Exposure to nuclear magnetic resonance imaging procedure attenuates morphine-induced analgesia in mice

Adult male mice exposed to a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging (NMRI) procedure during the mid-dark period and injected with morphine (10 mg/kg) failed to exhibit the normal nocturnally enhanced morphine analgesia response to a thermal stimulus that was displayed by mice exposed to a sham imaging procedure and treated with morphine (p less than .01). When tested during the mid-light period, animals exposed to the NMRI procedure and given morphine displayed attenuated analgesia levels relative to sham exposed mice (p less than .01) treated with morphine. However, the morphine induced analgesia was not totally abolished since the imaged mice still exhibited analgesia relative to saline treated mice (p less than .01). These results suggest that the magnetic and/or radio-frequency fields associated with the NMRI procedure alter both day- and night-time responses to morphine. These results may reflect magnetic field induced alterations in neuronal calcium binding and/or alterations in nocturnal pineal gland activity.     

Magnetic fields differentially inhibit mu, delta, kappa and sigma opiate-induced analgesia in mice

An exposure for 60 min to a 0.5 Hz rotating magnetic field (1.5-90 G) significantly attenuated the daytime analgesic effects of the mu and kappa opiate agonists, morphine and U50,488H, respectively, and significantly inhibited the analgesic actions of the delta agonist, D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalin, in mice. The magnetic stimuli had no significant effects on the analgesic effects of the prototypic sigma opiate agonist (+/-) SKF-10,047. These results show that exposure to relatively weak magnetic stimuli has significant and differential inhibitory influences on various opioid systems.     

Tamoxifen and raloxifene produce conditioned taste avoidance in female rats: A microstructural analysis of licking patterns

AimsEstrogen receptor activation has been shown to reduce body weight and produce conditioned taste avoidance (CTA) when estradiol administration is paired with a novel tastant. This study determined if the selective estrogen receptor modulators tamoxifen and raloxifene, which effectively prevent and treat breast cancer, can induce a CTA and alter body weight in ovariectomized (OVX)-female rats.Main methodsDuring conditioning, OVX-female rats were injected with tamoxifen, raloxifene, 17β-estradiol or vehicle, or were uninjected, prior to drinking 0.3 M sucrose in a lickometer. Immediately following sucrose access, alterations in locomotor activity and thigmotaxis (anxiety) were assessed in an open field apparatus. Conditioned drug effects on drinking, locomotor activity and anxiety were examined on a separate test day.Key findingsOur results suggest that both tamoxifen and raloxifene produce CTA that is similar to that produced by estradiol. Both the number and size of bursts of licking were significantly reduced, as well as body weight gain, in OVX-female rats treated with tamoxifen or raloxifene.SignificanceThe results of the present study suggest that tamoxifen and raloxifene may have the potential to produce CTA in breast cancer patients receiving chemoprevention care.     

Synonymous codon usage pattern among the S,M, and L segments in Crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus is one among the major zoonosis viral diseases that use the Hyalomma ticks as their transmission vector to cause viral infection to the human and mammalian community. The fatality of infectious is high across the world especially in Africa, Asia, Middle East, and Europe. This study regarding codon usage bias of S, M, and L segments of the CCHF virus pertaining to the host Homo sapiens, reveals in-depth information about the evolutionary characteristics of CCHFV. Relative Synonymous Codon Usage (RSCU), Effective number of codons (ENC) were calculated, to determine the codon usage pattern in each segment. Correlation analysis between Codon adaptation index (CAI), GRAVY (Hydrophobicity), AROMO (Aromaticity), and nucleotide composition revealed bias in the codon usage pattern. There was no strong codon bias found among any segments of the CCHF virus, indicating both the factors i.e., natural selection and mutational pressure shapes the codon usage bias.     

The approximate entropy of the electromyographic signals of tremor correlates with the osmotic fragility of human erythrocytes

Background  

The main problem of tremor is the damage caused to the quality of the life of patients, especially those at more advanced ages. There is not a consensus yet about the origins of this disorder, but it can be examined in the correlations between the biological signs of aging and the tremor characteristics.     

