The effects of the trichothecene mycotoxins (acetyl T-2 toxin, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, palmityl T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), and T-2 tetraol) on bovine platelet function were examined in homologous plasma stimulated with platelet activating factor (PAF). The mycotoxins inhibited platelet function with the following order of potency: acetyl T-2 toxin > palmityl T-2 toxin = DAS > HT-2 toxin = T-2 toxin. While T-2 tetraol was completely ineffective as an inhibitor, DON exhibited minimal inhibitory activity at concentrations above 10×10?4M. The stability of the platelet aggregates formed was significantly reduced in all mycotoxin treated platelets compared to that of the untreated PAF controls. It is suggested that the increased sensitivity of PAF stimulated bovine platelets to the more lipophilic mycotoxins may be related to their more efficient partitioning into the platelet membrane compared to the more hydrophilic compounds. 相似文献
The helix angle configuration of the myocardium is understood to contribute to the heart function, as finite element (FE) modeling of postnatal hearts showed that altered configurations affected cardiac function and biomechanics. However, similar investigations have not been done on the fetal heart. To address this, we performed image-based FE simulations of fetal left ventricles (LV) over a range of helix angle configurations, assuming a linear variation of helix angles from epicardium to endocardium. Results showed that helix angles have substantial influence on peak myofiber stress, cardiac stroke work, myocardial deformational burden, and spatial variability of myocardial strain. A good match between LV myocardial strains from FE simulations to those measured from 4D fetal echo images could only be obtained if the transmural variation of helix angle was generally between 110 and 130°, suggesting that this was the physiological range. Experimentally discovered helix angle configurations from the literature were found to produce high peak myofiber stress, high cardiac stroke work, and a low myocardial deformational burden, but did not coincide with configurations that would optimize these characteristics. This may suggest that the fetal development of myocyte orientations depends concurrently on several factors rather than a single factor. We further found that the shape, rather than the size of the LV, determined the manner at which helix angles influenced these characteristics, as this influence changed significantly when the LV shape was varied, but not when a heart was scaled from fetal to adult size while retaining the same shape. This may suggest that biomechanical optimality would be affected during diseases that altered the geometric shape of the LV.
The underlying mechanism of fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) remains poorly understood. Our study investigates the involvement of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS), originating in the pontine brainstem, in MS patients with symptoms of fatigue.
Methods
Female relapsing-remitting MS patients (n = 17) and controls (n = 15) underwent a magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging protocol at 1.5T. Fatigue was assessed in every subject using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Using an FSS cut-off of 36, patients were categorized into a low (n = 9, 22 ± 10) or high (n = 10, 52 ± 6) fatigue group. The brain metabolites N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and total creatine (tCr) were measured from sixteen 5x5x10 mm3 spectroscopic imaging voxels in the rostral pons.
Results
MS patients with high fatigue had lower NAA/tCr concentration in the tegmental pons compared to control subjects. By using NAA and Cr values in the cerebellum for comparison, these NAA/tCr changes in the pons were driven by higher tCr concentration, and that these changes were focused in the WM regions.
