Possible role of metal ionophore against zinc induced cognitive dysfunction in <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d-</Emphasis>galactose senescent mice

Metal ionophores are considered as potential anti-dementia agents, and some are currently undergoing clinical trials. Many metals are known to accumulate and distribute abnormally in the aging brain. Alterations in zinc metal homeostasis in the glutaminergic synapse could contribute to ageing and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The present study was designed to investigate the effect of metal ionophores on long term administration of zinc in D-galactose induced senescent mice. The ageing model was established by combined administration of zinc and D-galactose to mice for 6 weeks. A novel metal ionophore, PBT-2 was given daily to zinc-induced d-galactose senescent mice. The cognitive behaviour of mice was monitored using the Morris Water Maze. The anti-oxidant status and amyloidogenic activity in the ageing mouse was measured by determining mito-oxidative parameters and deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) in the brain. Systemic administration of both zinc and D-galactose significantly produced memory deficits, mito-oxidative damage, heightened acetylcholinesterase enzymatic activity and deposition of amyloid-β. Treatment with PBT-2 significantly improved behavioural deficits, biochemical profiles, cellular damage, and curbed the deposition of APP in zinc-induced senescent mice. These findings suggest that PBT-2, acting as a metal protein attenuating compound, may be helpful in the prevention of AD or alleviation of ageing.     

A comparative study on the antioxidant effects of hesperidin and ellagic acid against skeletal muscle ischemia/reperfusion injury

Abstract

The antioxidant effects of ellagic acid (EA) and hesperidin (HES) against skeletal muscle ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R) were performed. Hindlimb ischemia has been induced by tourniquet occlusion for 2?h on left hindlimb. At the end of ischemia, the tourniquate has been removed and initiated reperfusion for 2?h. EA (100?mg/kg) has been applied orally before ischemia/reperfusion in the EA?+?I/R group. HES (100?mg/kg) has been given orally in the HES?+?I/R group. The left gastrocnemius muscle has been harvested and stored immediately at??80?°C until assessed for the levels of MDA and antioxidant enzymes activities. MDA level has statistically increased in I/R group (p?<?0.05) compared to other groups. The muscle tissue antioxidant enzymes activities were lower than the other groups in the I/R group (p?<?0.05). EA and HES treatments significantly reversed the damage level in I/R, also activity of tissue SOD increased in the EA?+?I/R and HES?+?I/R groups.     

Influence of tea and coffee beverages on prostacyclin synthesis by the rat aorta

Influences of 2.5 and 5% (w/v) aqueous tea and coffee beverages administered ad lib. to rats for two weeks on PGI2 synthesis by the rat thoracic aorta in vitro were investigated using a rat platelet antiaggregatory bioassay and HPLC methods. The 2.5% beverages did not affect PGI2 synthesis; however, the 5% beverages significantly decreased PGI2 synthesis. The observed decreases were significantly abolished in presence of exogenous arachidonic acid suggesting a beverage-induced inhibition of precursor release. The ability of the beverages to inhibit PGI2 synthesis may partly contribute towards better understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying some of the beverages-induced actions in vivo.     

The expected changes in the frequency of alleles affecting the sex ratio

An equation is derived giving the changes per generation in the frequency of alleles affecting the sex ratio. The alleles considered are assumed to be those of an autosomal locus and to act only in one sex. The results indicate that alleles determining the production of more males should always be more common in males than in females.     

Meiotic behavior of an unequal bivalent in the grasshopper Calliptamus palaestinensis Bdhr.

Summary Unequal bivalents were found in two of four populations of the short horned grasshopper, Calliptamus palaestinensis bdhr. sampled in Israel.The inequality of the homologues was due to an extra segment which was heterochromatic and apparently terminal. Pairing configurations at pachytene and position of chiasmata at later stages revealed however that the extra segment was interstitial, and the long member terminated in a minute segment homologous to the terminal part of its normal partner. The percentage of reductional divisions at anaphase I corresponded well with the percentage of terminal chiasmata (i.e. distal to the extra segment) observed at diakinesis.The assumption of an interstitial position of the extra segment would explain the previously puzzling examples of unequal bivalents in Orthoptera whose reductional divisions have not been readily accounted for otherwise.     

