In the bacterial reversion assay with S. typhimurium TA98, TA100, TA1535 and TA1537, gammairradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not induce a significant increase in the number of revertant colonies in the presence of S9 metabolic activation system. In chromosomal aberration tests with CHO cells, gammairradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not result in an increase in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations. In vivo mouse micronucleus assay, gammairradiated hyaluronic acid (10 and 50 kGy) did not show an increase in the frequency of polychromatic erythrocytes with micronuclei. These results indicate that hyaluronic acids irradiated at 10 and 50 kGy did not show any genotoxic effects under these experimental conditions. In order to evaluate their possible subacute toxicity, the male and female of ICR ...
Pregnant Swiss albino mice of 18 days post conception were exposed to 0.80 Gy, 0.40 Gy and 0.20 Gy of gamma rays from a Cobalt-60 source at different dose rates (.0584 Gy/min and .00091 Gy/min). Post irradiation variations in the cell population of crypts and villus of jejunum were studied in the F_1-generation at 1 day, 3 day and 1,2,4,6 and 12 weeks of post-partum age. In all the exposure groups at 1 day post-partum age, crypts show a decrease in total cells, mitotic figures and goblet cells on one hand and an increase in PNNC on the other hand in comparison to coeval controls. At this interval a decrease in the number of total cells as well as goblet cells/villus column was also noticeable. Dead cells which were prominently seen in crypts were totally absent in villi. The first signs of recovery can be observed on day 3 p.p. when total cell population, mitotic activity and goblet cells of crypt registered an increase while percentage of PNNC showed a fall. ...
Results reported are for single dose exposures and refer to "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation. The RBE determined by V79 cell survival and based on the Do ratio was found to be 1.70#+-#0.4 ranging from 1.5 to 1.8. In the case of the regeneration of mouse jejunal crypts the RBE was calculated at ten cell curvival and was found to be 1.68. The maximum acute mouse skin reaction at a skin score of 2.0 was found to be 2.1 while the average skin reaction was 1.7. Growth retardation of Vicia faba bean roots measured at the level of 50% indicated an average RBE of 3.0 and a range of 2.7 to 3.7. The OER obtained for V79 cell survival was found to be 1.7 to 1.8. Comparison is made with the RBE and OER measurements for the neutron facilities at Clatterbridge, Fermilab and Louvain-la-Neuve which produce neutrons by the same nuclear reaction and whose physical specifications closely resemeble those of the Faure neutrons. This comparison ...
Apoptosis is a pattern of cell death involving nuclear pycnosis, cytoplasmic condensation, and karyorrhexis. Apoptosis induced by continuous irradiation with gamma rays (externally given by a 137Cs source) or with beta rays (from tritiated water injected ip) was quantified in the crypts of two portions of mouse bowel, the small intestine and descending colon. The time-course change in the incidence of apoptosis after each type of radiation could be explained on the basis of the innate circadian rhythm of the cells susceptible to apoptotic death and of the excretion of tritiated water (HTO) from the body. For 6-h continuous gammairradiation at various dose rates (0.6-480 mGy/h) and for 6 h after injection of HTO of various radioactivities (0.15-150 GBq per kg body wt), the relationships between dose and incidence of apoptosis were obtained. Survival curves were then constructed from the curves for dose vs incidence of ...
The existence of stem cells committed to the T lymphoid lineage was deduced from studying how rat T and B stem cells differ in their expression of membrane W3/13 antigen and in their susceptibility in vivo to gammairradiation. Stem cell activity of rat bone marrow and fetal liver was measured in long-term radiation chimeras using B and T cell alloantigenic surface markers to identify the progeny of donor cells. Monoclonal mouse anti-rat thymocyte antibody W3/13 labeled approximately 40% of fetal liver cells and 60-70% of young rat bone marrow cells (40% brightly, 25% dimly). Bright, dim, and negative cells were separated on a fluorescence-activated cell sorter. All B and T lymphoid stem cells in fetal liver were W3/13 bright, as were B lymphoid stem cells in bone marrow. W3/13 dim bone marrow had over half the T cell repopulating activity of unseparated marrow but gave virtually no B cell repopulation. In further ...
The dielectrical properties of organosilicon sealants have been studied in the wide range of temperatures in the low and radio frequencies range. The effect of thermal treatment and #gamma#-irradiation on these properties is discussed.
Effects of gammairradiation on the physiological effectiveness of Korean medicinal herbs were investigated. The physiological effectiveness including antioxidant and anticomplement function, nitrite scavenging and electron donating ability of Korean medicinal herbs by gammairradiation at 10 kGy did not differ from that of the nonirradiated control.
Effects of gammairradiation on hygienic quality and extraction yields in twenty-one kinds of Korean medicinal herbs were investigated. Gammairradiation at 5-10 kGy inactivated contaminating microorganisms. The total extraction yield in fifteen kinds of the investigated medicinal herbs increased by 5-25% by a dose of 10 kGy. (author)
Thermal analysis testing revealed slight weight changes, which were a function of gammairradiation, in a highly reduced Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) simulated waste glass. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed on this glass to determine if the weight change corresponded to microstructural variations. TEM analyses showed that no microstructural changes were attributable to gammairradiation. Exposure of the samples to the electron beam in the TEM did cause changes in the glass microstructures in some cases. These changes were likely due to localized heating of the glass due to interactions with the transmitted electrons.
In view of the interest in the use of gammairradiation to extend the storage life of pre-packaged foods a report is made on the effects of gamma radiation on the migration of Irganox 1076 and Irganox 1010, antioxidants present in food packaging plastics, into synthetic triglyceride fatty-food simulant HB307 and iso-octane. The extent of migration was assayed by h.p.l.c. techniques. Migration into HB307 and iso-octane decreased steadily as irradiation progressed suggesting that gammairradiation of packaging materials helps to prevent the contamination of food by antioxidants in the packaging. (U.K.).
Effects of #gamma#-irradiation on synthetic polymers and paper used as packaging materials for irradiated food have been studied by NMR. Polystyrene, polybutadiene and some copolymers were studied before and after the #gamma#-irradiation treatment and in the presence or absence of antioxidants and stabilisers. In the absence of additives, the effect of #gamma#-irradiation on polystyrene is negligible even irradiating at high doses. In turn, the role of antioxidants and stabilisers is crucial in polybutadiene and butadiene-containing copolymers. Wood pulp paper was also studied by NMR. Preliminary measurements on #gamma#-irradiated wood pulp sheets show a shortening in the T_2 relaxation time component due to the bound water, i.e. some of the bound water is lost. (author)
Wood/polymer composites (WPC) have been prepared from pinewood with different compounds using gammairradiation: butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, styrene, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, and unsaturated polyester styrene resin. The polymer loading was determined with respect to the compound concentration and the irradiation dose. The polymer loading increases generally with increase in the monomer or polymer concentration. Tensile and compression strength have been improved in the four cases, but no improvement was observed using unsaturated polyester styrene resin or acrylamide.
Development of food preservation and processing techniques by radiation was performed. Gammairradiation at 2-10 kGy is considered to be an effective method to control pathogenic bacteria in species including Escherichia coli O157:H7. Gammairradiation at 5 kGy completely eliminated pathogenic bacteria in beef. Gammairradiation at such doses and subsequent storage at less than 4 deg C could ensure hygienic quality and prolong the microbiological shelf-life resulting from the reduction of spoilage microorganisms. Gammairradiation on pre-rigor beef shortens the aging-period, improves tenderness and enhances the beef quality. And, a new beef processing method using gammairradiation, such as in the low salt sausage and hygienic beef patty was developed. Safety tests of ...
The availability of rice, gamma -irradiated up to 4.6 x 10/sup 4/ and 3.5 x 10/sup 5/r for koji was studied. The enzyme activities of koji of the steamed samples were stronger than the unirradiated rice in amylase and protease. The sensory test on the once-steamed irradiated rice was almost the same as the twice-steamed unirradiated rice. (OID)
This project has intended to develop alternative techniques to be used in food industry for food processing and utilization by safe irradiation methods. For improvement of rheology and processing in corn starch by irradiation, the production of modified starch with low viscosity as well as with excellent viscosity stability became feasible by the control of gammairradiation dose levels and the amount of added inorganic peroxides to starch. Also, this project was developed the improvement methods of hygienic quality and long-term storage of dried red pepper by gammairradiation. And, in Korean medicinal plants, 10 kGy gammairradiation was effective for improving sanitary quality and increasing extraction yield of major components. For the sanitization of health and convenience foods, gammairradiation was more effective ...
The project was designed to solve the infra structural problem required for commercialization of food irradiation. In improvement of physical properties of corn starch, gammairradiation was effective for increasing glucose productivity and for substituting traditional modified starches (acid modified starch, oxidized starch). In immobilization of microorganisms, the mass production method of natural red pigment was developed by using immobilized mold pellets. In Korean medicinal plants, 10 kGy gammairradiation was effective for improving sanitary quality and increasing extraction yield. In evaluation of wholesomeness, gammairradiated red ginseng could be safe on the genotoxic point of view. And also, six items of irradiated foods approved for human consumption from Korea ministry of health and welfare in May 19, 1995. 30 figs, 20 tabs, 54 refs. (Author).
Acute {gamma}-irradiation of rats at doses of 100 and 270 Gy stimulates lipid synthesis and changes the lipid composition of liver cell organelles. The content of cholesterol and cholesterol esters in microsomes increased at 100 Gy and decreased at 270 Gy, with total phospholipid content remaining unchanged. The lipid content in mitochondria decreased considerably 1 h after irradiation at 270 Gy. This change was significantly less pronounced 47 h later. Under chronic {gamma}-irradiation (0.129 Gy/day), cholesterol and cardiolipin in mitochondria increased. The changes in lipid content caused by acute irradiation are presumed to be related to activated synthesis of lipids in the liver. The modification of the lipid content of mitochondria observed in chronically irradiated rats may indicate that energy-metabolizing liver cell systems are involved in the adaptation to irradiation.
Project ZEUS was designed to characterize the effects of long-term gammairradiation on free-ranging meadow voles, and to determine the lowest level of radiation at which biological effects are discernible in the population. Behavioural tests are consider...
Influence of gammairradiation and storage on the microbial load, chemical and sensory quality of chicken kabab was investigated. Chicken kabab was treated with 0, 2, 4 or 6 kGy doses of gammairradiation. Treated and untreated samples were kept in a refrigerator (1-4 deg. C). Microbiological, chemical and sensory characteristics of chicken kabab were evaluated at 0-5 months of storage. Gammairradiation decreased the microbial load and increased the shelf-life of chicken kabab. Irradiation did not influence the major constituents of chicken kabab (moisture, protein and fats). No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed for total acidity between non-irradiated (control) and irradiated chicken kabab. Thiobarbitric acid (TBA) values (expressed as mg malonaldehyde (MDA)/kg chicken kabab) and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) in chicken kabab were not ...
... the hydroxyl group with the benzene ring. The molar extinction coefficients for the various species at their respective absorption ... Glya Recorded by 1H-NMR Spectroscopy TABLE 2 Molar Extinction Coeff...
A nonmammalian test system for germ-cell mutagenesis has been developed by using the Japanese medaka fish. We describe a system for detecting DNA alterations in F1 progeny descended from the gamma-irradiated...Full Text Available
We studied the dose-response effects of #gamma#-irradiation on the weight gains of the body and the brain in ICR mice exposed to various doses of "6"0Co #gamma#-irradiation ranging from 0 to 1.5 Gy on day 13 of pregnancy (E13). We found that 0.5 Gy #gamma#-irradiation caused a significant reduction in brain weight but not in body weight among 6-week-old mice. Higher doses (1.0, 1.5 Gy) seriously inhibited body and brain development, resulting in significantly low weights at 6 weeks of age. A significantly lower brain weight among fetuses exposed to 1.5 Gy was found as early as 24 hours after exposure, while significant reductions in the body weight of these same fetuses appeared 3 days after exposure. The effects of radiation on brain and body development were similar for both males and females. (author).
Monoclonal antibodies were produced against gamma-irradiated amastigotes of Leishmania major. Five antibodies (T16 through T20) were selected which reacted in enzyme-linked immunoassays with the intracellular...Full Text Available
Radioisotope facilities were operated to support research, development and production of radioisotopes. Irradiation facilities were operated to offer irradiation service to the clients. Even though intensive periodical checks and some essential maintenance had been carried out the results of RI facility maintenance seemed to be not much satisfactory due mainly to the shortage of skilled manpower and maintenance expenses. High intensity {gamma} irradiator was normally operated 426 times for overall 3,440 hrs, and the low intensity {gamma} irradiator was operated 157 times for overall 11,092 hrs, respectively. (author)
The deferred luminescence (isothermal luminescence -ITL- and thermoluminescence - RTL) emitted by Chlorella cells after #gamma# irradiation at 77 K has been investigated. The decay kinetics of ITL as well as the effect of illumination of both ITL and RTL show that trapped electrons take part in the recombination reactions which give rise to both emissions, and that ITL can be attributed to electron tunnelling. Most strains of Chlorella studied present similar RTL glow curves, the only exceptions found being Chlorella vulgaris (green and bleached strains).
Wood-plastic combination (WPC) was produced by {gamma}-irradiation of persimmon impregnated with acrylonitrile and styrene. The hardness and strength of WPC obtained were higher than those of an unmodified wood. Thus, it was found that the WPC is suited for a head of golf club, because the Shore hardness value of WPC is 36% greater than that of unmodified wood. An impregnation method of monomers with some pigments could produce colored WPC without diminishing natural grain. Head of golf club could be manufactured from colored WPC in practice. (auhtor).
Wood-plastic combination (WPC) was produced by #gamma#-irradiation of persimmon impregnated with acrylonitrile and styrene. The hardness and strength of WPC obtained were higher than those of an unmodified wood. Thus, it was found that the WPC is suited for a head of golf club, because the Shore hardness value of WPC is 36% greater than that of unmodified wood. An impregnation method of monomers with some pigments could produce colored WPC without diminishing natural grain. Head of golf club could be manufactured from colored WPC in practice. (auhtor).
Spectra of e.p.r. radicals in cellulose and timber gamma-irradiated at 77 and 300 K have been measured. Radiation yields and the kinetics of radicals accumulation have been studied. The effect of ionizing radiation on cellulose is the appearance of radicals resulting from rupture of C-H bonds in positions 1 and 4. Timber, additionally, forms ''lignin'' radicals. A mechanism of cellulose and timber radiolysis is suggested. ''Lignin''-type compounds present in timber protect polysaccharides from radiation-induced destruction.
This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of irradiation (gammairradiation at dose levels of 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 or 20.0 kGy, He-Ne and their combination) on nutritive characteristics of Vicia faba L. seeds (Giza 843). Analyses included levels of anti-nutrients (total phenolic compounds, tannins, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitor and vicine), chemical composition (sugars, crude proteins, fat, dry matter and ash) and fatty acids profile. All treatments caused significant (P<0.05) decreases in the antinutrational factors under investigation. The reduction in the content of tannins and phenolic compounds were more pronounced with He-Ne alone or He-Ne in combination with gammairradiation. At dose levels 10.0 and 20.0 kGy without or with combination of He-Ne were more efficiency in the reduction of phytic acid content by 24.3, 32.8, 34.5 and 45.5 %, respectively. Also, for trypsin inhibitor ...
Using {gamma}-irradiation-induced reduction in the field of a {sup 60}Co {gamma}-ray source, colloidal silver and gold nanoparticles were prepared from their corresponding metal salts in aqueous solution and compared with those by chemical reduction. The radiation-based method provided silver nanoparticles with higher concentration and narrower size distribution than those obtained by chemical reduction method while there was no significant difference between the two strategies for the preparation of gold nanoparticles. {gamma}-Irradiation of 1.0 x 10{sup -3} M AgNO{sub 3} solution resulted in nearly 100 times more highly concentrated silver colloids than those by citrate reduction. Furthermore, the radiation method could lead to more highly concentrated silver colloids by simply increasing the concentration of AgNO{sub 3} solution up to 2.0 x 10{sup -2} M. The two metal nanoparticles prepared by the two different methods were characterized by ...
Radiation damage and its recovery in the light emittance efficiency and the attenuation length of barium fluoride (BaF_2) scintillator have been investigated. The light yield and transmittance of small samples of BaF_2 scintillator were measured after #gamma#-irradiation from 0.5x10"4 to 1.1x10"5 Gy for deterioration, and after sunlight exposure for recovery. Suspension of deterioration was observed both in light yield and in attenuation length at an integrated dose of #gamma#-rays of about 10"4 Gy. Fairly good and quick recovery of the deteriorated BaF_2 scintillator was obtained by sunlight exposure. Using a Monte Carlo simulation method, the dependence of the light emittance efficiency on #gamma#-irradiation and sunlight exposure was studied. It has been found that the light emittance efficiency, as well as the attenuation length, is influenced by #gamma#-irradiation and sunlight exposure. (orig.).
There has been considerable interest in producing and studying nanoparticle materials because of the effect of size on their structure, physical and chemical structure. Most studied nanoparticle semiconductors belong to the II-VI group, as they are relatively easy to synthesize and are generally prepared as particulates or in thin film form. Among II-VI compounds, CdS is one of the most studied materials. There are different ways to synthesize CdS nanoparticles such as colloidal particles, chemical decomposition, sol-gel, gas evaporation, magnetron sputtering, electrostatic deposition, and etc. {gamma}-irradiation is one of the effective methods for synthesis of nanomaterials. These nonomaterials have been extensively used in the preparation of nanocrystalline metals, metal oxides, and metal-polymer composites. However, The preparation of CdS nanoparticle and CdS/ polyacrylonitrile nanocomposite by {gamma}-irradiation method at room temperature ...
Development of mouse models representing human spontaneous ovarian cancer has been hampered by the lack of understanding of the etiology of this very complex disease. Mouse models representing the different...Full Text Available
This study was undertaken at El-sahafa village, sharkia governorate, during two successive seasons (1988 and 1989) to investigate the effect of four gammairradiation doses (0,10,20 and 40 Gy), three rates of each of superphosphate (0,100 and 200 Kg/fad.) and gypsum (0,500 and 1000 kg/fad.), as well as, three concentrations of gibberellic acid (0,50 and 100 ppm) on growth, yield and seed quality of solid and inter cropped sesame (Giza 32 cv.) and peanut (Giza 5 cv.) in one inter cropping pattern (3:3). Three separate experiments were carried out where the first one was devoted for gammairradiation and the second for superphosphate and gypsum fertilization while the third was devoted for gibberellic acid treatment
In the Peruvian natural forest there are several kind of woods, some of those are not of commercial interest, because have not resistance at termites and wet, are too soft, or can not be well finished, in the others. The present work is devoted to improvement of the physical properties of wood, such as hardness, traction, wet resistance, etc., by means of the generation of a composite wood-polymers cured by using gammairradiation. The main objective is to establish the main parameters for the polymerization process (economic technical aspect) that decrease the amount of water absorption, in consequence the volumetric variation of Catahua, Mohena and Capirona woods. Gammairradiation also provides good protection against the biological agents. In consequence, these woods increase its intrinsic and economic values. (author)
Medicinal plants i.e. dried seeds of myristica argentea, myristica fragrans, coriandrum sativum and foeniculum vulgare were stored for 0 and 6 months, with and without gammairradiation at 5 kGy. No detectable changes were seen in infrared and UV spectra, GLC chromatograms and refraction indices of steam distilled, essential oils from the irradiated medicinal plants. The same results were also obtained from irradiated samples stored for 6 months at ambient conditions. Storage for 6 months caused significant changes in the gas liquid chromatograms and UV spectra of all samples compared to non-stored samples. The moisture content of all samples packed in polyethylene bags seems to be constant after 6 months of storage. No measurable changes were found in the amount of essential oil content caused by irradiation.
Hyperquenching of liquid water with cooling rates of 10{sup 6}-10{sup 7} K s{sup -1} yields glassy water. Upon {gamma}-irradiation at 77 K, the only paramagnetic species accumulating in hyperquenched glassy water are the hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals. There are no hydrogen atoms or electrons seen by the ESR technique. For irradiation doses up to about 70 kGy, the relative contributions of hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals to the total amount of paramagnetic species remain virtually constant. The total amount of paramagnetic species, n, is sublinear in dose, d, well approximated by n=8.55x10{sup 16}d{sup 0.8} for n in spin g{sup -1} and d in kGy.
Experiment was conducted to study the effect of gammairradiation, growth retardants and coatings (coconut oil, mustard oil and liquid paraffin) on shelf life of winter guava fruits during storage. The results revealed that the superiority of coconut oil coating over other post harvest treatments. Physiological loss in weight (7.1%), marketable fruits retained over control (86.7%), total soluble solid (16.1%), ascorbic acid (195 mg/100 g pulp) and total sugar (10%) of fruit were positively influenced by coconut oil coating up to 12 days of storage. The treatment was found significantly effective in increasing the post harvest life of fruits for 12 days over control without adversely affecting the fruit quality. Coconut oil coating gave highest consumer acceptability while, maintaining suff...
Ferrite of system, namely Ni_1_-_xZn_xFe_2O_4 with x = (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0), have been prepared by solid state reaction to investigate the effect of gamma rays irradiations using Co"6"0 source on the cation distribution, structural and magnetic properties. The unirradiated and irradiated samples were then subjected to characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction, magnetization and AC susceptibility. The results of these characterizations are found to be different for irradiated from that of the pristine sample. The modifications in respect of irradiated samples are explained in terms of the ion-induced disorder. The important result of #gamma#-irradiation on the cation distribution, structural and magnetic properties is the change of ratio Fe"2"+/Fe"3"+. Possible reasons on the results are proposed.
Irradiation processing of food in the prepackaged form may affect chemical and physical properties of the plastic packaging materials. The effect of #gamma#-irradiation doses (2.5-10.0 kGy) on polypropylene (PP)-based retortable food packaging materials, were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis, which revealed the changes happening to these materials after irradiation. The mechanical properties decreased with irradiation while oxygen transmission rate (OTR) was not affected significantly. Colour measurement indicated that Nylon 6 containing multilayer films became yellowish after irradiation. Thermal characterization revealed the changes in percentage crystallinity.
AbstractThe elucidation of the human and mouse genome sequence and developments in high-throughput genome analysis, and in computational tools, have made it possible to profile entire...Full Text Available
This study describes the chemical composition of the essential oil of Artemisia maritima (Am.Oil) and the pharmacological basis for its medicinal use in gut and airways disorders. Twenty five compounds, composing 93.7% of the oil, were identified; among these, chrysanthenyl propionate and elixene were identified for the first time from any Artemisia species. The Am.Oil (0.3?1.0 mg/mL) suppressed spontaneous and high K+ (80 mM)-induced contractions in isolated rabbit jejunum, suggestive of an antispasmodic effect mediated possibly through calcium channel blockade. The calcium channel blockade activity was confirmed when pre-treatment of the tissue with Am.Oil (0.01?0.03 mg/mL) shifted the Ca++ concentration-response curves to the right, similar to verapamil and papaverine. In isolated trach...
Radicals formed in gamma-irradiated crystals of galactose and glycine were found, upon dissolution, to cause mutagenesis of Salmonella typhimurium strains TA-98 and TA-100. Although the reproducibility of the results has not been adequately determined, they suggest the possibility of developing a test to measure the mutagenic-carcinogenic potential of radiation-induced free radicals with a microbial system.
Plantago ovata Forsk - an economically important medicinal plant - was analyzed for trace elements and chlorophyll in a study of the effects of gamma radiation on physiological responses of the seedlings. Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique was used to quantify trace elements in unirradiated and gamma-irradiated plants at the seedling stage. The experiments revealed radiation-induced changes in the trace element and chlorophyll concentrations.
E-beam and gamma products from the radiolysis of aqueous solutions of (+-)-metoprolol tartrate, saturated in nitrogen, are analyzed by HPLC with on-line mass and UV detectors. The structures of 10 radiolytic products common to e-beam and gammairradiations are elucidated by comparing their fragmentation pattern to that of (+-)-metoprolol. Two of the radiolytic products are also metabolites. Different routes for the formation of the radiolytic products are proposed.
Two strains of Rhizobium: Rhizobium Tropici and Mesorhizobium Ciceri nodulating respectively common bean and chickpea were treated by gammairradiation (60Co) source. Radiosensibility analysis showed that 800 Gy was the biggest dose supported by these two strains. We isolated gammairradiated resistant strain in order to select mutant of them which can supported salt stress and phosphorus deficiency. Salinity analysis showed that Mesorhizobium Ciceri 835 strain, can tolerate up to 18g/l (273 mM NaCl) of salt, whereas, their irradiation mutants tolerate salinity up to 33g/l (564mM. NaCl) Rhizobium Tropici CIAT899 can survive at 20g/l (342 mM) either for control strain or mutants. Analysis of phosphorus deficiency showed that either Rhizobium Tropici CIAT899, or Mesorhizobium Ciceri 835 can survive in medium without phosphore. Our results permit us to screen mutants tolerant to these stresses wide spread ...
AGROSTER Co irradiates food packaging material and some types of spices for the meat industry. The step by step strategy of AGROSTER has been very successful. In the last year, its gamma facility was used as much as possible to irradiate food items. The government of Hungary has recognized the benefit of this technology and has given financial assistance to establish a large commercial gammairradiator in Budapest.
Pre-harvest sprays of bavistin (50% carbendazim) at 100, 200 and 400 g a.i/ha were ineffective in the control of Aspergillus niger van Tieghem in onion. The combination of gammairradiation (0.1 kGy) with bavistin dust (0.33g a.i/kg bulbs) was effective to an extent of about 79% in reducing storage losses due to sprouting and rottage. This combination treatment was better than dust treatment alone and highly cost effective. Bavistin, when used as pre-harvest spray, did not leave any residue in the tissues, whereas the compound was seen to move deep into the tissues, when used as post-harvest dust treatment. Higher concentrations of carbendazim residues (2.1-3.4 mg/kg bulb) were detected in the outer scales of the bulbs, as compared to that of inner scales (0.6-1.6 mg/kg), and the residue decreased slightly with passage of storage time. (author). 19 refs., 2 tabs.
Spices and packaging materials were exposed to gammairradiation at a dose of 10 KGy. Luncheon was prepared with irradiated or non-irradiated spices. Prepared luncheon was packaged in irradiated or non-irradiated packaging materials. Packaged luncheon was treated with 2 KGy. Treated and untreated packaged luncheon were kept in a refrigerator (1-4 Centigrade) for 12 months. Microbiological, nutritive and chemical characteristics of luncheon were evaluated after processing and during storage; whereas, sensory quality was evaluated only after irradiation. Gammairradiation decreased the microorganisms counts of spices, packaging materials and packed luncheon and increased the shelf-life of packaged luncheon products. No major differences in moisture, protein, fat, ph value, total acidity, lipid peroxide and volatile basic nitrogen were observed due to irradiation. Sensory evaluation showed that all the ...
adult males and females, less than 24 hours old, of the spiny bollworm, Earias Insulana boisd. were irradiated with sub sterilizing doses of 50,80,100 and 150 gray (Gy). treated moths were out crossed with normal adults and observed for their ability to reproduce. inherited deleterious effects resulting from irradiation of p_1 moths were recorded for several generations. the reduction in both fecundity and egg viability increased by increasing the dose applied to p_1 adult moths .at all tested doses, the females were more radiosensitive than males, as for reduction in fecundity and egg viability. the progeny from irradiated parental females are not as sterile as the progeny from irradiated parental males. the reduction of egg hatching continued in the progeny of irradiated males through F_1 and to lesser extent through F_2 .on the other hand , irradiation of P_1 females reduced the rate of egg hatching among parental generation and to lesser extent among the first filial generation . ...
The application of robotics for repair, refurbishing or dismantling of nuclear installations implies eventually severe radiation resistance requirements on embarked components and subsystems. This is particularly critical when optical sensing is considered. Optoelectronic components and optical fibers are indeed quite sensitive to radiation, and without special design are rapidly out-of-operation in such an environment. This paper reports the results of a series of #gamma# irradiation experiments on such devices, and identify their behavior under radiation. Test results show that carefully selected optical fibers can keep their radiation induced attenuation lower than 0.3 dB/m even up to a total dose of 10 MGy. Temperature annealing can even lower this attenuation down to 0.1 dB/m. On the other hand, commercially available light emitting diodes and photodiodes present attenuations figures up to 15 dB, even after a gamma ...
Reference is made to Cheng and Leblond (Amer. J. Anat.; 141:537 (1974)) who used tritiated thymidine to kill cells synthesising DNA in the crypts of the small intestine. Amongst their findings was that very low doses caused measurable cell killing and that the killing was not random throughout the crypt but occurred selectively at the crypt base where stem cells are presumably located. It is here reported that the presence of hypersensitive cells at the base of the crypts can be demonstrated after whole-body X- or gamma-irradiation, and the time sequence for the production and loss of the killed cells is described together with their dose-response relationship. The studies were conducted on mice. The data were expressed as surviving rather than killed cells, and it was established that the crypt are amongst the most sensitive of mammalian cells. The mechanism by which these sensitive cells are killed is not known, but DNA damage can be detected. The vital stem ...
Effects of gammairradiation on essential oils of five medicinal plants i.e. dried seeds of piper cubeba(cubeb), piper nigrum(black pepper), piper retrofractum, amomum cardamomum(cardamom) and myristica fragrans(mace), packed in low density polyethylene bag of 0.13 mm thickness have been investigated. After being irradiated at doses of 5 and 10 kGy, a part of the samples was analysed, and the rest were stored for six months at temperature of 30 +- 2 degC, and humidity ranging from 70 to 95%. The essential oil characteristics of control, irradiated and six month stored samples were analysed using infrared and ultraviolet spectrophotometers, HPLC, GLC and refractometer. Other parameters observed were moisture content and essential oil content of the samples. Results showed that irradiation up to a dose of 10 kGy do not give any significant effect on these parameters. Significant changes were only found in the essential oil content of piper ...
The efficacy of gammairradiation as a method of decontamination for food and herbal materials is well established. In the present study, Glycyrrhiza glabra roots were irradiated at doses 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 kGy in a cobalt-60 irradiator. The irradiated and un-irradiated control samples were evaluated for phenolic contents, antimicrobial activities and DPPH scavenging properties. The result of the present study showed that radiation treatment up to 20 kGy does not affect the antifungal and antibacterial activity of the plant. While sample irradiated at 25 kGy does showed changes in the antibacterial activity against some selected pathogens. No significant differences in the phenolic contents were observed for control and samples irradiated at 5, 10 and 15 kGy radiation doses. However, phenolic contents increased in samples treated with 20 and 25 kGy doses. The DPPH scavenging activity significantly (p<0.05) increased in all irradiated ...
