailas, A. C.; Bogdanske, J. J.; Cooley, A. J.; Markel, M. D.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of laser energy at nonablative levels on joint capsular histologic and biochemical properties in an in vitro rabbit model. The medial and lateral portions of the femoropatellar joint capsule from both stifles of 12 mature New Zealand White rabbits were used. Specimens were divided into three treatment groups (5 watts, 10 watts, and 15 watt) and one control group using a randomized block design. Specimens were placed in a 37 degrees bath of lactated Ringer's solution and laser energy was applied using a holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser in four transverse passes across the tissue at a velocity of 2 mm/sec with the handpiece set 1.5 mm from the synovial surface. Histologic analysis revealed thermal alteration of collagen (fusion) and fibroblasts (pyknosis) at all energy densities, with higher laser energy causing significantly greater morphologic changes over a larger area (P < 0.05). Application of laser energy did not significantly alter the biochemical parameters evaluated, including type I collagen content and nonreducible crosslinks (P > 0.05). This study demonstrated that nonablative laser energy caused significant thermal damage to the joint capsular tissue in an energy-dependent fashion, but type I collagen content and nonreducible crosslinks (P > 0.05). This study demonstrated that nonablative laser energy caused significant thermal damage to the joint capsular tissue in an energy-dependent fashion, but type I Collagen content and nonreducible corsslinks were not significantly altered.

Effects of low dose pre-irradiation on hepatic damage and genetic material damage caused by cyclophosphamide.

PubMed

Yu, H-S; Song, A-Q; Liu, N; Wang, H

2014-01-01

Cyclophosphamide (CTX) can attack tumour cells, but can also damage the other cells and microstructures of an organism at different levels, such as haematopoietic cells, liver cells, peripheral lymphocyte DNA, and genetic materials. Low dose radiation (LDR) can induce general adaptation reaction. In this study, we explore the effects of low dose radiation on hepatic damage and genetic material damage caused by CTX. Mice were implanted subcutaneously with S180 cells in the left groin (control group excluded). On days 8 and 11, mice of the LDR and LDR+CTX groups were given 75 mGy of whole-body γ-irradiation; whereas mice of the CTX and LDR+CTX groups were injected intraperitoneally with 3.0 mg of CTX. All mice were sacrificed on day 13. DNA damage of the peripheral lymphocytes, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) of the plasma, malonyl-dialdheyde (MDA) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity of the hepatic homogenate, and micronucleus frequency (MNF) of polychromatoerythrocytes in the bone marrow were analysed. The control group had the lowest MDA content and the highest SOD and GSH-PX activity, whereas the CTX group had the highest MDA content and the lowest SOD and GSH-PX activity. Compared with the CTX group, the MDA content decreased significantly (p < 0.01) and the SOD and GSH-PX activity increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the LDR+CTX group. TP and ALB in control group were higher than that of the other groups. Compared with the sham-irradiated group, TP and ALB in the LDR group elevated significantly (p < 0.05). The control group had the lightest DNA damage, whereas the CTX group had the severest. DNA damage in LDR+CTX group was much lighter compared with that of the CTX group (p < 0.05). MNF in the CTX group increased significantly compared with the control and the sham-irradiated groups (p < 0.01). Compared with the CTX group, MNF in LDR+CTX group had a tendency of decline, but without statistical significance (p > 0.05). Pre-chemotherapeutic LDR can induce the activities of anti-oxidative enzymes and promote the elimination of free radicles to alleviate the damaging effects of oxidative stress to hepatic tissue caused by high-dose CTX. At the same time, LDR has no obvious effect on the ALT activity of plasma, but may have protective effect on the protein synthesis function of the liver. High-dose CTX chemotherapy can cause DNA damage of peripheral lymphocytes; however, LDR before chemotherapy may have certain protective effect on DNA damage. Moreover, CTX has potent mutagenic effect; however, LDR may have no protective effect against the genetic toxicity of CTX chemotherapy.

Comparison of the effects of penbutolol and propranolol on glomerular filtration rate in hypertensive patients with impaired renal function.

PubMed Central

van der Meulen, J; Reijn, E; Heidendal, G A; Oe, P L; Donker, A J

1986-01-01

Penbutolol and propranolol were administered orally in a dosage of 40 mg once daily and 80 mg twice daily, respectively to 12 patients with hypertension and impaired renal function. Both drugs caused a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Serum creatinine concentration increased significantly by 10% during therapy with propranolol without concomitant decrease in creatinine clearance. No such effect was seen with penbutolol. GFR measured with [125I]-iothalamate showed no significant changes with both drugs. PMID:3533129

The effect of long-term use of tooth bleaching products on the human enamel surface.

PubMed

Polydorou, Olga; Scheitza, Sophia; Spraul, Mathias; Vach, Kirstin; Hellwig, Elmar

2018-01-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the long-term effect of bleaching on human enamel. Four groups of enamel specimens were prepared (n = 20): group 1: bleaching with Opalescence Boost [40% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), 3 × 20 min/week]; group 2: control group (the specimens were stored in human saliva); group 3: beaching with Vivastyle Paint on Plus (6% H 2 O 2 , 2 × 10 min/day), and group 4: bleaching with Opalescence PF 16% [16% carbamide peroxide (CP), 6 h/day]. After each bleaching session the specimens were stored in human saliva. Knoop microhardness and surface roughness were measured: before bleaching, after 2-week and after 8-week bleaching. After 2-week treatment, surface roughness was significantly increased in all experimental groups (p < 0.05), while among them no significant difference was found (p > 0.05). The roughness changes exerted after 8-week bleaching were not significantly higher than the ones after 2 weeks (p > 0.05). After 8-week treatment, the increase in roughness caused by 16% CP was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the one caused by 40% H 2 O 2 . Microhardness increased in all groups including control; however, only 40% H 2 O 2 increased the microhardness significantly (p < 0.05). The effect of bleaching on enamel was not shown to be dependent on the method or the H 2 O 2 concentration. Bleaching with CP 16% resulted in higher roughness than bleaching with H 2 O 2 , while 40% H 2 O 2 caused the higher microhardness increase. The present study showed that in-office bleaching with 40% H 2 O 2 seems to be at least as safe as home bleaching as far as their effects on human enamel are concerned.

Estimating Hydraulic Parameters When Poroelastic Effects Are Significant

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berg, S.J.; Hsieh, P.A.; Illman, W.A.

2011-01-01

For almost 80 years, deformation-induced head changes caused by poroelastic effects have been observed during pumping tests in multilayered aquifer-aquitard systems. As water in the aquifer is released from compressive storage during pumping, the aquifer is deformed both in the horizontal and vertical directions. This deformation in the pumped aquifer causes deformation in the adjacent layers, resulting in changes in pore pressure that may produce drawdown curves that differ significantly from those predicted by traditional groundwater theory. Although these deformation-induced head changes have been analyzed in several studies by poroelasticity theory, there are at present no practical guidelines for the interpretation of pumping test data influenced by these effects. To investigate the impact that poroelastic effects during pumping tests have on the estimation of hydraulic parameters, we generate synthetic data for three different aquifer-aquitard settings using a poroelasticity model, and then analyze the synthetic data using type curves and parameter estimation techniques, both of which are based on traditional groundwater theory and do not account for poroelastic effects. Results show that even when poroelastic effects result in significant deformation-induced head changes, it is possible to obtain reasonable estimates of hydraulic parameters using methods based on traditional groundwater theory, as long as pumping is sufficiently long so that deformation-induced effects have largely dissipated. ?? 2011 The Author(s). Journal compilation ?? 2011 National Ground Water Association.

Microwave emission and crop residues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Thomas J.; O'Neill, Peggy E.

1991-01-01

A series of controlled experiments were conducted to determine the significance of crop residues or stubble in estimating the emission of the underlying soil. Observations using truck-mounted L and C band passive microwave radiometers showed that for dry wheat and soybeans the dry residue caused negligible attenuation of the background emission. Green residues, with water contents typical of standing crops, did have a significant effect on the background emission. Results for these green residues also indicated that extremes in plant structure, as created using parallel and perpendicular stalk orientations, can cause very large differences in the degree of attenuation.

Efficacy of Oral E1210, a New Broad-Spectrum Antifungal with a Novel Mechanism of Action, in Murine Models of Candidiasis, Aspergillosis, and Fusariosis▿

PubMed Central

Hata, Katsura; Horii, Takaaki; Miyazaki, Mamiko; Watanabe, Nao-aki; Okubo, Miyuki; Sonoda, Jiro; Nakamoto, Kazutaka; Tanaka, Keigo; Shirotori, Syuji; Murai, Norio; Inoue, Satoshi; Matsukura, Masayuki; Abe, Shinya; Yoshimatsu, Kentaro; Asada, Makoto

2011-01-01

E1210 is a first-in-class, broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action—inhibition of fungal glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. In this study, the efficacies of E1210 and reference antifungals were evaluated in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. Oral E1210 demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in infections caused by Candida species, Aspergillus spp., and Fusarium solani. In the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis, E1210 and fluconazole each caused a significantly greater reduction in the number of oral CFU than the control treatment (P < 0.05). In the disseminated candidiasis model, mice treated with E1210, fluconazole, caspofungin, or liposomal amphotericin B showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also highly effective in treating disseminated candidiasis caused by azole-resistant Candida albicans or Candida tropicalis. A 24-h delay in treatment onset minimally affected the efficacy outcome of E1210 in the treatment of disseminated candidiasis. In the Aspergillus flavus pulmonary aspergillosis model, mice treated with E1210, voriconazole, or caspofungin showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also effective in the treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary aspergillosis. In contrast to many antifungals, E1210 was also effective against disseminated fusariosis caused by F. solani. In conclusion, E1210 demonstrated consistent efficacy in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. These data suggest that further studies to determine E1210's potential for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections are indicated. PMID:21788462

Efficacy of oral E1210, a new broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action, in murine models of candidiasis, aspergillosis, and fusariosis.

PubMed

Hata, Katsura; Horii, Takaaki; Miyazaki, Mamiko; Watanabe, Nao-Aki; Okubo, Miyuki; Sonoda, Jiro; Nakamoto, Kazutaka; Tanaka, Keigo; Shirotori, Syuji; Murai, Norio; Inoue, Satoshi; Matsukura, Masayuki; Abe, Shinya; Yoshimatsu, Kentaro; Asada, Makoto

2011-10-01

E1210 is a first-in-class, broad-spectrum antifungal with a novel mechanism of action-inhibition of fungal glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis. In this study, the efficacies of E1210 and reference antifungals were evaluated in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. Oral E1210 demonstrated dose-dependent efficacy in infections caused by Candida species, Aspergillus spp., and Fusarium solani. In the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis, E1210 and fluconazole each caused a significantly greater reduction in the number of oral CFU than the control treatment (P < 0.05). In the disseminated candidiasis model, mice treated with E1210, fluconazole, caspofungin, or liposomal amphotericin B showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also highly effective in treating disseminated candidiasis caused by azole-resistant Candida albicans or Candida tropicalis. A 24-h delay in treatment onset minimally affected the efficacy outcome of E1210 in the treatment of disseminated candidiasis. In the Aspergillus flavus pulmonary aspergillosis model, mice treated with E1210, voriconazole, or caspofungin showed significantly higher survival rates than the control mice (P < 0.05). E1210 was also effective in the treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus pulmonary aspergillosis. In contrast to many antifungals, E1210 was also effective against disseminated fusariosis caused by F. solani. In conclusion, E1210 demonstrated consistent efficacy in murine models of oropharyngeal and disseminated candidiasis, pulmonary aspergillosis, and disseminated fusariosis. These data suggest that further studies to determine E1210's potential for the treatment of disseminated fungal infections are indicated.

Tamoxifen affects glucose and lipid metabolism parameters, causes browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue and transient body composition changes in C57BL/6NTac mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hesselbarth, Nico; Pettinelli, Chiara; Gericke, Martin

Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator which is widely used to generate inducible conditional transgenic mouse models. Activation of ER signaling plays an important role in the regulation of adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. We therefore tested the hypothesis that tamoxifen administration causes changes in AT biology in vivo. 12 weeks old male C57BL/6NTac mice were treated with either tamoxifen (n = 18) or vehicle (n = 18) for 5 consecutive days. Tamoxifen treatment effects on body composition, energy homeostasis, parameters of AT biology, glucose and lipid metabolism were investigated up to an age of 18 weeks. We found that tamoxifen treatment causes: I)more » significantly increased HbA{sub 1c}, triglyceride and free fatty acid serum concentrations (p < 0.01), II) browning of subcutaneous AT and increased UCP-1 expression, III) increased AT proliferation marker Ki67 mRNA expression, IV) changes in adipocyte size distribution, and V) transient body composition changes. Tamoxifen may induce changes in body composition, whole body glucose and lipid metabolism and has significant effects on AT biology, which need to be considered when using Tamoxifen as a tool to induce conditional transgenic mouse models. Our data further suggest that tamoxifen-treated wildtype mice should be characterized in parallel to experimental transgenic models to control for tamoxifen administration effects. - Highlights: • Tamoxifen treatment causes significantly increased HbA{sub 1c}, triglyceride and free fatty acid serum concentrations. • Tamoxifen induces browning of subcutaneous AT and increased UCP-1 expression. • Tamoxifen changes adipocyte size distribution, and transient body composition.« less

Life-cycle effects of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on an estuarine meiobenthic copepod.

PubMed

Templeton, Ryan C; Ferguson, P Lee; Washburn, Kate M; Scrivens, Wally A; Chandler, G Thomas

2006-12-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are finding increasing use in consumer electronics and structural composites. These nanomaterials and their manufacturing byproducts may eventually reach estuarine systems through wastewater discharge. The acute and chronic toxicity of SWNTs were evaluated using full life-cycle bioassays with the estuarine copepod Amphiascus tenuiremis (ASTM method E-2317-04). A synchronous cohort of naupliar larvae was assayed by culturing individual larvae to adulthood in individual 96-well microplate wells amended with SWNTs in seawater. Copepods were exposed to "as prepared" (AP) SWNTs, electrophoretically purified SWNTs, or a fluorescent fraction of nanocarbon synthetic byproducts. Copepods ingesting purified SWNTs showed no significant effects on mortality, development, and reproduction across exposures (p < 0.05). In contrast, exposure to the more complex AP-SWNT mixture significantly increased life-cycle mortality, reduced fertilization rates, and reduced molting success in the highest exposure (10 mg x L(-1)) (p < 0.05). Exposure to small fluorescent nanocarbon byproducts caused significantly increased life-cycle mortality at 10 mg x L(-1) (p < 0.05). The fluorescent nanocarbon fraction also caused significant reduction in life-cycle molting success for all exposures (p < 0.05). These results suggest size-dependent toxicity of SWNT-based nanomaterials, with the smallest synthetic byproduct fractions causing increased mortality and delayed copepod development over the concentration ranges tested.

Effects of passive inhalation of cigarette smoke on structural and functional parameters in the respiratory system of guinea pigs

PubMed Central

de Vasconcelos, Thiago Brasileiro; de Araújo, Fernanda Yvelize Ramos; de Pinho, João Paulo Melo; Soares, Pedro Marcos Gomes; Bastos, Vasco Pinheiro Diógenes

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects of passive inhalation of cigarette smoke on the respiratory system of guinea pigs. Methods: Male guinea pigs were divided into two groups: control and passive smoking, the latter being exposed to the smoke of ten cigarettes for 20 min in the morning, afternoon and evening (30 cigarettes/day) for five days. After that period, inflammatory parameters were studied by quantifying mesenteric mast cell degranulation, as well as oxidative stress, in BAL fluid. In addition, we determined MIP, MEP, and mucociliary transport (in vivo), as well as tracheal contractility response (in vitro). Results: In comparison with the control group, the passive smoking group showed a significant increase in mast cell degranulation (19.75 ± 3.77% vs. 42.53 ± 0.42%; p < 0.001) and in the levels of reduced glutathione (293.9 ± 19.21 vs. 723.7 ± 67.43 nM/g of tissue; p < 0.05); as well as a significant reduction in mucociliary clearance (p < 0.05), which caused significant changes in pulmonary function (in MIP and MEP; p < 0.05 for both) and airway hyperreactivity. Conclusions: Passive inhalation of cigarette smoke caused significant increases in mast cell degranulation and oxidative stress. This inflammatory process seems to influence the decrease in mucociliary transport and to cause changes in pulmonary function, leading to tracheal hyperreactivity. PMID:27812632

Effect of monophasic pulsed current on heel pain and functional activities caused by plantar fasciitis.

PubMed

Alotaibi, Abdullah K; Petrofsky, Jerrold S; Daher, Noha S; Lohman, Everett; Laymon, Michael; Syed, Hasan M

2015-03-20

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a soft tissue disorder considered to be one of the most common causes of inferior heel pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of monophasic pulsed current (MPC) and MPC coupled with plantar fascia-specific stretching exercises (SE) on the treatment of PF. Forty-four participants (22 women and 22 men, with a mean age of 49 years) diagnosed with PF were randomly assigned to receive MPC (n=22) or MPC coupled with plantar fascia-specific SE (n=22). Prior to and after 4 weeks of treatment, participants underwent baseline evaluation; heel pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS), heel tenderness threshold was quantified using a handheld pressure algometer (PA), and functional activities level was assessed using the Activities of Daily Living subscale of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (ADL/FAAM). Heel pain scores showed a significant reduction in both groups compared to baseline VAS scores (P<0.001). Heel tenderness improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline PA scores (P<0.001). Functional activity level improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline (ADL/FAAM) scores (P<0.001). However, no significant differences existed between the 2 treatment groups in all post-intervention outcome measures. This trial showed that MPC is useful in treating inferior heel symptoms caused by PF.

The interplay between NSAIDs and Candida albicans on the gastrointestinal tract of guinea pigs.

PubMed

Nadăş, George C; Taulescu, Marian A; Ciobanu, Lidia; Fiţ, Nicodim I; Flore, Chirilă; Răpuntean, Sorin; Bouari, Cosmina M; Catoi, Cornel

2013-04-01

Recent studies suggest that Candida albicans colonization is associated with several gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders and is also responsible for the delay in ulcer healing. No data are reported about the effects of C. albicans on the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced necroinflammatory lesions. On the other hand, beneficial effects of NSAIDs regarding the colonization potential with C. albicans have been reported. Our aim was to investigate whether the association between NSAIDs and C. albicans could potentially induce necroinflammatory lesions in the guinea pigs gastric and enteral mucosa. Three interventional groups of 11 guinea pigs each were investigated after 5 days of receiving indomethacin, C. albicans or the association of both. C. albicans and necroinflammatory lesions were graded based on histological examinations. Statistical analysis used Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. NSAIDs did not significantly decrease C. albicans colonization grades on gastrointestinal mucosa. Administration of indomethacin subsequent to C. albicans determined significantly more severe necroinflammatory lesions compared to group that only received C. albicans. The association of NSAIDs and C. albicans did not cause significantly more severe degenerative or inflammatory lesions compared to the administration of only NSAIDs in this experimental model. Associations between NSAIDs and C. albicans caused significantly more severe necroinflammatory injuries than the lesions produced by C. albicans, without enhancing the mucosal injury or inflammation caused by NSAIDs.

Effect of Monophasic Pulsed Current on Heel Pain and Functional Activities caused by Plantar Fasciitis

PubMed Central

Alotaibi, Abdullah K.; Petrofsky, Jerrold S.; Daher, Noha S.; Lohman, Everett; Laymon, Michael; Syed, Hasan M.

2015-01-01

Background Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a soft tissue disorder considered to be one of the most common causes of inferior heel pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of monophasic pulsed current (MPC) and MPC coupled with plantar fascia-specific stretching exercises (SE) on the treatment of PF. Material/Methods Forty-four participants (22 women and 22 men, with a mean age of 49 years) diagnosed with PF were randomly assigned to receive MPC (n=22) or MPC coupled with plantar fascia-specific SE (n=22). Prior to and after 4 weeks of treatment, participants underwent baseline evaluation; heel pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS), heel tenderness threshold was quantified using a handheld pressure algometer (PA), and functional activities level was assessed using the Activities of Daily Living subscale of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (ADL/FAAM). Results Heel pain scores showed a significant reduction in both groups compared to baseline VAS scores (P<0.001). Heel tenderness improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline PA scores (P<0.001). Functional activity level improved significantly in both groups compared with baseline (ADL/FAAM) scores (P<0.001). However, no significant differences existed between the 2 treatment groups in all post-intervention outcome measures. Conclusions This trial showed that MPC is useful in treating inferior heel symptoms caused by PF. PMID:25791231

22 CFR 161.8 - General description of the Department's NEPA process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... § 161.8 General description of the Department's NEPA process. In reviewing proposed actions for potential environmental effects in the United States responsible action officers will follow the procedural... review the action to determine if it may cause potential significant environmental effects on the...

Effects of Diethylstilbestrol in Fathead Minnows: Part 2. Concentrations in Water and Tissues

EPA Science Inventory

Diethylstilbestrol (DES), a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen, was once widely prescribed to prevent miscarriages, and was used as a growth promoter in feed for beef and poultry production. After it was determined that DES caused significant adverse effects in the offspring of mot...

Do the causes of infertility play a direct role in the aetiology of preterm birth?

PubMed

Messerlian, Carmen; Platt, Robert W; Ata, Baris; Tan, Seang-Lin; Basso, Olga

2015-03-01

It is well established that singletons born of assisted reproductive technology are at higher risk of preterm birth and other adverse outcomes. What remains unclear is whether the increased risk is attributable to the effects of the treatment alone or whether the underlying causes of infertility also play a role. The aim of this study was to examine whether any of the six categories of causes of infertility were associated with a direct effect on preterm birth using causal mediation analysis. We assembled a hospital-based cohort of births delivered at a large tertiary care hospital in Montreal, Canada between 2001 and 2007. Causes of infertility were ascertained through a clinical database and medical chart abstraction. We employed marginal structural models (MSM) to estimate the controlled direct effect of each cause of infertility on preterm birth compared with couples without the cause under examination. The final study cohort comprised 18,598 singleton and twin pregnancies, including 1689 in couples with ascertained infertility. MSM results suggested no significant direct effect for any of the six categories of causes. However, power was limited in smaller subgroup analyses, and a possible direct effect for uterine abnormalities (e.g. fibroids and malformations) could not be ruled out. In this cohort, most of the increased risk of preterm birth appeared to be explained by maternal characteristics (such as age, body mass index, and education) and by assisted reproduction. If these findings are corroborated, physicians should consider these risks when counselling patients. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High mortality of Zostera marina under high temperature regimes but minor effects of the invasive macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höffle, H.; Thomsen, M. S.; Holmer, M.

2011-03-01

The present study tested for density-dependent effects of the invasive drift macroalgae Gracilaria vermiculophylla (Ohmi) Papenfuss on growth and survival of the native eelgrass, Zostera marina L., under different temperature levels. Three weeks laboratory experiments were conducted in Odense, Denmark, combining three algae densities (control, low 1.9 kg WW m -2, high 4.5 kg WW m -2) with typical Danish summer temperatures (18 °C) and elevated temperatures (21 °C and 27 °C). There was a significant effect of temperature on shoot survival with on average 68% mortality in the high temperature treatment but almost no mortality at the two lower temperatures. The higher mortality was probably caused by high sulphide levels in the sediment pore water (0.6 mmol l -1 at 18 °C compared to 3.7 mmol l -1 at 27 °C). Above-ground growth of the surviving shoots was also significantly affected by temperature, with leaf elongation rates being negatively affected, while the leaf plastochrone interval increased. Relative growth rate was significantly higher at 21 °C than at 18 °C or 27 °C, whereas rhizome elongation was significantly lowest at 27 °C. Elemental sulphur content in the plant tissues increased significantly with temperature and was up to 34 times higher (S 0 in rhizomes) at 27 °C compared to the lower temperatures. In contrast to the temperature effects, cover by G. vermiculophylla did not cause significant effects on any seagrass responses. However, there was a (non-significant) negative effect of algal cover at the highest temperature, where the seagrass is already stressed. The latter results suggest that more studies should test for interaction effects between temperature and other anthropogenic stressors given that temperature is predicted to increase in the near future.

The effects of spaceflight and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 on the T-cell and macrophage populations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecaut, Michael J.; Simske, Steve J.; Fleshner, Monika; Zimmerman, Robert

1997-01-01

Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-77) to study the effects of microgravity-induced stress on the immunoskeletal system. Sixteen rats were used as simultaneous vivarium ground controls during the ten day mission. Osmotic pumps, half of which contained Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1, provided by Chiron), were surgically implanted (subcutaneous) into the rats prior to launch in an attempt to counter any stress effects. On the day of landing, the rats were sacrificed and dissected. Splenocytes and thymocytes were labeled with antibodies against CD4, CD8, CD11b, and TCR for flow cytometry. The percentage of splenic cytotoxic/suppressor (TCR+/CD8+) T-cells increased significantly (by 118%) in spaceflight. There were also decreases in splenic helper (TCR+/CD4+) T-cells and (CD11b+) macrophages (by 33% and 38%, respectively). Together, these results suggest the stress of spaceflight could cause a significant decrease in the ability of rats to mount an immune response. The effects of IGF-1 on cell population distributions were negligible for both flight and vivarium ground controls. However, there were significant differences in spleen and thymus masses suggesting that while IGF-1 did not effect population distributions, the drug may have caused an increase in population size.

Graphene oxide significantly inhibits cell growth at sublethal concentrations by causing extracellular iron deficiency.

PubMed

Yu, Qilin; Zhang, Bing; Li, Jianrong; Du, Tingting; Yi, Xiao; Li, Mingchun; Chen, Wei; Alvarez, Pedro J J

Graphene oxide (GO)-based materials are increasingly being used in medical materials and consumer products. However, their sublethal effects on biological systems are poorly understood. Here, we report that GO (at 10 to 160 mg/L) induced significant inhibitory effects on the growth of different unicellular organisms, including eukaryotes (i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, and Komagataella pastoris) and prokaryotes (Pseudomonas fluorescens). Growth inhibition could not be explained by commonly reported cytotoxicity mechanisms such as plasma membrane damage or oxidative stress. Based on transcriptomic analysis and measurement of extra- and intracellular iron concentrations, we show that the inhibitory effect of GO was mainly attributable to iron deficiency caused by binding to the O-functional groups of GO, which sequestered iron and disrupted iron-related physiological and metabolic processes. This inhibitory mechanism was corroborated with supplementary experiments, where adding bathophenanthroline disulfonate-an iron chelating agent-to the culture medium exerted similar inhibition, whereas removing surface O-functional groups of GO decreased iron sequestration and significantly alleviated the inhibitory effect. These findings highlight a potential indirect detrimental effect of nanomaterials (i.e. scavenging of critical nutrients), and encourage research on potential biomedical applications of GO-based materials to sequester iron and enhance treatment of iron-dependent diseases such as cancer and some pathogenic infections.

CHOLINE PARTIALLY PREVENTS THE IMPACT OF ETHANOL ON THE LIPID RAFT DEPENDENT FUNCTIONS OF L1 CELL ADHESION MOLECULE

PubMed Central

Tang, Ningfeng; Bamford, Penny; Jones, Jace; He, Min; Kane, Maureen A.; Mooney, Sandra M.; Bearer, Cynthia F.

2014-01-01

Background Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, the leading known cause of mental retardation, is caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. One mechanism of ethanol teratogenicity is the disruption of the function of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1). These functions include enhancement of neurite outgrowth, trafficking through lipid rafts, and signal transduction. Recent data have shown that choline supplementation of rat pups reduces the effects of ethanol on neurobehavior. We sought to determine if choline could prevent the effect of ethanol on L1 function using a simple experimental system. Methods Cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) from postnatal day 6 rat pups were cultured with and without supplemental choline, and the effects on L1 signaling, lipid raft distribution and neurite outgrowth were measured in the presence or absence of ethanol. Results Choline significantly reduced the effect of ethanol on L1 signaling, the distribution of L1 in lipid rafts and L1 mediated neurite outgrowth. However, choline supplemented ethanol exposed cultures remained significantly different than controls. Conclusions Choline pretreatment of CGN significantly reduces the disruption of L1 function by ethanol, but does not completely return L1 function to baseline. This experimental system will enable discovery of the mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of choline. PMID:25421509

Pharmacological and morphological characteristics of the muscular system of the giant liver fluke (Fascioloides magna - Bassi 1875).

PubMed

Trailović, Saša M; Marinković, Darko; Trailović, Jelena Nedeljković; Milovanović, Mirjana; Marjanović, Djordje S; Aničić, Milan R

2015-12-01

Motility is required for feeding, reproduction and maintenance of the fluke in the host's liver. According to that, the neuromuscular system can be an attractive drugable target for chemotherapy. Musculature of the Fascioloides magna is organized into three layers, an outer circular layer, beneath this layer the longitudinal layer, and third, the oblique, or diagonal layer underlies the longitudinal layer. In our study, the administration of atropine or caffeine did not cause classic muscle contractions of F. magna muscle strips. However, the Electrical Field Stimulation (EFS) induced stable and repeatable contractions, which enabled us to examine their sensitivity to the various substances. Acetylcholine (ACh) (300 μM and 1 mM), caused only a slight relaxation, without affecting the amplitude of spontaneous contractions or the amplitude of contractions induced by EFS. Contrary to that, atropine (100 μM) caused a significant increase in the basal tone and an increase of EFS-induced contractions. If acetylcholine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in trematodes, the described effects of atropine are achieved by the blockade of inhibitory neurotransmission. On the other hand, with respect to the process of excitation-contraction coupling, the plant alkaloid ryanodine (30 μM) significantly reduced the basal tone, as well as EFS-induced contractions of F. magna muscle strips. Ryanodine inhibited the potentiating effect of atropine on the basal tone and contractions caused by EFS, which indicates that the contractile effect of atropine is dependent on Ca(++) release from intracellular stores. Caffeine (500 μM) caused relaxation of fluke muscle strips and at the same time significantly enhanced the EFS-induced contractions. Both effects of caffeine can be explained by entry of extracellular Ca(++) into muscle cells. The muscle contractility of F. magna depends both on the entry of extracellular calcium, and calcium release from intracellular stores, which are under the control of RyRs. Our results also suggest that antitrematodal drugs could potentially be developed from substances with selective anti-cholinergic activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Remote Patient Monitoring After Discharge of Hospitalized Patients With Heart Failure: The Better Effectiveness After Transition -- Heart Failure (BEAT-HF) Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Ong, Michael K; Romano, Patrick S; Edgington, Sarah; Aronow, Harriet U; Auerbach, Andrew D; Black, Jeanne T; De Marco, Teresa; Escarce, Jose J; Evangelista, Lorraine S; Hanna, Barbara; Ganiats, Theodore G; Greenberg, Barry H; Greenfield, Sheldon; Kaplan, Sherrie H; Kimchi, Asher; Liu, Honghu; Lombardo, Dawn; Mangione, Carol M; Sadeghi, Bahman; Sadeghi, Banafsheh; Sarrafzadeh, Majid; Tong, Kathleen; Fonarow, Gregg C

2016-03-01

It remains unclear whether telemonitoring approaches provide benefits for patients with heart failure (HF) after hospitalization. To evaluate the effectiveness of a care transition intervention using remote patient monitoring in reducing 180-day all-cause readmissions among a broad population of older adults hospitalized with HF. We randomized 1437 patients hospitalized for HF between October 12, 2011, and September 30, 2013, to the intervention arm (715 patients) or to the usual care arm (722 patients) of the Better Effectiveness After Transition-Heart Failure (BEAT-HF) study and observed them for 180 days. The dates of our study analysis were March 30, 2014, to October 1, 2015. The setting was 6 academic medical centers in California. Participants were hospitalized individuals 50 years or older who received active treatment for decompensated HF. The intervention combined health coaching telephone calls and telemonitoring. Telemonitoring used electronic equipment that collected daily information about blood pressure, heart rate, symptoms, and weight. Centralized registered nurses conducted telemonitoring reviews, protocolized actions, and telephone calls. The primary outcome was readmission for any cause within 180 days after discharge. Secondary outcomes were all-cause readmission within 30 days, all-cause mortality at 30 and 180 days, and quality of life at 30 and 180 days. Among 1437 participants, the median age was 73 years. Overall, 46.2% (664 of 1437) were female, and 22.0% (316 of 1437) were African American. The intervention and usual care groups did not differ significantly in readmissions for any cause 180 days after discharge, which occurred in 50.8% (363 of 715) and 49.2% (355 of 722) of patients, respectively (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.88-1.20; P = .74). In secondary analyses, there were no significant differences in 30-day readmission or 180-day mortality, but there was a significant difference in 180-day quality of life between the intervention and usual care groups. No adverse events were reported. Among patients hospitalized for HF, combined health coaching telephone calls and telemonitoring did not reduce 180-day readmissions. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01360203.

Effects of nitrogen deposition and empirical nitrogen critical loads for ecoregions of the United States

Treesearch

Linda H. Pardo; Mark E. Fenn; Christine L. Goodale; Linda H. Geiser; Charles T. Driscoll; Edith B. Allen; Jill S. Baron; Roland Bobbink; William D. Bowman; Christopher M. Clark; Bridget Emmett; Frank S. Gilliam; Tara L. Greaver; Sharon J. Hall; Erik A. Lilleskov; Lingli Liu; Jason A. Lynch; Knute J. Nadelhoffer; Steven S. Perakis; Molly J. Robin-Abbott; John L. Stoddard; Kathleen C. Weathers; Robin L. Dennis

2011-01-01

Human activity in the last century has led to a significant increase in nitrogen (N) emissions and atmospheric deposition. This N deposition has reached a level that has caused or is likely to cause alterations to the structure and function of many ecosystems across the United States. One approach for quantifying the deposition of pollution that would be harmful to...

Effect of direction of head movement on motion sickness caused by Coriolis stimulation.

PubMed

Woodman, P D; Griffin, M J

1997-02-01

During constant speed rotation of the body, head rotation about an axis other than the axis of rotation of the body (i.e., Coriolis is stimulation) induces motion sickness. The position of the body relative to the center of rotation will influence the sickness caused by Coriolis stimulation; the direction of head movement will not affect the sickness caused by Coriolis stimulation. There were 24 seated subjects (12 male, 12 female) who made 30 degrees pitch motions of the head every 30 s while rotating about a vertical axis at 10 r.p.m. on a turntable at two separate locations: a) at the center of rotation; and b) 0.75 m from the center of rotation. After each head movement the subjects gave ratings of motion illness. There was no significant difference between illness 0.75 m from the center of rotation and illness at the center of rotation, or between the illness ratings from male and female subjects. Moving the head up from the horizontal caused significantly fewer increases in ratings of motion illness than moving the head back down to the horizontal. Precise location of the body at the center of rotation is not critical during Coriolis stimulation, but the direction of head movement has a large effect on nausea. An influence of somatosensory information on sickness caused by Coriolis stimulation is suggested.

Do Native Parasitic Plants Cause More Damage to Exotic Invasive Hosts Than Native Non-Invasive Hosts? An Implication for Biocontrol

PubMed Central

Li, Junmin; Jin, Zexin; Song, Wenjing

2012-01-01

Field studies have shown that native, parasitic plants grow vigorously on invasive plants and can cause more damage to invasive plants than native plants. However, no empirical test has been conducted and the mechanism is still unknown. We conducted a completely randomized greenhouse experiment using 3 congeneric pairs of exotic, invasive and native, non-invasive herbaceous plant species to quantify the damage caused by parasitic plants to hosts and its correlation with the hosts' growth rate and resource use efficiency. The biomass of the parasitic plants on exotic, invasive hosts was significantly higher than on congeneric native, non-invasive hosts. Parasites caused more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to congeneric, native, non-invasive hosts. The damage caused by parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the biomass of parasitic plants. The damage of parasites to hosts was significantly positively correlated with the relative growth rate and the resource use efficiency of its host plants. It may be the mechanism by which parasitic plants grow more vigorously on invasive hosts and cause more damage to exotic, invasive hosts than to native, non-invasive hosts. These results suggest a potential biological control effect of native, parasitic plants on invasive species by reducing the dominance of invasive species in the invaded community. PMID:22493703

Inhibition of insulin fibrillation by osmolytes: Mechanistic Insights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Sinjan; Kishore, Nand; Hosur, Ramakrishna V.

2015-11-01

We have studied here using a number of biophysical tools the effects of osmolytes, betaine, citrulline, proline and sorbitol which differ significantly in terms of their physical characteristics such as, charge distribution, polarity, H-bonding abilities etc, on the fibrillation of insulin. Among these, betaine, citrulline, and proline are very effective in decreasing the extent of fibrillation. Proline also causes a substantial delay in the onset of fibrillation in the concentration range (50-250 mM) whereas such an effect is seen for citrulline only at 250 mM, and in case of betaine this effect is not seen at all in the whole concentration range. The enthalpies of interaction at various stages of fibrillation process have suggested that the preferential exclusion of the osmolyte and its polar interaction with the protein are important in inhibition. The results indicate that the osmolytes are most effective when added prior to the elongation stage of fibrillation. These observations have significant biological implications, since insulin fibrillation is known to cause injection amyloidosis and our data may help in designing lead drug molecules and development of potential therapeutic strategies.

Hypokalemia causing rhabdomyolysis in a patient with short bowel syndrome.

PubMed

Balhara, Kamna S; Highet, Bridget; Omron, Rodney

2015-04-01

Rhabdomyolysis, usually in the setting of trauma or drug use, is frequently seen in the emergency setting, and often leads to hyperkalemia at presentation. Hypokalemia, however, is a potentially underrecognized cause of rhabdomyolysis. We present a case of rhabdomyolysis likely due to hypokalemia in the setting of short bowel syndrome. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although less common, hypokalemia can be a significant cause of rhabdomyolysis via its effects on muscle. This scenario should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients at risk for hypokalemia who present with weakness. Rapid recognition of this relationship and rapid correction of hypokalemia may prove very important in preventing the deleterious effects of rhabdomyolysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Causal Effect of Class Size on Academic Achievement: Multivariate Instrumental Variable Estimators with Data Missing at Random

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Yongyun; Raudenbush, Stephen W.

2011-01-01

This article addresses three questions: Does reduced class size cause higher academic achievement in reading, mathematics, listening, and word recognition skills? If it does, how large are these effects? Does the magnitude of such effects vary significantly across schools? The authors analyze data from Tennessee's Student/Teacher Achievement Ratio…

Treatment factors influencing the use of recombinant platelet-derived growth factor (Regranex) for head and lateral line erosion syndrome in ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus).

PubMed

Fleming, Gregory J; Corwin, Allison; McCoy, A Jeanene; Stamper, M Andrew

2008-06-01

The clinical efficacy of becaplermin (Regranex, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Raritan, New Jersey 08869) on head and lateral line erosion syndrome (HLLES) in ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus) was examined in a two-part study to determine suitable application frequencies of the drug and the effects of the environment on outcome of treatments. In the first part of the study, 12 ocean surgeonfish with prior HLLES were equally divided into three treatment groups, varying in application frequency of becaplermin: 1) one application, 2) three applications every 3 wk, and 3) no applications. After 9 wk, it was determined through photograph and computer analysis that fish treated with becaplermin did heal significantly more than the fish that were not treated. No significant difference was found when comparing the two treatment regimes; therefore, a one-time treatment of becaplermin was just as effective as the three-time application, reducing cost of the treatment, staff labor, and stress to the animals. In the second part of the study, the effect of the water environment on HLLES development was documented before and after a one-time treatment of becaplermin. When fish were treated and placed into a system known to cause HLLES, the becaplermin treatment had no effect on reducing the HLLES progression, whereas treated fish that were placed into a system that did not cause HLLES showed a significant decrease in erosion after the treatment. Therefore, treating fish being placed into a HLLES-causing system serves no beneficial purpose to healing HLLES.

Evaluation of the effects of intra-arterial sugammadex and dexmedetomidine: an experimental study.

PubMed

Hancı, Volkan; Özbilgin, Şule; Özbal, Seda; Kamacı, Gonca; Ateş, Hasan; Boztaş, Nilay; Ergür, Bekir Uğur; Arıkanoğlu, Ahmet; Yılmaz, Osman; Yurtlu, Bülent Serhan

2016-01-01

Intra-arterial injection of medications may cause acute and severe ischemia and result in morbidity and mortality. There is no information in the literature evaluating the arterial endothelial effects of sugammadex and dexmedetomidine. The hypothesis of our study is that sugammadex and dexmedetomidine will cause histological changes in arterial endothelial structure when administered intra-arterially. Rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group Control (n=7); no intervention performed. Group Catheter (n=7); a cannula inserted in the central artery of the ear, no medication was administered. Group Sugammadex (n=7); rabbits were given 4mg/kg sugammadex into the central artery of the ear, and Group Dexmedetomidine (n=7); rabbits were given 1μg/kg dexmedetomidine into the central artery of the ear. After 72h, the ears were amputated and histologically investigated. There was no significant difference found between the control and catheter groups in histological scores. The endothelial damage, elastic membrane and elastic fiber damage, smooth muscle hypertrophy and connective tissue increase scores in the dexmedetomidine and sugammadex groups were significantly higher than both the control and the catheter groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference found between the dexmedetomidine and sugammadex groups in histological scores. Administration of sugammadex and dexmedetomidine to rabbits by intra-arterial routes caused histological arterial damage. To understand the histological changes caused by sugammadex and dexmedetomidine more clearly, more experimental research is needed. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

[Evaluation of the effects of intra-arterial sugammadex and dexmedetomidine: an experimental study].

PubMed

Hancı, Volkan; Özbilgin, Şule; Özbal, Seda; Kamacı, Gonca; Ateş, Hasan; Boztaş, Nilay; Ergür, Bekir Uğur; Arıkanoğlu, Ahmet; Yılmaz, Osman; Yurtlu, Bülent Serhan

2016-01-01

Intra-arterial injection of medications may cause acute and severe ischemia and result in morbidity and mortality. There is no information in the literature evaluating the arterial endothelial effects of sugammadex and dexmedetomidine. The hypothesis of our study is that sugammadex and dexmedetomidine will cause histological changes in arterial endothelial structure when administered intra-arterially. Rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups. Group Control (n=7); no intervention performed. Group Catheter (n=7); a cannula inserted in the central artery of the ear, no medication was administered. Group Sugammadex (n=7); rabbits were given 4mg/kg sugammadex into the central artery of the ear, and Group Dexmedetomidine (n=7); rabbits were given 1μg/kg dexmedetomidine into the central artery of the ear. After 72h, the ears were amputated and histologically investigated. There was no significant difference found between the control and catheter groups in histological scores. The endothelial damage, elastic membrane and elastic fiber damage, smooth muscle hypertrophy and connective tissue increase scores in the dexmedetomidine and sugammadex groups were significantly higher than both the control and the catheter groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference found between the dexmedetomidine and sugammadex groups in histological scores. Administration of sugammadex and dexmedetomidine to rabbits by intra-arterial routes caused histological arterial damage. To understand the histological changes caused by sugammadex and dexmedetomidine more clearly, more experimental research is needed. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Anestesiologia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Distortion of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) Displacements and Strains from Heat Waves

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, E. M. C.; Reu, P. L.

“Heat waves” is a colloquial term used to describe convective currents in air formed when different objects in an area are at different temperatures. In the context of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and other optical-based image processing techniques, imaging an object of interest through heat waves can significantly distort the apparent location and shape of the object. We present that there are many potential heat sources in DIC experiments, including but not limited to lights, cameras, hot ovens, and sunlight, yet error caused by heat waves is often overlooked. This paper first briefly presents three practical situations in which heatmore » waves contributed significant error to DIC measurements to motivate the investigation of heat waves in more detail. Then the theoretical background of how light is refracted through heat waves is presented, and the effects of heat waves on displacements and strains computed from DIC are characterized in detail. Finally, different filtering methods are investigated to reduce the displacement and strain errors caused by imaging through heat waves. The overarching conclusions from this work are that errors caused by heat waves are significantly higher than typical noise floors for DIC measurements, and that the errors are difficult to filter because the temporal and spatial frequencies of the errors are in the same range as those of typical signals of interest. In conclusion, eliminating or mitigating the effects of heat sources in a DIC experiment is the best solution to minimizing errors caused by heat waves.« less

Distortion of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) Displacements and Strains from Heat Waves

DOE PAGES

Jones, E. M. C.; Reu, P. L.

2017-11-28

“Heat waves” is a colloquial term used to describe convective currents in air formed when different objects in an area are at different temperatures. In the context of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and other optical-based image processing techniques, imaging an object of interest through heat waves can significantly distort the apparent location and shape of the object. We present that there are many potential heat sources in DIC experiments, including but not limited to lights, cameras, hot ovens, and sunlight, yet error caused by heat waves is often overlooked. This paper first briefly presents three practical situations in which heatmore » waves contributed significant error to DIC measurements to motivate the investigation of heat waves in more detail. Then the theoretical background of how light is refracted through heat waves is presented, and the effects of heat waves on displacements and strains computed from DIC are characterized in detail. Finally, different filtering methods are investigated to reduce the displacement and strain errors caused by imaging through heat waves. The overarching conclusions from this work are that errors caused by heat waves are significantly higher than typical noise floors for DIC measurements, and that the errors are difficult to filter because the temporal and spatial frequencies of the errors are in the same range as those of typical signals of interest. In conclusion, eliminating or mitigating the effects of heat sources in a DIC experiment is the best solution to minimizing errors caused by heat waves.« less

The molecular mechanisms of liver and islets of Langerhans toxicity by benzene and its metabolite hydroquinone in vivo and in vitro.

PubMed

Bahadar, Haji; Maqbool, Faheem; Mostafalou, Sara; Baeeri, Maryam; Gholami, Mahdi; Ghafour-Boroujerdi, Elmira; Abdollahi, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Benzene (C6H6) is one of the most commonly used industrial chemicals causing environmental pollution. This study aimed to examine the effect of benzene and its metabolite hydroquinone on glucose regulating organs, liver and pancreas, and to reveal the involved toxic mechanisms, in rats. In the in vivo part, benzene was dissolved in corn oil and administered through intragastric route at doses of 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg/day, for 4 weeks. And, in the in vitro part, toxic mechanisms responsible for weakening the antioxidant system in islets of Langerhans by hydroquinone at different concentrations (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mM), were revealed. Benzene exposure raised the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) enzymes and increased fasting blood sugar (FBS) in comparison to control animals. Also, the activity of hepatic glucokinase (GK) was decreased significantly. Along with, a significant increase was observed in hepatic tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and plasma insulin in benzene treated rats. Moreover, benzene caused a significant rise in hepatic lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and oxidation of proteins. In islets of Langerhans, hydroquinone was found to decrease the capability of antioxidant system to fight free radicals. Also, the level of death proteases (caspase 3 and caspase 9) was found higher in hydroquinone exposed islets. The current study demonstrated that benzene and hydroquinone causes toxic effects on liver and pancreatic islets by causing oxidative impairment.

