Evaluation of long‐term effects of artificial sweeteners on rat brain: a biochemical,behavioral, and histological study

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of artificial sweeteners (aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose) on rat brain. Twenty‐four adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were included in the study. The control group (n = 6) received regular tap water, whereas other groups received aspartame (3 mg/kg/day, n = 6,) or saccharin (3 mg/kg/day, n = 6) or sucralose (1.5 mg/kg/day, n = 6) in the drinking water. Following 6 weeks, the passive avoidance learning (PAL) test was performed to evaluate the neurobehavioral effects of sweeteners. The brains were assessed for lipid peroxides, neuron count, and Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrated that chronic intake of sweeteners significantly impaired PAL performance in all groups. Hippocampal CA1–CA3 areas revealed significantly lower neuronal count in aspartame and increased GFAP expression in all groups. Brain lipid peroxides were significantly higher in all groups. Our findings suggest that long‐term consumption of artificial sweeteners may have harmful effects on cognition and hippocampal integrity in rats.     

A <Emphasis Type=Italic>FRUITFULL-like</Emphasis> gene is associated with genetic variation for fruit flesh firmness in apple (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Malus domestica</Emphasis> Borkh.)

The FRUITFULL (FUL) and SHATTERPROOF (SHP) genes are involved in regulating fruit development and dehiscence in Arabidopsis. We tested the hypothesis that this class of genes are also involved in regulating the development of fleshy fruits, by exploring genetic and phenotypic variation within the apple (Malus domestica) gene pool. We isolated and characterised the genomic sequences of two candidate orthologous FUL-like genes, MdMADS2.1 and MdMADS2.2. These were mapped using the reference population ‘Prima x Fiesta’ to loci on Malus linkage groups LG14 and LG06, respectively. An additional MADS-box gene, MdMADS14, shares high amino acid identity with the Arabidopsis SHATTERPROOF1/2 genes and was mapped to Malus linkage group LG09. Association analysis between quantitative fruit flesh firmness estimates of ‘Prima x Fiesta’ progeny and the MdMADS2.1, MdMADS2.2 and MdMADS14 loci was carried out using a mixed model analysis of variance. This revealed a significant association (P < 0.01) between MdMADS2.1 and fruit flesh firmness. Further evidence for the association between MdMADS2.1 and fruit flesh firmness was obtained using a case–control population-based genetic association approach. For this, a polymorphic repeat, (AT)_n, in the 3′ UTR of MdMADS2.1 was used as a locus-specific marker to screen 168 apple accessions for which historical assessments of fruit texture attributes were available. This analysis revealed a significant association between the MdMADS2.1 and fruit flesh firmness at both allelic (χ ² = 34, df = 9, P < 0.001) and genotypic (χ ² = 57, df = 32, P < 0.01) levels.     

Development of Whispering Gallery Mode Polymeric Micro-optical Electric Field Sensors

Optical modes of dielectric micro-cavities have received significant attention in recent years for their potential in a broad range of applications. The optical modes are frequently referred to as "whispering gallery modes" (WGM) or "morphology dependent resonances" (MDR) and exhibit high optical quality factors. Some proposed applications of micro-cavity optical resonators are in spectroscopy¹, micro-cavity laser technology², optical communications^3-6 as well as sensor technology. The WGM-based sensor applications include those in biology⁷, trace gas detection⁸, and impurity detection in liquids⁹. Mechanical sensors based on microsphere resonators have also been proposed, including those for force^10,11, pressure¹², acceleration¹³ and wall shear stress¹⁴. In the present, we demonstrate a WGM-based electric field sensor, which builds on our previous studies^15,16. A candidate application of this sensor is in the detection of neuronal action potential.The electric field sensor is based on polymeric multi-layered dielectric microspheres. The external electric field induces surface and body forces on the spheres (electrostriction effect) leading to elastic deformation. This change in the morphology of the spheres, leads to shifts in the WGM. The electric field-induced WGM shifts are interrogated by exciting the optical modes of the spheres by laser light. Light from a distributed feedback (DFB) laser (nominal wavelength of ~ 1.3 μm) is side-coupled into the microspheres using a tapered section of a single mode optical fiber. The base material of the spheres is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Three microsphere geometries are used: (1) PDMS sphere with a 60:1 volumetric ratio of base-to-curing agent mixture, (2) multi layer sphere with 60:1 PDMS core, in order to increase the dielectric constant of the sphere, a middle layer of 60:1 PDMS that is mixed with varying amounts (2% to 10% by volume) of barium titanate and an outer layer of 60:1 PDMS and (3) solid silica sphere coated with a thin layer of uncured PDMS base. In each type of sensor, laser light from the tapered fiber is coupled into the outermost layer that provides high optical quality factor WGM (Q ~ 10⁶). The microspheres are poled for several hours at electric fields of ~ 1 MV/m to increase their sensitivity to electric field.     

