Intra HLA-D/DR region recombinant detected by primed lymphocyte typing (PLT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, B K; Kristensen, T; Lamm, L U

1983-01-01

The chromosome 6 markers, HLA-ABC, D, DR, MT, properdin factor Bf, and complement factors 2 (C2) and 5 (C4), were studied in three families, each of which included two HLA identical siblings, one or both of whom were known to be HLA-B: GLO recombinants. The families were also typed with primed...... lymphocyte typing (PLT) for HLA-D/DR region associated DP antigens. None of these studies gave evidence that the recombinations had occurred within the HLA region. Mixed leucocyte culture (MLC) tests within the families showed no detectable stimulation between the HLA identical siblings in two...

In Utero Exposure to Histological Chorioamnionitis Primes the Exometabolomic Profiles of Preterm CD4+ T Lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Matta, Poojitha; Sherrod, Stacy D; Marasco, Christina C; Moore, Daniel J; McLean, John A; Weitkamp, Joern-Hendrik

2017-11-01

Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) is an intrauterine inflammatory condition that increases the risk for preterm birth, death, and disability because of persistent systemic and localized inflammation. The immunological mechanisms sustaining this response in the preterm newborn remain unclear. We sought to determine the consequences of HCA exposure on the fetal CD4 + T lymphocyte exometabolome. We cultured naive CD4 + T lymphocytes from HCA-positive and -negative preterm infants matched for gestational age, sex, race, prenatal steroid exposure, and delivery mode. We collected conditioned media samples before and after a 6-h in vitro activation of naive CD4 + T lymphocytes with soluble staphylococcal enterotoxin B and anti-CD28. We analyzed samples by ultraperformance liquid chromatography ion mobility-mass spectrometry. We determined the impact of HCA on the CD4 + T lymphocyte exometabolome and identified potential biomarker metabolites by multivariate statistical analyses. We discovered that: 1) CD4 + T lymphocytes exposed to HCA exhibit divergent exometabolomic profiles in both naive and activated states; 2) ∼30% of detected metabolites differentially expressed in response to activation were unique to HCA-positive CD4 + T lymphocytes; 3) metabolic pathways associated with glutathione detoxification and tryptophan degradation were altered in HCA-positive CD4 + T lymphocytes; and 4) flow cytometry and cytokine analyses suggested a bias toward a T H 1-biased immune response in HCA-positive samples. HCA exposure primes the neonatal adaptive immune processes by inducing changes to the exometabolomic profile of fetal CD4 + T lymphocytes. These exometabolomic changes may link HCA exposure to T H 1 polarization of the neonatal adaptive immune response. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Genetic studies of the HLA-D region by the primed lymphocyte test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeWolf, W.C.; Carroll, P.G.; Yunis, E.J.

1978-01-01

The control and influence of the stimulating DRw antigens on primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) response was studied by using a discriminatory PLT assay with a low responder: stimulator ratio. Positive restimulation was established at 90.3% RR, based on a statistical evaluation of a composite or %RR values from 13 separate intrafamily PLTs performed in this laboratory. Two intrafamily PLT cells were then made against specificities HLA-DRwl and HLA-DRw3 and restimulated with a panel of unrelated individuals. The results show a very high correlation (p < 0.001) between the HLA-DRw antigen specificity of those unrelated panel cells that stimulated in PLT and the HLA-DRw target specificity, which shows that PLT reactivity is strongly influenced by HLA-DRw

Increased radiosensitivity of a subpopulation of T-lymphocyte progenitors from patients with Fanconi's anemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knox, S.J.; Wilson, F.D.; Greenberg, B.R.; Shifrine, M.; Rosenblatt, L.S.; Reeves, J.D.; Misra, H.

1981-01-01

In vitro radiation survival of peripheral blood T lymphocytes was studied in 15 clinically normal adults and 4 patients with Fanconi's anemia. Tritiated thymidine incorporation in a whole blood lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) and a newly developed whole blood T-lymphocyte colony assay were used to measure lymphocyte blastogenesis and colony formation in response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin-A (Con-A) stimulation. Lymphocyte colony formation was found to be consistently more sensitive than the LST for detection of low-level radiation effects using both normal cells and lymphocytes from Fanconi's anemia patients. Lymphocytes from patients with Fanconi's anemia were significantly more sensitive to in vitro x irradiation than lymphocytes from clinically normal individuals as measured by their ability to divide when stimulated by PHA in the LST and colony formation assay. No significant difference in the radiosensitivity of the Con-A response was observed between the two groups. The PHA-responsive T-lymphocyte subpopulation in Fanconi's anemia patients appears to be intrinsically defective. The nature of this defect, significance in the disease process, and relevancy of these findings to the establishment of radiation protection standards are discussed

A Cross-Sectional Study of Ageing and Cardiovascular Function over the Baboon Lifespan.

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Kristen R Yeung

Full Text Available Ageing is associated with changes at the molecular and cellular level that can alter cardiovascular function and ultimately lead to disease. The baboon is an ideal model for studying ageing due to the similarities in genetic, anatomical, physiological and biochemical characteristics with humans. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the changes in cardiovascular profile of baboons over the course of their lifespan.Data were collected from 109 healthy baboons (Papio hamadryas at the Australian National Baboon Colony. A linear regression model, adjusting for sex, was used to analyse the association between age and markers of ageing with P 12 years had significantly shorter telomeres when compared to younger (<3 years baboons (P = 0.001.This study is the first to demonstrate that cardiovascular function alters with age in the baboon. This research identifies similarities within cardiovascular parameters between humans and baboon even though the length of life differs between the two species.

Distribution of mitochondrial clades and morphotypes of baboons ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Recent genetic studies, using maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA, indicate a complex evolutionary history for baboons Papio spp. in general, and for eastern African baboons in particular. To further address this topic and to improve our understanding of phylogeographic patterns of baboons in eastern Africa, ...

Epizootic pertussis focus of hamadryad baboons

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A. Yu. Medkova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The absence of an adequate experimental animal model makes difficult study of immunity against whooping cough and its pathogenesis. Experimental whooping cough reported by us earlier in pubescent non-human primates of the Old World was accompanied by specific clinical and laboratory marks in the absence of cough. The possibility of pertussis modelling while experimental whooping cough in impuberal hamadryad baboons was investigated. In the process of selection of monkeys for the further studies for perfecting of experimental model for pertussis research unexpectedly were detected specific pertussis antibodies in impuberal hamadryad baboons.The aim of the study: revealing of source of infection and transmission of pertussis to hamadryad baboons and investigation of response of antibody-positive impuberal hamadryad baboons to secondary contagion by B. pertussis bacteria while experimental infection.Results. 18 veterinary checked, somatically healthy hamadryad baboons of various gender managed in two neighboring cages. Specific pertussis IgM and IgG antibodies were found in blood serum of all the animals and one of the monkey keepers. By real-time PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs of the monkey keeper and three 7- and 9-month-old hamadryad baboons were registered single B. pertussis genom equivalents. Seropositive impuberal hamadryad baboons were experimentally challenged by virulent B. pertussis 475 strain. Quantity of B. pertussis genom equivalents and percentage of IgM and IgG antibodies in impuberal hamadryad baboons after experimental infection were detected. These results were comparable with such received after secondary experimental challenge of monkeys by B. pertussis. Humoral immuneresponse was characterized by booster effect and rapid B. pertussis elimination.Conclusion. The case of transmission of B.pertussis bacteria to hamadryad baboons by natural contagion and epizootic focus of pertussis in apery conditions

Bomb-spike dating of a mummified baboon in Ludwig Cave, Namibia

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Hodgins Greg

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In 1982 a mummified adult female baboon was discovered on a ledge in Ludwig Cave in Namibia. A toe bone was removed for dating in July 1995. AMS radiocarbon dating of bone collagen, tendon, and skin indicates a post-modern age. Application of the atomic bomb-spike calibration curve suggests death in late 1977 and an age at death of around 19 years. Baboons roost in the cave and the mummified female, along with a mummified juvenile male discovered in 2002 and three rotting corpses discovered in 1995, were probably chased by other baboons or by leopards down a ca. 6 m drop during the rainy season, and were unable to climb the steep and very slippery slope to escape. The large number of baboons trapped in the cave in less than 20 years, and mummification of two individuals on dry, dusty ledges in the cave, may explain why large numbers of baboon skeletons have been discovered in ancient bone breccias (up to 4 Ma old in a number of caves throughout Southern Africa.

Stimulatory and cytotoxic effects of beryllium on proliferation of mouse spleen lymphocytes in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Price, R.J.; Skilleter, D.N.

1985-01-01

Low concentrations (1-5 ..mu..M) of beryllium (Be) salts were weakly mitogenic to mouse spleen cells in vitro as measured by an hydroxyurea-sensitive 2-3fold increase in pulse labelled (/sup 3/H)-thymidine incorporation into lymphocyte DNA. It is proposed the activation may be induced by a direct interaction of Be/sup 2 +/ with the lymphocyte membranes. Higher concentrations of Be/sup 2 +/ (5-20 ..mu..M) produced a gradual loss of the stimulatory response, possibly as the result of either a limited cytotoxic effect or by the established property of intracellularly-accumulated Be/sup 2 +/ to inhibit cell division. In contrast, Concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocyte mitogenesis was markedly decreased by a 20-h-preincubation of splenocytes with micromolar concentrations of Be/sup 2 +/, whereas similar pretreatment with lower concentrations (0.1 ..mu..M) actually enchanced the subsequent proliferative response. In both cases, supplementary addition of 0.1-1% peritoneal macrophages increased the level of Concanavalin A stimulation. It is concluded, therefore, that inhibition of the proliferative response to accessory cell-dependent mitogens may result from a dose-dependent destruction by Be/sup 2 +/ of the macrophage/adherent cell population.

Increased radiosensitivity of a subpopulation ot T-lymphocyte progenitors from patients with Fanconi's anemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knox, S.J.; Wilson, F.D.; Greenberg, B.R.; Shifrine, M.; Rosenblatt, L.S.; Reeves, J.D.; Misra, H.

1981-01-01

In vitro radiation survival of peripheral blood T lymphocytes was studied in 15 clinically normal adults and 4 patients with Fanconi's anemia. Tritiated thymidine incorporation in a whole blood lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) and a newly developed whole blood T-lymphocyte colony assay were used to measure lymphocyte blastogenesis and colony formation in response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin-A (Con-A) stimulation. Lymphocyte colony formation was found to be consistently more sensitive than the LST for detection of low-level radiation effects using both normal cells and lymphocytes from Fanconi's anemia patients. Lymphocytes from patients with Fanconi's anemia were significantly more sensitive to in vitro x-irradiation than lymphocytes from clinically normal individuals as measured by their ability to divide when stimulated by PHA in the LST (patients, D37 . 198 R; normals, D37 . 309 R, p . 0.057) and colony formation assay (patients, D37 . 53 R; normals, D37 . 109 R, p . 0.016). No significant difference in the radiosensitivity of the Con-A response was observed between the two groups. The PHA-responsive T-lymphocyte subpopulation in Fanconi's anemia patients appears to be intrinsically defective. The nature of this defect, significance in the disease process, and relevancy of these findings to the establishment of radiation protection standards are discussed

60 ASSESSMENT OF FEEDING BEHAVIOUR OF BABOONS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

results indicate high diversity and abundance of food items for baboons in the study area. A total of 16 food plants, ... Keywords: Feeding behavior, baboon, food items, nutritive value, Hong hills ..... Noy-Meir, I. (1973) Desert ecosystems:.

GENERATION OF CYTOTOXIC LYMPHOCYTES IN MIXED LYMPHOCYTE REACTIONS

Science.gov (United States)

Forman, James; Möller, Göran

1973-01-01

Generation of cytotoxic effector cells by a unidirectional mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in the mouse H-2 system was studied using labeled YAC (H-2a) leukemia cells as targets. The responding effector cell displayed a specific cytotoxic effect against target cells of the same H-2 genotype as the stimulating cell population. Killing of syngeneic H-2 cells was not observed, even when the labeled target cells were "innocent bystanders" in cultures where specific target cells were reintroduced. Similar results were found with spleen cells taken from mice sensitized in vivo 7 days earlier. The effector cell was not an adherent cell and was not activated by supernatants from MLR. The supernatants were not cytotoxic by themselves. When concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin was added to the cytotoxic test system, target and effector cells were agglutinated. Under these conditions, killing of H-2a target cells was observed in mixed cultures where H-2a lymphocytes were also the effector cells. These findings indicate that specifically activated, probably thymus-derived lymphocytes, can kill nonspecifically once they have been activated and providing there is close contact between effector and target cells. Thus, specificity of T cell killing appears to be restricted to recognition and subsequent binding to the targets, the actual effector phase being nonspecific. PMID:4269560

Progesterone--specific binding sites in the kidney of the female baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weaker, F.J.; Herbert, D.C.; Sheridan, P.J.

1984-01-01

The uptake and retention of a radiolabeled synthetic progestin, ORG 2058, was studied in the urinary tract of the female baboon. Four estrogen-primed baboons were injected intravenously with 2.5 micrograms./kg. body weight of 3H-ORG 2058. One animal, which served as a control, received an additional injection of 2.5 mg./kg. body weight of unlabeled progesterone. One hour after the injections, the animals were killed and the kidneys, ureters and urinary bladder were removed and processed for autoradiography. Localization of progestin was observed in the nuclei of the convoluted and straight segments of the distal tubule, the ascending thick limb of the loop of Henle and both cortical and medullary collecting tubules. Connective tissue cells were also labeled in the medulla and cortex of the kidney. An absence of silver grains was noted in the renal corpuscle, all segments of the proximal tubule and the thin loop of Henle. Concentration of the tritiated steroid was not observed in either the ureter or bladder or in any portions of the urinary tract of the control animal. This study suggests that progesterone has a direct effect via a progesterone specific receptor on the various target cells that sequestered the 3H-ORG 2058

Typing for HLA-D/DR associated DP-antigens with the primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morling, N; Jakobsen, B K; Platz, P

1980-01-01

A total of 74 healthy unrelated random individuals and 36 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) were typed for HLA-D antigens with the homozygous typing cell technique and typed for HLA-D/DR associated DP-antigens with the primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) technique. All patients and some...... of the controls were also HLA-DR typed with a limited battery of anti-DR sera. Selected PLT-cells, specific for the HLA-D/DR antigens D/DRw1-8 and the local specificity D"H" were used. The results of the PLT-experiments were evaluated with the Normalized Median Response (NMR) method and the further procedure...