Toxic effects and possible mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide and/or ammonia on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro.

PubMed

Yang, Lei-Lei; Zhao, Yong; Luo, Shi-Ming; Ma, Jun-Yu; Ge, Zhao-Jia; Shen, Wei; Yin, Shen

2018-03-15

Previous studies suggest that hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and ammonia (NH 3 ) are two major air pollutants which can cause damage to porcine health. However, the mechanisms underlying toxic effects of these compounds on porcine oocyte maturation are not clear. To clarify the mechanism, we evaluated the oocyte quality by detecting some events during oocytes maturation. In our study, porcine oocytes were cultured with different concentrations of Na 2 S and/or NH 4 Cl in vitro and the rate of the first polar body extrusion decreased significantly. Also, actin filament was seriously disrupted to damage the cytoskeleton which resulted in reduced rate of oocyte maturation. We explored the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and found that the ROS level was increased significantly after Na 2 S treatment but not after NH 4 Cl treatment. Moreover, early stage apoptosis rate was significantly increased and autophagy protein LC3 B expression level was higher in oocytes treated with Na 2 S and/or NH 4 Cl, which might be caused by ROS elevation. Additionally, exposure to Na 2 S and/or NH 4 Cl also caused ROS generation and early apoptosis in cumulus cells, which might further affect oocyte maturation in vitro. In summary, our data suggested that exposure to H 2 S and/or NH 3 decreased porcine oocyte maturation in vitro, which might be caused by actin disruption, ROS generation, early apoptosis and autophagy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative analysis of nitric oxide and SALMFamide neuropeptides as general muscle relaxants in starfish.

PubMed

Melarange, Richard; Elphick, Maurice R

2003-03-01

Previous studies have established that the gaseous signalling molecule nitric oxide (NO) and the SALMFamide neuropeptides S1 and S2 cause cardiac stomach relaxation in the starfish Asterias rubens. Here we show that S1, S2 and the NO donor SNAP also cause relaxation of two other preparations from Asterias - tube feet and the apical muscle of the body wall. The rank order of effectiveness as muscle relaxants when tested at a concentration of 10 micro mol l(-1) was SNAP>S2>S1 for both tube feet and apical muscle whereas for cardiac stomach it was S2>S1>SNAP. Significantly, these data indicate that NO and SALMFamide neuropeptides function as general muscle relaxants in starfish but vary in their relative importance in different organ systems. The molecular mechanisms by which NO and SALMFamides cause muscle relaxation in starfish are not known, but previous pharmacological studies on the cardiac stomach using the soluble guanylyl cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazol[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) indicate that the cyclic nucleotide second messenger cGMP may mediate effects of NO. Consistent with this hypothesis, here we report that ODQ also causes partial inhibition of the relaxing effect of SNAP on tube foot and apical muscle preparations. To further investigate the involvement of cyclic nucleotides as mediators of the effects of NO and SALMFamides on starfish muscle, we have measured both cGMP and cAMP in cardiac stomach and in apical muscle after treatment with S1, S2 or SNAP. However, no significant changes in cyclic nucleotide content were observed compared with controls. Further experiments were performed on apical muscle tissue in the presence of the cyclic-nucleotide-phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a drug that also causes cardiac stomach relaxation in starfish. Treatment with IBMX caused a 2-3-fold increase above basal levels for cGMP and cAMP, but co-treatment with IBMX and S1 or S2 or SNAP resulted in no significant further increase above the level observed with IBMX alone. We conclude from these data that the relaxing action of NO on starfish muscle may be mediated by both cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent pathways. However, the mechanisms by which SALMFamides cause muscle relaxation in starfish remain unknown and, although our results do not rule out the involvement of cGMP or cAMP, other signalling pathways may now need to be investigated.

Negative inotropic effects of diadenosine tetraphosphate are mediated by protein kinase C and phosphodiesterases stimulation in the rat heart.

PubMed

Pakhomov, Nikolai; Pustovit, Ksenia; Potekhina, Victoria; Filatova, Tatiana; Kuzmin, Vladislav; Abramochkin, Denis

2018-02-05

Extracellular diadenosine polyphosphates (Ap n A) are recently considered as an endogenous signaling compounds with transmitter-like activity which present in numerous tissues, including heart. It has been demonstrated previously that extracellular Ap n A cause alteration of the heart functioning via purine receptors in different mammalian species. Nevertheless, principal intracellular pathways which underlie Ap n A action in the heart remain unknown. In the present study the role of the P2Y-associated intracellular regulatory pathway in the mediation of diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap 4 A) effects in the rat heart has been investigated for the first time. Extracellular Ap 4 A caused significant decreasing of the ventricular inotropy. Ap 4 A evoked reduction of the left ventricle contractility in the isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, decreasing of the Ca 2+ transients in the enzymatically isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes and induced shortening of action potentials in the ventricle multicellular preparations. The inhibitory effects of Ap 4 A in the rat heart were significantly attenuated by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor chelerythrine but these effects were not affected by NO-synthase inhibitor L-NAME and guanylyl cyclase (sGC) inhibitor ODQ. In addition, substantial attenuation of Ap 4 A-caused negative inotropy in the left ventricle was produced by nonselective phsophodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor IBMX, while PDE type 2 inhibitor EHNA was ineffective. In conclusion, our results allow suggesting that Ap 4 A-induced inhibitory effects in the rat heart are mediated by PKC, but not by NO/sGC/PKG-related signaling pathway. In addition, PDE stimulation may contribute to Ap 4 A-caused inhibition of the rat heart contractility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of water turbidity and different temperatures on oxidative stress in caddisfly (Stenopsyche marmorata) larvae.

PubMed

Suzuki, Jumpei; Imamura, Masahiro; Nakano, Daisuke; Yamamoto, Ryosuke; Fujita, Masafumi

2018-07-15

Anthropogenic water turbidity derived from suspended solids (SS) is caused by reservoir sediment management practices such as drawdown flushing. Turbid water induces stress in many aquatic organisms, but the effects of turbidity on oxidative stress responses in aquatic insects have not yet been demonstrated. Here, we examined antioxidant responses, oxidative damage, and energy reserves in caddisfly (Stenopsyche marmorata) larvae exposed to turbid water (0 mg SS L -1 , 500 mg SS L -1 , and 2000 mg SS L -1 ) at different temperatures. We evaluated the combined effects of turbid water and temperature by measuring oxidative stress and using metabolic biomarkers. No turbidity level was significantly lethal to S. marmorata larvae. Moreover, there were no significant differences in antioxidant response or oxidative damage between the control and turbid water treatments at a low temperature (10 °C). However, at a high temperature (25 °C), turbid water modulated the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity as an indicator of the redox state of the insect larvae. Antioxidant defenses require energy, and high temperature was associated with low energy reserves, which might limit the capability of organisms to counteract reactive oxygen species. Moreover, co-exposure to turbid water and high temperature caused fluctuation of antioxidant defenses and increased the oxidative damage caused by the production of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, the combined effect of high temperature and turbid water on antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage was larger than the individual effects. Therefore, our results demonstrate that exposure to both turbid water and high temperature generates additive and synergistic interactions causing oxidative stress in this aquatic insect species. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of fish farming on phytoplankton community under the thermal stress caused by a power plant in a eutrophic, semi-enclosed bay: induce toxic dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum minimum) blooms in cold seasons.

PubMed

Jiang, Zhibing; Liao, Yibo; Liu, Jingjing; Shou, Lu; Chen, Quanzhen; Yan, Xiaojun; Zhu, Genhai; Zeng, Jiangning

2013-11-15

Six cruises were conducted in a fish farm adjacent to the Ninghai Power Plant in Xiangshan Bay, East China Sea. Fish farming significantly increased NH4(+), DIP, and TOC concentrations, while it significantly decreased the DO level. These increase/decrease trends were more pronounced in warmer seasons. Although culture practices did not significantly increase phytoplankton density, it drastically enhanced dinoflagellate abundance and domination. Significant differences in species diversity and community composition between the cages and the control area were also observed. Temperature elevation caused by thermal discharge associated with eutrophication resulted in a dominant species shift from diatoms alone to dinoflagellates and diatoms. This is the first report of stress-induced toxic dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum minimum) blooms in winter and the winter-spring transition in this bay. Therefore, the effects of aquaculture activity and power plant construction in such a eutrophic, semi-enclosed bay require further attention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reassessment of the potential economic impact of cattle parasites in Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The profitability of livestock producers can be diminished significantly by the effects of parasites that affect cattle. Economic losses caused by parasites of cattle in Brazil were estimated on an annual basis considering the total number of animals at risk and the expected detrimental effects of p...

Cannabinoids Reverse the Effects of Early Stress on Neurocognitive Performance in Adulthood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alteba, Shirley; Korem, Nachshon; Akirav, Irit

2016-01-01

Early life stress (ES) significantly increases predisposition to psychopathologies. Cannabinoids may cause cognitive deficits and exacerbate the effects of ES. Nevertheless, the endocannabinoid system has been suggested as a therapeutic target for the treatment of stress- and anxiety-related disorders. Here we examined whether cannabinoids…

The effect of copper sulfate, potassium permanganate, and peracetic acid on Ichthyobodo necator in channel catfish

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ichthyobodo necator is a single celled biflagellate that can cause significant mortalities in fish, particularly young, tank-reared fish. Copper sulfate (CuSO4), potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and peracetic acid (PAA) were evaluated for effectiveness against Ichthybodosis in juvenile channel catfis...

Effects of fire damage on the structural properties of steel bridge elements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-04-30

It is well known that fire can cause severe damage to steel bridges. There are documented cases where fire has directly led to the collapse or significant sagging of a steel bridge. However, when the damage is less severe, the effects of the fire, if...

EFFECT OF LIQUID TO SOLID RATIO ON LEACHING OF METALS FROM MINERAL PROCESSING WASTE

EPA Science Inventory

Various anthropogenic activities generate hazardous solid wastes that are affluent in heavy metals, which can cause significant damage to the environment an human health. A mineral processing waste was used to study the effect of liquid to solid ratio (L/S) on the leaching behav...

Effect of acute lateral hemisection of the spinal cord on spinal neurons of postural networks.

PubMed

Zelenin, P V; Lyalka, V F; Orlovsky, G N; Deliagina, T G

2016-12-17

In quadrupeds, acute lateral hemisection of the spinal cord (LHS) severely impairs postural functions, which recover over time. Postural limb reflexes (PLRs) represent a substantial component of postural corrections in intact animals. The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of acute LHS on two populations of spinal neurons (F and E) mediating PLRs. For this purpose, in decerebrate rabbits, responses of individual neurons from L5 to stimulation causing PLRs were recorded before and during reversible LHS (caused by temporal cold block of signal transmission in lateral spinal pathways at L1), as well as after acute surgical LHS at L1. Results obtained after Sur-LHS were compared to control data obtained in our previous study. We found that acute LHS caused disappearance of PLRs on the affected side. It also changed a proportion of different types of neurons on that side. A significant decrease and increase in the proportion of F- and non-modulated neurons, respectively, was found. LHS caused a significant decrease in most parameters of activity in F-neurons located in the ventral horn on the lesioned side and in E-neurons of the dorsal horn on both sides. These changes were caused by a significant decrease in the efficacy of posture-related sensory input from the ipsilateral limb to F-neurons, and from the contralateral limb to both F- and E-neurons. These distortions in operation of postural networks underlie the impairment of postural control after acute LHS, and represent a starting point for the subsequent recovery of postural functions. Copyright © 2016 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of capsaicin application on mast cells in normal human skin.

PubMed

Bunker, C B; Cerio, R; Bull, H A; Evans, J; Dowd, P M; Foreman, J C

1991-05-01

Peptides released from sensory nerves during an axon reflex are thought to cause mast cell degranulation, histamine (Hi) release and Hi-induced vasodilatation leading to the flare of the triple response. Capsaicin stimulates peptide release from sensory neurones and causes flare in vivo but does not cause Hi release from mast cells in vitro. The effects of capsaicin on mast cell degranulation in human skin in vivo has been studied by histological examination of skin biopsies after topical capsicin (1%) treatment of stratum corneum-denuded forearm in four volunteers. The results show a significant reduction in the visible numbers of mast cells and the appearance of degranulated mast cells ghosts in the skin six hours after capsaicin application. Since capsaicin itself does not release Hi from mast cells, these data suggest that capsaicin-induced release of peptides from neurones could cause mast cell degranulation.

Effects of carbon dioxide on Penicillium chrysogenum: an autoradiographic study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, A.G.; Ho, C.S.

Previous research has shown that dissolved carbon dioxide causes significant changes in submerged penicillin fermentations, such as stunted, swollen hyphae, increased branching, lower growth rates, and lower penicillin productivity. Influent carbon dioxide levels of 5 and 10% were shown through the use of autoradiography to cause an increase in chitin synthesis in submerged cultures of Penicillium chrysogenum. At an influent 5% carbon dioxide level, chitin synthesis is ca. 100% greater in the subapical region of P. chrysogenum hyphae than that of the control, in which there was no influent carbon dioxide. Influent carbon dioxide of 10% caused an increase ofmore » 200% in chitin synthesis. It is believed that the cell wall must be plasticized before branching can occur and that high amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide cause the cell to lose control of the plasticizing effect, thus the severe morphological changes occur.« less

Your worst enemy could be your best friend: predator contributions to invasion resistance and persistence of natives

PubMed Central

Lounibos, L. Philip; Nishimura, Naoya; Greene, Krystle

2010-01-01

Native predators are postulated to have an important role in biotic resistance of communities to invasion and community resilience. Effects of predators can be complex, and mechanisms by which predators affect invasion success and impact are understood for only a few well-studied communities. We tested experimentally whether a native predator limits an invasive species' success and impact on a native competitor for a community of aquatic insect larvae in water-filled containers. The native mosquito Aedes triseriatus alone had no significant effect on abundance of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus. The native predatory midge Corethrella appendiculata, at low or high density, significantly reduced A. albopictus abundance. This effect was not caused by trait-mediated oviposition avoidance of containers with predators, but instead was a density-mediated effect caused by predator-induced mortality. The presence of this predator significantly reduced survivorship of the native species, but high predator density also significantly increased development rate of the native species when the invader was present, consistent with predator-mediated release from interspecific competition with the invader. Thus, a native predator can indirectly benefit its native prey when a superior competitor invades. This shows the importance of native predators as a component of biodiversity for both biotic resistance to invasion and resilience of a community perturbed by successful invasion. PMID:19841945

Effects of carprofen on renal function during medetomidine-propofol-isoflurane anesthesia in dogs.

PubMed

Frendin, Jan H M; Boström, Ingrid M; Kampa, Naruepon; Eksell, Per; Häggström, Jens U; Nyman, Görel C

2006-12-01

To investigate effects of carprofen on indices of renal function and results of serum bio-chemical analyses and effects on cardiovascular variables during medetomidine-propofol-isoflurane anesthesia in dogs. 8 healthy male Beagles. A randomized crossover study was conducted with treatments including saline (0.9% NaCl) solution (0.08 mL/kg) and carprofen (4 mg/kg) administered IV. Saline solution or carprofen was administered 30 minutes before induction of anesthesia and immediately before administration of medetomidine (20 microg/kg, IM). Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with inspired isoflurane in oxygen. Blood gas concentrations and ventilation were measured. Cardiovascular variables were continuously monitored via pulse contour cardiac output (CO) measurement. Renal function was assessed via glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal blood flow (RBF), scintigraphy, serum biochemical analyses, urinalysis, and continuous CO measurements. Hematologic analysis was performed. Values did not differ significantly between the carprofen and saline solution groups. For both treatments, sedation and anesthesia caused changes in results of serum biochemical and hematologic analyses; a transient, significant increase in urine alkaline phosphatase activity; and blood flow diversion to the kidneys. The GFR increased significantly in both groups despite decreased CO, mean arterial pressure, and absolute RBF variables during anesthesia. Carprofen administered IV before anesthesia did not cause detectable, significant adverse effects on renal function during medetomidine-propofol-isoflurane anesthesia in healthy Beagles.

[SEMITENDINOUS AND GRACILIS TRANSFER FOR TREATMENT OF MEDIAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENT INJURY CAUSED BY TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY].

PubMed

Cao Jiangang; Wang, Lei; Zhao, Huiwen; Liu, Jun

2016-02-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of semitendinous and gracilis transfer for the treatment of medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury caused by total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Between March 2009 and May 2014, 11 patients (11 knees) with MCL injuries caused by primary TKA were treated by semitendinous and gracilis transfer in primary TKA (injury group). Another 18 patients (21 knees) without MCL injury were included as the control group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, injury sides, disease duration, body mass index, knee varus deformity, and preoperative Knee Society Score (KSS) between 2 groups (P>0.05), with comparability. KSS score was used to evaluate the function after operation. Primary healing of incision was obtained in all patients, and no complications of joint instability and pain occurred. The follow-up time was-6-29 months in injury group and was 7-34 months in control group. At last follow-up, the KSS clinical score and ftinctional score were significantly increased to 89.82 +/- 3.76 and 89.54 +/- 3.50 in the injury group (P<0.05) and were significantly increased to 90.19 +/- 3.39 and 90.00 +/- 3.53 in the control group (P<0.05) respectively, but no significant difference was shown between 2 groups (t=0.158, P=0.877; t=0.820, P=0.432). X-ray films showed no prosthetic loosening or subsidence during follow-up. The semitendinous and gracilis transfer is reliable for the treatment of MCL injury caused by TKA. The insertions of semitendinous tendon and gracilis are close to that of the knee MCL, which can effectively improve knee function.

Sublethal effects of imidacloprid on targeting muscle and ribosomal protein related genes in the honey bee Apis mellifera L.

PubMed

Wu, Yan-Yan; Luo, Qi-Hua; Hou, Chun-Sheng; Wang, Qiang; Dai, Ping-Li; Gao, Jing; Liu, Yong-Jun; Diao, Qing-Yun

2017-11-21

A sublethal concentration of imidacloprid can cause chronic toxicity in bees and can impact the behavior of honey bees. The nectar- and water-collecting, and climbing abilities of bees are crucial to the survival of the bees and the execution of responsibilities in bee colonies. Besides behavioral impact, data on the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity of imidacloprid, especially by the way of RNA-seq at the transcriptomic level, are limited. We treated Apis mellifera L. with sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid (0.1, 1 and 10 ppb) and determined the effect on behaviors and the transcriptomic changes. The sublethal concentrations of imidacloprid had a limited impact on the survival and syrup consumption of bees, but caused a significant increase in water consumption. Moreover, the climbing ability was significantly impaired by 10 ppb imidacloprid at 8 d. In the RNA-seq analysis, gene ontology (GO) term enrichment indicated a significant down-regulation of muscle-related genes, which might contribute to the impairment in climbing ability of bees. The enriched GO terms were attributed to the up-regulated ribosomal protein genes. Considering the ribosomal and extra-ribosomal functions of the ribosomal proteins, we hypothesized that imidacloprid also causes cell dysfunction. Our findings further enhance the understanding of imidacloprid sublethal toxicity.

Neighborhood Effects in a Behavioral Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Pruitt, Sandi L.; Leonard, Tammy; Murdoch, James; Hughes, Amy; McQueen, Amy; Gupta, Samir

2015-01-01

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions intended to modify health behaviors may be influenced by neighborhood effects which can impede unbiased estimation of intervention effects. Examining a RCT designed to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening (N=5,628), we found statistically significant neighborhood effects: average CRC test use among neighboring study participants was significantly and positively associated with individual patient’s CRC test use. This potentially important spatially-varying covariate has not previously been considered in a RCT. Our results suggest that future RCTs of health behavior interventions should assess potential social interactions between participants, which may cause intervention arm contamination and may bias effect size estimation. PMID:25456014

The power of positive and negative expectations to influence reported symptoms and mood during exposure to wind farm sound.

PubMed

Crichton, Fiona; Dodd, George; Schmid, Gian; Gamble, Greg; Cundy, Tim; Petrie, Keith J

2014-12-01

Wind farm developments have been hampered by claims that sound from wind turbines causes symptoms and negative health reports in nearby residents. As scientific reviews have failed to identify a plausible link between wind turbine sound and health effects, psychological expectations have been proposed as an explanation for health complaints. Building on recent work showing negative expectations can create symptoms from wind turbines, we investigated whether positive expectations can produce the opposite effect, in terms of a reduction in symptoms and improvements in reported health. 60 participants were randomized to either positive or negative expectation groups and subsequently exposed to audible wind farm sound and infrasound. Prior to exposure, negative expectation participants watched a DVD incorporating TV footage about health effects said to be caused by infrasound produced by wind turbines. In contrast, positive expectation participants viewed a DVD that outlined the possible therapeutic effects of infrasound exposure. During exposure to audible windfarm sound and infrasound, symptoms and mood were strongly influenced by the type of expectations. Negative expectation participants experienced a significant increase in symptoms and a significant deterioration in mood, while positive expectation participants reported a significant decrease in symptoms and a significant improvement in mood. The study demonstrates that expectations can influence symptom and mood reports in both positive and negative directions. The results suggest that if expectations about infrasound are framed in more neutral or benign ways, then it is likely reports of symptoms or negative effects could be nullified.

Olive

MedlinePlus

Olive is a tree. People use the oil from the fruit and seeds, water extracts of the fruit, and the leaves to make ... with significant side effects in clinical studies. Olive trees produce pollen that can cause seasonal respiratory allergy ...

78 FR 29089 - Safety Zones; Hawaiian Island Commercial Harbors, HI

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-17

..., cause millions of dollars in property damage, and alter sensitive ecologies. The tsunami generated by... individually or cumulatively have a significant effect on the human environment. This rule will evacuate...

Light Chain Amyloid Fibrils Cause Metabolic Dysfunction in Human Cardiomyocytes

DOE PAGES

McWilliams-Koeppen, Helen P.; Foster, James S.; Hackenbrack, Nicole; ...

2015-09-22

Light chain (AL) amyloidosis is the most common form of systemic amyloid disease, and cardiomyopathy is a dire consequence, resulting in an extremely poor prognosis. AL is characterized by the production of monoclonal free light chains that deposit as amyloid fibrils principally in the heart, liver, and kidneys causing organ dysfunction. We have studied the effects of amyloid fibrils, produced from recombinant λ6 light chain variable domains, on metabolic activity of human cardiomyocytes. The data indicate that fibrils at 0.1 μM, but not monomer, significantly decrease the enzymatic activity of cellular NAD(P)H-dependent oxidoreductase, without causing significant cell death. The presencemore » of amyloid fibrils did not affect ATP levels; however, oxygen consumption was increased and reactive oxygen species were detected. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed that fibrils bound to and remained at the cell surface with little fibril internalization. Ultimately, these data indicate that AL amyloid fibrils severely impair cardiomyocyte metabolism in a dose dependent manner. These data suggest that effective therapeutic intervention for these patients should include methods for removing potentially toxic amyloid fibrils.« less

The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Yadav, Dhiraj; Lowenfels, Albert B

2013-06-01

Acute pancreatitis is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal causes of hospital admission in the United States. Chronic pancreatitis, although lower in incidence, significantly reduces patients' quality of life. Pancreatic cancer is associated with a high mortality rate and is one of the top 5 causes of death from cancer. The burden of pancreatic disorders is expected to increase over time. The risk and etiology of pancreatitis differ with age and sex, and all pancreatic disorders affect the black population more than any other race. Gallstones are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis, and early cholecystectomy eliminates the risk of future attacks. Alcohol continues to be the single most important risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Smoking is an independent risk factor for acute and chronic pancreatitis, and its effects could synergize with those of alcohol. Significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking and non-O blood groups. Alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation can alter the progression of pancreatitis and reduce recurrence; smoking cessation is the most effective strategy to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsou, Tsui-Chun, E-mail: tctsou@nhri.org.tw; Liou, Saou-Hsing; Yeh, Szu-Ching

Our previous studies indicated that zinc induced inflammatory response in both vascular endothelial cells and promonocytes. Here, we asked if other metals could cause the similar effect on vascular endothelial cells and tried to determine its underlying mechanism. Following screening of fifteen metals, zinc and nickel were identified with a marked proinflammatory effect, as determined by ICAM-1 and IL-8 induction, on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Inhibiting protein expression of myeloid differentiation primary response protein-88 (MyD88), a Toll-like receptor (TLR) adaptor acting as a TLR-signaling transducer, significantly attenuated the zinc/nickel-induced inflammatory response, suggesting the critical roles of TLRs inmore » the inflammatory response. Blockage of TLR-4 signaling by CLI-095, a TLR-4 inhibitor, completely inhibited the nickel-induced ICAM-1 and IL-8 expression and NFκB activation. The same CLI-095 treatment significantly blocked the zinc-induced IL-8 expression, however with no significant effect on the ICAM-1 expression and a minor inhibitory effect on the NFκB activation. The finding demonstrated the differential role of TLR-4 in regulation of the zinc/nickel-induced inflammatory response, where TLR-4 played a dominant role in NFκB activation by nickel, but not by zinc. Moreover, inhibition of NFκB by adenovirus-mediated IκBα expression and Bay 11-7025, an inhibitor of cytokine-induced IκB-α phosphorylation, significantly attenuated the zinc/nickel-induced inflammatory responses, indicating the critical of NFκB in the process. The study demonstrates the crucial role of TLRs in the zinc/nickel-induced inflammatory response in vascular endothelial cells and herein deciphers a potential important difference in NFκB activation via TLRs. The study provides a molecular basis for linkage between zinc/nickel exposure and pathogenesis of the metal-related inflammatory vascular disease. - Highlights: • Both zinc and nickel cause ICAM-1/IL‑8 expression in endothelial cells via TLRs. • Nickel induces the inflammatory responses via a TLR-4/NF-κB pathway. • Zinc causes the inflammatory responses via a broader TLRs/NF-κB signaling. • Nickel shows a significantly higher inflammatory effect than zinc. • NF-κB activation is the primary mechanism involved in the inflammatory responses.« less

Enkephalin inhibition of angiotensin-stimulated release of oxytocin and vasopressin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, L. C.; Chee, O.; Rosella-Dampman, L. M.; Emmert, S.; Summy-Long, J. Y.

1984-01-01

The effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) pretreatment with 100 ng/5 microliter leucine(5)-enkephalin (LE) on the increase in plasma oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) caused by ICV injection of 10, 50, or 100 ng/5 microliter of angiotensin II (AII) is investigated experimentally in conscious adult male Sprague-Dawley rats; the effects of water-deprivation dehydration and lactation/suckling (in female rats) are also studied. An OT radioimmunoassay (RIA) with a sensitivity of 800 fg/ml (described in detail) and the VP RIA technique of Keil and Severs (1977) are employed. Administration of AII or dehydration for 48 or 72 h cause a significant increase in OT and VP without affecting the ratio, while lactation and suckling increase OT only. LE pretreatment inhibits significantly but does not suppress the AII-stimulated OT-VP response.

A note on image degradation, disability glare, and binocular vision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajaram, Vandana; Lakshminarayanan, Vasudevan

2013-08-01

Disability glare due to scattering of light causes a reduction in visual performance due to a luminous veil over the scene. This causes problem such as contrast detection. In this note, we report a study of the effect of this veiling luminance on human stereoscopic vision. We measured the effect of glare on the horopter measured using the apparent fronto-parallel plane (AFPP) criterion. The empirical longitudinal horopter measured using the AFPP criterion was analyzed using the so-called analytic plot. The analytic plot parameters were used for quantitative measurement of binocular vision. Image degradation plays a major effect on binocular vision as measured by the horopter. Under the conditions tested, it appears that if vision is sufficiently degraded then the addition of disability glare does not seem to significantly cause any further compromise in depth perception as measured by the horopter.

Corneal biomechanical parameters and intraocular pressure: the effect of topical anesthesia

PubMed Central

Ogbuehi, Kelechi C

2012-01-01

Background The intraocular pressures and biomechanical parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer make the analyzer a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of anterior segment disease. This observational study was designed to investigate the effect of topical anesthesia on the parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer: corneal hysteresis, corneal resistance factor, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). Methods Two sets of measurements were made for 78 eyes of 39 subjects, approximately 1 week apart. In session 1, each eye of each subject was randomized into one of three groups: polyvinyl alcohol (0.5%), tetracaine hydrochloride (0.5%), or oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4%). In session 2, eyes that were in the polyvinyl alcohol group in session 1 were assigned to the tetracaine group, those in the tetracaine group in session 1 were assigned to oxybuprocaine group, and those in the oxybuprocaine group in session 1 were assigned to the polyvinyl alcohol group. For both sessions, each subject first had his or her central corneal thickness assessed with a specular microscope, followed by measurements of intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters with the Ocular Response Analyzer. All measurements were repeated for 2 minutes and 5 minutes following the instillation of either polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine, or oxybuprocaine. The level of statistical significance was 0.05. Results Polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine hydrochloride, and oxybuprocaine hydrochloride had no statistically significant (P > 0.05) effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. There was no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) 2 minutes after the eye drops were instilled in either session. Five minutes after the eye drops were instilled, polyvinyl alcohol showed no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) in either session. Oxybuprocaine and tetracaine caused statistically significant (P < 0.05) reductions in IOPg in session 1, but only tetracaine had a significant (P < 0.05) effect in session 2. Tetracaine also caused a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in IOPcc in session 1. Conclusion The statistically significant effect of topical anesthesia on IOPg varies with the anesthetic used, and while this effect was statistically significant in this study, the small effect is probably not clinically relevant. There was no effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. PMID:22791966

Corneal biomechanical parameters and intraocular pressure: the effect of topical anesthesia.

PubMed

Ogbuehi, Kelechi C

2012-01-01

The intraocular pressures and biomechanical parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer make the analyzer a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of anterior segment disease. This observational study was designed to investigate the effect of topical anesthesia on the parameters measured by the ocular response analyzer: corneal hysteresis, corneal resistance factor, Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure (IOPg), and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure (IOPcc). Two sets of measurements were made for 78 eyes of 39 subjects, approximately 1 week apart. In session 1, each eye of each subject was randomized into one of three groups: polyvinyl alcohol (0.5%), tetracaine hydrochloride (0.5%), or oxybuprocaine hydrochloride (0.4%). In session 2, eyes that were in the polyvinyl alcohol group in session 1 were assigned to the tetracaine group, those in the tetracaine group in session 1 were assigned to oxybuprocaine group, and those in the oxybuprocaine group in session 1 were assigned to the polyvinyl alcohol group. For both sessions, each subject first had his or her central corneal thickness assessed with a specular microscope, followed by measurements of intraocular pressure and corneal biomechanical parameters with the Ocular Response Analyzer. All measurements were repeated for 2 minutes and 5 minutes following the instillation of either polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine, or oxybuprocaine. The level of statistical significance was 0.05. Polyvinyl alcohol, tetracaine hydrochloride, and oxybuprocaine hydrochloride had no statistically significant (P > 0.05) effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea. There was no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) 2 minutes after the eye drops were instilled in either session. Five minutes after the eye drops were instilled, polyvinyl alcohol showed no statistically significant effect on either IOPg (P > 0.05) or IOPcc (P > 0.05) in either session. Oxybuprocaine and tetracaine caused statistically significant (P < 0.05) reductions in IOPg in session 1, but only tetracaine had a significant (P < 0.05) effect in session 2. Tetracaine also caused a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in IOPcc in session 1. The statistically significant effect of topical anesthesia on IOPg varies with the anesthetic used, and while this effect was statistically significant in this study, the small effect is probably not clinically relevant. There was no effect on any of the biomechanical parameters of the cornea.

Significance of beating observed in earthquake responses of buildings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Çelebi, Mehmet; Ghahari, S. F.; Taciroglu, E.

2016-01-01

The beating phenomenon observed in the recorded responses of a tall building in Japan and another in the U.S. are examined in this paper. Beating is a periodic vibrational behavior caused by distinctive coupling between translational and torsional modes that typically have close frequencies. Beating is prominent in the prolonged resonant responses of lightly damped structures. Resonances caused by site effects also contribute to accentuating the beating effect. Spectral analyses and system identification techniques are used herein to quantify the periods and amplitudes of the beating effects from the strong motion recordings of the two buildings. Quantification of beating effects is a first step towards determining remedial actions to improve resilient building performance to strong earthquake induced shaking.

Effects of irregularity anisotropy on Faraday polarization fluctuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, M. C.; Nghiem, S. V.; Yoo, C.

1989-01-01

The previous model (Lee et al., 1982) of the Faraday polarization fluctuations (FPF) is extended after taking into account the anisotropic nature of the commonly observed, rodlike and sheetlike ionospheric irregularities. Striking effects of irregularity anisotropy are found in the longitudinal radio propagation. However, if the wave propagation angle is not small (say, greater than 5 deg), the effects of irregularity anisotropy on FPF introduced by rodlike irregularities weaken significantly, while those caused by sheetlike irregularities remain prominent. Therefore, under the same ionospheric propagation conditions, sheetlike ionospheric irregularities are more effective than rodlike ionospheric irregularities in causing the FPF of radio waves. It is expected that intense FPF of VHF radio signals can be observed not only near the equatorial anomaly but also in the auroral region.

The effect of melatonin on eye lens of rats exposed to ultraviolet radiation.

PubMed

Anwar, M M; Moustafa, M A

2001-05-01

We investigated the influence of exogenously administered melatonin on adult rats eye lenses exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV) A and B ranging from 356-254 nm irradiation at 8 microW/cm(2). Rats exposed to this range of UV for 15 min for one week showed a significant (P<0.05) reduction in antioxidant enzymes activities; superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and elevated (P<0.001) lipid peroxidation served as an index of cellular damage by free radicals. UV-radiation significantly (P<0.001) elevated calcium ions (Ca(2+)) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in lenses. Depleting animals of their stores of important intracellular antioxidant and elevating lenticular Ca(2+) by UV irradiation, may be the main cause of lens opacification. Melatonin injection with radiation significantly reduced (P<0.05) lipid peroxidation, Ca(2+) and (P<0.001) for LDH. When melatonin was injected after radiation, SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activities increased significantly (P<0.01), and lipid peroxidation, Ca(2+) levels and LDH activities were reduced significantly. Melatonin injection after UV radiation was as effective as melatonin treatment concurrent with UV irradiation. We conclude that melatonin may protect the eye lens from the damaging effects of UV exposure, and its actions protect lens from oxidative stress, elevating Ca(2+) levels, which are considered as an important causes of cataractogenesis.

Dirty snow after nuclear war

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, S. G.; Wiscombe, W. J.

1985-01-01

It is shown that smoke from fires started by nuclear explosions could continue to cause significant disruption even after it has fallen from the atmosphere, by lowering the reflectivity of snow and sea ice surfaces, with possible effects on climate in northern latitudes caused by enhanced absorption of sunlight. The reduced reflectivity could persist for several years on Arctic sea ice and on the ablation area of the Greenland ice sheet.

Gender differences in the effects of cathinone and the interaction with caffeine on temperature and locomotor activity in the rat.

PubMed

Alsufyani, Hadeel A; Docherty, James R

2017-08-15

We have investigated gender differences in the effects of cathinone and the interaction with caffeine on temperature and movement activity in Wistar rats. Telemetry probes were implanted in rats under isoflurane anaesthesia, and 7 days later, temperature and activity were recorded in conscious unrestrained animals. Caffeine (10mg/lkg) or vehicle, and 30min later, cathinone (5mg/kg) or vehicle, were injected subcutaneously. Cathinone produced significant and marked increases in activity, and the response to cathinone was significantly greater in female animals. The combination of caffeine and cathinone causes a short lived potentiation followed by a prolonged inhibition of the activity response to cathinone. Cathinone alone had minor effects on temperature. However, the combination of caffeine and cathinone produced a significant acute rise in temperature only in male rats in the 90min after cathinone injection. Hence, cathinone caused greater increases in activity in female than in male rats. Secondly, caffeine produced an initial potentiation followed by a prolonged inhibition of the activity response to cathinone. Thirdly, cathinone in combination with caffeine significantly raised temperature acutely in male but not female rats. These differences highlight the need to carry out gender studies of the actions of stimulants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Residual toxicity after biodegradation: interactions among benzene, toluene, and chloroform.

PubMed

da Silva Nunes-Halldorson, Vânia; Steiner, Robert L; Smith, Geoffrey B

2004-02-01

A microbial enrichment originating from a pristine aquifer was found to aerobically biodegrade benzene and toluene, but not chloroform. This enrichment culture was used to study changes in pollutant toxicity as affected by biodegradative activity. Two assays for toxicity were used: (1) a 48-h acute toxicity test using the freshwater invertebrate Ceriodaphnia dubia and (2) microbial biodegradation activity as affected by the presence of mixed pollutants. At 20-ppm concentrations, toluene was significantly more toxic (99% mortality) to C. dubia than benzene (48% mortality) or chloroform (40% mortality). Also at 20-ppm concentrations, but before biodegradation, toluene was significantly more toxic (88% mortality) to C. dubia than benzene (33% mortality). After biodegradation of 98% of toluene and benzene, significant residual toxicity still remained in the bacterial supernatant: toluene-degraded supernatant caused 33% mortality in C. dubia and benzene-degraded supernatant caused 24% mortality. In the second toxicity assay, examining the effect of mixed pollutants on biodegradation activity, the presence of benzene slowed the biodegradation of toluene, but chloroform had no effect on either benzene or toluene biodegradation. Results indicate that significant toxicity remain after biodegradation and that halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons may have little or no effect on aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation at sites impacted by mixed pollutants.

Effect of alcohol on behavioral and autonomic thermoregulation in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, C.J.; Stead, A.G.

1986-01-01

Male, BALB/c mice were injected intraperitoneally with ethyl alcohol (ethanol) in dosages of 0, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 g/kg and then placed in a temperature gradient that permitted the measurement of preferred ambient temperature (Ta). The 3 g/kg dosage of ethanol resulted in a slight lowering of the preferred Ta during the first 30 min of placement in the gradient. However, there was no overall statistically significant effect of alcohol dosage on preferred Ta. In another experiment, BALB/c mice were treated with the aforementioned ethanol dosages while metabolic rate (MR), evaporative water loss (EWL), and colonic temperature weremore » measured 60 min post-injection at Ta's of 20, 30, and 35 C a dosage of 3 g/kg caused a significant decrease in MR, EWL, and colonic temperature. At a Ta of 30 C this same dosage caused significant reduction in colonic temperature, however; at Ta of 35 C ethanol had no effect on these parameters. In spite of the significant decrease in colonic temperature at a Ta of 30 C, which approximates the normal preferred Ta, the behavioral thermal preference was marginally affected. It is not clear whether or not ethanol injection results in a decrease in the set-point body temperature.« less

French firefighter mortality: analysis over a 30-year period.

PubMed

Amadeo, Brice; Marchand, Jean-Luc; Moisan, Frédéric; Donnadieu, Stéphane; Gaëlle, Coureau; Simone, Mathoulin-Pélissier; Lembeye, Christian; Imbernon, Ellen; Brochard, Patrick

2015-04-01

To explore mortality of French professional male firefighters. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated for 10,829 professional male firefighters employed in 1979 and compared with the French male population between 1979-2008. Firefighters were identified from 89 French administrative departments (93% of population). One thousand six hundred forty two deaths were identified, representing significantly lower all-cause mortality than in the general population (SMR = 0.81; 95%CI: 0.77-0.85). SMR increased with age and was not different from 1 for firefighters >70 years. No significant excess of mortality was observed for any specific cause, but a greater number of deaths than expected were found for various digestive neoplasms (rectum/anus, pancreas, buccal-pharynx, stomach, liver, and larynx). We observed lower all and leading-cause mortality likely due to the healthy worker effect in this cohort, with diseases of the respiratory system considerably lower (SMR = 0.57). Non-significant excesses for digestive neoplasms are notable, but should not be over-interpreted at this stage. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An in vitro investigation of the temperature rises produced in dentine by Nd:YAG laser light with and without water cooling.

PubMed

Gow, A M; McDonald, A V; Pearson, G J; Setchell, D J

1999-01-01

Infrared lasers are reported to have thermal side effects which may damage pulp tissue. This study investigated the thermal effects of the pulsed Nd:YAG laser. Prepared, extracted teeth were measured prior to irradiation. Temperature was recorded using a thermocouple/data logging system. Laser irradiation was carried out with or without water spray for an exposure time of ten seconds. Results indicated that dry irradiation produced unacceptable temperature rises with dentine thicknesses used. Wet irradiation produced a significantly lower temperature rise. It was concluded that the Nd:YAG laser produced thermal effects which could potentially cause pulpal trauma. A water coolant was effective in reducing these thermal effects, but the temperature rise achieved whilst using water coolant may still cause pulpal damage.

Metallothionein provides zinc-mediated protective effects against methamphetamine toxicity in SK-N-SH cells.

PubMed

Ajjimaporn, Amornpan; Swinscoe, John; Shavali, Shaik; Govitrapong, Piyarat; Ebadi, Manuchair

2005-11-30

Methamphetamine (METH) is a drug of abuse and neurotoxin that induces Parkinson's-like pathology after chronic usage by targeting dopaminergic neurons. Elucidation of the intracellular mechanisms that underlie METH-induced dopaminergic neuron toxicity may help in understanding the mechanism by which neurons die in Parkinson's disease. In the present study, we examined the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the METH-induced death of human dopaminergic SK-N-SH cells and further assessed the neuroprotective effects of zinc and metallothionein (MT) against METH-induced toxicity in culture. METH significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species, decreased intracellular ATP levels and reduced the cell viability. Pre-treatment with zinc markedly prevented the loss of cell viability caused by METH treatment. Zinc pre-treatment mainly increased the expression of metallothionein and prevented the generation of reactive oxygen species and ATP depletion caused by METH. Chelation of zinc by CaEDTA caused a significant decrease in MT expression and loss of protective effects of MT against METH toxicity. These results suggest that zinc-induced MT expression protects dopaminergic neurons via preventing the accumulation of toxic reactive oxygen species and halting the decrease in ATP levels. Furthermore, MT may prevent the loss of mitochondrial functions caused by neurotoxins. In conclusion, our study suggests that MT, a potent scavenger of free radicals is neuroprotective against dopaminergic toxicity in conditions such as drug of abuse and in Parkinson's disease.

Redox Signaling and Bioenergetics Influence Lung Cancer Cell Line Sensitivity to the Isoflavone ME-344

PubMed Central

Manevich, Yefim; Reyes, Leticia; Britten, Carolyn D.; Townsend, Danyelle M.

2016-01-01

ME-344 [(3R,4S)-3,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-7-ol] is a second-generation derivative natural product isoflavone presently under clinical development. ME-344 effects were compared in lung cancer cell lines that are either intrinsically sensitive or resistant to the drug and in primary immortalized human lung embryonic fibroblasts (IHLEF). Cytotoxicity at low micromolar concentrations occurred only in sensitive cell lines, causing redox stress, decreased mitochondrial ATP production, and subsequent disruption of mitochondrial function. In a dose-dependent manner the drug caused instantaneous and pronounced inhibition of oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in drug-sensitive cells (quantitatively significantly less in drug-resistant cells). This was consistent with targeting of mitochondria by ME-344, with specific effects on the respiratory chain (resistance correlated with higher glycolytic indexes). OCR inhibition did not occur in primary IHLEF. ME-344 increased extracellular acidification rates in drug-resistant cells (significantly less in drug-sensitive cells), implying that ME-344 targets mitochondrial proton pumps. Only in drug-sensitive cells did ME-344 dose-dependently increase the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species and cause oxidation of total (mainly glutathione) and protein thiols and the concomitant immediate increases in NADPH levels. We conclude that ME-344 causes complex, redox-specific, and mitochondria-targeted effects in lung cancer cells, which differ in extent from normal cells, correlate with drug sensitivity, and provide indications of a beneficial in vitro therapeutic index. PMID:27255112

Effects of hypercapnia and hypoxia on the cardiovascular system: vascular capacitance and aortic chemoreceptors.

PubMed

Rothe, C F; Maass-Moreno, R; Flanagan, A D

1990-09-01

Aortic chemoreceptor influences on vascular capacitance after changes in blood carbon dioxide and oxygen were studied in mongrel dogs anesthetized with methoxyflurane and nitrous oxide. The mean circulatory filling pressure (Pmcf), measured during transient cardiac fibrillation, provided a measure of capacitance vessel tone. Hypercapnia, hypoxia, and hypoxic hypercapnia significantly increased most variables, except that hypercapnia caused the total peripheral resistance (TPR) to decrease. Hypocapnia caused a significant decrease in mean systemic (Psa) and pulmonary (Ppa) arterial blood pressures, cardiac output (CO), and central blood volume and an increase in TPR and heart rate. The changes in Pmcf on changing blood gas tensions could be described by the equation delta Pmcf = -1.60 + 0.036 (arterial PCO2) + 50.8/arterial PO2. Thus a 10 mmHg increase in arterial PCO2 caused a 0.36 mmHg increase in Pmcf with receptors intact. Cold block (2 degrees C) of the cervical vagosympathetic trunks did not significantly influence the measured variables at control. During severe hypercapnia, vagal cooling caused a small but significant decrease in Pmcf, Psa, Ppa, and CO but not TPR. During hypoxia, vagal cooling caused the Pmcf, Psa, and TPR to decrease. We conclude that although hypercapnia or hypoxia acts reflexly to increase the capacitance vessel tone (an increase in Pmcf), the aortic and cardiopulmonary chemoreceptors with afferents in the vagi have only a small influence on the capacitance system, accounting for only approximately 25% of the total body response.

Comparison of treatment adherence between selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and moclobemide in patients with social anxiety disorder.

PubMed

Lim, Se-Won; Kwon, Yong-Seok; Ha, Juwon; Yoon, Hyeng-Geun; Bae, Seung-Min; Shin, Dong-Won; Shin, Young-Chul; Oh, Kang-Seob

2012-03-01

With respect to the pharmacotherapy of social anxiety disorder (SAD), it has been suggested that treatment duration is an important factor that can significantly predict responses. The present study aimed to compare the treatment adherence of SAD patients who were taking either SSRIs or reversible inhibitors of MAO-A (moclobemide) by measuring treatment duration and all-cause discontinuation rates of pharmacotherapy in a natural clinical setting. We retrospectively analysed the data of 172 patients diagnosed with SAD. Depending on their medication, we divided the patients into two groups, SSRI (n=54) or moclobemide (n=118). The expected number of all-cause discontinuation every 2 weeks after starting treatment was calculated by life table survival methods. A multi-variable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to analyze the potential influence of explanatory variables. Treatment duration was significantly longer in the SSRI group [46.41±56.96, median=12.0 (weeks)] than in the moclobemide group [25.53±34.74, median=12.0 (weeks), Z=2.352, p=0.019]. Overall, all-cause discontinuation rates were significantly lower with SSRIs (81%) than moclobemide (96%, χ²=4.532, p=0.033). The SSRI group had a longer treatment duration and lower all-cause discontinuation rate than moclobemide. Further, only the type of medication had a significant effect on all-cause discontinuation rates and therefore, we could predict better treatment adherence with the SSRIs in the treatment of SAD.

