Repeated oral administration of capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours with prolonged stress-response in rats

This study was conducted to examine the psycho-emotional effects of repeated oral exposure to capsaicin, the principal active component of chili peppers. Each rat received 1 mL of 0.02% capsaicin into its oral cavity daily, and was subjected to behavioural tests following 10 daily administrations of capsaicin. Stereotypy counts and rostral grooming were significantly increased, and caudal grooming decreased, in capsaicin-treated rats during the ambulatory activity test. In elevated plus maze test, not only the time spent in open arms but also the percent arm entry into open arms was reduced in capsaicin-treated rats compared with control rats. In forced swim test, although swimming duration was decreased, struggling increased in the capsaicin group, immobility duration did not differ between the groups. Repeated oral capsaicin did not affect the basal levels of plasma corticosterone; however, the stress-induced elevation of plasma corticosterone was prolonged in capsaicin treated rats. Oral capsaicin exposure significantly increased c-Fos expression not only in the nucleus tractus of solitarius but also in the paraventricular nucleus. Results suggest that repeated oral exposure to capsaicin increases anxiety-like behaviours in rats, and dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may play a role in its pathophysiology.     

Effect of weight loss and exercise on angiogenic factors in the circulation and in adipose tissue in obese subjects

Background:

Vascular growth is a prerequisite for adipose tissue (AT) development and expansion. Some AT cytokines and hormones have effects on vascular development, like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF‐A), angiopoietin (ANG‐1), ANG‐2 and angiopoietin‐like protein‐4 (ANGPTL‐4).

Methods:

In this study, the independent and combined effects of diet‐induced weight loss and exercise on AT gene expression and proteins levels of those angiogenic factors were investigated. Seventy‐nine obese males and females were randomized to: 1. Exercise‐only (EXO; 12‐weeks exercise without diet‐restriction), 2. Hypocaloric diet (DIO; 8‐weeks very low energy diet (VLED) + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet) and 3. Hypocaloric diet and exercise (DEX; 8‐weeks VLED + 4‐weeks weight maintenance diet combined with exercise throughout the 12 weeks). Blood samples and fat biopsies were taken before and after the intervention.

Results:

Weight loss was 3.5 kg in the EXO group and 12.3 kg in the DIO and DEX groups. VEGF‐A protein was non‐significantly reduced in the weight loss groups. ANG‐1 protein levels were significantly reduced 22‐25% after all three interventions (P < 0.01). The ANG‐1/ANG‐2 ratio was also decreased in all three groups (P < 0.05) by 27‐38%. ANGPTL‐4 was increased in the EXO group (15%, P < 0.05) and 9% (P < 0.05) in the DIO group. VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, and ANGPTL‐4 were all expressed in human AT, but only ANGPTL‐4 was influenced by the interventions.

Conclusions:

Our data show that serum VEGF‐A, ANG‐1, ANG‐2, and ANGPTL‐4 levels are influenced by weight changes, indicating the involvement of these factors in the obese state. Moreover, it was found that weight loss generally was associated with a reduced angiogenic activity in the circulation.     

Effect of chronic treatment with Rosiglitazone on Leydig cell steroidogenesis in rats: <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vivo</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">ex vivo</Emphasis> studies

Background  

The present study was designed to examine the effect of chronic treatment with rosiglitazone - thiazolidinedione used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus for its insulin sensitizing effects - on the Leydig cell steroidogenic capacity and expression of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc) in normal adult rats.     

First detection, isolation and molecular characterization of infectious salmon anaemia virus associated with clinical disease in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Chile

Background  

Several forms of progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) segregate in more than 100 breeds of dog with each PRA segregating in one or a few breeds. This breed specificity may be accounted for by founder effects and genetic drift, which have reduced the genetic heterogeneity of each breed, thereby facilitating the identification of causal mutations. We report here a new form of PRA segregating in the Border Collie breed. The clinical signs, including the loss of night vision and a progressive loss of day vision, resulting in complete blindness, occur at the age of three to four years and may be detected earlier through systematic ocular fundus examination and electroretinography (ERG).     

三氧化二砷对食管癌细胞增殖和热休克蛋白70表达的影响

目的：研究三氧化二砷（As2O3）对食管癌细胞增殖和热休克蛋白70（HSP70）表达的影响。方法：通过相差显微镜、流式细胞术、免疫细胞化学染色和免疫印迹分析等方法观察As2O3对人食管癌细胞株EC1的作用效果和作用机制。结果：与对照组相比,经2μmol/L和5μmol/Las2O3作用的细胞出现明显的生长抑制,G2/M期细胞比例增加;2μmol/Las2O3作用48h后经Ecl细胞HSP70（heat shock protein70）及HSC70(heat shock cognate protein70)表达均增加。结论：As2O3诱导食管癌细胞G2/M期阻滞抑制细胞增殖和生长;HSP70的升高是细胞对As2O3作用后出现的应激反应,并与细胞周期阻滞相关。     

