Long term effects of exposure to viral infections in utero.

An analysis was conducted of the major findings of a long term follow up study of 3076 subjects who were exposed to viral infections in utero and who at the time of analysis were up to 40 years of age. Mortality and morbidity were compared with those in a control population matched for sex and date and area of birth. An excess of cancers (16 cases against seven) appeared to be clustered among those exposed to herpes viruses (varicella or cytomegalovirus). There was evidence of an increased risk of diabetes among those exposed to mumps during the first trimester (four cases among 128 subjects against none in 148 controls). The most surprising finding was a decrease of diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue and of the nervous system among subjects exposed to antenatal varicella zoster infection. The mechanism for the association may include production of fetal anti-idiotype antibodies in response to transplacentally acquired maternal autoantibodies.     

Long term oscillation in glycolysis

To increase the period of glycolytic oscillations in yeast extracts (Saccharomyces uvarum), the dependence of the period on pH, on concentrations of phosphate and enzymes, and on temperature has been studied. Stable oscillatory trans were obtained at a pH value of about 6.5. Increasing the phosphate and decreasing the enzyme concentrations as well as decreasing temperature lengthened the period. By dilution of the extract with buffer while maintaining the metabolite concentrations at their initial level the period could be successively prolonged from 20 min to about 6 h.     

Circadian modification of ethanol damage in utero to mice

This study evaluates the ethanol toxicity for fetal development at different circadian stages. Pregnant mice were given a single intraperitoneal ethanol injection on day 7, 8, or 10 of gestation at one of four circadian stages (0700, 1300, 1900, or 0100 hr). The dams were killed on the day before term (day 18). Prenatal exposure to ethanol resulted in an increased number of resorptions, reduced fetal body weight, and produced an increased incidence of external alterations. The severity of damage was related to the dose, the period of gestation, and particularly to the circadian stage at the time of treatment. Ethanol had the greatest effect on the embryo of a mouse when administered at the mid-dark span. Consequently exposure to a single dose of ethanol at one time or another along the 24-hr time scale during organogenesis has important implications for the substantially increased risk.     

Long term influence of fertilization in a Nardetum

The oldest still existing experiment on alpine pastures was started in 1930 on Schynige Platte to improve the Geo montani-Nardetum.     

Long term effects of Myochrysine in articular cartilage

Intra-articularly administered sodium aurothiomalate (Myochrysine) produced aurosomes containing characteristic electron dense contents (indicating the presence of gold), in the chondrocytes of rabbit articular cartilage. At first the aurosomes were bounded by a membrane but later the electron dense contents were seen lying free in the cytoplasmic matrix. Such deposits were detectable up to 14 months after injection of Myochrysine but none were found at later time intervals (18 months and 2 years). There was a reduction in the population of superficial chondrocytes (Zone I) while those in deeper zones (Zones II and III) showed an increased content of intracytoplasmic filaments. It is thought that these are regressive or degenerative changes produced by gold.     

Long term retention of 237Np in rats

This interim report summarizes the results of observations during the first year after a single injection of 237Np nitrate (0.2 or 1.0 mg/kg body weight) into adult female rats and further preliminary data obtained with young animals. The retention of 237Np was followed by whole body counting and serial sacrifice of groups of animals. The retention data could be fitted to three-component exponential equations which show no major differences between the two 237Np dose levels. The half-times and extrapolated initial fractions calculated from the first two exponential terms indicate that one fraction, representing about 40 per cent of the injected 237Np was excreted within the first 5 days and an additional 15 per cent within the first 5 months, while the rest was excreted with a half-time of about 3.5 years. This final long term component is assumed to indicate the rate of loss of 237Np from the skeletal compartment. In young animals both whole-body and skeletal retention of 237Np during the first 5 months of observation was about 50 per cent higher than in the adults. Several soft tissue tumours, mostly mammary tumours, have appeared to approximately the same extent in both control and 237Np treated adult rats but no osteosarcomas were detected up to 15 months after injection of 237Np.     

Long-term, efficient inhibition of microRNA function in mice using rAAV vectors

Understanding the function of individual microRNA (miRNA) species in mice would require the production of hundreds of loss-of-function strains. To accelerate analysis of miRNA biology in mammals, we combined recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors with miRNA 'tough decoys' (TuDs) to inhibit specific miRNAs. Intravenous injection of rAAV9 expressing anti-miR-122 or anti-let-7 TuDs depleted the corresponding miRNA and increased its mRNA targets. rAAV producing anti-miR-122 TuD but not anti-let-7 TuD reduced serum cholesterol by >30% for 25 weeks in wild-type mice. High-throughput sequencing of liver miRNAs from the treated mice confirmed that the targeted miRNAs were depleted and revealed that TuDs induced miRNA tailing and trimming in vivo. rAAV-mediated miRNA inhibition thus provides a simple way to study miRNA function in adult mammals and a potential therapy for dyslipidemia and other diseases caused by miRNA deregulation.     

Long term treatment of severe obesity: four year follow up of results of combined behavioural modification programme.

A four year programme of treatment for severe obesity combining standard techniques such as behavioural modification, exercise, nutritional advice, and, in addition, readmission of patients who relapse has been developed. One hundred and seven subjects of both sexes were treated. Thirty nine had their jaws fixed from the start. After four years 104 out of 107 subjects were traced; 33 (31%) had left the programme. The mean loss of weight in the remaining 74 subjects was 11.7 kg (range -20 to 55.5): 14 had lost more than 20 kg, 35 had lost 5-20 kg, 17 had lost 0-5 kg, and eight were above their weight before treatment. The rate of dropping out in this study was lower than that generally reported. Our data suggest that combined behavioural modification used as a programme for reducing weight may result in a substantial loss of weight for several years even for severely obese subjects.     

Long term anesthesia using a continuous infusion of guaifenesin, ketamine and xylazine in cats.

Cats (Felis catus) were anesthetized with a solution containing guaifenesin, ketamine and xylazine (GKX) in 0.9% saline. Anesthesia was induced by intravenous (IV) injection and was maintained for 6 hours by IV infusion. Heart rate, respiratory rate and PvO2 did not change significantly during the 6 hour monitoring period and remained consistently within the published normal ranges for cats. Although the PvCO2 did not change significantly, many values were abnormal. Venous pH decreased to slightly below normal values. Lead II ECG tracings showed no abnormalities. Loss of response to pedal pinch and jaw tone indicates maintenance of a surgical plane of anesthesia and adequate muscle relaxation throughout the 6 hour anesthetic period. Cats exhibited voluntary motor movement and were in sternal recumbency in just over 2 hours and were showing no residual clinical effects of the anesthesia 16 hours later. Although a transient mild acidosis was observed, we conclude that GKX provides a safe, effective and easily administered anesthetic regime for cats for periods up to 6 hours.     

Long term cycles caused by patchy predation

Simple models were developed empirically to account for possible effects of patchy annual predation upon populations of benthic species. Long-term population cycles were generated and, provided there was limited interaction among three prey species, three different cycles were obtained. With exponential or power increments in populations, the prey showed spatial aggregations, but these were less marked than those observed in nature. The failure of the models to explain certain other natural phenomena is commented upon.