Novel submicronized rebamipide liquid with moderate viscosity: significant effects on oral mucositis in animal models.

PubMed

Nakashima, Takako; Sako, Nobutomo; Matsuda, Takakuni; Uematsu, Naoya; Sakurai, Kazushi; Ishida, Tatsuhiro

2014-01-01

This study aimed at developing a novel rebamipide liquid for an effective treatment of oral mucositis. The healing effects of a variety of liquids comprising submicronized rebamipide crystals were investigated using a rat cauterization-induced oral ulcer model. Whereas 2% rebamipide liquid comprising micro-crystals did not exhibit significant curative effect, 2% rebamipide liquids comprising submicronized crystals with moderate viscosities exhibited healing effects following intra-oral administration. The 2% and 4% optimized rebamipide liquids showed significant healing effects in the rat oral ulcer model (p<0.01). In addition, in the rat radiation-induced glossitis model, whereby the injury was caused to the tongue by exposing only around the rat's snout to a 15 Gy of X-irradiation, the 2% optimized rebamipide liquid significantly reduced the percent area of ulcerated injury (p<0.05). In conclusion, the submicronized rebamipide liquid with moderate viscosity following intra-oral administration showed better both healing effect in the rat oral ulcer model and preventive effect in the rat irradiation-induced glossitis model.

Does blood transfusion affect intermediate survival after coronary artery bypass surgery?

PubMed

Mikkola, R; Heikkinen, J; Lahtinen, J; Paone, R; Juvonen, T; Biancari, F

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of transfusion of blood products on intermediate outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery. Complete data on perioperative blood transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were available from 2001 patients who were operated at our institution. Transfusion of any blood product (relative risk = 1.678, 95% confidence interval = 1.087-2.590) was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality. The additive effect of each blood product on all-cause mortality (relative risk = 1.401, 95% confidence interval = 1.203-1.630) and cardiac mortality (relative risk = 1.553, 95% confidence interval = 1.273-1.895) was evident when the sum of each blood product was included in the regression models. However, when single blood products were included in the regression model, transfusion of fresh frozen plasma/Octaplas® was the only blood product associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk = 1.692, 95% confidence interval = 1.222-2.344) and cardiac mortality (relative risk = 2.125, 95% confidence interval = 1.414-3.194). The effect of blood product transfusion was particularly evident during the first three postoperative months. Since follow-up was truncated at 3 months, transfusion of any blood product was a significant predictor of all-cause mortality (relative risk = 2.998, 95% confidence interval = 1.053-0.537). Analysis of patients who survived or had at least 3 months of potential follow-up showed that transfusion of any blood product was not associated with a significantly increased risk of intermediate all-cause mortality (relative risk = 1.430, 95% confidence interval = 0.880-2.323). Transfusion of any blood product is associated with a significant risk of all-cause and cardiac mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery. Such a risk seems to be limited to the early postoperative period and diminishes later on. Among blood products, perioperative use of fresh frozen plasma or Octaplas seems to be the main determinant of mortality.

Effect of Chronic Kidney Diseases on Mortality among Digoxin Users Treated for Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Register-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Sessa, Maurizio; Mascolo, Annamaria; Andersen, Mikkel Porsborg; Rosano, Giuseppe; Rossi, Francesco; Capuano, Annalisa; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of chronic kidney disease on all-causes and cardiovascular mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation treated with digoxin. All patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and/or atrial flutter as hospitalization diagnosis from January 1, 1997 to December 31, 2012 were identified in Danish nationwide administrative registries. Cox proportional hazard model was used to compare the adjusted risk of all-causes and cardiovascular mortality among patients with and without chronic kidney disease and among patients with different chronic kidney disease stages within 180 days and 2 years from the first digoxin prescription. We identified 37,981 patients receiving digoxin; 1884 patients had the diagnosis of chronic kidney disease. Cox regression analysis showed no statistically significant differences in all-causes (Hazard Ratio, HR 0.89; 95% confident interval, CI 0.78-1.03) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.88; 95%CI 0.74-1.05) among patients with and without chronic kidney disease within 180 days of follow-up period. No statistically significant differences was found using a 2 years follow-up period neither for all causes mortality (HR 0.90; 95%CI 0.79-1.03), nor for cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.87; 95%CI 0.74-1.02). No statistically significant differences was found comparing patients with and without estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate <30ml/min/1.73m2 and patients with different stages of chronic kidney disease, for all-causes and cardiovascular mortality within 180 days and 2 years from the first digoxin prescription. This study suggest no direct effect of chronic kidney disease and chronic kidney disease stages on all-causes and cardiovascular mortality within both 180 days and 2 years from the first digoxin prescription in patients treatment-naïve with digoxin for non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

The effect of floods on anemia among reproductive age women in Afghanistan.

PubMed

Oskorouchi, Hamid Reza; Nie, Peng; Sousa-Poza, Alfonso

2018-01-01

This study uses biomarker information from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey Afghanistan and satellite precipitation driven modeling results from the Global Flood Monitoring System to analyze how floods affect the probability of anemia in Afghan women of reproductive age (15-49). In addition to establishing a causal relation between the two by exploiting the quasi-random variation of floods in different districts and periods, the analysis demonstrates that floods have a significant positive effect on the probability of anemia through two possible transmission mechanisms. The first is a significant effect on inflammation, probably related to water borne diseases carried by unsafe drinking water, and the second is a significant negative effect on retinol concentrations. Because the effect of floods on anemia remains significant even after we control for anemia's most common causes, we argue that the condition may also be affected by elevated levels of psychological stress.

The effect of floods on anemia among reproductive age women in Afghanistan

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

This study uses biomarker information from the 2013 National Nutrition Survey Afghanistan and satellite precipitation driven modeling results from the Global Flood Monitoring System to analyze how floods affect the probability of anemia in Afghan women of reproductive age (15–49). In addition to establishing a causal relation between the two by exploiting the quasi-random variation of floods in different districts and periods, the analysis demonstrates that floods have a significant positive effect on the probability of anemia through two possible transmission mechanisms. The first is a significant effect on inflammation, probably related to water borne diseases carried by unsafe drinking water, and the second is a significant negative effect on retinol concentrations. Because the effect of floods on anemia remains significant even after we control for anemia’s most common causes, we argue that the condition may also be affected by elevated levels of psychological stress. PMID:29425219

Effect of ghrelin on total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, sperm parameters and fertility in mice against oxidative damage caused by cyclophosphamide.

PubMed

Salimnejad, R; Soleimani Rad, J; Mohammad Nejad, D; Roshangar, L

2018-03-01

Cyclophosphamide is a drug used for chemotherapy and as an immune-suppressive in the organ transplantation. Despite its many clinical implications in the treatment of cancers, this drug has toxic effects on the reproductive system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of ghrelin against the damages caused by cyclophosphamide. In this experimental study, 40 male mice were randomly divided into four groups: (i) control; (ii) cyclophosphamide; (iii) cyclophosphamide + ghrelin; and (iv) ghrelin. Cyclophosphamide (100 mg/kg body weight), once a week, and ghrelin (80 μg/kg body weight), daily, were administered intraperitoneally for 5 weeks. After 5 weeks, the epididymides were removed and the lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant capacity and sperm parameters were examined. The fertility rate was evaluated by performance in vitro fertilisation. In the mice exposed to cyclophosphamide, the number of spermatozoa and viability, as well as total antioxidant capacity, decreased significantly (p < .05). The increase in the abnormal sperm and MDA levels was observed (p < .05). In addition, the fertility rate decreased in this group, while the use of ghrelin significantly improved the above disorders in the treatment group (p < .05). The findings of this study showed that ghrelin attenuates negative effects caused by cyclophosphamide in the sperm parameters and enhances the fertility. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Effect of delayed auditory feedback on stuttering with and without central auditory processing disorders.

PubMed

Picoloto, Luana Altran; Cardoso, Ana Cláudia Vieira; Cerqueira, Amanda Venuti; Oliveira, Cristiane Moço Canhetti de

2017-12-07

To verify the effect of delayed auditory feedback on speech fluency of individuals who stutter with and without central auditory processing disorders. The participants were twenty individuals with stuttering from 7 to 17 years old and were divided into two groups: Stuttering Group with Auditory Processing Disorders (SGAPD): 10 individuals with central auditory processing disorders, and Stuttering Group (SG): 10 individuals without central auditory processing disorders. Procedures were: fluency assessment with non-altered auditory feedback (NAF) and delayed auditory feedback (DAF), assessment of the stuttering severity and central auditory processing (CAP). Phono Tools software was used to cause a delay of 100 milliseconds in the auditory feedback. The "Wilcoxon Signal Post" test was used in the intragroup analysis and "Mann-Whitney" test in the intergroup analysis. The DAF caused a statistically significant reduction in SG: in the frequency score of stuttering-like disfluencies in the analysis of the Stuttering Severity Instrument, in the amount of blocks and repetitions of monosyllabic words, and in the frequency of stuttering-like disfluencies of duration. Delayed auditory feedback did not cause statistically significant effects on SGAPD fluency, individuals with stuttering with auditory processing disorders. The effect of delayed auditory feedback in speech fluency of individuals who stutter was different in individuals of both groups, because there was an improvement in fluency only in individuals without auditory processing disorder.

Nonlinear ordinary difference equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caughey, T. K.

1979-01-01

Future space vehicles will be relatively large and flexible, and active control will be necessary to maintain geometrical configuration. While the stresses and strains in these space vehicles are not expected to be excessively large, their cumulative effects will cause significant geometrical nonlinearities to appear in the equations of motion, in addition to the nonlinearities caused by material properties. Since the only effective tool for the analysis of such large complex structures is the digital computer, it will be necessary to gain a better understanding of the nonlinear ordinary difference equations which result from the time discretization of the semidiscrete equations of motion for such structures.

Outcomes of crew resource management training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmreich, Robert L.; Wilhelm, John A.

1991-01-01

Participants' self-reports and measures of attitudes regarding flightdeck management indicate that crew resource management training is favorably received and causes highly significant, positive changes in attitudes regarding crew coordination and personal capabilities. However, a subset of participants reacted negatively to the training and showed boomerangs (negative change) in attitudes. Explorations into the causes of this effect pinpoint personality factors and group dynamics as critical determinants of reactions to training and of the magnitude and direction of attitude changes. Implications of these findings for organizations desiring to enhance crew effectiveness are discussed, and areas of needed additional research are described.

Effect of simulated insect damage on growth and survival of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings

Treesearch

Susan L. Wright; Richard W. Hall; John W. Peacock

1989-01-01

Effects of simulated insect damage—artificial defoliation and root damage in combination with two levels of watering—were studied to determine the potential effect on northern red oak seedlings (Quercus rubra L.). Treatments and treatment combinations caused significant differences in stem diameter, percentage of stem dieback, and mortality....

Opposite effects of high- and low-frequency transcranial random noise stimulation probed with visual motion adaptation

PubMed Central

Campana, Gianluca; Camilleri, Rebecca; Moret, Beatrice; Ghin, Filippo; Pavan, Andrea

2016-01-01

Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) is a recent neuro-modulation technique whose effects at both behavioural and neural level are still debated. Here we employed the well-known phenomenon of motion after-effect (MAE) in order to investigate the effects of high- vs. low-frequency tRNS on motion adaptation and recovery. Participants were asked to estimate the MAE duration following prolonged adaptation (20 s) to a complex moving pattern, while being stimulated with either sham or tRNS across different blocks. Different groups were administered with either high- or low-frequency tRNS. Stimulation sites were either bilateral human MT complex (hMT+) or frontal areas. The results showed that, whereas no effects on MAE duration were induced by stimulating frontal areas, when applied to the bilateral hMT+, high-frequency tRNS caused a significant decrease in MAE duration whereas low-frequency tRNS caused a significant corresponding increase in MAE duration. These findings indicate that high- and low-frequency tRNS have opposed effects on the adaptation-dependent unbalance between neurons tuned to opposite motion directions, and thus on neuronal excitability. PMID:27934947

Hypothyroidism is associated with all-cause mortality in a national cohort of chronic haemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Lin, Hsuan-Jen; Lin, Chung-Chih; Lin, Hsuan Ming; Chen, Hsuan-Ju; Lin, Che-Chen; Chang, Chiz-Tzung; Chou, Che-Yi; Huang, Chiu-Ching

2018-06-01

The prevalence of hypothyroidism is high in haemodialysis (HD) patients and hypothyroidism increases all-cause mortality in HD patients. Comorbidities are common in HD patients and are associated with both mortality and hypothyroidism. The aim of the study is to explore the effect of the interactions of comorbidities and hypothyroidism on all-cause mortality in HD patients. Patients with hypothyroidism (ICD-9-CM 244.0, 244.1, and 244.9) and matched patients without hypothyroidism in the Registry for Catastrophic Illness Patient Database of Taiwan Health Insurance from 2000 to 2010 were analyzed. The association of hypothyroidism and risk of all-cause mortality was analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression. Nine hundred and eight HD patients with hypothyroidism and 3632 sex-, age-, gender- matched HD patients without hypothyroidism were analyzed. Hypothyroidism was associated with increased all-cause mortality with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.22 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.36, P < 0.001]. TRT may decrease mortality associated with hypothyroidism (P < 0.001). There was a significant interaction (P = 0.04) between diabetes and hypothyroidism. There was no significant interaction found in hypothyroidism and the following comorbidities: hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, asthma, congestive heart failure and cancer. Hypothyroidism is associated with increased all-cause mortality in chronic HD patients. The interaction of hypothyroidism and diabetes, but not other common comorbidities in HD patients, has an effect on mortality risks. © 2017 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Inorganic arsenic causes fatty liver and interacts with ethanol to cause alcoholic liver disease in zebrafish.

PubMed

Bambino, Kathryn; Zhang, Chi; Austin, Christine; Amarasiriwardena, Chitra; Arora, Manish; Chu, Jaime; Sadler, Kirsten C

2018-02-26

The rapid increase in fatty liver disease (FLD) incidence is attributed largely to genetic and lifestyle factors; however, environmental toxicants are a frequently overlooked factor that can modify the effects of more common causes of FLD. Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is associated with liver disease in humans and animal models, but neither the mechanism of action nor the combinatorial interaction with other disease-causing factors has been fully investigated. Here, we examined the contribution of iAs to FLD using zebrafish and tested the interaction with ethanol to cause alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We report that zebrafish exposed to iAs throughout development developed specific phenotypes beginning at 4 days post-fertilization (dpf), including the development of FLD in over 50% of larvae by 5 dpf. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of livers from larvae exposed to either iAs or ethanol revealed the oxidative stress response and the unfolded protein response (UPR) caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as common pathways in both these models of FLD, suggesting that they target similar cellular processes. This was confirmed by our finding that arsenic is synthetically lethal with both ethanol and a well-characterized ER-stress-inducing agent (tunicamycin), suggesting that these exposures work together through UPR activation to cause iAs toxicity. Most significantly, combined exposure to sub-toxic concentrations of iAs and ethanol potentiated the expression of UPR-associated genes, cooperated to induce FLD, reduced the expression of as3mt , which encodes an arsenic-metabolizing enzyme, and significantly increased the concentration of iAs in the liver. This demonstrates that iAs exposure is sufficient to cause FLD and that low doses of iAs can potentiate the effects of ethanol to cause liver disease.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Inorganic arsenic causes fatty liver and interacts with ethanol to cause alcoholic liver disease in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chi; Austin, Christine; Amarasiriwardena, Chitra; Arora, Manish

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The rapid increase in fatty liver disease (FLD) incidence is attributed largely to genetic and lifestyle factors; however, environmental toxicants are a frequently overlooked factor that can modify the effects of more common causes of FLD. Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (iAs) is associated with liver disease in humans and animal models, but neither the mechanism of action nor the combinatorial interaction with other disease-causing factors has been fully investigated. Here, we examined the contribution of iAs to FLD using zebrafish and tested the interaction with ethanol to cause alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We report that zebrafish exposed to iAs throughout development developed specific phenotypes beginning at 4 days post-fertilization (dpf), including the development of FLD in over 50% of larvae by 5 dpf. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of livers from larvae exposed to either iAs or ethanol revealed the oxidative stress response and the unfolded protein response (UPR) caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as common pathways in both these models of FLD, suggesting that they target similar cellular processes. This was confirmed by our finding that arsenic is synthetically lethal with both ethanol and a well-characterized ER-stress-inducing agent (tunicamycin), suggesting that these exposures work together through UPR activation to cause iAs toxicity. Most significantly, combined exposure to sub-toxic concentrations of iAs and ethanol potentiated the expression of UPR-associated genes, cooperated to induce FLD, reduced the expression of as3mt, which encodes an arsenic-metabolizing enzyme, and significantly increased the concentration of iAs in the liver. This demonstrates that iAs exposure is sufficient to cause FLD and that low doses of iAs can potentiate the effects of ethanol to cause liver disease. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper. PMID:29361514

Effect of arachidonic acid metabolites on thymocyte proliferation.

PubMed

Delebassée, S; Gualde, N

1988-01-01

The influences of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15-HETE) and leukotrienes (LT) on the proliferative response of mature (PNA-) and immature (PNA+) mouse thymocytes was investigated. Both PNA+ and PNA- thymocytes proliferated when cultured with concanavalin A plus interleukin-2. PGE2 in concentrations of 10(-6) to 10(-9) M caused significant inhibition of proliferation of both PNA+ and PNA- thymocytes in these cultures. In contrast, the lipoxygenase products 15-HETE, LTB4, LTC4 and LTD4 caused marked increases in proliferation of PNA+ thymocytes while having no effect on PNA- cells. Therefore, the effect of leukotrienes on thymocyte proliferation depends upon the level of cell maturation and mainly affects immature PNA+ thymocytes.

Aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events in diabetes: updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

PubMed

Kunutsor, S K; Seidu, S; Khunti, K

2017-03-01

To evaluate the benefits and harms of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality events in people with diabetes by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials of aspirin compared with placebo (or no treatment) in people with diabetes with no history of cardiovascular disease were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and a manual search of bibliographies to November 2015. Study-specific relative risks with 95% CIs were aggregated using random effects models. A total of 10 randomized trials were included in the review. There was a significant reduction in risk of major adverse cardiovascular events: relative risk of 0.90 (95% CI 0.81-0.99) in groups taking aspirin compared with placebo or no treatment. Limited subgroup analyses suggested that the effect of aspirin on major adverse cardiovascular events differed by baseline cardiovascular disease risk, medication compliance and sex (P for interaction for all > 0.05).There was no significant reduction in the risk of myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular mortality or all-cause mortality. Aspirin significantly reduced the risk of myocardial infarction for a treatment duration of ≤ 5 years. There were differences in the effect of aspirin by dosage and treatment duration on overall stroke outcomes (P for interaction for all < 0.05). There was an increase in risk of major or gastrointestinal bleeding events, but estimates were imprecise and not significant. The emerging data do not clearly support guidelines that encourage the use of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults with diabetes who are at increased cardiovascular disease risk. © 2016 Diabetes UK.

Factors that influence public awareness of domestic waste characteristics and management in rural areas.

PubMed

Han, Zhiyong; Duan, Qingqing; Fei, Yongqiang; Zeng, Dan; Shi, Guozhong; Li, Haimei; Hu, Meilun

2018-05-01

Public awareness of domestic waste characteristics and management (PADWCM) is a prerequisite for a domestic waste management (DWM) plan. In this study, we considered China as a typical example of developing countries to investigate the public perception of environmental pollution (PEP), its PADWCM, and its socioeconomic factors, using questionnaires and statistical methods. The results indicated that the public PEP was mainly due to obvious environmental contamination in local villages, and the PADWCM is still inadequate in rural areas. However, 83.9% of the respondents agreed that DWM is highly necessary. The PADWCM, including the hazard, recyclability, and characteristic pollution caused by domestic waste, was learned mainly from people's direct PEP, experiences, and repurchasing by recyclers. Education period had highly significant positive correlations and regressions with PEP and PADWCM, respectively. Additionally, education directly affected public awareness in different income and age groups. Demonstration projects had a significant positive effect on the awareness of characteristic pollution caused by domestic waste, which was readily perceived. Propaganda had a significant positive influence on the awareness of treatment necessity. Age and gender had no obvious effects on public PEP and PADWCM. Some aspects of PADWCM requiring a deep understanding became stronger as income increased; however, the PADWCM located close to poor people became weaker. Some aspects of PEP could significantly influence the awareness of characteristic pollution caused by domestic waste and awareness of treatment necessity. Therefore, improving environmental education, performing demonstration projects and effective environmental propaganda, increasing people's income, and attracting young people to participate in DWM will be important for enhancing environmental awareness and DWM in rural areas. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:395-406. © 2018 SETAC. © 2018 SETAC.

Daytime napping and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

PubMed

Zhong, Guochao; Wang, Yi; Tao, TieHong; Ying, Jun; Zhao, Yong

2015-07-01

The association between daytime napping and mortality remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine the associations between daytime napping and the risks of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer. PubMed and Embase databases were searched through 19 September 2014. Prospective cohort studies that provided risk estimates of daytime napping and mortality were eligible for our meta-analysis. Two investigators independently performed study screening and data extraction. A random-effects model was used to estimate the combined effect size. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify potential effect modifiers. Twelve studies, involving 130,068 subjects, 49,791 nappers, and 19,059 deaths, were included. Our meta-analysis showed that daytime napping was associated with an increased risk of death from all causes [n = 9 studies; hazard ratio (HR), 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14-1.31; I(2) = 42.5%]. No significant associations between daytime napping and the risks of death from CVD (n = 6 studies; HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.96-1.50; I(2) = 75.0%) and cancer (n = 4 studies; HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.99-1.15; I(2) = 8.9%) were found. There were no significant differences in risks of all-cause and CVD mortality between subgroups stratified by the prevalence of napping, follow-up duration, outcome assessment, age, and sex. Daytime napping is a predictor of increased all-cause mortality but not of CVD and cancer mortality. However, our findings should be treated with caution because of limited numbers of included studies and potential biases. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The effect of high temperature on cause-specific mortality: A multi-county analysis in China.

PubMed

Ban, Jie; Xu, Dandan; He, Mike Z; Sun, Qinghua; Chen, Chen; Wang, Wentao; Zhu, Pengfei; Li, Tiantian

2017-09-01

Although existing studies have linked high temperature to mortality in a small number of regions, less evidence is available on the variation in the associations between high temperature exposure and cause-specific mortality of multiple regions in China. Our study focused on the use of time series analysis to quantify the association between high temperature and different cause-specific mortalities for susceptible populations for 43 counties in China. Two-stage analyses adopting a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) and a meta-analysis allowed us to obtain county-specific estimates and national-scale pooled estimates of the nonlinear temperature-mortality relationship. We also considered different populations stratified by age and sex, causes of death, absolute and relative temperature patterns, and potential confounding from air pollutants. All of the observed cause-specific mortalities are significantly associated with higher temperature. The estimated effects of high temperature on mortality varied by spatial distribution and temperature patterns. Compared with the 90th percentile temperature, the overall relative risk (RR) at the 99th percentile temperature for non-accidental mortality is 1.105 (95%CI: 1.089, 1.122), for circulatory disease is 1.107 (95%CI: 1.081, 1.133), for respiratory disease is 1.095 (95%CI: 1.050, 1.142), for coronary heart disease is 1.073 (95%CI: 1.047, 1.099), for acute myocardial infarction is 1.072 (95%CI: 1.042, 1.104), and for stroke is 1.095 (95%CI: 1.052, 1.138). Based on our findings, we believe that heat-related health effect in China is a significant issue that requires more attention and allocation of existing resources. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the effects of intraocular irrigating solutions on the corneal endothelium in intraocular lens implantation.

PubMed Central

Matsuda, M; Kinoshita, S; Ohashi, Y; Shimomura, Y; Ohguro, N; Okamoto, H; Omoto, T; Hosotani, H; Yoshida, H

1991-01-01

We conducted a randomised prospective controlled study to determine the effects of a glucose glutathione bicarbonate solution (BSS Plus) and a citrate acetate bicarbonate solution (S-MA2) on the corneal endothelium in patients undergoing extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber lens implantation. One eye of each patient was randomly assigned to receive BSS Plus, and the other eye to receive S-MA2. BSS Plus caused significantly less corneal swelling on the first postoperative day than did S-MA2. There was no difference between the two solutions in their effect on corneal thickness one week and one month postoperatively. Computer assisted morphometric analysis of wide-field specular microscopic photographs demonstrated minimal changes in endothelial morphological characteristics in the eyes irrigated with BSS Plus. By comparison S-MA2, caused a significant loss of endothelial cells and a marked reduction in the figure coefficient. These results indicated that BSS Plus has a clinical advantage over S-MA2 with respect to the corneal endothelium. PMID:1873266

Atmospheric carbon dioxide and chlorofluoromethanes - Combined effects on stratospheric ozone, temperature, and surface temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callis, L. B.; Natarajan, M.

1981-01-01

The effects of combined CO2 and CFCl3 and CF2Cl2 time-dependent scenarios on atmospheric O3 and temperature are described; the steady-state levels of O3 and surface temperature, to which the chlorofluoromethane scenario tends in the presence of twice and four time ambient CO2, are examined; and surface temperature changes, caused by the combined effects, are established. A description of the model and of the experiments is presented. Results indicate that (1) the total ozone time history is significantly different from that due to the chlorofluoromethane alone; (2) a local ozone minimum occurs in the upper stratosphere about 45 years from the present with a subsequent ozone increase, then decline; and (3) steady-state solutions indicate that tropospheric temperature and water vapor increases, associated with increased infrared opacity, cause significant changes in tropospheric ozone levels for 2 x CO2 and 4 x CO2, without the addition of chlorofluoromethanes.

Topical methotrexate alters solute and water transport in the rat jejunum in vivo and rabbit ileum in vitro.

PubMed Central

Pinkerton, C R; Booth, I W; Milla, P J

1985-01-01

The topical effect of methotrexate (MTX) on small intestinal hexose and ion transport has been studied using an in vivo steady state jejunal perfusion technique in the rat, and short circuited rabbit terminal ileum in Ussing chambers in vitro. In rat jejunum, perfusion with MTX (1 mumol/l) caused significant reductions in water, sodium, and glucose absorption within 110 minutes of exposure. Fructose absorption was, however, unimpaired. The same concentration of MTX, when added to the mucosal side of distal rabbit ileum caused significant increases in transmucosal potential difference, short circuit current and the unidirectional flux of chloride from serosa to mucosa. In the presence of a subphysiological magnesium concentration (0.3 mmol/l), MTX resulted in the abolition of net sodium absorption and the conversion of net chloride absorption to secretion. We conclude that MTX has a topical effect on small intestinal transport which is independent of its effect on crypt cell kinetics. PMID:4018634

Leaching behavior of total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus from banana peel.

PubMed

Jiang, Ruixue; Sun, Shujuan; Xu, Yan; Qiu, Xiudong; Yang, Jili; Li, Xiaochen

2015-01-01

The leaching behavior of organic carbon and nutrient compounds from banana peel (BP) was investigated in batch assays with respect to particle size, contact time, pH value, and temperature. The granularity, contact time, pH, and temperature caused no significant effects on the leaching of total phosphorus (TP) from the BP. The maximum leached total nitrogen (TN) content was found at pH 5.0 and 90 minutes, while no significant effects were caused by the granularity and temperature. The maximum leached total organic carbon (TOC) content was found by using a powder of 40 mesh, 150 minutes and at pH 6.0, while the temperature had no effect on the TOC leaching. The proportions of the TN, TP, and TOC contents leached from the dried BP ranged from 33.6% to 40.9%, 60.4% to 72.7%, and 8.2% to 9.9%, respectively, indicating that BP could be a potential pollution source for surface and ground water if discharged as domestic waste or reutilized without pretreatment.

No evidence of radiation effect on mutation rates at hypervariable minisatellite loci in the germ cells of atomic bomb survivors.

PubMed

Kodaira, Mieko; Izumi, Shizue; Takahashi, Norio; Nakamura, Nori

2004-10-01

Human minisatellites consist of tandem arrays of short repeat sequences, and some are highly polymorphic in numbers of repeats among individuals. Since these loci mutate much more frequently than coding sequences, they make attractive markers for screening populations for genetic effects of mutagenic agents. Here we report the results of our analysis of mutations at eight hypervariable minisatellite loci in the offspring (61 from exposed families in 60 of which only one parent was exposed, and 58 from unexposed parents) of atomic bomb survivors with mean doses of >1 Sv. We found 44 mutations in paternal alleles and eight mutations in maternal alleles with no indication that the high doses of acutely applied radiation had caused significant genetic effects. Our finding contrasts with those of some other studies in which much lower radiation doses, applied chronically, caused significantly increased mutation rates. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.

Vaginal microbicides: detecting toxicities in vivo that paradoxically increase pathogen transmission

PubMed Central

Cone, Richard A; Hoen, Timothy; Wong, XiXi; Abusuwwa, Raed; Anderson, Deborah J; Moench, Thomas R

2006-01-01

Background Microbicides must protect against STD pathogens without causing unacceptable toxic effects. Microbicides based on nonoxynol-9 (N9) and other detergents disrupt sperm, HSV and HIV membranes, and these agents are effective contraceptives. But paradoxically N9 fails to protect women against HIV and other STD pathogens, most likely because it causes toxic effects that increase susceptibility. The mouse HSV-2 vaginal transmission model reported here: (a) Directly tests for toxic effects that increase susceptibility to HSV-2, (b) Determines in vivo whether a microbicide can protect against HSV-2 transmission without causing toxicities that increase susceptibility, and (c) Identifies those toxic effects that best correlate with the increased HSV susceptibility. Methods Susceptibility was evaluated in progestin-treated mice by delivering a low-dose viral inoculum (0.1 ID50) at various times after delivering the candidate microbicide to detect whether the candidate increased the fraction of mice infected. Ten agents were tested – five detergents: nonionic (N9), cationic (benzalkonium chloride, BZK), anionic (sodium dodecylsulfate, SDS), the pair of detergents in C31G (C14AO and C16B); one surface active agent (chlorhexidine); two non-detergents (BufferGel®, and sulfonated polystyrene, SPS); and HEC placebo gel (hydroxyethylcellulose). Toxic effects were evaluated by histology, uptake of a 'dead cell' dye, colposcopy, enumeration of vaginal macrophages, and measurement of inflammatory cytokines. Results A single dose of N9 protected against HSV-2 for a few minutes but then rapidly increased susceptibility, which reached maximum at 12 hours. When applied at the minimal concentration needed for brief partial protection, all five detergents caused a subsequent increase in susceptibility at 12 hours of ~20–30-fold. Surprisingly, colposcopy failed to detect visible signs of the N9 toxic effect that increased susceptibility at 12 hours. Toxic effects that occurred contemporaneously with increased susceptibility were rapid exfoliation and re-growth of epithelial cell layers, entry of macrophages into the vaginal lumen, and release of one or more inflammatory cytokines (Il-1β, KC, MIP 1α, RANTES). The non-detergent microbicides and HEC placebo caused no significant increase in susceptibility or toxic effects. Conclusion This mouse HSV-2 model provides a sensitive method to detect microbicide-induced toxicities that increase susceptibility to infection. In this model, there was no concentration at which detergents provided protection without significantly increasing susceptibility. PMID:16740164

Reliability of biologic indicators in a mail-return sterilization-monitoring service: a review of 3 years.

PubMed

Andrés, M T; Tejerina, J M; Fierro, J F

1995-12-01

Most mail-return sterilization-monitoring services use spore strips to test sterilizers in dental clinics, but factors such as delay caused by mailing to the laboratory could cause false negatives. The aims of this study were to determine the influence of poststerilization time and temperature on the biologic indicator recovery system and to evaluate sterilization failure and its possible causes in dental clinics subscribing to a mail-return sterilization-monitoring service. Spore strips used in independent tests revealed the poststerilization time and temperature after a 7-day delay to have no significant influence. Sixty-six dental clinics that received quarterly biologic indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of their sterilizers had sterilization failure rates of 28.7% in 1992, 18.1% in 1993, and 9.1% in 1994, a statistically significant decrease in sterilization failure during the 3-year period. The usual causes of failure were operator error in wrapping of instruments, loading, operating temperature, or exposure time.

Oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage in multiple organs of mice acutely exposed to amorphous silica nanoparticles.

PubMed

Nemmar, Abderrahim; Yuvaraju, Priya; Beegam, Sumaya; Yasin, Javed; Kazzam, Elsadig E; Ali, Badreldin H

2016-01-01

The use of amorphous silica (SiO2) in biopharmaceutical and industrial fields can lead to human exposure by injection, skin penetration, ingestion, or inhalation. However, the in vivo acute toxicity of amorphous SiO2 nanoparticles (SiNPs) on multiple organs and the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. Presently, we investigated the acute (24 hours) effects of intraperitoneally administered 50 nm SiNPs (0.25 mg/kg) on systemic toxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage in the lung, heart, liver, kidney, and brain of mice. Lipid peroxidation was significantly increased by SiNPs in the lung, liver, kidney, and brain, but was not changed in the heart. Similarly, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were significantly affected by SiNPs in all organs studied. While the concentration of tumor necrosis factor α was insignificantly increased in the liver and brain, its increase was statistically significant in the lung, heart, and kidney. SiNPs induced a significant elevation in pulmonary and renal interleukin 6 and interleukin-1 beta in the lung, liver, and brain. Moreover, SiNPs caused a significant increase in DNA damage, assessed by comet assay, in all the organs studied. SiNPs caused leukocytosis and increased the plasma activities of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, alanine aminotranferase, and aspartate aminotransferase. These results indicate that acute systemic exposure to SiNPs causes oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage in several major organs, and highlight the need for thorough evaluation of SiNPs before they can be safely used in human beings.

Causes of child mortality (1 to 4 years of age) from 1983 to 2012 in the Republic of Korea: national vital data.

PubMed

Choe, Seung Ah; Cho, Sung-Il

2014-11-01

Child mortality remains a critical problem even in developed countries due to low fertility. To plan effective interventions, investigation into the trends and causes of child mortality is necessary. Therefore, we analyzed these trends and causes of child deaths over the last 30 years in Korea. Causes of death data were obtained from a nationwide vital registration managed by the Korean Statistical Information Service. The mortality rate among all children aged between one and four years and the causes of deaths were reviewed. Data from 1983-2012 and 1993-2012 were analyzed separately because the proportion of unspecified causes of death during 1983-1992 varied substantially from that during 1993-2012. The child (1-4 years) mortality rates substantially decreased during the past three decades. The trend analysis revealed that all the five major causes of death (infectious, neoplastic, neurologic, congenital, and external origins) have decreased significantly. However, the sex ratio of child mortality (boys to girls) slightly increased during the last 30 years. External causes of death remain the most frequent origin of child mortality, and the proportion of mortality due to child assault has significantly increased (from 1.02 in 1983 to 1.38 in 2012). In Korea, the major causes and rate of child mortality have changed and the sex ratio of child mortality has slightly increased since the early 1980s. Child mortality, especially due to preventable causes, requires public health intervention.

The effects of chronic intracortical microstimulation on neural tissue and fine motor behavior.

PubMed

Rajan, Alexander T; Boback, Jessica L; Dammann, John F; Tenore, Francesco V; Wester, Brock A; Otto, Kevin J; Gaunt, Robert A; Bensmaia, Sliman J

2015-12-01

One approach to conveying sensory feedback in neuroprostheses is to electrically stimulate sensory neurons in the cortex. For this approach to be viable, it is critical that intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) causes minimal damage to the brain. Here, we investigate the effects of chronic ICMS on the neuronal tissue across a variety of stimulation regimes in non-human primates. We also examine each animal's ability to use their hand--the cortical representation of which is targeted by the ICMS--as a further assay of possible neuronal damage. We implanted electrode arrays in the primary somatosensory cortex of three Rhesus macaques and delivered ICMS four hours per day, five days per week, for six months. Multiple regimes of ICMS were delivered to investigate the effects of stimulation parameters on the tissue and behavior. Parameters included current amplitude (10-100 μA), pulse train duration (1, 5 s), and duty cycle (1/1, 1/3). We then performed a range of histopathological assays on tissue near the tips of both stimulated and unstimulated electrodes to assess the effects of chronic ICMS on the tissue and their dependence on stimulation parameters. While the implantation and residence of the arrays in the cortical tissue did cause significant damage, chronic ICMS had no detectable additional effect; furthermore, the animals exhibited no impairments in fine motor control. Chronic ICMS may be a viable means to convey sensory feedback in neuroprostheses as it does not cause significant damage to the stimulated tissue.

Cytotoxic Effects of Environmental Toxins on Human Glial Cells.

PubMed

D'Mello, Fiona; Braidy, Nady; Marçal, Helder; Guillemin, Gilles; Rossi, Fanny; Chinian, Mirielle; Laurent, Dominique; Teo, Charles; Neilan, Brett A

2017-02-01

Toxins produced by cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates have increasingly become a public health concern due to their degenerative effects on mammalian tissue and cells. In particular, emerging evidence has called attention to the neurodegenerative effects of the cyanobacterial toxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). Other toxins such as the neurotoxins saxitoxin and ciguatoxin, as well as the hepatotoxic microcystin, have been previously shown to have a range of effects upon the nervous system. However, the capacity of these toxins to cause neurodegeneration in human cells has not, to our knowledge, been previously investigated. This study aimed to examine the cytotoxic effects of BMAA, microcystin-LR (MC-LR), saxitoxin (STX) and ciguatoxin (CTX-1B) on primary adult human astrocytes. We also demonstrated that α-lipoate attenuated MC-LR toxicity in primary astrocytes and characterised changes in gene expression which could potentially be caused by these toxins in primary astrocytes. Herein, we are the first to show that all of these toxins are capable of causing physiological changes consistent with neurodegeneration in glial cells, via oxidative stress and excitotoxicity, leading to a reduction in cell proliferation culminating in cell death. In addition, MC-LR toxicity was reduced significantly in astrocytes-treated α-lipoic acid. While there were no significant changes in gene expression, many of the probes that were altered were associated with neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis. Overall, this is important in advancing our current understanding of the mechanism of toxicity of MC-LR on human brain function in vitro, particularly in the context of neurodegeneration.

Meta-analysis of time-series studies of air pollution and mortality: effects of gases and particles and the influence of cause of death, age, and season.

PubMed

Stieb, David M; Judek, Stan; Burnett, Richard T

2002-04-01

A comprehensive, systematic synthesis was conducted of daily time-series studies of air pollution and mortality from around the world. Estimates of effect sizes were extracted from 109 studies, from single- and multipollutant models, and by cause of death, age, and season. Random effects pooled estimates of excess all-cause mortality (single-pollutant models) associated with a change in pollutant concentration equal to the mean value among a representative group of cities were 2.0% (95% CI 1.5-2.4%) per 31.3 microg/m3 particulate matter (PM) of median diameter < or = 10 microm (PM10); 1.7% (1.2-2.2%) per 1.1 ppm CO; 2.8% (2.1-3.5%) per 24.0 ppb NO2; 1.6% (1.1-2.0%) per 31.2 ppb O3; and 0.9% (0.7-1.2%) per 9.4 ppb SO2 (daily maximum concentration for O3, daily average for others). Effect sizes were generally reduced in multipollutant models, but remained significantly different from zero for PM10 and SO2. Larger effect sizes were observed for respiratory mortality for all pollutants except O3. Heterogeneity among studies was partially accounted for by differences in variability of pollutant concentrations, and results were robust to alternative approaches to selecting estimates from the pool of available candidates. This synthesis leaves little doubt that acute air pollution exposure is a significant contributor to mortality.

Long-term Effects of Child Death on Parents' Health Related Quality of Life: A Dyadic Analysis

PubMed Central

Song, Jieun; Floyd, Frank J.; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick; Greenberg, Jan S.; Hong, Jinkuk

2010-01-01

This study examines the long-term effects of child death on bereaved parents' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we compared 233 bereaved couples and 229 comparison couples (mean age = 65.11 years) and examined the life course effects of child death on parents' HRQoL. Variations in bereavement effects were examined by gender and for different causes of death. Bereaved parents had significantly worse HRQoL than comparison group parents, and there was no evidence of gender differences for this effect. With respect to the cause of a child's death, bereaved parents whose child died in violent circumstances had particularly low levels of HRQoL. Multilevel models indicated that marital closeness mitigated the negative effects of bereavement. PMID:20676393

The potential of soil fungi associated with potato rhizosphere to control root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) on potato

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utari, E.; Lisnawita; Safni, I.; Lubis, K.; Tantawi, AR; Hasanuddin

2018-02-01

The root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) is one of important pathogens on potato crops in North Sumatra, Indonesia. This nematode causes significant crop losses on potatoes directly and indirectly. The effect of fungal isolates (Trichoderma sp. 1, Mucor sp.1, Aspergillus sp. 2, Mucor sp. 2) that were isolated from rhizosphere of potato in North Sumatra were studied in green house experiments on the growth of potato and the reproduction of the nematode (Meloidogyne spp). The results showed that Trichoderma sp. 1 caused a significant gall reduction, while Mucor sp.1 and Mucor sp.2 could improve the growth of potato.

Environmental pollution and DNA methylation: carcinogenesis, clinical significance, and practical applications.

PubMed

Cao, Yi

2015-09-01

Environmental pollution is one of the main causes of human cancer. Exposures to environmental carcinogens result in genetic and epigenetic alterations which induce cell transformation. Epigenetic changes caused by environmental pollution play important roles in the development and progression of environmental pollution-related cancers. Studies on DNA methylation are among the earliest and most conducted epigenetic research linked to cancer. In this review, the roles of DNA methylation in carcinogenesis and their significance in clinical medicine were summarized, and the effects of environmental pollutants, particularly air pollutants, on DNA methylation were introduced. Furthermore, prospective applications of DNA methylation to environmental pollution detection and cancer prevention were discussed.

Fenoterol versus salbutamol nebulization in asthma.

PubMed Central

Hockley, B.; Johnson, N. M.

1983-01-01

A double-blind crossover study was conducted in 10 stable asthmatics comparing 5 mg fenoterol with 5 mg salbutamol, both given via a Hudson nebulizer. Although both drugs caused significant bronchodilatation at the doses used, fenoterol had a significantly greater peak effect than salbutamol and its duration of action was 4 hr as opposed to 3 hr. PMID:6353397

Blood Group Antibodies in Obstetrics

PubMed Central

Neurath, Doris; Nimrod, Carl

1991-01-01

A retrospective survey of the frequency, nature, and effect of blood group antibodies on obstetrical outcome was conducted over 4 years in a large community hospital. A total of 189 antibodies were identified in 165 patients. Twenty clinically significant outcomes occurred, including three stillbirths. All clinically significant cases of hemolytic disease of the newborn were caused by Rh antibodies. PMID:21229104

Effects of retinoids on differentiation, lipid metabolism, epidermal growth factor, and low-density lipoprotein binding in squamous carcinoma cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ponec, M.; Weerheim, A.; Havekes, L.

The relationship among keratinocyte differentiation capacity, lipid synthesis, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism, plasma membrane composition, and epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding has been studied in SCC-12F2 cells. The differentiation capacity of the cells, i.e., ionophore-induced cornified envelope formation, was inhibited by various retinoids and stimulated by hydrocortisone. Retinoids that caused a significant reduction of cornified envelope formation, i.e., retinoic acid and 13-cis-retinoic acid, caused only minor changes in lipid synthesis and plasma membrane composition. Arotinoid ethylsulfone, having a minor effect on cornified envelope formation, caused a drastic inhibition of cholesterol synthesis resulting in changes in the plasma membrane composition. Hydrocortisonemore » stimulated cornified envelope formation but had only minor effects on lipid synthesis and plasma membrane composition. Of all retinoids tested, only arotinoid ethylsulfone caused a drastic increase in EGF binding, while hydrocortisone had no effect. These results clearly demonstrate that the plasma membrane composition is not related to keratinocyte differentiation capacity, but most likely does determine EGF binding. Furthermore, EGF binding does not determine keratinocyte differentiation capacity.« less

Joint Removal Implications : Thermal Analysis and Life-Cycle Cost

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-04-01

Deck joints are causing significant bridge deterioration and maintenance problems for Departments of Transportation (DOTs). Colorado State University researchers partnered with the Colorado DOT to analyze the effects of temperature change and thermal...

Effects of tobacco smoke constituents, anabasine and anatabine, on memory and attention in female rats.

PubMed

Levin, Edward D; Hao, Ian; Burke, Dennis A; Cauley, Marty; Hall, Brandon J; Rezvani, Amir H

2014-10-01

Nicotine has been well characterized to improve memory and attention. Nicotine is the primary, but not only neuroactive compound in tobacco. Other tobacco constituents such as anabasine and anatabine also have agonist actions on nicotinic receptors. The current study investigated the effects of anabasine and anatabine on memory and attention. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on a win-shift spatial working and reference memory task in the 16-arm radial maze or a visual signal detection operant task to test attention. Acute dose-effect functions of anabasine and anatabine over two orders of magnitude were evaluated for both tasks. In the radial-arm maze memory test, anabasine but not anatabine significantly reduced the memory impairment caused by the NMDA antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801). In the signal detection attentional task, anatabine but not anabasine significantly attenuated the attentional impairment caused by dizocilpine. These studies show that non-nicotine nicotinic agonists in tobacco, similar to nicotine, can significantly improve memory and attentional function. Both anabasine and anatabine produced cognitive improvement, but their effectiveness differed with regard to memory and attention. Follow-up studies with anabasine and anatabine are called for to determine their efficacy as therapeutics for memory and attentional dysfunction. © The Author(s) 2014.

Comparative ecotoxicity of potential biofuels to water flea (Daphnia magna), zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) V79 cells.