Three high density polyethylene (PE) samples of different origins, with weight average molar masses ranging from 38 to 63 kg mol"-"1 and displaying a semi-ductile behavior with strain at break ?_R values of the order of 100-140%, were gammairradiated under nitrogen for doses up to 33.3 kGy. Steric exclusion chromatography and rheometry allowed to quantify the crosslink density X. This later reached values ranging from 4.6 to 9.0x10"-"3 mol kg"-"1, i.e. situated below the gelation point. Differential calorimetry, density measurement and small angle X-rays scattering showed the absence of significant changes in the crystalline morphology, especially lamellar dimensions. Tensile testing revealed an unexpected trend towards brittle regime of fracture while yield stress increases significantly at low doses. It appeared that branching disfavors cavitation during yielding, but this effect is not favorable to ductility.
A new small size gammairradiator is being set up at Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN-CNEN/SP), Brazil, with a revolutionary design. The developed technology for this facility consists of continuous tote box transport system, comprising a single concrete vault, where the automated transport system of products inside and outside of the irradiator utilizes a rotating door, integrated with the shielding, avoiding the traditional maze configuration. Covering 76 m{sup 2} of floor area, the irradiator design is product overlap sources and the maximum capacity of Cobalt-60 wet sources is 37 PBq (1 MCi). The irradiator is being installed in a Governmental Institution and it will be used as a demonstration facility for manufacturers, who need an economic and logistic in-house irradiation system alternative. Also, it will be useful for supporting the local scientific community on development of products and process using gamma ...
It has been prepared composites materials by means of monomer penetration in pores of wood samples and later curing by means of gammairradiation. The studied species were Hura crepitans L. (catahua), Aniba puchury-minor (C. Martinez) (mohena amarilla), and Calycophyllum spruceanum (Benth.) (capirona). These new materials exhibit smaller water absorption and better mechanical properties in comparison with native wood. The test tubes of catahua treated with the styrene-polyester mixture absorb only up to 10% humidity compared to the native species whereas its hardness is increased in a 100%. (author).
Wood plastic composite (WPC) has been prepared with a low grade wood simul (Salmalia malabarica) of Bangladesh under Co-60 gammairradiation using MMA as the bulk monomer combined with methanol as the swelling solvent at different urea concentrations. Effect of a second solute such as NVP, TPGDA and TMPTA in the impregnating solution is evaluated. NVP appears to be the best co-additive/second solute among all the additives used to yield the composite with the highest polymer loading (PL) and tensile strength (TS) at 0.5% urea concentration. (author).
Wood plastic composite (WPC) has been prepared with a low grade wood simul (Salmalia malabarica) of Bangladesh under Co-60 gammairradiation using MMA as the bulk monomer combined with methanol as the swelling solvent at different urea concentrations. Effect of a second solute such as NVP, TPGDA and TMPTA in the impregnating solution is evaluated. NVP appears to be the best co-additive/second solute among all the additives used to yield the composite with the highest polymer loading (PL) and tensile strength (TS) at 0.5% urea concentration. (author).
This paper presents anew design concept for a gammairradiation plant for the continuous processing of pumpable liquids. Typical applications of such a plant include: the irradiation vulcanisation of natural latex rubber; disinfection of municipal sewage sludge for agricultural use; sterilisation of liquids in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries; industrial processing of bulk liquids The authors describe the design and operation of the latex irradiator now operating on a small production scale in Malaysia and proposed developments. The design allows irradiation processing to be carried out under an inert or other gaseous environment. State-of-the-art computer control system ensures the fully automatic processing operation needed by industrial computers.
Pregnant females and newborn rats were exposed to a gammairradiation of 150 rads. The stage of gestation at the time of irradiation varied from 14 to 21 days. The newborn rats were irradiated at 0, 1 and 2 days of age. The effect of irradiation of foetus and newborn rats depends on the age of the animal at the time of irradiation. This effect was specially important at the beginning of the foetal life. Neonatal mortality, growth of body weight and adult brain development were investigated. A modification of germ cell radiosensitivity during the period studied, was emphasized.
The color centers, which are generated in yttrium-aluminium perovskite (YAP):Nd(1 at.%) and YAP:Er(50 at.%) crystals under the influence of ultraviolet and #gamma#-irradiation, have been studied by absorption spectroscopy. The generated color centers are both stable and transient at room temperature. It is shown that the transient color centers are mainly responsible for the decrease of laser generation efficiency of Nd:YAP and YAP:Er irradiated crystals, although physical mechanisms leading to efficiency decrease are different in these materials. (orig.)
This is a preliminary study on the sound absorption properties of two tropical hardwoods, Light Red Meranti and Ramin, and their wood-polymer composites. Sound absorption is measured using a standing wave apparatus. The samples are of one thickness (7 mm) and cut longitudinally. Wood-polymer composites are made by impregnating the samples with methyl methacrylate which is polymerized in situ through #gamma#-irradiation. Both woods and their composites are better sound absorbers at higher sound frequencies. With partial impregnation, the absorption coefficients are improved upon particularly in the region between 1-3 kHz. (author).
This study was conducted to investigate the decomposition of three {gamma}-irradiated antibiotics (e.g., tetracycline, sulfamethazine, and lincomycin) and to compare the toxic effects on Daphnia magna, Vibrio fischeri, and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata. The median cell growth inhibition concentrations (IC{sub 50}) of tetracycline, lincomycin, and sulfamethazine for P. subcapitata dramatically increased (e.g., toxicity decreased) after radiolysis. The results demonstrated that {gamma}-radiation treatment was efficient to decompose antibiotics and thereby their toxicity on P. subcaptitata remarkably decreased due to reduced parent compounds.
A wood/polymer composite was produced by impregnating Ramin wood with methyl methacrylate monomer and subsequently polymerizing it by gammairradiation. To assess the improvement in compression strength of the wood caused by the polymer impregnation, a microbuckling compression failure mechanism was used to model the compression failure of the composite. Such a mechanism was found to predict a linear relationship between the compression strength and the percentage polymer impregnation (by weight). Uniaxial compression test results at 45({plus minus}5)% and 90({plus minus}5)% relative humidity levels, after being statistically analysed, showed that such a linear relationship was valid for up to 100% polymer impregnation. (author).
A wood/polymer composite was produced by impregnating Ramin wood with methyl methacrylate monomer and subsequently polymerizing it by gammairradiation. To assess the improvement in compression strength of the wood caused by the polymer impregnation, a microbuckling compression failure mechanism was used to model the compression failure of the composite. Such a mechanism was found to predict a linear relationship between the compression strength and the percentage polymer impregnation (by weight). Uniaxial compression test results at 45(#+-#5)% and 90(#+-#5)% relative humidity levels, after being statistically analysed, showed that such a linear relationship was valid for up to 100% polymer impregnation. (author).
With a computerized curve fitting method the trapping parameters of TLD-100 chips were calculated after #alpha#-, #beta#- and #gamma#-irradiation. The absorption of radiation produces an additional glow peak at 250 deg C, and the dominant one arises at 280 deg C. After the analysis of the glow curves only a little LET-dependence of the trap depths and that of the half widths was detected. The charge densities after irradiation before heating of the taps responsible for the high temperature glow peaks (T>240 deg C) show a LET-dependence. (author).
Those materials that can be extracted from pine or oak by ether, ethanol, methyl methacrylate (MMA), or benzene--alcohol all act as inhibitors in the #gamma# polymerization of MMA--wood composites. It was found that preirradiation of either the wood or of the wood--monomer combination reduces or eliminates the inhibitory effect. The most practical industrial solution to this problem is to increase the dose, thereby achieving high molecular polymer in the composite. However, the presence of a maximum in the molecular weight--dose curves means that each wood--monomer pair may have a different optimum dose.
The High Exposure Facility is a collimated high-level gammairradiator that is located in the basement of the 318 building. It was custom developed by PNNL back in 1982 to meet the needs for high range radiological instrument calibrations and dosimeter irradiations. At the time no commercially available product existed that could create exposure rates up to 20,000 R/h. This document is intended to pass on the design criteria that was employed to create this unique facility, while maintaining compliance with ANSI N543-1974, "General Safety Standard for Installations Using Non-Medical X-Ray and Sealed Gamma-Ray Sources, Energies up to 10 MeV."
Transmissions of sperm by unirradiated and irradiated cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, were studied by live dissection of females immediately after the initiation of mating. In cotton bollworm the sperm transfer was rather a complex process. In fact unirradiated males failed to transfer sperm in about 19% of their matings. When irradiated with 250 Gy and 400 Gy, aberrations of sperm transmission were about 21% and 50% respectively. The failure of spermatophore 'cap' location was an important reason of sperm transmission aberrations. When females mated to high-dose-irradiated males, their oviposition response appeared abnormal
The effects on reproductive functions of feeding adult rhesus monkeys on a diet of irradiated wheat flour and potato was investigated. Wheat flour and potatoes were exposed to 75 000 and 10 000 rad, respectively, of #gamma#-irradiation and then fed to the animals. Various parameters of reproductive function were compared with those of animals fed on unirradiated food. These were: external changes in the reproductive organs, menstrual cycle, vaginal cytology, assay of urinary hormones (oestrogens and pregnanediol), and post-mortem histopathological examination of the reproductive organs. At the end of 3 months, the experimental and control animals behaved similarly with regard to their reproductive functions. (author).
Mouse genetic resources include inbred strains, recombinant inbred lines, chromosome substitution strains, heterogeneous stocks, and the Collaborative Cross (CC). These resources were generated through...Full Text Available
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The first cell lineage specification in mouse embryo development is the formation of trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst. This article is to review and discuss the...Full Text Available
Normal mouse epidermis constitutively expresses prostaglandin-H synthase 1 (PGHS-1) but no PGHS-2. Acute inflammation and epidermal hyperplasia, (hyperplastic transformation), as evoked in adult mouse...Full Text Available
The cellular receptor for murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV)-A59 is a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family of glycoproteins in the immunoglobulin superfamily. We isolated...Full Text Available
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Reaggregated cells from 6- to 8-day-old mouse cerebella have been used to raise antibodies in rabbits. The interaction of these antibodies with cerebellar cell surface components was assessed by cytotoxicity...Full Text Available
In preimplantation mouse development, the first cell lineages to be established are the trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass. TE possesses epithelial features, including apical-basal cell polarity...Full Text Available
Transgenic mouse models have contributed considerably to our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which androgens control spermatogenesis. Cell-selective ablation of the androgen...Full Text Available
Polymer sealing parts are widely used in various branches of engineering as detachable joints that operate at normal and cryogenic temperatures. They are also used in nuclear-power engineering to seal pumps, pipelines, etc., where they operate at 600-650 K under a neutron fluence of around 10"1"6 cm"-"2 (E #>=# 0.18 MeV) and concomitant #gamma#-irradiation of about 10"6 R. The fluoroplastic-based materials currently used degrade when irradiated in water at 320-360 K with a neutron fluence of 10"1"5 cm"-"2 (thermal neutrons) or 10"1"4 cm"-"2 (fast neutrons), and a concomitant #gamma#-irradiation dose of 2 x 10"6 R. The strength of these fluoroplastics decreases markedly after #gamma#-irradiation (from a cobalt source) at room temperature at doses above 10"6 R. For this reason, flexible and swelling graphites are finding ever increasing application. Graflex foils made of extra-pure natural graphite were found to be ...
A new high-sensitivity wide-bandwidth 1.25-5.5 eV (225-1000 nm) spectrometer has been constructed to measure luminescence emission spectra of minerals that are of interest for optical dating. Spectra of emission resulting from 1.43 eV (IR) excitation after #gamma#-irradiation are reported for 13 cut rock feldspars and 20 feldspar separates. Also reported are phosphorescence spectra following #gamma#-irradiation, and after 1.4 eV excitation. The main differences between the infrared stimulated luminescence spectra and the phosphorescence is the almost complete absence of the violet, 3.1 eV, and yellow-green, 2.2 eV, bands in the phosphorescence, and the presence of a green emission band centred at 2.7 eV in the phosphorescence following #gamma#-irradiation (but absent in the phosphorescence following 1.4 eV excitation). The red, 1.7 eV, band is present in all the phosphorescence spectra but is not always seen during 1.4 eV ...
The safety of tissue allografts has come under increased scrutiny due to recent reports of allograft-associated bacterial and viral infections in tissue recipients. We report that 50 kGy of gammairradiation, nearly three times the dose currently used, is an effective pathogen inactivation method when used under optimized conditions that minimize damage to the tissue. Cancellous bone dowels treated with a radioprotectant solution and 50 kGy of optimized irradiation had an ultimate compressive strength and modulus of elasticity equal to conventionally irradiated (18 kGy) and non-irradiated control bone grafts. We subjected bone dowels treated with this pathogen inactivation method to an in vitro cytotoxicity test using three different mammalian cell lines and concluded that the treated grafts were not cytotoxic. The log reduction of nine pathogens spiked into radioprotectant-treated bone irradiated to 50 kGy was also tested. We achieved 4.9 logs ...
The Radiation Technology Center from IPEN-CNEN/SP, Brazil, developed a revolutionary design and national technology, a small-sized continuous run and multipurpose industrial gammairradiator, to be used as a demonstration facility for manufacturers and contract service companies, which need economical and logistical in-house irradiation system alternatives. Also, to be useful for supporting the local scientific community on development of products and process using gamma radiation, assisting the traditional and potential users on process validation, training and qualification of operators and radioprotection officers. The developed technology for this facility consists of a continuous tote box transport system, comprising a single concrete vault, where the automated transport system of products inside and outside of the irradiator utilizes a rotating door, integrated with the shielding, avoiding the traditional maze configuration. Covering 76 ...
A study was carried out to determine optimum decontamination dose for a locally manufactured coconut cream powder. Samples were gammairradiated (0-15 kGy) and ageing process was achieved using GEER oven at 60 deg. C for 7 days, which is equivalent to one-year storage at room temperature. Iodine value (IV), ranging from 4.8 to 6.4, was not affected by radiation doses and storage, however peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) generally increased with radiation doses. In most samples, peroxide value (meq/kg) reduced after storage, whilst the TBA (mg malonaldehyde/kg), indicator for product quality, slightly increased. The sensory evaluation conducted using 25 taste panellists indicated that scores on odour, creamy taste and overall acceptance for all irradiated samples at more than 5 kGy were significantly lower (P<0.05) than the control. However, the panellists could not detect any significant differences among the irradiation ...
The thermoluminescence (TL) and emission of coloured RbCl and RbCl:Sn crystals are studied in the temperature range 300 to 560 K. The glow peaks responsible for F centres and tin centres in different valence states are identified using optical bleaching studies. The glow peaks are analysed using total curve fitting method and the kinetic parameters are determined. In moderately #gamma#-irradiated tin-doped RbCl crystals, the TL emission bands observed at 4.0, 3.6, and 2.2 eV are attributed to Sn"0, Sn"+, and Sn"- centers, respectively. A comprehensive energy level diagram depicting the various TL processes in these undoped and tin-doped RbCl crystals is proposed. (author).
The ability of the R46 R factor and its derivative pKM101 to modify sensitivity to "6"0Co #gamma# radiation was studied. In Escherichia coli K12 both plasmids enhanced bacterial survival after "6"0Co #gamma# irradiation. This effect was dependent on recA"+ genotype but not on recB"+, recB"+recC"+, and recF"+ genotypes. 5-Fluorouracil eliminated the R46 R factor from the parent and its rec"- mutant strains. These strains lost not only the antibiotic resistance coded for R46 R factor but their radioresistance as well.
Thermoluminescence of inorganic dust extract from herbs and spices has been demonstrated to be a useful method to discriminate irradiated food products as well as to estimate the total dose exposure. The time evolution of infrared stimulated luminescence has been systematically investigated in potassium feldspar and albite minerals subjected to different doses of gammairradiation (ranging from 0 to 8 kGy). Experimental results reveal a 300-600 nm signal which is greatly intensified for irradiated samples, following the same irradiation dose dependence observed in thermoluminescence. The luminescence intensity disappears after few seconds of illumination, following a time evolution which is proportional to (1 + Bt){sup -P}. The influence of both B and P factors upon the irradiation dose has been systematically analysed. (author)
Thermoluminescence of inorganic dust extract from herbs and spices has been demonstrated to be a useful method to discriminate irradiated food products as well as to estimate the total dose exposure. The time evolution of infrared stimulated luminescence has been systematically investigated in potassium feldspar and albite minerals subjected to different doses of gammairradiation (ranging from 0 to 8 kGy). Experimental results reveal a 300-600 nm signal which is greatly intensified for irradiated samples, following the same irradiation dose dependence observed in thermoluminescence. The luminescence intensity disappears after few seconds of illumination, following a time evolution which is proportional to (1 + Bt)"-"P. The influence of both B and P factors upon the irradiation dose has been systematically analysed. (author)
Upon irradiation of aqueous ethylene glycol/water solutions of native chloroperoxidase (CPO) with {sup 60}Co-gamma rays at 77K one observes the one-electron reduction of the enzyme active site by radiolytically generated thermolyzed electrons. In the present study the first absorption spectrum of a low-spin ferrous form of CPO is reported which has peaks at 438, 532 and 563 nm, similar to those observed previously for cytochrome P-450. All previously described ferrous forms of CPO are high spin. In order to observe the final results of the CPO reaction with electrons, the spectral changes of native enzyme after room temperature-gamma-irradiation have also been investigated. Evidence of changes is also presented probably connected with disruption of the tertiary structure of enzyme, correlated with decrease of enzyme activity.
Upon irradiation of aqueous ethylene glycol/water solutions of native chloroperoxidase (CPO) with "6"0Co-gamma rays at 77K one observes the one-electron reduction of the enzyme active site by radiolytically generated thermolyzed electrons. In the present study the first absorption spectrum of a low-spin ferrous form of CPO is reported which has peaks at 438, 532 and 563 nm, similar to those observed previously for cytochrome P-450. All previously described ferrous forms of CPO are high spin. In order to observe the final results of the CPO reaction with electrons, the spectral changes of native enzyme after room temperature-gamma-irradiation have also been investigated. Evidence of changes is also presented probably connected with disruption of the tertiary structure of enzyme, correlated with decrease of enzyme activity.
Kinetics of postradiation polymerization of triethylene glycol ..cap alpha.., ..omega..-dimethacrylate has been studied by calorimetric method. The low-temperature radiolysis has been studied by ESR method. The radiation-chemical yield of radicals on ..gamma..-irradiation by /sup 60/Co is determined being equal to 6+-1 1/100 ev. Transformation of the radicals spectrum into the spectrum of propagating macroradicals proceeds at 140 K. After the transition from glassy to liquid state (Tsub(g)=193 K) the intensive postpolymerization begins. During the polymerization the disappearance of radicals is observed. For the low-temperature region the effective activation energy of polymerization is determined beina equal to 50.7+-0.8 kJ/mol.
The radiation induced reactions in LDPE in the presence of phenolic type antioxidants have been studied. It was shown that various antioxidants can influence the polyethylene network formation and the radical yield in different ways. The dependence of network structure on absorbed doses was determined by gel analysis, hot-set test and extraction of antioxidants for samples irradiated with accelerated electrons. It was found that the antioxidants eluted from polyethylene in higher percentage influence polymer crosslinking to a smaller degree. The ESR studies of #gamma#-irradiated blends of polyethylene with antioxidant indicate the presence of alkyl and phenoxyl radicals. The role of antioxidant molecules on radiation induced reactions in polyethylene-antioxidant systems is considered. The correlation between the network structure and the type of additive in polyethylene is also discussed. (author).
Commercial polyolefin, such as poly(propylene), are widely used because of their easy processing and their excellent mechanical and thermal properties. Although their recycling is well established, the mechanical and thermal properties of the recycled waste poly(propylene)(WPP) are normally lower than those of the virgin material. The introduction of talc can improve the toughness, without compromising the processability and recycling capabilities. However, the thermal properties of these blends should be assessed to limit degradation during recycling. The effect of gamma radiation on the thermal and mechanical properties of WPP/High Crystallinity Poly(propylene)/Talc was studied. TGA, DSC, and electrical conductivity performed the characterization of WPP composites. Mechanical properties ...
Summaries are included of research contracts which expired prior to Dec. 31, 1960. The contracts were concerned with investigations of: electrophysiological responses of biological systems in nerve cells to irradiation with small doses of ionizing radiations; the mode of the protective action of certain sulfhydryl compounds against radiation effects on the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid, using tritium-labeled thymidine; development of a bubble chamber method of monitoring and dosimetry for Low fast neutron fluxes; effects of incorporated radioisotopes on the stability of genetic materials; interrelation of root and leaf absorption of radioisotopes in herbaceous plants; uptake of radioactive wastes by lowland rice from soils contaminated by irrigation water, and decontamination of the rice; and comparison between mutation rates induced by acute and chronic gammairradiations. (B.O.G.)
Pearls change their color to grey by #gamma#-ray irradiation. Grey densities were determined from darkness of pearl nuclei and thickness of the pearl layers. The densities are independent of both diameters of nuclei and pearls. The fading rate increases with increasing storage temperature. The rate of fading for irradiated pearls is lower than that for natural blue pearls. Comparison of photomicrographs (x 12) for pearls irradiated and then stored at room temperature for about 6 years revealed that their surfaces are not substantially different from the surfaces of unirradiated cultured pearls, indicating that #gamma# irradiation hardly gives rise to deterioration. #gamma#-Ray irradiation is a technique for coloration of pearls. Irradiated blue pearls seem to have resistivity to fading and to deterioration of the surface, if pearls have been irradiated properly. (author).
Lupinus albus L. plants were grown from seeds and irradiated at various stages of development with acute or chronic gamma rays. All plants were greenhouse grown (pre- and post-irradiation) and allowed to proceed through their normal growth cycle. The purpose of these experiments was to establish a Plactochron Index for Lupinus albus L. and to determine the effects of acute and chronic irradiation on development at the macro and microscopic levels. A Plastochron Index was calculated and used as an indirect time scale to evaluate the effects of gamma rays from a common base line. Acute radiation treatment lasted for a period of a few days, whereas chronic treatment was initiated at the seedling stage and lasted for the entire growth season. Vegetative plants were used to study the effects of acute radiation exposure on apical meristem morphology, Plastochron Index, phyllatoxis and gross morphology.
The ability of a local strain of grape phylloxera to develop and reproduce on irradiated in vitro cultured rootstocks (Ru140, R99 and 3309C and one local variety 'Helwani' was determined. The results showed that there was great variation in developmental time and reproduction of phylloxera between irradiated and unirradiated in vitro cultured plants. Survival, number of eggs and mean developmental time were greatly reduced when phylloxera was reared on irradiated rootstocks. Based on the examined biological parameters of phylloxera, all tested rootstocks would be more resistant toward such destructive insect when they were irradiated. Thus, phylloxera resistance was enhanced when in vitro cultured plants were treated with low doses of gammairradiation. (author)
Wood polymer composite (WPC) specimens were produced by impregnating a tropical wood with methyl methacrylate and subsequently polymerised by ..gamma..-irradiation. Beam specimens of varying weight percentages of polymer were then subjected to a three point bend creep test under a constant load condition, for 250, 300 and 350 N. A Norton-Bailey (power law) mathematical model was used to describe the creep behavior, with the creep components determined by a nonlinear regression analysis. Significant creep improvements were obtained from the composite specimens as compared to the untreated wood specimens. Results indicated that maximum creep resistance is obtained when the amount of polymer loading exceeded 30%. An interfacial interaction between the polymer and the wood cell wall was used to account for the behavior of the increase in the creep resistance.
Recently, foods are often exposed to radiation under packed states with various wrapping materials. In this study, the effects of #gamma#-ray radiation were investigated on the additives in wrapping materials on the market. 10 - 50 kGy #gamma# radiation was irradiated to samples under sealed condition in a glass-ware. Polyethylene bag and wrapping film, polypropylene wrapping film, cup and sheet, and polystyrene cup were used as samples. And the additives in these materials were analyzed by GC/MS to evaluate the radiation effects on them. The irradiation was found to induce rapid degradation of antioxidants, especially, Irgafos 168. Some fatty acid amides used as a lubricant and a plasticizer, DBP were also reduced, but not aliphatic hydrocarbons. However, all polystyrene products used in this study included no additives. The contents of styrene dimer and trimer in those wrapping materials were not changed by #gamma#-irradiation. (M.N.)
Purpose To study the chemical modifications induced upon irradiation of solid human insulin at radiosterilization doses and investigate the influence of the absorbed dose on radiolysis. Materials and Methods Volatile radiolytic products were monitored by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and non-volatile products by two different high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods: the formation of higher molecular weight proteins was assessed by size exclusion liquid chromatography whereas assays for related compounds and chemical potency tests were carried out using reverse-phase HPLC-UV. Conformational changes were investigated by measurements of circular dichroism. Results After gammairradiation at 10?kGy, the recovery of insulin was 96.8%; higher molecular w...
Regularities in the radiation cross-linking of low-density polyethylene under various conditions of ..gamma..-irradiation were studied. It is shown that at the 0.5 GPa pressure and 450 K the gel formation is initiated at doses of about 1 kGy, i.e. at doses 10 times as low as compared to normal conditions. Abnormally high rate of radiation cross-linking at high temperature and high pressure is an evidence of changes in the mechanism of polyethylene, radiation cross-linking, i.e. of the process transition from nonchain to chain conditions. Decrease in the potential barriers of macroradical reactions with macromolecules is the most probable reason of change in the polymer cross-linking nature.
The behavior of the triterpenes friedelin and friedelan-3-ol, contained on the leaves of Maytenus aquifolium Martius (Celastraceae), upon several doses of X- and #gamma#-rays (10 to 100 kGy), was investigated by high resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) and high resolution gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (HRGC-MS). The friedelin content has not changed with #gamma#-irradiation, but the content of friedelan-3-ol decreased around 17% at doses of 10, 20 and 40 kGy and around 27% at doses of 60, 80 and 100 kGy. The levels of both triterpenes remained unchanged even at higher X-ray doses. Lupen-3-one was detected by HRGC-MS. (author).
The content and biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were studied in pig thigh muscle after acute local {gamma}-irradiation. Seven months following irradiation, the muscular tissue next to the irradiation cone was replaced by severe mutilating fibrosis delimited by an intermediary perifibrotic zone. Results showed a parallel increase of collagen and GAG content in perifibrotic and fibrotic tissues. Sulphated GAGs, heparan sulphate and dermatan sulphate were preferentially accumulated in fibrotic tissue, while the hyaluronic acid content increased only slightly. Synthesis of sulphated GAGs was more elevated in fibrotic tissue than in perifibrotic zone as compared with normal muscle. Seven months after irradiation well-developed fibrotic tissue continued to synthesize and to accumulate extracellular matrix macromolecules. (Author).
In this study, the degrees of destruction of hemoglobin irradiated in atmospheres of air and argon were compared. Hemoglobin preparations were irradiated in the forms: oxyhemoglobin (HbO_2) deoxyhemoglobin (Hb"2"+) and methemoglobin (MetHb) applying doses of 0.5 to 5 Mrad. The degree of hemoglobin destruction was estimate on the basis of changes in the values of the absorption coefficient at the Soret band, the absorption ratio A_5_0_5/A_5_6_3 determined after conversion of irradiated preparations into MetHb, absorption coefficinets for pyridine hemochromogen obtained from irradiated preparations, and changes in parameters characterizing the hemoglobin oxygenation reaction (log p/sub 1/2/O_2 and the Hill n coefficient). The calculated oxygen enhancement ratios S were generally higher than 1 for the parameters estimated. This indicates that the presence of oxygen during irradiation enhances hemoglobin destruction.
Deer Elk Bighorn Sheep American Pronghorn Moose Deer Mouse Carnivores Bobcat American Badger River Otter Red Fox Long-Tailed Weasel Coyote Grizzly Bear Mountain Lion Amphibians...
Nuclear transfer technology can be applied to produce autologous differentiated cells for therapeutic purposes, a concept termed therapeutic cloning. Countless articles have been published on the ethics...Full Text Available
The extent (density and diameter) of the native (preexisting) collateral circulation in healthy tissues and the capacity of collaterals to enlarge/remodel in obstructive arterial disease are important...Full Text Available
In mammals, primordial germ cells (PGCs) are generated in the extra-embryonic epiblast, and thereafter migrate into the developing gonads. Following the development of the gonads to the testes or ovaries, germ cells mature into sperms or eggs. In the present study, we report production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) that recognize PGCs. Extracts from E12.5 mouse embryonic gonads were immunized as an antigen, and hybridomas were generated using the rat medial iliac lymph node method. The hybridoma supernatants were screened by immunohistochemical analyses of E12.5 mouse embryonic sections. The antibody, referred to herein as MAb 5B5, provided strong signals on PGCs. Moreover, immunofluorescence analyses using a variety of the tissue sections of mouse embryos revealed th...
These proceedings collect papers on the subject of lymphokines. Topics include: DNA-cloning of mouse and human lymphokine genes, inteferons, interleukins, gene expression, tumor necrosis factors, and recombinant DNA.
... accidentally released from a Soviet military laboratory (Meselson ... Robert Koch and Louis Pasteur worked to introduce ... species (eg, rat, mouse, dog, monkey) for ...
The effects of gammairradiation at 0.2#approx#0.4 Mrad and condition for processing of buckwheat noodles on sensory quality and physical properties were investigated. The results were as follows: (1) Sensory evaluation of buckwheat noodles, prepared with the 70 % ratio of buckwheat flour, was decreased according to an increase of irradiation dose of buckwheat flour. Hardness and adhesiveness of buckwheat noodles caused by irradiation should be given large effect to the texture. Elasticity of buckwheat noodles was linearly decreased with increasing of irradiation dose of buckwheat flour, and elasticity of buckwheat noodles was decreased about 15 % by an increase of irradiation dose at 0.3 Mrad. (2) Maximum torque in Farinograph test was linearly decreased with increasing of irradiation dose of buckwheat flour, and maximum torque was decreased about 3 % by increasing of irradiation dose with 0.1 Mrad. (3) Sensory evaluation was also decreased by ...
Full - grown pupae of the cotton leaf worm Spodoptera littorals (Boisd.) were gamma - irradiated with low doses of 25,50,75, or 100 Gy for male line and with 50 or 100 Gy for female line . The effects on reproduction, development and sex ratio were the biological aspects studied among P1,F1,F2 and F 3 generations . Also, the effects of dose accumulation applied grown male pupae through two or three filial generations and the retarded influence on their F1,F2,and F 3 progeny were examined. In another trial the histological examinations for ovaries and testes of irradiated parents and for their generation were made . The F1 males were more sterile than irradiated parental males while F1 females were more fertile than their irradiated parental females. Irradiation of P1 males did not clearly affect neither the percentage of mated females nor the average number of spermatophores per mated female among the individuals of P1,F1,F2 and F 3 ...
This work evaluated the effect of gamma radiation on reducing the population of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli nd Salmonella typhimurium in ground chicken breast stored under refrigeration. The experiment included a control and 4 doses of gamma radiation ( 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 kGy) along with 5 periods of storage under refrigeration ( 1, 7 14, 21 and 28 days). Samples of ground chicken breast were inoculated with Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 14458), Escherichia coli (ATCC 11105) and Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 0626), irradiated at temperatures between 4 and 8 deg C and stored under refrigeration (5 deg C) for 28 days. The increased radiation dose and period of storage under refrigeration caused a reduction of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium populations in the ground chicken breast. Mean radiation D values determined for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were 0.41 and 0.72 kGy, respectively. Gamma ...
