Antioxidant activity versus cytotoxic and nuclear factor kappa B regulatory activities on HT-29 cells by natural fruit juices

The antioxidant activity (free radical scavenging ability and lipid oxidation inhibitory activity) and the activity in cell culture [influence on HT-29 human colon cancer cell viability and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation] of natural fruit juices from red grape, strawberry, cherry and sour cherry were investigated in vitro. Analysis of polyphenolic composition of fruit juices showed the dominant presence of anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, peonidin-3-rutinoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside), anthocyanidins (procyanidins B1, B2 and B3), flavonoids (glucosides of myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol), and phenolic acids (neochlorogenic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid) in juices. DPPH test and β-carotene bleaching method indicated that grape, strawberry, cherry and sour cherry natural juices (at the concentration of 2.5%) showed very strong free radical scavenging (75–92%) and antioxidant activity (71–94%). In addition, at the concentration of 0.01% they showed complete inhibition of copper-induced oxidation of human LDL (low density lipoprotein). In contrast, selected fruit juices did not show cytotoxic effects on HT-29 cells and NF-κB inhibitory activity (at the concentrations of 0.5 and 2%). Results of this study showed no correlation between the antioxidant activity of natural fruit juices from red grape, strawberry, cherry and sour cherry and their effect on HT-29 cell viability and NF-κB inhibitory activity.     

Cardiovascular mediation of clonidine-induced ultrasound production in infant rats.

In infant rats, administration of the α? adrenoceptor agonist clonidine simultaneously evokes ultrasound production and bradycardia. In this study the authors examined in 8-day-old rats whether these 2 responses to clonidine are causally related. In Experiment 1 pups were pretreated with saline or prenalterol (0.1 or 1.0 mg/kg), a β? adrenoceptor agonist that increases cardiac rate, followed by administration of clonidine (1.0 mg/kg). Prenalterol pretreatment suppressed clonidine-induced ultrasound production at both doses. Prenalterol also increased skin temperature, however, suggesting that suppression of ultrasound was modulated in part by increased body temperature. Consistent with this suggestion, in Experiment 2 mild hyperthermia significantly inhibited clonidine-induced ultrasound production. Finally, in Experiment 3 the authors found that the pretreatments used in Experiments 1 and 2 prevent or dampen the effects of clonidine on cardiac rate. These results suggest that clonidine's effect on ultrasound production is mediated by its effects on the cardiovascular system. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modelling and Refining Neuronal Circuits with Guidance Cues: Involvement of Semaphorins

The establishment of neuronal circuits requires neurons to develop and maintain appropriate connections with cellular partners in and out the central nervous system. These phenomena include elaboration of dendritic arborization and formation of synaptic contacts, initially made in excess. Subsequently, refinement occurs, and pruning takes places both at axonal and synaptic level, defining a homeostatic balance maintained throughout the lifespan. All these events require genetic regulations which happens cell-autonomously and are strongly influenced by environmental factors. This review aims to discuss the involvement of guidance cues from the Semaphorin family.     

Quantification of the Multiplexing Effects in Multi-Pinhole Small Animal SPECT: A Simulation Study

Our goal is to study the trade-off between image degradation and improved detection efficiency and resolution from allowing multiplexing in multi-pinhole (MPH) SPECT, and to determine the optimal pinhole number for MPH design. We used an analytical 3D MPH projector and two digitized phantoms: the mouse whole body (MOBY) phantom and a hot sphere phantom to generate noise-free and noisy projections, simulating pinhole collimators fitted with pre-studied pinhole patterns. We performed three schemes to achieve different degrees of multiplexing: 1. Fixed magnification and detection efficiency; 2. Fixed detection efficiency and changed magnification; 3. Fixed magnification and changed detection efficiency. We generated various noisy data sets by simulating Poisson noise using differently scaled noise-free projections and obtained 20 noise realizations for each setting. All datasets were reconstructed using 3D MPH ML-EM reconstruction method. We analyzed the quantitative accuracy by the normalized-mean-square-error. We evaluated the image contrast for the hot sphere phantom simulation, and also the image noise by the average normalized-standard-deviation of certain pixels for different degrees of multiplexing. Generally, no apparent artifacts were observed in the reconstructed images, illustrating the effectiveness of reconstructions. Bias increased for increased degree of multiplexing. Contrast was not significantly affected by multiplexing in the specific simulation scheme (1). Scheme (2) showed that excessive multiplexing to improve image resolution would not improve the overall trade-off of bias and noise compared to no multiplexing. However, scheme (3) showed that when comparing to no multiplexing, the trade-off improved initially with increased multiplexing by allowing more number of pinholes to improve detection efficiency. The trade-off reached a maximum and decreased with further multiplexing due to image degradation from increased bias. The optimal pinhole number was 7 for a compact camera with size of 12 cm × 12 cm and 9 for a standard gamma camera with size of 40 cm × 40 cm in this scheme. We conclude that the gains in improved detection efficiency and resolution by increased multiplexing are offset by increased image degradations. All the aforementioned factors must be considered in the optimum MPH collimator design for small animal SPECT imaging.     