Mechanism of chlorphentermine-induced lymphocyte toxicity: initial investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauers, L.J.; Wierda, D.; Reasor, M.J.

1986-01-01

Chlorphentermine (CP) inhibits the blastogenic response of mouse splenic and human peripheral blood lymphocytes to the T-cell mitogens, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A). The purpose of these studies was to examine in vitro the mechanism mediating this immunosuppression. If mouse or human lymphocytes are pretreated with CP for 30 minutes, then stimulated with PHA, their blastogenic response is inhibited 80% and 45%, respectively. However, if CP is not added until 10 minutes or later following PHA stimulation, the inhibitory effect of the drug is essentially eliminated. The authors also determined that CP can potentiate Con A-induced agglutination of human lymphocytes. Enhanced agglutination can result from changes in the integrity of membrane phospholipids. Because changes in membrane phospholipid biochemistry characteristically occur within 10 minutes after mitogen-induced lymphocyte activation, the authors examined whether CP altered the incorporation of choline into cellular phospholipids. They found that CP decreases overall incorporation of 14 C-choline into cellular phospholipids of mouse lymphocytes by 45% during the first 4 hours of activation. These data suggest that the immunotoxicity associated with CP may be mediated by drug-induced changes at the membrane level that appear to occur early during lymphocyte activation

Thy1+ NK [corrected] cells from vaccinia virus-primed mice confer protection against vaccinia virus challenge in the absence of adaptive lymphocytes.

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Geoffrey O Gillard

2011-08-01

Full Text Available While immunological memory has long been considered the province of T- and B-lymphocytes, it has recently been reported that innate cell populations are capable of mediating memory responses. We now show that an innate memory immune response is generated in mice following infection with vaccinia virus, a poxvirus for which no cognate germline-encoded receptor has been identified. This immune response results in viral clearance in the absence of classical adaptive T and B lymphocyte populations, and is mediated by a Thy1(+ subset of natural killer (NK cells. We demonstrate that immune protection against infection from a lethal dose of virus can be adoptively transferred with memory hepatic Thy1(+ NK cells that were primed with live virus. Our results also indicate that, like classical immunological memory, stronger innate memory responses form in response to priming with live virus than a highly attenuated vector. These results demonstrate that a defined innate memory cell population alone can provide host protection against a lethal systemic infection through viral clearance.

HLA-DP related suppression of mixed lymphocyte reaction with alloactivated lymphocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ødum, Niels; Hofmann, B; Jakobsen, B K

1986-01-01

We studied the influence of HLA class I and class II antigens on the suppression of the MLR induced by primed lymphocytes (PLs) alloactivated in vitro. The suppression of 14 different PLs of 83 MLRs was analyzed. The PLs were primed against (i) HLA-DP (SB) (ii) HLA-DR/DQ or (iii) both HLA-DP and ...

HLA-DP related suppression of mixed lymphocyte reaction with alloactivated lymphocytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ødum, Niels; Hofmann, B; Jakobsen, B K

1986-01-01

We studied the influence of HLA class I and class II antigens on the suppression of the MLR induced by primed lymphocytes (PLs) alloactivated in vitro. The suppression of 14 different PLs of 83 MLRs was analyzed. The PLs were primed against (i) HLA-DP (SB) (ii) HLA-DR/DQ or (iii) both HLA-DP and DR...

The role of the Concanavalin A-binding fraction in cholesterol crystallization in native human bile

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Keulemans, Y. C.; Mok, K. S.; Gouma, D. J.; Groen, A. K.

1997-01-01

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many Concanavalin A-binding glycoproteins have been proposed to influence cholesterol crystallization in human bile. This has been studied mainly by addition of the Concanavalin A-binding fraction to model bile. The physiological relevance of the proteins in native bile is not yet

Increased levels of anti-non-Gal IgG following pig-to-baboon bone marrow transplantation correlate with failure of engraftment

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Fan; Wamala, Isaac; Scalea, Joseph; Tena, Aseda; Cormack, Taylor; Pratts, Shannon; Struuck, Raimon Duran; Elias, Nahel; Hertl, Martin; Huang, Christene A.; Sachs, David H.

2013-01-01

baboon-specific antibodies and baboon anti-pig cellular responses were assessed by mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLR). Results As previously reported, two of five baboons demonstrated detectable bone marrow engraftment at four weeks after transplantation. Engraftment was associated with lack of an increase in anti–non-Gal IgG levels as well as cellular hypo-responsiveness towards pig. Three subsequent baboons with similarly low levels of pre-existing anti-non-Gal IgG showed no engraftment and an increase in anti-non-Gal IgG antibody levels following transplantation. Peripheral macrochimerism was only seen for a few days following transplantation regardless of antibody development. Conclusions Selecting for baboon recipients with low levels of pre-transplant anti-non-Gal IgG did not ensure bone marrow engraftment. Failure to engraft was associated with an increase in anti-non-Gal IgG levels following transplantation. These results suggest that anti-non-Gal-IgG is likely involved in early bone marrow rejection and that successful strategies for combating anti-non-Gal IgG development may allow better engraftment. Since engraftment was only low and transient regardless of antibody development, innate immune, or species compatibility mechanisms will likely also need to be addressed in order to achieve long term engraftment. PMID:24289469

Concanavalin a increases beta-adrenergic and glucocorticoid receptors in porcine splenocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, K.N.; Westly, H.J.

1986-01-01

We identified specific glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic receptors on porcine splenocytes. There are 2000 to 4000 glucocorticoid receptors per cell with a K /SUB D/ of 2 to 4 nM and 1000 beta-adrenergic receptors with a K /SUB D/ of 0.3 to 0.6 nM. When splenocytes were incubated with concanavalin A (Con A), there was an approximate 2-fold increase in both gluococorticoid and beta-adrenergic receptors with no change in binding affinity. Incubation of splenocytes with cortisol as low as 40 nM (13 ng/ml) inhibited proliferation in response to Con A. This inhibitory effect of cortisol was not due to cytotoxic effects of glucocorticoids. At maximal physiologic concentrations (400 nM; 135 ng/ml), cortisol caused reductions in Con A activation of thymocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. When eight wk old pigs were restrained, there was an increase in plasma cortisol, atrophy of thymus and reduction in skin test responses to phytohemagglutinin. On the basis of the data, we suggest that physiologic concentrations of stress asociated hormones affect functional activities of porcine lymphoid cells. Since activated splenocytes display increased numbers of receptors for these hormones, perhaps glucocorticoids or catecholamines normally function in vivo to suppress clonal expansion of antigen activated and autoreactive T lymphocytes

Heterologous Prime-Boost Immunizations with a Virosomal and an Alphavirus Replicon Vaccine

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walczak, Mateusz; de Mare, Arjan; Riezebos-Brilman, Annelies; Regts, Joke; Hoogeboom, Baukje-Nynke; Visser, Jeroen T.; Fiedler, Marc; Jansen-Duerr, Pidder; van der Zee, Ate G. J.; Nijman, Hans W.; Wilschut, Jan; Daemen, Toos

2011-01-01

Heterologous prime-boost immunization strategies in general establish higher frequencies of antigen-specific T lymphocytes than homologous prime-boost protocols or single immunizations. We developed virosomes and recombinant Semliki Forest virus (rSFV) as antigen delivery systems, each capable of

Suppressor cell hyperactivity relative to allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation as a manifestation of defective T-T-cell interactions in systemic lupus erythematosus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenina, M.A.; Potapova, A.A.; Biryukov, A.V.; Skripnik, A.Yu.; Cheredeev, A.N.

1987-01-01

The authors study the state of immunoregulatory process in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus at the T-T-cell interaction level and seek to test the possibility of the pharmacological modulation of this process. The proliferative activity of mononuclear lymphocytes, extracted from the blood of ten lupus patients, was assessed by measuring the incorporation of tritiated thymidine into cultures stimulated by phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin, and theophylline. The comparative effects of each of these agents on the immunoregulatory and proliferative activity of the lymphocytes are reported

Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Monoamine Metabolites in the Epileptic Baboon

Science.gov (United States)

Szabó, C. Ákos; Patel, Mayuri; Uteshev, Victor V.

2016-01-01

The baboon represents a natural model for genetic generalized epilepsy and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). In this retrospective study, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monoamine metabolites and scalp electroencephalography (EEG) were evaluated in 263 baboons of a pedigreed colony. CSF monoamine abnormalities have been linked to reduced seizure thresholds, behavioral abnormalities and SUDEP in various animal models of epilepsy. The levels of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenylglycol, 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid and homovanillic acid in CSF samples drawn from the cisterna magna were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. These levels were compared between baboons with seizures (SZ), craniofacial trauma (CFT) and asymptomatic, control (CTL) baboons, between baboons with abnormal and normal EEG studies. We hypothesized that the CSF levels of major monoaminergic metabolites (i.e., dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine) associate with the baboons’ electroclinical status and thus can be used as clinical biomarkers applicable to seizures/epilepsy. However, despite apparent differences in metabolite levels between the groups, usually lower in SZ and CFT baboons and in baboons with abnormal EEG studies, we did not find any statistically significant differences using a logistic regression analysis. Significant correlations between the metabolite levels, especially between 5-HIAA and HVA, were preserved in all electroclinical groups. While we were not able to demonstrate significant differences in monoamine metabolites in relation to seizures or EEG markers of epilepsy, we cannot exclude the monoaminergic system as a potential source of pathogenesis in epilepsy and SUDEP. A prospective study evaluating serial CSF monoamine levels in baboons with recently witnessed seizures, and evaluation of abnormal expression and function of monoaminergic receptors and transporters within epilepsy-related brain regions, may impact the electroclinical status. PMID:26924854

Increased thermolability of benzodiazepine receptors in cerebral cortex of a baboon with spontaneous seizures: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, R; Naquet, R; Riche, D; Braestrup, C

1979-06-01

The benzodiazepine receptor in the cortex of 1 spontaneously epileptic baboon exhibited an increased rate of thermal inactivation at 65 degrees C when compared with those from 3 other baboons. In other respects (receptor concentration, affinities for flunitrazepam and diazepam, and response to changing pH), the benzodiazepine receptor from this animal was very similar to the receptors in the cortex of 3 other baboons. The 3H-QNB (muscarinic) and 3H-naloxone (opiate) binding sites in the brain of all 4 baboons appeared very similar with respect to all parameters studied (thermal stability, concentration, regional distribution, and affinities for respective ligands). An endogenous factor stabilizing the benzodiazepine receptor could be lacking in the spontaneously epileptic baboon.

HEPATIC FUNCTION AFTER GENETICALLY-ENGINEERED PIG LIVER TRANSPLANTATION IN BABOONS

Science.gov (United States)

Ekser, Burcin; Echeverri, Gabriel J.; Hassett, Andrea Cortese; Yazer, Mark H.; Long, Cassandra; Meyer, Michael; Ezzelarab, Mohamed; Lin, Chih Che; Hara, Hidetaka; van der Windt, Dirk J.; Dons, Eefje M.; Phelps, Carol; Ayares, David; Cooper, David K.C.; Gridelli, Bruno

2010-01-01

Background If ‘bridging’ to allotransplantation is to be achieved by a pig liver xenograft, adequate hepatic function needs to be assured. Methods We have studied hepatic function in baboons after transplantation of livers from α1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout (GTKO,n=1) or GTKO pigs transgenic for CD46 (GTKO/CD46,n=5). Monitoring was by liver function tests and coagulation parameters. Pig-specific proteins in the baboon serum/plasma were identified by Western blot. In 4 baboons, coagulation factors were measured. The results were compared with values from healthy humans, baboons, and pigs. Results Recipient baboons died or were euthanized after 4-7 days following internal bleeding associated with profound thrombocytopenia. However, parameters of liver function, including coagulation, remained in the near-normal range, except for some cholestasis. Western blot demonstrated that pig proteins (albumin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, plasminogen) were produced by the liver from day 1. Production of several pig coagulation factors was confirmed. Conclusions After the transplantation of genetically-engineered pig livers into baboons (1) many parameters of hepatic function, including coagulation, were normal or near-normal; (2) there was evidence for production of pig proteins, including coagulation factors, and (3) these appeared to function adequately in baboons, though inter-species compatibility of such proteins remains to be confirmed. PMID:20606605

Efficacy of a Gal-lectin subunit vaccine against experimental Entamoeba histolytica infection and colitis in baboons (Papio sp.).