Characterization of proteome alterations in <Emphasis Type=Italic>Phanerochaete chrysosporium</Emphasis> in response to lead exposure

Background  

Total soluble proteome alterations of white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium in response to different doses (25, 50 and 100 μM) of Pb (II) were characterized by 2DE in combination with MALDI-TOF-MS.     

Investigation of binding properties of dicationic styrylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridinium dyes to human serum albumin by spectroscopic techniques

The binding interaction between two dicationic styrylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridinium dyes and human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated at physiological conditions using fluorescence, UV–vis absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies. Analysis of the fluorescence titration data at different temperatures suggested that the fluorescence quenching mechanism of HSA by these dyes was static. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH° and ΔS°) indicated that hydrogen bonding and van der Waals forces played a major role in the formation of the dye–HSA complex. Binding distances (r) between dyes and HSA were calculated according to Förster's non‐radiative energy transfer theory. Studies of conformational changes of HSA using CD measurements indicate that the α‐helical content of the protein decreased upon binding of the dyes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experience Based Use of Landmark and Vector Based Orientation During Homing by the Ant Formica cunicularia (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Homing paths of Formica cunicularia foragers from an artificial food reward were analyzed on a familiar terrain and in displacement experiments on a familiar and an unfamiliar terrain. Foragers were tested either when relatively new to a foraging route (untrained group) or after a day’s experience with it (trained group). Untrained foragers followed direct homing paths to the nest site when tested in the familiar terrain but followed tortuous paths when displaced to the unfamiliar terrain. Trained foragers behaved similarly to untrained ones when tested from the food reward to the nest site in the familiar terrain but their behavior changed in displacements. Irrespective of the familiarity of the displacement site, these foragers followed paths taking them to the expected nest sites. The results showed that foragers did not rely on chemical cues for homing and revealed that untrained foragers disregarded path integration and were directed to the nest site when it is in their visual panorama. On the contrary, trained foragers may have relied on path integration on familiar and unfamiliar terrain. The results also demonstrated that experience greatly affected the preferential use of visual and vector based cues by foragers during homing.     

Predicting bone remodeling around tissue- and bone-level dental implants used in reduced bone width

The objective of this study was to predict time-dependent bone remodeling around tissue- and bone-level dental implants used in patients with reduced bone width. The remodeling of bone around titanium tissue-level, and titanium and titanium–zirconium alloy bone-level implants was studied under 100 N oblique load for one month by implementing the Stanford theory into three-dimensional finite element models. Maximum principal stress, minimum principal stress, and strain energy density in peri-implant bone and displacement in x- and y- axes of the implant were evaluated. Maximum and minimum principal stresses around tissue-level implant were higher than bone-level implants and both bone-level implants experienced comparable stresses. Total strain energy density in bone around titanium implants slightly decreased during the first two weeks of loading followed by a recovery, and the titanium–zirconium implant showed minor changes in the axial plane. Total strain energy density changes in the loading and contralateral sides were higher in tissue-level implant than other implants in the cortical bone at the horizontal plane. The displacement values of the implants were almost constant over time. Tissue-level implants were associated with higher stresses than bone-level implants. The time-dependent biomechanical outcome of titanium–zirconium alloy bone-level implant was comparable to the titanium implant.     