PubMed

Heger, Sebastian; Du, Miaomiao; Bauer, Kevin; Schäffer, Andreas; Hollert, Henner

2018-08-01

The ecotoxicity of two biofuel candidates (1‑octanol and 2‑butanone) was investigated by an integrative test strategy using three bioassays: the acute immobilisation test with water flea (D. magna), the fish embryo acute toxicity test with zebrafish (Danio rerio) and the in vitro micronucleus assay with Chinese hamster (Cricetulus griseus) V79 cells. The median effective concentration (EC 50 ) values were 14.9±0.66mgL -1 for 1‑octanol, and 2152.1±44.6mgL -1 for 2‑butanone in the D. magna test. Both 1‑octanol and 2‑butanone caused teratogenic and lethal effects on zebrafish embryos, while exposure to 1‑octanol significantly induced these effects at concentrations ≥2.0mgL -1 . These results indicate that 1‑octanol exert much higher ecotoxicity than 2‑butanone to D. magna and zebrafish embryos. Moreover, both 1‑octanol and 2‑butanone did not cause significant genotoxic effects, while their metabolites significantly induced micronuclei in V79 cells. The present study proposed an integrative test approach to evaluate the potential ecotoxicity of biofuels using simple, quick and inexpensive bioassays. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cellular and molecular effects of protons: apoptosis induction and potential implications for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Di Pietro, C; Piro, S; Tabbì, G; Ragusa, M; Di Pietro, V; Zimmitti, V; Cuda, F; Anello, M; Consoli, U; Salinaro, E T; Caruso, M; Vancheri, C; Crimi, N; Sabini, M G; Cirrone, G A P; Raffaele, L; Privitera, G; Pulvirenti, A; Giugno, R; Ferro, A; Cuttone, G; Lo Nigro, S; Purrello, R; Purrello, F; Purrello, M

2006-01-01

Due to their ballistic precision, apoptosis induction by protons could be a strategy to specifically eliminate neoplastic cells. To characterize the cellular and molecular effects of these hadrons, we performed dose-response and time-course experiments by exposing different cell lines (PC3, Ca301D, MCF7) to increasing doses of protons and examining them with FACS, RT-PCR, and electron spin resonance (ESR). Irradiation with a dose of 10 Gy of a 26,7 Mev proton beam altered cell structures such as membranes, caused DNA double strand breaks, and significantly increased intracellular levels of hydroxyl ions, are active oxygen species (ROS). This modified the transcriptome of irradiated cells, activated the mitochondrial (intrinsic) pathway of apoptosis, and resulted in cycle arrest at the G2/M boundary. The number of necrotic cells within the irradiated cell population did not significantly increase with respect to the controls. The effects of irradiation with 20 Gy were qualitatively as well as quantitatively similar, but exposure to 40 Gy caused massive necrosis. Similar experiments with photons demonstrated that they induce apoptosis in a significantly lower number of cells and in a temporally delayed manner. These data advance our knowledge on the cellular and molecular effects of proton irradiation and could be useful for improving current hadrontherapy protocols.

Comparing the effects of two Swedish massage techniques on the vital signs and anxiety of healthy women

PubMed Central

Gholami-Motlagh, Farzaneh; Jouzi, Mina; Soleymani, Bahram

2016-01-01

Background: Anxiety is an inseparable part of our lives and a serious threat to health. Therefore, it is necessary to use certain strategies to prevent disorders caused by anxiety and adjust the vital signs of people. Swedish massage is one of the most recognized techniques for reducing anxiety. This study aims to compare the effects of two massage techniques on the vital signs and anxiety of healthy women. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study with a two-group, crossover design was conducted on 20 healthy women who were selected by simple sampling method and were randomly assigned to BNC (Back, Neck, and Chest) or LAF (Leg, Arm, and Face) groups. Massage therapy was carried out for a 14-week period (two 4-week massage therapy sessions and 6 weeks washout stage). Gathered data were analyzed using paired t-test with a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Both BNC and LAF methods caused a significant decrease in systolic BP in the first stage (P = 0.02, 0.00); however, diastolic BP showed significant decrease only in BNC group (P = 0.01). The mean average of body temperature of LAF group showed a significant decrease in the first stage (P = 0.0.3), and pulse and respiratory rate showed significant decrease in both groups during the second stage (P = 0.00). In addition, anxiety scores showed no significant difference before and after massage therapy (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Massage therapy caused a decrease in systolic BP, pulse, and respiratory rate. It can be concluded that massage therapy was useful for decreasing the vital signs associated with anxiety in healthy women. PMID:27563325

Transition to adulthood: delays and unmet needs among adolescents and young adults with asthma.

PubMed

Scal, Peter; Davern, Michael; Ireland, Marjorie; Park, Kyong

2008-04-01

To examine the effect of the transition to adulthood on financial and non-financial barriers to care in youth with asthma. With National Health Interview Survey data from 2000 to 2005, we examined delays and unmet needs because of financial and non-financial barriers, evaluating the effect of adolescent (age, 12-17 years; n = 1539) versus young adult age (age, 18-24 years; N = 833), controlling for insurance, usual source of care, and sociodemographic characteristics. We also simulated the effects of providing public insurance to uninsured patients and a usual source of care to patients without one. More young adults than adolescents encountered financial barriers resulting in delays (18.6% versus 8%, P < .05) and unmet needs (26.6% versus 11.4%, P < .05), although delays caused by non-financial barriers were similar (17.3% versus 14.9%, P = not significant). In logistic models young adults were more likely than adolescents to report delays (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% CI, 1.02-2.08) and unmet needs (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.29-2.52) caused by financial barriers. Delays and unmet needs for care caused by financial reasons are significantly higher for young adults than they are for adolescents with asthma.

Effect of medicinal plants extracts on the incidence of mosaic disease caused by cucumber mosaic virus and growth of chili

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamidson, H.; Damiri, N.; Angraini, E.

2018-01-01

This research was conducted to study the effect of the application of several extracts of medicinal plants on the incidence of mosaic disease caused by Cucumber Mosaic Virus infection on the chili (Capsicum annuum L.) plantation. A Randomized Block Design with eight treatments including control was used throughout the experiment. Treatments consisted of Azadiracta indica (A), Piper bitle (B), Cymbopogon citrates (C), Curcuma domestica (D), Averroa bilimbi (E), Datura stramonium (F), Annona Muricata (G) and control (H). Each treatment consist of three replications. The parameters observed were the incidence of mosaic attack due to CMV, disease severity, plant height, wet and dry weight and production (number of fruits and the weight of total fruits) each plant. Results showed that the application of medicinal plant extracts reduced the disease severity due to CMV. Extracts of Annona muricata and Datura stramonium were most effective in suppressing disease severity caused by the virus as they significantly different from control and from a number of treatment. The plants medicinal extracts were found to have increased the plant height and total weight of the plant, fruit amount and fruit weight. Extracts of Curcuma domestica, Piper bitle and Cymbopogon citrates were the third highest in fruit amount and weight and significantly different from the control.

Low level laser therapy for patients with cervical disk hernia.

PubMed

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Okuni, Ikuko; Ushigome, Nobuyuki; Harada, Takashi; Tsuruoka, Hiroshi; Ohshiro, Toshio; Sekiguchi, Masayuki; Musya, Yoshiro

2012-09-30

In previous studies we have reported the benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT) for chronic shoulder joint pain, elbow, hand and finger pain, and low back pain. The present study is a report on the effects of LLLT for chronic neck pain. Over a 3 year period, 26 rehabilitation department outpatients with chronic neck pain, diagnosed as being caused by cervical disk hernia, underwent treatment applied to the painful area with a 1000 mW semi-conductor laser device delivering at 830 nm in continuous wave, 20.1 J/cm(2)/point, and three shots were given per session (1 treatment) with twice a week for 4 weeks. 1. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to determine the effects of LLLT for chronic pain and after the end of the treatment regimen a significant improvement was observed (p<0.001). 2. After treatment, no significant differences in cervical spine range of motion were observed. 3. Discussions with the patients revealed that in order to receive continued benefits from treatment, it was important for them to be taught how to avoid postures that would cause them neck pain in everyday life. The present study demonstrates that LLLT was an effective form of treatment for neck and back pain caused by cervical disk hernia, reinforced by postural training.

Combined exposure of carps (Cyprinus carpio L.) to cyanobacterial biomass and white spot disease.

PubMed

Palikova, Miroslava; Navratil, Stanislav; Papezikova, Ivana; Ambroz, Petr; Vesely, Tomas; Pokorova, Dagmar; Mares, Jan; Adamovsky, Ondrej; Navratil, Lukas; Kopp, Radovan

2012-01-01

Under environmental conditions, fish can be exposed to multiple stressors including natural toxins and infectious agents at the same time. This study brings new knowledge on the effects of controlled exposure to multiple stressors in fish. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that influence of cyanobacterial biomass and an infection agent represented by the white spot disease can combine to enhance the effects on fish. Common carps were divided into four groups, each with 40 specimens for 20 days: control group, cyanobacterial biomass exposed group, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish (Ich) and cyanobacterial biomass-exposed fish + Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish. During the experiment we evaluated the clinical signs, mortality, selected haematological parameters, immune parameters and toxin accumulation. There was no mortality in control fish and cyanobacterial biomass-exposed fish. One specimen died in Ichthyophthirius multifiliis-infected fish and the combined exposure resulted in the death of 13 specimens. The whole leukocyte counts (WBC) of the control group did not show any significant differences. Cyanobacteria alone caused a significant increase of the WBC on day 13 (p≤0.05) and on day 20 (p≤0.01). Also, I. multifiliis caused a significant elevation of WBC (p≤0.01) on day 20. Co-exposition resulted in WBC increased on day 13 and decrease on day 20, but the changes were not significant. It is evident from the differential leukocyte counts that while the increase of WBC in the group exposed to cyanobacteria was caused by elevation of lymphocytes, the increase in the group infected by I. multifiliis was due to the increase of myeloid cells. It well corresponds with the integral of chemiluminescence in the group infected by I. multifiliis, which is significantly elevated on day 20 in comparison with all other groups. We can confirm additive action of different agents on the immune system of fish. While single agents seemed to stimulate the immune response, the combination of both caused immunosuppression.

77 FR 47768 - Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Determination 27 for Significant New Alternatives Policy Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-10

.... Toxicity and exposure data: Potential health effects of this substitute include respiratory tract... irritation. Ingestion of C7 Fluoroketone is not expected to cause health effects, and there is no anticipated... limit and address potential health risks by following requirements and recommendations in the MSDS and...

Autocatalytic caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter suppresses human ovarian carcinoma growth in vitro and in mice.

PubMed

Song, Yue; Xia, Zhijun; Shen, Keng; Zhai, Xingyue

2013-05-01

To construct recombinant adenoviruses AdHT-rev-casp3 and Ad-rev-casp3, which express autocatalysis caspase-3 driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and cytomegalovirus promoter, respectively; and to investigate their antitumor effects on ovarian cancer in vitro and in vivo. Cell viabilities were determined using the cell counting kit 8 and flow cytometry. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting assays were used to detect cellular apoptotic activities after treatments. Tumor growth and survival of mice bearing AO cells were studied. AdHT-rev-casp3 significantly suppressed the survival of AO cells in a dose-dependent modality with a viability rate of 60.45% ± 7.8% at an multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 70 and 42.18 ± 5.3% at an MOI of 100, which was somewhat lower than that of the AO cells treated with Ad-rev-casp3 (32.28% ± 5.3% and 21.84% ± 3.4%, respectively). In contrast, AdHT-rev-casp3 induced little human umbilical vein epithelial cell (HUVEC) death with a viability rate of 98.52% ± 6.9% at an MOI of 70, whereas Ad-rev-casp3 induced significant cell death in HUVEC with a viability rate of 27.14% ± 5.4%. Additionally, AdHT-rev-casp3 (MOI = 70) caused significant apoptosis in AO cells with an apoptotic rate of 25.97%, whereas it caused undetectable apoptosis in HUVECs with the rate of only 1.75%. Ad-rev-casp3 (MOI = 70) caused strong apoptosis in both AO and HUVECs, with the rate of 35.82% and 38.12%, respectively. AdHT-rev-casp3 caused markedly higher levels of active caspase-3, causing no detectable active caspase-3 expression in HUVECs. The tumor growth suppression rate of AdHT-rev-casp3 was 54.94%, significantly higher than that of phosphate-buffered saline at the end point of the study. AdHT-rev-casp3 significantly improved the survival of mice receiving intraperitoneal inoculation of AO cells with little liver damage, with the mean survival of 177 ± 12 days. AdHT-rev-casp3 causes effective apoptosis with significant tumor selectivity, suppresses tumor growth, and improves the mouse survival with little liver toxicity. It can be a potent therapeutic agent for the tumor-targeting treatment of ovarian cancer.

Education, gender, and mortality: does schooling have the same effect on mortality for men and women in the US?

PubMed

Zajacova, Anna

2006-10-01

In this paper I examine whether the effect of education on mortality for US adults differs by gender. Discrete time logit models were used to analyze a nationally representative dataset (NHANES I) with 12,036 adults who were 25-74-years-old at the baseline survey in 1971-1975, and then re-interviewed three times through 1992. Demographic characteristics, health behaviors and economic status were controlled as potential confounding or mediating factors in the education-mortality relationship. The results showed that education had a comparable effect on mortality for men and women. No statistically significant gender difference was found in all-cause mortality, or mortality by cause of death, among younger persons, and among the elderly. Analysis by marital status, however, suggested that these findings apply only to married men and women. Among the divorced, there was a statistically significant gender difference whereby education had no effect on mortality for men while divorced women evidenced a strong education gradient (seven percent lower odds of dying for each year of schooling). Possible explanations for these patterns are discussed.

In vitro synergistic effects of fisetin and norfloxacin against aquatic isolates of Serratia marcescens.

PubMed

Dong, Jing; Ruan, Jing; Xu, Ning; Yang, Yibin; Ai, Xiaohui

2016-01-01

Serratia marcescens is a common pathogenic bacterium that can cause infections in both humans and animals. It can cause a range of diseases, from slight wound infections to life-threatening bacteraemia and pneumonia. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance has limited the treatment of the diseases caused by the bacterium to a great extent. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop novel antimicrobial strategies against this pathogen. Synergistic strategy is a new approach to treat the infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. In this paper, we isolated and identified the first multi-resistant pathogenic Serratia marcescens strain from diseased soft-shelled turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) in China. We then performed a checkerboard assay; the results showed that out of 10 tested natural products fisetin had synergistic effects against S. marcescens when combined with norfloxacin. The time-kill curve assay further confirmed the results of the checkerboard assay. We found that this novel synergistic effect could significantly reduce the dosage of norfloxacin against S. marcescens. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Role of interleukin 12 in experimental neonatal sepsis caused by group B streptococci.

PubMed Central

Mancuso, G; Cusumano, V; Genovese, F; Gambuzza, M; Beninati, C; Teti, G

1997-01-01

Cytokines are suspected to play an important role in systemic infections by group B streptococci (GBS), an important cause of neonatal sepsis. This work was undertaken to determine if interleukin 12 (IL-12) is produced in mouse pups infected with GBS and has a role in this sepsis model. IL-12 elevations were measured by both an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a bioassay in plasma samples obtained from 12 to 72 h after GBS challenge. Pretreatment with neutralizing anti-IL-12 antibodies significantly increased lethality and blood CFU (P < 0.05). Conversely, either prophylactically or therapeutically administered recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12) significantly improved survival time and decreased blood CFU. Since these beneficial effects were associated with increased spleen gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production, we examined whether the latter cytokine mediated the observed rIL-12 effects. Pretreatment with neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma monoclonal antibodies significantly counteracted the beneficial effects of rIL-12 on lethality. Our data indicate that rIL-12 is a possible candidate for treatment of GBS sepsis and that its activities in this model are at least partially mediated by IFN-gamma. PMID:9284145

Effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on sodium valporate induced cytogenetic and testicular alterations in albino rats.

PubMed

Sakr, Saber A; Zowail, Mohamed E; Marzouk, Amera M

2014-09-01

The present study investigated the cytogenetic and testicular damage induced by the antiepileptic drug, sodium valporate (SVP) in albino rats and the effect of saffron aqueous extracts. Treating rats with SVP caused a significant increase in the chromosomal aberrations either structural or numerical and decreased the mitotic index. Besides, animals administered SVP showed DNA damage appeared in the single strand breaks (comet assay). Testis of SVP-treated rats showed many histopathological changes. A significant decrease in seminiferous tubules and their epithelial heights diameters and inhibition of spermatogenesis was recorded. In addition, the number of sperm head abnormalities was increased. Biochemical results revealed an increase in malondialdhyde (MDA) which is lipid peroxidation marker and a significant decrease in the level of serum antioxidant enzyme, catalase (CAT) and reducing antioxidant power (RAP). Animals given SVP and saffron showed an improvement in chromosomal aberrations, mitotic index, DNA damage and testicular alterations caused by SVP. Moreover, MDA decreased and CAT and RAP increased. It is concluded from the present results that the ameliorative effects of saffron extract against SVP-induced cytogenetic and testicular damage in albino rats may be due to the presence of one or more antioxidant components of saffron.

Multicity study of air pollution and mortality in Latin America (the ESCALA study).

PubMed

Romieu, Isabelle; Gouveia, Nelson; Cifuentes, Luis A; de Leon, Antonio Ponce; Junger, Washington; Vera, Jeanette; Strappa, Valentina; Hurtado-Díaz, Magali; Miranda-Soberanis, Victor; Rojas-Bracho, Leonora; Carbajal-Arroyo, Luz; Tzintzun-Cervantes, Guadalupe

2012-10-01

The ESCALA* project (Estudio de Salud y Contaminación del Aire en Latinoamérica) is an HEI-funded study that aims to examine the association between exposure to outdoor air pollution and mortality in nine Latin American cities, using a common analytic framework to obtain comparable and updated information on the effects of air pollution on several causes of death in different age groups. This report summarizes the work conducted between 2006 and 2009, describes the methodologic issues addressed during project development, and presents city-specific results of meta-analyses and meta-regression analyses. The ESCALA project involved three teams of investigators responsible for collection and analysis of city-specific air pollution and mortality data from three different countries. The teams designed five different protocols to standardize the methods of data collection and analysis that would be used to evaluate the effects of air pollution on mortality (see Appendices B-F). By following the same protocols, the investigators could directly compare the results among cities. The analysis was conducted in two stages. The first stage included analyses of all-natural-cause and cause-specific mortality related to particulate matter < or = 10 pm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) and to ozone (O3) in cities of Brazil, Chile, and México. Analyses for PM10 and O3 were also stratified by age group and O3 analyses were stratified by season. Generalized linear models (GLM) in Poisson regression were used to fit the time-series data. Time trends and seasonality were modeled using natural splines with 3, 6, 9, or 12 degrees of freedom (df) per year. Temperature and humidity were also modeled using natural splines, initially with 3 or 6 df, and then with degrees of freedom chosen on the basis of residual diagnostics (i.e., partial autocorrelation function [PACF], periodograms, and a Q-Q plot) (Appendix H, available on the HEI Web site). Indicator variables for day-of-week and holidays were used to account for short-term cyclic fluctuations. To assess the association between exposure to air pollution and risk of death, the PM10 and O3 data were fit using distributed lag models (DLMs). These models are based on findings indicating that the health effects associated with air pollutant concentrations on a given day may accumulate over several subsequent days. Each DLM measured the cumulative effect of a pollutant concentration on a given day (day 0) and that day's contribution to the effect of that pollutant on multiple subsequent (lagged) days. For this study, exposure lags of up to 3, 5, and 10 days were explored. However, only the results of the DLMs using a 3-day lag (DLM 0-3) are presented in this report because we found a decreasing association with mortality in various age-cause groups for increasing lag effects from 3 to 5 days for both PM10 and O3. The potential modifying effect of socioeconomic status (SES) on the association of PM10 or O3 concentration and mortality was also explored in four cities: Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Santiago. The methodology for developing a common SES index is presented in the report. The second stage included meta-analyses and metaregression. During this stage, the associations between mortality and air pollution were compared among cities to evaluate the presence of heterogeneity and to explore city-level variables that might explain this heterogeneity. Meta-analyses were conducted to combine mortality effect estimates across cities and to evaluate the presence of heterogeneity among city results, whereas meta-regression models were used to explore variables that might explain the heterogeneity among cities in mortality risks associated with exposures to PM10 (but not to O3). The results of the mortality analyses are presented as risk percent changes (RPC) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). RPC is the increase in mortality risk associated with an increase of 10 microg/m3 in the 24-hour average concentration of PM10 or in the daily maximum 8-hour moving average concentration of O3. Most of the results for PM10 were positive and statistically significant, showing an increased risk of mortality with increased ambient concentrations. Results for O3 also showed a statistically significant increase in mortality in the cities with available data. With the distributed lag model, DLM 0-3, PM10 ambient concentrations were associated with an increased risk of mortality in all cities except Concepci6n and Temuco. In Mexico City and Santiago the RPC and 95% CIs were 1.02% (0.87 to 1.17) and 0.48% (0.35 to 0.61), respectively. PM10 was also significantly associated with increased mortality from cardiopulmonary, respiratory, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular-stroke, and chronic obstructive lung diseases (COPD) in most cities. The few nonsignificant effects generally were observed in the smallest cities (Concepción, Temuco, and Toluca). The percentage increases in mortality associated with ambient O3 concentrations were smaller than for those associated with PM10. All-natural-cause mortality was significantly related to O3 in Mexico City, Monterrey, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Increased mortality risks for some specific causes were also observed in these cities and in Santiago. In the analyses stratified by season, different patterns in mortality and O3 were observed for cold and warm seasons. Risk estimates for the warm season were larger and significant for several causes of death in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Risk estimates for the cold season were larger and significant for some causes of death in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Toluca. In an analysis stratified by SES, the all-natural-cause mortality risk in Mexico City was larger for people with a medium SES; however we observed that the risk of mortality related to respiratory causes was larger among people with a low SES, while the risk of mortality related to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular-stroke causes was larger among people with medium or high SES. In São Paulo, the all-natural-cause mortality risk was larger in people with a high SES, while in Rio de Janeiro the all-natural-cause mortality risk was larger in people with a low SES. In both Brazilian cities, the risks of mortality were larger for respiratory causes, especially for the low- and high-SES groups. In Santiago, all-natural-cause mortality risk did not vary with level of SES; however, people with a low SES had a higher respiratory mortality risk, particularly for COPD. People with a medium SES had larger risks of mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular-stroke disease. The effect of ambient PM10 concentrations on infant and child mortality from respiratory causes and lower respiratory infection (LRI) was studied only for Mexico City, Santiago, and São Paulo. Significant increased mortality risk from these causes was observed in both Santiago (in infants and older children) and Mexico City (only in infants). For O3, an increased mortality risk was observed in Mexico City (in infants and older children) and in São Paulo (only in infants during the warm season). The results of the meta-analyses confirmed the positive and statistically significant association between PM10 and all-natural-cause mortality (RPC = 0.77% [95% CI: 0.60 to 1.00]) using the random-effects model. For mortality from specific causes, the percentage increase in mortality ranged from 0.72% (0.54 to 0.89) for cardiovascular disease to 2.44% (1.36 to 3.59) for COPD, also using the random-effects model. For O3, significant positive associations were observed using the random-effects model for some causes, but not for all natural causes or for respiratory diseases in people 65 years or older (> or = 65 years), and not for COPD and cerebrovascular-stroke in the all-age and the > or = 65 age groups. The percentage increase in all-natural-cause mortality was 0.16% (-0.02 to 0.33). In the meta-regression analyses, variables that best explained heterogeneity in mortality risks among cities were the mean average of temperature in the warm season, population percentage of infants (< 1 year), population percentage of children at least 1 year old but < 5 years (i.e., 1-4 years), population percentage of people > or = 65 years, geographic density of PM10 monitors, annual average concentrations of PM10, and mortality rates for lung cancer. The ESCALA project was undertaken to obtain information for assessing the effects of air pollutants on mortality in Latin America, where large populations are exposed to relatively high levels of ambient air pollution. An important goal was to provide evidence that could inform policies for controlling air pollution in Latin America. This project included the development of standardized protocols for data collection and for statistical analyses as well as statistical analytic programs (routines developed in R by the ESCALA team) to insure comparability of results. The analytic approach and statistical programming developed within this project should be of value for researchers carrying out single-city analyses and should facilitate the inclusion of additional Latin American cities within the ESCALA multicity project. Our analyses confirm what has been observed in other parts of the world regarding the effects of ambient PM10 and 03 concentrations on daily mortality. They also suggest that SES plays a role in the susceptibility of a population to air pollution; people with a lower SES appeared to have an increased risk of death from respiratory causes, particularly COPD. Compared with the general population, infants and young children appeared to be more susceptible to both PM10 and O3, although an increased risk of mortality was not observed in these age groups in all cities. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

The effects of spaceflight and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 on the T-cell and macrophage populations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pecaut, M.J.; Simske, S.J.; Fleshner, M.

Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were flown aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor (STS-77) to study the effects of microgravity-induced stress on the immunoskeletal system. Sixteen rats were used as simultaneous vivarium ground controls during the ten day mission. Osmotic pumps, half of which contained Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1, provided by Chiron), were surgically implanted (subcutaneous) into the rats prior to launch in an attempt to counter any stress effects. On the day of landing, the rats were sacrificed and dissected. Splenocytes and thymocytes were labeled with antibodies against CD4, CD8, CD11b, and TCR for flow cytometry. The percentage of splenic cytotoxic/suppressor (TCR+/CD8+)more » T-cells increased significantly (by 118{percent}) in spaceflight. There were also decreases in splenic helper (TCR+/CD4+) T-cells and (CD11b+) macrophages (by 33{percent} and 38{percent}, respectively). Together, these results suggest the stress of spaceflight could cause a significant decrease in the ability of rats to mount an immune response. The effects of IGF-1 on cell population distributions were negligible for both flight and vivarium ground controls. However, there were significant differences in spleen and thymus masses suggesting that while IGF-1 did not effect population distributions, the drug may have caused an increase in population size. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Choline partially prevents the impact of ethanol on the lipid raft dependent functions of l1 cell adhesion molecule.

PubMed

Tang, Ningfeng; Bamford, Penny; Jones, Jace; He, Min; Kane, Maureen A; Mooney, Sandra M; Bearer, Cynthia F

2014-11-01

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the leading known cause of mental retardation, is caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. One mechanism of ethanol (EtOH) teratogenicity is the disruption of the functions of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1). These functions include enhancement of neurite outgrowth, trafficking through lipid rafts, and signal transduction. Recent data have shown that choline supplementation of rat pups reduces the effects of EtOH on neurobehavior. We sought to determine whether choline could prevent the effect of EtOH on L1 function using a simple experimental system. Cerebellar granule neurons (CGN) from postnatal day 6 rat pups were cultured with and without supplemental choline, and the effects on L1 signaling, lipid raft distribution, and neurite outgrowth were measured in the presence or absence of EtOH. Choline significantly reduced the effect of EtOH on L1 signaling, the distribution of L1 in lipid rafts and L1-mediated neurite outgrowth. However, choline supplemented EtOH-exposed cultures remained significantly different than controls. Choline pretreatment of CGN significantly reduces the disruption of L1 function by EtOH, but does not completely return L1 function to baseline. This experimental system will enable discovery of the mechanism of the neuroprotective effect of choline. Copyright © 2014 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato) Prevents Adverse Effects of Lead on Blood Constituents

PubMed Central

SALAWU, Emmanuel O

2010-01-01

Background: Lead is known for its adverse effects on various organs and systems. In this study, the ability of lead to adversely affect blood parameters was investigated, and Lycopersicon esculentum, or commonly known as tomato (a source of antioxidants), was administered orally in the form of tomato paste (TP) to reduce the adverse effects of lead. Methods: The study involved 56 Wistar rats divided equally into 4 groups of 14 rats each: Control, LAG, TPG, and LA+TPG. Control and TPG rats were given distilled water ad libitum, while LAG and LA+TPG rats were given 1% lead (II) acetate (LA) per day. TPG and LA+TPG rats were additionally treated with 1.5 ml of TP per day. All treatments lasted for 10 weeks, after which the rats were weighed and sacrificed, and haematological and biochemical parameters were measured. The independent samples t test was used to analyse the results. Results: Lead caused significant reductions in the following parameters: weight; packed cell volume; red blood cell and white blood cell counts; the percentages of lymphocytes and monocytes; total serum protein, albumin, and globulin levels; and plasma superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. In contrast, lead caused a significant increase in the percentage of neutrophils and the plasma malondialdehyde concentration. TP, however, significantly prevented the adverse effects of LA. Conclusion: The oral administration of TP prevents the adverse effects of lead on blood constituents. PMID:22135544

Coffee consumption modulates inflammatory processes in an individual fashion.

PubMed

Muqaku, Besnik; Tahir, Ammar; Klepeisz, Philip; Bileck, Andrea; Kreutz, Dominique; Mayer, Rupert L; Meier, Samuel M; Gerner, Marlene; Schmetterer, Klaus; Gerner, Christopher

2016-12-01

Anti-inflammatory effects of coffee consumption have been reported to be caused by caffeine and adenosine receptor signaling. However, contradictory effects have been observed. Many kinds of chronic diseases are linked to inflammation; therefore a profound understanding of potential effects of coffee consumption is desirable. We performed ex vivo experiments with eight individuals investigating peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from venous blood before and after coffee consumption, as well as in vitro experiments applying caffeine on isolated cells. After in vitro inflammatory stimulation of the cells, released cytokines, chemokines, and eicosanoids were determined and quantified using targeted mass spectrometric methods. Remarkably, the release of inflammation mediators IL6, IL8, GROA, CXCL2, CXCL5 as well as PGA2, PGD2, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), LTC4, LTE4, and 15S-HETE was significantly affected after coffee consumption. While in several individuals coffee consumption or caffeine treatment caused significant downregulation of most inflammation mediators, in other healthy individuals exactly the opposite effects were observed. Ruling out age, sex, coffee consumption habits, the metabolic kinetics of caffeine in blood and the individual amount of regulatory T cells or CD39 expression as predictive parameters, we demonstrated here that coffee consumption may have significant pro- or anti-inflammatory effects in an individual fashion. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Selenium ameliorates isotretinoin-induced liver injury and dyslipidemia via antioxidant effect in rats.

PubMed

Saied, Nashwa Mostafa; Hamza, Alaaeldin Ahmed

2014-09-01

Isotretinoin (Iso) is a widely used retinoid for the treatment of dermatologic conditions. Although it has broad side effects, there is no well-designed study about preventive effects against its hepatic toxicity. This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of selenium (Se) against Iso-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Animals were divided into four groups. The first group served as control. The second, third and fourth groups received Se, Iso and Se & Iso, respectively, for 28 days. Se was administered daily orally at a dose of 50 µg / 100 g body weight. Iso was given daily orally at a dose of 0.75 mg/ 100 g /day in olive oil. Iso caused significant increases in serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipids content. Animals also showed significant rise in thiobarbituric acid reacting substance and nitric oxide content with concomitant decrease in reduced glutathione content and the antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase in liver tissue after Iso exposure. Se administration produced a significant protection against the hepatotoxic effects of Iso and markedly alleviated alterations in these parameters. The results obtained herein clearly indicate that Iso causes induction of oxidative stress and the co-administration of Iso and Se provides protection against Iso-induced liver injury.

Flaxseed oil-trastuzumab interaction in breast cancer.

PubMed

Mason, Julie K; Chen, Jianmin; Thompson, Lilian U

2010-01-01

Flaxseed oil (FO), which is rich in n-3 fatty acid, is commonly consumed by breast cancer patients because of its potential anti-cancer effects. Trastuzumab (TRAS) is the primary drug for epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. We investigated in athymic mice whether combining dietary FO (8%) with TRAS treatment (2.5 or 5mg/kg body weight) can cause better or adverse effect on established human breast tumors overexpressing HER2 (BT-474). Control tumors significantly grew 187%, TRAS2.5 treated tumors did not change, while TRAS5, FO+TRAS2.5 and FO+TRAS5 treated tumors significantly regressed 75%, 89% and 84%, respectively, after 4weeks treatment. Two weeks after stopping TRAS treatment while continuing on same diet, tumor size in FO+TRAS2.5 group was 87% lower than in TRAS2.5 group and was not different from TRAS5 group with or without FO. Combined TRAS2.5 treatment with FO caused a significantly lower tumor cell proliferation and higher apoptosis compared to TRAS2.5 treatment alone and showed similar effect to TRAS5 treatment with or without FO. Hence, FO did not interfere with TRAS but rather enhanced its tumor-reducing effects and combined FO and low dose TRAS was as effective as high dose TRAS treatment. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibiotics in Feed Induce Prophages in Swine Fecal Microbiomes

PubMed Central

Allen, Heather K.; Looft, Torey; Bayles, Darrell O.; Humphrey, Samuel; Levine, Uri Y.; Alt, David; Stanton, Thaddeus B.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT Antibiotics are a cost-effective tool for improving feed efficiency and preventing disease in agricultural animals, but the full scope of their collateral effects is not understood. Antibiotics have been shown to mediate gene transfer by inducing prophages in certain bacterial strains; therefore, one collateral effect could be prophage induction in the gut microbiome at large. Here we used metagenomics to evaluate the effect of two antibiotics in feed (carbadox and ASP250 [chlortetracycline, sulfamethazine, and penicillin]) on swine intestinal phage metagenomes (viromes). We also monitored the bacterial communities using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. ASP250, but not carbadox, caused significant population shifts in both the phage and bacterial communities. Antibiotic resistance genes, such as multidrug resistance efflux pumps, were identified in the viromes, but in-feed antibiotics caused no significant changes in their abundance. The abundance of phage integrase-encoding genes was significantly increased in the viromes of medicated swine over that in the viromes of nonmedicated swine, demonstrating the induction of prophages with antibiotic treatment. Phage-bacterium population dynamics were also examined. We observed a decrease in the relative abundance of Streptococcus bacteria (prey) when Streptococcus phages (predators) were abundant, supporting the “kill-the-winner” ecological model of population dynamics in the swine fecal microbiome. The data show that gut ecosystem dynamics are influenced by phages and that prophage induction is a collateral effect of in-feed antibiotics. PMID:22128350

Part 2. Association of daily mortality with ambient air pollution, and effect modification by extremely high temperature in Wuhan, China.

PubMed

Qian, Zhengmin; He, Qingci; Lin, Hung-Mo; Kong, Lingli; Zhou, Dunjin; Liang, Shengwen; Zhu, Zhichao; Liao, Duanping; Liu, Wenshan; Bentley, Christy M; Dan, Jijun; Wang, Beiwei; Yang, Niannian; Xu, Shuangqing; Gong, Jie; Wei, Hongming; Sun, Huilin; Qin, Zudian

2010-11-01

Fewer studies have been published on the association between daily mortality and ambient air pollution in Asia than in the United States and Europe. This study was undertaken in Wuhan, China, to investigate the acute effects of air pollution on mortality with an emphasis on particulate matter (PM*). There were three primary aims: (1) to examine the associations of daily mortality due to all natural causes and daily cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular [CVD], stroke, cardiac [CARD], respiratory [RD], cardiopulmonary [CP], and non-cardiopulmonary [non-CP] causes) with daily mean concentrations (microg/m3) of PM with an aerodynamic diameter--10 pm (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), or ozone (O3); (2) to investigate the effect modification of extremely high temperature on the association between air pollution and daily mortality due to all natural causes and daily cause-specific mortality; and (3) to assess the uncertainty of effect estimates caused by the change in International Classification of Disease (ICD) coding of mortality data from Revision 9 (ICD-9) to Revision 10 (ICD-10) code. Wuhan is called an "oven city" in China because of its extremely hot summers (the average daily temperature in July is 37.2 degrees C and maximum daily temperature often exceeds 40 degrees C). Approximately 4.5 million residents live in the core city area of 201 km2, where air pollution levels are higher and ranges are wider than the levels in most cities studied in the published literature. We obtained daily mean levels of PM10, SO2, and NO2 concentrations from five fixed-site air monitoring stations operated by the Wuhan Environmental Monitoring Center (WEMC). O3 data were obtained from two stations, and 8-hour averages, from 10:00 to 18:00, were used. Daily mortality data were obtained from the Wuhan Centres for Disease Prevention and Control (WCDC) during the study period of July 1, 2000, to June 30, 2004. To achieve the first aim, we used a regression of the logarithm of daily counts of mortality due to all natural causes and cause-specific mortality on the daily mean concentrations of the four pollutants while controlling for weather, temporal factors, and other important covariates with generalized additive models (GAMs). We derived pollutant effect estimations for 0-day, 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, and 4-day lagged exposure levels, and the averages of 0-day and 1-day lags (lag 0-1 day) and of 0-day, 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day lags (lag 0-3 days) before the event of death. In addition, we used individual-level data (e.g., age and sex) to classify subgroups in stratified analyses. Furthermore, we explored the nonlinear shapes ("thresholds") of the exposure-response relations. To achieve the second aim, we tested the hypothesis that extremely high temperature modifies the associations between air pollution and daily mortality. We developed three corresponding weather indicators: "extremely hot," "extremely cold," and "normal temperatures." The estimates were obtained from the models for the main effects and for the pollutant-temperature interaction for each pollutant and each cause of mortality. To achieve the third aim, we conducted an additional analysis. We examined the concordance rates and kappa statistics between the ICD-9-coded mortality data and the ICD-10-coded mortality data for the year 2002. We also compared the magnitudes of the estimated effects resulting from the use of the two types of ICD-coded mortality data. In general, the largest pollutant effects were observed at lag 0-1 day. Therefore, for this report, we focused on the results obtained from the lag 0-1 models. We observed consistent associations between PM10 and mortality: every 10-microg/m3 increase in PM10 daily concentration at lag 0-1 day produced a statistically significant association with an increase in mortality due to all natural causes (0.43%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24 to 0.62), CVD (0.57%; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.84), stroke (0.57%; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.88), CARD (0.49%; 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.94), RD (0.87%; 95% CI, 0.34 to 1.41), CP (0.52%; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.77), and non-CP (0.30%; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.54). In general, these effects were stronger in females than in males and were also stronger among the elderly (> or = 65 years) than among the young. The results of sensitivity testing over the range of exposures from 24.8 to 477.8 microg/m3 also suggest the appropriateness of assuming a linear relation between daily mortality and PM10. Among the gaseous pollutants, we also observed statistically significant associations of mortality with NO, and SO2, and that the estimated effects of these two pollutants were stronger than the PM10 effects. The patterns of NO2 and SO2 associations were similar to those of PM10 in terms of sex, age, and linearity. O3 was not associated with mortality. In the analysis of the effect modification of extremely high temperature on the association between air pollution and daily mortality, only the interaction of PM10 with temperature was statistically significant. Specifically, the interaction terms were statistically significant for mortality due to all natural (P = 0.014), CVD (P = 0.007), and CP (P = 0.014) causes. Across the three temperature groups, the strongest PM10 effects occurred mainly on days with extremely high temperatures for mortality due to all natural (2.20%; 95% CI, 0.74 to 3.68), CVD (3.28%; 95% CI, 1.24 to 5.37), and CP (3.02%; 95% CI, 1.03 to 5.04) causes. The weakest effects occurred at normal temperature days, with the effects on days with low temperatures in the middle. To assess the uncertainty of the effect estimates caused by the change from ICD-9-coded mortality data to ICD-10-coded mortality data, we compared the two sets of data and found high concordance rates (> 99.3%) and kappa statistics close to 1.0 (> 0.98). All effect estimates showed very little change. All statistically significant levels of the estimated effects remained unchanged. In conclusion, the findings for the aims from the current study are consistent with those in most previous studies of air pollution and mortality. The small differences between mortality effects for deaths coded using ICD-9 and ICD-10 show that the change in coding had a minimal impact on our study. Few published papers have reported synergistic effects of extremely high temperatures and air pollution on mortality, and further studies are needed. Establishing causal links between heat, PM10, and mortality will require further toxicologic and cohort studies.

Simulated storm surge effects on freshwater coastal wetland soil porewater salinity and extractable ammonium levels: Implications for marsh recovery after storm surge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKee, M.; White, J. R.; Putnam-Duhon, L. A.

2016-11-01

Coastal wetland systems experience both short-term changes in salinity, such as those caused by wind-driven tides and storm surge, and long-term shifts caused by sea level rise. Salinity increases associated with storm surge are known to have significant effects on soil porewater chemistry, but there is little research on the effect of flooding length on salt penetration depth into coastal marsh soils. A simulated storm surge was imposed on intact soil columns collected from a non-vegetated mudflat and a vegetated marsh site in the Wax Lake Delta, LA. Triplicate intact cores were continuously exposed to a 35 salinity water column (practical salinity scale) for 1, 2, and 4 weeks and destructively sampled in order to measure porewater salinity and extractable NH4sbnd N at two cm depth intervals. Salinity was significantly higher in the top 8 cm for both the marsh and mudflat cores after one week of flooding. After four weeks of flooding, salinity was significantly higher in marsh and mudflat cores compared to the control (no salinity) cores throughout the profile for both sites. Extractable ammonium levels increased significantly in the marsh cores throughout the experiment, but there was only a marginally (p < 0.1) significant increase seen in the mudflat cores. Results indicate that porewater salinity levels can become significantly elevated within a coastal marsh soil in just one week. This vertical intrusion of salt can potentially negatively impact macrophytes and associated microbial communities for significantly longer term post-storm surge.

Microbial Degradation of Fuel Oxygenates under Aerobic Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

for less hazardous oxygenate alternatives. One of the many factors that will contribute to selection of a new oxygenate will be its susceptibility to...tetra ethyl lead to gasoline as an octane booster was effective, but had significant drawbacks. The acute hazards of airborne lead were readily apparent...more of an inhalation hazard , causing irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. These compounds may also cause changes in the liver and kidneys

Propofol protects hippocampal neurons from apoptosis in ischemic brain injury by increasing GLT-1 expression and inhibiting the activation of NMDAR via the JNK/Akt signaling pathway.

PubMed

Gong, Hong-Yan; Zheng, Fang; Zhang, Chao; Chen, Xi-Yan; Liu, Jing-Jing; Yue, Xiu-Qin

2016-09-01

Ischemic brain injury (IBI) can cause nerve injury and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The neuroprotective effects of propofol against IBI have been previously demonstrated. However, the neuroprotective effects of propofol on hippocampal neurons are not yet entirely clear. In the present study, models of IBI were established in hypoxia-exposed hippocampal neuronal cells. Cell viability assay and apoptosis assay were performed to examine the neuroprotective effects of propofol on hippocampal neurons in IBI. A significant decrease in cell viability and a significant increase in cell apoptosis were observed in the IBI group compared with the control group, accompanied by a decrease in glial glutamate transporter-1 (GLT‑1) expression as determined by RT-qPCR and western blot analysis. The effects of IBI were reversed by propofol treatment. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of GLT‑1 in the hypoxia-exposed hippocampal neuronal cells led to an increase in cell apoptosis, Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and N-methyl-D‑aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NR1 and NR2B) activation, as well as to a decrease in cell viability and a decrease in Akt activation. The effects of RNA interference-mediated GLT‑1 gene silencing on cell viability, JNK activation, NMDAR activation, cell apoptosis and Akt activation in the hippocampal neuronal cells were slightly reversed by propofol treatment. The JNK agonist, anisomycin, and the Akt inhibitor, LY294002, both significantly blocked the effects of propofol on hippocampal neuronal cell viability and apoptosis in IBI. The decrease in JNK activation and the increase in Akt activation caused by GLT‑1 overexpression were reversed by NMDA. Collectively, our findings suggest that propofol treatment protects hippocampal neurons against IBI by enhancing GLT‑1 expression and inhibiting the activation of NMDAR via the JNK/Akt signaling pathway.

Protective effect of acetyl-L-carnitine on propofol-induced toxicity in embryonic neural stem cells.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Rainosek, Shuo W; Sadovova, Natalya; Fogle, Charles M; Patterson, Tucker A; Hanig, Joseph P; Paule, Merle G; Slikker, William; Wang, Cheng

2014-05-01

Propofol is a widely used general anesthetic. A growing body of data suggests that perinatal exposure to general anesthetics can result in long-term deleterious effects on brain function. In the developing brain there is evidence that general anesthetics can cause cell death, synaptic remodeling, and altered brain cell morphology. Acetyl-L-carnitine (L-Ca), an anti-oxidant dietary supplement, has been reported to prevent neuronal damage from a variety of causes. To evaluate the ability of L-Ca to protect against propofol-induced neuronal toxicity, neural stem cells were isolated from gestational day 14 rat fetuses and on the eighth day in culture were exposed for 24h to propofol at 10, 50, 100, 300 and 600 μM, with or without L-Ca (10 μM). Markers of cellular proliferation, mitochondrial health, cell death/damage and oxidative damage were monitored to determine: (1) the effects of propofol on neural stem cell proliferation; (2) the nature of propofol-induced neurotoxicity; (3) the degree of protection afforded by L-Ca; and (4) to provide information regarding possible mechanisms underlying protection. After propofol exposure at a clinically relevant concentration (50 μM), the number of dividing cells was significantly decreased, oxidative DNA damage was increased and a significant dose-dependent reduction in mitochondrial function/health was observed. No significant effect on lactase dehydrogenase (LDH) release was observed at propofol concentrations up to 100 μM. The oxidative damage at 50 μM propofol was blocked by L-Ca. Thus, clinically relevant concentrations of propofol induce dose-dependent adverse effects on rat embryonic neural stem cells by slowing or stopping cell division/proliferation and causing cellular damage. Elevated levels of 8-oxoguanine suggest enhanced oxidative damage [reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation] and L-Ca effectively blocks at least some of the toxicity of propofol, presumably by scavenging oxidative species and/or reducing their production. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Neurochemical differences in learning and memory paradigms among rats supplemented with anthocyanin-rich blueberry diets and exposed to acute doses of 56Fe particles.

PubMed

Poulose, Shibu M; Rabin, Bernard M; Bielinski, Donna F; Kelly, Megan E; Miller, Marshall G; Thanthaeng, Nopporn; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

2017-02-01

The protective effects of anthocyanin-rich blueberries (BB) on brain health are well documented and are particularly important under conditions of high oxidative stress, which can lead to "accelerated aging." One such scenario is exposure to space radiation, consisting of high-energy and -charge particles (HZE), which are known to cause cognitive dysfunction and deleterious neurochemical alterations. We recently tested the behavioral and neurochemical effects of acute exposure to HZE particles such as 56 Fe, within 24-48h after exposure, and found that radiation primarily affects memory and not learning. Importantly, we observed that specific brain regions failed to upregulate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms in response to this insult. To further examine these endogenous response mechanisms, we have supplemented young rats with diets rich in BB, which are known to contain high amounts of antioxidant-phytochemicals, prior to irradiation. Exposure to 56 Fe caused significant neurochemical changes in hippocampus and frontal cortex, the two critical regions of the brain involved in cognitive function. BB supplementation significantly attenuated protein carbonylation, which was significantly increased by exposure to 56 Fe in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Moreover, BB supplementation significantly reduced radiation-induced elevations in NADPH-oxidoreductase-2 (NOX2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Overall results indicate that 56 Fe particles may induce their toxic effects on hippocampus and frontal cortex by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overload, which can cause alterations in the neuronal environment, eventually leading to hippocampal neuronal death and subsequent impairment of cognitive function. Blueberry supplementation provides an effective preventative measure to reduce the ROS load on the CNS in an event of acute HZE exposure. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of Petrol Exposure on Glucose, Liver and Muscle glycogen levels in the Common African toad Bufo regularis.

