Ecotoxicological studies with the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus II. An assessment of the chronic toxicity of lindane and 3,4-dichloroaniline using life tables

The effects of chronic exposure of the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus to the toxicants lindane and 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCA), were evaluated. The parameters used to determine the toxicity on these compounds were the age-specific and fertility, and the demographic parameters: intrinsic rate of natural increase (r), generation time (T), net reproductive rate (R _o), reproductive value (V _x) and life expectancy (e _o). All the demographic parameters studied decreased with increasing toxicant concentrations. The use of life tables techniques with B. calyciflorus as a test method for the determination of chronic toxicity of xenobiotics is discussed.     

Chronic toxicity of methylparathion to the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus fed on Nannochloris oculata and Chlorella pyrenoidosa

The effect of sublethal levels of methylparathion (0, 1, 3, 5, 7 mg l^–1) on the freshwater rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus, during their entire life cycle was studied. Rotifers were fed on two species of unicellular algae: Nannochloris oculata and Chlorella pyrenoidosa; both algal concentrations were 5 × 10⁵ cell ml^–1.The parameters used to determine the toxicity of this compound were survival, fecundity, net reproductive rate (R)_o, generation time (T), intrinsic rate of natural increase (r), reproductive value (V _x/V_o) and life expectancy at hatching (eo). All the demographic parameters studied were affected by methyl-parathion exposure on rotifers fed on both species of algae, but the toxic effect was larger when animals were fed on Chlorella pyrenoidosa; in this case, animals showed a decreased in fertility and also a delayed first reproduction. Sublethal methylparathion levels produced a reduction in most of the parameters selected, especially after exposure to 7 mg l^–1, where the animals died before reproducing.     

Demographic parameters of Brachionus calyciflorus Pallas (Rotifers) exposed to sublethal endosulfan concentrations

The effects of sublethal levels of endosulfan (0, 1, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.3 mg 1^–1) on the demography of the rotifer Brachionus calyciorus were studied. Life expectancy at birth (e _o), net reproductive rate (Ro), generation time (T) and intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) were significant differentes between blank controls and controls with acetone. The effective endosulfan concentration at which a given parameter value was reduced to 50% of the controls (EC50) was calculated for life expectancy.     

Differential response of cycling and noncycling cells to inducers of DNA synthesis and mitosis

The objective of this study was to determine whether cells in G(0) phase are functionally distinct from those in G(1) with regard to their ability to respond to the inducers of DNA synthesis and to retard the cell cycle traverse of the G(2) component after fusion. Synchronized populations of HeLa cells in G(1) and human diploid fibroblasts in G(1) and G(0) phases were separately fused using UV-inactivated Sendai virus with HeLa cells prelabeled with [(3)H]ThdR and synchronized in S or G(2) phases. The kinetics of initiation of DNA synthesis in the nuclei of G(0) and G(1) cells residing in G(0)/S and G(1)/S dikaryons, respectively, were studied as a function of time after fusion. In the G(0)/G(2) and G(1)/G(2) fusions, the rate of entry into mitosis of the heterophasic binucleate cells was monitored in the presence of Colcemid. The effects of protein synthesis inhibition in the G(1) cells, and the UV irradiation of G(0) cells before fusion, on the rate of entry of the G(2) component into mitosis were also studied. The results of this study indicate that DNA synthesis can be induced in G(0)nuclei after fusion between G(0)- and S-phase cells, but G(0) nuclei are much slower than G(1) nuclei in responding to the inducers of DNA synthesis because the chromatin of G(0) cells is more condensed than it is in G(1) cells. A more interesting observation resulting from this study is that G(0) cells is more condensed than it is in G(1) cells. A more interesting observation resulting from this study is that G(0) cells differ from G(1) cells with regard to their effects on the cell cycle progression of the G(2) nucleus into mitosis. This difference between G(0) and G(1) cells appears to depend on certain factors, probably nonhistone proteins, present in G(1) cells but absent in G(0) cells. These factors can be induced in G(0) cells by UV irradiation and inhibited in G(1) cells by cycloheximide treatment.     

Exercise training in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: a controlled randomized trial

Introduction

Exercise training has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy to counteract physical dysfunction in adult systemic lupus erythematosus. However, no longitudinal studies have evaluated the effects of an exercise training program in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (C-SLE) patients. The objective was to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of a supervised aerobic training program in improving the cardiorespiratory capacity in C-SLE patients.

Methods

Nineteen physically inactive C-SLE patients were randomly assigned into two groups: trained (TR, n = 10, supervised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program) and non-trained (NT, n = 9). Gender-, body mass index (BMI)- and age-matched healthy children were recruited as controls (C, n = 10) for baseline (PRE) measurements only. C-SLE patients were assessed at PRE and after 12 weeks of training (POST). Main measurements included exercise tolerance and cardiorespiratory measurements in response to a maximal exercise (that is, peak VO₂, chronotropic reserve (CR), and the heart rate recovery (ΔHRR) (that is, the difference between HR at peak exercise and at both the first (ΔHRR1) and second (ΔHRR2) minutes of recovery after exercise).

