Metal Levels in the Liver,Muscle, Gill,Intestine, and Gonad of Lake Van Fish (Chalcalburnus tarichi) with Abnormal Gonad

Recently, an increasing number of studies have shown that Lake Van—the biggest soda lake in the world—is polluted due to an increasing population. Studies have shown abnormalities in the Lake Van fish (Chalcalburnus tarichi), the sole fish species that inhabits the lake. Unlike the vitellogenic and mature oocytes in normal gonads, abnormal gonads show large amounts of connective tissue and young oocytes. In this study, metal levels (nickel [Ni], copper [Cu], cobalt [Co], iron [Fe], zinc [Zn], cadmium [Cd], lead [Pb], and manganese [Mn]) in the muscle, liver, gill, intestine, and gonad of Lake Van fish with normal and abnormal gonads were assessed. Further, the metal contents in the wastewater from the wastewater treatment facility situated near Lake Van in Van City were assessed. All the metal levels, except that of Zn, were high in the Lake Van environment (P?<?0.05). The highest metal content in the tissues was for Fe, while the lowest level was for Co. The Pb level was found to be very high in both fish groups. Cd was not found in the tissues of both fish groups. The levels of Fe, Cu, Pb, and Mn were not significant in the tissues of both normal and abnormal fish groups. Zn level was significantly high in the livers and gonads of fish with abnormal gonads, and Co level was significantly high only in the livers (P?<?0.05). Consequently, high levels of Zn in the liver and gonads and high levels of Co in the liver may be factors causing the abnormal gonads in the Lake Van fish.     

Directional anisotropies reveal a functional segregation of visual motion processing for perception and action

Human exhibits an anisotropy in direction perception: discrimination is superior when motion is around horizontal or vertical rather than diagonal axes. In contrast to the consistent directional anisotropy in perception, we found only small idiosyncratic anisotropies in smooth pursuit eye movements, a motor action requiring accurate discrimination of visual motion direction. Both pursuit and perceptual direction discrimination rely on signals from the middle temporal visual area (MT), yet analysis of multiple measures of MT neuronal responses in the macaque failed to provide evidence of a directional anisotropy. We conclude that MT represents different motion directions uniformly, and subsequent processing creates a directional anisotropy in pathways unique to perception. Our data support the hypothesis that, at least for visual motion, perception and action are guided by inputs from separate sensory streams. The directional anisotropy of perception appears to originate after the two streams have segregated and downstream from area MT.     

Efficacy of selamectin against mites (Myobia musculi, Mycoptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera) and nematodes (Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata) in mice

The effects of selamectin were studied in mice naturally infected with the mites Myobia musculi, Myoceptes musculinus and Radfordia ensifera and with the oxyurid nematodes Aspiculuris tetraptera and Syphacia obvelata. The mice were divided into three treated and three control groups (n=9). Selamectin in the range 10-12.4 mg/kg was applied topically to the skin in a single spot at the base of the neck in front of the scapulae. The mice of treated and control groups were necropsied on the 4th, 7th and 21st day after the treatment. While selamectin was 100% effective in removing M. musculi, M. musculinus and R. ensifera by the seventh day, its effect against S. obvelata and A. tetraptera was 36.7% and 49.2%, respectively on the 21st day.     

Threatened fishes of the world: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudophoxinus anatolicus</Emphasis> (Hanko 1924) (Cyprinidae), Central Anatolia,Turkey

Being an endemic and endangered fish species in Anatolia, P. anatolicus restricted to Lakes Akgöl, Bey?ehir, Çavu?cu, Akkaya Dam and Ere?li marshes as well as some other small marshes in Central Anatolia region, Turkey. Current population of P. anatolicus tends to decrease in the habitats. A detailed study of current population status, biology, ecology and life history of P. anatolicus is required. It should also be included into national threatened fish category.     

Neuromuscular degenerative effects of Ankaferd Blood Stopper® in mouse sciatic nerve model

Purpose: Ankaferd Blood Stopper^® (ABS), a licenced medicinal herbal extract, is commonly used as an effective topical haemostatic agent. This study is designed to investigate whether topical ABS application may cause peripheral nerve degeneration and neuromuscular dysfunction in a mouse sciatic nerve model.