Science.gov (United States)

Abd Alla, Mohamed D; Wolf, Roman; White, Gary L; Kosanke, Stanley D; Cary, David; Verweij, Jaco J; Zhang, Mie-Jie; Ravdin, Jonathan I

2012-04-26

To determine the efficacy of a Gal-lectin based intranasal synthetic peptide vaccine, we developed a new experimental primate model of Entamoeba histolytica intestinal infection. Release of xenic E. histolytica trophozoites (5×10(6)) into the small bowel of baboons (Papio sp.) resulted in a rapid intestinal anti-amebic antibody response and a brief infection; however, release of trophozoites directly into the cecum (5 baboons) elicited a sustained E. histolytica infection, as determined by quantitative fecal PCR, and an ulcerative, inflammatory colitis observed on colonoscopy and histopathology. In three controlled experiments, baboons received four immunizations at seven day intervals of 1600 μg of the vaccine/nostril, with Cholera toxin, 20 μg/nostril as adjuvant; vaccinated (n=6) and control baboons (n=6) baboons were then challenged via colonoscopy with xenic trophozoites (5×10(6)). During 90 days of follow up, 250 of 415 (60.24%) fecal samples in control baboons had a (+) PCR for E. histolytica, compared to only 36 of 423 (8.51%) samples from vaccinated baboons (P<0.001). All 6 vaccinated baboons were free of infection by the 51st day after challenge, 5 of 6 controls positive had (+) fecal PCRs for up to 126 days post-challenge (P=0.019). Inflammatory colitis developed in 4 of 6 control baboons post-challenge, with invasive E. histolytica trophozoites present in 2 of the 4 on histopathology. There was no evidence of inflammatory colitis or parasite invasion in any of the vaccinated baboons; there was a strong inverse correlation between positive ELISA OD value indicating the presence of intestinal anti-peptide IgA antibodies and baboons having a positive fecal PCR CT value, P<0.001. In conclusion, we developed a novel primate model of E. histolytica intestinal infection and demonstrated that a Gal-lectin-based intranasal synthetic peptide vaccine was highly efficacious in preventing experimental E. histolytica infection and colitis in baboons. Copyright �

In vitro X-ray irradiation of human peripheral blood T lymphocytes enhances suppressor function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, H.; Tsunematsu, T.

1983-01-01

The effect of in vitro X-ray irradiation on human peripheral blood T lymphocytes was studied with regard to their suppressor activity related to the concanavalin A (Con A)-induced suppressor system. To generate suppressor T lymphocytes, purified human T lymphocytes were incubated for 3 days in the first culture, with or without Con A. These lymphocytes were irradiated with various doses of X-ray before, mid or after the culture. After doing a second culture for 6 days, the suppressive influence of these cells on T lymphocyte proliferation rates stimulated with allogeneic mononuclear cells, and B lymphocyte proliferation rates stimulated with pokeweed mitogen was measured. Irradiation of cultures to which Con A had not been added induced much the same level of suppressor activity as seen in the cultures with Con A. The suppressor activity gradually increased with time from the irradiation to the suppressor cell assay. Suppressor T lymphocytes were resistant to X-ray irradiation and independent of DNA synthesis. However, irradiation-induced enhancement was minimal in cultures incubated with con A, regardless of the irradiation time. (author)

Olive baboons: a non-human primate model for testing dengue virus type 2 replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdés, Iris; Gil, Lázaro; Castro, Jorge; Odoyo, Damián; Hitler, Rikoi; Munene, Elephas; Romero, Yaremis; Ochola, Lucy; Cosme, Karelia; Kariuki, Thomas; Guillén, Gerardo; Hermida, Lisset

2013-12-01

This study evaluated the use of a non-human primate, the olive baboon (Papio anubis), as a model of dengue infection. Olive baboons closely resemble humans genetically and physiologically and have been used extensively for assessing novel vaccine formulations. Two doses of dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) were tested in baboons: 10(3) and 10(4) pfu. Similarly, African green monkeys received the same quantity of virus and acted as positive controls. Following exposure, high levels of viremia were detected in both animal species. There was a trend to detect more days of viremia and more homogeneous viral titers in animals receiving the low viral dose. In addition, baboons infected with the virus generally exhibited positive virus isolation 1 day later than African green monkeys. Humoral responses consisting of antiviral and neutralizing antibodies were detected in all animals after infection. We conclude that baboons provide an alternative non-human primate species for experimental DENV-2 infection and we recommend their use for further tests of vaccines, administering the lowest dose assayed: 10(3) pfu. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of T lymphocytes to gamma rays in patients with cervix tumor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oueslati, R; Kdous, CH; Chouikha, M [Lab. Immunology, Hopital de Tunis, (Tunisia); Maalej, M; Kochbati, N [Service Radiotherapy, Institut Salah Azeiz, (Tunisia)

1995-10-01

In this work we studied the effect of radiotherapy on normal cells in patients with cervix tumors treated only by gamma rays. In our laboratory, after lymphocytes separation, we tested the proliferation system of these cells against the phytohemagglutinin and the concanavalin a antigens; at the same time we tested their sensitivity to lys the erythroid tumor cells line K 562. According to the clinical stage of disease the 25 patients studied were divided in two groups; group I composed of 14 patients at stage I and II proximal, received 50 Gy from a cesium 137 source, in intrauterine and in continuous treatment during 4 days. The second group composed of 11 patients at stage II distal and III, received 50 Gy from a cobalt-60 source in extra uterine, the treatment is fractioned in 3 to 5 times per week, at each time the patient received 1,5 - 3 Gy. To compare with their immunological status before treatment, until 1 month after total dose received, all of our patients lost transitory their capacity to prolifere in vitro. Although the capacity to lys the tumor cells is diminished in cancer patients, the drop of this activity is principally. The selective recuperation of T lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A is also observed. 3 figs., 2 tabs.

Sensitivity of T lymphocytes to gamma rays in patients with cervix tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oueslati, R.; Kdous, CH.; Chouikha, M.; Maalej, M.; Kochbati, N.

1995-01-01

In this work we studied the effect of radiotherapy on normal cells in patients with cervix tumors treated only by gamma rays. In our laboratory, after lymphocytes separation, we tested the proliferation system of these cells against the phytohemagglutinin and the concanavalin a antigens; at the same time we tested their sensitivity to lys the erythroid tumor cells line K 562. According to the clinical stage of disease the 25 patients studied were divided in two groups; group I composed of 14 patients at stage I and II proximal, received 50 Gy from a cesium 137 source, in intrauterine and in continuous treatment during 4 days. The second group composed of 11 patients at stage II distal and III, received 50 Gy from a cobalt-60 source in extra uterine, the treatment is fractioned in 3 to 5 times per week, at each time the patient received 1,5 - 3 Gy. To compare with their immunological status before treatment, until 1 month after total dose received, all of our patients lost transitory their capacity to prolifere in vitro. Although the capacity to lys the tumor cells is diminished in cancer patients, the drop of this activity is principally. The selective recuperation of T lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A is also observed. 3 figs., 2 tabs

Charting the neglected West: The social system of Guinea baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Julia; Kopp, Gisela H; Dal Pesco, Federica; Goffe, Adeelia; Hammerschmidt, Kurt; Kalbitzer, Urs; Klapproth, Matthias; Maciej, Peter; Ndao, Ibrahima; Patzelt, Annika; Zinner, Dietmar

2017-01-01

Primate social systems are remarkably diverse, and thus play a central role in understanding social evolution, including the biological origin of human societies. Although baboons have been prominently featured in this context, historically little was known about the westernmost member of the genus, the Guinea baboon (Papio papio). Here, we summarize the findings from the first years of observations at the field site CRP Simenti in the Niokolo Koba National Park in Senegal. Guinea baboons reveal a nested multi-level social organization, with reproductive units comprising one "primary" male, one to several females, young, and occasionally "secondary" males at the base of the society. Three to five units form "parties," which team up with other parties to form a "gang." Different gangs have largely overlapping home ranges and agonistic interactions between different parties or gangs are rare. Some but not all strongly socially bonded males are highly related, and population genetic and behavioral evidence indicate female-biased dispersal. Females play an important role in intersexual bond formation and maintenance, and female tenure length varies between a few weeks to several years. While the social organization resembles that of hamadryas baboons (P. hamadryas), the social structure differs considerably, specifically in terms of low male aggressiveness and female freedom. Despite substantial differences in social organization and social structure, the acoustic structure of Guinea baboon vocalizations does not differ substantially from that of other baboon taxa. With its multi-level organization, stable bonds between males and females, as well as a high-degree of male-male cooperation and tolerance, Guinea baboons constitute an intriguing model for reconstructing human social evolution. © 2017 American Association of Physical Anthropologists.

Vocal communication in a complex multi-level society: constrained acoustic structure and flexible call usage in Guinea baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Maciej, Peter; Ndao, Ibrahima; Hammerschmidt, Kurt; Fischer, Julia

2013-09-23

To understand the evolution of acoustic communication in animals, it is important to distinguish between the structure and the usage of vocal signals, since both aspects are subject to different constraints. In terrestrial mammals, the structure of calls is largely innate, while individuals have a greater ability to actively initiate or withhold calls. In closely related taxa, one would therefore predict a higher flexibility in call usage compared to call structure. In the present study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of free living Guinea baboons (Papio papio) and examined the structure and usage of the animals' vocal signals. Guinea baboons live in a complex multi-level social organization and exhibit a largely tolerant and affiliative social style, contrary to most other baboon taxa. To classify the vocal repertoire of male and female Guinea baboons, cluster analyses were used and focal observations were conducted to assess the usage of vocal signals in the particular contexts. In general, the vocal repertoire of Guinea baboons largely corresponded to the vocal repertoire other baboon taxa. The usage of calls, however, differed considerably from other baboon taxa and corresponded with the specific characteristics of the Guinea baboons' social behaviour. While Guinea baboons showed a diminished usage of contest and display vocalizations (a common pattern observed in chacma baboons), they frequently used vocal signals during affiliative and greeting interactions. Our study shows that the call structure of primates is largely unaffected by the species' social system (including grouping patterns and social interactions), while the usage of calls can be more flexibly adjusted, reflecting the quality of social interactions of the individuals. Our results support the view that the primary function of social signals is to regulate social interactions, and therefore the degree of competition and cooperation may be more important to explain variation in call usage

The diet of olive baboons (Papio anubis) in the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda

OpenAIRE

Okecha, Adam A.; Newton-Fisher, Nicholas E.

2006-01-01

Baboons (genus Papio) are large-bodied, semi-terrestrial monkeys that occupy a diversity of habitats. Across populations, they show wide variation in dietary composition and in their foraging behaviour. Early studies concluded that baboons were generalist feeders, but it is now clear that baboons selectively exploit their environment. The baboon foraging adaptation, in general terms, may be to selectively exploit a wide array of plant foods to satisfy energetic and nutritional needs when face...

Cerebral blood perfusion after treatment with zolpidem and flumazenil in the baboon.

Science.gov (United States)

Clauss, Ralf P; Dormehl, Irene C; Kilian, Elmaré; Louw, Werner K A; Nel, Wally H; Oliver, Douglas W

2002-01-01

Previous studies have shown that zolpidem (CAS 82626-48-0) can lead to improved perfusion in damaged brain tissue. Zolpidem belongs to the imidazopyridine chemical class and it illicits its pharmacological action via the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor system through stimulation of particularly the omega 1 receptors and to a lesser extent omega 2 receptors. Previously it was reported that no cerebral blood flow effects were observed in normal baboons after treatment with zolpidem, whereas an asymmetric regional increase in cerebral blood flow was observed in a neurologically abnormal baboon. In this study, the effect of a combination of the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil (CAS 78755-81-4) and zolpidem on brain perfusion was examined by the 99mTc-hexamethyl-propylene amine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) split dose brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Four normal baboons and the neurologically abnormal baboon from the previous zolpidem study were examined. In the current study the asymmetric changes observed after zolpidem--only treatment in the abnormal baboon was attenuated by flumazenil intervention. A decreased brain blood flow was observed after combination treatment of zolpidem and flumazenil in the normal baboons. The involvement of the omega receptors is suggested by these results. Up- or down-regulation of omega receptors may also contribute to the observed responses in the abnormal baboon and a brain injured patient.

Vaginal Histological Changes Of The Baboon During The Normal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Setting: The experiments were carried out at Institute of Primate Research (IPR), Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. Subjects: Nine adult healthy female olive baboons were used in this study. These baboons were monitored over a period of one year and found to have regular menstrual cycles. The vaginal biopsies were taken at ...

Metabolism of endogenous surfactant in premature baboons and effect of prenatal corticosteroids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bunt, JEH; Carnielli, VP; Seidner, [No Value; Ikegami, M; Wattimena, JLD; Sauer, PJJ; Jobe, AH; Zimmermann, LJI

1999-01-01

We studied the synthesis of surfactant and the effect of prenatal betamethasone treatment in vivo in very preterm baboons. Ten pregnant baboons were randomized to receive either betamethasone (beta) or saline (control) 48 and 24 h before preterm delivery. The newborn baboons were intubated, treated

Metabolism of endogenous surfactant in premature baboons and effect of prenatal corticosteroids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bunt, JEH; Carnielli, VP; Seidner, [No Value; Ikegami, M; Wattimena, JLD; Sauer, PJJ; Jobe, AH; Zimmermann, LJI

We studied the synthesis of surfactant and the effect of prenatal betamethasone treatment in vivo in very preterm baboons. Ten pregnant baboons were randomized to receive either betamethasone (beta) or saline (control) 48 and 24 h before preterm delivery. The newborn baboons were intubated, treated

Extreme behavioural shifts by baboons exploiting risky, resource-rich, human-modified environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fehlmann, Gaelle; O'Riain, M Justin; Kerr-Smith, Catherine; Hailes, Stephen; Luckman, Adrian; Shepard, Emily L C; King, Andrew J

2017-11-08

A range of species exploit anthropogenic food resources in behaviour known as 'raiding'. Such behavioural flexibility is considered a central component of a species' ability to cope with human-induced environmental changes. Here, we study the behavioural processes by which raiding male chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) exploit the opportunities and mitigate the risks presented by raiding in the suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. Ecological sampling and interviews conducted with 'rangers' (employed to manage the baboons' space use) revealed that baboons are at risk of being herded out of urban spaces that contain high-energy anthropogenic food sources. Baboon-attached motion/GPS tracking collars showed that raiding male baboons spent almost all of their time at the urban edge, engaging in short, high-activity forays into the urban space. Moreover, activity levels were increased where the likelihood of deterrence by rangers was greater. Overall, these raiding baboons display a time-activity balance that is drastically altered in comparison to individuals living in more remote regions. We suggest our methods can be used to obtain precise estimates of management impact for this and other species in conflict with people.