PubMed

Isehunwa, G O; Yusuf, I O; Alada, A Ar

2017-03-06

This study investigated the effects of exposure to petrol on blood glucose, liver and muscle glycogen levels in the common African toad Bufo regularis. A total of 126 adult toads of either sex weighing between 70-100g were used for this study. The experiment was divided into three phases. The phase 1 experiment the acute toxicity test consisted of animals divided into six groups of 10 toads per group and were exposed to water (H2O), H2O + Tween 80, 2ml/l, 3ml/l, 5ml/l, and 10ml/l of petrol respectively for 96 hours using the static renewal bioassay system. In the Phase 2 experiment, the animals were exposed to H2O, H2O + Tween 80, 0.14ml/l, 0.3ml/l, 0.6ml/l, and 1.13ml/l of petrol respectively for 3 days; while in phase 3 experiment they were exposed to petrol solutions for 14 days. After the various exposures, the blood glucose, liver and muscle glycogen contents were determined using standard methods. The results of the study showed that the median lethal concentration of petrol (96 hours LC50) was 4.5ml/l and sub-lethal concentration of petrol caused mortality of animals. Exposure to petrol solutions for 3 days had no significant effect on blood glucose level of the animals but caused significant decrease in the liver and muscle glycogen levels at high concentrations. In the animals exposed to petrol solutions for 14 days, there was a significant increase in glucose levels and significant reduction in liver and muscle glycogen levels at high concentrations when compared with the control. The results show that sub-lethal concentrations of petrol can cause mortality of animals, hyperglycemia and reduction in liver and muscle glycogen levels. The effects of petrol exposure on carbohydrate metabolism depend on the concentration and duration of exposure.

The effects and safety of dexibuprofen compared with ibuprofen in febrile children caused by upper respiratory tract infection

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jong Seo; Jeong, Dae-Chul; Oh, Jae-Won; Lee, Keun Young; Lee, Hyun Seung; Koh, Young Yull; Kim, Jin Tack; Kang, Jin Han; Lee, Joon Sung

2008-01-01

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECTThe analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficacy of dexibuprofen compared with ibuprofen in adults with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and dental pain. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDSDexibuprofen is as effective and tolerable as ibuprofen, and a dose of 5 mg kg−1 of dexibuprofen would be sufficient to control fever caused by upper respiratory tract infection in children. AIM To evaluate the antipyretic efficacy and tolerability of dexibuprofen compared with ibuprofen in children with fever caused by upper respiratory tract infection (URTI). METHODS The study population consisted of children aged 6 months to 14 years. At the time of visit to the hospital, the children had fever; the cause of fever was determined to be URTI by a paediatrician based on history taking and physical examination. The study was a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled parallel group, comparative, Phase 3 clinical trial, conducted at three hospitals. By using a computer-based random assignment program, the subjects were allocated to the following three groups: 5 mg kg−1 dexibuprofen group, 7 mg kg−1 dexibuprofen group, and 10 mg kg−1 ibuprofen group. RESULTS In the clinical trial of the antipyretic action of dexibuprofen in patients with fever caused by URTI, there was no statistically significant difference in maximal decrease of temperature and mean time to become apyrexial among the 5 mg kg−1 dexibuprofen, 7 mg kg−1 dexibuprofen and 10 mg kg−1 ibuprofen groups (P > 0.05). There also was no significant difference in adverse drug reaction (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Dexibuprofen is as effective and tolerable as ibuprofen. A dose of 5 mg kg−1 and 7 mg kg−1 dexibuprofen in place of 10 mg kg−1 ibuprofen would be sufficient to control fever caused by URTI in children. PMID:19032727

[Treatment of hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)].

PubMed

Salava, Alexander; Jousimaa, Jukkapekka

2016-01-01

Hyperhidrosis can be localized or generalized and may cause the patient significant discomfort. Localized hyperhidrosis is usually primary, often begins in adolescence and is partly based on genetic dispositions. As a rule it does not necessitate investigations for secondary causes (e.g. endocrine or neurologic conditions). Generalized hyperhidrosis is commonly associated with environmental or lifestyle factors, and sometimes physiological factors. In new-onset generalized sweating of unclear origin, it may be appropriate to consider secondary causes (underlying diseases, medications, infections). Relatively effective symptomatic treatments are available in localized hyperhidrosis. The treatment of generalized hyperhidrosis is almost always directed against the underlying factors.

A theory of human error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcruer, D. T.; Clement, W. F.; Allen, R. W.

1980-01-01

Human error, a significant contributing factor in a very high proportion of civil transport, general aviation, and rotorcraft accidents is investigated. Correction of the sources of human error requires that one attempt to reconstruct underlying and contributing causes of error from the circumstantial causes cited in official investigative reports. A validated analytical theory of the input-output behavior of human operators involving manual control, communication, supervisory, and monitoring tasks which are relevant to aviation operations is presented. This theory of behavior, both appropriate and inappropriate, provides an insightful basis for investigating, classifying, and quantifying the needed cause-effect relationships governing propagation of human error.

Indirect effects of an invasive annual grass on seed fates of two native perennial grass species.

PubMed

Meyer, Susan E; Merrill, Katherine T; Allen, Phil S; Beckstead, Julie; Norte, Anna S

2014-04-01

Invasive plants exhibit both direct and indirect negative effects on recruitment of natives following invasion. We examined indirect effects of the invader Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) on seed fates of two native grass species, Elymus elymoides and Pseudoroegneria spicata, by removing B. tectorum and by adding inoculum of the shared seed pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda in factorial experiments at xeric and mesic field sites. We also included a supplemental watering treatment to increase emergence and also the potential for pathogen escape. We recorded emergence and survival of native seedlings and also determined the fate of unemerged seeds. At the xeric site, Pyrenophora-caused mortality was high (34%), and effects of other pathogens and failed emergence of germinants were smaller. Cheatgrass removal negatively affected both emergence (35 vs. 25%) and spring survival (69 vs. 42%). Pyrenophora-caused seed mortality increased with inoculum augmentation for both species (22 vs. 47% overall), but emergence was negatively impacted only for P. spicata (20 vs. 34%). At the mesic site, Pyrenophora-caused mortality was low (6%). Cheatgrass removal doubled emergence (26 vs. 14%). Seed mortality increased significantly with inoculum augmentation for P. spicata (12 vs. 5%) but not E. elymoides, while emergence was not significantly affected in either species. A large fraction of seeds produced germinants that failed to emerge (37%), while another large fraction (35%) was killed by other pathogens. We conclude that facilitation by cheatgrass at the xeric site but interference at the mesic site was probably mediated through litter effects that could be ameliorative or suppressive. Apparent competition between cheatgrass and native grasses could occur through Pyrenophora, especially in a xeric environment, but effects were weak or absent at emergence. This was probably because Pyrenophora attacks the same slow-germinating fraction that is subject to pre-emergence mortality from other causes, including attack by other pathogens such as Fusarium.

[Personality Change due to Brain Trauma Caused by Traffic Accidents and Its Assessment of Psychiatric Impairment].

PubMed

Fan, Hui-yu; Zhang, Qin-ting; Tang, Tao; Cai, Wei-xiong

2016-04-01

To explore the main performance of personality change in people with mild psychiatric impairments which due to the brain trauma caused by traffic accidents and its value in assessment of psychiatric impairment. The condition of personality change of patients with traumatic brain injury caused by traffic accident was evaluated by the Scale of Personality Change Post-traumatic Brain Injury (SPCPTBI). Furthermore, the correlation between the personality change and the degrees of traumatic brain injury and psychiatric impairment were explored. Results In 271 samples, 239 (88.2%) with personality changes. Among these 239 samples, 178 (65.7%), 46 (17.0%), 15 (5.5%) with mild, moderate and severe personality changes, respectively. The ratio based on the extent of personality changes to the degree of brain trauma was not significant (P > 0.05), but the total score difference between the groups was significant (P < 0.05). There was no statistical significance between the medium and high severity brain trauma groups. The higher degree of personality changes, the higher rank of mental disabilities. The total score difference of the scale of personality change among the different mild psychiatric impairment group was significant (P<0.05). The difference between other psychiatric impairment levels had statistical significance (P < 0.05) except level 7 and 8. The occurrence of personality change due to traumatic brain injury caused by traffic accident was high. Correlations exist between the personality change and the degree of psychiatric impairment. Personality change due to brain trauma caused by traffic accident can be assessed effectively by means of SPCPTBI, and the correlation between the total score and the extent of traumatic brain injury can be found.

PM10 Air Pollution and Acute Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular and Respiratory Causes in Ostrava.

PubMed

Tomášková, Hana; Tomášek, Ivan; Šlachtová, Hana; Polaufová, Pavla; Šplíchalová, Anna; Michalík, Jiří; Feltl, David; Lux, Jaroslav; Marsová, Marie

2016-12-01

The city of Ostrava and its surroundings belong to the most long-therm polluted areas in the Czech Republic and Europe. For identification of health risk, the World Health Organization recommends a theoretical estimation of increased short-term PM 10 concentrations effect on hospital admissions for cardiac complaints based on a 0.6% increase per 10 µg.m -3 PM 10 and 1.14% increase for respiratory causes. The goal of the present study is to verify the percentage increase of morbidity due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes, as per WHO recommendations for health risk assessment, in the population of Ostrava. The input data include data on PM 10 air pollution, meteorological data, the absolute number of hospital admissions for acute cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in the period 2010-2012. To examine the association between air pollution and health outcomes the time series Poisson regression adjusted for covariates was used. A significant relationship was found between the cardiovascular hospital admissions (percentage increase of 1.24% per 10 µg.m -3 ) and values of PM 10 less than 150 µg.m -3 in the basic model, although after adjustment for other factors, this relationship was no longer significant. A significant relationship was also observed for respiratory causes of hospital admissions in the basic model. Contrary to cardiovascular hospitalization, the relationship between respiratory hospital admissions and PM 10 values below 150 µg.m -3 (percentage increase of 1.52%) remained statistically significant after adjustment for other factors. The observed significant relationship between hospital admissions for respiratory causes was consistent with the results of large European and American studies. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2016

Mechanism of alpha-lipoic acid in attenuating kanamycin-induced ototoxicity☆

PubMed Central

Wang, Aimei; Hou, Ning; Bao, Dongyan; Liu, Shuangyue; Xu, Tao

2012-01-01

In view of the theory that alpha-lipoic acid effectively prevents cochlear cells from injury caused by various factors such as cisplatin and noise, this study examined whether alpha-lipoic acid can prevent kanamycin-induced ototoxicity. To this end, healthy BALB/c mice were injected subcutaneously with alpha-lipoic acid and kanamycin for 14 days. Auditory brainstem response test showed that increased auditory brainstem response threshold shifts caused by kanamycin were significantly inhibited. Immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis showed that the expression of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase in mouse cochlea was significantly decreased. The experimental findings suggest that phosphorylated p38 and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase mediated kanamycin-induced ototoxic injury in BALB/c mice. Alpha-lipoic acid effectively attenuated kanamycin ototoxicity by inhibiting the kanamycin-induced high expression of phosphorylated p38 and phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase. PMID:25317129

Endosulfan and cholinergic (muscarinic) transmission: effect on electroencephalograms and (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate in pigeon brain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anand, M.; Agrawal, A.K.; Gopal, K.

Single exposure of endosulfan (5 mg/kg) to pigeons (Columbia livia) caused neuronal hyperexcitability as evidence by spike discharges of 200-500 ..mu..V in the electroencephalograms (EEG) from the telencephalon and hyperstriatum, but there was not effect on the ectostriatal area. Cholinergic (muscarinic) receptor binding study using (/sup 3/H)quinuclidinyl benzilate ((/sup 3/H)QNB) as a specific ligand indicated that a single exposure to 5 mg/kg of endosulfan caused a significant increase in (/sup 3/H)QNB binding to the striatal membrane. Behavior study further indicated that a single dose of 200 ..mu..g/kg of oxotremorine produced a significant induction in the tremor in endosulfan-pretreated pigeons. Themore » results of this behavioral and biochemical study indicate the involvement of a cholinergic (muscarinic) transmitter system in endosulfan-induced neurotoxicity.« less

Neighborhood effects in a behavioral randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Pruitt, Sandi L; Leonard, Tammy; Murdoch, James; Hughes, Amy; McQueen, Amy; Gupta, Samir

2014-11-01

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions intended to modify health behaviors may be influenced by neighborhood effects which can impede unbiased estimation of intervention effects. Examining a RCT designed to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening (N=5628), we found statistically significant neighborhood effects: average CRC test use among neighboring study participants was significantly and positively associated with individual patient's CRC test use. This potentially important spatially-varying covariate has not previously been considered in a RCT. Our results suggest that future RCTs of health behavior interventions should assess potential social interactions between participants, which may cause intervention arm contamination and may bias effect size estimation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relative effects of climate change and wildfires on stream temperatures: A simulation modeling approach in a Rocky Mountain watershed

Treesearch

Lisa Holsinger; Robert E. Keane; Daniel J. Isaak; Lisa Eby; Michael K. Young

2014-01-01

Freshwater ecosystems are warming globally from the direct effects of climate change on air temperature and hydrology and the indirect effects on near-stream vegetation. In fire-prone landscapes, vegetative change may be especially rapid and cause significant local stream temperature increases but the importance of these increases relative to broader changes associated...

Antiadrenergic and hemodynamic effects of ranolazine in conscious dogs.

PubMed

Zhao, Gong; Walsh, Erin; Shryock, John C; Messina, Eric; Wu, Yuzhi; Zeng, Dewan; Xu, Xiaobin; Ochoa, Manuel; Baker, Stephen P; Hintze, Thomas H; Belardinelli, Luiz

2011-06-01

Effects of ranolazine alone and in the presence of phenylephrine (PE) or isoproterenol (ISO) on hemodynamics, coronary blood flow and heart rate (HR) in the absence and presence of hexamethonium (a ganglionic blocker) were studied in conscious dogs. Ranolazine (0.4, 1.2, 3.6, and 6 mg/kg, intravenous) alone caused transient (<1 minute) and reversible hemodynamic changes. PE (0.3-10 μg/kg) caused a dose-dependent increase in blood pressure and decrease in HR. ISO (0.01-0.3 μg/kg) caused a dose-dependent decrease in blood pressure and an increase in HR. Ranolazine at high (11-13 mM), but not at moderate (4-5 mM) concentrations partially attenuated changes in mean arterial blood pressure and HR caused by either PE or ISO in normal conscious dogs. However, in dogs treated with hexamethonium (20 mg/kg) to cause autonomic blockade, ranolazine (both 4-5 and 11-13 μM) significantly attenuated both the PE- and ISO-induced changes in mean arterial blood pressure. The results suggest that a potential antiadrenergic effect of ranolazine was masked by autonomic control mechanisms in conscious dogs but could be observed when these mechanisms were inhibited (eg, in the hexamethonium-treated dog). Ranolazine, at plasma concentrations <10 μM and in conscious dogs with intact autonomic regulation, had minimal antiadrenergic (α and β) effects.

Cause-effect relationship between vocal fold physiology and voice production in a three-dimensional phonation model

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhaoyan

2016-01-01

The goal of this study is to better understand the cause-effect relation between vocal fold physiology and the resulting vibration pattern and voice acoustics. Using a three-dimensional continuum model of phonation, the effects of changes in vocal fold stiffness, medial surface thickness in the vertical direction, resting glottal opening, and subglottal pressure on vocal fold vibration and different acoustic measures are investigated. The results show that the medial surface thickness has dominant effects on the vertical phase difference between the upper and lower margins of the medial surface, closed quotient, H1-H2, and higher-order harmonics excitation. The main effects of vocal fold approximation or decreasing resting glottal opening are to lower the phonation threshold pressure, reduce noise production, and increase the fundamental frequency. Increasing subglottal pressure is primarily responsible for vocal intensity increase but also leads to significant increase in noise production and an increased fundamental frequency. Increasing AP stiffness significantly increases the fundamental frequency and slightly reduces noise production. The interaction among vocal fold thickness, stiffness, approximation, and subglottal pressure in the control of F0, vocal intensity, and voice quality is discussed. PMID:27106298

Extended anticoagulation with apixaban reduces hospitalisations in patients with venous thromboembolism. An analysis of the AMPLIFY-EXT trial.

PubMed

Liu, Xianchen; Thompson, John; Phatak, Hemant; Mardekian, Jack; Porcari, Anthony; Johnson, Margot; Cohen, Alexander T

2016-01-01

Treatment with apixaban versus placebo for 12 months significantly reduced symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) or all-cause death without increasing the rate of major bleeding in the AMPLIFY-EXT trial. This analysis examined the effects of apixaban versus placebo on the rate of all-cause hospitalisations, time to first hospitalisation, and predictors of first hospitalisation in patients with VTE enrolled in AMPLIFY-EXT. Treatment with apixaban 2.5 mg and 5 mg twice daily significantly reduced the rate of all-cause hospitalisations versus placebo (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.64 [0.43, 0.95]; p=0.026 and 0.54 [0.36, 0.82]; p=0.004, respectively). Apixaban prolonged mean time to first hospitalisation versus placebo by 43 and 49 days for the 2.5-mg and 5-mg twice-daily groups, respectively. Median length of hospital stay during the first hospitalisation was longer for placebo than for apixaban 2.5 mg or 5 mg twice daily (7.0, 5.0, and 4.5 days, respectively). Treatment with apixaban was a significant predictor of lower rates of hospitalisations versus placebo, and severe/moderate renal impairment was a significant predictor of an increased rate. This study supports extended use of apixaban for reducing all-cause hospitalisations and extending time to first hospitalisation in patients with VTE enrolled in AMPLIFY-EXT (www.clinicaltrials.gov registration: #NCT00633893).

Effects of chemotherapy on immune responses in dogs with cancer.

PubMed

Walter, Claudia U; Biller, Barbara J; Lana, Susan E; Bachand, Annette M; Dow, Steven W

2006-01-01

Chemotherapy is assumed to be immunosuppressive; yet to the authors' knowledge, the effects of common chemotherapy protocols on adaptive immune responses in dogs with cancer have not been fully evaluated. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the effects of 2 common chemotherapy protocols on T- and B-cell numbers and humoral immune responses to de novo vaccination in dogs with cancer. Twenty-one dogs with cancer (12 with lymphoma, 9 with osteosarcoma) were enrolled in a prospective study to assess effects of doxorubicin versus multi-drug chemotherapy on adaptive immunity. Numbers of circulating T and B cells were assessed by flow cytometry, and antibody responses to de novo vaccination were assessed before, during, and after chemotherapy. The T- and B-cell numbers before treatment also were compared with those of healthy, age-matched, control dogs. Prior to treatment, dogs with cancer had significantly fewer (P < .05) CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells than did healthy dogs. Doxorubicin treatment did not cause a significant decrease in T- or B-cell numbers, whereas treatment with combination chemotherapy caused a significant and persistent decrease in B-cell numbers. Antibody titers after vaccination were not significantly different between control and chemotherapy-treated dogs. These findings suggest that chemotherapy may have less impact on T-cell numbers and ability to mount antibody responses in dogs with cancer than was previously anticipated, though dogs with lymphoma or osteosarcoma appear to be relatively T-cell deficient before initiation of chemotherapy.

Effect of Gynostemma Pentaphyllum polysaccharide on boar spermatozoa quality following freezing-thawing.

PubMed

Hu, Jian-Hong; Li, Qing-Wang; Zhang, Ting; Jiang, Zhong-Liang

2009-12-01

Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Polysaccharide (GPP) was added at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/ml to the extenders used to freeze boar semen and its effects on the quality of frozen-thawed sperm were assessed. The sperm motility was significantly higher in the extenders containing 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml GPP, as compared to other groups (P<0.05). The extender supplemented with 0.5 mg/ml GPP favored the highest intact membrane and intact acrosome percentages in comparison with other groups (P<0.05), respectively. The mitochondrial activity was significantly higher at the concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/ml GPP than that of other treatments, and the control group (P<0.05). In biochemical assays, the extender supplemented with 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml GPP significantly improved SOD levels, compared to other groups (P>0.05). However, the extenders supplemented with GPP did not cause significant differences in levels of CAT and GSH-Px, compared to the control (P>0.05). In summary, GPP exhibited a dose-related response and the lower concentration produced greater protective effect. According to the standard semen quality parameters and antioxidant activities measured in this study, the concentration of 0.5 mg/ml GPP caused a beneficial cryoprotective effects on the quality of frozen-thawed boar semen. It is proposed that an extender containing 0.5 mg/ml GPP could be used as cryoprotective medium of better efficiency.

Evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic effects of sildenafil on acute radiation proctitis in rats.

PubMed

Yavuz, Erkan; Ercan, Gulcin; Karagulle, Onur Olgac; Bayrak, Busra Yaprak; Biricik, Aytac; Ercetin, Candas; Gokcek, Berk; Yigitbas, Hakan; Kusaslan, Ramazan; Celik, Atilla; Gulcicek, Osman Bilgin

2018-04-01

To investigate the prophylactic and therapeutical effects of sildenafil in a model of acute radiation proctitis (ARP). All experimental procedures of this study was examined by histopathological, immunohistochemical and transmission electron microscopic analysis. Our histopathological evaluations indicated significant increases in lesion severity, cryptic apsis, cryptitis, cryptic distortion, reactive atypia and infiltration depth of the control (proctitis) group. While the prophylaxis group and the treatment group had significantly lower scores. High-dose group showed similar results as prophylaxis group. Histopathological findings of the prophylaxis group was more significant than the treatment group. Immunoreactivities of IL-1β, FGF-2, TNF- α and HIF-1α increased in the control group especially in the epithelial and cryptic regions. On the contrary, sildenafil application caused significant decreases of inflammatory markers in all treatment groups, specifically better results in the prophylaxis group. The sildenafil has anti-inflammatory effects on ARP, as well as protective effects against ARP and the protective effect of sildenafil surpasses its therapeutic effect histopathologically.

Protective Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Grape Pomace against the Adverse Effects of Cypermethrin on Weanling Female Rats

PubMed Central

Mossa, Abdel-Tawab H.; Ibrahim, Faten M.; Mohafrash, Samia M. M.; Abou Baker, Doha H.; El Gengaihi, Souad

2015-01-01

The adverse effect of cypermethrin on the liver and kidney of weanling female rats and the protective effect of ethanolic extract of grape pomace were investigated in the present study. Weanling female rats were given cypermethrin oral at a dose of 25 mg kg−1 body weight for 28 consecutive days. An additional two Cyp-trated groups received extract at a dose of 100 and 200 mg kg−1 body weight, respectively, throughout the experimental duration. Three groups more served as extract and control groups. Administration of Cyp resulted in a significant increase in serum marker enzymes, for example, aminotransferases (AST and ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and increases the level of urea nitrogen and creatinine. In contrast, Cyp caused significant decrease in levels of total protein and albumin and caused histopathological alterations in liver and kidneys of female rats. Coadministration of the extract to Cyp-treated female rats restored most of these biochemical parameters to within normal levels especially at high dose of extract. However, extract administration to Cyp-treated rats resulted in overall improvement in liver and kidney damage. This study demonstrated the adverse biohistological effects of Cyp on the liver and kidney of weanling female rats. The grape pomace extract administration prevented the toxic effect of Cyp on the above serum parameters. The present study concludes that grape pomace extract has significant antioxidant and hepatorenal protective activity. PMID:26265923

Silica nanoparticles and biological dispersants: genotoxic effects on A549 lung epithelial cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, David M.; Varet, Julia; Johnston, Helinor; Chrystie, Alison; Stone, Vicki

2015-10-01

Silica nanoparticle exposure could be intentional (e.g. medical application or food) or accidental (e.g. occupational inhalation). On entering the body, particles become coated with specific proteins depending on the route of entry. The ability of silica particles of different size and charge (non-functionalized 50 and 200 nm and aminated 50 and 200 nm) to cause genotoxic effects in A549 lung epithelial cells was investigated. Using the modified comet assay and the micronucleus assay, we examined the effect of suspending the particles in different dispersion media [RPMI or Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS), supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA), lung lining fluid (LLF) or serum] to determine if this influenced the particle's activity. Particle characterisation suggested that the particles were reasonably well dispersed in the different media, with the exception of aminated 50 nm particles which showed evidence of agglomeration. Plain 50, 200 nm and aminated 50 nm particles caused significant genotoxic effects in the presence of formamidopyrimidine-DNA glycosylase when dispersed in HBSS or LLF. These effects were reduced when the particles were dispersed in BSA and serum. There was no significant micronucleus formation produced by any of the particles when suspended in any of the dispersants. The data suggest that silica particles can produce a significant genotoxic effect according to the comet assay in A549 cells, possibly driven by an oxidative stress-dependent mechanism which may be modified depending on the choice of dispersant employed.

Methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic toxicity prevented owing to the neuroprotective effects of salicylic acid.

PubMed

Thrash-Williams, Bessy; Karuppagounder, Senthilkumar S; Bhattacharya, Dwipayan; Ahuja, Manuj; Suppiramaniam, Vishnu; Dhanasekaran, Muralikrishnan

2016-06-01

Methamphetamine (Schedule-II drug, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) is one of the most abused illicit drug following cocaine, marijuana, and heroin in the USA. There are numerous health impairments and substantial economic burden caused by methamphetamine abuse. Salicylic acid, potent anti-inflammatory drug and a known neuroprotectant has shown to protect against toxicity-induced by other dopaminergic neurotoxins. Hence, in this study we investigated the neuroprotective effects of salicylic acid against methamphetamine-induced toxicity in mice. The current study investigated the effects of sodium salicylate and/or methamphetamine on oxidative stress, monoamine oxidase, mitochondrial complex I & IV activities using spectrophotometric and fluorimetric methods. Behavioral analysis evaluated the effect on movement disorders-induced by methamphetamine. Monoaminergic neurotransmitter levels were evaluated using high pressure liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection. Methamphetamine caused significant generation of reactive oxygen species and decreased complex-I activity leading to dopamine depletion. Striatal dopamine depletion led to significant behavioral changes associated with movement disorders. Sodium salicylate (50 & 100mg/kg) significantly scavenged reactive oxygen species, blocked mitochondrial dysfunction and exhibited neuroprotection against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity. In addition, sodium salicylate significantly blocked methamphetamine-induced behavioral changes related to movement abnormalities. One of the leading causative theories in nigral degeneration associated with movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease is exposure to stimulants, drugs of abuse, insecticide and pesticides. These neurotoxic substances can induce dopaminergic neuronal insult by oxidative stress, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation. Salicylic acid due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects could provide neuroprotection against the stimulants or drugs of abuse. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Combination of Trichoderma harzianum and Chemical Fertilization Leads to the Deregulation of Phytohormone Networking, Preventing the Adaptive Responses of Tomato Plants to Salt Stress.

PubMed

Rubio, M B; Hermosa, Rosa; Vicente, Rubén; Gómez-Acosta, Fabio A; Morcuende, Rosa; Monte, Enrique; Bettiol, Wagner

2017-01-01

Plants have evolved effective mechanisms to avoid or reduce the potential damage caused by abiotic stresses. In addition to biocontrol abilities, Trichoderma genus fungi promote growth and alleviate the adverse effects caused by saline stress in plants. Morphological, physiological, and molecular changes were analyzed in salt-stressed tomato plants grown under greenhouse conditions in order to investigate the effects of chemical and biological fertilizations. The application of Trichoderma harzianum T34 to tomato seeds had very positive effects on plant growth, independently of chemical fertilization. The application of salt stress significantly changed the parameters related to growth and gas-exchange rates in tomato plants subject to chemical fertilization. However, the gas-exchange parameters were not affected in unfertilized plants under the same moderate saline stress. The combined application of T34 and salt significantly reduced the fresh and dry weights of NPK-fertilized plants, while the opposite effects were detected when no chemical fertilization was applied. Decaying symptoms were observed in salt-stressed and chemically fertilized plants previously treated with T34. This damaged phenotype was linked to significantly higher intercellular CO 2 and slight increases in stomatal conductance and transpiration, and to the deregulation of phytohormone networking in terms of significantly lower expression levels of the salt overlay sensitivity 1 ( SOS1 ) gene, and the genes involved in signaling abscisic acid-, ethylene-, and salicylic acid-dependent pathways and ROS production, in comparison with those observed in salt-challenged NPK-fertilized plants.

Microplastics cause neurotoxicity, oxidative damage and energy-related changes and interact with the bioaccumulation of mercury in the European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758).

PubMed

Barboza, Luís Gabriel Antão; Vieira, Luís Russo; Branco, Vasco; Figueiredo, Neusa; Carvalho, Felix; Carvalho, Cristina; Guilhermino, Lúcia

2018-02-01

Microplastics pollution is a global paradigm that raises concern in relation to environmental and human health. This study investigated toxic effects of microplastics and mercury in the European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a marine fish widely used as food for humans. A short-term (96 h) laboratory bioassay was done by exposing juvenile fish to microplastics (0.26 and 0.69 mg/L), mercury (0.010 and 0.016 mg/L) and binary mixtures of the two substances using the same concentrations, through test media. Microplastics alone and mercury alone caused neurotoxicity through acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, increased lipid oxidation (LPO) in brain and muscle, and changed the activities of the energy-related enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH). All the mixtures caused significant inhibition of brain AChE activity (64-76%), and significant increase of LPO levels in brain (2.9-3.4 fold) and muscle (2.2-2.9 fold) but not in a concentration-dependent manner; mixtures containing low and high concentrations of microplastics caused different effects on IDH and LDH activity. Mercury was found to accumulate in the brain and muscle, with bioaccumulation factors of 4-7 and 25-40, respectively. Moreover, in the analysis of mercury concentrations in both tissues, a significant interaction between mercury and microplastics was found. The decay of mercury in the water increased with microplastics concentration, and was higher in the presence of fish than in their absence. Overall, these results indicate that: microplastics influence the bioaccumulation of mercury by D. labrax juveniles; microplastics, mercury and their mixtures (ppb range concentrations) cause neurotoxicity, oxidative stress and damage, and changes in the activities of energy-related enzymes in juveniles of this species; mixtures with the lowest and highest concentrations of their components induced different effects on some biomarkers. These findings and other published in the literature raise concern regarding high level predators and humans consuming fish being exposed to microplastics and heavy metals, and highlight the need of more research on the topic. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of long-range transported air pollution from vegetation fires on daily mortality and hospital admissions in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland.

PubMed

Kollanus, Virpi; Tiittanen, Pekka; Niemi, Jarkko V; Lanki, Timo

2016-11-01

Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) emissions from vegetation fires can be transported over long distances and may cause significant air pollution episodes far from the fires. However, epidemiological evidence on health effects of vegetation-fire originated air pollution is limited, particularly for mortality and cardiovascular outcomes. We examined association between short-term exposure to long-range transported PM 2.5 from vegetation fires and daily mortality due to non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory causes and daily hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory causes in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland. Days significantly affected by smoke from vegetation fires between 2001 and 2010 were identified using air quality measurements at an urban background and a regional background monitoring station, and modelled data on surface concentrations of vegetation-fire smoke. Associations between daily PM 2.5 concentration and health outcomes on i) smoke-affected days and ii) all other days (i.e. non-smoke days) were analysed using Poisson time series regression. All statistical models were adjusted for daily temperature and relative humidity, influenza, pollen, and public holidays. On smoke-affected days, 10µg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 was associated with a borderline statistically significant increase in cardiovascular mortality among total population at a lag of three days (12.4%, 95% CI -0.2% to 26.5%), and among the elderly (≥65 years) following same-day exposure (13.8%, 95% CI -0.6% to 30.4%) and at a lag of three days (11.8%, 95% CI -2.2% to 27.7%). Smoke day PM 2.5 was not associated with non-accidental mortality or hospital admissions due to cardiovascular causes. However, there was an indication of a positive association with hospital admissions due to respiratory causes among the elderly, and admissions due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma among the total population. In contrast, on non-smoke days PM 2.5 was generally not associated with the health outcomes, apart from suggestive small positive effects on non-accidental mortality at a lag of one day among the elderly and hospital admissions due to all respiratory causes following same-day exposure among the total population. Our research provides suggestive evidence for an association of exposure to long-range transported PM 2.5 from vegetation fires with increased cardiovascular mortality, and to a lesser extent with increased hospital admissions due to respiratory causes. Hence, vegetation-fire originated air pollution may have adverse effects on public health over a distance of hundreds to thousands of kilometres from the fires. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The renal effects of droxidopa are maintained in propranolol treated cirrhotic rats.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Sarai; Raurell, Imma; Ezkurdia, Nahia; Augustin, Salvador; Esteban, Rafael; Genescà, Joan; Martell, María

2015-02-01

Droxidopa improves hemodynamic and renal alterations of cirrhotic rats without changing portal pressure. We aimed to evaluate the effects of a combined treatment with droxidopa and non-selective beta-blockers or statins in order to decrease portal pressure, while maintaining droxidopa beneficial effects. Acute studies combining droxidopa with carvedilol, propranolol or atorvastatin in four-week bile-duct ligated (BDL) rats and a chronic study combining propranolol and droxidopa for 5 days in CCl4 -cirrhotic rats were performed. Hemodynamic values were registered and biochemical parameters from blood and urine samples analyzed. Bile-duct ligated rats treated with carvedilol + droxidopa showed no changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and portal pressure (PP) compared to vehicles. Atorvastatin + droxidopa combination also failed to reduce PP, but maintained the beneficial increase in MAP and superior mesenteric artery resistance (SMAR) and decrease in blood flow (SMABF) caused by droxidopa. In contrast, the acute administration of propranolol + droxidopa significantly reduced PP maintaining a mild increase in MAP and improving, in an additive way, the decrease in SMABF and increase in SMAR caused by droxidopa. This combination also preserved droxidopa diuretic effect. When chronically administered to CCl4 -cirrhotic rats, propranolol + droxidopa caused a decrease in PP, a significant reduction in SMABF and an increase in SMAR. The combination did not alter liver function and droxidopa diuretic and natriuretic effect, and even improved free water clearance. Droxidopa could be effective for the renal alterations of cirrhotic patients on propranolol therapy and the combination of both drugs may balance the adverse effects of each treatment. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparative effects of contraction and angiotensin II on growth of adult feline cardiocytes in primary culture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wada, H.; Zile, M. R.; Ivester, C. T.; Cooper, G. 4th; McDermott, P. J.

1996-01-01

The purposes of this study were 1) to determine whether angiotensin II causes growth of adult feline cardiocytes in long-term culture, 2) to compare the growth effects of angiotensin II with those resulting from electrically stimulated contraction, and 3) to determine whether the anabolic effects of contraction are exerted via the angiotensin type 1 receptor. Adult feline cardiocytes were cultured on laminin-coated trays in a serum-free medium. Cardiocytes were either electrically stimulated to contract (1 Hz, 5-ms pulse duration, alternating polarity) or were nonstimulated and quiescent. Quiescent cells were studied as controls and after treatment with angiotensin II (10(-8) M), losartan (10(-6) M; an angiotensin type 1-receptor antagonist), or angiotensin II plus losartan. Contracting cells were studied in the presence and absence of angiotensin II or losartan. In quiescent cardiocytes, angiotensin II treatment on day 7 significantly increased protein synthesis rates by 22% and protein content per cell by 17%. The effects of angiotensin II were completely blocked by losartan. Electrically stimulated contraction on days 4 and 7 in culture significantly increased protein synthesis rate by 18 and 38% and protein content per cell by 19 and 46%, respectively. Angiotensin II treatment did not further increase protein synthesis rate or protein content in contracting cardiocytes. Furthermore, losartan did not block the anabolic effects of contraction on protein synthesis rates or protein content. In conclusion, angiotensin II can exert a modest anabolic effect on adult feline cardiocytes in culture. In contracting feline cardiocytes, angiotensin II has no effect on growth. Growth caused by electrically stimulated contraction occurs more rapidly and is greater in magnitude than that caused by angiotensin II. Growth of contracting adult feline cardiocytes is not dependent on activation of the angiotensin receptor.

Effect of beverages on bovine dental enamel subjected to erosive challenge with hydrochloric acid.

PubMed

Amoras, Dinah Ribeiro; Corona, Silmara Aparecida Milori; Rodrigues, Antonio Luiz; Serra, Mônica Campos

2012-01-01

This study evaluated by an in vitro model the effect of beverages on dental enamel previously subjected to erosive challenge with hydrochloric acid. The factor under study was the type of beverage, in five levels: Sprite® Zero Low-calorie Soda Lime (positive control), Parmalat® ultra high temperature (UHT) milk, Ades® Original soymilk, Leão® Ice Tea Zero ready-to-drink low-calorie peach-flavored black teaand Prata® natural mineral water (negative control). Seventy-five bovine enamel specimens were distributed among the five types of beverages (n=15), according to a randomized complete block design. For the formation of erosive wear lesions, the specimens were immersed in 10 mL aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid 0.01 M for 2 min. Subsequently, the specimens were immersed in 20 mL of the beverages for 1 min, twice daily for 2 days at room temperature. In between, the specimens were kept in 20 mL of artificial saliva at 37ºC. The response variable was the quantitative enamel microhardness. ANOVA and Tukey's test showed highly significant differences (p<0.00001) in the enamel exposed to hydrochloric acid and beverages. The soft drink caused a significantly higher decrease in microhardness compared with the other beverages. The black tea caused a significantly higher reduction in microhardness than the mineral water, UHT milk and soymilk, but lower than the soft drink. Among the analyzed beverages, the soft drink and the black tea caused the most deleterious effects on dental enamel microhardness.

Effectiveness and safety of Saccharomyces boulardii for acute infectious diarrhea.

PubMed

Dinleyici, Ener Cagri; Eren, Makbule; Ozen, Metehan; Yargic, Zeynel Abidin; Vandenplas, Yvan

2012-04-01

Acute diarrhea continues to be a leading cause of morbidity, hospitalization and mortality worldwide and probiotics have been proposed as a complementary therapy in the treatment of acute diarrhea. Regarding the treatment of acute diarrhea, a few probiotics including Saccharomyces boulardii seem to be promising therapeutic agents. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the use of S. boulardii in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea with relevant studies that searched with the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Library, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews through October 2011. This review describes the effects of S. boulardii on the duration of diarrhea, the risk of diarrhea during the treatment (especially at the third day) and duration of hospitalization in patients with acute infectious diarrhea. This review also focused on the potential effects of S. boulardii for acute infectious diarrhea due to different etiological causes. S. boulardii significantly reduced the duration of diarrhea approximately 24 h and that of hospitalization approximately 20 h. S. boulardii shortened the initial phase of watery stools; mean number of stools started to decrease at day 2; moreover, a significant reduction was reported at days 3 and 4. This systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of S. boulardii in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhea show that there is strong evidence that this probiotic has a clinically significant benefit, whatever the cause, including in developing countries. Therefore, with S. boulardii, the shortened duration of diarrhea and the reduction in hospital stay result in social and economic benefits.

Steroids alter ion transport and absorptive capacity in proximal and distal colon.

PubMed

Sellin, J H; DeSoignie, R C

1985-07-01

Steroids are potent absorbagogues, increasing Na and fluid absorption in a variety of epithelia. This study characterizes the in vitro effects of pharmacological doses of gluco- and mineralocorticoids on transport parameters of rabbit proximal and distal colon. Treatment with methylprednisolone (MP, 40 mg im for 2 days) and desoxycortone acetate (DOCA, 12.5 mg im for 3 days) resulted in a significant increase in short-circuit current (Isc) in distal colon, suggesting an increase in basal Na absorption. Amiloride (10(-4) M) caused a significantly negative Isc in MP-treated tissue, demonstrating a steroid-induced, amiloride-insensitive electrogenic ion transport in distal colon. The effect of two absorbagogues, impermeant anions (SO4-Ringer) and amphotericin, were compared in control and steroid-treated distal colon. In controls, both absorbagogues increased Isc. Impermeant anions caused a rise in Isc in both MP and DOCA tissues, suggesting that the high rate of basal Na absorption had not caused a saturation of the Na pump. The steroid-treated colons, however, did not consistently respond to amphotericin. Amiloride inhibited the entire Isc in MP-treated distal colon that had been exposed to amphotericin; this suggested that amphotericin had not exerted its characteristic effect on the apical membrane of steroid-treated colon. In proximal colon, steroids did not alter basal rates of transport; however, epinephrine-induced Na-Cl absorption was significantly greater in MP-treated vs control (P less than 0.005). Steroids increase the absorptive capacity of both proximal and distal colon for Na, while increasing basal Na absorption only in the distal colon.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of drilling fluids on soils and plants: I. Individual fluid components

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, R.W.; Honarvar, S.; Hunsaker, B.

1980-01-01

The effects of 31 drilling fluid (drilling mud) components on the growth of green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Tendergreen) and sweet corn (Zea may var. saccharata (Sturtev.) Bailey, Northrup King 199) were evaluated in greenhouse studies. Plants grew well in fertile Dagor silt loam soil (Cumulic Haploxeroll) when the soil was mixed with most soil-component mixtures at disposal proportions normally expected. Vinyl acetate and maleic acid polymer (VAMA) addition caused significantly increased growth at the 95% confidence level. No statistically significant depression of plant growth occurred at normal rates with asbestos, asphalt, barite, bentonite, calcium lignosulfonate, sodium polyacrylate, a modifiedmore » tannin, ethoxylated nonylphenol, a filming amine, gilsonite, a Xanthan gum, paraformaldehyde, a pipe dope, hydrolized polyacrylamide, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium hydroxide added as pellets, and a sulfonated tall oil. Statistically significant reductions in plant yields (at the 95% confidence level) occurred at normal disposal rates with a long-chained aliphatic alcohol, sodium dichromate, diesel oil, guar gum, an iron chromelignosulfonate, lignite, a modified asphalt, a plant fibersynthetic fiber mixture, lignite, a nonfermenting starch, potassium chloride, pregelatinized starch, and sulfated triglyceride. Thirteen drilling fluid components added individually to a fluid base (water, bentonite, and barite) and then to soil were also tested for their effect on plant growth. Only the sulfated triglyceride (Torq-Trim) and the long-chain (high molecular weight) alcohol (Drillaid 405) caused no plant growth reductions at either rate added. The modified tannin (Desco) caused minimal reduction in bean growth only when added to soil in excess levels.« less

Work-based predictors of mortality: a 20-year follow-up of healthy employees.

PubMed

Shirom, Arie; Toker, Sharon; Alkaly, Yasmin; Jacobson, Orit; Balicer, Ran

2011-05-01

This study investigated the effects of the Job-Demand-Control-Support (JDC-S) model's components, workload, control, peer and supervisor social support, on the risk of all-cause mortality. Also examined was the expectation that the above work-based components interact in predicting all-cause mortality. The study's hypotheses were tested after controlling for physiological variables and health behaviors known to be risk factors for mortality. The design used was prospective. Baseline data were obtained from healthy employees (N = 820) who underwent periodic health examinations in 1988. Follow-up data on all-cause mortality were obtained from the participants' computerized medical file, kept by their HMO, in 2008. The baseline data covered socioeconomic, behavioral, and biological risk factors in addition to the components of the JDC-S model. During the period of follow-up, 53 deaths were recorded. Data were analyzed using Cox regressions. Only one main effect was found: the risk of mortality was significantly lower for those reporting high levels of peer social support. The study found two significant interactions. Higher levels of control reduced the risk of mortality for the men and increased it for the women. The main effect of peer social support on mortality risk was significantly higher for those whose baseline age ranged from 38 to 43 but not for the older than 43 or the younger than 38 participants. Peer social support is a protective factor, reducing the risk of mortality, while perceived control reduces the risk of mortality among men but increases it among women. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

The effects of smoking and physical inactivity on advancing mortality in U.S. adults.

PubMed

Borrell, Luisa N

2014-06-01

The aim of the study was to calculate the rate advancement period (RAP) by which deaths for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific mortality is advanced by smoking and physical inactivity among U.S. adults aged 18 years or more who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and were followed to December 31, 2006. Mortality status was determined using the underlying cause of death. Cox regression was used to calculate the advanced time of deaths for all-cause and CVD-specific mortality among exposed adults relative to their nonexposed counterparts. Deaths for all-cause and CVD-specific mortality were advanced by 7.9 and 5.1 years among current smoker adults. For physically inactive adults, the RAPs for all-cause and CVD-specific mortality were 4.0 and 2.4 years, respectively. The joint effects of current smoking, physical inactivity, and obesity resulted in early all-cause and CVD-specific deaths of 14.2 and 12.2 years. For current smokers, physically inactive, and overweight adults, the RAPs for all-cause and CVD-specific deaths were 7.9 and 8.9 years, respectively. Our findings suggest that smoking and physical inactivity could significantly advance the time of death associated with all-cause and CVD-specific mortality by at least 2.4 years among U.S. adults. Moreover, the advancement death period for the joint effects of smoking, physical inactivity, and overweight or obesity could be at least 7.9 years. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liver irradiation causes distal bystander effects in the rat brain and affects animal behaviour.

PubMed

Kovalchuk, Anna; Mychasiuk, Richelle; Muhammad, Arif; Hossain, Shakhawat; Ilnytskyy, Slava; Ghose, Abhijit; Kirkby, Charles; Ghasroddashti, Esmaeel; Kovalchuk, Olga; Kolb, Bryan

2016-01-26

Radiation therapy can not only produce effects on targeted organs, but can also influence shielded bystander organs, such as the brain in targeted liver irradiation. The brain is sensitive to radiation exposure, and irradiation causes significant neuro-cognitive deficits, including deficits in attention, concentration, memory, and executive and visuospatial functions. The mechanisms of their occurrence are not understood, although they may be related to the bystander effects.We analyzed the induction, mechanisms, and behavioural repercussions of bystander effects in the brain upon liver irradiation in a well-established rat model.Here, we show for the first time that bystander effects occur in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus regions upon liver irradiation, where they manifest as altered gene expression and somewhat increased levels of γH2AX. We also report that bystander effects in the brain are associated with neuroanatomical and behavioural changes, and are more pronounced in females than in males.

