Intranasal Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment for Neonatal Brain Damage: Long-Term Cognitive and Sensorimotor Improvement

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) administration via the intranasal route could become an effective therapy to treat neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) brain damage. We analyzed long-term effects of intranasal MSC treatment on lesion size, sensorimotor and cognitive behavior, and determined the therapeutic window and dose response relationships. Furthermore, the appearance of MSCs at the lesion site in relation to the therapeutic window was examined. Nine-day-old mice were subjected to unilateral carotid artery occlusion and hypoxia. MSCs were administered intranasally at 3, 10 or 17 days after hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Motor, cognitive and histological outcome was investigated. PKH-26 labeled cells were used to localize MSCs in the brain. We identified 0.5×10⁶ MSCs as the minimal effective dose with a therapeutic window of at least 10 days but less than 17 days post-HI. A single dose was sufficient for a marked beneficial effect. MSCs reach the lesion site within 24 h when given 3 or 10 days after injury. However, no MSCs were detected in the lesion when administered 17 days following HI. We also show for the first time that intranasal MSC treatment after HI improves cognitive function. Improvement of sensorimotor function and histological outcome was maintained until at least 9 weeks post-HI. The capacity of MSCs to reach the lesion site within 24 h after intranasal administration at 10 days but not at 17 days post-HI indicates a therapeutic window of at least 10 days. Our data strongly indicate that intranasal MSC treatment may become a promising non-invasive therapeutic tool to effectively reduce neonatal encephalopathy.     

Comparison of diets fed to southeast Asian colobines in North American and European zoos,with emphasis on temperate browse composition

In May and June 1994 a survey of diets fed to captive southeast Asian colobines in European (n = 12) and North American (n = 9) zoos was conducted. Most diets were very complex, comprising an average of 25 ingredients; 149 different foods were listed in responses. Comparison of diets fed showed that European zoos feed a greater variety of fruits and vegetables, and fewer browse plants, than North American zoos. No standardized diet recommendations, based on ingredient or nutrient composition, are currently available for colobines in captivity. Foods eaten by these primates in nature appear to contain higher amounts of fiber and lower protein and soluble carbohydrates than current zoo diets. Temperate browse plants (n = 11 spp.; leaves plus twigs) sampled in New York in summer and autumn contained higher fiber and lower protein levels than diets fed in this survey, and may approximate the nutrient content of food items selected by free-ranging colobines. Fast-growing roses grown in greenhouses, fed primarily in Europe, contained substantially less fiber and higher protein concentrations than other browses offered, and may not be an appropriate substitute for native foods. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Influence of two different diets on fluid and particle retention time Javan langur (Trachypithecus auratus auratus)

In captivity, langurs (foregut fermenting primates) often suffer from digestive disorders, and in particular display soft stools on diets with a high proportion of fruits, vegetables, and grain products. In this study, we tested whether the improvement in feces consistency expected after an omission of vegetables from a conventional diet was also accompanied by a change in the excretion pattern as measured by the mean retention time (MRT). Two adult Javan langurs were kept together and offered a conventional diet of pellets, browse, vegetables, or a diet consisting of pellets and browse only. MRT were measured with cobalt-EDTA as the fluid and chromium oxide as the particle marker before, during, and after the test diet, collecting the feces of both animals together. MRTs of fluids and particles were longer (47/49 h) on the test diet as compared to the usual diet (42/43 h). Feces consistency improved during the test period. The test period was marked by an increased fiber intake; however, on the conventional diet, dietary water intake exceeded the calculated water flux for these animals distinctively, due to the high proportion of vegetables. Therefore, it cannot be decided whether the increase of fiber level alone or also a reduction of the excessive water intake was responsible for the changes observed. Comparing the results of this study to other studies on ingesta retention in foregut fermenting primates, no correlation between the body mass of the animals and the MRTs measured is evident, which is in accordance with observations in other groups of foregut fermenters.     