Environmental and industrial applications of Yarrowia lipolytica

Yarrowia lipolytica is a fungus that degrades hydrophobic substrates very efficiently. The fungus displays several important characteristics that have encouraged researchers to study various basic biological and biotechnological applications in detail. Although the organism has been used as model system for studying dimorphism, salt tolerance, heterologous protein expression, and lipid accumulation, there are no recent reviews on the environmental and industrial applications of this organism. Included here are applications in bioremediation of environments contaminated with aliphatic and aromatic compounds, organic pollutants, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and metals. A variety of industrially important recent processes for the synthesis of β-hydroxy butyrate, l-dopa, and emulsifiers have also been reviewed. Production of unique inherent enzymes (inulinases, α-mannosidases), novel applications of esterases and lipases, and the use of the fungus for heterologous expression of biotechnologically relevant products have also been highlighted. The review while entailing a general overview focuses critically on some of the recent advances on the applications of this yeast. The examples cited here demonstrate the use of wild-type, mutant as well as genetically manipulated strains of Y. lipolytica for the development of different products, processes, and technologies. This also throws light on how a single organism can be versatile with respect to its metabolic abilities and how it can be exploited for a variety of purposes. This review will thus form a base for future developments in this field.     

A Bacteriophage Mediated Gold Nanoparticles Synthesis and Their Anti-biofilm Activity

In the present study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) synthesis was carried out by using a rare bacteriophage which is morphologically similar to 7–11 phages of the C3 morphotype of tailed phage belonging to Podoviridae family as green route. Effect of various physiological parameters like pH, temperature and concentration of gold chloride salt on AuNPs synthesis was studied. The reaction mixtures have shown vivid colours at various physiological parameters. Phage inspired AuNPs were further characterized by using different techniques such as UV–Vis spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). DLS study revealed synthesis of various sizes of AuNPs in the range of 20–100 nm. SEM studies revealed synthesis of varied shaped AuNPs, viz., spheres, hexagons, triangles, rhomboids and rectangular etc. The presence of Au in the nanostructures was confirmed by EDS. The XRD pattern reflects the crystalline nature and nano size of AuNPs. These phage inspired AuNPs showed anti-bacterial activity against different bacterial pathogens. Anti-biofilm activity of AuNPs was evaluated on a glass slide. It was noticed that at 0.2 mM concentration of these AuNPs about 80% of biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human pathogen was inhibited. Thus, the phage inspired AuNPs synthesis could be potential therapeutic agents against human pathogens.     

Enhanced stability of alcohol dehydrogenase by non-covalent interaction with polysaccharides

Non-covalent interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase with polysaccharides was studied using three neutral and three anionic polysaccharides. The process of interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase with gum Arabic was optimized with respect to the ratio of enzyme to gum Arabic, pH, and molarity of buffer. Alcohol dehydrogenase–gum Arabic complex formed under optimized conditions showed 93 % retention of original activity with enhanced thermal and pH stability. Lower inactivation rate constant of alcohol dehydrogenase–gum Arabic complex within the temperature range of 45 to 60 °C implied its better stability. Half-life of alcohol dehydrogenase–gum Arabic complex was higher than that of free alcohol dehydrogenase. A slight increment was observed in kinetic constants (K _m and V _max) of gum Arabic-complexed alcohol dehydrogenase which may be due to interference by gum Arabic for the binding of substrate to the enzyme. Helix to turn conversion was observed in complexed alcohol dehydrogenase as compared to free alcohol dehydrogenase which may be responsible for observed stability enhancement.     

Tetrapod phylogeny inferred from 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA sequences and a review of the evidence for amniote relationships [published erratum appears in Mol Biol Evol 1991 May;8(3):398]

The 18S ribosomal RNAs of 21 tetrapods were sequenced and aligned with five published tetrapod sequences. When the coelacanth was used as an outgroup, Lissamphibia (living amphibians) and Amniota (amniotes) were found to be statistically significant monophyletic groups. Although little resolution was obtained among the lissamphibian taxa, the amniote sequences support a sister-group relationship between birds and mammals. Portions of the 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) molecule in 11 tetrapods also were sequenced, although the phylogenetic results were inconclusive. In contrast to previous studies, deletion or down- weighting of base-paired sites were found to have little effect on phylogenetic relationships. Molecular evidence for amniote relationships is reviewed, showing that three genes (beta-hemoglobin, myoglobin, and 18S rRNA) unambiguously support a bird-mammal relationship, compared with one gene (histone H2B) that favors a bird- crocodilian clade. Separate analyses of four other genes (alpha- crystallin A, alpha-hemoglobin, insulin, and 28S rRNA) and a combined analysis of all sequence data are inconclusive, in that different groups are defined in different analyses and none are strongly supported. It is suggested that until sequences become available from a broader array of taxa, the molecular evidence is best evaluated at the level of individual genes, with emphasis placed on those studies with the greatest number of taxa and sites. When this is done, a bird-mammal relationship is most strongly supported. When regarded in combination with the morphological evidence for this association, it must be considered at least as plausible as a bird-crocodilian relationship.