Sex differences in the acoustic structure of vowel-like grunt vocalizations in baboons and their perceptual discrimination by baboon listeners

Science.gov (United States)

Rendall, Drew; Owren, Michael J.; Weerts, Elise; Hienz, Robert D.

2004-01-01

This study quantifies sex differences in the acoustic structure of vowel-like grunt vocalizations in baboons (Papio spp.) and tests the basic perceptual discriminability of these differences to baboon listeners. Acoustic analyses were performed on 1028 grunts recorded from 27 adult baboons (11 males and 16 females) in southern Africa, focusing specifically on the fundamental frequency (F0) and formant frequencies. The mean F0 and the mean frequencies of the first three formants were all significantly lower in males than they were in females, more dramatically so for F0. Experiments using standard psychophysical procedures subsequently tested the discriminability of adult male and adult female grunts. After learning to discriminate the grunt of one male from that of one female, five baboon subjects subsequently generalized this discrimination both to new call tokens from the same individuals and to grunts from novel males and females. These results are discussed in the context of both the possible vocal anatomical basis for sex differences in call structure and the potential perceptual mechanisms involved in their processing by listeners, particularly as these relate to analogous issues in human speech production and perception.

Lymphocyte proliferative responses to mitogens in rats having an ancestry of a perinatal iodine-131 insult

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, R.H.; Cheng, H.F.

1987-01-01

The possible existence of a genealogical memory consisting of altered lymphocyte proliferative responses to a perinatal iodine-131 insult has been investigated in two generations of inbred Fischer F344 rat offspring. The studies which involved exposure to the radioiodine during late pregnancy with concentrations ranging from 1.85 MBq (50 μCi) to 7.4 MBq (200 μCi) revealed that only the peripheral blood T lymphocytes of the first generation male animals were significantly affected. These animals were found to possess T lymphocytes which exhibited increased proliferative responses expressed toward the mitogens concanavalin A and phytohemagglutin; however, no significant changes were noticeable in their B cell population following exposure to lipopolysaccharide. Neither the first generation females nor the male and female offspring of the second generation developed through sibling interbreeding seemed to be affected, this was unlike the cellular, humoral, and natural immunity which had previously been observed to be changed in both the second and third generation animals. These observations suggest that the effects of the radiation insult upon immunocompetency as measured by lymphocyte proliferation do not appear to be inherited

Stimulation of allogeneic lymphocytes by skin epidermal cells in the rat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, S.; Sakai, A.

1979-01-01

The ability of skin epidermal cells to induce allogeneic lymphocytes into proliferation was examined in mixed skin cell-lymphocyte culture reaction (MSLR). The stimulatng capacity of skin cells was reduced significantly by trypsin digestion, although the damage was repaired by incubation at 37 C for 3 hr. The optimal concentration of mitomycin C for treatment of stimulating cells in the MSLR differed from that in mixed lymphocyte culture reaction (MLR). Irradiation rendered them three to four times more stimulatory than did mitomycin C. Removal of adherent cells from responding cells by passage through a nylon-wool column gave a substantial elevation of the MSLR. The lymphocytes cocultured with skin cells in the primary MSLR incorporated 3 H-thymidine, with the peak at the 6th day of culture. If the lymphocytes primed in the MSLR were restimulated with skin cells from the same stimulating strain, the primed lymphocytes responded promptly and in great magnitude

Long-term injury in B-lymphocyte precursor cells in repeatedly-irradiated mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hendry, J.H.; Clarke, D.; Testa, N.; Kimber, J.

1984-01-01

Mice irradiated with 4 doses of 4,5 Gy X-rays at 3-week intervals, demonstrated long-term proliferative defects in B lymphocytes. There was a reduced mitogenic response to bacterial polysaccharide (30%), a lower concentration (35%) of B-lymphocyte colony-forming cells (BL-CFC) in agar with an increased proportion of clusters (x2), and a reduced concentration (30%) of plaque-forming cells. Grafts of thymocytes were able to restore the levels of BL-CFC in the short term, but in the long term large grafts of femoral marrow cells were much better in restoring the numbers of BL-CFC. The reduced mitogenesis (25%) of splenocytes by concanavalin A and the diminished number of plaque-forming cells, may suggest persistent injury in T-B cell cooperation

Schistosoma mansoni: parasitology and immunology of baboons vaccinated with irradiated cryopreserved schistosomula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damian, R T; Powell, M R; Roberts, M L [Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Dept. of Zoology; Clark, J D [Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Lab. Animal Medicine; Stirewalt, M A; Lewis, F A [Biomedical Research Inst., Rockville, MD (USA)

1985-06-01

Young baboons (Papio cynocephalus) were vaccinated with ..gamma..-irradiated (500 Gy) cryopreserved Puerto Rican strain schistosomula of S. mansoni. Protection against heterologous, normal Kenyan Strain S. mansoni challenge infection was erratic and partial; and two putative correlates of immunity, reduced worm fecundity and change in worm location (anterior shift) were not observed. However, immunization of baboons with this vaccine resulted in a stimulated immune system. Both cellular and humoral anamnesis were demonstrable in vaccinated-challenged baboons. Schistosome infection-associated IgM hypergammaglobulinemia was also greatly reduced in vaccinated-challenged baboons. However IgG antibodies to adult, egg, and cercarial antigens were increased after challenge infection in preimmunized baboons. Vaccination appears to have resulted in a redirection of the immune system into anti-parasite channels, but this more specific immune response was insufficient to confer good protection against challenge infection in this experiment. The dampening effect of the vaccine on the hypergammaglobulinemia of schistosomiasis is another candidate for a possible ''anti-pathogenesis'' effect of irradiated schistosome larval vaccines.

On the western fringe of baboon distribution: mitochondrial D-loop diversity of Guinea Baboons (Papio papio Desmarest, 1820 (Primates: Cercopithecidae in Coastal Guinea-Bissau, western Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.J. Ferreira da Silva

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Like many primate species in West Africa, habitat loss and intensive hunting are threatening the poorly studied Guinea Baboon (Papio papio. These factors contributed to a significant population contraction during the last 30 years. Our study presents genetic diversity estimates for the Guinea Baboon based on a 391 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial DNA D-loop hypervariable region I. We used non-invasively collected genetic samples from two locations in Guinea-Bissau: Cufada Lagoons Natural Park and Cantanhez Forest National Park. Although most sampling was opportunistic, we observed and collected samples from two dames (social units. Among the 25 sequences obtained, we found seven closely related mtDNA haplotypes and one highly different haplotype. The presence of this divergent haplotype suggests a contact area between genetically differentiated populations in Cufada Lagoons Natural Park, or dispersal of individuals. The samples gathered from both regions share two of the most common haplotypes in different frequencies, but also exhibit unique haplotypes. No significant genetic differentiation was found between social units from both regions, possibly due to common ancestral origin or frequent dispersal between sampling locations. The presence of different maternal lineages in the same social unit and a higher percentage of variation within social units suggest historical female-biased dispersal for Guinea-Bissau Baboons. We further compared mitochondrial genetic diversity of Guinea and Hamadryas Baboons. We found lower haplotype, nucleotide and theta diversity for Guinea Baboons, which points to different demographic histories of these species. This work supports the need for additional genetic studies within the full Guinea Baboon range.

Studies on the propagation in cell culture and the infectivity for baboons of human hepatitis A virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, M.B.

1985-05-01

Current aspects of hepatitis A and hepatitis A virus (HAV) research and the techniques used for the propagation and monitoring of HAV and HAV antigen (HA Ag) production in vitro and HAV infection in vivo, and its sequelae are reviewed. Radioimmunoassay, immunofluorescence and electron microscopic techniques for the demonstration of HA Ag were adapted for this investigation. The cell-adapted strain of HAV(MBB) was successfully propagated in the human hepatoma cell line PLC/PRF/5 at 32 degrees Celsius. A crystalline structure was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of HAV-infected cells by thin-section electron microscopy. The origin and significance of this structure is uncertain. A possible temperature variant of HAV (strain MBB) or an HAV-related baboon virus was detected in PLC/PRF/5 cells maintained at 37 degrees Celsius after infection with a faecal extract prepared from baboons which had been infected with the cell-cultured HAV. Baboons, both free-ranging and in captivity, were found to have antibodies to HAV, which suggests susceptibility to human HAV or another cross-reacting virus. The experimental infection of the Cape baboon orally, intravenously or by both routes with HAV were investigated. The results of the study suggest reasons for the presence of anti-HAV antibodies in certain baboon populations and show that the baboon is not an ideal model for hepatitis A investigations

Studies on the propagation in cell culture and the infectivity for baboons of human hepatitis A virus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, M B

1985-01-01

Current aspects of hepatitis A and hepatitis A virus (HAV) research and the techniques used for the propagation and monitoring of HAV and HAV antigen (HA Ag) production in vitro and HAV infection in vivo, and its sequelae are reviewed. Radioimmunoassay, immunofluorescence and electron microscopic techniques for the demonstration of HA Ag were adapted for this investigation. The cell-adapted strain of HAV(MBB) was successfully propagated in the human hepatoma cell line PLC/PRF/5 at 32 degrees Celsius. A crystalline structure was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of HAV-infected cells by thin-section electron microscopy. The origin and significance of this structure is uncertain. A possible temperature variant of HAV (strain MBB) or an HAV-related baboon virus was detected in PLC/PRF/5 cells maintained at 37 degrees Celsius after infection with a faecal extract prepared from baboons which had been infected with the cell-cultured HAV. Baboons, both free-ranging and in captivity, were found to have antibodies to HAV, which suggests susceptibility to human HAV or another cross-reacting virus. The experimental infection of the Cape baboon orally, intravenously or by both routes with HAV were investigated. The results of the study suggest reasons for the presence of anti-HAV antibodies in certain baboon populations and show that the baboon is not an ideal model for hepatitis A investigations.

Depression of T lymphocyte function in chimpanzees receiving thymectomy and irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbertsen, R.B.; Metzgar, R.S.

1978-01-01

In studies analogous to those in which the thymus dependency of immune functions in murine systems was determined, three chimpanzees were thymectomized, splenectomized, exposed to lethal doses of whole body x-irradiation with limited bone marrow shielding, and subsequently evaluated for lymphocyte markers and functions over a period of years. In the oldest animal studied (Irena, 7.2 years at surgery), the percentage of peripheral blood T cells decreased to about 60% of control values and remained at that level for approximately 1 1 / 2 years before returning to normal. In the two youngest chimpanzees T cell rosette values dropped to 15 to 40% of control values after irradiation. T cell percentages in one of these young chimpanzees returned to about 75% of the controls 2 1 / 2 years after x-irradiation. Phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A mitogen responses were less affected in the oldest chimpanzee. However, even in the oldest animal, the responses to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A began to show a gradual and consistent decline 1 1 / 2 years after irradiation. Mixed leukocyte culture responsiveness was most affected by the experimental procedures, being greatly reduced in all three chimpanzees during varying time intervals. In general, the effects of the experimental procedures used to produce T cell deficiencies varied with the age of the chimpanzee at surgery, the time after irradiation when the animal was tested, and the lymphocyte marker or function studied

Schistosoma mansoni: parasitology and immunology of baboons vaccinated with irradiated cryopreserved schistosomula

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Damian, R.T.; Powell, M.R.; Roberts, M.L. (Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Dept. of Zoology); Clark, J.D. (Georgia Univ., Athens (USA). Lab. Animal Medicine); Stirewalt, M.A.; Lewis, F.A. (Biomedical Research Inst., Rockville, MD (USA))

1985-06-01

Young baboons (Papio cynocephalus) were vaccinated with ..gamma..-irradiated (500 Gy) cryopreserved Puerto Rican strain schistosomula of S. mansoni. Protection against heterologous, normal Kenyan Strain S. mansoni challenge infection was erratic and partial; and two putative correlates of immunity, reduced worm fecundity and change in worm location (anterior shift) were not observed. However, immunization of baboons with this vaccine resulted in a stimulated immune system. Both cellular and humoral anamnesis were demonstrable in vaccinated-challenged baboons. Schistosome infection-associated IgM hypergammaglobulinemia was also greatly reduced in vaccinated-challenged baboons. However IgG antibodies to adult, egg, and cercarial antigens were increased after challenge infection in preimmunized baboons. Vaccination appears to have resulted in a redirection of the immune system into anti-parasite channels, but this more specific immune response was insufficient to confer good protection against challenge infection in this experiment. The dampening effect of the vaccine on the hypergammaglobulinemia of schistosomiasis is another candidate for a possible ''anti-pathogenesis'' effect of irradiated schistosome larval vaccines.

Schistosoma mansoni: parasitology and immunology of baboons vaccinated with irradiated cryopreserved schistosomula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damian, R.T.; Powell, M.R.; Roberts, M.L.