Gamma-irradiation of isolated rat liver mitochondria with up to 475 Gy leading to hydrated electrons (G = 1.9, corrected for reaction with solutes), 30 Gy leading to carbohydrate radicals, (G = 5.6), 100 Gy leading to superoxide radicals (G = 6.2), and 130 Gy leading to formate radicals (G = 6.2) showed no effects on the rate of oxygen uptake in various respiratory states, the respiratory control ratio, or the adenosine diphosphate to atomic oxygen ratio. Typical values were 0.020-0.100 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 1 respiration, 0.25-0.33 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 4 respiration and 0.65-1.10 nmol O/sub 2/ s/sup -1/ mg protein/sup -1/ for State 3 respiration. Typical respiratory control ratios ranged from 2.0-3.5 for succinate and 4.0-6.5 for a 1:1 glutamate: malate substrate mixture. Adenosine diphosphate to atomic oxygen ratios with succinate as substrate varied from 1.6 to 1.9. In situ and in vitro irradiated ...
By the use of thermoluminescence (TL) technique we have investigated the effects of gammairradiation on the TL response of pulverised natural zircon (ZrSiO{sub 4}) crystals from the Jos Plateau area of Nigeria. Samples of the mineral that have been previously annealed were artificially irradiated to moderate gamma doses ranging from 0.7 to 4.9 Gy using {sup 60}Co gamma-source of the CERD. The natural TL glow curve of the sample showed a broad peak around 250 deg. C, the peak was however, found to be completely erased following heat treatment for 2 h at 400 deg. C. The TL glow curves of the artificially irradiated samples showed two overlapping glow peaks at about 112 deg. C (peak I) and at 156 deg. C (peak II) within the dose range utilised. We note that the natural TL peak appears to be different from the two observed in the artificially irradiated sample. The TL response with dose was investigated for the two glow peaks found in the ...
By the use of thermoluminescence (TL) technique we have investigated the effects of gammairradiation on the TL response of pulverised natural zircon (ZrSiO_4) crystals from the Jos Plateau area of Nigeria. Samples of the mineral that have been previously annealed were artificially irradiated to moderate gamma doses ranging from 0.7 to 4.9 Gy using "6"0Co gamma-source of the CERD. The natural TL glow curve of the sample showed a broad peak around 250 deg. C, the peak was however, found to be completely erased following heat treatment for 2 h at 400 deg. C. The TL glow curves of the artificially irradiated samples showed two overlapping glow peaks at about 112 deg. C (peak I) and at 156 deg. C (peak II) within the dose range utilised. We note that the natural TL peak appears to be different from the two observed in the artificially irradiated sample. The TL response with dose was investigated for the two glow peaks found in the artificially ...
The radical cations from aziridine and azetidine have been characterized by ESR spectroscopy following their generation in the solid state by #gamma# irradiation of dilute solutions of the parent compounds in the CFCl_3 matrix at 77 K. The ESR parameters of the azetidine radical cation are typical of those for nitrogen-centered amine radical cations such as Me_2NH*"+. On the other hand, the radical cation formed from aziridine has very different ESR parameters that compare closely to those for the isoelectronic C...C ring-opened form of the oxirane radical cation and the allyl radical. The radical cation formed from azetidine is therefore assigned a ring-closed structure with the unpaired electron in a 2p/sub z/ orbital on nitrogen perpendicular to the ring plane, whereas the cation from aziridine is an allylic C...C ring-opened planar isomer with the unpaired electron in a nonbonding #pi# orbital centered mainly on the two end carbon atoms. ...
The radical cations from aziridine and azetidine have been characterized by ESR spectroscopy following their generation in the solid state by ..gamma.. irradiation of dilute solutions of the parent compounds in the CFCl/sub 3/ matrix at 77 K. The ESR parameters of the azetidine radical cation are typical of those for nitrogen-centered amine radical cations such as Me/sub 2/NH*/sup +/. On the other hand, the radical cation formed from aziridine has very different ESR parameters that compare closely to those for the isoelectronic C...C ring-opened form of the oxirane radical cation and the allyl radical. The radical cation formed from azetidine is therefore assigned a ring-closed structure with the unpaired electron in a 2p/sub z/ orbital on nitrogen perpendicular to the ring plane, whereas the cation from aziridine is an allylic C...C ring-opened planar isomer with the unpaired electron in a nonbonding ..pi.. orbital centered mainly on the two ...
Studies by the University of Lowell Radiation Laboratory and the US National Marine Fisheries Service N.E. Laboratory in Gloucester, MA on softshelled clams (Mya arenaria) demonstrated the effectiveness of low to medium doses of Cobalt 60 source gammairradiation in the inactivation of Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis. Post-irradiation survival and organoleptic studies when extended to hardshelled clams (Mercinaria mercenaria) and American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) showed no significant decline in consumer qualities or 6 day post irradiation survival in oysters at doses of up to 3.0 kGy. The capacities of the American oyster to sustain relatively high doses of gammairradiation were demonstrated by 6 day post-exposure survivorship values of greater than 90% for samples receiving 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 kGy. Initial studies of inactivation of Polio ...
Full text: DNA rearrangement events leading to chromosomal aberrations are central to ionizing radiation-induced cell death. Although DNA double-strand breaks are probably the lesion that initiates formation of chromosomal aberrations, little is understood about the molecular mechanisms that generate and modulate DNA rearrangement. Examination of the sequences that flank sites of DNA rearrangement may provide information regarding the processes and enzymes involved in rearrangement events. Accordingly, we developed a method using inverse PCR that allows the detection and sequencing of putative radiation-induced DNA rearrangements in defined regions of the human genome. The method can detect single copies of a rearrangement event that has occurred in a particular region of the genome and, therefore, DNA rearrangement detection does not require survival and continued multiplication of the affected cell. Ionizing radiation-induced DNA rearrangements were detected in several different ...
In order to gain an overall picture of the genetic effects of an increased level of background radiation it is necessary to study the results of protracted exposures to embryonic and immature germ-cell stages as well as to stages found in the mature organism. For this purpose, litters produced by female mice, kept in a 10 or 20 rad/day /sup 60/Co ..gamma..-irradiation field, were kept in the same fields from conception until about 60 days later, having absorbed doses of 526 and 1078 rad respectively. Tests on exposed female offspring showed them to be sterile. Eight weeks after removal from the gamma field, mean testis masses of males in the 20 rad/day series were only half normal but those receiving 10 rad/day were little affected. Frequencies of translocations in spermatocytes at diakinesis/metaphase I were only slightly increased in the exposed series, differences not being significant. Estimated rates of translocation induction were around 5 x 10sup(-6) per ...
Long term integrated in situ experiments are performed in the HADES underground research facility (Mol, Belgium) in order to study the coupled reactivity between the different components of an underground repository for vitrified high level radioactive waste (HLW): glass, compacted clay, and stainless steel containers, at 90 degrees C and under gammairradiation. Studies pertaining to the behaviour of silicon, a major element released during glass alteration, are presented here. Data collected from the integrated experiment, from simplified tests, and from modelling are put together, giving complementary information. The integrated experiment is used to investigate overall reactivity, whereas diffusion experiments coupled with modelling focused on the precipitation of silica in clay media. In the integrated in situ experiment, a bentonite clay (FoCa7) mixed with 5 wt.% of powdered glass frit was put in contact with U/Th-doped SON68 reference ...
Two monoclonal antibodies, TAL-1B5 and TAL-3C3, specific for human Ia alpha-chain subunits have been produced by fusing P3/NSI/1-Ag4-1 mouse myeloma cells with spleen cells from a BALB/c mouse immunized...Full Text Available
Genome sequences are essential tools for comparative and mutational analyses. Here we present the short read sequence of mouse chromosome 17 from the Mus musculus domesticus derived...Full Text Available
Cadmium (Cd) exposure causes glucosuria (glucose in the urine). Previously, it was shown that Cd exposure of primary cultures of mouse kidney cells (PMKC) decreased mRNA levels of the glucose...Full Text Available
PurposeTo characterize differences in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function in mouse strains relevant to disease models. C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) are the two most common mouse...Full Text Available
The human smooth muscle myosin heavy chain locus (MYH11) was mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization to the middle of the p arm of chromosome 16 using a genomic cosmid clone containing coding sequences of the gene as probe. Probe from coding sequence, when applied to Southern blots of a panel of hybrids containing different portions of human chromosome 16, localized the gene to 16p13.13-13.12. Coding sequence PCR primers, when used on the DNA from a CHO-mouse hybrid clone mapping panel informative for mouse chromosomes, showed that the gene was located on mouse chromosome 16. These results correct a recent assignment of MYH11 from 16q12.2 to the region of the 16p-arm inversion breakpoint seen in acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML) M4Eo and demonstrate that the conflicting data do not result from the presence of additional MYH genes on the q arm of the chromosome. Also, a new region of conserved synteny between human ...
The loss of #alpha#-globin gene transcriptional activity rarely occurs as an acquired abnormality during the evolution of myeloproliferative disease or preleukemia. To test whether the mutation responsible for the loss of #alpha#-globin gene expression (hemoglobin H disease) in these patients is linked with the #alpha#-globin genes on chromosome 16, the authors transferred chromosome 16 from preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease to mouse erythroleukemia cells and measured the transcriptional activity of the human #alpha#-globin genes. After transfer to mouse erythroleukemia cells, the expression of human #alpha#-globin genes from the peripheral blood or marrow cells of preleukemic patients with acquired hemoglobin H disease was similar to that of human #alpha#-globin genes transferred to mouse erythroleukemia cells from normal donors. These data showed that factor(s) in the mouse ...
The transfer of 203Pb and/or 47Ca across the intestinal epithelium of the chick was investigated, with emphasis given to the functional role of cholecalciferol (vitamin D-3). 203Pb, after introduction in the intestinal lumen, is rapidly accumulated by the intestinal tissue, and only a fraction of 203Pb is translocated parenterally (absorbed). Cholecalciferol did not significantly affect the accumulation of 203Pb by intestinal tissue but did accelerate 203Pb movement across the basal-lateral membrane. In contrast, cholecalciferol both decreased 47Ca tissue levels and increased 47Ca absorption. In rachitic chicks, the rate of absorption of 203Pb was greater in the distal than in the proximal segments of the intestine; after cholecalciferol repletion, the degree of absorption in al segments was similar, indicting the order of cholecalciferol effectiveness as duodenum greater than or equal to jejunum greater than ileum. An acute dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 to rachitic chicks ...
The transfer of /sup 203/Pb and/or /sup 47/Ca across the intestinal epithelium of the chick was investigated, with emphasis given to the functional role of cholecalciferol (vitamin D-3). /sup 203/Pb, after introduction in the intestinal lumen, is rapidly accumulated by the intestinal tissue, and only a fraction of /sup 203/ Pb is translocated parenterally (absorbed). Cholecalciferol did not significantly affect the accumulation of /sup 203/Pb by intestinal tissue but did accelerate /sup 203/Pb movement across the basal-lateral membrane. In contrast, cholecalciferol both decreased /sup 47/Ca tissue levels and increased /sup 47/Ca absorption. In rachitic chicks, the rate of absorption of /sup 203/Pb was greater in the distal than in the proximal segments of the intestine; after cholecalciferol repletion, the degree of absorption in all segments was similar, indicating the order of cholecalciferol effectiveness as duodenum greater than or equal to jejunum > ileum. ...
Maintenance of genomic integrity in embryonic cells is pivotal to proper embryogenesis, organogenesis and to the continuity of species. Cultured mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), a model for early embryonic cells, differ from cultured somatic cells in their capacity to remodel chromatin, in their repertoire of DNA repair enzymes, and in the regulation of cell cycle checkpoints. Using 129XC3HF1 mESCs heterozygous for Aprt, we characterized loss of Aprt heterozygosity after exposure to ionizing radiation. We report here that the frequency of loss of heterozygosity mutants in mESCs can be induced several hundred-fold by exposure to 5-10Gy of X-rays. This induction is 50-100-fold higher than the induction reported for mouse adult or embryonic fibroblasts. The primary mechanism underlying the...
The effect of exposure to gamma rays on LPO contents in liver, spleen and kidney of mice and the anti-lipid-peroxidation of preparations of chinonin, tannic acid and squalene were reported. All these preparations were given by intragastric perfusion. For LPO, a modified method of TBA spectrophotometry was used for determination. The results show that LPO contents in tissues increased 72 h after whole-body exposure of mice to gamma rays, that in range of 0-4 Gy, there was a linear relationship between radiation doses and LPO contents, and that all three preparations were effective in reduction of the LPO content in liver, spleen and kidney of mice, with chinonin (at dose of 0.35 mg/mouse#centre dot#day) being more effective than tannic acid (at dose of 15 mg/mouse#centre dot#day) and squalene (at dose of 0.6 mg/mouse#centre dot#day).
Abstract Crouzon syndrome is characterized by premature fusion of sutures and synchondroses. Recently, the first mouse model of the syndrome was generated, having the mutation Cys342Tyr in Fgfr2c, equivalent to the most common human Crouzon/Pfeiffer syndrome mutation. In this study, a set of micro-computed tomography (CT) scannings of the skulls of wild-type mice and Crouzon mice were analysed with respect to the dysmorphology caused by Crouzon syndrome. A computational craniofacial atlas was built automatically from the set of wild-type mouse micro-CT volumes using (1) affine and (2) non-rigid image registration. Subsequently, the atlas was deformed to match each subject from the two groups of mice. The accuracy of these registrations was measured by a comparison of manually placed landma...
The effect of ionizing radiation (2, 5, and 10 KGy of gamma rays) on muscle ultrastructure of grass shrimps (Penaeus monodon Fabricius) tails at ambient or frozen (-18{sup 0}C) temperature was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). No significant change was found in muscle ultrastructure of shrimp meat irradiated at doses of 2 or 5 KGy and then stored at 4{sup 0}C for 0 and 8 days. However, in shrimps which were irradiated at ambient temperature at a dose of 10 KGy, the margin of A-band of the myofibrils in longitudinal sections exhibited an irregular zig-zag pattern. In cross section some myosin filaments in the A-band regions were missing. A possible interpretation of these results would be that 10 KGy gammairradiation dose at ambient temperature depolymerized myosin in the A-band from the tail of thick filament. Actin damage was also observed in some cross sections. Irradiation damage of sarcoplasmic membranes appeared in ...
The effect of ionizing radiation (2, 5, and 10 KGy of gamma rays) on muscle ultrastructure of grass shrimps (Penaeus monodon Fabricius) tails at ambient or frozen (-18"0C) temperature was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). No significant change was found in muscle ultrastructure of shrimp meat irradiated at doses of 2 or 5 KGy and then stored at 4"0C for 0 and 8 days. However, in shrimps which were irradiated at ambient temperature at a dose of 10 KGy, the margin of A-band of the myofibrils in longitudinal sections exhibited an irregular zig-zag pattern. In cross section some myosin filaments in the A-band regions were missing. A possible interpretation of these results would be that 10 KGy gammairradiation dose at ambient temperature depolymerized myosin in the A-band from the tail of thick filament. Actin damage was also observed in some cross sections. Irradiation damage of sarcoplasmic membranes appeared in the ...
Samples of nylon 66 rods were irradiated using a cobalt-60 gamma ray source at a dose rate of 0.25 Mrad h[sup -1] in air at room temperature to a maximum dose of 500 Mrad. The linear coefficient of thermal expansion ([alpha]) was measured using a three-terminal capacitance technique reported previously. The variation of [alpha] with temperature between 10 K and 340 K was investigated for an unirradiated sample and two samples irradiated to 300 Mrad and 500 Mrad. In the range 10K to 160K, [alpha] is almost invariant with radiation dose and there is little difference between the values for the unirradiated and the 300 Mrad irradiated samples above 160 K. The sample irradiated to 500 Mrad does show a 6% increase in [alpha] over the other samples in the higher temperature range. All samples show an increase overall in the value of [alpha] with temperature. The melting point of each sample was also determined and was shown to decrease with radiation dose. (1 figure, 1 table, 8 references). ...
Radioactive iron is used to follow up some haematologic indices in birds infected with irradiated spirochetes of the Borrelia anderina species. Use is made of a total of 90 cockerels, aged two months, divided into three groups: 1st group - cockerels inoculated with spirochetes that had been gamma-irradiated at the rate of 40000 R; 2nd group - cockerels inoculated with untreated spirochetes; and 3rd group - normal cockerels. The infective material consisted of strain Rouen spirochetes of the Pamoukchii serotype. Radiometric studies were also carried out for establishing to what extent radioactive iron is incorporated in the erythrocytes and is deposited in the liver, spleen, and marrow of the investigated birds. Classical methods of investigation were employed to determine the erythrocyte, leukocyte, and thrombocyte counts, the haemoglobin content (after Sahli) as well as the erythrocyte pack after the method of Todorov. It is found that the inoculation of ...
Samples from 314 broiler chickens at 2 months age were analyzed for blood serum level of lysozyme and 311 of them were analyzed also for activity of alternative path-way of complement activity (APCA). Chickens were hatched from eggs, irradiated immediately before incubation with different doses of gamma-rays using Rocus M device - group 1 - control (non irradiated), and groups 2, 3 and 4 - irradiated with doses of 0.15, 0.30 and 0.60 Gy, respectively. Lysozyme concentration was highest for the control group, and for the experimental ones it was lower (p<0.001) which is an indication of the strongly negative effect of gamma-rays on this indicator. For APCA the oppsite relationship was observed - increasing of its activity with increasing of irradiation dose (from p<0.05 to p<0.001) which gave reason to suggest that this phenomenon is due to the irradiation. 12 refs., 2 tabs. (author).
Active oxygens produced by low-dose irradiation can induce the synthesis of proteins involved in the active oxygen reduction path and can activate the chemical self-defense mechanisms in vivo, which can alleviate the injuries caused by active oxygens themselves. The following findings suggests that it is not only by low-dose irradiation that can induce the responses described above but also by any physical and/or chemical stresses which can produce small amount of active oxygens in vivo. 1. X-irradiation with 0.5 Gy and/or water immersion and restraint induced heat shock protein (HSP)70 in rat stomach cells. HSP70 was also induced in adrenal cells by paraquat administration. 2. The SOD activity in pancreas of rat significantly increased by #gamma#-irradiation with 0.5 Gy. 0.5 Gy irradiation preceeding the alloxan administration significantly suppressed the increase in pancreatic lipid peroxides and in blood glucose levels, degranulation in #beta# cells, and ...
In this paper the structural and functional changes of gammairradiated bovine hemoglobin are presented. Aqueous solutions/1%/of HbO_2 were irradiated in air with doses ranging from 1 to 4 Mrad. Isoelectric focusing indicated change of the charge of irradiated hemoglobin. The isoelectric point of hemoglobin was displaced towards more acid values with increasing doses, up from 1 Mrad. Fingerprint analysis and peptide column chromatography of irradiated hemoglobin demonstrated disturbances increasing with the dose. These changes were confirmed by amino acid analysis which showed that Cys, Met, Trp, His, Pro and Tyr residues were destroyed or modified following irradiation. At doses exceeding 1 Mrad the irradiated solutions of hemoglobin showed a decrease of heme-heme interaction and an increase of affinity for oxygen. Differences observed in oxygen-dissociation curves seem to be correlated with the radiation induced destruction of amino acid ...
Irradiation of live bivalve molluscs is a promising new technique to reduce the public health threats of viral and bacterial pathogens in the consumption of raw shellfish. In studies conducted within the past year, live hardshelled clams and oysters were innoculated with Simian Rotavirus SA-11, Poliovirus I, and Hepatitis-A virus and treated with gamma ray ionizing radiation from University of Lowell/DOE 800,000 Curie "6"0Co source over a dose range of 0.5--10 kiloGray (50--1000 kilorad) to determine the effectiveness of the process in eliminating viral activity and thus easing the potential viral health threats associated with uncooked bivalves. Two viral strains, SA-11 and Poliovirus I, were employed as models to perfect laboratory technique and to estimate the most appropriate range of dose exposures necessary for optimal inactivation of the infectious pathogen, Hepatitis A. Post-irradiation survivorship of the oysters and quahogs was assessed over a range of exposures, and showed ...
Poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, Acrigel, a Brazilian polymer, is used in the manufacture of medical supplies sterelizable by ionizing radiation. However, when PMMA is gamma-irradiated it undergoes main chain scissions, which promote molecular degradation causing reduction in its mechanical properties. Therefore, radiolytic of PMMA is important for it to become commercially radiosterizable. In this work some commercial additives, originally used in photo-and thermo-oxidate stabilization of polymers, were tested. Only two additives, type HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizer), denoted Scavenger, showed a good protective quality. The investigation of radiation-induced main scissions was carried out by viscosimetric method. The most effective additive, added to the polymer system at 0.3 w/w%, promotes a great molecular radioprotection of 93%. That means a reduction of G-value (scissions/100 eV) from 0.611 to 0.053. In addition, the glassy transition temperature (T{sub ...
Allyl alcohol (AA), acrylonitrile (AN), methyl methacrylate (MMA), monomers and monomer mixtures AA+AN, AA+MMA were used to conserve and consolidate Beech and Spruce. After impregnation, copolymerisation and polymerisation were accomplished by gammairradiation. The fine structure of wood+polymer(copolymer) composites was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). It was observed that copolymer obtained from AA+MMA monomer mixture showed the optimum compatibility. The compressional strength and Brinell Hardness Numbers determined for untreated and treated wood samples indicated that the mechanical strength of wood+copolymer composites was increased. It was found that the mechanical strength of the wood samples containing the AA+MMA copolymer was higher than the others. In the presence of P(AA/MMA), at highest conversion, the compressive strength perpendicular to the fibres in Beech and Spruce increased approximately 100 times. The ...
In the present study a partial replacement of aggregate with two different ratios of waste rubber (5%, 10%) with the addition of a constant ratio of rice husk ash (RHA), 5% was carried out. The hardened cement mortar used the optimum water of consistency. The specimens were molded into 1 inch cubic moulds .The specimens were first cured for 24 hours, at 100% relative humidity and then cured under tap water for 3, 7 and 28 days followed by irradiation at different doses of gammairradiation namely 5 and 10 kGy. The physico-chemical and mechanical properties such as compressive strength, total porosity and bulk density were studied for the three types of specimens. The results showed that the values of the compressive strength, bulk density and chemically combined water of the blended cement mortar paste (OPC-RHA) increase ,while blended cement mortar paste with 5% RHA and 5, 10% waste rubber decrease. The results were confirmed by scanning ...
The authors have measured the magnetization of single-phase 90-K superconductors, GdBa_2Cu_3O/sub 6+#delta#/, EuBa_2Cu_3O/sub 6+#delta#/, and SmBa_2Cu_3O/sub 6+#delta#/ with a SQUID magnetometer. They have shown that, in the superconducting state, each magnetization-field curve exhibits a maximum at #approx# 100 G, followed by a linear increase of the magnetization with a slope only approximately one-fifth of the slope for a field smaller than 50 G. They have also investigated the effect of #gamma#-irradiation on YBa_2Cu_3O/sub 6+#delta#/, SmBa_2Cu_3O/sub 6+#delta#/, and have found that the radiation damage results in the appearance of a tail in the superconducting transition. They have also shown that the normal resistance decreases with increasing radiation exposure up to a dose of 10 Mrad.
The adverse effect of moisture diffusion on the properties of wood has been one of the main weaknesses of wood. Using a gammairradiation method, wood-polymer composites have been produced which exhibit significant improvement in mechanical properties like compression, creep deformation and creep rupture particularly at high humidity. It has been thought that the impregnation of polymer into the wood has affected the moisture diffusion in the wood, so that its adverse effects on the mechanical properties has been reduced. In this report the apparent diffusion coefficients of a Ramin wood impregnated with varying amounts of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were determined using a Fick's law approach. An initial linear relationship was found for impregnation of up to 70% PMMA, after which the diffusion coefficient levels off to a maximum value, for the three environmental relative humidity levels of 40, 60 and 90({plus minus}5)%. The ...
The adverse effect of moisture diffusion on the properties of wood has been one of the main weaknesses of wood. Using a gammairradiation method, wood-polymer composites have been produced which exhibit significant improvement in mechanical properties like compression, creep deformation and creep rupture particularly at high humidity. It has been thought that the impregnation of polymer into the wood has affected the moisture diffusion in the wood, so that its adverse effects on the mechanical properties has been reduced. In this report the apparent diffusion coefficients of a Ramin wood impregnated with varying amounts of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were determined using a Fick's law approach. An initial linear relationship was found for impregnation of up to 70% PMMA, after which the diffusion coefficient levels off to a maximum value, for the three environmental relative humidity levels of 40, 60 and 90(#+-#5)%. The phenomenon could be ...
The interference of hyperthermia and ionizing radiation, respectively, with the effects of capric (10:0), lauric (12:0), myristic (14:0), oleic (cis-18:1) and elaidic (trans-18:1) acids on the osmotic resistance of human erythrocytes was investigated. The results are summarized as follows: (A) not only at 37 degrees, but also at 42 and 47{degrees}C lauric acid (12:0) represents the minimum chain length for the biphasic behaviour of protecting against hypotonic hemolysis at a certain lower concentration range and hemolysis promotion at subsequent higher concentrations; (B) with increasing temperatures the protecting as well as the hemolytic effects occur at lower concentrations of the fatty acids; (C) the increase of temperature promotes the extent of hemolysis and reduces the extent of protection against hypotonic hemolysis; (D) Gamma-irradiation of erythrocytes selectively affects the concentration of oleic acid at which maximum protection against hypotonic ...
Hydrogen cyanide is a key molecule for chemical evolution studies because, when it is exposed to different sources of energy, it forms various compounds of biological importance. To understand the role of minerals in chemical evolution, a series of experiments was performed. First, the adsorption capacity of HCN on different surface minerals was studied; the results show that HCN is readily adsorbed onto the solids proposed (zeolite, serpentine, dolomite, and sodium montmorillonite), in particular zeolite and montmorillonite. Second, the radiolysis of HCN adsorbed on olivine (as an example of a mineral surface) was also followed; it was found that the rate of HCN decomposition by gammairradiation is enhanced in the presence of the solid. The third series of studies show that organic material was produced in high abundance from HCN at high radiation doses. The radiolytic products included gases (CO_2, NH_4, and CO) and oligomeric materials that ...
The author studied the conditions needed to routinely estimate the radiation dose in chicken bone by repeated re-irradiation and measuring ESR signals. Chicken meat containing bone was {gamma}-irradiated at doses of up to 3kGy, accepted as the commercially used dose. The results show that points in sample preparation and ESR measurement are as follows: Both ends of bone are cut off and central part of compact bone is used for experiment. To obtain accurate ESR spectrum, marrow should be scraped out completely. Sample bone fragments of 1-2mm particle size and ca.100mg are recommended to obtain stable and maximum signal. In practice, by re-irradiating up to 5kGy and extrapolating data of the signal intensity to zero using linear regression analysis, radiation dose is estimated. For example, in one experiment, estimated doses of chicken bones initially irradiated at 3.0kGy, 1.0kGy, 0.50kGy and 0.25kGy were 3.4kGy, 1.3kGy, 0.81kGy and 0.57kGy. (author)
This experiment was done to determine the effects of irradiation on the physical properties of three kinds of laminated packaging materials, i.e. polypropylene-polypropylene, polypropylene-polyethylene, polyester-polyethylene. Observations were made on pinhole production, leakage, oil resistance, resistance against insect penetration, colour, odour tensile strength, elongation at break, seal strength and tear resistance. The samples were irradiated with doses of 0, 5 and 10 kGy, then stored at room temperature and examined after 0, 3, 6 and 12 months of storage. The results showed that irradiation doses up to 10 kGy, as well as storage up to 12 months, did not create pinholes, or leakage in pouches prepared from laminated films. The resistance of the films to oil and insect penetration, the colour, and the odour were also unchanged. Both irradiation and storage treatments had a significant effect on physical properties of the laminated films. In general, the changes started to be ...
The effects of gamma and e-beam irradiation on mechanical and structural properties of nylon 66 (Ny 66), nylon 6 (Ny 6) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics used in tyres were investigated. The untreated (greige), treated cords and calendered fabrics were irradiated at different doses. It is found that the effects of high energy irradiation on greige, treated cords and calendered fabrics are similar. No protective effect of compounds used in calendering was observed against radiation-induced oxidative degradation. The deterioration effect of gammairradiation on mechanical properties is much higher than that of e-beam irradiation for all types of samples. Limiting viscosity numbers of both gamma and e-beam irradiated nylon 6 and nylon 66 cords were found to decrease with increasing dose. It is concluded that PET calendered fabric has higher resistance to ionizing radiation. Ny 6 and Ny 66 calendered fabrics are more sensitive even at ...
We investigated the in vitro phenotypic transformation of human embryo (HE) cells that were repeatedly irradiated (7.5 cGy once a week) throughout their life-span. Irradiation was repeated until the cells had accumulated 195 cGy (equivalent to the 26th passage). Samples of cells were assayed for survival by colony formation, as well as for mutation at the hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) locus and for transformation by focus formation. The life-span (mean number of population doublings) of multiply irradiated cells with a total dose of 97.5 cGy was slightly but significantly prolonged over that of controls. After HE cells had accumulated 195 cGy, the maximum number of divisions increased to 130-160% of the number in non-irradiated control cells. Transformed foci were not observed until cells had accumulated 97.5 cGy, and then increased with the increasing accumulation of radiation. However, no cells showed immortality or expressed a malignant phenotype in vitro. ...
The effects of various antioxidants and antioxidant concentrations on the radiation and thermal stability of EPDM and XLPE polymers used for insulation of electric cable in nuclear power plants were measured. The objective was to determine if particular antioxidants could be identified as being especially effective for stabilization against radiation aging and combined thermal and radiation aging. Elongation to rupture was used as the measure of stability. Materials were irradiated to doses up to 2 MGy (200 Mrad) at a dose rate of 200 to 300 Gy/h in the Cobalt-60 GammaIrradiation Facility at the University of Virginia. All of the antioxidants tested, which were known to provide excellent thermal stability, also provided good stability for radiation aging and combined thermal/radiation aging, although small differences between antioxidants were noted. No antioxidant or antioxidant combination was identified as being especially outstanding. ...
Magnetic particles (MAG*SEP"S"M) coated with various absorbents were evaluated for the separation and recovery of low concentrations of cesium from nuclear waste solutions. The MAG*SEP"S"M particles were coated with (1) clinoptilolite, (2) transylvanian volcanic tuff, (3) resorcinol formaldehyde, and (4) crystalline silico-titanate, and then were contacted with a Hanford supernatant simulant. Particles coated with the crystalline silico-titanate were identified by Bradtec as having the highest capacity for cesium removal under the conditions tested (variation of pH, ionic strength, cesium concentration, and absorbent/solution ratio). The MAG*SEP"S"M particles coated with resorcinol formaldehyde had high distribution ratios values and could also be used to remove cesium from Hanford supernant simulant. Gammairradiation studies were performed on the MAG*SEP"S"M particles with a gamma dose equivalent to 100 cycles of use. This irradiation ...