Serum prolidase activity and oxidative–antioxidative status in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip and its relationship with radiographic severity

Background: We aimed to investigate serum prolidase activity and to investigate its association with oxidative–antioxidative status in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH).

Methods: Oxidative status parameters, including lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH), total oxidant status (TOS), and the oxidative stress index (OSI), and antioxidative status parameters, free sulfhydryl groups (Total –SH), and total antioxidative capacity (TAC), as well as serum prolidase activity were assessed in patients with DDH (n?=?93), and in healthy controls (n?=?82). The severity of dysplasia was evaluated according to the Tonnis grading system.

Results: Serum prolidase activity and the oxidant parameters (LOOH, TOS, and OSI) were significantly higher and the antioxidant parameters (Total –SH and TAC) were significantly lower in patients with DDH compared to the controls (P?P?P?Conclusion: Increased levels of serum prolidase activity, LOOH, TOS, and OSI, and decreased levels of total –SH and TAC, may be associated with DDH, and these parameters may be useful adjunctive tools to assess the severity of DDH.     

Nonlinear viscoelastic material property estimation of lower extremity residual limb tissues

Axisymmetric nonlinear finite-element analysis was used to simulate force-relaxation and creep data obtained during in vivo indentation of the residual limb soft tissues of six individuals with trans-tibial amputation [1]. The finite-element models facilitated estimation of an appropriate set of nonlinear viscoelastic material coefficients of extended James-Green-Simpson material formulation for bulk soft tissue at discrete, clinically relevant test locations. The results indicate that over 90% of the experimental data can be simulated using the two-term viscoelastic Prony series extension of James-Green-Simpson material formulation. This phenomenological material formulation could not, however, predict the creep response from relaxation experiments, nor the relaxation response from creep experiments [2-5]. The estimated material coefficients varied with test location and subject indicating that these coefficients cannot be readily extrapolated to other sites or individuals.     

Neu1 desialylation of sialyl α-2,3-linked β-galactosyl residues of TOLL-like receptor 4 is essential for receptor activation and cellular signaling

The ectodomain of TOLL-like receptors (TLR) is highly glycosylated with several N-linked gylcosylation sites located in the inner concave surface. The precise role of these sugar N-glycans in TLR receptor activation is unknown. Recently, we have shown that Neu1 sialidase and not Neu2, -3 and -4 forms a complex with TLR-2, -3 and -4 receptors on the cell-surface membrane of naïve and activated macrophage cells (Glycoconj J DOI 10.1007/s10719-009-9239-8). Activation of Neu1 is induced by TLR ligands binding to their respective receptors. Here, we show that endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MyD88/TLR4 complex formation and subsequent NFκB activation is dependent on the removal of α-2,3-sialyl residue linked to β-galactoside of TLR4 by the Neu1 activity associated with LPS-stimulated live primary macrophage cells, macrophage and dendritic cell lines but not with primary Neu1-deficient macrophage cells. Exogenous α-2,3 sialyl specific neuraminidase (Streptoccocus pneumoniae) and wild-type T. cruzi trans-sialidase (TS) but not the catalytically inactive mutant TS?Asp98-Glu mediate TLR4 dimerization to facilitate MyD88/TLR4 complex formation and NFκB activation similar to those responses seen with LPS. These same TLR ligand-induced NFκB responses are not observed in TLR deficient HEK293 cells, but are re-established in HEK293 cells stably transfected with TLR4/MD2, and are significantly inhibited by α-2,3-sialyl specific Maackia amurensis (MAL-2) lectin, α-2,3-sialyl specific galectin-1 and neuraminidase inhibitor Tamiflu but not by α-2,6-sialyl specific Sambucus nigra lectin (SNA). Taken together, the findings suggest that Neu1 desialylation of α-2,3-sialyl residues of TLR receptors enables in removing a steric hinderance to receptor association for TLR activation and cellular signaling.