The effect of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) on cognitive function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): a prospective study

PubMed Central

Newsom-Davis, I; Lyall, R; Leigh, P; Moxham, J; Goldstein, L

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Neuropsychological investigations have shown a degree of cognitive dysfunction in a proportion of non-demented patients with ALS. Respiratory muscle weakness in ALS can lead to nocturnal hypoventilation, resulting in sleep disturbance and daytime somnolence. Sleep deprivation of this type may cause impairments in cognitive function, but this has not been formally evaluated in ALS.
METHODS—Cognitive functioning was evaluated in nine patients with ALS with sleep disturbance caused by nocturnal hypoventilation (NIPPV group), and in a comparison group of 10 similar patients without ventilation problems (control group). The NIPPV group then started non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) at night. After about 6 weeks, change in cognitive function was evaluated.
RESULTS—Statistically significant improvement in scores on two of the seven cognitive tests was demonstrated in the NIPPV group postventilation, and a trend towards significant improvement was found for two further tests. Scores in the control group did not improve significantly for these four tests, although an improvement was found on one other test.
CONCLUSIONS—Nocturnal hypoventilation and sleep disturbance may cause cognitive dysfunction in ALS. These deficits may be partially improved by NIPPV over a 6 week period. This has important implications for investigations of both cognitive dysfunction in non-demented patients with ALS, and the effect of ventilation on quality of life.

 PMID:11561031

DDS, 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone, extends organismic lifespan

PubMed Central

Keam, Bhumsuk; Choi, Jung Min; Cho, Yunje; Hyun, Soonsil; Park, Sang Chul; Lee, Junho

2010-01-01

DDS, 4,4′-diaminodiphenylsulfone, is the most common drug prescribed to treat Hansen disease patients. In addition to its antibacterial activity, DDS has been reported to be involved in other cellular processes that occur in eukaryotic cells. Because DDS treatment significantly enhances the antioxidant activity in humans, we examined its effect on lifespan extension. Here we show that DDS extends organismic lifespan using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system. DDS treatment caused a delay in aging and decreased the levels of a mitochondrial complex. The oxygen consumption rate was also significantly lowered. Consistent with these data, paraquat treatment evoked less reactive oxygen species in DDS-treated worms, and these worms were less sensitive to paraquat. Interestingly enough, all of the molecular events caused by DDS treatment were consistently reproduced in mice treated with DDS for 3 mo and in the C2C12 muscle cell line. Structural prediction identified pyruvate kinase (PK) as a protein target of DDS. Indeed, DDS bound and inhibited PK in vitro and inhibited it in vivo, and a PK mutation conferred extended lifespan of C. elegans. Supplement of pyruvate to the media protected C2C12 cells from apoptosis caused by paraquat. Our findings establish the significance of DDS in lowering reactive oxygen species generation and extending the lifespan, which renders the rationale to examining the possible effect of DDS on human lifespan extension. PMID:20974969

Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Adults.

PubMed

Naff

1999-07-01

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in adults usually occurs in the setting of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage or hypertension-related intracerebral hemorrhage. Thus, the underlying cause of IVH is apparent from history and radiographic findings. If the underlying cause of IVH is not apparent, additional studies, including cerebral angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and toxicology screening, should be performed to identify etiologic agents that may alter management of IVH. Management of IVH is thus done amidst (and must be tempered by) the multiple pharmacologic, surgical, and critical care interventions directed toward the diagnosis and treatment of the underlying cause of IVH. The most immediate threat to life posed by IVH is the development of acute obstructive hydrocephalus. If the hydrocephalus is contributing to a neurologic decline, it must be treated emergently with external ventricular drainage (EVD) through an intraventricular catheter (IVC). The patient with IVH should be evaluated and treated for deficient clotting function before an IVC is inserted. For this purpose, clotting function can be adequately assessed by prothrombin and partial thromboplastin times. Insertion of an IVC may significantly lower intracranial pressure, increasing the transmural pressure difference across the wall of a ruptured cerebral aneurysm and precipitating rerupture of the aneurysm. Therefore, with IVH secondary to a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, it is advisable to delay treatment of hydrocephalus that is not contributing to a neurologic decline until the aneurysm is repaired. Hydrocephalus contributing to significant neurologic decline in the setting of a ruptured aneurysm must be treated immediately despite the unprotected status of the aneurysm. Extreme diligence must be used to allow for the slow, controlled release of cerebrospinal fluid after IVC insertion. This will mitigate the effects of increasing the transmural pressure gradient across the wall of the ruptured aneurysm. In the patient with a neurologic deficit who has IVH-related hydrocephalus and an associated intracerebral hemorrhage, it is best to assume that the hydrocephalus is a significant contributor to the deficit and that it should be treated with EVD. An IVH that is not causing hydrocephalus but is apparently occluding one or both foramina of Monro or the third ventricle should be treated with EVD because obstructive hydrocephalus may develop precipitously and, if unrecognized, may cause irreversible brain damage or death. An IVH that is not likely to cause hydrocephalus because of small volume relative to its location can be followed expectantly. Intraventricular injections of thrombolytic agents through an IVC is a treatment option that may be considered in all patients with IVH that is causing or threatening to cause obstructive hydrocephalus. Unrepaired cerebral aneurysms, untreated cerebral arteriovenous malformations, and clotting disorders are contraindications for this intervention. The surgical evacuation of IVH has a role only in very rare cases in which the IVH is causing a significant mass effect independent of hydrocephalus and associated intraparenchymal brain hemorrhage.

Effects of Classroom Humor Climate and Acceptance of Humor Messages on Adolescents' Expressions of Humor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Yi-Chen; Lee, Chun-Yang; Wang, Hong-Huei

2016-01-01

Background: To adapt to dramatic changes from physical growth, physical development and the increasing demand of significant others, humor has been found to be an effective coping strategy. However, previous studies have found that adolescents start to express their humor styles with aggressive components which causes negative consequences, such…

Does Long Term Use of Piracetam Improve Speech Disturbances Due to Ischemic Cerebrovascular Diseases?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gungor, Levent; Terzi, Murat; Onar, Musa Kazim

2011-01-01

Aphasia causes significant disability and handicap among stroke survivors. Language therapy is recommended for aphasic patients, but not always available. Piracetam, an old drug with novel properties, has been shown to have mild beneficial effects on post-stroke aphasia. In the current study, we investigated the effects of 6 months treatment with…

Cumulative watershed effects: a research perspective

Treesearch

Leslie M. Reid; Robert R. Ziemer

1989-01-01

A cumulative watershed effect (CWE) is any response to multiple land-use activities that is caused by, or results in, altered watershed function. The CWE issue is politically defined, as is the significance of particular impacts. But the processes generating CWEs are the traditional focus of geomorphology and ecology, and have thus been studied for decades. The CWE...

Effects of consecutive monoculture of Pseudostellaria heterophylla on soil fungal community as determined by pyrosequencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Linkun; Chen, Jun; Wu, Hongmiao; Wang, Juanying; Wu, Yanhong; Lin, Sheng; Khan, Muhammad Umar; Zhang, Zhongyi; Lin, Wenxiong

2016-05-01

Under consecutive monoculture, the biomass and quality of Pseudostellaria heterophylla declines significantly. In this study, a three-year field experiment was conducted to identify typical growth inhibition effects caused by extended monoculturing of P. heterophylla. Deep pyrosequencing was used to examine changes in the structure and composition of soil fungal community along a three-year gradient of monoculture. The results revealed a distinct separation between the newly planted plot and the two-year, three-year monocultured plots. The Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were significantly higher in the two-year and three-year monoculture soils than in the newly planted soil. Consecutive monoculture of this plant led to a significant increase in relative abundance of Fusarium, Trichocladium and Myrothecium and Simplicillium, etc., but a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Penicillium. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed a significant increase in Fusarium oxysporum, an agent known to cause wilt and rot disease of P. heterophylla. Furthermore, phenolic acid mixture at a ratio similar to that found in the rhizosphere could promote mycelial growth of pathogenic F. oxysporum. Overall, this study demonstrated that consecutive monoculture of P. heterophylla can alter the fungal community in the rhizosphere, including enrichment of host-specific pathogenic fungi at the expense of plant-beneficial fungi.

Exposure to Vinyl Chloride and Its Influence on Western Diet-Induced Cardiac Remodeling.

PubMed

Liang, Yaqin; Lang, Anna L; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Jing; Wang, Kai; Chen, Liya; Beier, Juliane I; Qian, Yan; Cai, Lu

2018-06-18

Obesity, usually caused by high fat diets (HFD), is a major public health issue worldwide, causing obesity associated cardiomyopathy. Moreover, the environmental toxicant vinyl chloride (VC) can exacerbate HFD-induced fatty liver disease. However, whether VC serves to enhance obesity-associated cardiomyopathy remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the interaction of western diet (WD) containing relatively low fat (42%) with VC on cardiac remodeling and its underling mechanisms. Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to WD coinhalation of low-dose VC (<1 ppm/d) for 12 weeks. Results showed that WD feeding for 12 weeks caused slight cardiac systolic dysfunction without significant hypertrophy or fibrosis, even with VC. Nevertheless, WD upregulated NF-κB function and expression of IL-1β and PAI-1, while VC showed no significant impact on these effects. In contrast, WD together with VC significantly increased the expression of CHOP and TGF-β1, key markers for endoplasmic reticulum stress and profibrotic cytokine, respectively. In summary, exposure to low-dose of environmental toxicant VC while a WD is consumed for a relatively short time does not have significant impact on cardiac remodeling except for a mild systolic dysfunction of the heart.

Comparison of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers on cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Lv, Xiaodan; Zhang, Yingshi; Niu, Yixuan; Song, Qi; Zhao, Qingchun

2018-04-01

Previous studies seem to show different effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) on cardiovascular (CV) events in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our objective was to analyze which are preferable on the incidence of all-cause mortality, CV death, and major CV events in hypertensive patients with T2DM. PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up to June 2016 with ACEI or ARBs as the intervention for hypertensive patients with T2DM. The primary end points were all-cause mortality and CV death. The secondary end points were myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, heart failure (HF), and CV events. Two investigators extracted the information independently. Data were pooled using a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model if significant heterogeneity was present. A total of 13 trials were included for analysis, 5 ACEI trials (24,976 patients) and 8 ARB trials (22,032 patients) followed for a mean of 3.8 years. Treatment with ACEI was associated with significantly reduction in all-cause mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.87; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.80-0.94], CV death (OR 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68-0.98), and other CV outcomes such as MI (0R 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66-0.90), stroke (OR 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-0.99), HF (OR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47-0.90), and CV events (OR 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73-0.95), whereas ARBs therapy had no significant reduction in the results of many primary and secondary outcomes. This meta-analysis suggests that treatment with ACEI showed a significant CV protection for all-cause mortality, CV death, and major CV events, whereas ARBs had no benefits on these outcomes except MI. In consideration of high mortality and morbidity, ACEI was preferable than ARBs on patients with hypertension and T2DM.

A critical review of the ESCAPE project for estimating long-term health effects of air pollution.

PubMed

Lipfert, Frederick W

2017-02-01

The European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE) is a13-nation study of long-term health effects of air pollution based on subjects pooled from up to 22 cohorts that were intended for other purposes. Twenty-five papers have been published on associations of various health endpoints with long-term exposures to NOx, NO2, traffic indicators, PM10, PM2.5 and PM constituents including absorbance (elemental carbon). Seven additional ESCAPE papers found moderate correlations (R2=0.3-0.8) between measured air quality and estimates based on land-use regression that were used; personal exposures were not considered. I found no project summaries or comparisons across papers; here I conflate the 25 ESCAPE findings in the context of other recent European epidemiology studies. Because one ESCAPE cohort contributed about half of the subjects, I consider it and the other 18 cohorts separately to compare their contributions to the combined risk estimates. I emphasize PM2.5 and confirm the published hazard ratio of 1.14 (1.04-1.26) per 10μg/m3 for all-cause mortality. The ESCAPE papers found 16 statistically significant (p<0.05) risks among the125 pollutant-endpoint combinations; 4 each for PM2.5 and PM10, 1 for PM absorbance, 5 for NO2, and 2 for traffic. No PM constituent was consistently significant. No significant associations were reported for cardiovascular mortality; low birthrate was significant for all pollutants except PM absorbance. Based on associations with PM2.5, I find large differences between all-cause death estimates and the sum of specific-cause death estimates. Scatterplots of PM2.5 mortality risks by cause show no consistency across the 18 cohorts, ostensibly because of the relatively few subjects. Overall, I find the ESCAPE project inconclusive and I question whether the efforts required to estimate exposures for small cohorts were worthwhile. I suggest that detailed studies of the large cohort using historical exposures and additional cardiovascular risk factors might be productive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crocidolite asbestos and SV40 are cocarcinogens in human mesothelial cells and in causing mesothelioma in hamsters

PubMed Central

Kroczynska, Barbara; Cutrone, Rochelle; Bocchetta, Maurizio; Yang, Haining; Elmishad, Amira G.; Vacek, Pamela; Ramos-Nino, Maria; Mossman, Brooke T.; Pass, Harvey I.; Carbone, Michele

2006-01-01

Only a fraction of subjects exposed to asbestos develop malignant mesothelioma (MM), suggesting that additional factors may render some individuals more susceptible. We tested the hypothesis that asbestos and Simian virus (SV40) are cocarcinogens. Asbestos and SV40 in combination had a costimulatory effect in inducing ERK1/2 phosphorylation and activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity in both primary Syrian hamster mesothelial cells (SHM) and primary human mesothelial cells (HM). Ap-1 activity caused the expression and activation of matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-1 and MMP-9, which in turn led to cell invasion. Experiments using siRNA and chemical inhibitors confirmed the specificity of these results. The same effects were observed in HM and SHM. Experiments in hamsters showed strong cocarcinogenesis between asbestos and SV40: SV40 did not cause MM, asbestos caused MM in 20% of hamsters, and asbestos and SV40 together caused MM in 90% of hamsters. Significantly lower amounts of asbestos were sufficient to cause MM in animals infected with SV40. Our results indicate that mineral fibers and viruses can be cocarcinogens and suggest that lower amounts of asbestos may be sufficient to cause MM in individuals infected with SV40. PMID:16966607

Meta-analysis of the effects of carvedilol versus metoprolol on all-cause mortality and hospitalizations in patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Briasoulis, Alexandros; Palla, Mohan; Afonso, Luis

2015-04-15

Long-term treatment with appropriate doses of carvedilol or metoprolol is currently recommended for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) to decrease the risk of death, hospitalizations, and patients' symptoms. It remains unclear if the β blockers used in patients with HFrEF are equal or carvedilol is superior to metoprolol types. We performed a meta-analysis of the comparative effects of carvedilol versus metoprolol tartrate and succinate on all-cause mortality and/or hospitalization. We conducted an Embase and MEDLINE search for prospective controlled trials and cohort studies of patients with HFrEF who were received to treatment with carvedilol versus metoprolol. We identified 4 prospective controlled and 6 cohort studies with 30,943 patients who received carvedilol and 69,925 patients on metoprolol types (tartrate and succinate) with an average follow-up duration of 36.4 months. All-cause mortality was reduced in prospective studies with carvedilol versus metoprolol tartrate. Neither all-cause mortality nor hospitalizations were significantly different between carvedilol and metoprolol succinate in the cohort studies. In conclusion, in patients with HFrEF, carvedilol and metoprolol succinate have similar effects in reducing all-cause mortality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-Range Structural Effects of a Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease-Causing Mutation in Human Glycyl-TRNA Synthetase

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xie, W.; Nangle, L.A.; Zhang, W.

2009-06-04

Functional expansion of specific tRNA synthetases in higher organisms is well documented. These additional functions may explain why dominant mutations in glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GlyRS) and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, the most common heritable disease of the peripheral nervous system. At least 10 disease-causing mutant alleles of GlyRS have been annotated. These mutations scatter broadly across the primary sequence and have no apparent unifying connection. Here we report the structure of wild type and a CMT-causing mutant (G526R) of homodimeric human GlyRS. The mutation is at the site for synthesis of glycyl-adenylate, but the rest of the two structuresmore » are closely similar. Significantly, the mutant form diffracts to a higher resolution and has a greater dimer interface. The extra dimer interactions are located {approx}30 {angstrom} away from the G526R mutation. Direct experiments confirm the tighter dimer interaction of the G526R protein. The results suggest the possible importance of subtle, long-range structural effects of CMT-causing mutations at the dimer interface. From analysis of a third crystal, an appended motif, found in higher eukaryote GlyRSs, seems not to have a role in these long-range effects.« less

Responses of hybrid striped bass to waterborne and dietary copper in freshwater and saltwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bielmyer, G.K.; Gatlin, D.; Isely, J.J.; Tomasso, J.; Klaine, S.J.

2005-01-01

Mechanisms of copper toxicity and consequences of exposure vary due to uptake route and ionoregulatory status. The goal of this research was to develop a model fish system to assess the influence of different Cu exposure routes (waterborne or dietary) on bioavailability, uptake, and effects in hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops×Morone saxatilis) acclimated to fresh- or saltwater. Initially, hybrid striped bass were exposed to dietary Cu concentrations of 571, 785, and 1013 μg Cu/g, along with a control (∼ 5 μg Cu/g), for 14 days in saltwater. Intestinal and liver Cu accumulated in a dose-dependent manner in fish exposed to increasing levels of dietary Cu. Chronic (42 days) experiments were then conducted to determine sub-lethal effects of aqueous, dietary, and combined aqueous and dietary Cu exposures to both freshwater- and saltwater-acclimated hybrid striped bass. Growth and Cu accumulation in the gill, intestine, and liver were measured. Although no significant effects were observed in fish exposed to waterborne Cu, those exposed through the diet accumulated significant liver and intestinal Cu but showed no significant change in growth. Overall, these results suggest that at the levels tested, exposure to elevated waterborne Cu did not cause significant long-term tissue Cu accumulation, whereas dietary Cu exposure caused significant liver and intestinal Cu accumulation in hybrid striped bass which was comparable in both freshwater and saltwater (15 g/L).

Redox Signaling and Bioenergetics Influence Lung Cancer Cell Line Sensitivity to the Isoflavone ME-344.

PubMed

Manevich, Yefim; Reyes, Leticia; Britten, Carolyn D; Townsend, Danyelle M; Tew, Kenneth D

2016-08-01

ME-344 [(3R,4S)-3,4-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-7-ol] is a second-generation derivative natural product isoflavone presently under clinical development. ME-344 effects were compared in lung cancer cell lines that are either intrinsically sensitive or resistant to the drug and in primary immortalized human lung embryonic fibroblasts (IHLEF). Cytotoxicity at low micromolar concentrations occurred only in sensitive cell lines, causing redox stress, decreased mitochondrial ATP production, and subsequent disruption of mitochondrial function. In a dose-dependent manner the drug caused instantaneous and pronounced inhibition of oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in drug-sensitive cells (quantitatively significantly less in drug-resistant cells). This was consistent with targeting of mitochondria by ME-344, with specific effects on the respiratory chain (resistance correlated with higher glycolytic indexes). OCR inhibition did not occur in primary IHLEF. ME-344 increased extracellular acidification rates in drug-resistant cells (significantly less in drug-sensitive cells), implying that ME-344 targets mitochondrial proton pumps. Only in drug-sensitive cells did ME-344 dose-dependently increase the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species and cause oxidation of total (mainly glutathione) and protein thiols and the concomitant immediate increases in NADPH levels. We conclude that ME-344 causes complex, redox-specific, and mitochondria-targeted effects in lung cancer cells, which differ in extent from normal cells, correlate with drug sensitivity, and provide indications of a beneficial in vitro therapeutic index. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Effect of acetyl salicylic acid on increased production of thromboxane after aortic graft surgery.

PubMed

Lewin, J; Swedenborg, J; Egberg, N; Vesterqvist, O; Green, K

1989-06-01

Contact between blood and foreign surfaces, e.g. vascular grafts, causes activation and release of platelets. One consequence of platelet activation is production of thromboxane A2 (TxA2). The physiological effects of TxA2, i.e. platelet aggregation and vaso-constriction are counteracted by another prostanoid, prostacyclin (PGI2). Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) causes a longlasting inhibition of platelet TxA2 production and a more shortlasting inhibition of PGI2 production. The present study examines TxA2 and PGI2 synthesis in patients receiving synthetic arterial grafts, some of which were treated with ASA. The prostanoid synthesis was evaluated by measurement of their main urinary metabolites with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Platelet release was evaluated by measurements of beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and the plasma coagulation by measurements of fibrinopeptide A (FPA). These compounds were also measured in urine in order to avoid artifacts caused by activation of platelets and plasma coagulation during blood sampling. Following replacement of the abdominal aorta with a synthetic vascular graft there was a marked increase in the synthesis of TxA2 and PGI2. Increased levels of beta-TG and FPA were also demonstrated. Administration of ASA on the first and second postoperative days significantly reduced the synthesis of TxA2 but caused no significant effects on the other parameters measured. It is concluded that ASA may be beneficial in the postoperative period since it counteracts TxA2 with vasoconstricting and platelet aggregating properties but leaves PGI2 with vasodilating and antiaggregating properties relatively uneffected.

Improvements to the Characterization of Organic Nitrogen Chemistry

EPA Science Inventory

Excess atmospheric nitrogen deposition can cause significant harmful effects to ecosystems. Organic nitrogen deposition can be an important contributor to the total nitrogen budget, contributing 10-30%, however there are large uncertainties in the chemistry and deposition of thes...

Air quality impact of traffic congestion in midtown Manhattan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-01-01

Exposure to fine particle pollution can cause premature death and harmful cardiovascular effects such as heart : attacks and strokes, and is linked to a variety of other significant health problem. A pilot project was : commissioned by the University...

Sex differences in the toxicity of polyethylene glycol-coated gold nanoparticles in mice

PubMed Central

Chen, Jie; Wang, Hao; Long, Wei; Shen, Xiu; Wu, Di; Song, Sha-Sha; Sun, Yuan-Ming; Liu, Pei-Xun; Fan, Saijun; Fan, Feiyue; Zhang, Xiao-Dong

2013-01-01

Gold nanoparticles have received wide interest in disease diagnosis and therapy, but one of the important issues is their toxicological effects in vivo. Sex differences in the toxicity of gold nanoparticles are not clear. In this work, body weight, organ weight, hematology, and biochemistry were used to evaluate sex differences in immune response and liver and kidney damage. Pathology was used to observe the general toxicity of reproductive organs. The immune response was influenced significantly in female mice, with obvious changes in spleen and thymus index. Hematology results showed that male mice treated with 22.5 nm gold nanoparticles received more significant infection and inflammation than female mice. Meanwhile, the biochemistry results showed that 4.4 and 22.5 nm gold nanoparticles caused more significant liver damage in male mice than female mice, while 22.5, 29.3, and 36.1 nm gold nanoparticles caused more significant kidney damage in female mice than male mice. No significant toxicological response was found in the reproductive system for female or male mice. It was found that gold nanoparticles caused more serious liver toxicity and infection in male mice than female mice. These findings indicated that sex differences may be one of the important elements for in vivo toxicity of gold nanoparticles. PMID:23861586

Effect of superhydrophobicity on surface damage of silicone rubber under AC voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yufeng; Jin, Haiyun; Nie, Shichao; Tong, Cheng; Gao, Naikui

2018-03-01

In this paper, the influence of superhydrophobicity on the surface damage of silicone rubber is studied. On a common silicone rubber surface, a droplet can become elongated, and arc discharge induced by the droplet can cause tracking on the silicone rubber surface. However, for a superhydrophobic silicone rubber surface, a droplet can leave the silicone rubber due to the low adhesion of the superhydrophobic surface. Accordingly, arc discharge caused by the droplet does not occur, and the surface of the silicone rubber is not affected. Results demonstrate that using a superhydrophobic surface has a significant effect on limiting the surface damage of silicone rubber.

Severe anion gap metabolic acidosis from acetaminophen use secondary to 5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid) accumulation.

PubMed

Zand, Ladan; Muriithi, Angela; Nelsen, Eric; Franco, Pablo M; Greene, Eddie L; Qian, Qi; El-Zoghby, Ziad M

2012-12-01

Anion gap metabolic acidosis (AGMA) is commonly encountered in medical practice. Acetaminophen-induced AGMA is, however, not widely recognized. We report 2 cases of high anion gap metabolic acidosis secondary to 5-oxoproline accumulation resulting from acetaminophen consumption: the first case caused by acute one-time ingestion of large quantities of acetaminophen and the second case caused by chronic repeated ingestion in a patient with chronic liver disease. Recognition of this entity facilitated timely diagnosis and effective treatment. Given acetaminophen is commonly used over the counter medication, increased recognition of this adverse effect is of important clinical significance.

Optimization of process parameters during carbonization for improved carbon fibre strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhler, T.; Pursche, F.; Burscheidt, P.; Seide, G.; Gries, T.

2017-10-01

Based on their extraordinary properties, carbon fibres nowadays play a significant role in modern industries. In the last years carbon fibres are increasingly used for lightweight constructions in the energy or the transportation industry. However, a bigger market penetration of carbon fibres is still hindered by high prices (~ 22 /kg) [3]. One crucial step in carbon fibre production is the process of carbonization of stabilized fibres. However, the cause effect relationships of carbonization are nowadays not fully understood. Therefore, the main goal of this research work is the quantification of the cause-effect relationships of process parameters like temperature and residence time on carbon fibre strength.

Rocket Plume Scaling for Orion Wind Tunnel Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brauckmann, Gregory J.; Greathouse, James S.; White, Molly E.

2011-01-01

A wind tunnel test program was undertaken to assess the jet interaction effects caused by the various solid rocket motors used on the Orion Launch Abort Vehicle (LAV). These interactions of the external flowfield and the various rocket plumes can cause localized aerodynamic disturbances yielding significant and highly non-linear control amplifications and attenuations. This paper discusses the scaling methodologies used to model the flight plumes in the wind tunnel using cold air as the simulant gas. Comparisons of predicted flight, predicted wind tunnel, and measured wind tunnel forces-and-moments and plume flowfields are made to assess the effectiveness of the selected scaling methodologies.

All-cause mortality increased by environmental cadmium exposure in the Japanese general population in cadmium non-polluted areas.

PubMed

Suwazono, Yasushi; Nogawa, Kazuhiro; Morikawa, Yuko; Nishijo, Muneko; Kobayashi, Etsuko; Kido, Teruhiko; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Nogawa, Koji

2015-07-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure indicated by urinary Cd on all-cause mortality in the Japanese general population. A 19-year cohort study was conducted in 1067 men and 1590 women aged 50 years or older who lived in three cadmium non-polluted areas in Japan. The subjects were divided into four quartiles based on creatinine adjusted U-Cd (µg g(-1) cre). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for continuous U-Cd or the quartiles of U-Cd were estimated for all-cause mortality using a proportional hazards regression.The all-cause mortality rates per 1000 person years were 31.2 and 15.1 in men and women, respectively. Continuous U-Cd (+1 µg g(-1) cre) was significantly related to the all-cause mortality in men (HR 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.09) and women (HR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07). Furthermore in men, the third (1.96-3.22 µg g(-1) cre) and fourth quartile (≥3.23 µg g(-1) cre) of U-Cd showed a significant, positive HR (third: HR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03-1.77, fourth: HR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.26-2.14) for all-cause mortality compared with the first quartile (<1.14 µg g(-1) cre). In women, the fourth quartile of U-Cd (≥4.66 µg g(-1) cre) also showed a significant HR (1.49, 95% CI 1.11-2.00) for all-cause mortality compared with the first quartile (<1.46 µg g(-1) cre).In the present study, U-Cd was significantly associated with increased mortality in the Japanese general population, indicating that environmental Cd exposure adversely affects the life prognosis in Cd non-polluted areas in Japan. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Positive inotropic and vasodilator actions of milrinone in patients with severe congestive heart failure. Dose-response relationships and comparison to nitroprusside.

PubMed Central

Jaski, B E; Fifer, M A; Wright, R F; Braunwald, E; Colucci, W S

1985-01-01

Milrinone is a potent positive inotropic and vascular smooth muscle-relaxing agent in vitro, and therefore, it is not known to what extent each of these actions contributes to the drug's hemodynamic effects in patients with heart failure. In 11 patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV congestive heart failure, incremental intravenous doses of milrinone were administered to determine the dose-response relationships for heart rate, systemic vascular resistance, and inotropic state, the latter measured by peak positive left ventricular derivative of pressure with respect to time (dP/dt). To clarify further the role of a positive inotropic action, the relative effects of milrinone and nitroprusside on left ventricular stroke work and dP/dt were compared in each patient at doses matched to cause equivalent reductions in mean arterial pressure or systemic vascular resistance, indices of left ventricular afterload. Milrinone caused heart rate, stroke volume, and dP/dt to increase, and systemic vascular resistance to decrease in a concentration-related manner. At the two lowest milrinone doses resulting in serum concentrations of 63 +/- 4 and 156 +/- 5 ng/ml, respectively, milrinone caused significant increases in stroke volume and dP/dt, but no changes in systemic vascular resistance or heart rate. At the maximum milrinone dose administered (mean serum concentration, 427 +/- 11 ng/ml), heart rate increased from 92 +/- 4 to 99 +/- 4 bpm (P less than 0.01), mean aortic pressure fell from 82 +/- 3 to 71 +/- 3 mmHg (P less than 0.01), right atrial pressure fell from 15 +/- 2 to 7 +/- 1 mmHg (P less than 0.005), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure fell from 26 +/- 3 to 18 +/- 3 (P less than 0.005), stroke volume index increased from 20 +/- 2 to 30 +/- 2 ml/m2 (P less than 0.005), stroke work index increased from 14 +/- 2 to 21 +/- 2 g X m/m2 (P less than 0.01), and dP/dt increased from 858 +/- 54 to 1,130 +/- 108 mmHg/s (P less than 0.005). When compared with nitroprusside for a matched reduction in mean aortic pressure or systemic vascular resistance, milrinone caused a significantly greater increase in stroke work index at the same or lower left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Milrinone caused a concentration-related increase in dP/dt (32% increase at maximum milrinone dose), whereas nitroprusside had no effect. These data in patients with severe heart failure indicate that in addition to a vasodilating effect, milrinone exerts a concentration-related positive inotropic action that contributes significantly to the drug's overall hemodynamic effects. The positive inotropic action occurs at drug levels that do not exert significant chronotropic or vasodilator effects. Images PMID:3973022

The Effect of Amplifier Bias Drift on Differential Magnitude Estimation in Multiple-Star Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyler, David W.; Muralimanohar, Hariharan; Borelli, Kathy J.

2007-02-01

We show how the temporal drift of CCD amplifier bias can cause significant relative magnitude estimation error in speckle interferometric observations of multiple-star systems. When amplifier bias varies over time, the estimation error arises if the time between acquisition of dark-frame calibration data and science data is long relative to the timescale over which the bias changes. Using analysis, we show that while detector-temperature drift over time causes a variation in accumulated dark current and a residual bias in calibrated imagery, only amplifier bias variations cause a residual bias in the estimated energy spectrum. We then use telescope data taken specifically to investigate this phenomenon to show that for the detector used, temporal bias drift can cause residual energy spectrum bias as large or larger than the mean value of the noise energy spectrum. Finally, we use a computer simulation to demonstrate the effect of residual bias on differential magnitude estimation. A supplemental calibration technique is described in the appendices.

Valproate causes metabolic disturbance in normal man.

PubMed Central

Turnbull, D M; Dick, D J; Wilson, L; Sherratt, H S; Alberti, K G

1986-01-01

Valproate is an important anticonvulsant which is rarely associated with fatal hepatotoxicity. Previous experiments have shown that valproate inhibits several metabolic processes in isolated rat hepatocytes and when administered to starved rats causes a fall in the blood concentrations of glucose and ketone bodies. Since these changes may be related to the hepatotoxicity, the effect of valproate administration on intermediary metabolism in man was studied. One gram of valproate given orally to fasted normal humans caused a 78% fall in the concentration of 3-hydroxybutyrate and a 60% fall in total ketones. Also the concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, alanine and glycerol increased after valproate administration. Similar changes were observed after intravenous administration of 400 mg of valproate. Valproate clearly has a significant effect on intermediary metabolism in the liver and this is probably related to the mechanism of the hepatotoxicity. PMID:3084712

Combination of Peptide YY3–36 with GLP-17–36 amide Causes an Increase in First-Phase Insulin Secretion after IV Glucose

PubMed Central

Tan, Tricia M.; Salem, Victoria; Troke, Rachel C.; Alsafi, Ali; Field, Benjamin C. T.; De Silva, Akila; Misra, Shivani; Baynes, Kevin C. R.; Donaldson, Mandy; Minnion, James; Ghatei, Mohammad A.; Godsland, Ian F.

2014-01-01

Context: The combination of peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been proposed as a potential treatment for diabetes and obesity. However, the combined effects of these hormones, PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide, on glucose homeostasis are unknown. Objective: This study sought to investigate the acute effects of PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide, individually and in combination, on insulin secretion and sensitivity. Setting and Design: Using a frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test (FSIVGTT) and minimal modeling, this study measured the effects of PYY3–36 alone, GLP-17–36 amide alone, and a combination of PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide on acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg) and insulin sensitivity index (SI) in 14 overweight human volunteers, studied in a clinical research facility. Results: PYY3–36 alone caused a small but nonsignificant increase in AIRg. GLP-17–36 amide alone and the combination of PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide did increase AIRg significantly. No significant differences in SI were observed with any intervention. Conclusions: PYY3–36 lacks any significant acute effects on first-phase insulin secretion or SI when tested using an FSIVGTT. Both GLP-17–36 amide alone and the combination of PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide increase first-phase insulin secretion. There does not seem to be any additive or synergistic effect between PYY3–36 and GLP-17–36 amide on first-phase insulin secretion. Neither hormone alone nor the combination had any significant effects on SI. PMID:25144632

Beneficial effects of exercise and its molecular mechanisms on depression in rats

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hang; Liu, Yanyou; Li, Wei; Yang, Bo; Chen, Dengbang; Wang, Xiaojia; Jiang, Zhou; Wang, Hongxing; Wang, Zhengrong; Cornelisson, G.; Halberg, F.

2008-01-01

Exercise showed the beneficial effects on mental health in depressed sufferers, whereas, its underlying mechanisms remained unresolved. This study utilized the chronic unpredictable stress (CNS) animal model of depression to evaluate the effects of exercise on depressive behaviors and spatial performance in rats. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that the capacity of exercise to reverse the harmful effects of CNS was relative to the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) system and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. Animal groups were exposed to CNS for 4 weeks with and without access to voluntary wheel running. Stressed rats consumed significantly less of a 1% sucrose solution during CNS and exhibited a significant decrease in open field behavior. On the other hand, they showed impaired spatial performance in Morris water maze test 2 weeks after the end of CNS. Further, CNS significantly decreased hippocampal BDNF mRNA levels. However, voluntary exercise improved or even reversed these harmful behavioral effects in stressed rats. Furthermore, exercise counteracted a decrease in hippocampal BDNF mRNA caused by CNS. In addition, we also found that CMS alone increased circulating corticosterone (CORT) significantly and decreased hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA. At the same time, exercise alone increased CORT moderately and did not affect hippocampal GR mRNA levels. While, when both CNS and exercise were combined, exercise reduced the increase of CORT and the decrease of GR caused by CMS. The results demonstrated that: (1) exercise reversed the harmful effects of CNS on mood and spatial performance in rats and (2) the behavioral changes induced by exercise and/or CNS might be associated with hippocampal BDNF levels, and in addition, the HPA system might play different roles in the two different processes. PMID:16290283

What causes domestic abuse and how can nurses effectively support abused women?

PubMed

McDowall, Holy

Domestic abuse is a significant public health problem in the UK, primarily perpetrated against women. Nurses can play a vital role in identifying patients who have experienced abuse, and in offering them emotional, psychological and practical support. This article explores the causes of domestic abuse, and nurses' role in caring for those affected. It emphasises the need for enhanced nurse education and awareness to enable nurses to provide holistic care for women.

Effects of Solar Particle Event-Like Proton Radiation and/or Simulated Microgravity on Circulating Mouse Blood Cells.

PubMed

Romero-Weaver, Ana L; Lin, Liyong; Carabe-Fernandez, Alejandro; Kennedy, Ann R

2014-08-01

Astronauts traveling in space missions outside of low Earth orbit will be exposed for longer times to a microgravity environment. In addition, the increased travel time involved in exploration class missions will result in an increased risk of exposure to significant doses of solar particle event (SPE) radiation. Both conditions could significantly affect the number of circulating blood cells. Therefore, it is critical to determine the combined effects of exposure to both microgravity and SPE radiation. The purpose of the present study was to assess these risks by evaluating the effects of SPE-like proton radiation and/or microgravity, as simulated with the hindlimb unloading (HU) system, on circulating blood cells using mouse as a model system. The results indicate that exposure to HU alone caused minimal or no significant changes in mouse circulating blood cell numbers. The exposure of mice to SPE-like proton radiation with or without HU treatment caused a significant decrease in the number of circulating lymphocytes, granulocytes and platelets. The reduced numbers of circulating lymphocytes, granulocytes, and platelets, resulting from the SPE-like proton radiation exposure, with or without HU treatment, in mice suggest that astronauts participating in exploration class missions may be at greater risk of developing infections and thrombotic diseases; thus, countermeasures may be necessary for these biological endpoints.

Acute Effects of Ecstasy on Memory Are more Extensive than Chronic Effects.

PubMed

Shariati, Mohamad Bakhtiar Hesam; Sohrabi, Maryam; Shahidi, Siamak; Nikkhah, Ali; Mirzaei, Fatemeh; Medizadeh, Mehdi; Asl, Sara Soleimani

2014-01-01

Exposure to 3, 4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) could lead to serotonergic system toxicity in the brain. This system is responsible for learning and memory functions. Studies show that MDMA causes memory impairment dose-dependently and acutely. The present study was designed to evaluate the chronic and acute effects of MDMD on spatial memory and acquisition of passive avoidance. Adult male Wistar rats (200-250 g) were given single or multiple injections of MDMA (10 mg/kg, IP). Using passive avoidance and Morris Water Maze (MWM) tasks, learning and spatial memory functions were assessed. The data were analyzed by SPSS 16 software and one- way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. Our results showed that there were significant differences in latency to enter the dark compartment (STL) between sham and MDMA- treated groups. Acute group significantly showed more STL in comparison with chronic group. Furthermore, MDMA groups spent more time in dark compartment (TDS) than the sham group. Administration of single dose of MDMA significantly caused an increase in TDS compared with the chronic group. In the MWM, MDMA treatment significantly increased the traveled distance and escaped latency compared to the sham group. Like to passive avoidance task, percentage of time spent in the target quadrant in MDMA- treated animals impaired in MWM compared with sham group. These data suggest that MDMA treatment impairs learning and memory functions that are more extensive in acute- treated rats.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis var. natto products on symptoms caused by blood flow disturbance in female patients with lifestyle diseases

PubMed Central

Hitosugi, Masahito; Hamada, Katsuo; Misaka, Kazutaka

2015-01-01

The fermented soybean product natto is a popular traditional food in Japan and is considered a health supplement. NKCP®, a natto-derived dietary food supplement whose main component is bacillopeptidase F, has antithrombotic, fibrinolytic, and blood pressure-lowering effects. We examined whether daily intake of NKCP® effectively improves subjective symptoms in patients with lifestyle diseases in this cross-over, double-blind study. Fermented soya extract with subtilisin NAT (nattokinase) as the main component was used as an active placebo. A 4-week course of NKCP® significantly decreased the visual analog scale (VAS) score for shoulder stiffness from 42.3 to 32.4 (P=0.009), the VAS score for low back pain from 25.5 to 18.8 (P=0.02), and the VAS score for coldness of the extremities from 33.1 to 25.7 (P=0.002). However, no significant difference was found in the VAS score for headache. After a 4-week course of active placebo, no significant changes in the VAS score were found for any symptoms. The significant improvement in the symptoms secondary to blood flow disturbance was caused by the improvement in blood flow by NKCP®. The use of dietary supplements based on the Japanese traditional food natto helps to relieve subjective symptoms for patients with lifestyle diseases receiving medical care. PMID:25653551

Effect of Salinity and Alkalinity on Luciobarbus capito Gill Na+/K+-ATPase Enzyme Activity, Plasma Ion Concentration, and Osmotic Pressure

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We evaluated the individual and combined effects of salinity and alkalinity on gill Na+/K+-ATPase enzyme activity, plasma ion concentration, and osmotic pressure in Luciobarbus capito. Increasing salinity concentrations (5, 8, 11, and 14 g/L) were associated with an initial increase and then decrease in L. capito gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity. Activity was affected by the difference between internal and external Na+ ion concentrations and osmotic pressure (P < 0.05). Both plasma ion (Na+, K+, and Cl−) concentration and osmotic pressure increased significantly (P < 0.05). An increase in alkalinity (15, 30, 45, and 60 mM) caused a significant increase in plasma K+ and urea nitrogen concentrations (P < 0.05) but had no effect on either plasma osmotic pressure or gill filament ATPase activity. In the two-factor experiment, the saline-alkaline interaction caused a significant increase in plasma ion (Na+, Cl−, and urea nitrogen) and osmotic pressure (P < 0.05). Variance analysis revealed that salinity, alkalinity, and their interaction significantly affected osmotic pressure, with salinity being most affected, followed by alkalinity, and their interaction. Gill filament ATPase activity increased at first and then decreased; peak values were observed in the orthogonal experiment group at a salinity of 8 g/L and alkalinity of 30 mM. PMID:27981049

Photodynamic impact induces ischemic tolerance in models in vivo and in vitro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demyanenko, Svetlana; Sharifulina, Svetlana; Berezhnaya, Elena; Kovaleva, Vera; Neginskaya, Maria; Zhukovskaya, Ludmila

2016-04-01

Ischemic tolerance determines resistance to lethal ischemia gained by a prior sublethal stimulus (i.e., preconditioning). We reproduced this effect in two variants. In vitro the preliminary short (5 s) photodynamic treatment (PDT) (photosensitizer Photosens, 10 nM, 30 min preincubation; laser: 670 nm, 100 mW/cm2) significantly reduced the necrosis of neurons and glial cells in the isolated crayfish stretch receptor, which was caused by following 30-min PDT by 66% and 46%, respectively. In vivo PDT of the rat cerebral cortex with hydrophilic photosensitizer Rose Bengal (i.v. administration, laser irradiation: 532 nm, 60 mW/cm2, 3 mm beam diameter, 30 min) caused occlusion of small brain vessels and local photothrombotic infarct (PTI). It is a model of ischemic stroke. Cerebral tissue edema and global necrosis of neurons and glial cells occurred in the infarction core, which was surrounded by a 1.5 mm transition zone, penumbra. The maximal pericellular edema, hypo- and hyperchromia of neurons were observed in penumbra 24 h after PTI. The repeated laser irradiation of the contralateral cerebral cortex also caused PTI but lesser as compared with single PDT. Preliminary unilateral PTI provided ischemic tolerance: at 14 day after second exposure the PTI volume significantly decreased by 24% than in the case of a single exposure. Sensorimotor deficits in PDT-treated rats was registered using the behavioral tests. The preliminary PTI caused the preconditioning effect.

Effectiveness of Influenza Vaccination for Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Lall, Dorothy; Cason, E; Pasquel, F J; Ali, M K; Narayan, K M V

2016-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death globally. In addition to the mortality associated with it, people with COPD experience significant morbidity, making this set of conditions a major public health concern. Infections caused by influenza virus are a preventable cause of morbidity and vaccination has been shown to be effective. The evidence of their benefit in persons with COPD mainly comes from high-income countries where influenza vaccination is used in routine practice, but little is known about the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and scalability of vaccination in low- and middle-income countries. We therefore systematically reviewed and present evidence related to vaccination against influenza in persons with COPD with a special focus on studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Available data from 19 studies suggest that the use of influenza vaccine in persons with COPD is beneficial, cost-effective, and may be relevant for low- and middle-income countries. Wider implementation of this intervention needs to take into account the health care delivery systems of LMICs and use of prevalent viral strains in vaccines to be most cost effective.

Pharmacological evidence favouring the traditional use of the root bark of Condalia buxifolia Reissek in the relief of pain and inflammation in mice.

PubMed

Simões, Róli R; Coelho, Igor S; Junqueira, Stella C; Maldaner, Graciela; Morel, Ademir F; Venzke, Dalila; Ruani, Ana Paula; Pizzolatti, Moacir G; Zanchet, Eliane M; Santos, Adair R S

2015-12-04

The Condalia buxifolia root bark infusion is used in traditional medicine in Brazil as antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and against dysentery. This study was designed to investigate whether the methanolic extract of the root bark of Condalia buxifolia (MECb) exhibits antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. Furthermore, also was investigated the involvement of glutamatergic and opioidergic system in the antinociceptive effect induced by MECb. The antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of intra-gastric gavage (i.g.) administered MECb (10-300 mg/kg) were evaluated in mice subjected to chemical (formalin, acetic-acid, glutamate) or thermal (hot plate) models of pain. The involvement of opioid system in the antinociceptive effect of the MECb was investigated in formalin test. Furthermore, a nonspecific effect of MECb was evaluated by measuring locomotor activity and exploratory behavior in open field test. Finally, was performed a phytochemical analysis of MECb. The phytochemical analysis of MECb was performed through HPLC analysis showing that the alkaloid Condaline-A is the main constituent. The intragastric administration of MECb (100-300 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the nociception caused by acetic acid (48 ± 2%), inflammatory phase (49 ± 3%) and paw edema (32 ± 6) caused by formalin, and MECb (100mg/kg, i.g.) also inhibited nociception caused by glutamate (41 ± 7%). In addition, MECb (100-300 mg/kg, i.g.) increased the paw withdrawal latency in hot-plate test, without affecting the locomotor activity and exploratory behavior in open field test. Finally, the antinociceptive effects of MECb (100mg/kg, i.g.) were significantly reversed by naloxone (1mg/kg, i.p.) in the formalin test. These data show, for the first time, that MECb has significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects, which appear to be related to the inhibition of the glutamatergic system and the activation of opioid mechanism, besides present central effects. These results support the use of Condalia buxifolia in traditional medicine and demonstrate that this plant has therapeutic potential for the development of phytomedicines with antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of the july 1997 floods in the Czech Republic on cardiac mortality.