1985-01-01

Young baboons (Papio cynocephalus) were vaccinated with γ-irradiated (500 Gy) cryopreserved Puerto Rican strain schistosomula of S. mansoni. Protection against heterologous, normal Kenyan Strain S. mansoni challenge infection was erratic and partial; and two putative correlates of immunity, reduced worm fecundity and change in worm location (anterior shift) were not observed. However, immunization of baboons with this vaccine resulted in a stimulated immune system. Both cellular and humoral anamnesis were demonstrable in vaccinated-challenged baboons. Schistosome infection-associated IgM hypergammaglobulinemia was also greatly reduced in vaccinated-challenged baboons. However IgG antibodies to adult, egg, and cercarial antigens were increased after challenge infection in preimmunized baboons. Vaccination appears to have resulted in a redirection of the immune system into anti-parasite channels, but this more specific immune response was insufficient to confer good protection against challenge infection in this experiment. The dampening effect of the vaccine on the hypergammaglobulinemia of schistosomiasis is another candidate for a possible ''anti-pathogenesis'' effect of irradiated schistosome larval vaccines. (author)

Efficacy of fenbendazole formulated in a commercial primate diet for treating specific pathogen-free baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) infected with Trichuris trichiura.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichard, Mason V; Wolf, Roman F; Clingenpeel, Lindsay C; Doan, Sandra K; Jones, Amy N; Gray, Kristene M

2008-11-01

Trichuris trichiura is a common intestinal nematode parasite of captive baboons. We evaluated the efficacy of fenbendazole formulated in a commercial primate diet (FBZ-PD) for treating specific pathogen-free (SPF) baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) naturally infected with Trichuris trichiura. Twenty-nine baboons, housed indoors in 3 separate rooms, were fed FBZ-PD for 5 d, whereas 4 baboons housed in another isolated area served as untreated controls. The efficacy of FBZ-PD was measured as reduction in the number of T. trichiura eggs in host feces after treatment as determined by quantitative fecal flotation examination. All baboons that received FBZ-PD stopped shedding T. trichiura eggs by 7 d after initiation of treatment, and remained negative until at least 119 d after treatment. However, eggs of T. trichiura were present in the feces of 3 (10.3%) experimental baboons at 154 d after treatment. Untreated control baboons shed T. trichiura eggs throughout the entire study. Our results indicate that FBZ-PD was efficacious for treating SPF baboons infected with T. trichiura.

Differentiation and Characterization of Dopaminergic Neurons From Baboon Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Grow, Douglas A; Simmons, DeNard V; Gomez, Jorge A; Wanat, Matthew J; McCarrey, John R; Paladini, Carlos A; Navara, Christopher S

2016-09-01

: The progressive death of dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta is the principal cause of symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Stem cells have potential therapeutic use in replacing these cells and restoring function. To facilitate development of this approach, we sought to establish a preclinical model based on a large nonhuman primate for testing the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based transplantation. To this end, we differentiated baboon fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (biPSCs) into dopaminergic neurons with the application of specific morphogens and growth factors. We confirmed that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons resemble those found in the human midbrain based on cell type-specific expression of dopamine markers TH and GIRK2. Using the reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we also showed that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons express PAX6, FOXA2, LMX1A, NURR1, and TH genes characteristic of this cell type in vivo. We used perforated patch-clamp electrophysiology to demonstrate that biPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons fired spontaneous rhythmic action potentials and high-frequency action potentials with spike frequency adaption upon injection of depolarizing current. Finally, we showed that biPSC-derived neurons released catecholamines in response to electrical stimulation. These results demonstrate the utility of the baboon model for testing and optimizing the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of PD. Functional dopamine neurons were produced from baboon induced pluripotent stem cells, and their properties were compared to baboon midbrain cells in vivo. The baboon has advantages as a clinically relevant model in which to optimize the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. Baboons possess crucial neuroanatomical and immunological similarities to humans, and baboon

Canine lymphocyte activating factor (LAF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shifrine, M.; Whaley, C.B.; Wilson, F.D.; Taylor, N.J.

1979-01-01

The immune response of an animal is the sum of the result of the interaction of various cells mainly through soluble mediators. It is not enough to look at specific cell populations, it is also necessary to study the interactions between purified cell population. The effect of one subpopulation on another is via soluble mediators. We have been studying one (of several) such mediators in its relation to radiation effects on the immune response. Lymphocyte activating factor (LAF) is defined functionally as a potentiator of the response of thymocytes to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or concanavalin (con-A). It can also elicit response of unstimulated subpopulations separated from the thymus. It is a product of adherent populations, presumably macrophages. It has been shown to be produced by human, rabbit, and mouse cells, but has not been reported in the dog. It also was shown to be present in higher concentrations in irradiated mice than in comparable unirradiated mice. We have shown that LAF is produced by plastic-adherent populations derived from peripheral blood. Currently we are working to determine the lymphocyte subpopulations with which LAF interacts

Home range utilization by chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) troops on Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Slater, Kerry; Barrett, Alan; Brown, Leslie R

2018-01-01

Rapid urbanization coupled with decreasing areas of natural habitat are causing baboon populations to become scattered and isolated, often resulting in increased levels of human-baboon conflict. To implement baboon-human conflict management strategies, it is essential to formulate realistic conservation policies that deal with all stakeholder concerns and ensure the conservation of viable baboon populations. A study was initiated in response to complaints of perceived excessive baboon numbers and associated lack of food resources on Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in South Africa. Data obtained from GPS tracking collars fitted to one baboon from each of 10 identified troops were analyzed to determine home range size and utilization. The spatial representation of home ranges generated from this study will allow reserve management to identify areas of potential high and low human-baboon conflict and will contribute to the development of a formal baboon management plan to reduce human-baboon conflict on and around the reserve. Home ranges were unevenly distributed and had a mean size of 26.72 km2 ± 13.91 SD in the cold/dry season and 26.54 km2 ± 12.76 SD in the warm/wet season. Troop home ranges overlapped to some degree and five troops utilized areas outside the reserve. Although no significant relationship between troop size and home range was found, there was a positive relationship between troop size and daily distance travelled. All troops had significantly longer mean daily distances during the warm/wet season than during the cold/dry season (P ≤ 0.02).

Plasma beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity and its variations in baboons

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Golanov, E.V.; Fufacheva, A.A.; Parin, S.B.

1986-04-01

This paper determines the level of beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-elir) in the blood plasma of baboons and studies its changes in certain situations. For radioimmunoassay of beta-ELIR in the blood plasma, a standard kit and the appropriate technique were used. The background plasma beta-ELIR level of the baboons, in a state of quiet wakefulness, was 0.0 = 1.0 fmoles/ml. The total level of b-ELIR was 134 plus or minus 24 pg/ml. The data show that elevation of the plasma b-ELIR level accompanies stress formation, including the development of a state of shock in baboons. A definite role in the regulation of the plasma b-endorphin level may be played by the paraventricular-perifornical region of the hypothalamus.

Stimulation with Concanavalin-A Induces IL-17 Production by Canine Peripheral T Cells

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Michelle G. Ritt

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The characteristics of canine IL-17-producing cells are incompletely understood. Expression of mRNA encoding orthologs of IL-17 and the IL-17 receptor has been documented in tissues from dogs with arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and lymphoma; however, no associations have been found between IL-17 gene expression and disease phenotype in these conditions. Robust assessment of the role of IL-17-producing cells in dogs will require measuring the frequency of these cells in health and disease in balance with other lymphocyte subsets. The aim of this study was to confirm that the T-cell IL-17 response in dogs is evolutionarily conserved. Canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with Concanavalin A with or without polarizing cytokines. We used a canine specific IL-17 ELISA and flow cytometry to identify IL-17-producing T cells. Accumulation of intracellular IL-17 was observed in stimulated CD4 and CD8 T cells. The addition of pro-inflammatory cytokines appeared to enhance polarization of canine CD4 T cells to the Th17 phenotype. Conversely, the addition of IL-2 in the presence of TGF-β resulted in expansion of Treg cells. We conclude that canine IL-17-producing cells behave similarly to those from humans and mice when stimulated with mitogens and polarized with pro-inflammatory or immune regulatory cytokines.

A non-Lévy random walk in chacma baboons: what does it mean?

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Cédric Sueur

Full Text Available The Lévy walk is found from amoebas to humans and has been described as the optimal strategy for food research. Recent results, however, have generated controversy about this conclusion since animals also display alternatives to the Lévy walk such as the Brownian walk or mental maps and because movement patterns found in some species only seem to depend on food patches distribution. Here I show that movement patterns of chacma baboons do not follow a Lévy walk but a Brownian process. Moreover this Brownian walk is not the main process responsible for movement patterns of baboons. Findings about their speed and trajectories show that baboons use metal maps and memory to find resources. Thus the Brownian process found in this species appears to be more dependent on the environment or might be an alternative when known food patches are depleted and when animals have to find new resources.

Activity budgets on social and reproductive behaviour of olive baboons

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was conducted to investigate the activity budgets on social interactions and reproductive behaviour of olive baboon (Papio anubis) at Gashaka Gumti ... Results of polyspecific association shows that the baboons spent 14.29% of the time in association with red flanked duikers, 14.29% with black-and-white ...

What baboons can (not) tell us about natural language grammars.

Science.gov (United States)

Poletiek, Fenna H; Fitz, Hartmut; Bocanegra, Bruno R

2016-06-01

Rey et al. (2012) present data from a study with baboons that they interpret in support of the idea that center-embedded structures in human language have their origin in low level memory mechanisms and associative learning. Critically, the authors claim that the baboons showed a behavioral preference that is consistent with center-embedded sequences over other types of sequences. We argue that the baboons' response patterns suggest that two mechanisms are involved: first, they can be trained to associate a particular response with a particular stimulus, and, second, when faced with two conditioned stimuli in a row, they respond to the most recent one first, copying behavior they had been rewarded for during training. Although Rey et al. (2012) 'experiment shows that the baboons' behavior is driven by low level mechanisms, it is not clear how the animal behavior reported, bears on the phenomenon of Center Embedded structures in human syntax. Hence, (1) natural language syntax may indeed have been shaped by low level mechanisms, and (2) the baboons' behavior is driven by low level stimulus response learning, as Rey et al. propose. But is the second evidence for the first? We will discuss in what ways this study can and cannot give evidential value for explaining the origin of Center Embedded recursion in human grammar. More generally, their study provokes an interesting reflection on the use of animal studies in order to understand features of the human linguistic system. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hepatic Insulin Resistance and Altered Gluconeogenic Pathway in Premature Baboons.

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McGill-Vargas, Lisa; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Liang, Hanyu; Anzueto Guerra, Diana; Johnson-Pais, Teresa; Seidner, Steven; McCurnin, Donald; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; DeFronzo, Ralph; Musi, Nicolas; Blanco, Cynthia

2017-05-01

Premature infants have altered glucose regulation early in life and increased risk for diabetes in adulthood. Although prematurity leads to an increased risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adult life, the role of hepatic glucose regulation and adaptation to an early extrauterine environment in preterm infants remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate developmental differences in glucose metabolism, hepatic protein content, and gene expression of key insulin-signaling/gluconeogenic molecules. Fetal baboons were delivered at 67%, 75%, and term gestational age and euthanized at birth. Neonatal baboons were delivered prematurely (67% gestation), survived for two weeks, and compared with similar postnatal term animals and underwent serial hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp studies. Premature baboons had decreased endogenous glucose production (EGP) compared with term animals. Consistent with these results, the gluconeogenic molecule, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase messenger RNA, was decreased in preterm baboons compared with terms. Hepatic insulin signaling was altered by preterm birth as evidenced by decreased insulin receptor-β, p85 subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1, and Akt-1 under insulin-stimulated conditions. Furthermore, preterm baboons failed to have the normal increase in glycogen synthase kinase-α from fetal to postnatal life. The blunted responses in hepatic insulin signaling may contribute to the hyperglycemia of prematurity, while impaired EGP leads to hypoglycemia of prematurity. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.

Are baboons learning "orthographic" representations? Probably not.

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Maja Linke

Full Text Available The ability of Baboons (papio papio to distinguish between English words and nonwords has been modeled using a deep learning convolutional network model that simulates a ventral pathway in which lexical representations of different granularity develop. However, given that pigeons (columba livia, whose brain morphology is drastically different, can also be trained to distinguish between English words and nonwords, it appears that a less species-specific learning algorithm may be required to explain this behavior. Accordingly, we examined whether the learning model of Rescorla and Wagner, which has proved to be amazingly fruitful in understanding animal and human learning could account for these data. We show that a discrimination learning network using gradient orientation features as input units and word and nonword units as outputs succeeds in predicting baboon lexical decision behavior-including key lexical similarity effects and the ups and downs in accuracy as learning unfolds-with surprising precision. The models performance, in which words are not explicitly represented, is remarkable because it is usually assumed that lexicality decisions, including the decisions made by baboons and pigeons, are mediated by explicit lexical representations. By contrast, our results suggest that in learning to perform lexical decision tasks, baboons and pigeons do not construct a hierarchy of lexical units. Rather, they make optimal use of low-level information obtained through the massively parallel processing of gradient orientation features. Accordingly, we suggest that reading in humans first involves initially learning a high-level system building on letter representations acquired from explicit instruction in literacy, which is then integrated into a conventionalized oral communication system, and that like the latter, fluent reading involves the massively parallel processing of the low-level features encoding semantic contrasts.

Commensal oral bacteria antigens prime human dendritic cells to induce Th1, Th2 or Treg differentiation.

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Kopitar, A N; Ihan Hren, N; Ihan, A

2006-02-01

In various immunopathologic conditions, bacterial flora induce an immune response which results in inflammatory manifestations, e.g. periapical granuloma. Dendritic cells provide the main orchestration of specific immune responses. The aim of our study was to test the capacity of distinct oral bacterial antigens (prepared from Streptococcus mitis, Propionibacterium acnes, and Bacteroides spp.) to prime human dendritic cells for stimulation of the T-lymphocyte response. To assess the T-lymphocyte response, the expression of CD25, CD69, intracellular interferon gamma (cIFN-gamma), and intracellular interleukin 4 (cIL-4) was determined. Dendritic cells were prepared from leukocyte buffy coat from healthy blood donors. Monocytes were stimulated with IL-4 and GM-CSF and dendritic cells activated with bacterial lysates. Cell suspensions contained up to 90% dendritic cells, which represented 2-12% of the initial number of mononuclear cells. Lymphocyte subsets that developed in lymphocyte cultures after 1 week of stimulation were analyzed by flow cytometry. Dendritic cells, primed with antigens of Bacteroides fragilis have shown significantly higher activation and expression of intercellular IFN-gamma by T lymphocytes compared to negative controls. The dendritic cells primed with antigens of P. acnes had no effect on T-lymphocyte activation or cytokine production; instead they induced differentiation of T lymphocytes into CD25bright cells (regulatory T cells) with a potentially inhibitory effect on immune response. Dendritic cells primed with antigens of S. mitis induced increased expression of cIL-4. We conclude that commensal oral bacteria antigens prepared from B. fragilis, S. mitis, and P. acnes prime human dendritic cells to induce Th1, Th2, and T(reg) differentiation, respectively. This may advance our understanding of immunopathologic manifestations in the oral cavity and offer new possibilities for redirecting immune responses in mucosal vaccination.