Macrophyte communities in unimpacted European streams: variability in assemblage patterns, abundance and diversity

Macrophytes are an important component of aquatic ecosystems and are used widely within the Water Framework Directive (WFD) to establish ecological quality. In the present paper we investigated macrophyte community structure, i.e., composition, richness and diversity measures in 60 unimpacted stream and river sites throughout Europe. The objectives were to describe assemblage patterns in different types of streams and to assess the variability in various structural and ecological metrics within these types to provide a basis for an evaluation of their suitability in ecological quality assessment. Macrophyte assemblage patterns varied considerably among the main stream types. Moving from small-sized, shallow mountain streams to medium-sized, lowland streams there was a clear transition in species richness, diversity and community structure. There was especially a shift from a predominance of species-poor mosses and communities dominated by liverwort in the small-sized, shallow mountain streams to more species-rich communities dominated by vascular plants in the medium-sized, lowland streams. The macrophyte communities responded to most of the features underlying the typological framework defined in WFD. The present interpretation of the WFD typology may not, however, be adequate for an evaluation of stream quality based on macrophytes. First and most important, by using this typology we may overlook an important community type, which is characteristic of small-sized, relatively steep-gradient streams that are an intermediate type between the small-sized, shallow mountain streams and the medium-sized, lowland streams. Second, the variability in most of the calculated metrics was slightly higher when using the pre-defined typology. The consistency of these results should be investigated by analysing a larger number of sites. Particularly the need of re-defining the typology to improve the ability to detect impacts on streams and rivers from macrophyte assemblage patterns should be investigated. Electronic supplementary material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users.     

Macrophyte communities of European streams with altered physical habitat

The impact of altering hydro-morphology on three macrophyte community types was investigated at 107 European stream sites. Sites were surveyed using standard macrophyte and habitat survey techniques (Mean Trophic Rank Methodology and River Habitat Survey respectively). Principal Components Analysis shows the macrophyte community of upland streams live in a more structurally diverse physical habitat than lowland communities. Variables representing the homogeneity and diversity of the physical environment were used to successfully separate un-impacted from impacted sites, e.g. homogeneity of depth and substrate increased with decreasing quality class for lowland sites (ANOVA p < 0.05). Macrophyte attribute groups and structural metrics such as species richness were successfully linked to hydro-morphological variables indicative of impact. Most links were specific to each macrophyte community type, e.g., the attribute group liverworts, mosses and lichens decreased in abundance with increasing homogeneity of depth and decreasing substrate size at lowland sites but not at upland sites. Elodea canadensis, Sparganium emersum and Potamogeton crispus were indicative of impacted lowland sites. Many of the indicator species are also known to be tolerant to other forms of impact. The potential for a macrophyte tool indicative of hydro-morphological impact is discussed. It is concluded one could be constructed by combining indicator species and metrics such as species richness and evenness.     

The effect of excluding taxa with low abundances or taxa with small distribution ranges on ecological assessment

The present study aims to investigate whether taxa with a small distribution range or taxa with low abundances indicate specific habitats or a high ecological quality and what the effect is if these taxa are excluded from ecological assessment. We compared autecological features between stream dwelling taxa with a mean abundance >5 individuals per sample and a mean abundance ≤5 individuals per sample as well as between taxa with a small distribution range and taxa with a large distribution range. The number of rare taxa (either with a small distribution range or with low abundances) in a sample was related to the ecological quality classes. To test the effect of exclusion of rare taxa we constructed 8 data sets all including 142 samples of Dutch lowland streams. From each data set we stepwise excluded taxa that had low abundances or taxa that were known to be restricted in their distribution range. With help of the AQEM assessment software we calculated the final ecological quality classes and the metrics that were included in the multimetric for the original data and the 8 selected data sets. Autecological features of the taxa within the different selections showed that taxa with small distribution ranges were often running water taxa, living on stones and gravel and indicating oligosaprobic water conditions in contrast to taxa that had a large distribution range. There were only small differences between taxa with low and high abundances. However, current velocity preference was lower for taxa with abundance ≤5 individuals per sample, saprobic values were higher and scores for typical stream habitats, such as lithal, psammal and akal were lower compared to high abundant taxa. If taxa with low abundances were excluded a higher ecological quality class was achieved in most cases, while excluding taxa with a small distribution range resulted in lower ecological quality classes. In conclusion, excluding taxa with a small distribution range led to worse ecological quality classes because these taxa have special autecological features that often indicate natural streams. On the other hand, excluding taxa with low abundances resulted in higher ecological quality classes because these taxa indicate more disturbed situations and because the number of taxa per sample was strongly reduced. Although the documentation of rare taxa (either with low abundances or with small distribution ranges) is often time and cost-intensive regarding field work, laboratory work, data processing, and analyses, the indicative power of these taxa for natural circumstances is essential and therefore rare taxa should be included in ecological assessment studies.     