Laboratory diagnosis of melioidosis: Past,present and future

Melioidosis is an emerging, potentially fatal disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, which requires prolonged antibiotic treatment to prevent disease relapse. However, difficulties in laboratory diagnosis of melioidosis may delay treatment and affect disease outcomes. Isolation of B. pseudomallei from clinical specimens has been improved with the use of selective media. However, even with positive cultures, identification of B. pseudomallei can be difficult in clinical microbiology laboratories, especially in non-endemic areas where clinical suspicion is low. Commercial identification systems may fail to distinguish between B. pseudomallei and closely related species such as Burkholderia thailandensis. Genotypic identification of suspected isolates can be achieved by sequencing of gene targets such as groEL which offer higher discriminative power than 16S rRNA. Specific PCR-based identification of B. pseudomallei has also been developed using B. pseudomallei-specific gene targets such as Type III secretion system and Tat-domain protein. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, a revolutionary technique for pathogen identification, has been shown to be potentially useful for rapid identification of B. pseudomallei, although existing databases require optimization by adding reference spectra for B. pseudomallei. Despite these advances in bacterial identification, diagnostic problems encountered in culture-negative cases remain largely unresolved. Although various serological tests have been developed, they are generally unstandardized “in house” assays and have low sensitivities and specificities. Although specific PCR assays have been applied to direct clinical and environmental specimens, the sensitivities for diagnosis remain to be evaluated. Metabolomics is an uprising tool for studying infectious diseases and may offer a novel approach for exploring potential diagnostic biomarkers. The metabolomics profiles of B. pseudomallei culture supernatants can be potentially distinguished from those of related bacterial species including B. thailandensis. Further studies using bacterial cultures and direct patient samples are required to evaluate the potential of metabolomics for improving diagnosis of melioidosis.     

Social factors and the neurobiology of pathogen avoidance

Although the evolutionary causes and consequences of pathogen avoidance have been gaining increasing interest, there has been less attention paid to the proximate neurobiological mechanisms. Animals gauge the infection status of conspecifics and the threat they represent on the basis of various sensory and social cues. Here, we consider the neurobiology of pathogen detection and avoidance from a cognitive, motivational and affective state (disgust) perspective, focusing on the mechanisms associated with activating and directing parasite/pathogen avoidance. Drawing upon studies with laboratory rodents, we briefly discuss aspects of (i) olfactory-mediated recognition and avoidance of infected conspecifics; (ii) relationships between pathogen avoidance and various social factors (e.g. social vigilance, social distancing (approach/avoidance), social salience and social reward); (iii) the roles of various brain regions (in particular the amygdala and insular cortex) and neuromodulators (neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, steroidal hormones and immune components) in the regulation of pathogen avoidance. We propose that understanding the proximate neurobiological mechanisms can provide insights into the ecological and evolutionary consequences of the non-consumptive effects of pathogens and how, when and why females and males engage in pathogen avoidance.     

Behavioral changes in adult rats exposed to ELF magnetic fields

In two experiments, male rats that had been exposed to an ELF (0.5 Hz), 3–50 gauss rotating magnetic field (RMF) for 21–30 days, displayed significantly (p < 0.05) greater ambulatory behavior (activity) than the control group in an open field test, when removed from the RMF. In a third experiment rats were exposed to a different RMF apparatus (3–30 gauss), and tested in a different open field for longer duration. Again the RMF-exposed group displayed greater activity (p < 0.10) than the control group.

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Zusammenfassung In zwei Untersuchungen zeigten männliche Ratten,die einem ELF (0,5 Hz) 3–50 Gauss rotierenden magnetischen Feld (RMF) für 21–30 Tage ausgesetzt wurden, in einem Open-Field Test signifikant (p < 0,05) mehr Bewegungsaktivität als die Kontrollgruppe,nachdem sie von dem RMF entfernt wurden. In einer dritten Untersuchung wurden Ratten in einem anderen RMF Gerät gehalten und in einem anderen Open-Field für längere Zeit getestet. Wieder zeigte die Gruppe, die dem RMF ausgesetzt war, mehr Bewegungsaktivität (p < 0,10) als die Kontrollgruppe.

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Resume Lors de deux essais, on a placé des rats mâles dans un champ magnétique tournant (CMT) de 3 à 50 gauss et des très basse fréquence (FTB) (0,5 Hz). Après 21 à 30 jours de ce traitement, on les a remis dans des conditions normales. Leur activité (marche) était plus élevée que celle d'un groupe de contrôle et cela de façon significative (p < 0,05). Dans un troisième essai, d'autres rats furent placés dans un autre appareil (3 à 30 gauss) et examinés ensuite dans un autre champ ouvert sur une plus longue période. Le groupe traité a déployé dans ce cas également une plus grande activité qu'un groupe de contrôle (p < 0,10).