The phagosome containing Legionella pneumophila within the protozoan Hartmannella vermiformis is surrounded by the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Legionella pneumophila is an intracellular parasite of protozoa and human phagocytes. To examine adaptation of this bacterium to parasitize protozoa, the sequence of events of the intracellular infection of the amoeba Hartmannella vermiformis was examined. The previously described uptake phenomenon of coiling phagocytosis by human monocytes was not detected. A 1 h postinfection with wild-type strain AA100, mitochondria were observed within the vicinity of the phagosome. At 2.5 h postinfection, numerous vesicles surrounded the phagosomes and mitochondria were in close proximity to the phagosome. At 5 h postinfection, the bacterium was surrounded by a ribosome-studded multilayer membrane. Bacterial multiplication was evident by 8 h postinfection, and the phagosome was surrounded by a ribosome-studded multilayer membrane until 15 h postinfection. The recruitment of organelles and formation of the ribosome-studded phagosome was defective in an isogenic attenuated mutant of L. pneumophila (strain AA101A) that failed to replicate within amoebae. At 20 h postinfection with wild-type strain AA100, numerous bacteria were present in the phagosome and ribosome were not detected around the phagosome. These data showed that, at the ultrastructural level, the intracellular infection of protozoa by L. pneumophila is highly similar to that of infection of macrophages. Immunocytochemical studies provided evidence that at 5 h postinfection the phagosome containing L. pneumophila acquired an abundant amount of the endoplasmic reticulum-specific protein (BiP). Similar to phagosomes containing heat-killed wild-type L. pneumophila, the BiP protein was not detectable in phagosomes containing the mutant strain AA101A. In addition to the absence of ribosomes and mitochondria, the BiP protein was not detected in the phagosomes at 20 h postinfection with wild-type L. pneumophila. The data indicated that the ability of L. pneumophila to establish the intracellular infection of amoebae is dependent on its capacity to reside and multiply within a phagosome surrounded by the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This compartment may constitute a rich source of nutrients for the bacteria and is probably recognized as cellular compartment. The remarkable similarity of the intracellular infections of macrophages and protozoa by L. pneumophila strongly supports the hypothesis that adaptation of the bacterium to the intracellular environment of protozoa may be the mechanism for its ability to adapt to the intracellular environment of human alveolar macrophages and causes pneumonia.     

THE CONSEQUENCES OF BROOD SIZE FOR BREEDING BLUE TITS. III. MEASURING THE COST OF REPRODUCTION: SURVIVAL,FUTURE FECUNDITY,AND DIFFERENTIAL DISPERSAL

To determine how the cost of reproduction varies with brood size, a population of blue tits (Parus caeruleus) breeding in Wytham Wood, England, was manipulated over a three year period. Two hundred sixteen pairs were randomly assigned 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 nestlings; nestlings were exchanged soon after hatching. Survival of adult females (as measured by the proportion recaptured in the following winter and/or spring) declined significantly with increasing brood size in two out of three years; there was significant year-to-year variation in the relationship of recapture rate to brood size. Mean female recapture rates (averaged over the three years) declined in a linear fashion (P < 0.01). There was no significant linear or curvilinear relationship between male-recapture rate and brood size in any of the three years nor was there a significant linear or curvilinear relationship for the data averaged over the three years. Nevertheless, recapture proportions for males differed significantly with respect to brood size (χ² test, P < 0.05). The possibility that experimental brood size influences subsequent dispersal (and therefore biases measures of survival based on recapture rates to differing degrees) was examined by comparing distances moved by breeding adults from one year to the next. There was no relationship between brood size and dispersal distance within the study area for either sex, except that females given broods of three were significantly more likely to move more than 300 m than were those given broods of 6–15 young. Both males and females showed evidence of a cost with respect to future fecundity: as brood size increased, the number of surviving offspring produced in the following year decreased from 1.5–1.6 (for adults that had reared 3–6 young) to 0.4 (for those that had reared 15 young). The relationship of future reproductive success to experimental brood size did not differ among years or between the sexes. The number of eggs laid and number of young hatched in year n + 1 did not differ significantly with respect to brood size in year n; rather, differences in future fecundity reflected differences in the survival prospects of young reared in year n + 1.     

Aerotaxis and chemotaxis ofAzospirillum brasilense: A note

Azospirillum brasilense was attracted to capillaries containing either phosphate buffer, distilled water, or saline. The number of bacteria in these capillaries was 3–4×10⁴, after 1 h of incubation. In the presence of phosphate buffer + attractants, the number of cells accumulated in the capillary increased only to 5×10⁴–1.1×10⁵ cells. It was not possible, therefore, to measure chemotaxis inA. brasilense as distinct from aerotaxis by the capillary method. Chemotaxis was observed in semi-solid agar plates and was determined by a growth band oriented towards the attractant. Positive chemotactic response was obtained with peptone, tryptone, yeast extract, amino acids, organic acids, arabinose and galactose.     

Survival of Curvularia lunata var. aeria in soil

Spore suspensions from 7 day old cultures of Curvularia lunata (Wakker) Boedijn var. aeria (Batista, Lima and Vasconcelos) M.B. Ellis were added to soil samples originally devoid of Curvularia propagules. The test fungus disappeared after six weeks of inoculation irrespective of soil amendments, like the application of green manure, urea, superphosphate, or soil cropped to Sorghum (dura) or cotton seedlings.