To identify radio-protective agent candidate among medicinal plants and to elucidate the mechanism of action of the candidate material by using modern biochemical and molecular biological methods, we screened radio-protective activity among 48 medicinal plants. Seven samples showed above 20% protective activities against oxidative cell damage: Euryale ferox, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Eucomia ulmoides, Paeonia suffruticosa, Spirodela polyrrhiza, and Nelumbo nucifera. We also screened for oxidative stress sensitizing activity among other 51 medicinal plants. Among those samples, 11 samples showed good sensitizing effect; Melia azedarach, Agastache rugosa, Catalpa ovata, Prunus persica, Sinomenium acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, Oldenlandia diffusa, Anthriscus sylvestris, Schizandra chinensis, Gleditsia sinensis, and Cridium officinale. We also reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after ...
We reported the radio-protective effect of DTT. The treatment of DTT increased cell survival after gamma-irradiation, decreased in the frequencies of micronucleus, and reduction in DNA fragmentation and apoptotic cells. Induction of apoptosis after UV-C irradiation was revealed by the changes in the relative cell death, increase in the relative amount of apoptotic cells, and the induction of DNA fragmentation. About 100 medicinal plants were purchased and methanol extract samples were prepared. Radio-protective and radio-sensitizing activities of these samples were screened. Seven samples showed above 20% radio-protective activities: Salvia miltiorrhiza, Areca catechu, Cornus officinalis, Alpiniae officinari rhizoma, Meliae fructus, Alpiniae katsumadaii semen, Betulae cortex. Acanthopanax sessiliflous showed the highest radio-sensitizing effect and 10 other samples revealed moderate activities: Melia japonica, Agastache rugosa, Platycodon gradiflorum, Broussonetia ...
The survival time of golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) after whole-body "6"0Co-#gamma#-irradiation in the range of 600 to 200 000 rad was investigated. The two plateaus of the dose-survival curve which correspond to bone marrow and gastrointestinal death are similar to those of other species such as mice, rats and mongolian gerbils. A new plateau occurring 40-57 hours after doses of 30 000-60 000 rad, where there is a little reduction in survival time, has been found. It is in addition to the well recognized central nervous system (CNS) syndrome. This plateau is observed only in golden hamsters, presumably because of their relatively high resistance to CNS syndrome. Experiments involving partial body irradiation of the animals indicate that the target is in the cephalic one-third of abdomen. The new segment may well indicate a new type of acute somatic radiation injury different from the well known bone marrow, gastrointestinal and CNS syndromes. (author).
Virtually all biomedical research makes use of a relatively small pool of laboratory-adapted, inbred, isogenic stocks of mice. Although the advantages of these models are many, there are a number of...Full Text Available
Significant emphasis has recently been placed on the characterization of the human cancer genome. This effort has been assisted by the development of new DNA sequencing technologies that allow...Full Text Available
Dominant mutations in sarcomere protein genes cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, an inherited human disorder with increased ventricular wall thickness, myocyte hypertrophy, and disarray. To understand...Full Text Available
The role of IGF-I in the negative regulation of GH expression and release is demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo models; however, the targets and mechanisms of IGF-I...Full Text Available
Advances in laboratory animal imaging have provided new resources for noninvasive biomedical research. Among these technologies is microcomputed tomography (microCT) which is widely used to obtain high...Full Text Available
BackgroundXenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-related (XMRV) virus is a recently identified mouse gammaretrovirus that has the ability to infect certain human cells. In this study,...Full Text Available
As part of a combined study of the responses of the mouse adrenal gland and kidney to X-irradiation, the weight of adrenal glands, the relative volumes of the cortex and medulla and the aldosterone output were measured at predetermined times after irradiation of the left organs only.
Taste cells use multiple signaling mechanisms to generate appropriate cellular responses to discrete taste stimuli. Some taste stimuli activate G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that cause calcium...Full Text Available
This unit presents two basic protocols that offer rapid assessments of anosmia (the absence of a sense of smell) in mice. The buried food test is used to check for the ability to smell volatile...Full Text Available
The effects of muscarinic agonists and diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) on muscarinic receptor density and muscarinic receptor-mediated responses was assessed in mouse brain and mouse neuroblastoma cells (clone N1E-115). Utilizing the antagonist ({sup 3}H)quinuclidinyl benzilate (({sup 3}H)QNB), there was no difference in the maximal binding capacity (B{sub max}) or equilibrium dissociation constant (K{sub d}) between untreated and 24 hour DFP-treated mice. However, one administration of DFP produced a 24% and 33% decrease in B{sub max} measured by ({sup 3}H)N-methylscopolamine (({sup 3}H)NMS) after 18 and 24 hours which was rapidly reversible within 36 hours after DFP treatment. The loss of ({sup 3}H)NMS binding sites following acute DFP treatment was not accompanied by a change in a particular muscarinic receptor binding conformation. Furthermore, the magnitude of muscarinic receptor-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis was unchanged ...
AbstractStudies performed to identify early events of ovarian cancer and to establish molecular markers to support early detection and development of chemopreventive regimens have been...Full Text Available
... from Dr. Austin Smith of the Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinburgh) was modified from the CGR8 ... to thank Dr. Austin Smith, the Institute for Stem Cell Research, University of Edinbu...
Genomic disorders are conditions that result from DNA rearrangements, such as deletions or duplications. The identification of the dosage-sensitive gene(s) within the rearranged genomic interval is...Full Text Available
The activity of mice in their home cage is influenced greatly by the cycle of light and dark. In addition, home-cage activity shows remarkable time-dependent changes that result in a prominent temporal...Full Text Available
We have studied the functions of the intracellular RNAs of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) by purification and translation in vitro. Two major size classes of MMTV RNA, 35S and 24S RNA, were isolated...Full Text Available
Trichloroethylene (TCE) is both acutely toxic and carcinogenic to the mouse lung following exposure by inhalation. In contrast, it is not carcinogenic in the rat lung and is markedly less toxic following...Full Text Available
Recent reports suggested that phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL)-3 might be involved in colorectal carcinoma metastasis with an unknown mechanism. Here we demonstrated that PRL-3 expression was...Full Text Available
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease with poor survival. The identification of therapeutic targets is essential to improving outcomes. Previous studies found that expression...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeasonal influenza A infection affects a significant cohort of the global population annually, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies...Full Text Available
Mouse models for the study of autistic-like behaviors are increasingly needed to test hypotheses about the causes of autism, and to evaluate potential treatments. Both the automated 3-chambered...Full Text Available
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB (MPS IIIB; Sanfilippo syndrome type B) is a metabolic disorder with devastating clinical characteristics starting in early childhood and leading to premature death. A...Full Text Available
Vulnerability to abused drugs is influenced by multiple genes unique to each drug as well as to risk genes for polydrug abuse. If several inbred mouse strains respond to different drugs similarly,...Full Text Available
The integration sites for viral DNA in cells infected with Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) were studied by restriction endonuclease cleavage of cellular DNA followed by electrophoresis in agarose...Full Text Available
PurposeThe size of neuronal populations is modulated by gene variants that influence cell production and survival, in turn influencing neuronal connectivity, function,...Full Text Available
Background:Nicotine alters auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) in rodents and humans and is an effective treatment for smoking cessation. Less is known about the effects of...Full Text Available
Early detection of precancerous tissue has significantly improved survival of most cancers including colorectal cancer (CRC). Animal models designed to study the early stages of cancer are valuable...Full Text Available
The formation of mammalian secondary palate requires a series of developmental events such as growth, elevation and fusion. Despite recent advances in the field of palate development, the process...Full Text Available
BackgroundMacrophages (MΦs) utilize macropinocytosis to integrate immune and metabolic signals in order to initiate an effective immune response. Diabetes is characterized...Full Text Available
The effect of Photofrin-based photodynamic therapy (PDT) and adjuvant treatment with serum vitamin D3-binding protein-derived macrophage-activating factor (DBPMAF) was examined using a mouse SCCVII...Full Text Available
Purpose: Small animal micro-CT imaging is being used increasingly in preclinical biomedical research to provide phenotypic descriptions of genomic models. Most of this imaging is coincident...Full Text Available
In addition to its role in megakaryocyte production, signaling initiated by thrombopoietin (TPO) activation of its receptor, myeloproliferative leukemia virus protooncogene (c-Mpl, or Mpl), controls...Full Text Available
BackgroundApolipoprotein E (ApoE), a cholesterol carrier associated with atherosclerosis, is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The low-density lipoprotein receptor...Full Text Available
The AKR mouse strain is characterized by a high incidence of spontaneous thymic lymphoma that appears in older animals (greater than 6 months of age) and is associated with novel provirus integrations...Full Text Available
There is increasing consensus that the uterotrophic estrogenicity assay should be coupled with other morphometric or molecular end points that might enhance its sensitivity. We have previously shown...Full Text Available
Insulin resistance in skeletal muscle is a key phenotype associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) for which the molecular mediators remain unclear. We therefore conducted an expression analysis of human...Full Text Available
Mouse models have dramatically improved our understanding of cancer development and tumor biology. However, these models have shown limited efficacy as tractable systems for unbiased genetic...Full Text Available
Using a syngeneic p53-null mouse mammary gland tumor model that closely mimics human breast cancer, we have identified, by limiting dilution transplantation and in vitro mammosphere assay, a Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells. Upon subsequent transplantation, this subpopulation generated heterogeneous tumors that displayed properties similar to the primary tumor. Analysis of biomarkers suggests the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation may have arisen from a bipotent mammary progenitor. Differentially expressed genes in the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) mouse mammary gland tumor-initiating cell population include those involved in DNA damage response and repair, as well as genes involved in epigenetic regulation previously shown to be critical for stem cell self-renewal. These studies provide in vitro and in vivo data that support the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis. Furthermore, this p53-null mouse mammary ...
BackgroundThe zinc-finger transcription factor GLI3 is an important mediator of Sonic hedgehog signaling and crucial for patterning of many aspects of the vertebrate body plan. In...Full Text Available
BackgroundDue to the high morbidity and mortality of fulminant hepatitis, early diagnosis followed by early effective treatment is the key for prognosis improvement. So far, little...Full Text Available
BackgroundRecessive mutations in guanylate cyclase-1 (Gucy2d) are associated with severe, early onset Leber congenital amaurosis-1(LCA1). Gucy2d...Full Text Available
Inactivation of the RB tumor suppressor and activation of the MYC family of oncogenes are frequent events in a large spectrum of human cancers. Loss of RB function and MYC activation are thought to...Full Text Available
Fibroblast cell population kinetics in the developing molar periodontal ligament was investigated in 10, 12, 16 and 20 days old mice by autoradiography after the administration of [3H]thymidine. Labelled...Full Text Available
BackgroundNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the foremost cause of cancer-related death in Western countries, which is due partly to the propensity of NSCLC cells to metastasize....Full Text Available
BackgroundBrevican is a member of the lectican family of aggregating extracellular matrix (ECM) proteoglycans that bear chondroitin sulfate (CS) chains. It is highly expressed in...Full Text Available
In the present study we have used the alkaline elution technique to study the effect of misonidazole (MISO) on the initial amount of DNA cross-linking in various normal and neoplastic tissues of C3H...Full Text Available
During asymmetric mitosis, both in male Drosophila germline stem cells and in mouse embryo neural progenitors, the mother centrosome is retained by the self-renewed cell; hence suggesting...Full Text Available
BackgroundDiurnal fluctuation of bile acid (BA) concentrations in the enterohepatic system of mammals has been known for a long time. Recently, BAs have been recognized as signaling...Full Text Available
While pleiotropic adaptive mutations are thought to be central for evolution, little is known on the downstream molecular effects allowing adaptation to complex ecologically relevant environments. Here...Full Text Available
Oocyte-cumulus cell bidirectional communication is essential for normal development of the oocyte and cumulus cells (CCs) within the follicle. We showed recently that addition of recombinant growth...Full Text Available
NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan is a surface marker of oligodendroglial progenitor cells (OPCs) in various species. In contrast to well-studied rat OPCs, however, we found that purified...Full Text Available
A novel therapeutic compound was found to induce bladder tumors in male rats. Given the location of the tumors and the increased amounts of calcium- and magnesium-containing solids found in the urine...Full Text Available
Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) maps to a region on distal mouse chromosome 7 that has been linked to the phenotypes of obesity and type II diabetes. We recently reported that UCP2 expression is increased...Full Text Available
A tk{sup +/-} mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line, designated 1G2, has been created in which one allele of the thymidine kinase (tk) gene was inactivated by targeted homologous recombination. This line is an analog of the mouse lymphoma tk{sup +/-} L5178Y cell line, which is used widely to assess the mutagenicity of chemical agents. Treatment of 1G2 cells with the alkylating agent N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) resulted in a dose-related increase in tribluorothymidine-resistant colonies. Mutant frequencies of 152 and 296 per 10{sup 6} cells were determined for 0.1 and 0.3 mg/ml doses of ENU, compared with a spontaneous mutant frequency of 15 per 10{sup 6} cells. The data indicate that tk{sup +/-} 1G2 ES cells may be useful for the creation of a transgenic mouse model for assessing in vivo mutation using an endogenous autosomal gene. 45 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
OBJECTIVEPrevious studies showed that genetic deletion or pharmacological blockade of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) prevents the early structural changes...Full Text Available
Spontaneous mouse models of cancer show promise to more accurately recapitulate human disease and predict clinical efficacy. Transgenic mice or viral vectors have been required to generate spontaneous...Full Text Available
Changes in the number of chromosomes, but also variations in the copy number of chromosomal regions have been described in various pathological conditions, such as cancer and aneuploidy, but also in...Full Text Available
Self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) is the foundation for maintenance of spermatogenesis throughout life in males and for continuation of a species. The molecular mechanism underlying stem...Full Text Available
BackgroundMammalian antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are effectors of the innate immune response. A multitude of signals coming from pathways of mammalian pathogen/pattern recognition...Full Text Available
Mice were killed 7, 11, 19, and 27 weeks after infection with strains of Schistosoma mansoni from Puerto Rico, Brazil, St Lucia, and Tanzania. The percentage recovery of adult worms...Full Text Available
We report the isolation of cDNA clones for the mouse {alpha}7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit (gene symbol Acra7), the only nicotinic receptor subunit known to bind a-bungarotoxin in mammalian brain. This gene may have relevance to nicotine sensitivity and to some electrophysiologic findings in schizophrenia. The mouse {alpha}7 subunit gene encodes a protein of 502 amino acids with substantial identity to the rat (99.6%), human (92.8%), and chicken (87.5%) amino acid sequences. The {alpha}7 gene was mapped to mouse chromosome 7 near the p locus with the following gene order from proximal to distal: Myod1-3.5 {+-}1.7 cM-Gas2-0.9 cM {+-} 0.9 cM-D7Mit70-1.8 {+-} 1.2 cM- Acra7-4.4 {+-}1.0 cM-Hras1-ps11/Igf1r/Snrp2a. The human gene was confirmed to map to the homologous region of human chromosome 15q13-q14. 26 refs., 3 figs.
During blastocyst formation the segregation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm is governed by the mutually antagonistic effects of the transcription factors Oct4 and Cdx2. Evidence indicates...Full Text Available
We sought to determine the effects of activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) on multilocularization of adipocytes in adult white adipose tissue (WAT). Male...Full Text Available
BackgroundA fundamental requirement for the exploitation of embryonic stem (ES) cells in regenerative medicine is the ability to reproducibly derive sufficient numbers of cells of...Full Text Available
Cultured mouse or human embryonic stem (ES) cells provide access to all of the genes required to elaborate the fundamental components and physiological systems of a mammalian cell. Chemical or insertional...Full Text Available
BackgroundStorage of RBCs is necessary for an adequate blood supply. However, reports have identified potential negative sequelae of transfusing stored RBCs. An animal...Full Text Available
SUMMARYAmeloblastin (AMBN) is the second most abundant extracellular matrix protein produced by the epithelial cells called ameloblasts and is found mainly in forming dental enamel....Full Text Available
Large-scale cancer genome projects will soon be able to sequence many cancer genomes to comprehensively identify genetic changes in human cancer. Genome-wide association studies have also identified...Full Text Available
Survival curves were constructed from dose-incidence curves for apoptosis in the crypts of mouse small intestine, using the number of apoptotic cells after high doses (N{sub M}) as maximum cell population size. The mean lethal doses (D{sub 0}) for the dose range 0-0.5 Gy were calculated for each time of day. A circadian rhythm in both D{sub 0} and N{sub M} values was detected, indicating that both the number and sensitivity of radiation-induced apoptosis were changing throughout the day. (author).
The neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor {alpha}7 subunit is a member of a family of ligand-gated ion channels, and is the only subunit know to bind {alpha}-bungarotoxin in mammalian brain. {alpha}-Bungarotoxin binding sites are known to be more abundant in the hippocampus of mouse strains that are particularly sensitive to nicotine-induced seizures. The {alpha}7 receptor is highly permeable to calcium, which could suggest a role in synaptic plasticity in the nervous system. Auditory gating deficiency, an abnormal response to a second auditory stimulus, is characteristic of schizophrenia. Mouse strains that exhibit a similar gating deficit have reduced hippocampal expression of the {alpha}7 subunit. We have cloned and sequenced the full length cDNA for the mouse {alpha}7 gene (Acra-7) and characterized its gene structure. The murine {alpha}7 shares amino acid identity of 99% and 93% with the rat and human {alpha}7 ...
Jittery (ji) is a recessive mouse mutation on Chromosome 10 characterized by progressive ataxic gait, dystonic movements, spontaneus seizures, and death by dehydration/starvation before fertility. Recently, a viable neurological recessive mutation, hesitant, was discovered. It is characterized by hesitant, uncoordinated movements, exaggerated stepping of the hind limbs, and reduced fertility in males. In a complementation test and by genetic mapping we have shown here that hesitant and jittery are allelic. Using several large intersubspecific backcrosses and intercrosses we have genetically mapped ji near the marker Amh and microsatellite markers D10Mit7, D10Mit21, and D10Mit23. The linked region of mouse Chromosome 10 is homologous to human 19p13.3, to which several human ataxia loci have recently been mapped. By excluding genes that map to human 21q22.3 (Pfkl) and 12q23 (Nfyb), we conclude that jittery is not likely to be a genetic ...
We cloned and characterized horse preproendothelin-2 (PPET-2) cDNA from intestinal tissue. The cDNA encoded 178 amino acids of the PPET-2 polypeptide, in which a 21-amino-acid mature endothelin-2 peptide and a 16-amino acid endothelin-2-like peptide were found. For the open reading frame the correspondence of horse PPET-2 cDNA with those of the ferret, human, dog, mouse and rat was 85.1%, 84.9%, 82.1%, 77.8% and 77.2%, respectively. Analysis of the organ distribution of PPET-2 mRNA by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that the kidney, stomach and small intestine are major sites of expression of the PPET-2 gene. Surprisingly, the mRNA is not detected in the large intestine, where high expression is demonstrated in the mouse and rat. This difference may result from the underlying functional differences of the large intestine between a herbivore (horse) and an omnivore (mouse and rat). PMID:15838341
Yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) libraries have been difficult to construct with average insert sizes >400 kilobase pairs when DNA is size-fractionated in low-melting-point agarose. By using yeast chromosomes in mock cloning experiments, the authors found that polyamines should be present whenever agarose containing high molecular weight DNA is melted to protect DNA from degradation. By incorporating polyamines during the cloning procedure, they constructed YAC libraries from mouse and human DNA with average insert sizes of 700 and 620 kilobase pairs, respectively. Several genome equivalents of these YAC libraries were replicated onto the surface of many duplicate agar plates using a 40,000 multipin transfer device. High-density filter replicas were screened by hybridization, and 70 mouse YAC clones from 31 loci and 132 human YAC clones from 49 loci were isolated.
In experiments designed to detect new mutations affecting hemoglobin, we irradiated the male or female parent in reciprocal crosses of two mouse strains that differ in alleles at the hemoglobin (Hba, Hbb) loci as well as at five other specific loci. Offspring were analyzed for hemoglobin properties (electrophoretic pattern, solubility, crystal pattern), serum albumin differences, erythrocyte lysis, reticulocyte count, and external appearance. Five hemoglobin variants were found among the mutants. In three, the genetic contribution from the irradiated father was not expressed with regard to the #alpha#-chain; one carried a tandem duplication (the first known case in the mouse) involving Hbb; and one probably resulted from double nondisjunction of chromosome 7. The finding that major chromosome aberratios can mimic hemoglobin mutations indicates the need, in similar experiments, to follow F_1 screening with thorough cytogenetic analysis. The ...
The retinal degeneration 10 (rd10) mouse is a well-characterized model of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (RP), which carries a spontaneous mutation in the ? subunit of rod cGMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE?). Rd10 mouse exhibits photoreceptor dysfunction and rapid rod photoreceptor degeneration followed by cone degeneration and remodeling of the inner retina. Here, we evaluate whether gene replacement using the fast-acting tyrosine-capsid mutant AAV8 (Y733F) can provide long-term therapy in this model. AAV8 (Y733F)-smCBA-PDE? was subretinally delivered to postnatal day 14 (P14) rd10 mice in one eye only. Six months after injection, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), electroretinogram (ERG), optomotor behavior tests, and immunohistochemistry showed tha...
Objective: To study the effects of minocycline hydrochloride (MINO) on the formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining-positive multinucleated osteoclast-like cells in mouse bone marrow cells (BMCs) treated with 1@a,25(OH)"2D"3 or soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-@kB ligand (s-RANKL). Materials and methods: Mouse BMCs were cultured in alpha-modified minimum essential medium containing foetal calf serum (10%) and tetracyclines (2.5, 5 and 10@mM), such as MINO, tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OXT) or doxycycline (DOXY) in the presence of 1@a,25(OH)"2D"3 (10nM) or s-RANKL (20ng/ml) for 7 days, and the number of TRAP staining-positive osteoclast-like cells was counted. In RNA isolated from BMCs treated with 1@a,25(OH)"2D"3 or s-R...
Attention deficit disorder (ADHD) is a complex biobehavioral phenotype which affects up to 8% of the general population and often impairs social, academic, and job performance. Its origins are heterogeneous, but a significant genetic component is suggested by family and twin studies. The murine strain, coloboma, displays a spontaneously hyperactive phenotype that is responsive to dextroamphetamine and has been proposed as a genetic model for ADHD. Coloboma is a semi-dominant mutation that is caused by a hemizygous deletion of the SNAP-25 and other genes on mouse chromosome 2q. To test the possibility that the human homolog of the mouse coloboma gene(s) could be responsible for ADHD, we have carried out linkage studies with polymorphic markers in the region syntenic to coloboma (20p11-p12). Five families in which the pattern of inheritance of ADHD appears to be autosomal dominant were studied. Segregation analysis of the traits studied suggested ...
We used a 13-year time series of abundance estimates of breeding Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus), and of small mammals from central Ontario, Canada, to assess the numerical response of the owls to small-mammal prey species. We found that the finite rate of increase of breeding owls was directly related to estimates of red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) abundance. Thus, it appeared that the owls were nomadic, and made decisions about where to breed based on vole supply. The owls showed a much weaker response to deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) abundance. Across all years, 55% of variation in owl rate of increase could be uniquely attributed to vole abundance, whereas only 3% could be attributed to mouse abundance. Consistent with the model of nomadism, there was only a weak rela...
The yellow Iranian scorpion Odontobuthus doriae can cause fatal envenoming, but its mechanism of action is unclear. One of the reported manifestations of envenoming is moderate to severe involuntary tremor of skeletal muscle. In order to understand better the mechanism of action of this venom on skeletal muscle function, we examined the effects of the venom in vitro on chick biventer cervicis (CBC) and mouse hemidiaphragm (MHD) nerve muscle preparations. O. doriae venom (0.3-10mg/ml) initially increased and then decreased twitch height. The venom also caused contracture in both preparations. In mouse triangularis sterni preparations, used for all intracellular recording techniques, the venom enhanced the release of acetylcholine and induced repetitive firing of nerve action potentials and ...
The present study was aimed at investigating effects of nickel (NiCl2) on secretion of testosterone (T), cell viability, ultrastructure and apoptosis in mouse Leydig cells. Testosterone release was measured after 48h of culture with 15.67, 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000mmol/L NiCl2 or without NiCl2 using radioimmunoassay. Cell viability was assessed by a MTT (metabolic activity assay). Quantification of apoptotic cells was performed using TUNEL assay and the ultrastructural changes were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. The viability was decreased after addition of >=250mmol/L NiCl2. A concentration-dependent depression of T production was observed. The percentage of apoptotic cells was significantly increased only after addition of 125, 250 and 1000mmol/L NiCl2. After ...
The 50th anniversary of Mary Lyon?s 1961 Nature paper, proposing random inactivation in early embryonic life of one of the two X chromosomes in the cells of mammalian females, provides an opportunity to remember and celebrate the work of those involved. While the hypothesis was initially put forward by Lyon based on findings in the mouse, it was founded on earlier studies, notably the work of Susumu Ohno; it was also suggested independently by Beutler and colleagues using experimental evidence from a human X-linked disorder, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and has proved to be of as great importance for human and medical genetics as it has for general mammalian genetics. Alongside the hypothesis itself, previous cytological studies of mouse and human chromosomes, and the obse...
Background Identifying susceptibility genes for endophenotypes by studying analogous behaviors across species is an important strategy for understanding the pathophysiology underlying psychiatric disorders. This approach provides novel biological pathways plus validated animal models critical for selective drug development. One such endophenotype is avoidance behavior. Methods In the present study, novel automated registration methods for longitudinal behavioral assessment in home cages are used to screen a panel of recently generated mouse chromosome substitution strains that are very powerful in quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection of complex traits. In this way, we identified chromosomes regulating avoidance behavior (increased sheltering preference) independent of motor activity lev...
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a measure of sensorimotor gating, a pre-attentional inhibitory brain mechanism that filters extraneous stimuli. Prepulse inhibition is correlated with measures of cognition and executive functioning, and is considered an endophenotype of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses in which patients show PPI impairments. As a first step toward identifying genes that regulate PPI, we performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) screen of PPI phenotypes in a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains (CSSs). We identified five CSSs with altered PPI compared with the host C57BL/6J strain: CSS-4 exhibited decreased PPI, whereas CSS-10, -11, -16 and -Y exhibited higher PPI compared with C57BL/6J. These data indicate that A/J chromosomes 4, 10, 11, 16 and Y harbor...
Research on hematological disorders relies on suitable animal models. We retrospectively evaluated the use of the hematological parameters hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), and platelet count (PLT) in the phenotype-driven Munich N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mouse mutagenesis project as parameters for the generation of novel animal models for human diseases. The analysis was carried out on more than 16,000 G1 and G3 offspring of chemically mutagenized inbred C3H mice to detect dominant and recessive mutations leading to deviations in the levels of the chosen parameters. Identification of animals exhibiting altered valu...
The expression of motor activity levels in response to novel situations is under complex genetic and environmental control. Several genetic loci have been implicated in the regulation of this behavioral phenotype, but their relationship to epigenetic and epistatic interactions is relatively unknown. Here, we report on a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on mouse chromosome 1 for novelty-induced motor activity in the open field, using chromosome substitution strains derived from a high active host strain (C57BL/6J) and a low active donor strain (A/J). The QTL for open field (horizontal distance moved) peaked at the location of Kcnj9, however, QTL detection was initially masked by an interplay of both grandparent genetic origin and genetic co-factors influencing behavior on chromosome 1. Our fi...
Purpose Evaluation of the all-trans retinoic acid (t-RA) effects on in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) of immature mouse oocytes in the presence and absence of granulosa cell monolayer. Methods Denuded oocytes isolated from mice ovaries and matured in IVM medium alone (Control I), IVM medium in the presence of granulosa cells (Control II), IVM medium with t-RA (Experimental I) and IVM medium simultaneously with t-RA and granulosa cells (Experimental II). After 24?h, matured oocytes were fertilized in T6 medium and their development was followed until the blastocyst stage. Metaphase II oocytes ploidy were evaluated by chromosome counting. Results The t-RA group compared to the control groups showed no obvious abnormalities. Additionally maturation and embryo developm...
Please cite this paper as: Ectopic mineralization of connective tissue in Abcc6-/- mice: effects of dietary modifications and a phosphate binder - a preliminary study. Experimental Dermatology 2008; 17: 203-207. Abstract: Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a heritable multisystem disorder, is caused by mutations in the ABCC6 gene. We have developed a murine model for PXE by targeted inactivation of the corresponding mouse gene. A feature of this mouse model is ectopic mineralization of connective tissue capsule surrounding the bulb of vibrissae. This study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary sevelamer hydrochloride (Renagel), a phosphate binder, and specific mineral modifications on ectopic mineralization of connective tissue in Abcc6-/- mice. Three groups were fed a specific di...
Excessive physical activity plays an important role in the progression of anorexia nervosa (AN) by accelerating weight loss during dietary restriction. To search for mechanisms underlying this trait, a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains derived from C57BL/6J and A/J strains was exposed to a scheduled feeding paradigm and to voluntary running wheel (RW) access. Here, we showed that A/J chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 contribute to the development of a disrupted RW activity in response to daily restricted feeding. This pattern is characterized by intense RW activity during the habitual rest phase and leads to accelerated body weight loss. Regions on mouse chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 display homology with regions on human chromosomes linked with anxiety and obsessionality in AN cohorts. The...
Two lines of mouse tumor cells were shown to be capable of aggregating mouse and rabbit platelets in vitro. This process required higher Mg/sup 2 +/ concentrations than were needed by other commonly used platelet-aggregating agents. Platelet-aggregating activity was also found in tumor cell membrane fragments. This membrane-bound platelet-aggregating material contained protein, lipid, and carbohydrate moieties. The presence of all three appeared to be essential for stimulating platelet aggregation. Destruction of any component abolished its activity. Platelet aggregation induced by tumor cell membrane fragments was associated with a secretory release reaction. In this process, growth-promoting activity for tumor cells was also released from platelets. These results underline the importance of platelets in establishing tumor metastases.
Aqueous deoxyhemoglobin solutions (2 mg/ml) were gamma-irradiated by a "6"0Co source in the presence of methanol, ethanol, 1-butanol and t-butanol under N_2O or argon. The effects of the interaction of the particular alcohol radical species with hemoglobin were determined according to the detected spectral alterations in the visible range. The amounts of stable final products in the form of methemoglobin (MetHb) and the sum of hemichromes and cholehemichromes (Hemichr) were estimated in irradiated preparations. For preparations irradiated under N_2O, the radiation yield for MetHb formation was three-fold lower in the presence of ethanol and 1-butanol [G(MetHb) = 0.33[ compared with preparations irradiated in the presence of t-butanol or without alcohol [G(MetHb) = 1.00[. The yield of hemichromes and cholehemichromes in preparations irradiated under N_2O increased in the order: ethanol (G = 0.38), 1-butanol (B = 0.52), t-butanol (G = 0.59), and in the absence of ...