PubMed

Obrová, Jana; Sovová, Eliška; Ivanová, Kateřina; Táborský, Miloš; Loyka, Svatopluk

2014-12-01

An excess of deaths from cardiac causes are reported after many natural disasters. Despite the fact that floods are the most common and most destructive natural disaster worldwide, little is known about their effect on human health. We analyzed the influence of the greatest floods in the Czech Republic on cardiac mortality in the affected area. This was a retrospective case-control study. We analyzed persons whose autopsies proved they had died of cardiac causes during the month of the flood, 2 months before the flood, 1 month after the flood, and during the same period in the 3 previous years. A total of 207 of 985 autopsy reports met the criteria for inclusion in the study. There were no significant differences in the proportions of men and women (P=0.819) or in age (P=0.577). During the month of the flood, an increase in cardiac mortality was observed; however, the increase was not statistically significant (P=0.088). According to our findings, the 1997 Central European flood did not significantly affect cardiac mortality.

Effect of increasing CO2 on the terrestrial carbon cycle

PubMed Central

Schimel, David; Fisher, Joshua B.

2015-01-01

Feedbacks from the terrestrial carbon cycle significantly affect future climate change. The CO2 concentration dependence of global terrestrial carbon storage is one of the largest and most uncertain feedbacks. Theory predicts the CO2 effect should have a tropical maximum, but a large terrestrial sink has been contradicted by analyses of atmospheric CO2 that do not show large tropical uptake. Our results, however, show significant tropical uptake and, combining tropical and extratropical fluxes, suggest that up to 60% of the present-day terrestrial sink is caused by increasing atmospheric CO2. This conclusion is consistent with a validated subset of atmospheric analyses, but uncertainty remains. Improved model diagnostics and new space-based observations can reduce the uncertainty of tropical and temperate zone carbon flux estimates. This analysis supports a significant feedback to future atmospheric CO2 concentrations from carbon uptake in terrestrial ecosystems caused by rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations. This feedback will have substantial tropical contributions, but the magnitude of future carbon uptake by tropical forests also depends on how they respond to climate change and requires their protection from deforestation. PMID:25548156

Chronic subhepatotoxic exposure to arsenic enhances hepatic injury caused by high fat diet in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tan, Min; Schmidt, Robin H.; Beier, Juliane I.

Arsenic is a ubiquitous contaminant in drinking water. Whereas arsenic can be directly hepatotoxic, the concentrations/doses required are generally higher than present in the US water supply. However, physiological/biochemical changes that are alone pathologically inert can enhance the hepatotoxic response to a subsequent stimulus. Such a '2-hit' paradigm is best exemplified in chronic fatty liver diseases. Here, the hypothesis that low arsenic exposure sensitizes liver to hepatotoxicity in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was tested. Accordingly, male C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to low fat diet (LFD; 13% calories as fat) or high fat diet (HFD; 42% caloriesmore » as fat) and tap water or arsenic (4.9 ppm as sodium arsenite) for ten weeks. Biochemical and histologic indices of liver damage were determined. High fat diet ({+-} arsenic) significantly increased body weight gain in mice compared with low-fat controls. HFD significantly increased liver to body weight ratios; this variable was unaffected by arsenic exposure. HFD caused steatohepatitis, as indicated by histological assessment and by increases in plasma ALT and AST. Although arsenic exposure had no effect on indices of liver damage in LFD-fed animals, it significantly increased the liver damage caused by HFD. This effect of arsenic correlated with enhanced inflammation and fibrin extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. These data indicate that subhepatotoxic arsenic exposure enhances the toxicity of HFD. These results also suggest that arsenic exposure might be a risk factor for the development of fatty liver disease in human populations. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Characterizes a mouse model of arsenic enhanced NAFLD. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Arsenic synergistically enhances experimental fatty liver disease at concentrations that cause no overt hepatotoxicity alone. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This effect is associated with increased inflammation.« less

Sex hormone-binding globulin and antithrombin III activity in women with oral ultra-low-dose estradiol.

PubMed

Matsui, Sumika; Yasui, Toshiyuki; Kasai, Kana; Keyama, Kaoru; Yoshida, Kanako; Kato, Takeshi; Uemura, Hirokazu; Kuwahara, Akira; Matsuzaki, Toshiya; Irahara, Minoru

2017-07-01

Oral oestrogen increases the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and increases production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in a dose-dependent manner. SHBG has been suggested to be involved in venous thromboembolism. We examined the effects of oral ultra-low-dose oestradiol on circulating levels of SHBG and coagulation parameters, and we compared the effects to those of transdermal oestradiol. Twenty women received oral oestradiol (500 μg) every day (oral ultra-low-dose group) and 20 women received a transdermal patch (50 μg) as a transdermal group. In addition, the women received dydrogesterone continuously (5 mg) except for women who underwent hysterectomy. Circulating SHBG, antithrombin III (ATIII) activity, d-dimer, thrombin-antithrombin complex and plasmin-α2 plasmin inhibitor complex were measured before and 3 months after the start of treatment. SHBG was significantly increased at 3 months in the oral ultra-low-dose group, but not in the transdermal group. However, percent changes in SHBG were not significantly different between the two groups. In both groups, ATIII was significantly decreased at 3 months. In conclusion, even ultra-low-dose oestradiol orally increases circulating SHBG level. However, the magnitude of change in SHBG caused by oral ultra-low-dose oestradiol is small and is comparable to that caused by transdermal oestradiol. Impact statement Oral oestrogen replacement therapy increases production of SHBG which may be related to increase in VTE risk. However, the effect of oral ultra-low-dose oestradiol on SHBG has not been clarified. Even ultra-low-dose oestradiol orally increases circulating SHBG levels, but the magnitude of change in SHBG caused by oral ultra-low-dose oestradiol is small and is comparable to that caused by transdermal oestradiol. VTE risk in women receiving oral ultra-low-dose oestradiol may be comparable to that in women receiving transdermal oestradiol.

Multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health inequities.

PubMed

Khan, Mariam; Ilcisin, Misja; Saxton, Katherine

2017-03-04

The theory of fundamental causes explains why health disparities persist over time, even as risk factors, mechanisms, and diseases change. Using an intersectional framework, we evaluated multifactorial discrimination as a fundamental cause of mental health disparities. Using baseline data from the Project STRIDE: Stress, Identity, and Mental Health study, we examined the health effects of discrimination among individuals who self-identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. We used logistic and linear regression to assess whether multifactorial discrimination met the four criteria designating a fundamental cause, namely that the cause: 1) influences multiple health outcomes, 2) affects multiple risk factors, 3) involves access to resources that can be leveraged to reduce consequences of disease, and 4) reproduces itself in varied contexts through changing mechanisms. Multifactorial discrimination predicted high depression scores, psychological well-being, and substance use disorder diagnosis. Discrimination was positively associated with risk factors for high depression scores: chronic strain and total number of stressful life events. Discrimination was associated with significantly lower levels of mastery and self-esteem, protective factors for depressive symptomatology. Even after controlling for risk factors, discrimination remained a significant predictor for high depression scores. Among subjects with low depression scores, multifactorial discrimination also predicted anxiety and aggregate mental health scores. Multifactorial discrimination should be considered a fundamental cause of mental health inequities and may be an important cause of broad health disparities among populations with intersecting social identities.

Acute testicular ischemia caused by incarcerated inguinal hernia.

PubMed

Orth, Robert C; Towbin, Alexander J

2012-02-01

Acute testicular ischemia caused by an incarcerated inguinal hernia usually affects infants. There are few reports of diagnosis using US, and the effect of long-standing reducible hernias on testicular growth in infants and children is unknown. The objectives of this study were to determine the incidence of testicular ischemia secondary to an incarcerated inguinal hernia at scrotal sonography and to determine the effect on testicular size at diagnosis. A hospital database was used to locate scrotal sonography examinations documenting an inguinal hernia, and images were reviewed for signs of testicular ischemia. Testicular volumes were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. A total of 147 patients were identified with an inguinal hernia (age 1 day to 23 years, average 6 years). Ten patients (6.8%) had associated testicular ischemia (age 3 weeks to 6 months, average 9 weeks) and showed a statistically significant increase in ipsilateral testicular size compared to the contralateral testicle (P = 0.012). Patients without testicular ischemia did not show a significant difference in testicular size, regardless of patient age. An incarcerated inguinal hernia should be considered as a cause of acute testicular ischemia in infants younger than 6 months of age.

Direct and indirect effectiveness of influenza vaccination delivered to children at school preceding an epidemic caused by 3 new influenza virus variants.

PubMed

Glezen, W Paul; Gaglani, Manjusha J; Kozinetz, Claudia A; Piedra, Pedro A

2010-12-01

Influenza is an uncontrolled epidemic disease that is vaccine preventable. New recommendations for universal immunization present a challenge to the implementation of vaccine delivery. This field trial examines the effectiveness of school-based clinics for vaccine delivery before an epidemic caused by 3 new influenza virus variants not contained in the vaccine. Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) was offered to eligible children in elementary schools of eastern Bell County, Texas. Age-specific rates of medically attended acute respiratory illness for health plan members at the intervention site were compared with those for members at comparison sites during the epidemic, defined by viral surveillance at all sites. Almost 48% of children in elementary schools were vaccinated. Significant herd protection attributed to LAIV was detected for all age groups except 12-17-year-old students, who were not offered free vaccine. Approximately 2500 medical encounters were prevented at the intervention site. Inactivated vaccine provided marginal protection against the epidemic viruses. LAIV delivered to elementary-school children before an epidemic caused by 3 new variant influenza viruses generated significant cross-protection for the recipients and indirect (herd) protection for the community.

Changes in antioxidants potential, secondary metabolites and plant hormones induced by different fungicides treatment in cotton plants.

PubMed

Mohamed, Heba Ibrahim; Akladious, Samia Ageeb

2017-10-01

The use of fungicides for an effective control of plant diseases has become crucial in the last decades in the agriculture system. Seeds of cotton plants were treated with systemic and contact fungicides to study the efficiency of seed dressing fungicides in controlling damping off caused by Rhizoctonia solani under greenhouse conditions and its effect on plant growth and metabolism. The results showed that Mon-cut showed the highest efficiency (67.99%) while each of Tondro and Hemixet showed the lowest efficiency (31.99%) in controlling damping off. Rhizolex T, Mon-cut and Tondro fungicides caused significant decrease in plant height, dry weight of plant, phytohormones, photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars, soluble proteins, total free amino acids but caused significant increases in total phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant enzymes, ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione, MDA and hydrogen peroxide as compared with untreated plants. On the other hand, the other fungicides (Maxim, Hemixet and Flosan) increased all the above recorded parameters as compared with untreated plants. Our results indicated that the fungicides application could be a potential tool to increase plant growth, the antioxidative defense mechanisms and decreased infection with plant diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lethal photosensitization of Helicobacter species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Millson, Charles E.; Wilson, Michael; MacRobert, Alexander J.; Thurrell, Wendy; Mlkvy, Peter; Davies, Claire; Bown, Stephen G.

1995-01-01

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is associated with a large number of gastroduodenal disorders. Clearance of the bacteria has been shown to benefit patients with duodenal ulcers, gastric ulcers, and certain rare types of gastric tumors. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the mainstay of current treatment strategies but side-effects, poor compliance, and drug resistance limit their usefulness. We sensitized H. pylori with toluidine blue, haematoporphyrin derivative, aluminum disulphonated phthalocyanine, methylene blue or protoporphyrin IX prior to exposure to low-power laser light from either a gallium aluminum arsenide laser or a helium neon gas laser. All 5 sensitizers caused reductions of greater than 1000-fold in the number of viable bacteria. Light alone had no effect and only HpD caused a significant decrease in bacterial numbers without laser light. Next, we sensitized H. mustelae on explanted ferret gastric mucosa (ex vivo) with the same sensitizers and exposed them to light from a copper vapor pumped dye laser tuned appropriately. MB caused significant reductions in bacterial counts. Successful lethal photosensitization of Helicobacter pylori both in vitro and ex vivo raises the possibility of a local method for eradicating the bacteria, especially as the bacteria are only found in those parts of the upper gastrointestinal tract that are accessible to the endoscope.

Reduced anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing caused by biogenic new particle formation

PubMed Central

Sengupta, Kamalika; Duplissy, Jonathan; Frege, Carla; Williamson, Christina; Heinritzi, Martin; Simon, Mario; Yan, Chao; Almeida, João; Tröstl, Jasmin; Nieminen, Tuomo; Ortega, Ismael K.; Wagner, Robert; Dunne, Eimear M.; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bernhammer, Anne-Kathrin; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Brilke, Sophia; Chen, Xuemeng; Craven, Jill S.; Dias, Antonio; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Fischer, Lukas; Flagan, Richard C.; Franchin, Alessandro; Fuchs, Claudia; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hoyle, Christopher R.; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kim, Jaeseok; Krapf, Manuel; Kürten, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Molteni, Ugo; Monks, Sarah A.; Onnela, Antti; Peräkylä, Otso; Piel, Felix; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P.; Pringle, Kirsty J.; Richards, Nigel A. D.; Rissanen, Matti P.; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Scott, Catherine E.; Seinfeld, John H.; Sharma, Sangeeta; Sipilä, Mikko; Steiner, Gerhard; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Virtanen, Annele; Vogel, Alexander Lucas; Wagner, Andrea C.; Wagner, Paul E.; Weingartner, Ernest; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M.; Ye, Penglin; Zhang, Xuan; Hansel, Armin; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Baltensperger, Urs; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim

2016-01-01

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic emissions depends on the baseline state of the atmosphere under pristine preindustrial conditions. Measurements show that particle formation in atmospheric conditions can occur solely from biogenic vapors. Here, we evaluate the potential effect of this source of particles on preindustrial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and aerosol–cloud radiative forcing over the industrial period. Model simulations show that the pure biogenic particle formation mechanism has a much larger relative effect on CCN concentrations in the preindustrial atmosphere than in the present atmosphere because of the lower aerosol concentrations. Consequently, preindustrial cloud albedo is increased more than under present day conditions, and therefore the cooling forcing of anthropogenic aerosols is reduced. The mechanism increases CCN concentrations by 20–100% over a large fraction of the preindustrial lower atmosphere, and the magnitude of annual global mean radiative forcing caused by changes of cloud albedo since 1750 is reduced by 0.22 W m−2 (27%) to −0.60 W m−2. Model uncertainties, relatively slow formation rates, and limited available ambient measurements make it difficult to establish the significance of a mechanism that has its dominant effect under preindustrial conditions. Our simulations predict more particle formation in the Amazon than is observed. However, the first observation of pure organic nucleation has now been reported for the free troposphere. Given the potentially significant effect on anthropogenic forcing, effort should be made to better understand such naturally driven aerosol processes. PMID:27790989

Reduced anthropogenic aerosol radiative forcing caused by biogenic new particle formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordon, Hamish; Sengupta, Kamalika; Rap, Alexandru; Duplissy, Jonathan; Frege, Carla; Williamson, Christina; Heinritzi, Martin; Simon, Mario; Yan, Chao; Almeida, João; Tröstl, Jasmin; Nieminen, Tuomo; Ortega, Ismael K.; Wagner, Robert; Dunne, Eimear M.; Adamov, Alexey; Amorim, Antonio; Bernhammer, Anne-Kathrin; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Brilke, Sophia; Chen, Xuemeng; Craven, Jill S.; Dias, Antonio; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Fischer, Lukas; Flagan, Richard C.; Franchin, Alessandro; Fuchs, Claudia; Guida, Roberto; Hakala, Jani; Hoyle, Christopher R.; Jokinen, Tuija; Junninen, Heikki; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kim, Jaeseok; Kirkby, Jasper; Krapf, Manuel; Kürten, Andreas; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Molteni, Ugo; Monks, Sarah A.; Onnela, Antti; Peräkylä, Otso; Piel, Felix; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P.; Pringle, Kirsty J.; Richards, Nigel A. D.; Rissanen, Matti P.; Rondo, Linda; Sarnela, Nina; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Scott, Catherine E.; Seinfeld, John H.; Sharma, Sangeeta; Sipilä, Mikko; Steiner, Gerhard; Stozhkov, Yuri; Stratmann, Frank; Tomé, Antonio; Virtanen, Annele; Vogel, Alexander Lucas; Wagner, Andrea C.; Wagner, Paul E.; Weingartner, Ernest; Wimmer, Daniela; Winkler, Paul M.; Ye, Penglin; Zhang, Xuan; Hansel, Armin; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Baltensperger, Urs; Kulmala, Markku; Curtius, Joachim; Carslaw, Kenneth S.

2016-10-01

The magnitude of aerosol radiative forcing caused by anthropogenic emissions depends on the baseline state of the atmosphere under pristine preindustrial conditions. Measurements show that particle formation in atmospheric conditions can occur solely from biogenic vapors. Here, we evaluate the potential effect of this source of particles on preindustrial cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations and aerosol-cloud radiative forcing over the industrial period. Model simulations show that the pure biogenic particle formation mechanism has a much larger relative effect on CCN concentrations in the preindustrial atmosphere than in the present atmosphere because of the lower aerosol concentrations. Consequently, preindustrial cloud albedo is increased more than under present day conditions, and therefore the cooling forcing of anthropogenic aerosols is reduced. The mechanism increases CCN concentrations by 20-100% over a large fraction of the preindustrial lower atmosphere, and the magnitude of annual global mean radiative forcing caused by changes of cloud albedo since 1750 is reduced by 0.22 W m-2 (27%) to -0.60 W m-2. Model uncertainties, relatively slow formation rates, and limited available ambient measurements make it difficult to establish the significance of a mechanism that has its dominant effect under preindustrial conditions. Our simulations predict more particle formation in the Amazon than is observed. However, the first observation of pure organic nucleation has now been reported for the free troposphere. Given the potentially significant effect on anthropogenic forcing, effort should be made to better understand such naturally driven aerosol processes.

Effects of habitual chitosan intake on bone mass, bone-related metabolic markers and duodenum CaBP D9K mRNA in ovariectomized SHRSP rats.

PubMed

Yang, Chu-Ya; Oh, Tae-Woong; Nakajima, Daito; Maeda, Atsuko; Naka, Tatsuki; Kim, Chang-Sun; Igawa, Shoji; Ohta, Fukio

2002-10-01

We have demonstrated that the habitual intake of chitosan can decrease bone mass in ovariectomized (OVX) SHRSP rats fed a low-Ca diet (0.1%). In the present study, we examined both the etiology of bone loss induced by dietary chitosan and the preventive effect of vitamin C supplementation. Rats were OVX and maintained on one of the following diets for 6 wk: 10% cellulose (CE). 10% chitosan (CH) or 10% chitosan with sodium ascorbate (CHVC). CH caused a significant reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) and stiffness in femurs and the fourth lumbar vertebrae (L4). There was no significant difference in intestinal Ca absorption between CH and CE, whereas CH intake significantly reduced intestinal P absorption. The bone loss in CH rats was accompanied with an increase in urinary Ca excretion and a decrease in serum Ca as well as a significant increment In serum PTH and 1,25(OH)2D3. The vitamin D receptor and calcium binding protein D9K mRNAs were also significantly increased in the duodenum of CH rats. Vitamin C supplementation to CH caused an increase in the Ca and P contents of femurs as well as BMD of the L4, with a decrease in urinary Ca excretion. These results indicate that dietary chitosan with low Ca intake possibly induces the loss of bone mass by enhancing urinary Ca excretion rather than by inhibiting Ca absorption, and that vitamin C supplementation could prevent bone loss caused by chitosan through the increment of retained Ca followed by suppression of urinary Ca excretion.

Shape-Related Toxicity of Titanium Dioxide Nanofibres

PubMed Central

Allegri, Manfredi; Bianchi, Massimiliano G.; Chiu, Martina; Varet, Julia; Costa, Anna L.; Ortelli, Simona; Blosi, Magda; Bussolati, Ovidio; Poland, Craig A.; Bergamaschi, Enrico

2016-01-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanofibres are a novel fibrous nanomaterial with increasing applications in a variety of fields. While the biological effects of TiO2 nanoparticles have been extensively studied, the toxicological characterization of TiO2 nanofibres is far from being complete. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of commercially available anatase TiO2 nanofibres using TiO2 nanoparticles (NP) and crocidolite asbestos as non-fibrous or fibrous benchmark materials. The evaluated endpoints were cell viability, haemolysis, macrophage activation, trans-epithelial electrical resistance (an indicator of the epithelial barrier competence), ROS production and oxidative stress as well as the morphology of exposed cells. The results showed that TiO2 nanofibres caused a cell-specific, dose-dependent decrease of cell viability, with larger effects on alveolar epithelial cells than on macrophages. The observed effects were comparable to those of crocidolite, while TiO2 NP did not decrease cell viability. TiO2 nanofibres were also found endowed with a marked haemolytic activity, at levels significantly higher than those observed with TiO2 nanoparticles or crocidolite. Moreover, TiO2 nanofibres and crocidolite, but not TiO2 nanoparticles, caused a significant decrease of the trans-epithelial electrical resistance of airway cell monolayers. SEM images demonstrated that the interaction with nanofibres and crocidolite caused cell shape perturbation with the longest fibres incompletely or not phagocytosed. The expression of several pro-inflammatory markers, such as NO production and the induction of Nos2 and Ptgs2, was significantly increased by TiO2 nanofibres, as well as by TiO2 nanoparticles and crocidolite. This study indicates that TiO2 nanofibres had significant toxic effects and, for most endpoints with the exception of pro-inflammatory changes, are more bio-active than TiO2 nanoparticles, showing the relevance of shape in determining the toxicity of nanomaterials. Given that several toxic effects of TiO2 nanofibres appear comparable to those observed with crocidolite, the possibility that they exert length dependent toxicity in vivo seems worthy of further investigation. PMID:26999274

Death rates for acquired hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis in English populations (1979-2010): comparison of underlying cause and all certified causes.

PubMed

Goldacre, M J; Duncan, M E

2013-03-01

Overt hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis have widespread systemic effects and are associated with increased mortality. Most death certificates that include them do not have the thyroid disease coded as the underlying cause of death. To describe regional (1979-2010) and national (1995-2010) trends in mortality rates for acquired hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis, analysing all certified causes of death (termed 'mentions') and not just the underlying cause. Analysis of death registration data. Analysis of data for the Oxford region (mentions available from 1979) and English national data (mentions available from 1995). The data were grouped in periods defined by different national rules for selecting the underlying cause of death (1979-83, 1984-92, 1993-2000 and 2001-10) and were also analysed as single calendar years. Mentions mortality for acquired hypothyroidism in the Oxford region declined significantly from 1979 to 2010: the average annual percentage change (AAPC) was -2.6% (95% confidence intervals -3.5, -1.8). Most of the decrease occurred during the 1980s. The AAPC in rates for later years in England (1995-2010) was non-significant at 0.2% (-0.7, 1.0). Mortality rates for thyrotoxicosis decreased significantly: the AAPC was -2.8% (-4.1, -1.5) in the Oxford region and -3.8% (-4.7, -3.0) in England. In England, between 2001 and 2010, hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis was coded as the underlying cause of death on, respectively, 17 and 24% of death certificates that included them. Mortality rates for hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis have fallen substantially. The fall is probably wholly or mainly a result of improved care.

Application of calorimetry to microbial biodegradation studies of agrochemicals in oxisols.

PubMed

Critter, S A; Airoldi, C

2001-01-01

Calorimetry was used to monitor the inhibitory effect caused by the bipyridynium diquaternary salts paraquat, diquat, and phosphamidon on microbial activity in a Red Latosol soil (Oxisol). The thermal effect was recorded on samples composed of 1.50 g of soil, 6.0 mg of glucose, 6.0 mg of ammonium sulfate, and different masses of an inhibitor ranging from zero to 8.00 mg, under a controlled moisture content of 35%. Thermal effects of each pollutant on the degradation curves of glucose in the soil were compared. Increasing amounts of the inhibitor caused a decrease in the thermal effect from -2234 to -1987 kJ mol(-1) for paraquat, -1670 to -1306 kJ mol(-1) for diquat, and -2239 to -589 kJ mol(-1) for phosphamidon. The last xenobiotic agent caused a significant inhibitory effect on the microbial activity of the soil. The results of relative efficiency, eta = deltaH/deltaH', referring to the enthalpic value with (deltaH) and without (deltaH') agrochemical in the soil, exhibited a significant correlation. From this correlation obtained for the ranges 2.00 to 8.00, 1.30 to 8.00, and 1.20 to 5.80 mg of the agrochemicals paraquat, diquat, and phosphamidon, respectively, the following eta values were calculated: 0.993 to 0.894, 0.668 to 0.522, and 0.896 to 0.236, respectively, during the degradation of glucose in the soil. The largest relative efficiency for paraquat implies that this agrochemical can be metabolized by microbial activity.

Effects of different irrigation practices using treated wastewater on tomato yields, quality, water productivity, and soil and fruit mineral contents.

PubMed

Demir, Azize Dogan; Sahin, Ustun

2017-11-01

Wastewater use in agricultural irrigation is becoming a common practice in order to meet the rising water demands in arid and semi-arid regions. The study was conducted to determine the effects of the full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation practices using treated municipal wastewater (TWW) and freshwater (FW) on tomato yield, water use, fruit quality, and soil and fruit heavy metal concentrations. The TWW significantly increased marketable yield compared to the FW, as well as decreased water consumption. Therefore, water use efficiency (WUE) in the TWW was significantly higher than in the FW. Although the DI and the PRD practices caused less yields, these practices significantly increased WUE values due to less irrigation water applied. The water-yield linear relationships were statistically significant. TWW significantly increased titratable acidity and vitamin C contents. Reduced irrigation provided significantly lower titratable acidity, vitamin C, and lycopene contents. TWW increased the surface soil and fruit mineral contents in response to FW. Greater increases were observed under FI, and mineral contents declined with reduction in irrigation water. Heavy metal accumulation in soils was within safe limits. However, Cd and Pb contents in fruits exceeded standard limits given by FAO/WHO. Higher metal pollution index values determined for fruits also indicated that TWW application, especially under FI, might cause health risks in long term.

The Effect of Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Vapors on Evidential Breath Alcohol Test Results.

PubMed

Strawsine, Ellen; Lutmer, Brian

2017-11-16

This study was undertaken to determine if the application of alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHSs) to the hands of a breath test operator will affect the results obtained on evidential breath alcohol instruments (EBTs). This study obtained breath samples on three different EBTs immediately after application of either gel or foam ABHS to the operator's hands. A small, but significant, number of initial analyses (13 of 130, 10%) resulted in positive breath alcohol concentrations, while 41 samples (31.5%) resulted in a status code. These status codes were caused by ethanol vapors either in the room air or their inhalation by the subject, thereby causing a mouth alcohol effect. Replicate subject samples did not yield any consecutive positive numeric results. As ABHS application can cause a transitory mouth alcohol effect via inhalation of ABHS vapors, EBT operators should forego the use of ABHS in the 15 min preceding subject testing. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Scrutinizing Homophobia: A Model of Perception of Homosexuals in Russia.

PubMed

Gulevich, Olga A; Osin, Evgeny N; Isaenko, Nadezhda A; Brainis, Lilia M

2017-10-10

We aimed to develop and validate a model of associations of perceived threat of homosexuals with lay beliefs about causes of homosexuality, group entitativity of homosexuals, approval of social action strategies targeting homosexuals, and support for their rights using original Russian-language measures. We tested the model in two samples of social network users (n = 1,007) and student respondents (n = 292) using structural equation modeling and path analysis. Attribution of homosexuality to social causes was a positive predictor of perceived threat of homosexuals, whereas biological causes showed an inverse effect. Perceived threat predicted approval of discriminatory strategies targeting homosexuals and lack of support for their rights and fully mediated the effects of causal beliefs on these variables. Group entitativity of homosexuals was a positive predictor of perceived threat and a significant moderator of its effects on support for punishment and medical treatment of homosexuals. We discuss the findings with reference to the Russian social context.

Comparative effects of mites and lice on the reproductive success of rock doves (Columba livia).

PubMed

Clayton, D H; Tompkins, D M

1995-02-01

We report experimental data comparing the effects of Mesostigmatid mites and Ischnoceran lice on the reproductive performance of a single group of captive rock doves (Columba livia). Several components of host reproductive success were compared for the two groups, including number of eggs laid, hatching success, nestling growth rates, fledging success, post-fledging body mass and survival. Adult body mass and survival were also compared. There was a dramatic difference in the effects of the mites and lice. The former drove host reproductive success to zero, mainly by agitating adults and causing them to incubate eggs less faithfully. Nestling growth rates and post-fledging survival were also significantly reduced by mites. Lice showed no effect on reproductive success whatsoever, even though the feather damage they cause is known to have energetic consequences (Booth, Clayton & Block, 1993). Neither parasite had a significant effect on adult birds. Although Ischnocera are found on most species of birds, our results for lice constitute the first experimental test of the impact of Ischnocera on avian reproductive success (preliminary report by Clayton & Tompkins, 1994). We discuss reasons for the different effects of mites and lice, including the relationship of horizontal (mites) and vertical (lice) transmission to the evolution of virulence.

Effects of solar UV radiation and climate change on biogeochemical cycling: interactions and feedbacks.

PubMed

Zepp, R G; Erickson, D J; Paul, N D; Sulzberger, B

2011-02-01

Solar UV radiation, climate and other drivers of global change are undergoing significant changes and models forecast that these changes will continue for the remainder of this century. Here we assess the effects of solar UV radiation on biogeochemical cycles and the interactions of these effects with climate change, including feedbacks on climate. Such interactions occur in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. While there is significant uncertainty in the quantification of these effects, they could accelerate the rate of atmospheric CO(2) increase and subsequent climate change beyond current predictions. The effects of predicted changes in climate and solar UV radiation on carbon cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are expected to vary significantly between regions. The balance of positive and negative effects on terrestrial carbon cycling remains uncertain, but the interactions between UV radiation and climate change are likely to contribute to decreasing sink strength in many oceanic regions. Interactions between climate and solar UV radiation will affect cycling of elements other than carbon, and so will influence the concentration of greenhouse and ozone-depleting gases. For example, increases in oxygen-deficient regions of the ocean caused by climate change are projected to enhance the emissions of nitrous oxide, an important greenhouse and ozone-depleting gas. Future changes in UV-induced transformations of aquatic and terrestrial contaminants could have both beneficial and adverse effects. Taken in total, it is clear that the future changes in UV radiation coupled with human-caused global change will have large impacts on biogeochemical cycles at local, regional and global scales.

Coupling surface water (Delft3D) to groundwater (MODFLOW) in the Bay-Delta community model: the effect of major abstractions in the Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendriks, D.; Ball, S. M.; Van der Wegen, M.; Verkaik, J.; van Dam, A.

2016-12-01

We present a coupled groundwater-surface water model for the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley that consists of a combination of a spatially-distributed groundwater model (Modflow) based on the USGS Central Valley model(1) and the Flexible Mesh (FM) surface water model of the Bay Area(2). With this coupled groundwater-surface water model, we assessed effects of climate, surface water abstractions and groundwater pumping on surface water and groundwater levels, groundwater-surface water interaction and infiltration/seepage fluxes. Results show that the effect of climate (high flow and low flow) on surface water and groundwater is significant and most prominent in upstream areas. The surface water abstractions cause significant local surface water levels decrease (over 2 m), which may cause inflow of bay water during low flow periods, resulting in salinization of surface water in more upstream areas. Groundwater level drawdown due to surface water withdrawal is moderate and limited to the area of the withdrawals. The groundwater pumping causes large groundwater level drawdowns (up to 0.8 m) and significant changes in seepage/infiltration fluxes in the model. However, the effect on groundwater-surface water exchange is relatively small. The presented model instrument gives a sound first impression of the effects of climate and water abstraction on both surface water and groundwater. The combination of Modflow and Flexible Mesh has potential for modelling of groundwater-surface water exchange in deltaic areas, also in other parts of the world. However, various improvements need to be made in order to make the simulation results useful in practice. In addition, a water quality aspect could be added to assess salinization processes as well as groundwater-surface water aspects of water and soil pollution. (1) http://ca.water.usgs.gov/projects/central-valley/central-valley-hydrologic-model.html (2) www.d3d-baydelta.org

Cybersickness and Anxiety During Simulated Motion: Implications for VRET.

PubMed

Bruck, Susan; Watters, Paul

2009-01-01

Some clinicians have suggested using virtual reality environments to deliver psychological interventions to treat anxiety disorders. However, given a significant body of work on cybersickness symptoms which may arise in virtual environments - especially those involving simulated motion - we tested (a) whether being exposed to a virtual reality environment alone causes anxiety to increase, and (b) whether exposure to simulated motion in a virtual reality environment increases anxiety. Using a repeated measures design, we used Kim's Anxiety Scale questionnaire to compare baseline anxiety, anxiety after virtual environment exposure, and anxiety after simulated motion. While there was no significant effect on anxiety for being in a virtual environment with no simulated motion, the introduction of simulated motion caused anxiety to significantly increase, but not to a severe or extreme level. The implications of this work for virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) are discussed.

Evaluation of pressure and thermal data from a wind tunnel test of a large-scale, powered, STOL fighter model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, G. A.; Crosthwait, E. L.; Witte, M. C.

1981-01-01

A STOL fighter model employing the vectored-engine-over wing concept was tested at low speeds in the NASA/Ames 40 by 80-foot wind tunnel. The model, approximately 0.75 scale of an operational fighter, was powered by two General Electric J-97 turbojet engines. Limited pressure and thermal instrumentation were provided to measure power effects (chordwise and spanwise blowing) and control-surface-deflection effects. An indepth study of the pressure and temperature data revealed many flow field features - the foremost being wing and canard leading-edge vortices. These vortices delineated regions of attached and separated flow, and their movements were often keys to an understanding of flow field changes caused by power and control-surface variations. Chordwise blowing increased wing lift and caused a modest aft shift in the center of pressure. The induced effects of chordwise blowing extended forward to the canard and significantly increased the canard lift when the surface was stalled. Spanwise blowing effectively enhanced the wing leading-edge vortex, thereby increasing lift and causing a forward shift in the center of pressure.

Bezafibrate for the treatment of dyslipidemia in patients with coronary artery disease: 20-year mortality follow-up of the BIP randomized control trial.

PubMed

Arbel, Yaron; Klempfner, Robert; Erez, Aharon; Goldenberg, Ilan; Benzekry, Sagit; Shlomo, Nir; Fisman, Enrique Z; Tenenbaum, Alexander

2016-01-22

Recent data support the renewed interest in hypertriglyceridemia as a possible important therapeutic target for cardiovascular risk reduction. This study was designed to address the question of all-cause mortality during extended follow-up of the BIP trial in patients stratified by baseline triglyceride levels. In the BIP trial 3090 patients with proven coronary artery disease were randomized to bezafibrate 400 mg/day or placebo. All-cause mortality data after 20 years of follow-up, were obtained from the National Israeli Population Registry. Patients with hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides ≥200 mg/dL, n = 458) were equally distributed among the study groups (15 % in both placebo and bezafibrate groups). During follow-up 1869 patients died (952 in placebo vs. 917 in bezafibrate group). Following multivariate adjustment allocation to bezafibrate was associated with small but significant 10 % mortality risk reduction (HR 0.90; 95 % CI 0.82-0.98, p = 0.026). Variables associated with significantly increased mortality risk were history of a past MI, NYHA class, diabetes, age, higher BMI and glucose level. In patients with hypertriglyceridemia multivariate analysis demonstrated a 25 % all-cause mortality risk reduction associated with allocation to bezafibrate (HR 0.75, CI 95 % 0.60-0.94; p = 0.012). In patients without hypertriglyceridemia bezafibrate had no significant effect on long-term mortality. During long-term follow-up bezafibrate-allocated patients experienced a modest but significant 10 % reduction in the adjusted risk of mortality. This effect of bezafibrate was more prominent among patients with baseline hypertriglyceridemia (25 % mortality risk reduction).

Increased hospital admissions associated with extreme-heat exposure in King County, Washington, 1990-2010.

PubMed

Isaksen, Tania Busch; Yost, Michael G; Hom, Elizabeth K; Ren, You; Lyons, Hilary; Fenske, Richard A

2015-01-01

Increased morbidity and mortality have been associated with extreme heat events, particularly in temperate climates. Few epidemiologic studies have considered the impact of extreme heat events on hospitalization rates in the Pacific Northwest region. This study quantifies the historic (May to September 1990-2010) heat-morbidity relationship in the most populous Pacific Northwest County, King County, Washington. A relative risk (RR) analysis was used to explore the association between heat and all non-traumatic hospitalizations on 99th percentile heat days, whereas a time series analysis using a piecewise linear model approximation was used to estimate the effect of heat intensity on hospitalizations, adjusted for temporal trends and day of the week. A non-statistically significant 2% [95% CI: 1.02 (0.98, 1.05)] increase in hospitalization risk, on a heat day vs. a non-heat day, was noted for all-ages and all non-traumatic causes. When considering the effect of heat intensity on admissions, we found a statistically significant 1.59% (95% CI: 0.9%, 2.29%) increase in admissions per degree increase in humidex above 37.4°C. Admissions stratified by cause and age produced statistically significant results with both relative risk and time series analyses for nephritis and nephrotic syndromes, acute renal failure, and natural heat exposure hospitalizations. This study demonstrates that heat, expressed as humidex, is associated with increased hospital admissions. When stratified by age and cause of admission, the non-elderly age groups (<85 years) experience significant risk for nephritis and nephrotic syndromes, acute renal failure, natural heat exposure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma hospitalizations.

Antinephrolithiatic and antioxidative efficacy of Dolichos biflorus seeds in a lithiasic rat model.

PubMed

Saha, Sarmistha; Verma, Ramtej J

2015-01-01

Dolichos biflorus sensu auct non L. (Fabaceae) is widely used for the treatment of kidney stones, leucorrhoea, urinary disorders, and menstrual troubles, and is known for its antioxidant activity. To evaluate the preventive effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of Dolichos biflorus seeds (DBE) in ethylene glycol induced nephrolithiasis. In vitro antioxidative capacity of DBE was estimated in terms of reducing power, superoxide radical, 2,2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical, and nitric oxide scavenging activity. A validated HPLC method was used for standardization using quercetin as a marker. Adult female Wistar rats were administered with DBE (150 and 300 mg/kg body weight/day) along with ethylene glycol (0.75%, v/v) for 28 d. The various biochemical parameters were measured in urine, serum, and kidney followed by histochemistry. Ethylene glycol caused a significant increase in calcium, oxalate, phosphate, and total protein in urine as well as in kidney whereas decrease in calcium, sodium, and magnesium in serum was observed (p < 0.001). Ethylene glycol also caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and concurrent decrease in activities of antioxidant enzymes in kidney (p < 0.001). However, the seed extract of D. biflorus caused significant restoration of all these parameters (p < 0.001). Histopathological and histochemical studies also showed the reduced calcifications in kidney of seed extract treated rats. These results indicated that seeds of D. biflorus have significant prophylactic effect in preventing the nephrolithiasis, which might be due to the antioxidant activity of the active compounds of the plant.

Hemodynamic Changes by Drug Interaction of Adrenaline With Chlorpromazine

PubMed Central

Higuchi, Hitoshi; Yabuki, Akiko; Ishii-Maruhama, Minako; Tomoyasu, Yumiko; Maeda, Shigeru; Miyawaki, Takuya

2014-01-01

Adrenaline (epinephrine) is included in dental local anesthesia for the purpose of vasoconstriction. In Japan, adrenaline is contraindicated for use in patients receiving antipsychotic therapy, because the combination of adrenaline and an antipsychotic is considered to cause severe hypotension; however, there is insufficient evidence supporting this claim. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the changes in hemodynamics caused by drug interaction between adrenaline and an antipsychotic and to evaluate the safety of the combined use of adrenaline and an antipsychotic in an animal study. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. A catheter was inserted into the femoral artery to measure blood pressure and pulse rate. Rats were pretreated by intraperitoneal injection of chlorpromazine or chlorpromazine and propranolol, and after 20 minutes, saline or 1 of 3 different doses of adrenaline was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Changes in the ratio of mean arterial blood pressure and pulse rate were measured after the injection of adrenaline. Significant hypotension and tachycardia were observed after the injection of adrenaline in the chlorpromazine-pretreated rats. These effects were in a dose-dependent manner, and 100 μg/kg adrenaline induced significant hemodynamic changes. Furthermore, in the chlorpromazine and propranolol–pretreated rats, modest hypertension was induced by adrenaline, but hypotension and tachycardia were not significantly shown. Hypotension was caused by a drug interaction between adrenaline and chlorpromazine through the activation of the β-adrenergic receptor and showed a dose-dependent effect. Low-dose adrenaline similar to what might be used in human dental treatment did not result in a significant homodynamic change. PMID:25517550

Hemodynamic changes by drug interaction of adrenaline with chlorpromazine.

PubMed

Higuchi, Hitoshi; Yabuki, Akiko; Ishii-Maruhama, Minako; Tomoyasu, Yumiko; Maeda, Shigeru; Miyawaki, Takuya

2014-01-01

Adrenaline (epinephrine) is included in dental local anesthesia for the purpose of vasoconstriction. In Japan, adrenaline is contraindicated for use in patients receiving antipsychotic therapy, because the combination of adrenaline and an antipsychotic is considered to cause severe hypotension; however, there is insufficient evidence supporting this claim. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the changes in hemodynamics caused by drug interaction between adrenaline and an antipsychotic and to evaluate the safety of the combined use of adrenaline and an antipsychotic in an animal study. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. A catheter was inserted into the femoral artery to measure blood pressure and pulse rate. Rats were pretreated by intraperitoneal injection of chlorpromazine or chlorpromazine and propranolol, and after 20 minutes, saline or 1 of 3 different doses of adrenaline was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Changes in the ratio of mean arterial blood pressure and pulse rate were measured after the injection of adrenaline. Significant hypotension and tachycardia were observed after the injection of adrenaline in the chlorpromazine-pretreated rats. These effects were in a dose-dependent manner, and 100 μg/kg adrenaline induced significant hemodynamic changes. Furthermore, in the chlorpromazine and propranolol-pretreated rats, modest hypertension was induced by adrenaline, but hypotension and tachycardia were not significantly shown. Hypotension was caused by a drug interaction between adrenaline and chlorpromazine through the activation of the β-adrenergic receptor and showed a dose-dependent effect. Low-dose adrenaline similar to what might be used in human dental treatment did not result in a significant homodynamic change.

Protective effects of a natural herbal compound quercetin against snake venom-induced hepatic and renal toxicities in rats.

PubMed

Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman K; Khan, Haseeb A; Manthiri, Rajamohamed A; Al-Khlaiwi, Ahmad A; Al-Asmari, Bayan A; Ibrahim, Khalid E

2018-05-08

Echis pyramidum is a highly poisonous viper snake. Previous studies have shown acute phase hepatic and renal toxicities of Echis pyramidum venom (EPV) in rats. This study reports the protective effects of a natural herbal compound quercetin (QRC) on EPV-induced hepatic and renal toxicities in rats. A singly injection of EPV (4.76 mg/kg) caused significant increase in serum biomarkers of liver and kidney function. Pre-treatment of QRC (10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the toxic effects of EPV on functional impairment in liver and kidneys of rats. Administration of QRC also reversed EPV-induced increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in total thiols. The histopathology of liver showed fat accumulation, focal degeneration and cytoplasmic vacuolation of hepatocytes in EPV treated rats. EPV also caused renal tubular dilation and focal atrophy of glomerular tufts in rat kidneys. Administration of QRC prevented EPV-induced structural tissue damage in liver and kidneys of rats. In conclusion, QRC significantly inhibited the acute phase toxic effects of EPV on liver and kidneys of rats by preventing the oxidative stress in these organs. QRC is also known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-edema, anti-hemorrhagic and PLA2-inhibitory properties and therefore may be regarded as a multi-action antidote against snake venom toxicity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring and accounting for publication bias in mental health: a brief overview of methods.

PubMed

Mavridis, Dimitris; Salanti, Georgia

2014-02-01

OBJECTIVE Publication bias undermines the integrity of published research. The aim of this paper is to present a synopsis of methods for exploring and accounting for publication bias. METHODS We discussed the main features of the following methods to assess publication bias: funnel plot analysis; trim-and-fill methods; regression techniques and selection models. We applied these methods to a well-known example of antidepressants trials that compared trials submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for regulatory approval. RESULTS The funnel plot-related methods (visual inspection, trim-and-fill, regression models) revealed an association between effect size and SE. Contours of statistical significance showed that asymmetry in the funnel plot is probably due to publication bias. Selection model found a significant correlation between effect size and propensity for publication. CONCLUSIONS Researchers should always consider the possible impact of publication bias. Funnel plot-related methods should be seen as a means of examining for small-study effects and not be directly equated with publication bias. Possible causes for funnel plot asymmetry should be explored. Contours of statistical significance may help disentangle whether asymmetry in a funnel plot is caused by publication bias or not. Selection models, although underused, could be useful resource when publication bias and heterogeneity are suspected because they address directly the problem of publication bias and not that of small-study effects.

Peptidase modulation of the pulmonary effects of tachykinins in tracheal superfused guinea pig lungs.

PubMed Central

Martins, M A; Shore, S A; Gerard, N P; Gerard, C; Drazen, J M

1990-01-01

The effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril and the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors thiorphan and SCH 32615 on the changes in airway opening pressure (PaO) and the recovery of offered peptide were studied after intratracheal administration of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in isolated guinea pig lungs superfused through the trachea. Pao changes and the recovery of offered peptide were significantly greater in NEP inhibitor-treated lungs than in control lungs. Captopril did not cause a significant change in the physiological effects or the recovery of SP and NKA. HPLC analysis of [3H]Pro2,4-SP and 125I-Histidyl1-NKA perfused through the airways showed major cleavage products consistent with NEP action. We conclude that there is significant degradation of both SP and NKA after tracheal infusion of peptides by NEP-like but not by ACE activity; this effect significantly influences the physiological effects of these peptides. Images PMID:1688568

Peptidase modulation of the pulmonary effects of tachykinins in tracheal superfused guinea pig lungs.

PubMed

Martins, M A; Shore, S A; Gerard, N P; Gerard, C; Drazen, J M

1990-01-01

The effects of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril and the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors thiorphan and SCH 32615 on the changes in airway opening pressure (PaO) and the recovery of offered peptide were studied after intratracheal administration of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in isolated guinea pig lungs superfused through the trachea. Pao changes and the recovery of offered peptide were significantly greater in NEP inhibitor-treated lungs than in control lungs. Captopril did not cause a significant change in the physiological effects or the recovery of SP and NKA. HPLC analysis of [3H]Pro2,4-SP and 125I-Histidyl1-NKA perfused through the airways showed major cleavage products consistent with NEP action. We conclude that there is significant degradation of both SP and NKA after tracheal infusion of peptides by NEP-like but not by ACE activity; this effect significantly influences the physiological effects of these peptides.