Discussion/Conclusion
Since there were no changes in NAA concentration, the increase in tCr may be suggestive of gliosis, or an imbalanced equilibrium of the creatine and phosphocreatine ratio in the pons of relapsing-remitting MS patients with fatigue. 相似文献
We have recently found that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are targets for T-cell and B-cell reactivity in experimental
arthritis. In the present article, we investigate whether modulation of MMP-specific T-cell responses could influence the
course of adjuvant arthritis (AA). Lewis rats were treated nasally with MMP peptides prior to or after AA induction. Administration
of the MMP-10 or the MMP-16 peptide prior to AA induction reduced the arthritic symptoms. In contrast, administration of the
MMP-10 peptide after AA induction aggravated the arthritic symptoms. The present study shows the possible usefulness of MMP
peptides for immunotherapy. However, a clear understanding of proper timing of peptide administration is crucial for the development
of such therapies. 相似文献
Group B and C Neisseria meningitidis are the major cause of meningococcal
disease in the United States and in Europe. N . meningitidis
lipooligosaccharide (LOS), a major surface antigen, can be divided into 12
immunotypes of which L1 through L8 were found among Group B and C
organisms. Groups B and C but not Group A may sialylate their LOSs with
N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuNAc) at the nonreducing end because they
synthesize CMP-NeuNAc. Using sialic acid-galactose binding lectins as
probes in an ELISA format, six of the eight LOS immunotypes (L2, L3, L4,
L5, L7, and L8) in Groups B and C bound specifically to Maackia amurensis
leukoagglutinin (MAL), which recognizes NeuNAcalpha2- 3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc/Glc
sequence, but not to Sambucus nigra agglutinin, which binds
NeuNAcalpha2-6Gal sequence. The combination of SDS-PAGE and MAL-blot
analyses revealed that these six LOSs contained only the
NeuNAcalpha2-3Galbeta1-4GlcNAc trisaccharide sequence in their 4.1 kDa LOS
components, which have a common terminal lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT,
Galbeta1-4GlcNAcbeta1-3Galbeta1-4Glc) structure when nonsialylated as shown
by previous studies. The LOS-lectin binding was abolished when the LOSs
were treated with Newcastle disease viral neuraminidase which cleaves
alpha2-->3 linked sialic acid. Methylation analysis of a representative
LOS (L2) confirmed that NeuNAc is 2-->3 linked to Gal. Thus, these LOSs
structurally mimic certain glycolipids, i.e., paragloboside (LNnT-ceramide)
and sialylparagloboside and some glycoproteins in having LNnT and
N-acetyllactosamine sequences, respectively, with or without alpha2-->3
linked NeuNAc. The molecular mimicry of the LOSs may play a role in the
pathogenesis of N.meningitidis by assisting the organism to evade host
immune defenses in man.
相似文献
We investigated the role of the main olfactory and accessory olfactory systems (MOS and AOS respectively) in the detection of androstenone. We used the following experimental approaches: behavioral, surgical removal of the vomeronasal organ (VNX) followed by histochemical verification and Fos immunohistochemistry. Using a Y-maze paradigm we estimated sensitivity of NZB/B1NJ and CBA/J mice to androstenone. CBA mice were 2,000-fold more sensitive to androstenone than NZB mice. VNX caused a 4- to 16-fold decre... 相似文献
This paper presents the study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a school based program developed to prevent teenage pregnancy. The program includes students taking care of an Infant Simulator; despite growing popularity and an increasing global presence of such programs, there is no published evidence of their long-term impact. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the Virtual Infant Parenting (VIP) program by investigating pre-conceptual health and risk behaviours, teen pregnancy and the resultant birth outcomes, early child health and maternal health.
Methods and Design
Fifty-seven schools (86% of 66 eligible secondary schools) in Perth, Australia were recruited to the clustered (by school) randomised trial, with even randomisation to the intervention and control arms. Between 2003 and 2006, the VIP program was administered to 1,267 participants in the intervention schools, while 1,567 participants in the non-intervention schools received standard curriculum. Participants were all female and aged between 13-15 years upon recruitment. Pre and post-intervention questionnaires measured short-term impact and participants are now being followed through their teenage years via data linkage to hospital medical records, abortion clinics and education records. Participants who have a live birth are interviewed by face-to-face interview. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and proportional hazards regression will test for differences in pregnancy, birth and abortion rates during the teenage years between the study arms.
Discussion
This protocol paper provides a detailed overview of the trial design as well as initial results in the form of participant flow. The authors describe the intervention and its delivery within the natural school setting and discuss the practical issues in the conduct of the trial, including recruitment. The trial is pragmatic and will directly inform those who provide Infant Simulator based programs in school settings.