Methods: Twenty mice were randomly divided into two groups; an ABS treated experimental group and a saline-treated control group. Left sciatic nerves were treated with 0.3?ml of ABS in the experimental group and 0.3?ml of sterile saline in the control group for 5?min. Peripheral nerve degeneration and neuromuscular dysfunction were evaluated by behavioural tests, electrophysiological analysis and weight ratio comparison of target muscles.

Results: The motor function, assessed by the sciatic function index, was significantly impaired in ABS-treated animals as compared to the animals treated with saline. Motor coordination, evaluated with the rotarod test, was significantly decreased (–42%) in ABS-treated animals compared to the saline-treated animals. The degree of pain, assessed by the reaction latency to thermal stimuli (hot-plate test), was significantly prolonged (313%) in ABS-treated mice when compared to the saline-treated mice. ABS-treated mice showed a significant reduction in motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) (–52%) and the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) (–47%); however, it significantly prolonged onset latency (23%). The gastrocnemius muscles weight ratio of the ABS group was considerably lower than that of the control group.

Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that ABS triggers peripheral nerve degeneration and functional impairment and, thus promotes a deterioration of sciatic nerves.     

类根瘤对烟草叶片中叶绿体及其淀粉粒含量的影响

目的：探讨类根瘤对烟草叶片中的叶绿体及其淀粉粒含量的影响。方法：无菌培养烟草再生植株,其中一部分经过一定浓度的2,4－D与豇豆根瘤菌512快生型突变株菌液诱导处理,另外一部分为对照。运用常规电镜技术制作叶片厚切片,通过显微观察,对两组烟草叶片细胞中的叶绿体及其淀粉粒含量进行对比分析。结果：结瘤植株叶片细胞内的叶绿体含量虽然与对照之间无明显差异,但叶片栅栏组织和海绵组织细胞内淀粉粒的含量却均较对照减少,其中前者减少更为明显（P＜0.05)。结论：结瘤烟草叶片内光合产物的大量同化可能与类根瘤的形成有关。     

Effect of chronic psychological stress on insulin release from rat isolated pancreatic islets

Despite documented studies, the exact role of stress on diabetes is still unclear. The present study investigates the effect of chronic psychological stress on insulin release from isolated rat pancreatic islets. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups of control and stressed (n=8/group). The animals of the stressed group were exposed to restraint stressors (1 h twice daily) for 15 or 30 consecutive days. At the beginning and end of the experimental periods, the animals were weighed and blood samples taken to determine the fasting plasma levels of glucose, insulin and corticosterone. On the following day the pancreatic islets of 5/group of the above animals were isolated and the static release of insulin in the presence of different glucose concentrations (2.8, 5.6, 8.3, 16.7 mM) was assessed. The results showed that in the stressed group, fasting plasma glucose levels were increased significantly on the 15th day as compared to the control group. However there was no significant increase on the 30th day. Fasting plasma insulin was significantly decreased on the 15th and 30th days of the experiment in the stressed group. Stressed rats showed significantly higher fasting plasma corticosterone levels, only on the 15th day, as compared to the control rats. In response to increasing concentrations of glucose, insulin release from islets of the stressed group was increased significantly on the 30th day of the experiment as compared to the control group. We conclude that chronic psychological stress could increase responsiveness of pancreatic beta cells to glucose, in vitro, and thus, low insulin levels of the stressed animals, in vivo, may be due to reason(s) other than the reduction of insulin releasing capacity of pancreatic beta cells.     