Comparative digestion studies in wild suids at Rotterdam Zoo

Among the artiodactyla, the suids are a group whose digestive physiology has hardly been investigated. The apparent digestibilities (aD) of macronutrients were measured in captive specimens of warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), and Visayan warty pigs (Sus cebifrons), and compared with those reported for babirusa (Babyrousa babyrussa) from the same facility on a similar diet. The animals were fed mixed diets of pelleted feed, grains, fruits, and vegetables; dietary neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ranged from 17 to 26% dry matter. aD of organic matter and protein ranged from 72 to 89 and 70 to 82%, respectively. Although red river hogs and warty pigs achieved aD of NDF of 41–54%, this value was higher both in warthogs (63–66%) and babirusa (61–63%). aD of acid detergent fiber was comparatively low in red river hogs (4%), warty pigs (22%), and babirusa (13–25%) but high in warthog (59–62%). Comparison with additional literature data (including peccaries) indicates that in spite of differences in digestive anatomy, suids and peccaries are similar, and resemble other herbivores in fundamental characteristics, such as the negative influence of fiber on overall digestibility, or the positive influence of dietary protein on protein digestion. Although the existing data are equivocal as to a superior fiber digestion in peccaries as compared with other wild suids, the results suggest that warthogs are more efficient than other wild suids or peccaries in terms of fiber digestion. Zoo Biol 27:305–319, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Large outbreak of Salmonella enterica serotype paratyphi B infection caused by a goats' milk cheese,France, 1993: a case finding and epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the magnitude of a nationwide outbreak of infection with Salmonella enterica serotype paratyphi B and identify the vehicle and source of infection. DESIGN--A case finding study of S paratyphi B infection between 15 August and 30 November 1993; a pair matched case-control study; an environmental investigation at a processing plant that produced a raw goats'' milk cheese incriminated in the outbreak; phage typing and genotyping of food and human S paratyphi B isolates. SETTING--France, 15 August to 30 November 1993. SUBJECTS--273 patients with S paratyphi B infection; 59 pairs of cases and controls matched for age, sex, and city of residence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Numbers of cases and incidence rates by region of residence and age; matched odds ratios for dairy food preferences. RESULTS--Among the 273 cases there was one death; 203 (78%) strains belonged to phage type 1 var 3. The incidence of infection was greatest in the region where goats'' milk cheese is commonly produced. Comparison of cases and controls showed a 12-fold greater risk of illness (95% confidence interval 1.6 to 92.3) from eating brand A unpasteurised goats'' milk cheese. S paratyphi B isolates of phage type 1 var 3 were recovered from cheese A, goats'' milk at the plant processing cheese A, and goats'' milk supplied to the plant by a single farm. Genotypic IS 200 typing of food and human 1 var 3 phage type isolates showed a common IS 200 pattern. CONCLUSION--This outbreak emphasises the potential health hazards of widely distributed unpasteurised milk products in France and the need for their close bacterial monitoring.     

Decision Making in Concurrent Multitasking: Do People Adapt to Task Interference?

While multitasking has received a great deal of attention from researchers, we still know little about how well people adapt their behavior to multitasking demands. In three experiments, participants were presented with a multicolumn subtraction task, which required working memory in half of the trials. This primary task had to be combined with a secondary task requiring either working memory or visual attention, resulting in different types of interference. Before each trial, participants were asked to choose which secondary task they wanted to perform concurrently with the primary task. We predicted that if people seek to maximize performance or minimize effort required to perform the dual task, they choose task combinations that minimize interference. While performance data showed that the predicted optimal task combinations indeed resulted in minimal interference between tasks, the preferential choice data showed that a third of participants did not show any adaptation, and for the remainder it took a considerable number of trials before the optimal task combinations were chosen consistently. On the basis of these results we argue that, while in principle people are able to adapt their behavior according to multitasking demands, selection of the most efficient combination of strategies is not an automatic process.