Pharmacokinetics of Fluoxetine in Pregnant Baboons (Papio spp.)

Science.gov (United States)

Shoulson, Rivka L; Stark, Raymond L; Garland, Marianne

2014-01-01

Fluoxetine is used to treat a number of psychiatric conditions in humans and behavioral problems in animals. Its use in pregnancy must balance maternal benefit with potential risk to the fetus. Knowledge of adult and fetal drug disposition can assist clinicians in selecting therapy that minimizes adverse effects to the fetus. Nonhuman primate models are used frequently in drug dose-translation studies, and pregnancy in baboons has many similarities to human pregnancy. Accordingly, pharmacokinetic analysis of a series of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine administrations to pregnant baboons was performed. The mean maternal baboon steady-state clearance of fluoxetine (42 mL/min/kg) was considerably higher than that in humans. Norfluoxetine, the major active metabolite, had a higher metabolite-to-drug ratio (8.7) than that found in humans, particularly with oral dosing. These results are consistent with more extensive metabolism in baboons than in humans and leads to a higher clearance than would be expected from allometric scaling. Fetal-to-maternal fluoxetine and norfluoxetine ratios under steady-state conditions were similar to those in humans, with fetal concentrations of fluoxetine 42% and norfluoxetine 47% of maternal concentrations. The fetal clearance of fluoxetine (303 ± 176 mL/min) and norfluoxetine (450 mL/min) exceeded reported placental blood flow. Understanding these species-associated differences in metabolism is a prerequisite to extrapolating data between species. Nonetheless, nonhuman primates are likely to remain valuable models for pharmacokinetic studies during pregnancy, particularly those directed toward fetal neurodevelopmental effects. Our results also are applicable to determining appropriate dosing of nonhuman primates in clinical settings. PMID:25650979

External cephalic version of the term breech baboon (Papio sp.) fetus.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrier, Breton F; Joiner, Laura Lee Rihl; Jimenez, Joe B; Leland, M Michelle

2007-06-01

Breech presentation in baboons may be associated with head entrapment and stillbirth during vaginal delivery. For this reason, pregnant dams at our institution typically undergo cesarean delivery for known breech presentation, leading to problems with maternal-infant bonding and increased nursery utilization. This paper describes a simple, non-invasive technique called external cephalic version (ECV) that effectively converts the baboon breech fetus into a cephalic presentation. ECV was successful in each of seven attempted cases, with the consistent development of contractions and vaginal bleeding leading to the delivery of a healthy liveborn infant within 72 hours. ECV may offer a safe and effective alternative to cesarean section for delivery of the breech baboon fetus.

Depression of T lymphocyte function in chimpanzees receiving thymectomy and irradiation. [X Radiation

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Gilbertsen, R.B.; Metzgar, R.S.

1978-03-01

In studies analogous to those in which the thymus dependency of immune functions in murine systems was determined, three chimpanzees were thymectomized, splenectomized, exposed to lethal doses of whole body x-irradiation with limited bone marrow shielding, and subsequently evaluated for lymphocyte markers and functions over a period of years. In the oldest animal studied (Irena, 7.2 years at surgery), the percentage of peripheral blood T cells decreased to about 60% of control values and remained at that level for approximately 1/sup 1///sub 2/ years before returning to normal. In the two youngest chimpanzees T cell rosette values dropped to 15 to 40% of control values after irradiation. T cell percentages in one of these young chimpanzees returned to about 75% of the controls 2/sup 1///sub 2/ years after x-irradiation. Phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A mitogen responses were less affected in the oldest chimpanzee. However, even in the oldest animal, the responses to phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A began to show a gradual and consistent decline 1/sup 1///sub 2/ years after irradiation. Mixed leukocyte culture responsiveness was most affected by the experimental procedures, being greatly reduced in all three chimpanzees during varying time intervals. In general, the effects of the experimental procedures used to produce T cell deficiencies varied with the age of the chimpanzee at surgery, the time after irradiation when the animal was tested, and the lymphocyte marker or function studied.

Out of Africa, but how and when? The case of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas).

Science.gov (United States)

Kopp, Gisela H; Roos, Christian; Butynski, Thomas M; Wildman, Derek E; Alagaili, Abdulaziz N; Groeneveld, Linn F; Zinner, Dietmar

2014-11-01

Many species of Arabian mammals are considered to be of Afrotropical origin and for most of them the Red Sea has constituted an obstacle for dispersal since the Miocene-Pliocene transition. There are two possible routes, the 'northern' and the 'southern', for terrestrial mammals (including humans) to move between Africa and Arabia. The 'northern route', crossing the Sinai Peninsula, is confirmed for several taxa by an extensive fossil record, especially from northern Egypt and the Levant, whereas the 'southern route', across the Bab-el-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is more controversial, although post-Pliocene terrestrial crossings of the Red Sea might have been possible during glacial maxima when sea levels were low. Hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) are the only baboon taxon to disperse out of Africa and still inhabit Arabia. In this study, we investigate the origin of Arabian hamadryas baboons using mitochondrial sequence data from 294 samples collected in Arabia and Northeast Africa. Through the analysis of the geographic distribution of genetic diversity, the timing of population expansions, and divergence time estimates combined with palaeoecological data, we test: (i) if Arabian and African hamadryas baboons are genetically distinct; (ii) if Arabian baboons exhibit population substructure; and (iii) when, and via which route, baboons colonized Arabia. Our results suggest that hamadryas baboons colonized Arabia during the Late Pleistocene (130-12 kya [thousands of years ago]) and also moved back to Africa. We reject the hypothesis that hamadryas baboons were introduced to Arabia by humans, because the initial colonization considerably predates the earliest records of human seafaring in this region. Our results strongly suggest that the 'southern route' from Africa to Arabia could have been used by hamadryas baboons during the same time period as proposed for modern humans. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier

Upper limit of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in experimental renovascular hypertension in the baboon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strandgaard, S; Jones, J V; MacKenzie, E T

1975-01-01

The effect of arterial hypertension on cerebral blood flow was studied by the intracarotid 133Xe clearance method in baboons. The arterial blood pressure was raised in gradual steps with angiotensin. Baboons with renal hypertension of 8-12 weeks duration were studied along with normotensive baboons....... In initially normotensive baboons, cerebral blood flow remained constant until the mean arterial blood pressure had risen to the range of 140 to 154 mm Hg; thereafter cerebral blood flow increased with each rise in mean arterial blood pressure. In the chronically hypertensive baboons, cerebral blood flow...... remained constant until the mean arterial blood pressure had been elevated to the range of 155 to 169 mm Hg. Thus, in chronic hypertension it appears that there are adaptive changes in the cerebral circulation which may help to protect the brain from further increases in arterial blood pressure....

Immunological studies in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Functional studies of lymphocyte subpopulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofmann, B; Ødum, Niels; Platz, P

1985-01-01

The lymphocyte transformation response in vitro to mitogens (phytohaemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and pokeweed mitogen) and antigens (purified protein derivative and tetanus) was studied in three patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), three patients with pre-AIDS, and six healthy...... controls before and after depletion of T4- or T8-positive cells. In controls, T8-depleted lymphocytes responded as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) when monocytes were added, whereas T4-depleted cells gave about 50% of this response to mitogens and no response at all to antigens....... No evidence of suppression was seen when various mixtures of T4- and T8-depleted cells were made. In particular, there was a virtually linear relationship between the percentage of T8-depleted cells and the response to antigens. The PBMC of all AIDS and pre-AIDS patients had very low or absent responses...

Gastrointestinal absorption of plutonium and uranium in fed and fasted adult baboons and mice: application to humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, M.H.; Larsen, R.P.; Oldham, R.D.; Cohen, N.; Ralston, L.G.; Moretti, E.S.; Ayres, L.

1989-01-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) absorption values of plutonium and uranium were determined in fed and fasted adult baboons and mice. For both baboons and mice, the GI absorptions of plutonium and uranium were 10 to 20 times higher in 24 h fasted animals than in fed ones. For plutonium, GI absorption values in baboons were almost identical to those in mice for both fed and fasted conditions, and values for fed animals agreed with estimates for humans. For uranium, GI absorption values in fed and fasted baboons were 6 to 7 times higher than those in mice, and agreed well with those fed and fasted humans. For one baboon that was not given its morning meal, plutonium absorption 2 h after the start of the active phase was the same as that in the 24 h fasted animals. In contrast, for baboons that received a morning meal, plutonium absorption did not rise to the value of 24 h fasted baboons even 8 h after the meal. We conclude that GI absorption values for plutonium and uranium in adult baboons are good estimates of the values in humans and that the values for the fasted condition should be used to set standards for oral exposure of persons in the workplace. (author)

Lysis of fresh human solid tumors by autologous lymphocytes activated in vitro with lectins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazumder, A.; Grimm, E.A.; Zhang, H.Z.; Rosenberg, S.A.

1982-01-01

Human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), obtained from patients with a variety of cancers, were incubated in vitro with phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, and crude or lectin-free T-cell growth factors. The lectin-activated PBL of nine patients were capable of lysing fresh autologous tumor during a 4-hr 51Cr release assay. Multiple metastases from the same patient were equivalently lysed by these activated autologous PBL. No lysis of fresh PBL or lectin-induced lymphoblast cell targets was seen, although tumor, PBL, and lymphoblast cells were shown to be equally lysable using allosensitized cells. The activated cells could be expanded without loss of cytotoxicity in crude or lectin-free T-cell growth factors. The generation of cells lytic to fresh autologous tumor was dependent on the presence of adherent cells, although the lytic cell itself was not adherent. Proliferation was not involved in the induction of lytic cells since equal lysis was induced in irradiated and nonirradiated lymphocytes. Lectin was not required in the lytic assay, and the addition of alpha-methyl-D-mannoside to concanavalin A-activated lymphoid cells did not increase the lysis of fresh tumor cells. Activation by lectin for 3 days appears to be an efficient and convenient method for generating human cells lytic to fresh autologous tumor. These lytic cells may be of value for studies of the cell-mediated lysis of human tumor and possibly for tumor immunotherapy as well

Effects of cyclophosphamide on in vitro human lymphocyte culture and mitogenic stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, B.S.

1983-01-01

Cyclophosphamide (CY) has been reported to be inactive in vitro under certain conditions. In the present study, CY was tested for its ability to inhibit human lymphocyte proliferation and to modulate lymphocyte response to mitogens in vitro. The inhibition of or the increase in 3 H-thymidine incorporation in mitogen-stimulated and unstimulated lymphocytes by CY was used as a measure of CY activity in vitro. The results demonstrate that lymphocytes from 10 different persons had a mean decrease of 74% in 3 H-thymidine incorporation in the presence of CY (P less than 0.005). The effect was maximal at a concentration of 160 micrograms/ml. A mean inhibition of 35 and 55% was caused by 10 and 40 micrograms/ml concentrations of CY, respectively. CY also was able to reduce the number of viable cells during 5 days in culture and had a profound effect on mitogen stimulation of lymphocytes. In all cases, CY modulated the stimulation of lymphocytes by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) either by augmenting or suppressing the responses. At low concentrations (10 micrograms/ml) it augmented mitogenic stimulation by 46 to 281%. At higher concentrations (20 to 160 micrograms/ml), CY had a suppressive effect with a maximum suppression of 99%. The CY-induced immunomodulation is perhaps caused by its action on the regulatory T cells. When tested in vitro, CY had inhibitory activity on T cells

Measurement of cerebral perfusion after zolpidem administration in the baboon model.

Science.gov (United States)

Clauss, R P; Dormehl, I C; Oliver, D W; Nel, W H; Kilian, E; Louw, W K

2001-01-01

A recent report showed that zolpidem (CAS 82626-48-0) can lead to the arousal of a semi-comatosed patient. Zolpidem is clinically used for the treatment of insomnia. It belongs to the imidazopyridine chemical class and is a non benzodiazepine drug. It illicits its pharmacological action via the GABA receptor system through stimulation of particularly the omega 1 receptors. In this study, the effect of zolpidem on brain perfusion was examined by 99mTc hexamethyl-propylene amine oxime (HMPAO) split dose brain SPECT on four normal baboons and in one baboon with abnormal neurological behaviour. The global and regional brain perfusion was not significantly affected in the normal brains. In some regions of the abnormal baboon brain, however, there was a disproportionate increase in perfusion after zolpidem.

DSCR9 gene simultaneous expression in placental, testicular and renal tissues from baboon (papio hamadryas

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Rodriguez-Sanchez Irám

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In 2002 Takamatsu and co-workers described the human DSCR9 gene and observed that it was transcriptionally active in human testicular tissue, but no protein was identified as a product of this transcript. Similar results were obtained in chimpanzee tissue. This gene has not been detected in species other than primates, suggesting that DSCR9 is exclusively found in these mammals. Results We report evidence of DSCR9 expression in placenta, testis and kidney of baboon (Papio hamadryas. We used primers specific for DSCR9 to amplify transcripts through reverse transcription (RT coupled to polymerase chain reaction (PCR. Furthermore, PCR was used to amplify the complete DSCR9 gene from genomic DNA from three baboons. We amplified and sequenced five overlapping segments that were assembled into the 3284 bp baboon DSCR9 gene, including the putative promoter and the entire transcriptional unit (5'-UTR, CDS and 3'-UTR. Conclusions The baboon DSCR9 gene is highly similar to the human counterpart. The isolated transcripts from baboon tissues (placenta, testis and kidney of three different baboons correspond to the human orthologous gene.