Radical cations of various 3-methylalkanes (C_6-C_1_4) have been produced and stabilized by #gamma#-irradiation of the corresponding neutral compounds in saturated chlorofluorocarbon and perfluorocarbon matrices at 77 K. The perfluorocarbon matrices appeared more suitable for studies of the lighter radical cations, whereas the chlorofluorocarbon matrices were more suited for studies of the heavier radical cations; intermediary cations could be studied in both types of matrices. After irradiation, electronic absorptions associated with both the matrix and the alkane additive were observed. Pure spectra of the 3-methylalkane radical cations were obtained by difference spectrometry, after selective elimination of these cations by illumination. The electronic absorption spectra of the 3-methylalkane radical cations consist in all cases of a single broad absorption band. The spectral position of this band shifts to longer wavelengths with increasing chain length; the ...
The resistance of several packaging materials to penetration by 4 species of rice insect pests was determined. Five insects of adult or larval stage were confined in pouches made from 9 different packaging materials with or without irradiated rice. It was observed that both adults and larvae of species Tribolium castaneum Herbst., Sitophilus zeamais L., Oryzaephilus surinamensis L. and Cocyra cephalonica Stainton, were incapable of penetrating pouches made from white polyvinychloride of 0.175mm thickness, low density polyethylene of 0.130mm thickness and 0.150mm thick low density polyethylene. However, penetrations marks were found in pouches made from hard paper with a thickness of 0.155mm, clear polivinylchloride of 0.130mm thickness, low density polyethylene of 0.085mm thickness, low density polyethylene 0.100mm thick, high density polyethylene of 0.06mm thickness and 0.080mm thick polypropylene. Tribolium castaneum could be considered as a weak penetrator whilst Cocyra cephalonica ...
Poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, Acrigel, a Brazilian polymer, is used in the manufacture of medical supplies sterilisable by ionizing radiation. However, when PMMA is gamma-irradiated it undergoes main chain scissions, which promote molecular degradation causing reduction in its physical properties. Therefore, radiolytic stabilization of PMMA is important for to become it commercially radio sterilisable. In this work we investigated the radiolytic stabilization of PMMA by using HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizer) additive, commercially used for photo and thermo oxidative stabilization of polymers. The investigation of the radiation-induced main chain scissions was carried out by viscometric method. The additive added to the polymer system at 0.3 % w/w promotes a molecular radioprotection of 61%. That means a reduction of G value (scissions/100 eV) from 2.6 to 1.0. In addition, the glassy transition temperature (Tg) of PMMA (no additive), significantly changed ...
This short survey focuses on the main radiation-induced base lesions that have been identified within cellular DNA. For this purpose, sensitive assays that are aimed at measuring a few modifications per 10{sup 7} normal bases were set-up. In that respect high performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (CLHP-MS/MS) was found to be able to single out the formation of 9 oxidized nucleosides and two modified nucleo-bases out of the 70 oxidative base lesions that have been identified in model systems. As a striking result, it was found that in the DNA of {gamma}-irradiated human monocytes, the formamide-pyrimidine derivative of guanine is produced in a higher yield than the ubiquitous 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-guanine damage, both arising from the same radical precursor. However, relatively high doses of ionizing radiation (> 20 Gy) have to be applied in order to detect an increase in the level of the damage. This is due to the low efficiency for both ...
The present work studies the fecundity, egg batching and mating of normal females of Earias Insulana Boisd. crossed with males irradiated as 24 h adult moths with two doses (80 and 100 Gy.) of gamma radiation. The male progeny were out bred or inbred with untreated individuals for two successive generations F_1and F_2 and their progeny was observed for any inherited deleterious effects on reproduction. The female fecundity and egg hatch were significantly reduced among P1,F1 and F2 generations by increasing the dosages applied to P_1 males as compared with the untreated control. The percentage of mating of P_1 females was significantly reduced at the two doses as compared to the untreated control. The average number of spermatophores per mated female was reduced among P_1,F_1 and F_2 generations when parental males were irradiated with 100 Gy. The larval and pupal mortality a,o mg F_1, F_2 and F_3 generations was high and dose dependent. The average developmental time from egg hatch to ...
The inherited sterility of the spiny bollworm Earias Insulana Boisd. Irradiated as parental male adults, with sub sterilizing doses of 100-200 Gy has been studied throughout three successive generations. In general, the female fecundity decreased at the three doses of irradiations (100, 150 and 200 Gy) throughout P_1. F_1, F_2 and F_3 generations as compared to control. The reduction was insignificant in all treatments with some exceptions at 200 Gy, in the parental generation and 150 and 200 Gy bin F_2 generation. Egg hatch of the parental generation was obviously reduced at 100, 150 and 200 Gy treatments as compared to the control. The progeny of F_1 males were evidently more sterile than their irradiated male parents. The effect continued in the F_2, population, however F_3 males almost regained their fertility. Irradiation of P_1 males did not greatly affect mating ability among P_1, F_1, F_2 and F_3 generations. The reduction in mating ability was significant only at 200 Gy for ...
This paper reports about in-situ corrosion studies on selected materials for long-term resistant high-level waste (HLW) packagings acting as a barrier in a rock salt repository. The materials (Ti 99.8-Pd, Hastelloy C4 and five iron-base materials) were investigated in heated boreholes in the Asse salt mine under simulated HLW disposal conditions prevailing in normal operation of repository and in certain accident scenarios. The experiments under normal operating conditions were performed at temperatures of 120 deg. C to 210 deg. C (vertical temperature profile in the boreholes) without and with gammairradiation (3#centre dot#10"2 Gy/h, Co-60 source) within the framework of the German/US Brine Migration Test. In these experiments only small amounts of migrated brine inclusions (NaCl-rich) from the rock salt were present as corrosion medium. In the experiments carried out under simulated accident conditions with intrusion of larger amounts of ...
Irradiation is efficient at extinction fungi contamination in peanuts. Peanuts have high biologic value protein, minerals, vitamin E, complex B, and high concentration of lipids. The objective of this research is to evaluate the gammairradiation effect on color, total phenolic, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid profile in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.). Cultivars IAC-Tatu ST and IAC-Runner 886 were submitted to gamma radiation with doses of 5.0; 7.5; 10.0, and 15.0 kGy and storage at room temperature. There was no significant difference in the color of IAC-Tatu ST. However, significant difference was found in the luminosity and Chroma in IAC-Runner 886. Total fenolics differed from the control with 33.27 mg.g-1 and treatment dose of 10.0 kGy with 58.60 mg.g-1 in IAC-Tatu ST. This parameter not had significant difference in IAC-Runner 886 and the control with 51.59 mg.g-1. The antioxidant activity did not present significant difference with a ...
Large-scale field tracer experiments have been conducted on Ulchin, Wolsung and Daeduk sites for the purpose of validating FADAS and of analyzing the environmental characteristics around the nuclear sites. The most influential factor in atmospheric dispersion is the meteorological condition. During the experiment, meteorological data were measured on the release point and the selected positions among sampling points. Once radioactive materials are released to the atmosphere, members of public may be exposed through the environmental media such as air, soil and foods. Therefore, to protect the public, adequate countermeasures should be taken at due time for those exposure pathways. both processes, of justification and optimization are applied to a countermeasure simultaneously for decision-making. The work scope of Biological research for the radiation protection had contained the search of biological microanalytic methods for assessing the health effect by {gamma}-radiation and toxic ...
In order to protect food from pathogenic microorganisms as well as to increase its shelf life while keeping sensorial properties (e.g. odor and taste), once the latter are one of the main properties required by spice buyers, it is necessary to analyze volatile formation from irradiation of medicinal and food herbs. The aim of the present study was to analyze volatile formation from Co irradiation of Laurus Cinnamomum, Piper Nigrum, Origanum Vulgare and Myristica Fragans. Possible changes on the odor of these herbs are evaluated by characterizing different radiation doses and effects on sensorial properties in order to allow better application of irradiation technology. l he samples have been irradiated in plastic packages by making use of a {sup 60}Co Gammairradiator. Irradiation doses of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25kGy have been tested. For the analysis of the samples, SPME has been applied, while for the analysis of volatile compounds, CG/MS. ...
Decay processes of H{sub 2}{sup -} anions in {gamma}-rays-irradiated solid parahydrogen were studied by using ESR spectrometer. The following interesting results were obtained. First, the initial amount of ortho-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions in the {gamma}-irradiated solid parahydrogen was three times as large as those of para-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions. Second, the amount of para-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions decreases faster than that of ortho-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions upon storage of the irradiated samples at 4.2 K. Third, the decay rate of H{sub 2}{sup -} anions is accelerated by the addition of D{sub 2} molecules. Forth, H{sub 2}{sup -} anions at 2.2 K decay faster than at 4.2 K. According to the parity conservation rule in a homonuclear diatomic molecule, the energy of ortho-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions at the ground state is lower than that of para-H{sub 2}{sup -} anions, whereas that of ortho-H{sub 2} molecules is higher than that of para-H{sub 2} molecules at low temperatures. The ...
In order to qualify corrosion resistant materials for high level waste (HLW) packagings acting as a long-term barrier in a rock salt repository, the corrosion behaviour of the preselected materials Ti 99.8-Pd, Hastelloy C4 and two unalloyed steels was investigated. The resistance of the materials to general corrosion, local corrosion and stress corrosion cracking was examined under postulated accident conditions in the repository by long-term immersion tests of up to 4 years duration and electrochemical methods. The parameters investigated were different salt brines, temperatures of 90 deg. C, 170 deg. C and 200 deg. C as well as a gamma radiation field of 10"3Gy/h (10"5rad/h). Among the materials studied, Ti 99.8-Pd exhibited the highest corrosion resistance. This material corroded at a very low rate (
The effect of addition of rosemary and oregano extracts on the sensory quality of irradiated beef burger was investigated. Batches of beef burgers were prepared with 400 ppm of rosemary or oregano extract and a group prepared with 200 ppm of synthetic butyl-hydroxytoluene (BHT)/butyl-hydroxy-anisol (BHA) was used as a control. Half of each formulation was irradiated at the maximum dose allowed for frozen meat (7 kGy). Samples were kept under frozen conditions (-20 deg. C) during the whole storage period, including during irradiation. Two analyses were performed after 20 and 90 days to verify the influence of the addition of the different types of antioxidants and the effect of irradiation and storage time on the acceptance of the product. Thirty-three and thirty-four untrained panelists were invited to participate in the first and second test, respectively. A structured hedonic scale ranging from 1 to 9 points was used in both analyses. BHT/BHA formulation obtained the highest score ...
Spice extracts under the form of essential oils were tested for their efficiency to increase the relative radiosensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157H7 in culture media. The two pathogens were treated by gamma-irradiation alone or in combination with oregano essential oil to evaluate their mechanism of action. The membrane murein composition, and the intracellular and extracellular concentration of ATP was determined. The bacterial strains were treated with two irradiation doses: 1.2 kGy to induce cell damage and 3.5 kGy to cause cell death for L. monocytogenes. A dose of 0.4 kGy to induce cell damages, 1.1 kGy to obtain viable but nonculturable (VBNC) state and 1.3 kGy to obtain a lethal dose was also applied on E. coli O157H7. Oregano essential oil was used at 0.020% and 0.025% (w/v), which is the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for L. monocytogenes. For E. coli O157H7, a concentration of 0.006% and 0.025% (w/v) which is the ...
c-Jun N-terminal kinase 2 (JNK2) isoforms are transcribed from the jnk2 gene and are highly homologous with jnk1 and jnk3 transcriptional products....Full Text Available
Hypoxia causes abnormal neonatal pulmonary artery remodeling (PAR) and inhibition of alveolar development (IAD). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β is an important regulator of lung development...Full Text Available
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that infects the central nervous system of humans and other animals. In this study, we found that C3H/HeN (C3H) mice exhibited a higher morbidity...Full Text Available
RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective tool for studying gene function in oocytes, but no studies have targeted somatic cells of primary cultured cumulus cell-oocyte complexes (COCs). This...Full Text Available
The management of CNS tumors is limited by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), a vascular interface that restricts the passage of most molecules from the blood into the brain. Here we show that phage particles...Full Text Available
A novel class of pyrrolidinyl-acetyleneic thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidines has been identified which potently inhibit the EGFR and ErbB-2 receptor tyrosine kinases. Synthetic modifications of the pyrrolidine carbamate moiety result in a range of effects on enzyme and cellular potency. In addition, the impact of the absolute stereochemical configuration on cellular potency and oral mouse pharmacokinetics is described.
Stromal cells from DBA/2 mouse bone marrow have been shown to be susceptible to cytotoxicity induced by several redox-active metabolites of benzene, including hydroquinone (HQ). Treatment with HQ also...Full Text Available
Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) is the rate-limiting enzyme necessary for the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids. In this study, we investigated the regulation of mouse SCD1 by liver X...Full Text Available
Current information suggests that chemical carcinogenesis is a multistep process with one of the best studied models in this regard being the two-stage carcinogenesis system using mouse skin. The effects of several carcinogens and tumor promoters in various sequences of application were studied to examine the nature of the process. The actions of several tumor inhibitors were compared. (ACR)
We present a drawing package optimised for Feynman diagrams. These can be constructed interactively with a mouse-driven graphical interface or from a script file, more suitable to work with a diagram generator. It provides most features encountered in Feynman diagrams and allows to modify every part of a diagram after its creation. Special attention has been paid to obtain a high quality printout as easily as possible. This package is written in Tcl/Tk and in C. (orig.).
The past three years of work for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has resulted in the development of a congenic mouse model of JP-8 jet fuel exposure, the role of substance P in the JP-8 jet fuel-induced lung injury process, and development of ...
Cordycepin has been shown to interfere with a myriad of molecular processes from RNA elongation to kinase activity, and prevents numerous inflammatory processes in animal models. Here we show in a mouse...Full Text Available
Two cellular DNA regions representing common domains for proviral DNA integration ( Mlvi -1 and Mlvi -2) have been identified in Moloney murine leukemia virus-induced rat thymic lymphomas. Cellular...Full Text Available
There is significant interest in using computed tomography (CT) for in vivo imaging applications in mouse models of disease. Most commercially available mouse x-ray CT scanners utilize a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector coupled via fibre optic taper to a phosphor screen. However, there has been little research to determine if this is the optimum detector for the specific task of in vivo mouse imaging. To investigate this issue, we have evaluated four detectors, including an amorphous selenium (a-Se) detector, an amorphous silicon (a-Si) detector with a gadolinium oxysulphide (GOS) screen, a CCD with a 3:1 fibre taper and a GOS screen, and a CCD with a 2:1 fibre taper and both GOS and thallium-doped caesium iodide (CsI:Tl) screens. The detectors were evaluated by measuring the modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS), detective quantum efficiency (DQE), stability over multiple exposures, and noise ...
Environmental and occupational exposures to heavy metals such as methylmercury (MeHg) and cadmium (Cd) pose significant health risks to humans, including neurotoxicity. The underlying mechanisms of...Full Text Available
4.5S RNA is a group of RNAs 90 to 94 nucleotides long (length polymorphism due to a varying number of UMP residues at the 3' end) that form hydrogen bonds with poly(A)-terminated RNAs isolated from...Full Text Available
Mutations in the mouse formin (Fmn) gene, formerly known as the limb deformity (ld) gene, give rise to recessively inherited limb deformities and renal malformations or aplasia. The Fmn gene encodes many differentially processed transcripts that are expressed in both adult and embryonic tissues. To study the genomic organization of the Fmn locus, we have used Fmn probes to isolate and characterize genomic clones spanning 500 kb. Our analysis of these clones shows that the Fmn gene is composed of at least 24 exons and spans 400 kb. We have identified two novel exons that are expressed in the developing embryonic limb bud as well as adult tissues such as brain and kidney. We have also used a microsatellite polymorphism from within the Fmn gene to map it genetically to a 2.2-cM interval between D2Mit58 and D2Mit103. 36 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.
The purpose was to study the toxicity of drugs known to generate free radicals on isolated pancreatic islets. The accumulattion of "8"6Rb"+ by mouse pancreatic islets was measured in vitro. Exposing the islets to 6-hydroxydopamine, minhydrin, or phenazine methosulphate + NADH inhibited the Rb"+ uptake, whereas paraquat or acetylphenylhydrazine had no effect. This effect of 6-hydroxydopamine was prevented by either of the hydroxyl radical scavengers, sodium benzoate and mannitol, but not by the non-scavenger,urea; ninhydrin was partially protected against by mannitol but not by benzoate. Protection against 6-hydroxydopamine was also afforded by D-glucose but not by L-glucose or 3-O-methyl-D-glucose; none of the sugars protected against ninhydrin. In damaging islet beta-cells and in being protected against by D-glucose, 6-hydroxydopamine closely resembles the diabetogenic drug, alloxan. It is suggested that protection against alloxan may involve both glucose ...
A rickettsia related to but distinct from the spotted fever agent, Rickettsia rickettsii, has been detected in 167 (18.9%) of 884 Rhipicephalus sanguineus taken off dogs in central and northern Mississippi. The organisms could readily be isolated in male meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), where it produced massive infections in the tissues of tunica vaginalis. It was practically nonpathogenic for male guinea pigs, although inoculation of these animals with infected tunica vaginalis of voles afforded in 30 of 38 instances solid immunity to challenge with virulent R. rickettsii. The Rhipicephalus rickettsia grew well in monolayers of chicken embryo fibroblast, Vero, mouse L, and HeLa cells. Cytopathogenic effects were minimal unless large concentrations of rickettsiae were used as inocula. It also could be established in embryonated hen eggs but only after injection of massive doses of L cell-propagated organisms. Serological tests (complement fixation, ...
The studies reported here used genetic differences in susceptibility of C57BL/6N and C3H/HeN mice and exacerbation of the disease by nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/) as tools in assessing the role of early host responses in the pathogenesis of MRM. The two strains did not differ in susceptibility to infection, but C3H/HeN mice were more susceptible to and had increased severity of lung lesions 14 days after intranasal inoculation as determined by 50% biological endpoints and morphometric analysis of tissues. Exposure to NO/sub 2/ for 4 hours prior to exposure to infectious aerosols exacerbated murine respiratory mycoplasmosis (MRM) by 7 days after exposure in both mouse strains. NO/sub 2/ appeared to affect host lung defense mechanisms responsible for limiting mycoplasmal growth in the lungs. The NO/sub 2/ exposure concentration required for this effect varied with the genetic background of the host, the dose of mycoplasmas administered, and the endpoint measured. ...
Goosecoid is a homeobox gene first isolated from a Xenopus dorsal lip cDNA library. Homologous genes have been isolated from mouse, zebrafish, and chick. In all species examined, the gene is expressed and plays an important role during the process of gastrulation in early embryonic development. The authors report here the cloning of the human goosecoid (GSC) from a genomic library and the sequence of its encoded protein. The genomic organization and protein sequence of the human gene are highly conserved with respect to those of its Xenopus and mouse counterparts: all three genes consist of three exons, with conserved exon-intron boundaries. The sequence of the homeo-domain is 100% conserved in most vertebrates. Using somatic cell hybrid and chromosomal in situ hybridization, the gene was mapped to chromosome 14q32.1. 30 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.
Our inability to associate distant regulatory elements with the genes that they regulate has largely precluded their examination for sequence alterations contributing to human disease. One major obstacle is the large genomic space surrounding targeted genes in which such elements could potentially reside. In order to delineate gene regulatory boundaries we used whole-genome human-mouse-chicken (HMC) and human-mouse-frog (HMF) multiple alignments to compile conserved blocks of synteny (CBS), under the hypothesis that these blocks have been kept intact throughout evolution at least in part by the requirement of regulatory elements to stay linked to the genes that they regulate. A total of 2,116 and 1,942 CBS>200 kb were assembled for HMC and HMF respectively, encompassing 1.53 and 0.86 Gb of human sequence. To support the existence of complex long-range regulatory domains within these CBS we analyzed the prevalence and distribution of ...
Previous behavioral and pharmacological studies have implicated endorphins in radiation-induced locomotor hyperactivity of the C57BL/6J mouse. However, the endogenous opiate(s) responsible for this behavioral change have not been identified. The present study measured beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-END-LI) in brain, blood, and combined brain and pituitary samples from irradiated and sham-irradiated C57BL/6J mice. After radiation exposure, levels of beta-END-LI decreased significantly in the brain. A similar, but not statistically significant, decline was measured in combined brain and pituitary samples. Concentrations of blood beta-END-LI were not changed by irradiation. These radiogenic changes in beta-END-LI are in some ways similar to those observed after other stresses. However, radiation-induced locomotor hyperactivity may be mediated more by alterations of beta-END-LI in the brain than in the periphery. Other endogenous opiate systems may also ...
The endothelin-B (ETB) receptor is a G-protein-coupled receptor that binds endothelin ligands and is essential for the development of epidermal melanocytes and enteric neurons. Recent reports indicate that ETB is localized to nuclei in cardiac ventricular myocytes, although it has been thought that ETB is localized mainly on the plasma membrane. It remains unknown, however, whether this unique distribution of ETB occurs in other tissues. To elucidate the subcellular distribution of ETB in the intestine, we performed immunofluorescence of ETB in mouse intestine using a specific antibody. ETB-like immunoreactivity was detected in both the mucosal and muscle layers. In the mucosal layer, villous epithelial cells, stromal cells of the lamina propria, and cryptic cells were immunostained. Subcellularly, ETB is localized mainly to the nuclei of villous epithelial cells. In the muscle layer, immunoreactivity of ETB was localized to the myenteric plexus. These findings ...
We have been investigating radiation-induced neoplastic transformants of C3H 10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts for evidence of heritable changes. C3H 10T1/2 cells were treated with 8 Gy X rays. After approximately 8 weeks of culture, type II/III foci were isolated from the monolayer using cloning rings. Cell lines developed from these foci, and clones established from these cell lines, were examined for DNA content. The isolated focus-derived populations and derived clones often display aneuploidy and/or polyploidization. In one instance a clone (derived from a single cell) displayed multiple polyploidies. During passage the ploidy of many of the anomalous populations gradually reverted to the ploidy of the non-neoplastically transformed state. The morphological features associated with the neoplastic transformation event were nevertheless retained. The results demonstrate that exposure to radiation can induce, in association with morphological neoplastic transformation, a ...
Water and mud samples were collected from canals and rivers which were adjacent to outlets discharging warm water of 3 power plants in Berlin. Downstream samples from 1 bathing resort were also collected. Free living amoebae were isolated from 138 water and 69 mud samples. From these respectively 156 and 73 strains could be cultured and were administered intranasally to mice for pathogenicity tests. Two Acanthamoeba strains from water and 7 from mud could be reisolated from mouse brain and or lungs, although no pathological disorders could be observed. Five Naegleria strains were negative in mouse inoculation tests. Four Acanthamoeba strains which were positive in mice were cultured at + 45 degrees C; no cytopathogenic effects were observed in tissue cultures. Acanthamoeba infective for mice could also be isolated from samples at low water temperatures. Further investigations have to show, whether changes in virulence of amoebic strains are of ...
The effects of mouse epidermal growth factor (EGF) on bone formation and resorption were examined in male mice. EGF administration (2-200 ng.g-1.day-1 ip for 7 days) induced a dose-dependent rise in plasma EGF levels that remained within physiological range. Histomorphometric analysis of caudal vertebrae showed that EGF (20 and 200 ng.g-1.day-1) reduced the endosteal matrix and mineral appositional rates after 5 days of treatment as measured by double (3H)proline labeling and double tetracycline labeling, respectively. This effect was transitory and was not observed after 7 days of EGF administration. EGF administered for 7 days induced a dose-dependent increase in the periosteal osteoblastic and tetracycline double-labeled surfaces. At high dosage (200 ng.g-1.day-1) EGF administration increased the osteoclastic surface and the number of acid phosphatase-stained osteoclasts, although plasma calcium remained normal. The results show that EGF administration at ...
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) constitute a major component of the thymic stroma which provides a microenvironment critical for developing thymocytes. We have previously demonstrated that doxycycline (Dox), a tetracycline derivative, enhances the proliferation of the mouse thymic epithelial cell line 1 (MTEC1) via MAPK/ERK signal pathway. Herein we provide evidence that Dox also has profound impact on the cytokine production by MTEC1. Specifically, the expression of IL-6 and GM-CSF, both at mRNA and protein levels, was found to be increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner with the addition of Dox. Western blotting analysis revealed that treatment with Dox-induced phosphorylation of the p65 subunit of NF-kB and ERK. Notably, Dox-induced up-regulation of IL-6 and GM-CSF was largely abol...
WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid) has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to stem spermatogonia in the mouse. Five and 10 injections of 300 mg/kg killed sufficient numbers of stem cells to reduce sperm production 56 days after treatment by 16 and 43%, respectively. Single injections of 300 or 400 mg/kg of WR-2721 given 15 min after irradiation produced negligible toxicity to stem cells as measured by counts of repopulated tubules; 600 mg/kg reduced stem cell survival by 47%. Four daily injections of 300 mg/kg given 4, 3, 2, and 1 days prior to irradiation reduced stem cell survival by about 60%. The cytotoxic effects of WR-2721 on testicular stem cells at least partially explains the reduced protection factors observed in the testis with low doses of radiation and during fractionated treatments involving multiple injections of drug.
The photobiology of mouse melanocyte lines with different pigment genotypes was studied by measuring colony-forming ability after irradiation. The cell lines were wild-type black (melan-a) and the mutants brown (melan-b) and albino (melan-c). Four lamps emitting various UV wavelengths were used. These were germicidal (UVC, 200-280 nm), 82.3% output at 254 nm, TL01 (UVB, 280-320 nm), 64.2% at 310-311 nm, FS20, broadband with peak output at 312 nm and Alisun-S (UVA, 320-400 nm), broadband with peak output at 350-354 nm. Appropriate filtration reduced the contaminating UVC to nonlethal levels for the longer waverange lamps. It is clear from these studies that, in pigment cells, monochromatic results cannot predict polychromatic responses and that cell death from solar irradiations is a complex phenomenon that depends on more than DNA damage. (author).
Lethal yellow (A{sup y}) is a mutation at the mouse agouti locus in chromosome 2 that causes a number of dominant pleiotropic effects, including a completely yellow coat color, obesity, an insulin-resistant type II diabetic condition, and an increased propensity to develop a variety of spontaneous and induced tumors. Additionally, homozygosity for A{sup y} results in preimplantation lethality, which terminates development by the blastocyst stage. The A{sup y} mutation is the result of a 170-kb deletion that removes all but the promoter and noncoding first exon of another gene called Raly, which lies in the same transcriptional orientation as agouti and maps 280 kb proximal to the 3{prime} end of the agouti gene. The authors present a model for the structure of the A{sub y} allele that can explain the dominant pleiotropic effects associated with this mutation, as well as the recessive lethality, which is unrelated to the agouti gene.
The authors describe the production of two mouse hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies to antigenic determinants of the surface membranes of human neutrophils, activated T lymphocytes, and acute leukemic blast cells. The degree of lymphocyte stimulation was estimated from incorporation of /sup 3/H-thymidine with parallel microculture. Monoclonal antibodies of supernatants of hybridoma cultures shown here reacted in both immunofluorescence test and cytotoxicity test with surface membrane antigens on the majority of neutrophils and PHA-activated peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy subjects, but did not give positive reactions with unactivated lymphocytes, adherent monocytes, erythrocytes, and alloantigen-stimulated lymphocytes.
The usefulness of the mouse, rat, and Syrian golden hamster as experimental models for studies of the development of respiratory tract cancer is considered. Three different application methods for examining the effects of environmental chemicals on the respiratory tract in these species are discussed: implantation, intratracheal instillation, and inhalation. The results of various investigations are presented to demonstrate that each particular method has both advantages and disadvantages. The techniques are also considered in comparison with the human situation and in the light of obtaining the most valid data for extrapolation to man. Brief attention is paid to the relevance to respiratory tract carcinogenesis of more recently developed organ and cell culture systems.
Hyaluronate (HA) distribution patterns were examined in the cranial mesenchyme underlying the mesencephalic neural folds of mouse embryos maintained in roller tube culture. Using standard image-processing techniques, the digitized images of Alcian blue-stained or 3H-glucosamine-labeled sections digested with an enzyme specific for HA, were subtracted from adjacent, undigested sections. The resultant difference picture images (DPI) accurately depicted the distribution of stained or labeled HA within the cranial mesenchyme. 3H-glucosamine-labeled HA was distributed uniformly throughout the cranial mesenchyme as 12, 18, and 24 hr of culture. By contrast, the mesenchyme was uniformly stained with Alcian blue at 12 hr, but stain intensity decreased in the central regions of the mesenchyme at 18 and 24 hr. HA distribution patterns were also examined in the cranial mesenchyme of embryos cultured in the presence of diazo-oxo-norleucine (DON), a glutamine analogue that ...
We irradiated proton beams on the ears of rabbits and the Harding-Passey mouse melanoma and observed their morphological change. We used 52 MeV proton beams from the INS-FM cyclotron. We adjusted the energy of the proton beams to be at the plateau part of the Bragg curve, at the half-way point of the Bragg peak, and at the Bragg peak. The amount of radiation was 5000rad in each case. The Harding-Passey mouse melanoma was transplanted into the subcutan of a three week old mouse. In this experiment, we used tumors, the diameter of which grew up to 1.5-2cm in 2-3 weeks after the transplantation. Using the jroscope, we observed both lightly and severely damaged cells. Using proton irradiation with the Bragg peak located at depth of 1mm in the rabbit's ears, we studied the change in the tissue. Irradiated epidermis fell off and was eroded because of radiation damage, but the rear surface of the rabbit's ears ...
The process of mouse skin tumor formation is subdivided into three operational stages. These stages include initiation, promotion and progression. Ionizing radiation has been found to be a weak initiating agent in the production of malignant squamous cell carcinomas, a complete carcinogen and an agent effective in causing tumor progression. Four skin tumor histologies have been seen with ionizing radiation: benign papillomas, squamous (SCC) and basal (BCC) cell carcinomas and fibrosarcomas. Distinct non-ras transforming genes have been detected in radiation initiated SCCs. A benign papilloma cell line (308) was used as a model system to study ionizing radiation induced progression. A variant 308 cell line (308 10 Gy 5) derived by irradiation of the parental 308 cell has been characterized. The 308 10 Gy 5 cells unlike the parental 308 cells from malignant tumors in athymic nude mice upon subcutaneous injection. The variant 308 10 Gy 5 cells unlike the parental ...
BackgroundIn recent years, near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF)-labeled iron nanoparticles have been synthesized and applied in a number of applications, including the labeling of human cells for monitoring the engraftment process, imaging tumors, sensoring the in vivo molecular environment surrounding nanoparticles and tracing their in vivo biodistribution. These studies demonstrate that NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles provide an efficient probe for cell labeling. Furthermore, the in vivo imaging studies show excellent performance of the NIR fluorophores. However, there is a limited selection of NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles with an optimal wavelength for imaging around 800 nm, where tissue autofluorescence is minimal. Therefore, it is necessary to develop additional alternative NIRF-labeled iron nanoparticles for application in this area.ResultsThis study manufactured 12-nm DMSA-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles labeled with a near-infrared fluorophore, IRDye800CW (excitation/emission, ...