烟草传粉前后生殖器官中细胞分裂素含量的变化

经免疫亲和层析系统纯化后,用间接竞争ＥＬＩＳＡ 法测定了烟草（Ｎｉｃｏｔｉａｎａ ｔａｂａｃｕｍ ）生殖器官在传粉前后细胞分裂素（ｔ－ＺＲ,ｉＰＡ）含量的变化． 开花前５ ｄ,花药和花丝中的细胞分裂素（ＣＴＫ）含量均达到最高值,以后随雄蕊发育逐渐下降． 授粉使花柱ＣＴＫ 含量急剧上升,授粉后１ ｄ 达到高峰,未经受粉的花柱ＣＴＫ 开花后下降．授粉后２ ｄ,子房中的ＣＴＫ 开始上升,在授粉后４ ｄ 达到最高值,而未受精的子房ＣＴＫ 含量开花后下降． 传粉后雌蕊中ＣＴＫ含量随花粉管生长而有规律地增加,ＣＴＫ 积极参与植物的传粉和受精过程     

Beh?et's: A Disease or a Syndrome? Answer from an Expression Profiling Study

Behçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic, relapsing, multisystemic inflammatory disorder with unanswered questions regarding its etiology/pathogenesis and classification. Distinct manifestation based subsets, pronounced geographical variations in expression, and discrepant immunological abnormalities raised the question whether Behçet’s is “a disease or a syndrome”. To answer the preceding question we aimed to display and compare the molecular mechanisms underlying distinct subsets of BD. For this purpose, the expression data of the gene expression profiling and association study on BD by Xavier et al (2013) was retrieved from GEO database and reanalysed by gene expression data analysis/visualization and bioinformatics enrichment tools. There were 15 BD patients (B) and 14 controls (C). Three subsets of BD patients were generated: MB (isolated mucocutaneous manifestations, n = 7), OB (ocular involvement, n = 4), and VB (large vein thrombosis, n = 4). Class comparison analyses yielded the following numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs); B vs C: 4, MB vs C: 5, OB vs C: 151, VB vs C: 274, MB vs OB: 215, MB vs VB: 760, OB vs VB: 984. Venn diagram analysis showed that there were no common DEGs in the intersection “MB vs C” ∩ “OB vs C” ∩ “VB vs C”. Cluster analyses successfully clustered distinct expressions of BD. During gene ontology term enrichment analyses, categories with relevance to IL-8 production (MB vs C) and immune response to microorganisms (OB vs C) were differentially enriched. Distinct subsets of BD display distinct expression profiles and different disease associated pathways. Based on these clear discrepancies, the designation as “Behçet’s syndrome” (BS) should be encouraged and future research should take into consideration the immunogenetic heterogeneity of BS subsets. Four gene groups, namely, negative regulators of inflammation (CD69, CLEC12A, CLEC12B, TNFAIP3), neutrophil granule proteins (LTF, OLFM4, AZU1, MMP8, DEFA4, CAMP), antigen processing and presentation proteins (CTSS, ERAP1), and regulators of immune response (LGALS2, BCL10, ITCH, CEACAM8, CD36, IL8, CCL4, EREG, NFKBIZ, CCR2, CD180, KLRC4, NFAT5) appear to be instrumental in BS immunopathogenesis.     

短链脂肪酸调控人髓母细胞瘤UW228 3细胞增殖、凋亡和侵袭作用的研究

目的 研究菌群代谢产物短链脂肪酸——丙酸、丁酸对人髓母细胞瘤UW228 3细胞增殖、凋亡和侵袭的影响。 方法 分别用10 μmol/L丙酸和5 μmol/L丁酸处理UW228 3细胞,通过HE染色观察细胞形态,MTT法测定细胞活力,流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡,细胞划痕检测细胞侵袭,PCR和Western Blot检测凋亡相关基因和蛋白的表达。 结果 10 μmol/L丙酸和5 μmol/L丁酸能够有效抑制UW228 3细胞增殖能力,增加细胞凋亡率,并显著抑制UW228 3细胞侵袭能力,提高Caspase 3基因以及蛋白表达,降低c Myc、Bcl 2、Survivin基因以及蛋白的表达。 结论 菌群代谢产物丙酸、丁酸能够抑制人髓母细胞瘤UW228 3细胞增殖和侵袭,并促进细胞凋亡,具有治疗髓母细胞瘤的潜在价值。