Results

The C-SLE NT patients did not present changes in any of the cardiorespiratory parameters at POST (P > 0.05). In contrast, the exercise training program was effective in promoting significant increases in time-to-exhaustion (P = 0.01; ES = 1.07), peak speed (P = 0.01; ES = 1.08), peak VO₂ (P = 0.04; ES = 0.86), CR (P = 0.06; ES = 0.83), and in ΔHRR1 and ΔHRR2 (P = 0.003; ES = 1.29 and P = 0.0008; ES = 1.36, respectively) in the C-SLE TR when compared with the NT group. Moreover, cardiorespiratory parameters were comparable between C-SLE TR patients and C subjects after the exercise training intervention, as evidenced by the ANOVA analysis (P > 0.05, TR vs. C). SLEDAI-2K scores remained stable throughout the study.

Conclusion

A 3-month aerobic exercise training was safe and capable of ameliorating the cardiorespiratory capacity and the autonomic function in C-SLE patients.

Trial registration

NCT01515163.     

Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1) Expression in Prostate Cancer Cells Modulates the Oxidative Response in Bone Cells

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a leading cause of death among males. It is currently estimated that inflammatory responses are linked to 15-20% of all deaths from cancer worldwide. PCa is dominated by complications arising from metastasis to the bone where the tumor cells interact with the bone microenvironment impairing the balance between bone formation and degradation. However, the molecular nature of this interaction is not completely understood. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) counteracts oxidative damage and inflammation. Previous studies from our laboratory showed that HO-1 is implicated in PCa, demonstrating that endogenous HO-1 inhibits bone derived-prostate cancer cells proliferation, invasion and migration and decreases tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. The aim of this work was to analyze the impact of HO-1 modulated PCa cells on osteoblasts proliferation in vitro and on bone remodeling in vivo. Using a co-culture system of PC3 cells with primary mice osteoblasts (PMOs), we demonstrated that HO-1 pharmacological induction (hemin treatment) abrogated the diminution of PMOs proliferation induced by PCa cells and decreased the expression of osteoclast-modulating factors in osteoblasts. No changes were detected in the expression of genes involved in osteoblasts differentiation. However, co-culture of hemin pre-treated PC3 cells (PC3 Hem) with PMOs provoked an oxidative status and activated FoxO signaling in osteoblasts. The percentage of active osteoblasts positive for HO-1 increased in calvarias explants co-cultured with PC3 Hem cells. Nuclear HO-1 expression was detected in tumors generated by in vivo bone injection of HO-1 stable transfected PC3 (PC3HO-1) cells in the femur of SCID mice. These results suggest that HO-1 has the potential to modify the bone microenvironment impacting on PCa bone metastasis.     

Performance of the eclipse monitor unit objective tool utilizing volumetric modulated arc therapy for rectal cancer

AimTo assess the performance of the monitor unit (MU) Objective tool in Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) utilizing volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for rectal cancer.BackgroundEclipse VMAT planning module includes a tool to control the number of MUs delivered: the MU Objective tool. This tool could be utilized to reduce the total number of MUs in rectal cancer treatments.Materials and methods20 rectal cancer patients were retrospectively studied using VMAT and the MU Objective tool. The baseline plan for each patient was selected as the one with no usage of the MU Objective tool. The number of MUs of this plan was set to be the reference number of MUs (MU_ref). Five plans were re-optimized for each patient only varying the Max MU parameter. The selected values were 30%, 60%, 90%, 120% and 150% of MU_ref for each patient. Differences with respect to the baseline plan were evaluated regarding MU number and parameters for PTVs coverage evaluation, PTVs homogeneity and OARs doses assessment. A two-tailed, paired-samples t-test was used to quantify these differences.ResultsAverage relative differences in MU number obtained was 10% for Max MU values of 30% and 60% of MU_ref, respectively (p < 0.03). PTVs coverage and homogeneity were not compromised and discrepancies obtained with respect to baseline plans were not significant. Furthermore, maximum OARs doses deviations were also not significant.ConclusionsA 10% reduction in the MU number could be obtained without an alteration of PTV coverage and OARs doses for rectal cancer.     

1064 nm Nd:YAG laser light affects transmembrane mitochondria respiratory chain complexes

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a non‐plant‐cell manipulation through a transfer of energy by means of light sources at the non‐ablative or thermal intensity. Authors showed that cytochrome‐c‐oxidase (complex IV) is the specific chromophore's target of PBM at the red (600‐700 nm) and NIR (760‐900 nm) wavelength regions. Recently, it was suggested that the infrared region of the spectrum could influence other chromospheres, despite the interaction by wavelengths higher than 900 nm with mitochondrial chromophores was not clearly demonstrated. We characterized the interaction between mitochondria respiratory chain, malate dehydrogenase, a key enzyme of Krebs cycle, and 3‐hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in the β‐oxidation (two mitochondrial matrix enzymes) with the 1064 nm Nd:YAG (100mps and 10 Hz frequency mode) irradiated at the average power density of 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50 W/cm² to generate the respective fluences of 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 J/cm². Our results show the effect of laser light on the transmembrane mitochondrial complexes I, III, IV and V (adenosine triphosphate synthase) (window effects), but not on the extrinsic mitochondrial membrane complex II and mitochondria matrix enzymes. The effect is not due to macroscopical thermal change. An interaction of this wavelength with the Fe‐S proteins and Cu‐centers of respiratory complexes and with the water molecules could be supposed.