A human cholangiocarcinoma, Ch-1, serially transplanted to nude mice was used for experimental chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and conbination chemoradiotherapy. In the group of chemotherapy with single drug, Mitomycin C (MMC) revealed greater effectiveness than Adriamycin in terms of tumor regression, histological findings, and minor side effects. MMC and radiotherapy by Linac X-ray showed exponential linear dose response curve against tumor weight. Their effects were equivalent at doses of MMC 1 mg/kg and radiation 1,000 rads/mouse in the changes of tumor weight and of histological findings which were similar to each other. Combination chemoradiotherapy showed the synergistic action when the radiation (500 rads/mouse) was performed before MMC (0.5 mg/kg) administration, whereas only the additive effect was observed when the sequence was reversed. The cell kinetic analysis was performed by the impulse cytophotometry, "3H-thymidine uptake labeling ...
Several short-lived, high-energy beta emitters are being proposed as the radionuclide components for molecular-targeted potential cancer therapeutic agents. The laboratory mice used to determine the efficacy of these new agents have organs that are relatively small compared to the ranges of these high-energy particles. The dosimetry model developed by Hui et al. was extended to provide realistic beta-dose estimates for organs in mice that received therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals containing 90Y, 188Re, 166Ho, 149Pm, 64Cu, and 177 Lu. Major organs in this model included the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart, stomach, small and large bowel, thyroid, pancreas, bone, marrow, carcass, and a 0.025-g tumor. The study as reported in this paper verifies their results for 90Y and extends them by using their organ geometry factors combined with newly calculated organ self-absorbed fractions from PEREGRINE and MCNP. PEREGRINE and MCNP agree to within 8% for the worst-case organ with average ...
A quantitative comparison of tissue distribution and excretion of an orally administered sublethal dose of [3H]diacetoxyscirpenol (anguidine) was made in rats and mice 90 min, 24 hr, and 7 days after treatment. Total recoveries of 95-100% were obtained. Approximately 90% of the dose was excreted in urine and feces during the first 24 hr with a feces:urine ratio of about 1:4.5 in both species. Carcass and tissue radioactivity dropped rapidly during the first 24 hr but remained relatively constant at low, but detectable, levels over the course of the experiment. Few substantive interspecies differences were noted in tissue distribution. At 90 min the highest percentage of dose was in tissues involved in sequestering diacetoxyscirpenol because of high body water/lipid content or the absorption, metabolism, or excretion of the toxin. The rank order of these tissues was generally stable over the course of the experiment. When data were expressed as specific radioactivity instead, the ...
Medical imaging using single gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides typically makes use of parallel hole collimators or pinholes in order to achieve good spatial resolution. However, a tradeoff in sensitivity is inherent in the use of a collimator, and modern preclinical single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) systems detect a very small fraction of emitted gamma rays, often less than 0.1%. A system for small animal SPECT imaging which uses no collimators could potentially achieve very high sensitivity-several tens of percent-with reasonably sized detectors. This would allow two significant improvements in preclinical studies: images could be obtained more rapidly, allowing higher throughput for screening applications, or for dynamic processes to be observed with very good time resolution; and images could be obtained with less radioactive tracer, making possible the in vivo imaging of low-capacity receptor systems, aiding research into new tracer compounds, and reducing the cost ...
The behaviour of the packaging materials under radiation field has a great importance in radiation processing, because, in most cases, they are finally responsible for the preservation of the beneficent changes achieved in irradiated products. For example, in radiation sterilisation and food irradiation, the packages must preserve the sterilisation, respectively the sanitisation. They must preserve also the physical barrier feature. The radiation effects on plastics were extensively studied in the last decades for nuclear industry and more recently for radiation processing. The two major effects of nuclear radiation on polymeric materials are the degradation and cross-linking. The degradation consists in breaking of macromolecules after interaction with nuclear particles, amplified by the free radicals which persist long periods, especially in crystalline polymers. Oxygen could penetrate the sample and interact with free radicals so that the degradation process continues after the ...
In this paper, we propose and implement a website of post-processing system for finite element analysis (WebDFEA). Finite element analysis is a computer-aided engineering tool and is popular for static/dynamic structure analysis. It includes three processing systems where post-processing system is to graphically demonstrate the analysis result of a structure model analyzed by finite element method. WebDFEA performs as a website. It is cross-platform because it can auto-detect a client computer platform and auto-download proper OpenGL API for drawing computer graphics. It can draw precise graphics on webpage which can be free controlled by the mouse as a manner in professional software. A database server is involved to store finite element model data and its analysis result. The graphic use...
Short synthetic single-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ssODNs) can be used to introduce subtle modifications into the genome of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). We have previously shown that effective application of ssODN-mediated gene targeting in ESC requires (transient) suppression of DNA mismatch repair (MMR). However, whereas transient down-regulation of the mismatch recognition protein MSH2 allowed substitution of 3 or 4 nucleotides, 1 or 2 nucleotide substitutions were still suppressed. We now demonstrate that single- or dinucleotide substitution can effectively be achieved by transient down-regulation of the downstream MMR protein MLH1. By exploiting highly specific real-time PCR, we demonstrate the feasibility of substituting a single basepair in a non-selectable gene. Howev...
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is one of the most common environmental endocrine disrupters and has a wide range of effects on central nervous system. Adolescence is another important developmental period besides the early critical prenatal and neonatal periods. In the present study, we exposed mice to BPA (40, 400 mg/kg/d) between adolescence and young adulthood for 8 weeks and investigated its effects on the non-reproductive behaviors. In open field tests, rearing and grooming sex differences were abolished by BPA exposure. In the elevated plus maze test, the number of open arm entries, the time spent in open arms, and the number of unprotected head dips in the center area were reduced in males but increased in females by BPA at 40 or 400 mg/kg/d, thus eliminating or reversing sex differences in thes...
Fgf receptor 2c (Fgfr2c) was expressed in mature adipocytes of mouse white adipose tissue (WAT). To examine the role of Fgfr2c in mature adipocytes, we generated adipocyte-specific Fgfr2 knockout (Fgfr2 CKO) mice. The hypertrophy impairment of adipocytes in the mesenteric WAT but not in the subcutaneous WAT and decreased plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels were observed in Fgfr2 CKO mice. Although the expression of genes involved in adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism in the mesenteric WAT was essentially unchanged, the expression of uncoupling protein 2 potentially involved in energy dissipation was significantly increased. Among potential Fgf ligands for Fgfr2c, Fgf9 was preferentially expressed in the mesenteric WAT. The present findings indicate that Fgfr2c potentially activ...
The laboratory environment existing outside the test situation itself can have a substantial influence on results of some behavioral tests with mice, and the extent of these influences sometimes depends on genotype. For alcohol research, the principal issue is whether genotype-related ethanol effects will themselves be altered by common variations in the lab environment or instead will be essentially the same across a wide range of lab environments. Data from 20 inbred strains were used to reduce an original battery of seven tests of alcohol intoxication to a compact battery of four tests: the balance beam and grip strength with a 1.25g/kg ethanol dose and the accelerating rotarod and open-field activation tests with 1.75g/kg. The abbreviated battery was then used to study eight inbred str...
Aims: Rapamycin (sirolimus) is an antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis through mammalian targeting of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, and is used as an immunosuppressant in the treatment of organ rejection in transplant recipients. Rapamycin confers preconditioning-like protection against ischemic-reperfusion injury in isolated mouse heart cultures. Our aim was to further define the role of rapamycin in intracellular Ca^2^+ homeostasis and to investigate the mechanism by which rapamycin protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxic damage. Main methods: We demonstrate here that rapamycin protects rat heart cultures from hypoxic-reoxygenation (H/R) damage, as revealed by assays of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) leakage to the medium, by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-d...
Cancer cells recruit monocytes, macrophages and other inflammatory cells by producing abundant chemoattractants and growth factors, such as macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF/CSF-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2), to promote tumor growth and dissemination. An understanding of the mechanisms that target cancer cells and regulate tumor microenvironment is essential in designing anticancer therapies. Here, we showed that serum amyloid-A (SAA) and cathelicidin (LL-37) stimulated M-CSF and MCP-1 expression with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration; conversely, lipoxin-A4 (LXA4) and annexin-A1 (ANXA1) inhibited LPS-induced M-CSF and MCP-1 production by human (HepG2) and mouse (H22) hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs). The effects of LXA4, ANXA1, SAA ...
Our understanding of prenatal behavior has been significantly advanced by techniques for direct observation and manipulation of unanesthetized, behaving rodent fetuses with intact umbilical connections to the mother. These techniques involve brief administration of an inhalant anesthesic, enabling spinal transection of the rat or mouse dam, after which procedures can continue with unanesthetized dams and fetuses. Because anesthetics administered to the mother can cross the placental barrier, it is possible that fetuses are anesthetized to varying degrees. We compared in perinatal rats the effects of prenatal maternal exposure to two inhalant anesthetics: ether and isoflurane. Fewer spontaneous fetal movements and first postpartum nipple attachments were observed following maternal exposure...
The findings reported in this study highlight several important features of the development of hematopoietic stem cells after transplantation into irradiated recipients. First, they demonstrate the existence of a class of primitive multipotential stem cells that can function for a significant portion of the lifetime of a mouse (15 mo). In addition, they clearly show that these primitive stem cells can be infected with recombinant retroviruses and thus would be appropriate targets for gene therapy in somatic tissues. Second, our data indicate that the progeny of some, but not all, of the primitive stem cells have fully expanded into the various hematopoietic lineages by 2 mo after reconstitution. Finally, our analysis of the secondary recipients provides strong evidence suggesting that the primitive stem cell population can actually clonally expand. Our current experiments are aimed at determining the extent to which this expansion can occur and whether or not this ...
Many organizations are challenged with the tasks of identifying customer needs and expectations for their products, anticipating future product needs, communicating a future product vision to clients, and designing with today's technology to bring a future vision to successful realization. The design evolution of plant control centres is one aspect of CANDU development that faces such challenges. The Disney Corporation is an example of an organization that has been successful in consistently meeting these challenges for over fifty years; and some of the design practices proven in moviemaking, theme park and resort layout, and vacation experience organization may be helpful and effective when applied in other domains. This paper summarizes the findings from an examination of Disney Corporation design practices, and suggests how some practices could be used to simplify and enhance the design of future CANDU control centres. (author)
Abstract Objectives: This investigation reviewed experimental studies of laser irradiation of wound healing in mice and rats published from 2003 to August 2008, respectively, to assess putative stimulatory effects of this treatment. Background: Animal models, including rodents, attempt to reflect human wound healing and associated problems such as dehiscence, ischemia, ulceration, infection, and scarring. They have played a key role in furthering understanding of underlying mechanisms involved in impaired wound healing, and in testing new therapeutic strategies including laser irradiation. Method: Original research papers investigating effects of laser or monochromatic light therapy on wound healing in mice and rats and published from January 2003 to August 2008 were retrieved from library...
Laboratory studies have been carried out to determine the toxicity of methiocarb pellets to wild trapped wood mice in order to provide some background data prior to any further evaluation of hazard in the field. In this study, wood mice were exposed to dry and to dampened methiocarb pellets in order to reproduce field trial application conditions. Field observations of methiocarb pellets indicate that the physical character changes under dry and wet weather conditions. This may affect their relative attractiveness and potential toxicity to wood mice. The laboratory assessment of exposed wood mice included measurement of brain esterase activities, methiocarb residues in selected mouse tissue, carcasses, and histological evaluation of kidney, liver and lungs.
We report for the first time a relationship between the Tpl-2/cot oncogene and Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus (MMTV) associated transformation of mammary gland cells. A sub-genomic library generated from a primary mammary gland tumor yielded a novel MMTV integration site which disrupted the Tpl-2/cot proto-oncogene between exons 7 and 8. Comparison of a cell line derived from normal mammary gland (comma-D) and a cell line established from an MMTV induced mammary tumor (GR) demonstrated similar rearrangements within Tpl-2/cot for the GR cells but not in the comma-D cells. These rearrangements in the cell line were accompanied by an increase in the level of Tpl-2/cot specific mRNA. This data suggests that Tpl-2/cot expression may be important in epithelial cell transformation or tumor progression. PMID:8934549
Sulfur mustard (HD) is an alkylating and cytotoxic chemical warfare agent, which inflicts severe skin toxicity and an inflammatory response. Effective medical countermeasures against HD-caused skin toxicity are lacking due to limited knowledge of related mechanisms, which is mainly attributed to the requirement of more applicable and efficient animal skin toxicity models. Using a less toxic analog of HD, chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES), we identified quantifiable inflammatory biomarkers of CEES-induced skin injury in dose- (0.05-2 mg) and time- (3-168 h) response experiments, and developed a CEES-induced skin toxicity SKH-1 hairless mouse model. Topical CEES treatment at high doses caused a significant dose-dependent increase in skin bi-fold thickness indicating edema. Histopathological e...
The recent breakthrough in the generation of rat embryonic stem cells (rESCs) opens the door to application of gene targeting to create models for the study of human diseases. In addition, the in vitro differentiation system from rESCs into derivatives of three germ layers will serve as a powerful tool and resource for the investigation of mammalian development, cell function, tissue repair, and drug discovery. However, these uses have been limited by the difficulty of in vitro differentiation. The aims of this study were to establish an in vitro differentiation system from rESCs and to investigate whether rESCs are capable of forming terminal-differentiated cardiomyocytes. Using newly established rESCs, we found that embryoid body (EB)-based method used in mouse ESC (mESC) differentiation...
The ultimate goal of this research is to generate and apply novel technologies to speed completion and integration of the human genome map and sequence with biomedical problems. To do this, techniques were developed and genome-wide resources generated. This includes a genome-wide Mapped and Integrated BAC/PAC Resource that has been used for gene finding, map completion and anchoring, breakpoint definition and sequencing. In the last period of the grant, the Human Mapped BAC/PAC Resource was also applied to determine regions of human variation and to develop a novel paradigm of primate evolution through to humans. Further, in order to more rapidly evaluate animal models of human disease, a BAC Map of the mouse was generated in collaboration with the MTI Genome Center, Dr. Bruce Birren.
Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) offers label-free, optical absorption contrast. A high-speed, high-resolution PAM system in an inverted microscope configuration with a laser pulse repetition rate of 100,000 Hz and a stationary ultrasonic transducer was built. Four-dimensional in vivo imaging of microcirculation in mouse skin was achieved at 18 three-dimensional volumes per second with repeated two-dimensional raster scans of 100 by 50 points. The corresponding twodimensional B-scan (50 A-lines) frame rate was 1800 Hz, and the one-dimensional A-scan rate was 90,000 Hz. The lateral resolution is 0.23+/-0.03 ?m for Au nano-wire imaging, which is 2.0 times below the diffraction limit.
Glucagon plays critical roles in regulating glucose homeostasis, mainly by counteracting the effects of insulin. Consequently, the dysregulated glucagon secretion that is evident in type 2 diabetes has significant implications in the pathophysiology of the disease. Glucagon secretion from pancreatic -cells has been suggested to be modulated by blood glucose, signals from the nervous system and endocrine components. In addition to these regulators, intraislet factors acting in a paracrine manner from neighbouring -cells are emerging as central modulator(s) of -cell biology. One of the most important of these paracrine factors, insulin, modulates glucagon secretion. Indeed, the -cell-specific insulin receptor knockout (IRKO) mouse manifests hypersecretion of glucagon in the postprandial stag...
Obesity is associated with increased susceptibility to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension, a combination of traits that comprise the traditional definition of the metabolic syndrome. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is also associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite the high prevalence of obesity and its related conditions, their etiologies and pathophysiology remains unknown. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD. Previous genetic analysis of high-fat, diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J male mice using a panel of B6-ChrA/J/NaJ chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) demonstrated that 17 CSSs conferred resistance to high-fat, diet-induced obesity. One of these CSS st...
Summary Metabotropic GABAB receptors play a fundamental role in modulating the excitability of neurons and circuits throughout the brain. These receptors influence synaptic transmission by inhibiting presynaptic release or activating postsynaptic potassium channels. However, their ability to directly influence different types of postsynaptic glutamate receptors remains unresolved. Here we examine GABAB receptor modulation in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons from the mouse prefrontal cortex. We use two-photon laser-scanning microscopy to study synaptic modulation at individual dendritic spines. Using two-photon optical quantal analysis, we first demonstrate robust presynaptic modulation of multivesicular release at single synapses. Using two-photon glutamate uncaging, we then reveal that GABAB r...
Erythroid differentiation regulator (Erdr1) was first discovered in mouse leukemia cell lines and functions as a stress-related survival factor. This study investigated whether Erdr1 regulates murine melanoma progression, as well as the mechanism involved in Erdr1-regulated metastasis. The expression of Erdr1 is negatively correlated with IL-18 expression, which has a pro-cancer effect in melanoma. To study the role of Erdr1 as an anti-cancer factor, cell migration, invasion, and proliferation were measured. Erdr1 overexpression markedly inhibited the level of cell migration, invasion, and proliferation in B16F10 cells in vitro. In addition, Erdr1 overexpression significantly suppressed melanoma lung colonization, metastasis, and tumor growth in vivo. To identify the factors involved in Er...
The effects of dietary plant and yeast cerebroside (glucosylceramide), a major sphingolipid in plants and yeast, on atopic dermatitis (AD) like symptoms were investigated in a mouse model. After 7 wk of feeding with a diet containing maize glucosylceramide, plasma IgE levels became significantly lower and in contrast, the levels of interleukin (IL)-12, which induces cellular immunity, became significantly higher in the AD mice than in the controls. However, the sphingolipid constituents of the skin fraction in the maize glucosylceramide fed group did not contain sphingoid bases of plant origin, such as 8-unsaturated sphingoid bases. The results of the present study indicated that dietary plant glucosylceramide prevented AD-like symptoms in AD model mice via regulation of Th1/Th2 balance. P...
Evolutionary conservation of DNA sequences provides a tool for the identification of functional elements in genomes. We have created a database of evolutionary conserved regions (ECRs) in vertebrate genomes entitled ECRbase that is constructed from a collection of pairwise vertebrate genome alignments produced by the ECR Browser database. ECRbase features a database of syntenic blocks that recapitulate the evolution of rearrangements in vertebrates and a collection of promoters in all vertebrate genomes presented in the database. The database also contains a collection of annotated transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) in all ECRs and promoter elements. ECRbase currently includes human, rhesus macaque, dog, opossum, rat, mouse, chicken, frog, zebrafish, and two pufferfish genomes. It is freely accessible at http://ECRbase.dcode.org.
XMRV or xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related retrovirus, a recently discovered retrovirus, has been linked to both prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Recently, the teams of Drs. Shyh-Ching Lo and Harvey Alter discovered the presence of sequences closely related to XMRV in the blood of 86.5% of patients with CFS [1]. These findings are important because since the initial discovery of XMRV in CFS, several studies have failed to find XMRV in specimens collected from CFS patients. While the current study also did not find XMRV in CFS, Lo et al. did detect sequences that belong to polytropic mouse endogenous retroviruses (PMV), which share considerable similarity with XMRV. Criteria for future studies that will help bring greater clarity to the issue of retroviral sequences in CFS are proposed below. PMID:21994623
Purpose. The paper introduces a novel design of air-core inductive sensors in printed circuit board (PCB) technology for a tongue control system. The tongue control system provides a quadriplegic person with a keyboard and a joystick type of mouse for interaction with a computer or for control of an assistive device. Method. Activation of inductive sensors was performed with a cylindrical, soft ferromagnetic material (activation unit). Comparative analysis of inductive sensors in PCB technology with existing hand-made inductive sensors was performed with respect to inductance, resistance, and sensitivity to activation when the activation unit was placed in the center of the sensor. Optimisation of the activation unit was performed in a finite element model. Results. PCBs with air-core indu...
In vitro cytocompatibility and cellular interactions of lauric acid and dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles were evaluated with two different cell lines (mouse fibroblast and human cervical carcinoma). Lauric acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles were less cytocompatible than dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles and cellular uptake of lauric acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles was more than that of dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles. Lesser cytocompatibility and higher uptake of lauric acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles as compared to dextran-coated magnetic nanoparticles may be due to different cellular interactions by coating material. Thus, coating plays an important role in modulation of biocompatibility and cellular interaction of magnetic nanoparticles.
In vitro cytocompatibility and cellular interactions of lauric acid and dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles were evaluated with two different cell lines (mouse fibroblast and human cervical carcinoma). Lauric acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles were less cytocompatible than dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles and cellular uptake of lauric acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles was more than that of dextran-coated magnetite nanoparticles. Lesser cytocompatibility and higher uptake of lauric acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles as compared to dextran-coated magnetic nanoparticles may be due to different cellular interactions by coating material. Thus, coating plays an important role in modulation of biocompatibility and cellular interaction of magnetic nanoparticles.
Amphiphysin is a protein concentrated in neuronal synapses and peripherally associated with neurotransmitter vesicles. It is expressed in many neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems, in the adrenal medulla, in the anterior and posterior pituitary, in cell lines of the endocrine pancreas, and in spermatocytes. Its subcellular localization and tissue distribution indicate a potential involvement in mechanisms of regulated exocytosis. A role in the dynamic organization of the membrane-associated cytoskeleton is suggested by structural homology to the products of two yeast genes, RVS161 and RVS167, whose mutation results in an abnormal actin distribution, disturbs budding morphology, and impairs cell entry into stationary phase. Limited stretches of sequence similarity, including an SH3 domain, are also shared with other actin-binding proteins. Amphiphysin is the dominant autoantigen in paraneoplastic Stiff-Man syndrome, a neurological autoimmune disorder characterized by ...
PCR detection of genetic material of the parasites present in faeces may be an alternative for microscopic and serological tests routinely used for diagnosing parasitic enteral infections. However, small amount of target DNA combined with low efficiency of total DNA extraction, and presence of PCR inhibitors in the samples to be amplified, may cause false negative detection results. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of DNA isolation procedure used on the amplification of DNA fragments from the genomes of protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum and the nematode Trichinella spiralis. Two methods based on different principles of biological material lysis were evaluated; NucliSENS miniMAG employing simultaneously applied chemical lysis and mechanical disruption or mechanical disruption followed by enzymatic lysis in case of QIAamp DNA Stool Mini Kit. Both of the analyzed systems for nucleic acids purification allowed isolation of DNA from purified Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and ...
Dose-response studies of the radiosensitivity of spermatogonial stem cells in various epithelial stages after irradiation with graded doses of fission neutrons of 1 MeV mean energy were carried out in the Cpb-N mouse. These studies on the stem cell population in stages IX-XI yielded simple exponential lines characterized by an average D0 value of 0.76 +/- 0.02 Gy. In the subsequent epithelial stages XII-III, a significantly lower D0 value of 0.55 +/- 0.02 Gy was found. In contrast to the curves obtained for stem cells in stages IX-III, the curves obtained in stages IV-VIII indicated the presence of a mixture of radioresistant and radiosensitive stem cells. In stage VII, almost no radioresistant stem cells appeared to be present and a D0 value for the radiosensitive stem cells of 0.22 +/- 0.01 Gy was derived. Previously, data were obtained on the size of colonies (in number of spermatogonia) derived from surviving stem cells. Combining these data with data from the ...
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the liposome encaged with vinorelbine (VNB) and "1"1"1In-oxine on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) using HT-29/luc mouse xenografts. HT-29 cells stably transfected with plasmid vectors containing luciferase gene (luc) were transplanted subcutaneously into the male NOD/SCID mice. Biodistribution of the drug was performed when tumor size reached 500-600 mm"3. The uptakes of "1"1"1In-VNB-liposome in tumor and normal tissues/organs at various time points postinjection were assayed. Multimodalities, including gamma scintigraphy, bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and whole-body autoradiography (WBAR), were applied for evaluating the therapeutic efficacy when tumor size was about 100 mm"3. The tumor/blood ratios of "1"1"1In-VNB-liposome were 0.044, 0.058, 2.690, 20.628 and 24.327, respectively, at 1, 4, 24, 48 and 72 h postinjection. Gamma scinitigraphy showed that the tumor/muscle ratios were 2.04, ...
The sequence segment 181-200 of the Torpedo nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) #alpha#subunit forms a binding site for #alpha#-bungarotoxin (#alpha#-BTX). Synthetic peptides corresponding to the homologous sequences of human, calf, mouse, chicken, frog, and cobra muscle nAChR #alpha#1 subunits were tested for their ability to bind "1"2"5I-#alpha#-BTX, and differences in #alpha#-BTX affinity were determined by using solution (IC_5_0s) and solid-phase (K_ds) assays. Panels of overlapping peptides corresponding to the complete #alpha#1 subunit of mouse and human were also tested for #alpha#-BTX binding, but other sequence segments forming the #alpha#-BTX site were not consistently detectable. The role of a putative vicinal disulfide bound between Cys-192 and -193, relative to the Torpedo sequence, was determined by modifying the peptides with sulfhydryl reagents. Reduction and alkylation of the peptides decreased #alpha#-BTX binding, whereas ...
Paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium) is a widely used herbicide known to induce skin toxicity. This is thought to be due to oxidative stress resulting from the generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) during paraquat redox cycling. The skin contains a diverse array of antioxidant enzymes which protect against oxidative stress including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), metallothionein-2 (MT-2), and glutathione-S-transferases (GST). In the present studies we compared paraquat redox cycling in primary cultures of undifferentiated and differentiated mouse keratinocytes and determined if this was associated with oxidative stress and altered expression of antioxidant enzymes. We found that paraquat readily undergoes redox cycling in both undifferentiated and differentiated keratinocytes, generating superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide as well as increased protein oxidation which ...
A major regulatory element required for expression of the human [alpha]-globin genes is located 40 kb upstream of the embryonic [zeta]-globin gene. To understand how this and other locus control region (LCR) elements contribute to high-level expression in erythroid cells, we have performed high-resolution, in vivo dimethyl sulfate footprinting. In addition, we have modified the dimethyl sulfate-based ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction in vivo footprinting procedure to permit the assessment of interactions at guanine and adenine residues, rather than guanines alone. In vivo footprinting of the human [alpha]-LCR element carried on chromosome 16 in a mouse erythroleukemia cell environment revealed protein occupancy at GATA-1, AP-1/NF-E2, and CACC/GGTGG motifs, specific differences compared with in vitro protein binding, and distinct changes in one region upon dimethyl sulfoxide-induced cellular maturation. No protein contacts were detected in nonexpressing ...
The detection and quantification of defined reaction products of chemical mutagens and carcinogens (and of many cancer chemotherapeutic agents) with DNA require highly sensitive analytical techniques. The exceptional capability of immunoglobulins to recognize subtle alterations of molecular structure (especially when monoclonal antibodies are used to maximize specificity), outstanding sensitivity of immunoanalysis by high-affinity antibodies, and the fact that radioactively-labelled agents are not required suggest the utility of a radioimmunoassay to recognize and quantitate alkylated DNA products. We have recently developed a set of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies (secreted by mouse x mouse as well as by rat x rat hybridomas; antibody affinity constants, 10"9 to > 10"1"0 lmol) specifically directed against several DNA alkylation products with possible relevance in relation to both mutagenesis and malignant transformation of mammalian ...
Extracellular ATP stimulates transmembrane ion fluxes in the mouse macrophage cell line J774. In the presence of Mg2+, nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs and other purine and pyrimidine nucleotides do not elicit this response, suggesting the presence of a specific receptor for ATP on the macrophage plasma membrane. One candidate for such a receptor is the ecto-ATPase expressed on these cells. We, therefore, investigated the role of this enzyme in ATP-induced /sup 86/Rb+ efflux in J774 cells. The ecto-ATPase had a broad nucleotide specificity and did not hydrolyze extracellular ATP in the absence of divalent cations. /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was not blocked by inhibition of the ecto-ATPase and did not require Ca2+ or Mg2+. In fact, ATP-stimulated /sup 86/Rb+ efflux was inhibited by Mg2+ and correlated with the availability of ATP4- in the medium. In the absence of divalent cations, the slowly hydrolyzable ATP analogs adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate ...
Despite extensive clinical use of thallium-201 (/sup 201/Tl) for myocardial imaging, the effect of ischemia on myocardial accumulation and release of /sup 201/Tl independent of flow has not been fully defined. Therefore, myocardial accumulation of /sup 201/Tl in response to ischemic-like myocardial injury was assessed in vitro using the cultured fetal mouse heart preparation. Cultured fetal mouse hearts (n . 311) were subjected to injury simulating ischemia by deprivation of oxygen and oxidizable substrates for periods ranging from 15 minutes to 10 hours. The extent of irreversible injury was determined by the percentage of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) lost from the hearts to the culture medium during recovery from injury. Injury was essentially reversible at 1 hour of insult. The fraction of /sup 201/Tl content in injured compared with control hearts was not significantly lower after 1 hour of insult. By 3 hours of insult, irreversible injury as ...
Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies are caused by defects of dystrophin, which forms a part of the membrane cytoskeleton of specialized cells such as muscle. It has been previously shown that the dystrophin-associated protein A1 (59-kDa DAP) is actually a heterogeneous group of phosphorylated proteins consisting of an acidic ({alpha}-A1) and a distinct basic ({beta}-A1) component. Partial peptide sequence of the A1 complex purified from rabbit muscle permitted the design of oligonucleotide probes that were used to isolate a cDNA for one human isoform of A1. This cDNA encodes a basic A1 isoform that is distinct from the recently described syntrophins in Torpedo and mouse and is expressed in many tissues with at least five distinct mRNA species of 5.9, 4.8, 4.3, 3.1, and 1.5 kb. A comparison of the human cDNA sequence with the GenBank expressed sequence tag (EST) data base has identified a relative from human skeletal muscle, EST25263, which is probably a human ...
The transcriptional silencing of some cell cycle inhibitors and tumor suppressors, such as p16 and retinoic acid receptor beta(2), by DNA hypermethylation at CpG islands is commonly found in human oral squamous carcinoma cells. We examined the effects of the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza; 0.25 mg/kg body weight), all-trans retinoic acid (RA; given at 100 microg/kg body weight and 1 mg/kg body weight), and the combination of 5-Aza and the low-dose RA on murine oral cavity carcinogenesis induced by the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) in a mouse model. All the drug treatments were done for 15 weeks after a 10-week 4-NQO treatment. Mice in all drug treatment groups showed decreases in the average numbers of neoplastic tongue lesions. The combination of 5-Aza and RA effectively attenuated tongue lesion severity. Although all drug treatments limited the increase in the percentage of proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive ...