Enhancement of the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans by combined treatment with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Park, Sang Rye; Lee, Hyun Wook; Hong, Jin Woo; Lee, Hae June; Kim, Ji Young; Choi, Byul Bo-Ra; Kim, Gyoo Cheon; Jeon, Young Chan

2014-08-08

Recently, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma sources have been used for biomedical applications such as sterilization, cancer treatment, blood coagulation, and wound healing. Gold nanoparticles (gNPs) have unique optical properties and are useful for biomedical applications. Although low-temperature plasma has been shown to be effective in killing oral bacteria on agar plates, its bactericidal effect is negligible on the tooth surface. Therefore, we used 30-nm gNPs to enhance the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on human teeth. We tested the sterilizing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains. The survival rate was assessed by bacterial viability stains and colony-forming unit counts. Low-temperature plasma treatment alone was effective in killing S. mutans on slide glasses, as shown by the 5-log decrease in viability. However, plasma treatment of bacteria spotted onto tooth surface exhibited a 3-log reduction in viability. After gNPs were added to S. mutans, plasma treatment caused a 5-log reduction in viability, while gNPs alone did not show any bactericidal effect. The morphological changes in S. mutans caused by plasma treatment were examined by transmission electron microscopy, which showed that plasma treatment only perforated the cell walls, while the combination treatment with plasma and gold nanoparticles caused significant cell rupture, causing loss of intracellular components from many cells. This study demonstrates that low-temperature plasma treatment is effective in killing S. mutans and that its killing effect is further enhanced when used in combination with gNPs.

QTL mapping of sulfur tolerance in melon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elemental sulfur is a cheap, effective fungicide with multi-site action, which inhibits the evolution of pathogen resistance. Fungal pathogens cause significant yield losses in melon production. Many melon genotypes, however, suffer leaf necrosis in response to elemental sulfur application preventin...

Climate Change Indicators in the United States, 2016

EPA Science Inventory

EPA partners with over 40 data contributors from various government agencies, academic institutions, and other organizations to compile and communicate key indicators related to the causes and effects of climate change, the significance of these changes, and their possible conseq...

Poverty and People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerson, Eric

2007-01-01

Epidemiological studies have consistently reported a significant association between poverty and the prevalence of intellectual disabilities. The available evidence suggests that this association reflects two distinct processes. First, poverty causes intellectual disabilities, an effect mediated through the association between poverty and exposure…

Inclusion of detergent in a cleaning regime and effect on microbial load in livestock housing.

PubMed

Hancox, L R; Le Bon, M; Dodd, C E R; Mellits, K H

Determining effective cleaning and disinfection regimes of livestock housing is vital to improving the health of resident animals and reducing zoonotic disease. A cleaning regime consisting of scraping, soaking with or without detergent (treatment and control), pressure washing, disinfection and natural drying was applied to multiple pig pens. After each cleaning stage, samples were taken from different materials and enumerated for total aerobic count (TAC) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT). Soaking with detergent (Blast-Off, Biolink) caused significantly greater reductions of TAC and ENT on metal, and TAC on concrete, compared with control. Disinfection effect (Virkon S, DuPont) was not significantly associated with prior detergent treatment. Disinfection significantly reduced TAC and ENT on concrete and stock board but not on metal. Twenty-four hours after disinfection TAC and ENT on metal and stock board were significantly reduced, but no significant reductions occurred in the subsequent 96 hours. Counts on concrete did not significantly reduce during the entire drying period (120 hours). Detergent and disinfectant have varying bactericidal effects according to the surface and bacterial target; however, both can significantly reduce microbial numbers so should be used during cleaning, with a minimum drying period of 24 hours, to lower bacterial counts effectively.

In vitro design of a novel lytic bacteriophage cocktail with therapeutic potential against organisms causing diabetic foot infections.

PubMed

Mendes, João J; Leandro, Clara; Mottola, Carla; Barbosa, Raquel; Silva, Filipa A; Oliveira, Manuela; Vilela, Cristina L; Melo-Cristino, José; Górski, Andrzej; Pimentel, Madalena; São-José, Carlos; Cavaco-Silva, Patrícia; Garcia, Miguel

2014-08-01

In patients with diabetes mellitus, foot infections pose a significant risk. These are complex infections commonly caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, all of which are potentially susceptible to bacteriophages. Here, we characterized five bacteriophages that we had determined previously to have antimicrobial and wound-healing potential in chronic S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and A. baumannii infections. Morphological and genetic features indicated that the bacteriophages were lytic members of the family Myoviridae or Podoviridae and did not harbour any known bacterial virulence genes. Combinations of the bacteriophages had broad host ranges for the different target bacterial species. The activity of the bacteriophages against planktonic cells revealed effective, early killing at 4 h, followed by bacterial regrowth to pre-treatment levels by 24 h. Using metabolic activity as a measure of cell viability within established biofilms, we found significant cell impairment following bacteriophage exposure. Repeated treatment every 4 h caused a further decrease in cell activity. The greatest effects on both planktonic and biofilm cells occurred at a bacteriophage : bacterium input multiplicity of 10. These studies on both planktonic cells and established biofilms allowed us to better evaluate the effects of a high input multiplicity and a multiple-dose treatment protocol, and the findings support further clinical development of bacteriophage therapy. © 2014 The Authors.

Effects of added CeCl3 on resistance of fifth-instar larvae of silkworm to Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus infection.

PubMed

Li, Bing; Xie, Yi; Cheng, Zhe; Cheng, Jie; Hu, Rengping; Cui, Yaling; Gong, Xiaolan; Shen, Weide; Hong, Fashui

2012-06-01

One of the most important agents causing lethal disease in the silkworm is the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), while low-dose rare earths are demonstrated to increase immune capacity in animals. However, very little is known about the effects of added CeCl(3) on decreasing BmNPV infection of silkworm. The present study investigated the effects of added CeCl(3) to an artificial diet on resistance of fifth-instar larvae of silkworm to BmNPV infection. Our findings indicated that added CeCl(3) significantly decreased inhibition of growth and mortality of fifth-instar larvae caused by BmNPV infection. Furthermore, the added CeCl(3) obviously decreased lipid peroxidation level and accumulation of reactive oxygen species such as O(2)(-), H(2)O(2), (·)OH, and NO and increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase, ascorbate, and glutathione contents in the BmNPV-infected fifth-instar larvae. In addition, the added CeCl(3) could significantly promote acetylcholine esterase activity and attenuate the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the BmNPV-infected fifth-instar larvae. These findings suggested that added CeCl(3) may relieve oxidative damage and neurotoxicity of silkworm caused by BmNPV infection via increasing antioxidant capacity and acetylcholine esterase activity.

Protective effect of Chlorogenic acid against methotrexate induced oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis in rat liver: An experimental approach.

PubMed

Ali, Nemat; Rashid, Summya; Nafees, Sana; Hasan, Syed Kazim; Shahid, Ayaz; Majed, Ferial; Sultana, Sarwat

2017-06-25

Methotrexate (MTX) is a drug which is used to treat different types of cancers but hepatotoxicity limits its clinical use. Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is one of the most abundant naturally occurring polyphenols in the human diet. Here, we assessed the effect of CGA against MTX-induced hepatotoxicity and investigated the underlying possible mechanisms in Wistar Rats. Rats were pre-treated with CGA (50 or 100 mg kg/b.w) and administered a single dose of MTX (20 mg/kg, b.w.). MTX caused hepatotoxicity as evidenced by significant increase in serum toxicity markers, histopathological changes. decreased activities of anti-oxidant armory (SOD, CAT, GPx, GR) and GSH content. MTX significantly causes upregulation of iNOS, Cox-2, Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 expressions, it causes higher caspase 3, 9 activities. However CGA pretreatment alleviates the hepatotoxicity by decreasing the oxidative stress. CGA inhibited Cox-2, iNOS, Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspases 3, 9 mediated inflammation and apoptosis, and improve the histology induced by MTX. Thus, these findings demonstrated the hepatoprotective nature of CGA by attenuating the pro-inflammatory and apoptotic mediators and improving antioxidant competence in hepatic tissue. These results imply that CGA has perfective effect against MTX-induced liver injury. Hence CGA supplementation might be helpful in abrogation of MTX toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of methoprene, a juvenile hormone analog, on survival of various developmental stages, adult emergence, reproduction and behavior of Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama.

PubMed

Brar, Gurpreet S; Meyer, Wendy; Stelinski, Lukasz L

2015-12-01

The Asian citrus citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, transmits a bacterium that causes huanglongbing in citrus. Frequent and repeated use of neurotoxic insecticides against D. citri has resulted in the development of insecticide resistance. We evaluated the effects of the juvenile hormone analog methoprene on egg hatch, nymphal development, adult emergence, reproduction and behavior of D. citri. Methoprene significantly reduced the viability of eggs that were between 0 and 4 days old. Egg hatch of 0-48-h-old and 49-96-h-old eggs was 8 and 9%, respectively, when treated with 320 µg mL(-1) of methoprene. Methoprene caused significant mortality of first-, third- and fifth-instar D. citri nymphs and reduced adult emergence as compared with controls. Methoprene caused less than 5% adult emergence when first- and third-instar stages were treated, respectively, and less than 40% adult emergence when fifth instars were treated. Reduced fertility of females was observed when they emerged from methoprene-treated fifth instars. Methoprene was effective in reducing egg hatch, suppressing nymphal development and decreasing adult emergence of D. citri under laboratory conditions. Treatment of fifth instars reduced the fertility of females. Methoprene might be a possible tool for integrated management of D. citri. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Low Level Laser Therapy for Patients with Cervical Disk Hernia

PubMed Central

Takahashi, Hiroshi; Okuni, Ikuko; Ushigome, Nobuyuki; Harada, Takashi; Tsuruoka, Hiroshi; Ohshiro, Toshio; Sekiguchi, Masayuki; Musya, Yoshiro

2012-01-01

Background and Aims: In previous studies we have reported the benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT) for chronic shoulder joint pain, elbow, hand and finger pain, and low back pain. The present study is a report on the effects of LLLT for chronic neck pain. Materials and Methods: Over a 3 year period, 26 rehabilitation department outpatients with chronic neck pain, diagnosed as being caused by cervical disk hernia, underwent treatment applied to the painful area with a 1000 mW semi-conductor laser device delivering at 830 nm in continuous wave, 20.1 J/cm2/point, and three shots were given per session (1 treatment) with twice a week for 4 weeks. Results: 1. A visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to determine the effects of LLLT for chronic pain and after the end of the treatment regimen a significant improvement was observed (p<0.001). 2. After treatment, no significant differences in cervical spine range of motion were observed. 3. Discussions with the patients revealed that in order to receive continued benefits from treatment, it was important for them to be taught how to avoid postures that would cause them neck pain in everyday life. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates that LLLT was an effective form of treatment for neck and back pain caused by cervical disk hernia, reinforced by postural training. PMID:24511189

J-modulation effects in DOSY experiments and their suppression: the Oneshot45 experiment.

PubMed

Botana, Adolfo; Aguilar, Juan A; Nilsson, Mathias; Morris, Gareth A

2011-02-01

Diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) is a powerful NMR method for identifying compounds in mixtures. DOSY experiments are very demanding of spectral quality; even small deviations from expected behaviour in NMR signals can cause significant distortions in the diffusion domain. This is a particular problem when signals overlap, so it is very important to be able to acquire clean data with as little overlap as possible. DOSY experiments all suffer to a greater or lesser extent from multiplet phase distortions caused by J-modulation, requiring a trade-off between such distortions and gradient pulse width. Multiplet distortions increase spectral overlap and may cause unexpected and misleading apparent diffusion coefficients in DOSY spectra. These effects are described here and a simple and effective remedy, the addition of a 45° purging pulse immediately before the onset of acquisition to remove the unwanted anti-phase terms, is demonstrated. As well as affording significantly cleaner results, the new method allows much longer diffusion-encoding pulses to be used without problems from J-modulation, and hence greatly increases the range of molecular sizes that can be studied for coupled spin systems. The sensitivity loss is negligible and the added phase cycling is modest. The new method is illustrated for a widely-used general purpose DOSY pulse sequence, Oneshot. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of acute administration of nicotine, amphetamine, diazepam, morphine, and ethanol on risky decision-making in rats

PubMed Central

Mitchell, Marci R.; Vokes, Colin M.; Blankenship, Amy L.; Simon, Nicholas W.

2011-01-01

Rationale Most individuals can accurately assess the risks and rewards associated with choice alternatives and decide accordingly; however, drug users often display maladaptive decision-making, such that choices are biased toward excessively risky options. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a range of drugs of abuse on risky decision-making. Methods Male Long–Evans rats were trained in the Risky Decision-Making Task, in which they chose between two levers, one which produced a small, “safe” food reward and the other which produced a large, “risky” food reward. The large reward was accompanied by the risk of a mild footshock, the probability of which increased over the course of each test session (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Results Nicotine (0.6 mg/kg) and amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg) caused a significant decrease in choice of the large risky reward (decreased risk taking). Diazepam (1.0 mg/kg) caused a significant increase in choice of the large risky reward (increased risk taking), whereas morphine (3.0 mg/kg) caused only a trend toward increased choice of the large risky reward. Ethanol had no effect on choice behavior. Conclusions These results show that acute administration of drugs of abuse can modulate risk taking in a drug-specific manner, either increasing or decreasing preference for highly rewarding, but risky, options. PMID:21638222

Contribution of dopamine to mitochondrial complex I inhibition and dopaminergic deficits caused by methylenedioxymethamphetamine in mice.

PubMed

Barros-Miñones, L; Goñi-Allo, B; Suquia, V; Beitia, G; Aguirre, N; Puerta, E

2015-06-01

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) causes a persistent loss of dopaminergic cell bodies in the substantia nigra of mice. Current evidence indicates that MDMA-induced neurotoxicity is mediated by oxidative stress probably due to the inhibition of mitochondrial complex I activity. In this study we investigated the contribution of dopamine (DA) to such effects. For this, we modulated the dopaminergic system of mice at the synthesis, uptake or metabolism levels. Striatal mitochondrial complex I activity was decreased 1 h after MDMA; an effect not observed in the striatum of DA depleted mice or in the hippocampus, a dopamine spare region. The DA precursor, L-dopa, caused a significant reduction of mitochondrial complex I activity by itself and exacerbated the dopaminergic deficits when combined with systemic MDMA. By contrast, no damage was observed when L-dopa was combined with intrastriatal injections of MDMA. On the other hand, dopamine uptake blockade using GBR 12909, inhibited both, the acute inhibition of complex I activity and the long-term dopaminergic toxicity caused by MDMA. Moreover, the inhibition of DA metabolism with the monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, pargyline, afforded a significant protection against MDMA-induced complex I inhibition and neurotoxicity. Taken together, these findings point to the formation of hydrogen peroxide subsequent to DA metabolism by MAO, rather than a direct DA-mediated mitochondrial complex I inhibition, and the contribution of a peripheral metabolite of MDMA, as the key steps in the chain of biochemical events leading to DA neurotoxicity caused by MDMA in mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shenqi Fuzheng Injection Alleviates the Transient Worsening Caused by Steroids Pulse Therapy in Treating Myasthenia Gravis

PubMed Central

Qi, Guo-Yan; Liu, Peng

2013-01-01

Purpose. To evaluate the treatment effect and side effect of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI) on alleviating transient worsening of myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms caused by high-dose steroids pulse therapy. Methods. Sixty-six consecutive patients with MG were randomly divided into two groups: the treatment group treated with SFI and methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) and the control group treated with MPT alone. The severity of MG before, during, and after MPT and the duration of transient worsening (TW) were evaluated and compared with the clinical absolute scoring (AS) and relative scoring (RS) system. Results. Twenty-nine patients experienced TW in each group. At TW, the AS was significantly increased (P < 0.000) in both groups compared with baseline data, with the AS increase in the treatment group (16.8 ± 2) significantly smaller (P < 0.05) than in the control group (24.9 ± 2.5). At the end of the treatment course, the AS for the treatment group was significantly decreased (7.5 ± 0.9) compared with at TW, although no significant difference compared with the control (9.7 ± 1.1). The TW lasted 1–6 days (mean 3.7) for the treatment group, significantly shorter (P < 0.05) than 2–12 days (mean 7.8) for the control. The RS for the treatment group at the end of treatment was 43.8%–100% (mean 76.8% ± 2.6%), significantly better than the control group: 33.3%–100% (mean 67.2 ± 3.6%). Slight side effects (18.75%) included maldigestion and rash in the treatment group. Conclusion. SFI has a better treatment effect and few side effects and can alleviate the severity and shorten the duration of the transient worsening of MG during steroids pulse therapy. PMID:24348721

Disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking among adolescents following the release of new pictorial health warning labels.

PubMed

Elton-Marshall, Tara; Wijesingha, Rochelle; Kennedy, Ryan David; Hammond, David

2018-06-01

This paper examined knowledge about the health effects of smoking among health equity groups following the 2012 introduction of refreshed pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) in Canada. Data are from the 2012/2013 Youth Smoking Survey a representative school-based survey of 47,203 adolescents in Grades 6-12 in nine provinces. Regression models examined overall knowledge about eight health effects of smoking included in the HWLs. Less than one-third of adolescents (32.2%) knew that smoking causes vision loss/blindness and 33.7% knew that smoking causes bladder cancer. Whereas knowledge was high for lung cancer (93.9%), knowledge about other health effects ranged from 52.9% for chronic bronchitis/emphysema to 77.6% for gum or mouth disease. Non-smoking adolescents who were: susceptible to future smoking, male, ethnic minorities, and who had less spending money were significantly less likely to be knowledgeable of the health effects of smoking. There were fewer disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking among smokers. Smokers who bought loose or bagged cigarettes rather than cigarettes in packages or cartons were significantly less likely to be knowledgeable about the health effects of smoking. There are significant disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking by health equity groups particularly among non-smoking adolescents. Warning labels have the potential to reduce disparities in knowledge about the health effects of smoking when exposure to the warning labels is universal. Complementary strategies such as mass media campaigns are needed to address disparities in knowledge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accelerating immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

PubMed Central

Tzannou, Ifigeneia; Leen, Ann M

2014-01-01

Viral infections remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Pharmacologic agents are effective against some pathogens, but they are costly and can be associated with significant toxicities. Thus, many groups have investigated adoptive T-cell transfer as a means of hastening immune reconstitution and preventing and treating viral infections. This review discusses the immunotherapeutic strategies that have been explored. PMID:25505959

Short-term associations of fine particulate matter components and emergency hospital admissions among a privately insured population in Greater Houston

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Suyang; Ganduglia, Cecilia M.; Li, Xiao; Delclos, George L.; Franzini, Luisa; Zhang, Kai

2016-12-01

A number of time-series studies have associated PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) mass and components with various health outcomes. No studies have yet examined the associations between PM2.5 components and hospital admissions among a privately insured population. We estimated the short-term associations between exposure to PM2.5 mass and components and emergency hospital admissions for all-cause and cause-specific diseases in Greater Houston, Texas, during 2008-2013 using Blue Cross Blue Shield Texas claims data. A total of 90,085 emergency hospital admissions were included in this study, with an average of 34 ± 10 admissions per day. We selected 20 PM2.5 components from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chemical Speciation Network site located in Houston, and then applied Poisson regression models to assess the short-term effects of PM2.5 mass and species on emergency hospital admissions. Effects were estimated without adjustment for other airborne pollutants. PM2.5 mass was not statistically significantly associated with increased all-cause emergency hospital admissions and selected cause-specific admissions. For selected PM2.5 species, we found interquartile range increases in arsenic (0.001 μg/m3) and copper (0.017 μg/m3) were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with increased admissions for stroke, (5.98% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73, 11.50%]) and pneumonia (4.07% [95% CI: 0.37, 7.90%]), respectively. Seasonal analysis showed weak variation among PM2.5 mass and components, except that nickel significantly increased all-cause emergency hospital admissions (2.16% [95% CI: 0.21, 4.14%]) during the warm season. Our findings suggest that hospital admissions in the privately insured population are slightly affected by ambient fine particulate matter air pollution.

Independent and joint effects of sedentary time and cardiorespiratory fitness on all-cause mortality: the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Shuval, Kerem; Finley, Carrie E; Barlow, Carolyn E; Nguyen, Binh T; Njike, Valentine Y; Pettee Gabriel, Kelley

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine the independent and joint effects of sedentary time and cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) on all-cause mortality. Design, setting, participants A prospective study of 3141 Cooper Center Longitudinal Study participants. Participants provided information on television (TV) viewing and car time in 1982 and completed a maximal exercise test during a 1-year time frame; they were then followed until mortality or through 2010. TV viewing, car time, total sedentary time and fitness were the primary exposures and all-cause mortality was the outcome. The relationship between the exposures and outcome was examined utilising Cox proportional hazard models. Results A total of 581 deaths occurred over a median follow-up period of 28.7 years (SD=4.4). At baseline, participants’ mean age was 45.0 years (SD=9.6), 86.5% were men and their mean body mass index was 24.6 (SD=3.0). Multivariable analyses revealed a significant linear relationship between increased fitness and lower mortality risk, even while adjusting for total sedentary time and covariates (p=0.02). The effects of total sedentary time on increased mortality risk did not quite reach statistical significance once fitness and covariates were adjusted for (p=0.05). When examining this relationship categorically, in comparison to the reference category (≤10 h/week), being sedentary for ≥23 h weekly increased mortality risk by 29% without controlling for fitness (HR=1.29, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.63); however, once fitness and covariates were taken into account this relationship did not reach statistical significance (HR=1.20, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.51). Moreover, spending >10 h in the car weekly significantly increased mortality risk by 27% in the fully adjusted model. The association between TV viewing and mortality was not significant. Conclusions The relationship between total sedentary time and higher mortality risk is less pronounced when fitness is taken into account. Increased car time, but not TV viewing, is significantly related to higher mortality risk, even when taking fitness into account, in this cohort. PMID:26525421

Impact of intermediate and high energy nuclear data on the neutronic safety parameters of MYRRHA accelerator driven system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stankovskiy, Alexey; Çelik, Yurdunaz; Eynde, Gert Van den

2017-09-01

Perturbation of external neutron source can cause significant local power changes transformed into undesired safety-related events in an accelerator driven system. Therefore for the accurate design of MYRRHA sub-critical core it is important to evaluate the uncertainty of power responses caused by the uncertainties in nuclear reaction models describing the particle transport from primary proton energy down to the evaluated nuclear data table range. The calculations with a set of models resulted in quite low uncertainty on the local power caused by significant perturbation of primary neutron yield from proton interactions with lead and bismuth isotopes. The considered accidental event of prescribed proton beam shape loss causes drastic increase in local power but does not practically change the total core thermal power making this effect difficult to detect. In the same time the results demonstrate a correlation between perturbed local power responses in normal operation and misaligned beam conditions indicating that generation of covariance data for proton and neutron induced neutron multiplicities for lead and bismuth isotopes is needed to obtain reliable uncertainties for local power responses.

[The effect of physical therapy on the most severe forms of knee structral changes caused by osteoarthritis].

PubMed

Kapidzić-Basić, Nedima; Dzananović, Dzevad; Kapidzić-Duraković, Suada; Kikanović, Sahza; Mulić-Bacić, Suada; Hotić-Hadziefendić, Asja

2011-01-01

In the most severe form of structural changes on knee caused by osteoarthritis non-surgical treatment provide minimal results and a question of its purpose is being raised. Aim of the study was to examine the possibilities of physical treatment of patients with the most severe degree of structural changes caused by knee osteoarthritis. Examination was conducted on 60 patients that were on physical treatment because of the knee OA. Structural changes are evaluated by Kellgren-Lawrence scale, functional ability by Lequesne index, and pain by Visual analog scale. Physical treatment lasted for 4 weeks. After the physical treatment there was a significant improvement of functional ability (p = 1.78E-07), but the size of improvement was reduced by the level of structural changes. It was significantly lower in IV class in relation to III and II class (p < 0.05). Physical treatment has lower affect by patients with the most severe form of structural changes caused by knee osteoarthritis, but it still can help patients to ease the appearance of complete dependence on other people's help.

The effect of hypophysectomy on chloride balance in young-of-the-year bowfin, Amia calva.

PubMed

Duff, D; Hanson, R; Fleming, W R

1987-01-01

The effect of hypophysectomy on chloride balance was examined in young-of-the-year bowfin, Amia calva. Hypophysectomy resulted in decreased serum and total body chloride levels but not in serum and total body sodium levels. Hypophysectomy resulted in decreased chloride influx with no effect on chloride efflux or sodium fluxes. Prolactin therapy reversed the effect of hypophysectomy on electrolyte balance but caused a significant reduction in serum protein.

Virtual Laboratory Environment for High Voltage Radiation Source Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-05-01

Dielectric ," Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 103 (1998). 26.A. Valfells, J. P. Verboncoeur and Y. Y. Lau, " Space charge effects on multipactor on a dielec... effects at the edges of the surface, or due to space charge effects if a plasma is formed at the surface. High density multipactor can result in... multipactors , which can cause significant reflection and absorption of microwave power as well as space charge effects . X-rays can also

Treatment with Botulinum Toxin for Refractory Fever Caused by Severe Spasticity: A Case Series.

PubMed

Lester, Jacobo; Alvarez-Resendiz, Gerardo Esteban; Klériga, Enrique; Videgaray, Fernando; Zambito, Gerardo

2018-06-01

Brain and spinal cord injuries may cause very severe spasticity that occasionally may be associated with persistent fever. We present 14 patients with spasticity and persistent fever, treated with botulinum toxin type A. Their spasticity improved and the fever resolved within a period no greater than 48 h. In all cases, infectious and other non-infectious causes were ruled out. When sustained tonic muscular activity is associated with a significant increase in body temperature and is refractory to the usual drugs used for hyperpyrexia, type A botulinum toxin may be an effective treatment option to control both spasticity and fever.

Eicosanoids and Respiratory Viral Infection: Coordinators of Inflammation and Potential Therapeutic Targets

PubMed Central

McCarthy, Mary K.; Weinberg, Jason B.

2012-01-01

Viruses are frequent causes of respiratory infection, and viral respiratory infections are significant causes of hospitalization, morbidity, and sometimes mortality in a variety of patient populations. Lung inflammation induced by infection with common respiratory pathogens such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus is accompanied by increased lung production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes, lipid mediators with a wide range of effects on host immune function. Deficiency or pharmacologic inhibition of prostaglandin and leukotriene production often results in a dampened inflammatory response to acute infection with a respiratory virus. These mediators may, therefore, serve as appealing therapeutic targets for disease caused by respiratory viral infection. PMID:22665949

2-Phenylethylamine, a constituent of chocolate and wine, causes mitochondrial complex-I inhibition, generation of hydroxyl radicals and depletion of striatal biogenic amines leading to psycho-motor dysfunctions in Balb/c mice.

PubMed

Sengupta, T; Mohanakumar, K P

2010-11-01

Behavioral and neurochemical effects of chronic administration of high doses of 2-phenylethylamine (PEA; 25-75 mg/kg, i.p. for up to 7 days) have been investigated in Balb/c mice. Depression and anxiety, as demonstrated respectively by increased floating time in forced swim test, and reduction in number of entries and the time spent in the open arms in an elevated plus maze were observed in these animals. General motor disabilities in terms of akinesia, catalepsy and decreased swimming ability were also observed in these animals. Acute and sub-acute administration of PEA caused significant, dose-dependent depletion of striatal dopamine, and its metabolites levels. PEA caused dose-dependent generation of hydroxyl radicals in vitro in Fenton's reaction in test tubes, in isolated mitochondrial fraction, and in vivo in the striatum of mice. A significant inhibition of NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex-I; EC: 1.6.5.3) activity suggests the inhibition in oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria resulting in hydroxyl radical generation. Nissl staining and TH immnunohistochemistry in brain sections failed to show any morphological aberrations in dopaminergic neurons or nerve terminals. Long-term over-consumption of PEA containing food items could be a neurological risk factor having significant pathological relevance to disease conditions such as depression or motor dysfunction. However, per-oral administration of higher doses of PEA (75-125 mg/kg; 7 days) failed to cause such overt neurochemical effects in rats, which suggested safe consumption of food items rich in this trace amine by normal population. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of gender, age, and symptom severity in late-life depression on the risk of all-cause mortality: The Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging

PubMed Central

Diniz, Breno S.; Reynolds, Charles F.; Butters, Meryl A.; Dew, Mary Amanda; Firmo, Josélia O. A.; Lima-Costa, Maria Fernanda; Castro-Costa, Erico

2014-01-01

Background Increased mortality risk and its moderators is an important, but still under recognized, negative outcome of Late-Life Depression (LLD). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether LLD is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in a population-based study with over ten years of follow-up, and addressed the moderating effect of gender and symptom severity on mortality risk. Methods This analysis used data from the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging. The study population comprised 1.508 (86.5%) of all eligible 1.742 elderly residents. Depressive symptoms were annually evaluated by the GHQ-12, with scores of 5 or higher indicating clinically significant depression. From 1997 to 2007, 441 participants died during 10,648 person-years of follow-up. We estimated the hazard ratio for mortality risk by Cox regression analyses. Results Depressive symptoms were a risk factor for all-cause mortality after adjusting for confounding lifestyle and clinical factors (adjusted HR=1.24 CI95% [1.00–1.55], p=0.05). Mortality risk was significantly elevated in men (adjusted HR=1.45 CI95% [1.01 – 2.07], p=0.04), but not in women (adjusted HR=1.13 CI95% [0.84 – 1.48], p=0.15). We observed a significant interaction between gender and depressive symptoms on mortality risk ((HR= 1.72 CI95% [1.18 – 2.49], p=0.004). Conclusion The present study provides evidence that LLD is a risk factor for all-cause mortality in the elderly, especially in men. The prevention and adequate treatment of LLD may help to reduce premature disability and death among elders with depressive symptoms. PMID:24353128

Why Eve is not Adam: prospective follow-up in 149650 women and men of cholesterol and other risk factors related to cardiovascular and all-cause mortality.

PubMed

Ulmer, Hanno; Kelleher, Cecily; Diem, Günter; Concin, Hans

2004-01-01

To assess the impact of sex-specific patterns in cholesterol levels on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the Vorarlberg Health Monitoring and Promotion Programme (VHM&PP). In this study, 67413 men and 82237 women (aged 20-95 years) underwent 454448 standardized examinations, which included measures of blood pressure, height, weight, and fasting samples for cholesterol, triglycerides, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and glucose in the 15-year period 1985-1999. Relations between these variables and risk of death were analyzed using two approaches of multivariate analyses (Cox proportional hazard and GEE models). Patterns of cholesterol levels showed marked differences between men and women in relation to age and cause of death. The role of high cholesterol in predicting death from coronary heart disease could be confirmed in men of all ages and in women under the age of 50. In men, across the entire age range, although of borderline significance under the age of 50, and in women from the age of 50 onward only, low cholesterol was significantly associated with all-cause mortality, showing significant associations with death through cancer, liver diseases, and mental diseases. Triglycerides > 200 mg/dl had an effect in women 65 years and older but not in men. This large-scale population-based study clearly demonstrates the contrasting patterns of cholesterol level in relation to risk, particularly among those less well studied previously, that is, women of all ages and younger people of both sexes. For the first time, we demonstrate that the low cholesterol effect occurs even among younger respondents, contradicting the previous assessments among cohorts of older people that this is a proxy or marker for frailty occurring with age.

Quantification of the multi-streaming effect in redshift space distortion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Yi; Zhang, Pengjie; Oh, Minji

2017-05-01

Both multi-streaming (random motion) and bulk motion cause the Finger-of-God (FoG) effect in redshift space distortion (RSD). We apply a direct measurement of the multi-streaming effect in RSD from simulations, proving that it induces an additional, non-negligible FoG damping to the redshift space density power spectrum. We show that, including the multi-streaming effect, the RSD modelling is significantly improved. We also provide a theoretical explanation based on halo model for the measured effect, including a fitting formula with one to two free parameters. The improved understanding of FoG helps break the fσ8-σv degeneracy in RSD cosmology, and has the potential of significantly improving cosmological constraints.

The effects of workplace downsizing on cause-specific mortality: a register-based follow-up study of Finnish men and women remaining in employment.

PubMed

Martikainen, P; Mäki, N; Jäntti, M

2008-11-01

Experience of workplace downsizing (ie reduction in personnel) is common and may constitute a threat to public health in working populations. This study aimed to determine whether downsizing was associated with increased mortality among those remaining in the downsized workplaces. Prospective population registration data containing detailed socioeconomic and demographic information on 85 833 Finnish employees aged 35-64 years at the beginning of 1994 or 1993 followed up for cause-specific mortality for 8 years. One-year changes in workplace staffing levels were obtained from Statistics Finland records on workplaces. There was no association between downsizing on any level (a 10-29%, 30-49% or 50-100% reduction in personnel) and increased all-cause mortality among those remaining in the downsized workplaces. No sex differences were observed in these effects among those who remained in the downsized workplaces, nor was a period of particular vulnerability immediately following the downsizing identified. Furthermore, no detrimental effects were observed for any particular cause of death studied. The results provide evidence that downsizing is not a significant determinant of excess mortality among those remaining in the downsized workplaces.

Ocean acidification causes structural deformities in juvenile coral skeletons.

PubMed

Foster, Taryn; Falter, James L; McCulloch, Malcolm T; Clode, Peta L

2016-02-01

Rising atmospheric CO2 is causing the oceans to both warm and acidify, which could reduce the calcification rates of corals globally. Successful coral recruitment and high rates of juvenile calcification are critical to the replenishment and ultimate viability of coral reef ecosystems. Although elevated Pco2 (partial pressure of CO2) has been shown to reduce the skeletal weight of coral recruits, the structural changes caused by acidification during initial skeletal deposition are unknown. We show, using high-resolution three-dimensional x-ray microscopy, that ocean acidification (Pco2 ~900 μatm, pH ~7.7) not only causes reduced overall mineral deposition but also a deformed and porous skeletal structure in newly settled coral recruits. In contrast, elevated temperature (+3°C) had little effect on skeletal formation except to partially mitigate the effects of elevated Pco2. The striking structural deformities we observed show that new recruits are at significant risk, being unable to effectively build their skeletons in the Pco2 conditions predicted to occur for open ocean surface waters under a "business-as-usual" emissions scenario [RCP (representative concentration pathway) 8.5] by the year 2100.

The need for investigations to elucidate causes and effects of abnormal uterine bleeding.

PubMed

Munro, Malcolm G; Heikinheimo, Oskari; Haththotuwa, Rohana; Tank, Jaydeep D; Fraser, Ian S

2011-09-01

This article describes a modern perspective on the basic investigations for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in low-resource settings compared with a much more detailed approach for high-resource settings, bearing in mind issues of effectiveness and cost effectiveness. AUB includes any one or more of several symptoms, and it should be evaluated for the characteristics of the woman's specific bleeding pattern, her "complaint" and the presence of other symptoms (especially pain), the impact on several aspects of body functioning and lifestyle, and the underlying cause(s), especially cancer. Ideally, the evaluation is comprehensive, considering each of the potential etiological domains defined by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics PALM-COEIN system for the classification of causes. However, the detail of the questions and the extent of investigations will be significantly influenced by the technologies available and the time allotted for a consultation. In general, investigations should be performed only if they will make a material difference to the management approaches that can be offered. This should be an important consideration when a range of costly high-technology tests is accessible or when certain tests only have limited availability. © Thieme Medical Publishers.

Transvaginal Mesh and Transanal Resection to Treat Outlet Obstruction Constipation Caused by Rectocele.

PubMed

Shi, Yang; Yu, Yongjun; Zhang, Xipeng; Li, Yuwei

2017-02-01

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the curative effect of transvaginal mesh repair (TVMR) and stapled transanal rectal resection (STARR) in treating outlet obstruction constipation caused by rectocele. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients who had outlet obstruction constipation caused by rectocele were retrospectively analyzed and 39 patients were enrolled the study. Patients were assigned to either the TVMR or STARR group. Postoperative factors such as complications, pain, recurrence rate, and operative time were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS Total effective rate was 100% in both groups. No long-term chronic pain occurred and discomfort rate of tenesmus was higher in the STARR group than in the TVMR group. Postoperative defecography showed that the rectocele depth was significantly reduced, and the prolapse of the rectal mucosa and the lower rectal capacity was also decreased. Four cases had mesh exposure in the TVMR group and 2 cases in the STARR group had anastomotic bleeding after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS For outlet obstruction constipation caused by rectocele, TVMR and STARR both obtained satisfactory results. Although TVMR is complex with longer operative time and hospitalization period, its long-term effect is better than that of STARR.

Ocean acidification causes structural deformities in juvenile coral skeletons

PubMed Central

Foster, Taryn; Falter, James L.; McCulloch, Malcolm T.; Clode, Peta L.

2016-01-01

Rising atmospheric CO2 is causing the oceans to both warm and acidify, which could reduce the calcification rates of corals globally. Successful coral recruitment and high rates of juvenile calcification are critical to the replenishment and ultimate viability of coral reef ecosystems. Although elevated Pco2 (partial pressure of CO2) has been shown to reduce the skeletal weight of coral recruits, the structural changes caused by acidification during initial skeletal deposition are unknown. We show, using high-resolution three-dimensional x-ray microscopy, that ocean acidification (Pco2 ~900 μatm, pH ~7.7) not only causes reduced overall mineral deposition but also a deformed and porous skeletal structure in newly settled coral recruits. In contrast, elevated temperature (+3°C) had little effect on skeletal formation except to partially mitigate the effects of elevated Pco2. The striking structural deformities we observed show that new recruits are at significant risk, being unable to effectively build their skeletons in the Pco2 conditions predicted to occur for open ocean surface waters under a “business-as-usual” emissions scenario [RCP (representative concentration pathway) 8.5] by the year 2100. PMID:26989776

Protective role of caffeic acid on lambda cyhalothrin-induced changes in sperm characteristics and testicular oxidative damage in rats.

PubMed

Abdallah, Fatma Ben; Fetoui, Hamadi; Zribi, Nassira; Fakhfakh, Feiza; Keskes, Leila

2012-08-01

The synthetic pyrethroids are expected to cause deleterious effects on most of the organs and especially on the male reproductive system. The current study was performed to assess the adverse effect of lambda cyhalothrin (LC) on reproductive organs and fertility in male rats and to evaluate the protective role of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in alleviating the detrimental effect of LC on male fertility. A total of 48 male rats were divided into 4 groups (12 rats each): control group received distilled water ad libitum and 1 ml of vehicle solution given intraperitoneally (i.p.); CAPE-treated group received a single i.p. dose of CAPE (10 μmol kg⁻¹ day⁻¹); LC-treated group received 668 ppm of LC through drinking water; and CAPE + LC-treated group received an i.p. injection of CAPE (10 μmol kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) 12 h before the LC administration. The experiment was conducted for 10 consecutive weeks. LC caused a significant increase in testicular malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase activities, and sperm abnormalities and a significant reduction in testicular glutathione concentration, sperm count, sperm motility, and a live sperm percentage. Conversely, treatment with CAPE improved the reduction in the sperm characteristics, LC-induced oxidative damage of testes and the testicular histopathological alterations. Results indicate that LC exerts significant harmful effects on the male reproductive system and that CAPE reduced the deleterious effects of LC on male fertility.

Nanometer-scale elongation rate fluctuations in the Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) stem were altered by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

PubMed

Senavirathna, Mudalige Don Hiranya Jayasanka; Asaeda, Takashi; Thilakarathne, Bodhipaksha Lalith Sanjaya; Kadono, Hirofumi

2014-01-01

The emission of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by various wireless communication base stations has increased in recent years. While there is wide concern about the effects of EMR on humans and animals, the influence of EMR on plants is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of EMR on the growth dynamics of Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) by measuring the nanometric elongation rate fluctuation (NERF) using a statistical interferometry technique. Plants were exposed to 2 GHz EMR at a maximum of 1.42 Wm(-2) for 1 h. After continuous exposure to EMR, M. aquaticum plants exhibited a statistically significant 51 ± 16% reduction in NERF standard deviation. Temperature observations revealed that EMR exposure did not cause dielectric heating of the plants. Therefore, the reduced NERF was due to a non-thermal effect caused by EMR exposure. The alteration in NERF continued for at least 2.5 h after EMR exposure and no significant recovery was found in post-EMR NERF during the experimental period.

Hair-Loss Preventing Effect of Grateloupia elliptica

PubMed Central

Kang, Jung-Il; Kim, Sang-Cheol; Han, Sang-Chul; Hong, Hye-Jin; Jeon, You-Jin; Kim, Bora; Koh, Young-Sang; Yoo, Eun-Sook; Kang, Hee-Kyoung

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Grateloupia elliptica, a seaweed native to Jeju Island, Korea, on the prevention of hair loss. When immortalized rat vibrissa dermal papilla cells were treated with extract of G. elliptica, the proliferation of dermal papilla cells significantly increased. In addition, the G. elliptica extract significantly inhibited the activity of 5α-reductase, which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a main cause of androgenetic alopecia. On the other hand, the G. elliptica extract promoted PGE2 production in HaCaT cells in a dose-dependent manner. The G. elliptica extract exhibited particularly high inhibitory effect on LPS-stimulated IL-12, IL-6, and TNF-α production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. The G. elliptica extract also showed inhibitory activity against Pityrosporum ovale, a main cause of dandruff. These results suggest that G. elliptica extract has the potential to treat alopecia via the proliferation of dermal papilla, 5α-reductase inhibition, increase of PGE2 production, decrease of LPS-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibitory activity against Pityrosporum ovale. PMID:24116284

Nanometer-scale elongation rate fluctuations in the Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) stem were altered by radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation

PubMed Central

Senavirathna, Mudalige Don Hiranya Jayasanka; Asaeda, Takashi; Thilakarathne, Bodhipaksha Lalith Sanjaya; Kadono, Hirofumi

2014-01-01

The emission of radio-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) by various wireless communication base stations has increased in recent years. While there is wide concern about the effects of EMR on humans and animals, the influence of EMR on plants is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of EMR on the growth dynamics of Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot feather) by measuring the nanometric elongation rate fluctuation (NERF) using a statistical interferometry technique. Plants were exposed to 2 GHz EMR at a maximum of 1.42 Wm−2 for 1 h. After continuous exposure to EMR, M. aquaticum plants exhibited a statistically significant 51 ± 16% reduction in NERF standard deviation. Temperature observations revealed that EMR exposure did not cause dielectric heating of the plants. Therefore, the reduced NERF was due to a non-thermal effect caused by EMR exposure. The alteration in NERF continued for at least 2.5 h after EMR exposure and no significant recovery was found in post-EMR NERF during the experimental period. PMID:24670369

The effect of reagents mimicking oxidative stress on fibrinogen function.

PubMed

Štikarová, Jana; Kotlín, Roman; Riedel, Tomáš; Suttnar, Jiří; Pimková, Kristýna; Chrastinová, Leona; Dyr, Jan E

2013-01-01

Fibrinogen is one of the plasma proteins most susceptible to oxidative modification. It has been suggested that modification of fibrinogen may cause thrombotic/bleeding complications associated with many pathophysiological states of organism. We exposed fibrinogen molecules to three different modification reagents-malondialdehyde, sodium hypochlorite, and peroxynitrite-that are presented to various degrees in different stages of oxidative stress. We studied the changes in fibrin network formation and platelet interactions with modified fibrinogens under flow conditions. The fastest modification of fibrinogen was caused by hypochlorite. Fibers from fibrinogen modified with either reagent were thinner in comparison with control fibers. We found that platelet dynamic adhesion was significantly lower on fibrinogen modified with malondialdehyde and significantly higher on fibrinogen modified either with hypochlorite or peroxynitrite reflecting different prothrombotic/antithrombotic properties of oxidatively modified fibrinogens. It seems that, in the complex reactions ongoing in living organisms at conditions of oxidation stress, hypochlorite modifies proteins (e.g., fibrinogen) faster and more preferentially than malondialdehyde. It suggests that the prothrombotic effects of prior fibrinogen modifications may outweigh the antithrombotic effect of malondialdehyde-modified fibrinogen in real living systems.

The Effect of Reagents Mimicking Oxidative Stress on Fibrinogen Function

PubMed Central

Štikarová, Jana; Kotlín, Roman; Riedel, Tomáš; Suttnar, Jiří; Pimková, Kristýna; Chrastinová, Leona; Dyr, Jan E.

2013-01-01

Fibrinogen is one of the plasma proteins most susceptible to oxidative modification. It has been suggested that modification of fibrinogen may cause thrombotic/bleeding complications associated with many pathophysiological states of organism. We exposed fibrinogen molecules to three different modification reagents—malondialdehyde, sodium hypochlorite, and peroxynitrite—that are presented to various degrees in different stages of oxidative stress. We studied the changes in fibrin network formation and platelet interactions with modified fibrinogens under flow conditions. The fastest modification of fibrinogen was caused by hypochlorite. Fibers from fibrinogen modified with either reagent were thinner in comparison with control fibers. We found that platelet dynamic adhesion was significantly lower on fibrinogen modified with malondialdehyde and significantly higher on fibrinogen modified either with hypochlorite or peroxynitrite reflecting different prothrombotic/antithrombotic properties of oxidatively modified fibrinogens. It seems that, in the complex reactions ongoing in living organisms at conditions of oxidation stress, hypochlorite modifies proteins (e.g., fibrinogen) faster and more preferentially than malondialdehyde. It suggests that the prothrombotic effects of prior fibrinogen modifications may outweigh the antithrombotic effect of malondialdehyde-modified fibrinogen in real living systems. PMID:24235886

Subacute effects of low dose lead nitrate and mercury chloride exposure on kidney of rats.

PubMed

Apaydın, Fatma Gökçe; Baş, Hatice; Kalender, Suna; Kalender, Yusuf

2016-01-01

Lead nitrate and mercury chloride are the most common heavy metal pollutants. In the present study, the effects of lead and mercury induced nephrotoxicity were studied in Wistar rats. Lead nitrate (LN, 45 mg/kg b.w/day) and mercury chloride (MC, 0.02 mg/kg b.w/day) and their combination were administered orally for 28 days. Four groups of rats were used in the study: control, LN, MC and LN plus MC groups. Serum biochemical parameters, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes and histopathological changes in kidney tissues were investigated in all treatment groups. LN and MC caused severe histopathological changes. It was shown that LN, MC and also co-treatment with LN and MC exposure induced significant increase in serum urea, uric acid and creatinine levels. There were also statistically significant changes in antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, GPx and GST) and lipid peroxidation (MDA) in all groups except control group. In this study, we showed that MC caused more harmful effects than LN in rats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.