The Significance of Epidermal Growth Factor in Noninvasively Obtained Amniotic Fluid Predicting Respiratory Outcomes of Preterm Neonates

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) interrupts normal lung development, resulting in neonatal respiratory morbidity. Although post-PPROM risks have been researched, only a few studies have investigated noninvasively obtained amniotic fluid (AF) to predict neonatal outcomes. In this study, we aimed to determine whether epidermal growth factor (EGF) in vaginally-collected AF is a significant predictor of neonatal respiratory outcomes after PPROM. We analyzed EGF in vaginally-obtained AF from 145 women with PPROM at 22–34 weeks of gestation. The following neonatal outcomes were included: respiratory distress syndrome, surfactant need, duration and type of respiratory support, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. We found that EGF concentration was associated with gestational age, and its medians were lower in neonates with respiratory morbidities than unaffected ones. EGF concentrations gradually declined, the lowest being in the most clinically ill patients. EGF < 35 pg/mL significantly predicted the odds of severe respiratory outcomes. EGF in noninvasively collected AF may be a reliable predictor for respiratory outcomes of preterm neonates with PPROM before 34 weeks of gestation. The results of our study may have implications for further research both in noninvasive amniotic fluid analysis and the management of patients after PPROM.     

A comparative analysis of huddling in infant Norway rats and Syrian golden hamsters: Does endothermy modulate behavior?

In infant rats, huddling improves surface-to-volume ratios and provides metabolic savings during cold exposure. It is unclear, however, whether endothermy is also a necessary component of huddling. In the present experiment, huddles composed of infant Norway rats (2- or 8-day-olds), which produce heat endogenously, or Syrian golden hamsters (8-day-olds), which do not produce heat endogenously, were exposed to decreases in air temperature. Behavioral and physiological responses were monitored throughout the test. Rats, especially at 8 days of age, were better able to thermoregulate using huddling than hamsters, due in part to endogenous heat production. Furthermore, 8-day-old rats exhibited behavioral responses that promote heat retention, suggesting that both physiological and behavioral mechanisms contribute to effective thermoregulation during huddling in the cold. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental study and thermodynamic modeling of the Al–Co–Cr–Ni system

A thermodynamic database for the Al–Co–Cr–Ni system is built via the Calphad method by extrapolating re-assessed ternary subsystems. A minimum number of quaternary parameters are included, which are optimized using experimental phase equilibrium data obtained by electron probe micro-analysis and x-ray diffraction analysis of NiCoCrAlY alloys spanning a wide compositional range, after annealing at 900 °C, 1100 °C and 1200 °C, and water quenching. These temperatures are relevant to oxidation and corrosion resistant MCrAlY coatings, where M corresponds to some combination of nickel and cobalt. Comparisons of calculated and measured phase compositions show excellent agreement for the β–γ equilibrium, and good agreement for three-phase β–γ–σ and β–γ–α equilibria. An extensive comparison with existing Ni-base databases (TCNI6, TTNI8, NIST) is presented in terms of phase compositions.     

Antimicrobial dual-cured photopolymers of vanillin alcohol diglycidyl ether and glycerol dimethacrylate

Considering the current efforts for to develop new antimicrobial polymers from renewable resources suitable for application in environmentally friendly light-based technologies, novel dual-cured photopolymers of vanillin alcohol diglycidyl ether and glycerol dimethacrylate are developed. The kinetics of the sequential and simultaneous dual-curing processes, combining free radical and cationic photopolymerizations, is investigated by real-time photorheometry. Comparison of dual-curing systems with different ratios of biobased epoxy and acrylate monomers revealed that the increase in the acrylate content increases the photocuring rate and improves the mechanical performance (Young's modulus increases from 76.64 to 190.71 MPa) and thermal stability (the 10% weight loss increases from 227 to 274°C) of the polymers, while the increase in the vanillin epoxy content results in better antimicrobial activity. Developed photopolymers create unfavorable conditions for the growth of microorganisms and reduce their population by up to 0% in 24 h. The excellent antibacterial and antifungal activity of new photopolymers allows them to be considered as biobased alternatives to petroleum-based antimicrobial coatings, films, or optical 3D printed objects.     

Hard heads and open minds: A reply to Panksepp (2003).

In the authors' original article (M. S. Blumberg & G. Sokoloff, 2001), they provided evidence that the ultrasonic vocalizations of infant rats are acoustic by-products of a physiological maneuver. In J. Panksepp's (2003) comment, he sidestepped the authors' empirical findings and focused on his concern that their perspective might prevent progress toward his ultimate goal of understanding the neural substrates of emotion in mammals. In this reply, the authors question the reliability of J. Panksepp's strategy for studying emotion on the basis that anthropomorphism has yet to prove itself an effective research tool. In addition, the authors believe that J. Panksepp's anthropomorphic-zoomorphic strategy defeats the goal of building a comparative psychobiology of behavior and cognition that does not reify false distinctions between humans and other animals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Subjective Indoor Air Quality in Schools in Relation to Exposure

Abstract This paper presents data on indoor air quality in schools as perceived by those working in them and relates these data to exposure measurements. Data on subjective air quality, domestic exposures and health aspects were gathered by means of a questionnaire which was sent to all personnel in 38 schools; it was completed by 1410 persons (85’4 of the total). Data on exposure were gathered by exposure measurements in classrooms. The results indicate that 53% of the personnel perceived the indoor air quality as bad or very bad. It was perceived as worse by those who were younger, those who were dissatisfied with their psychosocial work climate and those who were not exposed to tobacco smoke at home. In older school buildings and buildings with displacement ventilation there was less dissatisfaction with the air quality. There were no significant relations between complaints and air exchange rate or concentration of carbon dioxide. The air quality was perceived as worse at higher levels of exposure to a number of airborne compounds including volatile organic compounds, moulds, bacteria and respirable dust. It was concluded that exposure to indoor pollutants affects perception even at the low concentrations normally found indoors in nonindustrial buildings.