The presence of endothelin (ET)-like immunoreactivity and the cardiovascular effects of mammalian ET-1 in fish have been reported. To identify ET-related peptides in fish, we screened the cDNA library of the salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) stomach by means of rapid amplification of cDNA ends, and we cloned cDNAs encoding an ET-related peptide. The salmon ET-related sequence of 21 amino acids is identical to the trout ET-1 peptide recently purified from kidney specimens of Oncorhynchus mykiss. The deduced amino acid sequence of salmon pre-proET-1 (PPET-1) comprises 244 amino acids, including a putative signal sequence and mature ET-1, as well as big ET-1 and ET-1-like sequences. This precursor, the first reported PPET-1 sequence for Salmoniformes, Teleostei, has low homology with the sequences of human, mouse, frog (Xenopus laevis), and zebrafish (Danio rerio) PPET-1 (26%, 29%, 24%, and 39%, respectively). PMID:16740985
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1), a cold-inducible coactivator of nuclear receptors, stimulates mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration in muscle cells. In the present study, we first cloned a rat PGC-1 gene from a brown adipose tissue cDNA library which encodes a predicted 796-amino-acid protein and exhibits respectively 98% and 95% identity with the mouse and human homologues. Next, we examined the effect of swimming exercise training on the level of expression of the PGC-1 gene in rat epitrochlearis (Epi) muscle. PGC-1 mRNA level in Epi muscle in rats that swam 2 h a day for 3 and 7 days increased dramatically by 154% and 163%, respectively, compared to the non-exercised control group. PGC-1 mRNA up-regulation was not observed in an immersion group treated at 35 degrees C during the training program but without swimming exercise. These results demonstrate that expression of the PGC-1 gene in Epi muscle is induced not only ...
Cytosine methylation in DNA is a major epigenetic signal, and plays a central role in propagating chromatin status during cell division. However the mechanistic links between DNA methylation and histone methylation are poorly understood. A multi-domain protein UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains 1) is required for DNA CpG maintenance methylation at replication forks, and mouse UHRF1-null cells show enhanced susceptibility to DNA replication arrest and DNA damaging agents. Recent data demonstrated that the SET and RING associated (SRA) domain of UHRF1 binds hemimethylated CpG and flips 5-methylcytosine out of the DNA helix, whereas its tandom tudor domain and PHD domain bind the tail of histone H3 in a highly methylation sensitive manner. We hypothesize that UHRF1 brings the two components (histones and DNA) carrying appropriate markers (on the tails of H3 and hemimethylated CpG sites) ready to be assembled into a nucleosome after ...
The tissue distribution of "1"3"1I-transferrin ("1"3"1I-Tf) was studied in athymic nude mice having s.c. human colonic adenocarcinoma HT-29 xenografts. Four days after "1"3"1I-Tf injection, the "1"3"1I specific activity measured in the HT-29 tumor, i.e. amount of radioactivity per gram of fresh tissue, represented 0.31 #+-# 0.09% of the injected radioactivity and was 1.90 fold more than that measured in the murine colon (P < 0.05). After correction for intravascular "1"3"1I-Tf as estimated by mean of "9"9"mTc-Sn in vivo labeling of red blood cells, the "1"3"1I specific activity observed in the HT-29 tumor was 7.21 fold more than that observed in the murine colon. This subtracting method enabled us to localize a HT-29 tumor xenograft by #gamma# scintigraphy of the entire animal and demonstrated that "1"3"1I-Tf could be a non-specific but potent marker for human colon cancer. (author).
The elucidation on the metabolic products of the {sup 99}mTc-antibody conjugates may provide insights and approaches that would reduce the undesirable deposition of radioactive species in normal tissue. In this investigation, the radiolabeled species in blood, urine, bile and extracts of liver and kidney obtained at different times after the injection of a model antibody, {sup 99}mTc, into mice were analyzed with various chromatographic methods. Ninety-nine to 100% of the radioactivity in serum was associated with intact Mab 170. The radioactivity in liver homogenate extract was strictly protein-bound to either intact Mab or low molecular weight species (LMW). In kidney extracts, the majority of the radioactivity was protein bound {sup 99}mTc, with less than 8% of the activity being non- protein bound . Multiple {sup 99}mTc -containing protein and non-protein species were found in urine and bile. Evidence supporting the presence of {sup 99}mTc-cysteine and {sup 99}mTc-glutathione in ...
The ability of Yersinia pestis to forestall the mammalian innate immune response is a fundamental aspect of plague pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the effect of Ail, a 17-kDa outer membrane protein that protects Y. pestis against complement-mediated lysis, on bubonic plague pathogenesis in mice and rats. The Y. pestis ail mutant was attenuated for virulence in both rodent models. The attenuation was greater in rats than in mice, which correlates with the ability of normal rat serum, but not mouse serum, to kill ail-negative Y. pestis in vitro. Intradermal infection with the ail mutant resulted in an atypical, subacute form of bubonic plague associated with extensive recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN or neutrophils) to the site of infection in the draining lymph node and the formation of large purulent abscesses that contained the bacteria. Systemic spread and mortality were greatly attenuated, however, and a productive adaptive immune ...
Understanding risks from exposures to carcinogens and other chemicals depends upon measurement of their dose to target tissues and their reactivity with critical macromolecules. The authors have used AMS detection of radio-isotopes to assess doses and reactivities at low, environmentally relevant doses. Several biomedical investigations show the effectiveness of quantification of biologically important events at extremely high sensitivity with AMS. Specifically, they have measured the addition of environmental carcinogens such as 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]-quinoaxaline (MelQx), a chemical found in cooked food, to DNA at concentrations relevant to human exposure. Other low level detection problems in biology, such as immunoassay assessment of small environmental chemicals, is being developed with attomole sensitivity. AMS also aids the assessment of genotoxic risks from chemicals by quantifying the binding of labeled chemicals to DNA. The very toxic and potent carcinogen, ...
Neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF) binds its consensus element to repress the transcription of various genes. The dominant-negative form (dnNRSF) has a hypertrophic effect on cardiogenesis through an unidentified mechanism. We examined the involvement of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel proteins, using transgenic mice overexpressing dnNRSF (dnNRSF mice). Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays revealed an interaction between NRSF and a neuron-restrictive silencer element-like sequence in intron 4 of TRPC1 genomic DNA. According to RT-PCR and Western analyses, TRPC1 was up-regulated in dnNRSF mouse heart. Transient overexpression of TRPC1 in HEK 293T cells increased the activity of the nuclear factor in activated T cells (NFAT) promoter and stimulated store-operated Ca"2"+ channel (SOCC)-mediated Ca"2"+ entry. Transfection of TRPC1 into primary cardiomyocytes increased NFAT activity, indicating a major role for TRPC1 in NFAT activation. Our findings ...
The Thomsen-Friedenreich (T) antigen, #betta#-D-Gal-(1->3)-#alpha#-D-GalNAc, is exposed in reactive form on many human adenocarcinomata, but not on corresponding benign tissues. Peanut lectin (PNA) has a strong binding affinity for the T antigen and reportedly binds preferentially to certain malignant tissues. We investigated the potential of radio-labelled PNA as a tumour localising agent in an animal model system using a mouse lymphoma (RI) shown to bind fluorescein-labelled PNA in vitro. The radio-iodinated lectin showed good tumour localisation and rapid blood clearance. Clear images of tumours were obtained, in serial scintigraphic imaging, by 24 and 48 h. No blood background subtraction was necessary. Biodistribution studies revealed tumour to blood ratios in mice were 6:1 (at 24 h) and 17:1 (at 48 h), and tumour to muscle ratios were 34:1 (at 24 h) and 40:1 (at 48 h). Rapid in vivo breakdown of _1_2_5I-PNA led to some localisation of free iodide in the ...
The effect of adriamycin in combination with radiation on the skin reactions of mouse feet has been examined under a variety of experimental conditions including: (a) hyperthermic treatment of the foot immediately following adriamycin administration, with the former given either just before or just after x irradiation, and (b) fractionated treatments of drug and radiation in a variety of sequences over an 18-day period. In the case of the most severe hyperthermic treatment, no increased radiation reactions were observed in the presence of adriamycin. However, in the case of the less severe hyperthermic treatment a small but significant increase in skin reactions was observed. In the study of fractionated drug and radiation treatments, an enhancement of reaction in those animals receiving combined modality treatment over those receiving radiation alone was seen in those groups where the initiation of drug treatment succeeded the initiation of radiation treatment by ...
Abstract in english The tegument surface of the adult schistosome, bounded by a normal plasma membrane overlain by a secreted membranocalyx, holds the key to understanding how schistosomes evade host immune responses. Recent advances in mass spectrometry (MS), and the sequencing of the Schistosoma mansoni transcriptome/genome, have facilitated schistosome proteomics. We detached the tegument from the worm body and enriched its surface membranes by differential extraction, before subjecting t (more) he preparation to liquid chromatography-based proteomics to identify its constituents. The most exposed proteins on live worms were labelled with impearmeant biotinylation reagents, and we also developed methods to isolate the membranocalyx for analysis. We identified transporters for sugars, amino acids, inorganic ions and water, which confirm the importance of the tegument plasma membrane in nutrient acquisition and solute balance. Enzymes, including phosphohydrolases, esterases and ...
Ultra-high resolution radiographs can be obtained using synchrotron X-rays. A collaboration team consisting of K-JIST, POSTECH and YUMC has recently commissioned a new beamline (5C1) at Pohang Light Source (PLS) in Korea for medical applications using phase contrast radiology. Relatively simple image acquisition systems were set up on 5C1 beamline, and imaging studies were performed for resolution test patterns, mammographic phantom, and animals. Resolution test patterns and mammographic phantom images showed much better image resolution and quality with the 5C1 imaging system than the mammography system. Both fish and mouse images with 5C1 imaging system also showed much better image resolution with great details of organs and anatomy compared to those obtained with a conventional mammography system. A simple and inexpensive ultra-high resolution imaging system on 5C1 beamline was successfully implemented. The authors were able to acquire ultra-high resolution ...
The uncoupling protein (UCP) is a proton/anion transporter found in the inner mitochondrial membrane of brown adipocyte. Although UCP has nor been detected in mitochondria from any other tissue, it shares structural and catalytic properties with several other mitochondrial carrier proteins. Although UCP was discovered only recently it is one of the most extensively studied mitochondrial carrier proteins.More recently, the mouse, rat, and human genes encoding for UCP have been isolated and sequenced. The availability of these various tools has led to several significant observations. UCP gene expression is strongly controlled at the level of transcription by signals that are activated after the stimulation of brown adipocytes by norepinephrine. The comparison of UCP gene with the genes encoding the adenine nucleotide translocator revealed the existence of structural and evolutionary homologies. Moreover, in humans the UCP gene and one form of adenine nucleotide ...
Micropatterned materials were obtained by a controlled laser ablation of a photoimmobilised homogeneous layer of hyaluronic acid (Hyal) and its sulphated derivative (HyalS). The photoimmobilisation was performed by coating the polysaccharide, adequately functionalised with a photoreactive group, on aminosilanised glass substrate and immobilising it on the surface under UV light. Hyal or HyalS photoimmobilised samples were then subjected to laser ablation with wavelengths in the UV regions in order to drill the pattern. Four different patterns with stripes of 100, 50, 25 and 10 {mu}m were generated. A chemical characterisation by attenuated total reflection/Fourier transform infrared (ATR/FT-IR) and time of flight-secondary ions mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) confirmed the success of the laser ablation procedure and the presence of alternating stripes of polysaccharide and native glass. The exact dimensions of the stripes were determined by atomic force microscopy. The analysis of cell ...
Parkinson's disease (PD) is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder. Mutations in PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) are a frequent cause of recessive PD. Autophagy, a pathway for clearance of protein aggregates or impaired organelles, is a newly identified mechanism for PD development. However, it is still unclear what molecules regulate autophagy in PINK1-silenced cells. Here we report that autophagosome formation is promoted in the early phase in response to PINK1 gene silencing by lentivirus transfer vectors expressed in mouse striatum. Reduced PP2A activity and increased phosphorylation of PP2A at Y307 (inactive form of PP2A) were observed in PINK1-knockdown dopaminergic cells and striatum tissues. Treatment with C2-ceramide (an agonist of PP2A) reduced autophagy levels in PINK...
Although it has been established that lead is transferred in milk from mother to suckling offspring, the physiological processes and parameters involved are not well understood. Single i.v. doses (0.2 mg/kg) or p.o. doses (2 mg/kg) of radiolabeled lead were administered to lactating and nonlactating female mice, and lead concentrations in blood, plasma, and milk were determined during a 21-day period. Large differences in lead elimination were observed between lactating and nonlactation mice. A significant fraction (25%) of the initial maternal dose (absorbed dose) was transferred to the suckling pups. The ratio of lead concentration in milk to lead concentration in plasma was found to be nearly constant over time. However, the milk-to-blood concentration ratios decreased during the same period. Furthermore, the concentration of lead in milk exceeded the plasma concentration by a factor of approximately 25, indicating that there is a physiological process(es) which establishes a large ...
Mitotic delay is described as a classical response to radiation; however, circadian rhythmicity in cell division in vivo has not been considered by many authors. The present study investigated the relation between fluctuations reported as mitotic delay and recovery in vivo and circadian oscillations in mitotic index in mouse corneal epithelium. One aspect involved single doses (approximately 600 rad) given to mice at different circadian stages. The normal circadian rhythm in cell division was never obliterated. Inhibition of mitosis was evident but unpredictable, ranging from 6 to 15 hr after irradiation. Recovery was evident only during the daily increase in mitotic index of controls. The classical interpretation of recovery from mitotic delay may be in an in vitro phenomenon not reflecting in vivo responses, which are apparently strongly circadian stage dependent. The second portion of the study demonstrated a dose-response effect on length of mitotic delay and, ...
Glycosaminoglycan synthesis by two subpopulations of a mouse mammary tumor cell line was compared. The two sublines express distinctly different growth characteristics in vitro and in vivo which indicate differences in growth regulation. Newly made glycosaminoglycans were recovered from the culture media, the cell surfaces, and residual cellular material. The cell population which grows more aggressively in vivo (+SA subline, a subline that grows in soft agarose) incorporated about 8 times more (/sup 14/C)glucosamine per cell into total glycosaminoglycans than did the slower-growing population (-SA subline, which does not grow in soft agarose). Appropriate control experiments indicated that the apparent difference in rates of synthesis was not due to discrepancies in glucosamine uptake. The main residual cellular molecule labeled was heparan sulfate, but the predominant molecule at the cell surface and in the culture fluid was hyaluronic acid. Overall, +SA cells ...
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 19-9 and 73-3 specific for human colon adenocarcinoma were labelled with a high number of gadolinium atoms. Twenty five DTPA were chelated per MAb, with only slight loss of immunoreactivity. The NMR contrast agent Gd-25 DTPA-MAb 19-9 or 73-3 ((Gd) 17 mumole/kg, (MAb) 60 microM) was injected into nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma (SW948). Tumors were removed 24 hr after injection and T1 was measured in vitro. T1 relaxation time varied according to MAb specificity against tumour targets; T1 decreased 20% for MAb 19-9 and MAb 73-3 with SW948 tumor. Imaging was performed with this model. Very good contrast was obtained 24 hr after Gd-25 DTPA-MAb injection.
This study was carried out to evaluate the biochemical and morphological effects of ionizing radiation on ovary. Immature mice (ICR, 3 week-old) were irradiated at a dose of LD{sub 80(30)} at KAERI. The ovaries were collected after 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, and 2 days post irradiation. To analyze the morphological changes, histological staining with hematoxylin-eosin, immuno- histochemical preparation using in situ 3'-end labeling was performed. DNA fragmentation analysis and flowcytometric evaluation of DNA extracted from whole ovary were performed. As a result of DNA fragmentation analysis, DNA fragments with 185, 370, and 555 base pairs were clearly shown at 6 hours post irradiation. The percentage of A{sub 0} cell cycle was significantly increased in the irradiated group than control. In situ 3'-end labeled follicles were increased at 6 hours post irradiation. The radiation-induced follicular atresia was taken place via an apoptotic degeneration. And this ...
Through DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small regulatory RNAs the epigenome systematically controls gene expression during development, both in utero and throughout life. The epigenome is also a very reactive system; its labile nature allows it to sense and respond to environmental perturbations to ensure survival during fetal growth. This pliability can lead to aberrant epigenetic modifications that persist into later life and induce numerous disease states. Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) are ubiquitous chemicals that interfere with growth and development. Several EDCs also interfere with epigenetic programming. The investigation of the epigenotoxic effects of bisphenol A (BPA), an EDC used in the production of plastics and resins, has further raised concern over the impact of EDCs on the epigenome. Using the Agouti viable yellow (A(vy)) mouse model, dietary BPA exposure was shown to hypomethylate both the A(vy) and the Cabp(IAP) metastable ...
Abnormal intracellular deposition of aggregated ?-synuclein is the characteristic feature of a number of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). Although ?-synuclein is typically known as a cytosolic protein, a small amount is secreted by exocytosis in both monomeric and aggregated forms. The extracellular forms of ?-synuclein in human body fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood plasma, might be a diagnostic target for PD and related diseases. Here, we characterized a new set of monoclonal antibodies against ?-synuclein, and using different combinations of antibodies, we established ELISA systems to specifically detect human ?-synuclein, mouse and human ?-synuclein together, and multimeric forms of ?-synuclein in biological samples. By employing the Tyramide signal amplification method, the sensitivity of the assay was significantly improved to detect a concentration as low as ?12.5 pg/ml. These assays might be useful tools for ...
Effects of cell concentrations on the survival and repopulation of haemopoietic stem cells after irradiation were studied in the long-term culture of mouse bone marrow cells in vitro. No difference was observed in the survival of the stem cells among cultures in which 0 - 10/sup 7/ cells were re-inoculated on the adherent cell colonies in the culture flask. Stem cells showed a significant proliferation within 1 week and the number of the stem cells exceeded the control in 3 weeks after irradiation in the cultures with less than 10/sup 6/ re-inoculated cells per flask. In contrast, there was a considerable delay in the onset of stem cell proliferation after irradiation in the culture with 10/sup 7/ cells per flask. Based on these results, a possibility that a stimulator of stem cell proliferation, released from irradiated stromal cells, is cancelled by an inhibitory factor produced by irradiated or unirradiated haemopoietic cells is postulated.
Rat lung and liver microsomes did not undergo lipid peroxidation in the absence of iron when incubated with NADPH and concentrations of paraquat ranging from 10/sup -7/ to 10/sup -2/ M. Paraquat also did not stimulate rat liver and lung microsomal peroxidation induced by added iron and NADPH, and was inhibitory at concentrations above 10 ..mu..M. Similarly, no stimulation of peroxidation was produced by paraquat in rabbit or human lung microsomes; however, under similar conditions, paraquat enhanced NADPH/iron-dependent peroxidation in mouse lung and liver microsomes obtained from rats sacrificed at 12, 18, and 24 hr following a lethal dose of paraquat (50 mg/kg, ip), there was no loss of vitamin E or increase in susceptibility to in vitro peroxidation which would be expected if lipid peroxidation had occurred in vivo although extensive lung damage developed during this time period. These results indicate that paraquat does not cause pulmonary toxicity by ...
Abstract Polycystic kidney diseases (PKD) are inherited disorders characterized by fluid-filled cysts primarily in the kidneys. We previously reported differences between the expression of Cux1, p21, and p27 in the cpk and Pkd1 null mouse models of PKD. Embryonic lethality of Pkd1 null mice limits its study to early stages of kidney development. Therefore, we examined mice with a collecting duct specific deletion in the Pkd1 gene. Cux1 was ectopically expressed in the cyst lining epithelial cells of newborn, P7 and P15 Pkd1CD mice. Cux1 expression correlated with cell proliferation in early stages of cystogenesis, however, as the disease progressed, fewer cyst lining cells showed increased cell proliferation. Rather, Cux1 expression in late stage cystogenesis was associated with increased ...
Exercise training associated with robust conditioning can be useful for the study of molecular mechanisms underlying exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy. A swimming apparatus is described to control training regimens in terms of duration, load, and frequency of exercise. Mice were submitted to 60- vs 90-min session/day, once vs twice a day, with 2 or 4% of the weight of the mouse or no workload attached to the tail, for 4 vs 6 weeks of exercise training. Blood pressure was unchanged in all groups while resting heart rate decreased in the trained groups (8-18%). Skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity, measured spectrophotometrically, increased (45-58%) only as a result of duration and frequency-controlled exercise training, indicating that endurance conditioning was obtained. In groups which received duration and endurance conditioning, cardiac weight (14-25%) and myocyte dimension (13-20%) increased. The best conditioning protocol to promote physiological ...
Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 has a crucial role on primordial germ cells (PGCs) development in vivo which can promote stem cell differentiation to PG-like cells. In this study, we investigated the expression of Mvh as one of the specific genes in primordial germ cells after treatment with different doses of BMP4 on bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs)-derived PGCs. Following isolation of BMSCs from male mouse femur and tibia, cells were cultured in medium for 72?h. Passage 4 murine BMSCs were characterized by CD90, CD105, CD34, and CD45 markers and osteo-adipogenic differentiation. Different doses of BMP4 (0, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 5, 25, 50, and 100?ng/ml) were added to BMSCs for PGCs differentiation during 4-days culture. Viability percent, proliferation rates, and expression of Mvh gene wer...
Two overlapping cDNA clones encoding human DNA topoisomerase II were identified by two independent methods. In one, a human cDNA library in phage {lambda} was screened by hybridization with a mixed oligonucleotide probe encoding a stretch of seven amino acids found in yeast and Drosophila DNA topoisomerase II; in the other, a different human cDNA library in a {lambda}gt11 expression vector was screened for the expression of antigenic determinants that are recognized by rabbit antibodies specific to human DNA topoisomerase II. The entire coding sequences of the human DNA topoisomerase II gene were determined from these and several additional clones, identified through the use of the cloned human TOP2 gene sequences as probes. Hybridization between the cloned sequences and mRNA and genomic DNA indicates that the human enzyme is encoded by a single-copy gene. The location of the gene was mapped to chromosome 17q21-22 by in situ hybridization of a cloned fragment to metaphase chromosomes ...
The recently described retinoid X receptors (RXRs) respond to the novel retinoid 9-cis-retinoic acid and also serve as heterodimeric partners for the vitamin D, thyroid hormone, and retinoic acid receptors (VDR, TR, and RAR, respectively). In this work, the authors report high-resolution localization of the human RXR genes within cytogenetic bands and also within a standard reference map of cosmid DNA markers on human chromosomes. They have determined the location of the human RXR genes by pairwise hybridization of the RXR cosmids and reference markers, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. They localized (i) RXR[alpha] (RXRA) to chromosome 9 band q34.3; (ii) RXR[beta] (RXRB) to chromosome 6 band 21.3; and (iii) RXR[gamma] (RXRG) to chromosome 1 band q22-q23. Six retinoid-responsive transcription factors have been identified so far, including three retinoic acid receptors in addition to the three RXRs. Interestingly, each of these receptors in human and mouse ...
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of neonatal asphyxia on brain development, with special reference to the kinetics of neuronal proliferation by using autoradiography. For 30 minutes, two-day-old suckling mice, Jcl:ICR strain, were put into a chamber which was constantly flushed with 100% CO_2 gas. After the exposure to asphyxia, 29% of the mice survived. Cell cycle studies were carried out at two days and at seven days on the external matrix cells, the precursor of the granule cells, at the external granular layer of the cerebellum from CO_2-exposed and control mice by "3H-thymidine autoradiography. At two days the generation time of the control mice was about 15 hours, whereas that of the asphyxiated mice was about 17 hours. The prolongation of the generation time in the asphyxiated mice was caused mainly by a delay in the G2 phase. This prolongation was apparent for about five days and thereafter growth caught up. These results suggest that neonatal asphyxia has ...
Aim/hypothesis We examined whether the renin inhibitor, aliskiren, provides similar or greater protection than ACE inhibition from non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and from the proliferative neoangiogenesis of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Methods Transgenic (mRen-2)27 rats, which overexpress mouse renin and angiotensin in extra-renal tissues, were studied. For diabetic studies, non-diabetic, diabetic (streptozotocin, 55?mg/kg), diabetic + aliskiren (10?mg?kg?1?day?1, pump), or diabetic + lisinopril (10?mg?kg?1?day?1, drinking water) rats were evaluated over 16?weeks. For oxygen-induced retinopathy studies, rats were exposed to 80% oxygen (22?h/day) from postnatal days?0 to 11, and then room air from postnatal days?12 to 18. Aliskiren (10 or 30?mg?kg?1?day?1, pump) or lisinopril (10?mg...
A technique for delivering genes carried by recombinant retroviruses into specific cell types could have numerous applications in oncology, developmental biology, and gene therapy. As a first step toward this remote goal the authors designed a procedure allowing in vitro cell targeting by retroviruses. Biotinylated antibodies against the viral envelope protein on one side, and against specific cell membrane markers on the other side, were bridged by streptavidin and used to link the virus to the host. The method was successfully used to infect human cells with ecotropic murine retroviruses by means of major histocompatibility complex class I and class II antigens and appears easily adaptable to other cell, membrane markers. Moreover, the sequential protocol they design, although allowing infection of human cells, requires less stringent safety constraints than would handling of amphotropic virus stocks.
Computers have a direct impact on our lives nowadays. Human's interaction with the computer has modified with the passage of time as improvement in technology occurred the better the human computer interaction became. Today we are facilitated by the operating system that has reduced all the complexity of hardware and we undergo our computation in a very convenient way irrespective of the process occurring at the hardware level. Though the human computer interaction has improved but it's not done yet. If we come to the future the computer's role in our lives would be a lot more rather our life would be of the artificial intelligence. In our future the biggest resource would be component of time and wasting time for a key board entry or a mouse input would be unbearable so the need would be of the computer interaction environment that along with the complexity reduction also minimizes the time wastage in the human computer interaction. Accordingly in our future the ...
Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine (PBD) chemicals are antitumor antibiotics inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis. An indole carboxylate-PBD hybrid with six-carbon spacer structure (IN6CPBD) has been previously demonstrated to induce melanoma cell apoptosis and reduce metastasis in mouse lungs. This study aimed at investigating the efficacy of the other hybrid compound with four-carbon spacer (IN4CPBD) and elucidating its anti-metastatic mechanism. Human melanoma A375 cells with IN4CPBD treatment underwent cytotoxicity and apoptosis-associated assays. Transwell migration assay, Western blotting, and ELISA were used for mechanistic study. IN4CPBD exhibited potent melanoma cytotoxicity through interrupting G1/S cell cycle progression, increasing DNA fragmentation and hypodipoidic DNA contents, a...
This report presents the methodology and the results from the modelling of an open repository for spent nuclear fuel in Laxemar. Specifically, the present work analyses the hydrological effects of the planned repository during the construction and operational phases when it is open, i.e. air-filled, and hence may cause a disturbance of the hydrological conditions in the surroundings. The numerical modelling is based on the SDM-Site Laxemar MIKE SHE model. The modelling was divided into three steps. The first step was to update the SDM-Site Laxemar model with a new hydrogeological bedrock model. The other main updates were an increase of the depth of the MIKE SHE model domain, enhanced vertical computational resolution and that the drainage of the Aespoe Hard Rock Laboratory was included in the model. The resulting model was used to simulate undisturbed natural conditions. The next step was to describe the open repository conditions, using Laxemar layout D2, by implementing the access ...
A {lambda}gt11 cDNA library was constructed from poly(U)-Spharose-selected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite RNA in order to clone and identify surface antigens. The library was screened with rabbit polyclonal anti-E. histolytica serum. A 700-base-pair cDNA insert was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA revealed a cysteine-rich protein. DNA hybridizations showed that the gene was specific to E. histolytica since the cDNA probe reacted with DNA from four axenic strains of E. histolytica but did not react with DNA from Entamoeba invadens, Acanthamoeba castellanii, or Trichomonas vaginalis. The insert was subcloned into the expression vector pGEX-1 and the protein was expressed as a fusion with the C terminus of glutathione S-transferase. Purified fusion protein was used to generate 22 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a mouse polyclonal antiserum specific for the E. histolytica portion of the fusion protein. ...
A #lambda#gt11 cDNA library was constructed from poly(U)-Spharose-selected Entamoeba histolytica trophozoite RNA in order to clone and identify surface antigens. The library was screened with rabbit polyclonal anti-E. histolytica serum. A 700-base-pair cDNA insert was isolated and the nucleotide sequence was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA revealed a cysteine-rich protein. DNA hybridizations showed that the gene was specific to E. histolytica since the cDNA probe reacted with DNA from four axenic strains of E. histolytica but did not react with DNA from Entamoeba invadens, Acanthamoeba castellanii, or Trichomonas vaginalis. The insert was subcloned into the expression vector pGEX-1 and the protein was expressed as a fusion with the C terminus of glutathione S-transferase. Purified fusion protein was used to generate 22 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a mouse polyclonal antiserum specific for the E. histolytica portion of the fusion protein. ...
/sup 203/Pb(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ was administered i.v. to pregnant C57BL mice at different stages, from day 8 to day 18 of gestation. The whole animals or excised uteri were subjected to autoradiography or were autopsied for scintillation counting of excised organs. Lead appeared in embryonic and fetal tissues at all stages of gestation. Early (approx. day 8-11) lead was restricted mainly to the embryonic blood, suggesting that free lead was essentially not transferred to the embryo but may have been incorporated in the embryonic hemoglobin when the erythrocytes were formed in the yolk sac placenta (an extraembryonic membrane). From day 12 and later, an uptake was seen in the liver and the cartilaginous skeleton, and from day 14, a strong accumulation was found in calcified bone. This means that the overall fetal concentration increases successively with gestational age of the conceptus. The uptake in fetal liver may be related to the erythropoiesis taking place in the liver in later ...
"2"0"3Pb(NO_3)_2 was administered i.v. to pregnant C57BL mice at different stages, from day 8 to day 18 of gestation. The whole animals or excised uteri were subjected to autoradiography or were autopsied for scintillation counting of excised organs. Lead appeared in embryonic and fetal tissues at all stages of gestation. Early (approx. day 8-11) lead was restricted mainly to the embryonic blood, suggesting that free lead was essentially not transferred to the embryo but may have been incorporated in the embryonic hemoglobin when the erythrocytes were formed in the yolk sac placenta (an extraembryonic membrane). From day 12 and later, an uptake was seen in the liver and the cartilaginous skeleton, and from day 14, a strong accumulation was found in calcified bone. This means that the overall fetal concentration increases successively with gestational age of the conceptus. The uptake in fetal liver may be related to the erythropoiesis taking place in the liver in later gestation. While ...
In neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and prion disease it has been shown that host genetic background can have a significant effect on susceptibility. Indeed, human genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have implicated several candidate genes. Understanding such genetic susceptibility is relevant to risks of developing variant CJD (vCJD) in populations exposed to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and understanding mechanisms of neurodegeneration. In mice, aspects of prion disease susceptibility can be modelled by examining the incubation period following experimental inoculation. Quantitative trait linkage studies have already identified multiple candidate genes; however, it is also possible to take an individual candidate gene approach. Rarb and Stmn2 were selected as candidates based on the known association with vCJD. Because of the increasing overlap described between prion and Alzheimer's diseases we also chose Clu, Picalm and Cr1, which were identified as ...
A factor produced by plerocercoids of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides is similar to human growth hormone (hGH) in that it stimulates body growth, binds to hGH receptors, cross-reacts with anti-hGH antibodies, and has lactogenic and insulin-like activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) is similar to hGH in expressing diabetogenic activity in the genetically obese (ob/ob) mouse. To determine an effective dose for use in the obese mice, the ability of daily injections of PGF to stimulate growth of phenotypically normal mice of the same strain was assessed in a 10-day weight gain assay. Injections of PGF stimulated a dose-dependent weight gain (r = 0.83) and 25 ng eq/day of PGF stimulated a response not significantly different from that produced by 100 micrograms of bovine growth hormone/day. Diabetogenicity was assessed using fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance tests in obese mice that had been ...
The effect of in vitro and in vivo administration of ethanol on the binding of "3"5S-t-butyl-bicyclophosphorothionate ("3"5S-TBPS) to cortical brain membranes of C57B1 mice was investigated using KCl (100 mM) containing assay media. The in vitro addition of ethanol produced a dose-dependent inhibition of basal "3"5S-TBPS binding. In the presence of chloride ions, GABA and pentobarbital had a biphasic action (stimulation followed by inhibition) on "3"5S-TBPS binding, whereas diazepam only stimulated the binding. Ethanol reduced the stimulatory effects of GABA and pentobarbital in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on the enhancement of "3"5S-TBPS binding produced by diazepam. "3"5S-TBPS binding to cortical brain membranes was inhibited by the putative Cl"- channel blocking agent DIDS. This inhibitory action of DIDS was significantly, and dose-dependently reduced by ethanol (#<=# 100 mM ethanol). Chronic ethanol ingestion in vivo, which produced tolerance to and physical ...
The IRG protein Irgm3 preserves cell survival during coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection. However, the molecular mechanisms are not clear. Here, we examined the effect of Irgm3 expression on ER stress triggered by pharmacological agents or CVB3 infection. In Tet-On/Irgm3 HeLa cells, Irgm3 expression suppressed either chemical- or CVB3-induced upregulation of glucose-regulated protein78. Further, Irgm3 strongly inhibited the activation of both the PERK and ATF6 pathways of ER stress responses, which further led to the diminished phosphorylation of eIF2?, reduced cleavage/activation of transcription factor SREBP1 and attenuated induction of proapoptotic genes CHOP and GADD34. These data were further supported by experiments using Irgm3 knockout mouse embryonic fibroblasts, in which the ER stress induced by CVB3 was not relieved due to the lack of Irgm3 expression. In addition, the tunicamycin-triggered ER stress promoted the subsequent CVB3 infection. The effect of ...
Full text: The general population is daily exposed to chronic, low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) from both natural and artificial sources. The biological consequences of acute, high dose IR exposure can be readily determined; however, the nature and significance of low dose, low dose-rate IR effects are still the subject of debate. Confounding the issue, are the phenomena collectively referred to as the Radiation-induced Bystander Effect (RIBE). The RIBE describes a collection of in vitro observations that suggest the presence of a soluble, transmissible factor(s) released from irradiated cells that can induce a biological response in un-irradiated cells. The induction, nature and magnitude of the RIBE varies between cell culture systems, radiation sources and end-points measured. Efforts to confirm the presence of the RIBE in vivo have been confined to in vivo-like culture systems and limited work with tumour and bone-marrow transplantation models. Validation of the RIBE in vivo ...
1. Choline, and the choline analogues monoethylcholine (MEC) and N-aminodeanol (NAD) were examined for prophylactic activity in acute acetylcholinesterase inhibitor toxicity in mice. The rank order of potency of the compounds was MEC greater than NAD greater than choline. 2. Simultaneous administration of MEC (60 mg kg-1) or NAD (200 mg kg-1) with physostigmine reduced lethality to 17 and 13% respectively. MEC (60 mg kg-1) completely protected against disopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and diazinon toxicity, and NAD reduced lethality to 17% for both agents. Choline (200 mg kg-1) exhibited only negligible antidotal activity against the inhibitors. 3. In vitro concentrations of choline, MEC, and NAD, similar to the estimated concentration obtained in vivo in the acute toxicity study, produced mixed inhibition of mouse brain acetylcholinesterase. The inhibition was dose-related and was additive to the inhibition produced by the cholinesterase inhibitors. 4. All three ...
Insulitis is considered the histopathological hallmark of type I diabetes. In the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse, diabetes has never been observed in the absence of insulitis. The in vivo detection of insulitis could be of relevance for early prediction of diabetes. As approximately 15% of islet-infiltrating lymphocytes express interleukin 2 receptors, the authors have labelled recombinant inter-leukin 2 with "1"2"3I and used this radiopharmaceutical to detect insulitis by gamma camera imaging. The authors studied 71 prediabetic NOD and 27 normal Balb/c mice. Labelled #alpha#-lactalbumin was used as the control protein. In the first set of experiments the tissue distribution of radiolabelled interleukin 2 in isolated organs from animals sacrificed at different time points was studied. Higher radioactivity was detected in the pancreas of NOD mice injected with labelled interleukin 2, as compared to NOD mice receiving labelled #alpha#-lactalbumin. In another set of ...
A cDNA library was constructed using RNA isolated from the livers of chickens which had been treated with zinc. This library was screened with a RNA probe complementary to mouse metallothionein-I (MT), and eight chicken MT cDNA clones were obtained. All of the cDNA clones contained nucleotide sequences homologous to regions of the longest (375 bp) cDNA clone. The latter contained an open reading frame of 189 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence indicates a protein of 63 amino acids of which 20 are cysteine residues. Amino acid composition and partial amino acid sequence analyses of purified chicken MT protein agreed with the amino acid composition and sequence deduced from the cloned cDNA. Amino acid sequence comparison establish that chicken MT shares extensive homology with mammalian MTs. Southern blot analysis of chicken DNA indicates that the chicken MT gene is not a part of a large family of related sequences, but rather is likely to be a unique gene ...
High molecular weight DNA from pleroceroid larvae of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides was purified from isolated nuclei by conventional techniques. The DNA so isolated has a melting temperature (Tm) of 87 degrees C and a guanine plus cytosine (G/C) content of 44%. 5-Methyl cytosine could not be detected in plerocercoid DNA by HPLC analysis of DNA hydrolysates, by radiolabeling 5'-termini of MspI digests with polynucleotide kinase, or by comparing restriction patterns generated by MspI and HpaII. Renaturation kinetics demonstrated that the genome of S. mansonoides contains repetitive as well as single copy sequences and has a genome size estimated at approx. 1.6 X 10(9) bp. Hybridization was carried out between plerocercoid DNA and cDNAs for human beta-actin, alpha-tubulin and growth hormone (hGH). Rationale for this analysis was based on known homologies among actin and tubulin genes in numerous species and on apparent similarities between hGH and a plerocercoid growth factor that ...
Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and laser post-ionization secondary neutral mass spectrometry (laser-SNMS) have been used to image and quantify targeted compounds, intrinsic elements and molecules with subcellular resolution in single cells of both cell cultures and tissues. Special preparation procedures for analyzing cell cultures and tissue materials were developed. Cancer cells type MeWo, incubated with boronated compounds, were sandwiched between two substrates, cryofixed, freeze-fractured and freeze-dried. Also, after injection with boronated compounds, different types of mouse tissues were extracted, prepared on a special specimen carrier and plunged with high velocity into LN{sub 2}-cooled propane for cryofixation. After trimming, these tissue blocks were freeze-dried. The measurements of the K/Na ratio demonstrated that for both cell cultures and tissue materials the special preparation techniques used were appropriate for ...
From the dried fruiting bodies of the mushroom Armillaria luteo-virens, a dimeric lectin with a molecular mass of 29.4 kDa has been isolated. The purification procedure involved (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4} precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, and Q-Sepharose, and gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75. The hemagglutinating activity of the lectin could not be inhibited by simple sugars but was inhibited by the polysaccharide inulin. The activity was stable up to 70 {sup o}C but was acid- and alkali-labile. Salts including FeCl{sub 3}, AlCl{sub 3}, and ZnCl{sub 2} inhibited the activity whereas MgCl{sub 2}, MnCl{sub 2}, and CaCl{sub 2} did not. The lectin stimulated mitogenic response of mouse splenocytes with the maximal response achieved by 1 {mu}M lectin. Proliferation of tumor cells including MBL2 cells, HeLa cells, and L1210 cells was inhibited by the lectin with an IC{sub 5} of 2.5, 5, and 10 ...
By polymerase chain reaction with arbitrary primer (AP-PCR), the possibility of transmission of genome instability to somatic cells of the offspring (F_1 generation) from male parents of mice exposed to chronic low-dose #gamma#-radiation was studied. Male mice 15 days after exposure to 10-50 cGy were mated with unirradiated females. Biopsies were taken from tale tips of two month-old mice progeny for DNA separation. Primer in the AP-PCR was 20-mer oligonucleotide flanking the micro-satellite locus Atplb2 on chromosome 11 of the mouse. Comparative analysis of individual fingerprints of AP-PCR products on DNA-templates from the offspring of irradiated and unirradiated male mice revealed an increased variability of micro-satellite-associated sequences in the genome of the offspring of males exposed to 25 and 50 cGy. DNA-fingerprints of the offspring of male mice exposed to chronic irradiation doses 10 and 25 cGy. 15 days before fertilization (at the post-meiotic stage ...
PNAS-4, a novel pro-apoptotic gene activated during the early response to DNA damage, can inhibit proliferation via apoptosis when overexpressed in some tumor cells. Recent studies have indicated that honokiol can induce apoptosis, inhibit angiogenesis, and suppress tumor growth. In the present study, we investigated whether mouse PNAS-4 (mPNAS-4) could augment the apoptosis of tumor cells induced by honokiol in vitro, and whether the antiangiogenic activity of honokiol and induction of apoptosis by mPNAS-4 could work cooperatively to improve the antitumor efficacy in vivo. In vitro, mPNAS-4 inhibited proliferation of murine colorectal carcinoma CT26 and Lewis lung carcinoma LL2 cells through induction of apoptosis, and significantly augmented the apoptosis of CT26 and LL2 cells induced by honokiol. Compared with treatment with mPNAS-4 or honokiol alone, in vivo systemic administration of an expression plasmid encoding mPNAS-4 and low-dose honokiol significantly ...
Purpose: Previous data suggest that the PKC? catalytic V5 (PKC?-V5) heptapeptide (HEPT) (FEQFLDI) binds HSP27 and blocks HSP27-mediated radio- or chemoresistance. Here we investigated further the in vivo function of the PKC?-V5 HEPT. Methods and Materials: Labeling of HEPT with Cy5.5 or fluorescein isothiocyanate was performed to evaluate in vitro or in vivo distribution of HEPT. A clonogenic survival assay, flow cytometry, and Western blotting of cleaved caspase-3 were performed to determine in vitro sensitization effects of HEPT plus ionizing radiation (IR) versus IR alone or those of HEPT plus cisplatin(Cis) versus Cis alone. A nude mouse xenografting system was also applied to detect in vivo sensitizing effects of HEPT. Results: HEPT efficiently bound to HSP27 and showed sensitization after combined treatment with IR versus treatment with Cis alone in NCI-H1299 lung carcinoma cells, with higher HSP27 expression, which was similar to that of combined treatment ...
The Chediak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a severe autosomal recessive condition, features of which are partial oculocutaneous albinism, increased susceptibility to infections, deficient natural killer cell activity, and the presence of large intracytoplasmic granulations in various cell types. Similar genetic disorders have been described in other species, including the beige mouse. On the basis of the hypothesis that the murine chromosome 13 region containing the beige locus was homologous to human chromosome 1, we have mapped the CHS locus to a 5-cM interval in chromosome segment 1q42.1-q42.2. The highest LOD score was obtained with the marker D1S235 (Z{sub max} = 5.38; {theta} = 0). Haplotype analysis enabled us to establish D1S2680 and D1S163, respectively, as the telomeric and the centromeric flanking markers. Multipoint linkage analysis confirms the localization of the CHS locus in this interval. Three YAC clones were found to cover the entire region in a contig ...
Cdc7 kinase plays an essential role in firing of replication origins by phosphorylating components of the replication complexes. Cdc7 kinase has also been implicated in S phase checkpoint signaling downstream of the ATR and Chk1 kinases. Inactivation of Cdc7 in yeast results in arrest of cell growth with 1C DNA content after completion of the ongoing DNA replication. In contrast, conditional inactivation of Cdc7 in undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells leads to growth arrest with rapid cessation of DNA synthesis, suggesting requirement of Cdc7 functions for continuation of ongoing DNA synthesis. Furthermore, loss of Cdc7 function induces recombinational repair (nuclear Rad51 foci) and G2/M checkpoint responses (inhibition of Cdc2 kinase). Eventually, p53 becomes highly activated and the cells undergo massive p53-dependent apoptosis. Thus, defective origin activation in mammalian cells can generate DNA replication checkpoint signals. Efficient removal of ...
Perinatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) or methylmercury (MeHg) results in impaired neurodevelopment. Thyroid hormone is essential for normal brain development. However, the issue whether Cd or MeHg, especially at low doses, interrupts thyroid hormone action remains to be investigated. In the present study, effects of perinatal exposure to low levels of Cd or MeHg on thyroid hormone metabolism were examined using metallothionein I and II (MT-I/II) null or wild-type neonatal mice. Dams were exposed to 10 mg/L water of Cd or 5 mg/kg chow of MeHg from gestational day 0 to post-natal day 10 (PND 10). Sera, livers and brains were collected from neonates on PND 10. Iodothyronine deiodinase activities and serum thyroxine (T4) concentrations were measured. MeHg exposure failed to induce changes in serum T4 levels and liver type 1 deiodinase (D1) and brain type 2 deiodinase (D2) activities regardless of the MT genotype. However, exposure to MeHg resulted in a decrease in brain type 3 deiodinase (D3) ...
In a given species, injected opioid peptides usually cause changes in temperature similar to those caused by nonpeptide opioids. The main effect in those species most studied, the cat, rat, and mouse, is an increase in the level about which body temperature is regulated; there is a coordinated change in the activity of thermoregulatory effectors such that hyperthermia is produced in both hot and cold environments. Larger doses may depress thermoregulation, thereby causing body temperature to decrease in the cold. Elicitation of different patterns of response over a range of environmental temperatures and studies with naloxone and naltrexone indicate that stimulation of a number of different receptors by both peptide and nonpeptide opioids can evoke thermoregulatory responses. ..beta..-Endorphin is readily antagonized by naloxone whereas methionine-enkephalin can act on naloxone-insensitive receptors. Moreover, synthetic peptide analogs do not necessarily evoke the ...
The present study was designed to assess the radioprotective effects of amifostine on ovarian follicles. Three week-old female mice with or without pretreatment of amifostine were irradiated with 6.42 Gy of #gamma# -ray. Ovaries were collected 0 and 6h after irradiation. DNA fragmentation pattern and expression of genes and activity of proteins related with apoptosis were investigated by means of RT-PCR and Western blot. Proliferation of granulosa cells was reduced and incidence rate of follicular atresia was increased in ovarian follicles in #gamma# -ray irradiated mice compared to those in control or amifostine-treated group. DNA fragmentation was increased in time-dependent manner in granulosa cells of all irradiated groups. However, no difference between amifostine pre-treated group and irradiated groups was found and the expression of p53 as tumor suppressor gene and Bax as one of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family was increased in irradiated mice ovaries. PARP as DNA damage sensor was ...
Metabolism of benzene is thought to be necessary to produce the toxic effects, including carcinogenicity, associated with benzene exposure. To extrapolate from the results of rodent studies to potential health risks in man, one must know how benzene metabolism is affected by species, dose, dose rate, and repeated versus single exposures. The purpose of our studies was to determine the effect of repeated inhalation exposures on the metabolism of [14C]benzene by rodents. Benzene metabolism was assessed by characterizing and quantitating urinary metabolites, and by quantitating 14C bound to hemoglobin and micronuclei induction. F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice were exposed, nose-only, to 600 ppm benzene or to air (control) for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 3 weeks. On the last day, both benzene-pretreated and control animals were exposed to 600 ppm, 14C-labeled benzene for 6 hr. Individual benzene metabolites in urine collected for 24 hr after the exposure were analyzed. There was a significant ...
Whole-body retention and excretion following a single oral dose of radiolabeled lead (/sup 203/Pb) in chronically lead-exposed pregnant BK:W mice were examined over 10-13 days. This was compared with values in similarly treated nonpregnant females and in ip injected females. Whole-body and bone retention were greater in injected than in orally dosed nonpregnant females; gastrointestinal absorption was estimated from this difference. Whole-body retention in the pups was measured at birth and at the end of the experiment. Whole-body retentions in pregnant females and in their pups at birth were significantly raised after treatment at Gestational Day 17, but not after treatment at Gestational Day 11, 14, 20, 23, or 26. Pup body burdens at birth were significantly and positively correlated with maternal retention. Measurement of radioactivity in bone, kidney, brain, heart, and liver of adults at the end of the experiments showed significantly increased levels in bone and kidney from ...
Whole-body retention and excretion following a single oral dose of radiolabeled lead ("2"0"3Pb) in chronically lead-exposed pregnant BK:W mice were examined over 10-13 days. This was compared with values in similarly treated nonpregnant females and in ip injected females. Whole-body and bone retention were greater in injected than in orally dosed nonpregnant females; gastrointestinal absorption was estimated from this difference. Whole-body retention in the pups was measured at birth and at the end of the experiment. Whole-body retentions in pregnant females and in their pups at birth were significantly raised after treatment at Gestational Day 17, but not after treatment at Gestational Day 11, 14, 20, 23, or 26. Pup body burdens at birth were significantly and positively correlated with maternal retention. Measurement of radioactivity in bone, kidney, brain, heart, and liver of adults at the end of the experiments showed significantly increased levels in bone and kidney from females ...
The dose-dependent transfer of [sup 203]Pb to milk and uptake in suckling rats and mice during a three-day nursing period was studied. On day 14 of lactation, the dams were administered a single intravenous dose of lead, labelled with [sup 203]Pb, in four or five doses from 0.0005 to 2.0 mg Pb/kg b.wt. There was a linear relationship between Pb levels in plasma and milk of both species. The Pb milk: plasma ratios at 24 hr after administration were 119 and 89 in mice and rats, respectively. At 72 hr the Pb milk: plasma ratio had decreased to 72 in mice and 35 in rats. The tissue levels of lead in the suckling rats and mice were also linearly correlated with lead concentration in milk at 72 hr, showing that milk could be used as an indicator of lead exposure to the suckling offspring. It is concluded that lead is transported into rat and mouse milk to a very high extent and the excretion into milk is more efficient in mice than in rats. On the other hand, rat pups ...
Colorectal carcinoma is a highly prevalent and common cause of cancer in Taiwan. There is still no available cure for this malignant disease. To address this issue, we applied the multimodality of molecular imaging to explore the efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic nanoradiopharmaceuticals in an animal model of human colorectal adenocarcinoma [colorectal cancer (CRC)] that stably expresses luciferase (luc) as a reporter. In this study, an in vivo therapeutic efficacy evaluation of dual-nanoliposome (100 nm in diameter) encaged vinorelbine (VNB) and "1"1"1In-oxine on HT-29/luc mouse xenografts was carried out. HT-29/luc tumor cells were transplanted subcutaneously into male SCID mice. Multimodality of molecular imaging approaches including bioluminescence imaging (BLI), gamma scintigraphy, whole-body autoradiography (WBAR) and in vivo tumor growth tracing, histopathology and biochemistry/hematology analyses were applied on xenografted SCID mice to study the ...
The detection of rare mutations has many important applications, including risk assessment of drugs and chemicals, measuring environmental exposures to genotoxins, and cancer cell detection. A sensitive genotypic selection method has been developed that combines two different mutant allele selection techniques, MutEx enrichment and allele-specific competitive blocker PCR (ACB-PCR). This method was developed and evaluated for the detection of a CAA --> AAA mutation at codon 61 of the mouse H-ras gene. The MutEx enrichment is based on MutS binding to a mismatched basepair in heteroduplex DNA. The bound MutS protects the mutant allele from degradation during subsequent exonuclease treatment. ACB-PCR preferentially amplifies a mutant allele in a PCR reaction using a primer that has more mismatches to the wild-type allele than the mutant allele. By combining these two approaches, the codon 61 mutation was detected at mutant fractions as low as 1 in 10(7). This ...
We describe the synthesis of metal-chelating polymers (MCPs) with four different pendant polyaminocarboxylate ligands (EDTA, DTPA, TTHA, DOTA) and an orthogonal end-group, either a fluorescein molecule or a bismaleimide linker for antibody attachment. Polymer characterization by a combination of (1)H NMR, UV/vis absorption measurements, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that each chain of the fluorescein-terminated polymers contained one dye molecule. These polymer samples were loaded with three different types of lanthanide ions as well as palladium and platinum ions. The numbers of metal atoms per chain were determined by a combination of UV/vis and conventional ICP-MS measurements. The experiments with lanthanide ions demonstrated that a net anionic charge on the polymer is important for water solubility. These experiments also showed that at least one type of lanthanide ion (La(3+)) is capable of forming a bimetallic complex with pendant DTPA groups. Conditions were ...
Currently, over 30,000 mapped STSs and 27,000 mapped Unigenes (non-redundant, unigene sets of cDNA representing EST clusters) are available for human alone. A total of 44,000 Unigene cDNA clones have been supplied by Research Genetics. Unigenes, or cDNAs are excellent resource for map building for two reasons. Firstly, they exist in two alternative forms -- as both sequence information for PCR primer pairs, and cDNA clones -- thus making library screening by colony hybridization as well as pooled library PCR possible. The authors have developed an efficient and robust procedure to screen genomic libraries with large number of DNA probes. Secondly, the linkage and order of expressed sequences, or genes are highly conserved among human, mouse and other mammalian species. Therefore, mapping with cDNA markers rather than random anonymous STSs will greatly facilitate comparative, evolutionary studies as well as physical map building. They have currently deconvoluted ...
A rat thyrotropin (thyroid-stimulating hormone, TSH) receptor cDNA was isolated that encoded a protein of 764 amino acids, M_r 86,528. Transfection of the cDNA caused COS-7 cells to develop a TSH-sensitive adenylate cyclase response and the ability to bind "1"2"5I-labeled TSH; both activities were similar to those of rat FRTL-5 thyroid cells and not duplicated by lutropin. The gene represented by the cDNA was assigned to mouse chromosome 12 and human chromosome 14. Northern analyses identified two species of mRNA, 5.6 and 3.3 kilobases, in FRTL-5 thyroid cells; the transcripts appeared to differ only in the extent of their 3' noncoding sequences. There were minimal amounts of the two mRNAs in rat ovary, and neither was detected in RNA preparations from rat testis, liver, lung, brain, spleen, and FRT thyroid cells, which do not have a functional TSH receptor. TSH decreased both mRNA species 3- to 4-fold within 8 hr in FRTL-5 thyroid cells; down-regulation was ...
Exogenous adenosine 5{prime}-triphosphate (ATP) mobilized intracellular calcium in human carcinoma A43l cells and in Swiss 3T3 and 3T6 mouse fibroblasts by increasing inositol trisphosphate similar to well down growth factors (platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), bradykinin (BK), serum). Calcium mobilization was examined by video imaging of fura-2 fluorescence is single cells, following the radioactive isotope {sup 45}Ca, and monitoring the decrease in fluorescence of cells loaded with chlortetracycline. Uridine 5{prime}-triphosphate, but not other nucleotides, mimicked ATP. Single-cell analysis revealed synchronous responses in 10 sec to ATP, BK or serum, while PDGF (3T3) and EGF (A431) produced slower signals with significant cell-to-cell variation. PDGF desensitized 3T3 cells to ATP and BK added 100 sec later but ATP or BK did not desensitized to PDGF. Homologous desensitization was seen with all agonists. Heterologous ...
A Task Group of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has finished a report Biological Effects after Prenatal Irradiation (Embryo and Fetus) which has been approved by the Main Commission and Will be Published. Some new important scientific data shall be discussed in this contribution. During the preimplantation period lethality of the mammalian embryo is the dominating radiation effect. However, in mouse strains with genetic predispositions it has been shown that also malformations can be caused. This effect is genetically determined and its mechanisms is different from the induction of malformations during major organogenesis. Radiation exposures during this prenatal period leads ato an increase of genomic instability of cells in the normal appearing fetuses. These radiation effects can be transmitted to the next generation. A renewed analysis of individuals with severe mental retardation after exposures during the 8th to 15th week post ...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and has very limited therapeutic options. Recently, it has been found that hyaluronic acid (HA) shows selective binding to CD44 receptors expressed in most cancer histotypes. Since the trend in cancer treatment is the use of targeted radionuclide therapy, the aim of this research was to label HA with rhenium-188 and to evaluate its potential use as a hepatocarcinoma therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. Methods: {sup 188}Re-HA was prepared by a direct labelling method to produce a ReO(O-COO){sub 2}-type coordination complex. {sup 188}Re-HA protein binding and its stability in saline, phosphate buffer, human serum and cysteine solutions were determined. Biokinetic and dosimetric data were estimated in healthy mice (n=60) using the Medical Internal Radiation Dose methodology and mouse model beta-absorbed fractions. To evaluate liver toxicity, alanine aminotranferase (AST) and aspartate aminotranferase ...
Magnolia bark and ginger rhizome is a drug pair in many prescriptions for treatment of mental disorders in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, compatibility and synergism mechanism of two herbs on antidepressant actions have not been reported. The aim of this study was to approach the rationale of the drug pair in TCM. We evaluated antidepressant-like effects of mixture of honokiol and magnolol (HMM), polysaccharides (PMB) from magnolia bark, essential oil (OGR) and polysaccharides (PGR) from ginger rhizome alone, and the possibility of synergistic interactions in their combinations in the mouse forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). Serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NE) levels in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum were also examined. 30 mg/kg HMM decreased immobility in the FST and TST in mice after one- and two-week treatment. OGR (19.5 or 39 mg/kg) alone was ineffective. The combination of an ineffective dose of 39 mg/kg ...
Because every cell within the body has the same genetic information, a significant problem in biology is to understand how cells within a tissue express genes selectively. A sophisticated network of physical and biochemical signals converge in a highly orchestrated manner to bring about the exquisite regulation that governs gene expression in diverse tissues. Thus, the ultimate decision of a cell to proliferate, express tissue-specific genes, or apoptose must be a coordinated response to its adhesive, growth factor, and hormonal milieu. The unifying hypothesis examined in this overview is that the unit of function in higher organisms is neither the genome nor the cell alone but the complex, three-dimensional tissue. This is because there are bidirectional connections between the components of the cellular microenvironment (growth factors, hormones, and extracellular matrix) and the nucl2048 These connections are made via membrane-bound receptors and transmitted to the nucleus, where ...
There is very little known about the long-term evolution of the MHC and MHC-like molecules. This is because both the theory (the evolutionary questions and models) and the practice (the animals systems, functional assays and reagents to identify and characterize these molecules) have been difficult to develop. There is no molecular evidence yet to decide whether vertebrate immune systems (and particularly the MHC molecules) are evolutionarily related to invertebrate allorecognition systems, and the functional evidence can be interpreted either way. Even among the vertebrates, there is great heterogeneity in the quality and quantity of the immune response. The functional evidence for T-lymphocyte function in jawless and cartilagenous fish is poor, while the bony fish seem to have many characteristics of a mammalian immune system. The organization and sequence of fish Ig genes also indicate that important events in the evolution of the immune system and the MHC occurred in the fish, but ...
Full text: An adaptive response is a decreased biological effect induced by a priming radiation dose given prior to a challenge dose. Adaptive responses contradict the linear-nothreshold model of risk estimation. The pKZ1 mouse chromosomal inversion assay is an extremely sensitive assay for studying the mutagenic effect of low dose radiation. A non-linear dose response for chromosomal inversion has been observed in pKZ1 spleen and prostate after a single whole body irradiation with doses between 1?Gy and 10mGy. Doses between 5-10?Gy resulted in an induction in inversions and doses between 1-10mGy resulted in a reduction below endogenous inversion frequency. These results suggest that doses in the 1-10 mGy range cause host responses which overcompensate by not only preventing inversions that would normally occur as a result of the low doses of radiation but also by preventing some of the endogenous inversions that would have occurred in the absence of radiation. It ...
Neuron differentiation is a complex process involving various cell-cell interactions, and multiple signaling pathways. We showed previously that CD40 is expressed and functional on mouse and human neurons. In neurons, ligation of CD40 protects against serum withdrawal-induced injury and plays a role in survival and differentiation. CD40 deficient mice display neuron dysfunction, aberrant neuron morphologic changes, and associated gross brain abnormalities. Previous studies by Tone and colleagues suggested that five isoforms of CD40 exist with two predominant isoforms expressed in humans: signal-transducible CD40 type I and a C-terminal truncated, non-signal-transducible CD40 type II. We hypothesized that differential expression of CD40 isoform type I and type II in neurons may modulate neuron differentiation. Results show that adult wild-type, and CD40"-"/"- deficient mice predominantly express CD40 type I and II isoforms. Whereas adult wild-type mice express ...
Background: Cu-diacetyl-bis(N{sup 4}-methylthiosemicarbazone) [Cu-ATSM], although excellent for oncology applications, may not be suitable for delineating cardiovascular or neurological hypoxia. For this reason, new Cu hypoxia positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents are being examined to search for a higher selectivity for hypoxic or ischemic tissue at higher oxygen concentrations found in these tissues. Two approaches are to increase alkylation or to replace the sulfur atoms with selenium, resulting in the formation of selenosemicarbazones. Methods: Three {sup 64}Cu-labeled selenosemicarbazone complexes were synthesized and one was screened for hypoxia selectivity in vitro using EMT-6 mouse mammary carcinoma cells. Rodent biodistribution and small animal PET images were obtained from BALB/c mice implanted with EMT-6 tumors. One alkylated thiosemicarbazone was synthesized and examined. Results: Of the three bis(selenosemicarbazone) ligands synthesized and ...
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of replication-competent adenovirus-mediated double suicide gene therapy in an adjuvant setting with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in an experimental prostate cancer model in preparation for a Phase I clinical study in humans. Methods: For efficacy studies, i.m. DU145 and intraprostatic LNCaP C4-2 tumors were established in immune-deficient mice. Tumors were injected with the lytic, replication-competent Ad5-CD/TKrep adenovirus containing a cytosine deaminase (CD)/herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-1 TK) fusion gene. Two days later, mice were administered 1 week of 5-fluorocytosine + ganciclovir (GCV) prodrug therapy and fractionated doses of EBRT (trimodal therapy). Tumor control rate of trimodal therapy was compared to that of EBRT alone. For toxicology studies, immune-competent male mice received a single intraprostatic injection (10"1"0 vp) of the replication-competent Ad5-CD/TKrep ...