The metabolism and gastrointestinal absorption of neptunium and protactinium in adult baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ralston, L.G.; Cohen, N.; Bhattacharyya, H.; Larsen, R.P.; Ayres, L.; Oldham, R.D.; Moretti, E.S.

1985-01-01

The metabolism of neptunium and protactinium was studied in adult female baboons following intravenous injection and intragastric intubation. Neptunium-239, Np-237, and Pa-233 were prepared as either citrate-buffer, nitrate, or bicarbonate solutions with oxidation states of (V) and (VI). Samples of blood, urine, feces and autopsy tissues were measured by gamma spectrometry. Retention of neptunium and protactinium was determined in vivo using whole and partial body gamma-scintillation spectrometry with [NaI-CsI(T1)] detectors. Fed and fasted baboons were administered solutions of Np(VI) bicarbonate (10/sup -8/ to 10/sup -1/ mg/kg) and Pa(V) citrate-buffer (10/sup -9/ mg/kg) by gavage. The gastrointestinal absorption value for neptunium in two fasted baboons, sacrificed at 1 day post administration, was determined to be 0.92 +- 0.04%. Of the total amount of neptunium absorbed, 52 +- 3% was retained in bone, 6 + 2% was in liver, and 42 +- 0.1% was excreted in urine. The metabolism of neptunium followed oral and iv administrations was found to be similar. This observation was also true for baboons which had received oral and iv doses of protactinium. A method was developed to estimate GI absorption values for both nuclides in baboons, which were not sacrificed, by comparison of activities present in bioassay samples after injection and gavage. Absorption values calculated by this method for neptunium and protactinium in fasted baboons were 1.8 +- 0.8% and 0.65 +- 0.01%, respectively. Values for fed animals were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude less than those for fasted animals. Further experiments are currently underway to evaluate this assay technique

Activity budgets of olive baboon ( Papio anubis f.) at Gashaka Gumti ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results obtained indicated that the baboons spent 34.14% of their time feeding, 35.83% resting, 9.08% grooming, 4.47% handling infants, 11.19% travelling and 0.28% playing. Generally, activity budgets did not differ significantly ( p > 0.05) across months. Olive baboon food habit showed that food items mostly eaten were ...

Efficacy of fenbendazole and milbemycin oxime for treating baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) infected with Trichuris trichiura.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichard, Mason V; Wolf, Roman F; Carey, David W; Garrett, Jennifer Jane; Briscoe, Heather A

2007-03-01

We evaluated the efficacy of fenbendazole (FBZ) and milbemycin oxime (MO) in the treatment of baboons (Papio cynocephalus anubis) with naturally acquired Trichuris trichiura infection by comparing fecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests. We assigned 7 baboons, each singly housed and confirmed infected with T. trichiura, to treatment groups of FBZ (n=3) or MO (n=3), or as a control (n=1). All (100%) baboons that received FBZ stopped shedding T. trichiura eggs within 6 d of treatment, and fecal egg counts remained negative at 65 d after treatment. Although the number of T. trichiura eggs shed per gram of feces from 2 (67%) baboons decreased significantly after the second treatment with MO, this regimen never totally eliminated eggs of T. trichiura. The results of our study indicate that FBZ was more effective for treating baboons with T. trichiura than was MO.

Priming T-cell responses with recombinant measles vaccine vector in a heterologous prime-boost setting in non-human primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolton, Diane L; Santra, Sampa; Swett-Tapia, Cindy; Custers, Jerome; Song, Kaimei; Balachandran, Harikrishnan; Mach, Linh; Naim, Hussein; Kozlowski, Pamela A; Lifton, Michelle; Goudsmit, Jaap; Letvin, Norman; Roederer, Mario; Radošević, Katarina

2012-09-07

Licensed live attenuated virus vaccines capable of expressing transgenes from other pathogens have the potential to reduce the number of childhood immunizations by eliciting robust immunity to multiple pathogens simultaneously. Recombinant attenuated measles virus (rMV) derived from the Edmonston Zagreb vaccine strain was engineered to express simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag protein for the purpose of evaluating the immunogenicity of rMV as a vaccine vector in rhesus macaques. rMV-Gag immunization alone elicited robust measles-specific humoral and cellular responses, but failed to elicit transgene (Gag)-specific immune responses, following aerosol or intratracheal/intramuscular delivery. However, when administered as a priming vaccine to a heterologous boost with recombinant adenovirus serotype 5 expressing the same transgene, rMV-Gag significantly enhanced Gag-specific T lymphocyte responses following rAd5 immunization. Gag-specific humoral responses were not enhanced, however, which may be due to either the transgene or the vector. Cellular response priming by rMV against the transgene was highly effective even when using a suboptimal dose of rAd5 for the boost. These data demonstrate feasibility of using rMV as a priming component of heterologous prime-boost vaccine regimens for pathogens requiring strong cellular responses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiac remodelling in a baboon model of intrauterine growth restriction mimics accelerated ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Anderson H; Li, Cun; Li, Jinqi; Huber, Hillary F; Nathanielsz, Peter W; Clarke, Geoffrey D

2017-02-15

Rodent models of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) successfully identify mechanisms that can lead to short-term and long-term detrimental cardiomyopathies but differences between rodent and human cardiac physiology and placental-fetal development indicate a need for models in precocial species for translation to human development. We developed a baboon model for IUGR studies using a moderate 30% global calorie restriction of pregnant mothers and used cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate offspring heart function in early adulthood. Impaired diastolic and systolic cardiac function was observed in IUGR offspring with differences between male and female subjects, compared to their respective controls. Aspects of cardiac impairment found in the IUGR offspring were similar to those found in normal controls in a geriatric cohort. Understanding early cardiac biomarkers of IUGR using non-invasive imaging in this susceptible population, especially taking into account sexual dimorphisms, will aid recognition of the clinical presentation, development of biomarkers suitable for use in humans and management of treatment strategies. Extensive rodent studies have shown that reduced perinatal nutrition programmes chronic cardiovascular disease. To enable translation to humans, we developed baboon offspring cohorts from mothers fed ad libitum (control) or 70% of the control ad libitum diet in pregnancy and lactation, which were growth restricted at birth. We hypothesized that intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) offspring hearts would show impaired function and a premature ageing phenotype. We studied IUGR baboons (8 male, 8 female, 5.7 years), control offspring (8 male, 8 female, 5.6 years - human equivalent approximately 25 years), and normal elderly (OLD) baboons (6 male, 6 female, mean 15.9 years). Left ventricular (LV) morphology and systolic and diastolic function were evaluated with cardiac MRI and normalized to body surface area. Two-way ANOVA by group

New data on the toxicity and translocation of inhaled 239PuO2 in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metivier, H.; Masse, R.; Rateau, G.; Nolibe, D.; Lafuma, J.

1989-01-01

In 1973-1974, baboons were exposed to a polydispersed aerosol of 239 PuO 2 , prepared at 1000 0 C, at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique in France. The data published in 1978 for these baboons were used by Bair et al (1980), for comparison with those obtained in beagles exposed to 239 PuO 2 at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, USA. Since our 1978 publication, 8 baboons have died or were killed by euthanasia when moribund, and 11 were still alive when the present report was drafted. Two of the eight baboons died of lung squamous cell carcinoma at 2171 and 2528 days respectively. The remaining 6 died of fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia or diseases unrelated to Pu toxicity. The relationship observed in the eight baboons between initial lung burden and survival time shows that their lifespan was longer than expected from the data curve based on the findings for the first 1000 days. However, this increased survival time was not observed if the lifespan was expressed as a function of the average lung burden. (author)

Sarcoglycan complex in masseter and sternocleidomastoid muscles of baboons: an immunohistochemical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Cutroneo

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The sarcoglycan complex consists of a group of single-pass transmembrane glycoproteins that are essential to maintain the integrity of muscle membranes. Any mutation in each sarcoglycan gene causes a series of recessive autosomal dystrophin-positive muscular dystrophies. Negative fibres for sarcoglycans have never been found in healthy humans and animals. In this study, we have investigated whether the social ranking has an influence on the expression of sarcoglycans in the skeletal muscles of healthy baboons. Biopsies of masseter and sternocleidomastoid muscles were processed for confocal immunohistochemical detection of sarcoglycans. Our findings showed that baboons from different social rankings exhibited different sarcoglycan expression profiles. While in dominant baboons almost all muscles were stained for sarcoglycans, only 55% of muscle fibres showed a significant staining. This different expression pattern is likely to be due to the living conditions of these primates. Sarcoglycans which play a key role in muscle activity by controlling contractile forces may influence the phenotype of muscle fibres, thus determining an adaptation to functional conditions. We hypothesize that this intraspecies variation reflects an epigenetic modification of the muscular protein network that allows baboons to adapt progressively to a different social status.

Peripheral insulin resistance and impaired insulin signaling contribute to abnormal glucose metabolism in preterm baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Cynthia L; McGill-Vargas, Lisa L; Gastaldelli, Amalia; Seidner, Steven R; McCurnin, Donald C; Leland, Michelle M; Anzueto, Diana G; Johnson, Marney C; Liang, Hanyu; DeFronzo, Ralph A; Musi, Nicolas

2015-03-01

Premature infants develop hyperglycemia shortly after birth, increasing their morbidity and death. Surviving infants have increased incidence of diabetes as young adults. Our understanding of the biological basis for the insulin resistance of prematurity and developmental regulation of glucose production remains fragmentary. The objective of this study was to examine maturational differences in insulin sensitivity and the insulin-signaling pathway in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue of 30 neonatal baboons using the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Preterm baboons (67% gestation) had reduced peripheral insulin sensitivity shortly after birth (M value 12.5 ± 1.5 vs 21.8 ± 4.4 mg/kg · min in term baboons) and at 2 weeks of age (M value 12.8 ± 2.6 vs 16.3 ± 4.2, respectively). Insulin increased Akt phosphorylation, but these responses were significantly lower in preterm baboons during the first week of life (3.2-fold vs 9.8-fold). Preterm baboons had lower glucose transporter-1 protein content throughout the first 2 weeks of life (8%-12% of term). In preterm baboons, serum free fatty acids (FFAs) did not decrease in response to insulin, whereas FFAs decreased by greater than 80% in term baboons; the impaired suppression of FFAs in the preterm animals was paired with a decreased glucose transporter-4 protein content in adipose tissue. In conclusion, peripheral insulin resistance and impaired non-insulin-dependent glucose uptake play an important role in hyperglycemia of prematurity. Impaired insulin signaling (reduced Akt) contributes to the defect in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal. Counterregulatory hormones are not major contributors.

The average baboon brain: MRI templates and tissue probability maps from 89 individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Scott A; Marie, Damien; Roth, Muriel; Lacoste, Romain; Nazarian, Bruno; Bertello, Alice; Coulon, Olivier; Anton, Jean-Luc; Meguerditchian, Adrien

2016-05-15

The baboon (Papio) brain is a remarkable model for investigating the brain. The current work aimed at creating a population-average baboon (Papio anubis) brain template and its left/right hemisphere symmetric version from a large sample of T1-weighted magnetic resonance images collected from 89 individuals. Averaging the prior probability maps output during the segmentation of each individual also produced the first baboon brain tissue probability maps for gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid. The templates and the tissue probability maps were created using state-of-the-art, freely available software tools and are being made freely and publicly available: http://www.nitrc.org/projects/haiko89/ or http://lpc.univ-amu.fr/spip.php?article589. It is hoped that these images will aid neuroimaging research of the baboon by, for example, providing a modern, high quality normalization target and accompanying standardized coordinate system as well as probabilistic priors that can be used during tissue segmentation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Live Attenuated Pertussis Vaccine BPZE1 Protects Baboons Against Bordetella pertussis Disease and Infection

Science.gov (United States)

Papin, James F.; Lecher, Sophie; Debrie, Anne-Sophie; Thalen, Marcel; Solovay, Ken; Rubin, Keith; Mielcarek, Nathalie

2017-01-01

Abstract Evidence suggests that the resurgence of pertussis in many industrialized countries may result from the failure of current vaccines to prevent nasopharyngeal colonization by Bordetella pertussis, the principal causative agent of whooping cough. Here, we used a baboon model to test the protective potential of the novel, live attenuated pertussis vaccine candidate BPZE1. A single intranasal/intratracheal inoculation of juvenile baboons with BPZE1 resulted in transient nasopharyngeal colonization and induction of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin A to all antigens tested, while causing no adverse symptoms or leukocytosis. When BPZE1-vaccinated baboons were challenged with a high dose of a highly virulent B. pertussis isolate, they were fully protected against disease, whereas naive baboons developed illness (with 1 death) and leukocytosis. Total postchallenge nasopharyngeal virulent bacterial burden of vaccinated animals was substantially reduced (0.002%) compared to naive controls, providing promising evidence in nonhuman primates that BPZE1 protects against both pertussis disease and B. pertussis infection. PMID:28535276

Macroporous cryogel based spin column with immobilized concanavalin A for isolation of glycoproteins

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Křenková, Jana; Česla, P.; Foret, František

2015-01-01

Roč. 36, 11-12 (2015), s. 1344-1348 ISSN 0173-0835 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-06319S Grant - others:GA AV ČR(CZ) M200311201 Institutional support: RVO:68081715 Keywords : concanavalin A * cryogel * monolith Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 2.482, year: 2015

Application of Carnegie stages of development to unify human and baboon ultrasound findings early in pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Santolaya-Forgas, Joaquin; De Leon-Luis, Juan; Friel, Lara A; Wolf, Roman

2007-09-01

The objective of this study was to determine if very early ultrasonographic measurements obtained from human and baboon are comparable. For this purpose, the gestational, amniotic and yolk sacs, embryonic crown rump length (CRL) and heart rate were measured ultrasonographically between 35 and 47 days from the mean day of a three-day mating period in baboons (n=18) and between 42 to 58 days from fertilization as calculated from the CRL measurements in human pregnancies (n=82). Ultrasonographic measurements from both species were then plotted in the same graph using Carnegie stages of embryonic development as the independent variable to allow for visual comparisons. Mean gestational age at ultrasonographic studies was significantly different for humans and baboons (50.4 vs. 41 days, respectively; p>0.01). Significant correlations (p>0.01) were noted between ultrasonographic measurements and Carnegie stages of development in both humans and baboons. Only the gestational and the yolk sacs were significantly smaller in baboons than in humans (p>0.05). The findings that embryonic CRL, extra-embryonic space and heart rate are very similar between the 17th and 23rd Carnegie developmental stages make the baboon a promising surrogate of human pregnancy for investigations using celocentesis.

Detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigens and interleukin-2 beta receptor molecules on mitogen- and antigen-stimulated lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesketh, J; Dobbelaere, D; Griffin, J F; Buchan, G

1993-01-01

The expression of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) and proliferating cell nuclear antigens (PCNA) were compared for their usefulness as markers of lymphocyte activation. Heterologous polyclonal (anti-bovine IL-2R) and monoclonal (anti-human PCNA) antibodies were used to detect the expression of these molecules on activated deer lymphocytes. Both molecules were co-expressed on blast cells which had been activated with mitogen [concanavalin A (Con A)]. There was detectable up-regulation of IL-2R expression in response to antigen [Mycobacterium bovis-derived purified protein derivative (PPD)] stimulation while PCNA expression mimicked lymphocyte transformation (LT) reactivity. PCNA expression was found to more accurately reflect both antigen- and mitogen-activated lymphocyte activation, as estimated by LT activity. The expression of PCNA was used to identify antigen reactive cells from animals exposed to M. bovis. A very low percentage (1.1 +/- 0.4%) of peripheral blood lymphocytes from non-infected animals could be stimulated to express PCNA by in vitro culture with antigen (PPD). Within the infected group both diseased and healthy, 'in-contact', animals expressed significantly higher levels of PCNA upon antigen stimulation. PMID:8104884

Evaluation of reproduction and raising offspring in a nursery-reared SPF baboon (Papio hamadryas anubis) colony.

Science.gov (United States)

Budda, Madeline L; Ely, John J; Doan, Sandra; Chavez-Suarez, Maria; White, Gary L; Wolf, Roman F

2013-08-01

Baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) of a conventional breeding colony were nursery-reared to create a specific pathogen-free (SPF) baboon-breeding program. Because the founding generations were nursery-reared until 2 years of age, it was suspected that the SPF baboons would exhibit increased reproductive challenges as adults. Mothering behavior was of interest, because SPF females were not exposed to parental role models during the nursery-rearing process. We compared reproductive data from the SPF baboon breeding program during its first 10 years with data from age-matched baboons during the same period from an established, genetically-similar conventional breeding colony. We also evaluated records documenting mother-infant behaviors within the SPF colony. The average age of menarche in SPF females was 3.3 years. The overall live birth rate of both SPF and conventional females was approximately 90%, with no difference in pregnancy outcome between the two colonies. The average age at first conception for SPF females was earlier (4.2 years) than that of the conventional females (4.7 years). In both colonies, primiparous females were more likely to abort than multiparous females. Similarly, primiparous females were more likely to lose their infants to death or human intervention. A mothering score system was developed in the SPF colony to facilitate intervention of poor mother-infant relationships. Records revealed 70% of SPF mothers were able to raise one or more of their infants successfully to at least 180 days of age, which did not differ from conventional mothers. SPF females returned to post-partum amenorrhea 27 days sooner on average than the conventional females, independent of dam age. The nursery-rearing process used for recruitment into the SPF colony therefore did not have an adverse effect on reproduction or rearing offspring. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Aromatase inhibitor treatment limits progression of peritoneal endometriosis in baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Langoi, David; Pavone, Mary Ellen; Gurates, Bilgin; Chai, Daniel; Fazleabas, Asgerally; Bulun, Serdar E

2013-03-01

To determine the effect of inhibiting aromatase activity on endometrial lesion growth and aromatase expression in a baboon model of induced endometriosis. Prospective study. Primate research institute. Sixteen olive baboons. Sixteen olive baboons with induced endometriosis were examined with laparoscopy 10 months after disease inoculation. Animals in group 1 (n = 10) were treated with 1.25 mg/d of the aromatase inhibitor (AI) letrozole, and animals in group 2 (n = 6) were given a placebo for a total of 6 months. Total number of endometriotic lesions, morphology, and volume of lesions, as well as semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and quantitative polymerase chain reaction for levels of aromatase cytochrome messenger RNA were measured. Ovarian volumes were evaluated before treatment initiation and every 2 months during the study. Treatment of group 1 animals with an AI significantly decreased lesion volume from baseline measurements, whereas the placebo-treated animals showed an increase in lesion volume. Aromatase messenger RNA levels in lesions in the AI-treated animals were significantly lower compared with the placebo-treated animals. Ovarian volumes were significantly increased at 6 months of AI treatment compared with pretreatment volumes. These findings suggest that suppression of aromatase cytochrome P450 may inhibit the in vivo growth of endometriotic lesions in baboons. Copyright © 2013 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of acute mortality in baboons and dogs after inhalation of 239PuO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bair, W.J.; Park, J.F.; Stevens, D.L.; Watson, C.R.; Metivier, H.; Masse, R.; Nolibe, D.; Lafuma, J.

1979-01-01

Results from experiments with baboons were compared with those from experiments with dogs to determine the relative sensitivity of the two species to acute mortality from inhaled 239 PuO 2 . To assure a valid comparison of data developed at two laboratories, methodology differences were minimized by establishing a common pool of raw data, using the same computer programs to analyze the data, and standardizing assumptions regarding the calculation of radiation doses to lungs. Several comparison methods were used involving variations in estimating different parameters such as the concentration of plutonium in the lungs. Although nearly all comparisons suggested baboons were slightly more sensitive, none of the methods for comparing the relationship between dose and survival time showed consistently significant differences between baboons and dogs. Although the baboons were physiologically and morphologically immature when exposed to plutonium, whereas the dogs were mature, it was concluded that adult baboons and dogs are similarly sensitive to the acute effects of inhaled 239 PuO 2 . Since only acute mortality was considered in this comparison, the results do not apply to possible late effects caused by much lower levels of plutonium than were used in these experiments

In vitro immunomodulatory potential of Artemisia indica Willd. in chicken lymphocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pushpa Ruwali

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: Evaluation of the in vitro immunomodulatory potential of Artemisia indica Willd. methanolic extract in chicken lymphocyte culture system through lymphocyte (B and T cells proliferation assay, after standardizing the maximum non-cytotoxic dose (MNCD in chicken lymphocytes. Materials and Methods: Fresh aerial parts of A. indica Willd. (family: Asteraceae specimens were collected (altitude 1560 m, gotten authenticated, processed, dried, and Soxhlet extracted to yield methanolic extract (AME. Chicken splenocytes were isolated from spleens collected from healthy birds; lymphocytes were separated by density gradient centrifugation, percentage cell viability determined and final cell count adjusted to 107 cells/ml in RPMI-1640 medium. MNCD of AME in chicken lymphocytes was determined through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide dye reduction assay. Immunomodulatory potential of AME was evaluated through lymphocytes proliferation or B and T cells blastogenesis assay in the presence of appropriate mitogens, namely, lipopolysaccharide (LPS and concanavalin A (Con A, respectively. Results: Maximum concentration of AME exhibiting 100% cell viability (MNCD was 200 μg/ml and was selected for further in vitro analysis. The in vitro exposure of chicken lymphocytes to 200 μg/ml dose of AME, resulted in significant (p<0.05 upregulation of 11.76% in B cell proliferation in the presence of B cell mitogen (LPS and a significant (p<0.05 increase of 12.018% T cells proliferation in the presence of the mitogen (Con A, as compared to the control. Conclusion: The significant upregulation in the proliferation of two major cell types modulating the immune system is an indication of the immunostimulatory potential of the plant. It would be worthwhile to further evaluate A. indica on relevant immunomodulatory aspects, especially the in vivo studies in a poultry system.

In vitro immunomodulatory potential of Artemisia indica Willd. in chicken lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruwali, Pushpa; Ambwani, Tanuj Kumar; Gautam, Pankaj

2018-01-01

Evaluation of the in vitro immunomodulatory potential of Artemisia indica Willd. methanolic extract in chicken lymphocyte culture system through lymphocyte (B and T cells) proliferation assay, after standardizing the maximum non-cytotoxic dose (MNCD) in chicken lymphocytes. Fresh aerial parts of A. indica Willd. (family: Asteraceae) specimens were collected (altitude 1560 m), gotten authenticated, processed, dried, and Soxhlet extracted to yield methanolic extract (AME). Chicken splenocytes were isolated from spleens collected from healthy birds; lymphocytes were separated by density gradient centrifugation, percentage cell viability determined and final cell count adjusted to 10 7 cells/ml in RPMI-1640 medium. MNCD of AME in chicken lymphocytes was determined through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-y1)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide dye reduction assay. Immunomodulatory potential of AME was evaluated through lymphocytes proliferation or B and T cells blastogenesis assay in the presence of appropriate mitogens, namely, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (Con A), respectively. Maximum concentration of AME exhibiting 100% cell viability (MNCD) was 200 μg/ml and was selected for further in vitro analysis. The in vitro exposure of chicken lymphocytes to 200 µg/ml dose of AME, resulted in significant (p<0.05) upregulation of 11.76% in B cell proliferation in the presence of B cell mitogen (LPS) and a significant (p<0.05) increase of 12.018% T cells proliferation in the presence of the mitogen (Con A), as compared to the control. The significant upregulation in the proliferation of two major cell types modulating the immune system is an indication of the immunostimulatory potential of the plant. It would be worthwhile to further evaluate A. indica on relevant immunomodulatory aspects, especially the in vivo studies in a poultry system.

Pleistocene aridification cycles shaped the contemporary genetic architecture of Southern African baboons.

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Riashna Sithaldeen

Full Text Available Plio-Pleistocene environmental change influenced the evolutionary history of many animal lineages in Africa, highlighting key roles for both climate and tectonics in the evolution of Africa's faunal diversity. Here, we explore diversification in the southern African chacma baboon Papio ursinus sensu lato and reveal a dominant role for increasingly arid landscapes during past glacial cycles in shaping contemporary genetic structure. Recent work on baboons (Papio spp. supports complex lineage structuring with a dominant pulse of diversification occurring 1-2Ma, and yet the link to palaeoenvironmental change remains largely untested. Phylogeographic reconstruction based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data supports a scenario where chacma baboon populations were likely restricted to refugia during periods of regional cooling and drying through the Late Pleistocene. The two lineages of chacma baboon, ursinus and griseipes, are strongly geographically structured, and demographic reconstruction together with spatial analysis of genetic variation point to possible climate-driven isolating events where baboons may have retreated to more optimum conditions during cooler, drier periods. Our analysis highlights a period of continuous population growth beginning in the Middle to Late Pleistocene in both the ursinus and the PG2 griseipes lineages. All three clades identified in the study then enter a state of declining population size (Nef through to the Holocene; this is particularly marked in the last 20,000 years, most likely coincident with the Last Glacial Maximum. The pattern recovered here conforms to expectations based on the dynamic regional climate trends in southern Africa through the Pleistocene and provides further support for complex patterns of diversification in the region's biodiversity.

vaginal histological changes of the baboon

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2009-04-04

Apr 4, 2009 ... be studied in humans for ethical reasons. Objective: To determine the histological changes in baboon vagina associated with cyclic variations during normal menstrual cycle. Setting: The experiments were carried out at Institute of Primate Research (IPR),. Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. Subjects: Nine adult healthy ...

Metabolism and Disposition of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“Ecstasy”) in Baboons after Oral Administration: Comparison with Humans Reveals Marked Differences

OpenAIRE

Mueller, Melanie; Goodwin, Amy K.; Ator, Nancy A.; McCann, Una D.; Ricaurte, George A.

2011-01-01

The baboon is potentially an attractive animal for modeling 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) effects in humans. Baboons self-administer MDMA, are susceptible to MDMA neurotoxicity, and are suitable for positron emission tomography, the method most often used to probe for MDMA neurotoxicity in humans. Because pharmacokinetic equivalence is a key feature of a good predictive animal model, we compared the pharmacokinetics of MDMA in baboons and humans. Baboons were trained to orally cons...

Carbon-11 labelled ketamine-synthesis, distribution in mice and PET studies in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiue, C.-Y.; Vallabhahosula, Shankar; Wolf, Alfred P.; Dewey, Stephen L.; Fowler, Joanna S.; Schlyer, David J.; Arnett, Carroll D.; Zhou Yiguo

1997-01-01

No-carrier-added (NCA)[ 11 C](±)-ketamine (2a) and its enantiomers (+)-2b and (-)-2c were synthesized by methylation of the corresponding norketamine (1a-c) with [ 11 C]H 3 I in an overall radiochemical yield of 20% (EOB) with specific activities of 0.35-0.45 Ci/μmole at EOB in a synthesis time of 40 min from EOB. Compound 2a was metabolized rapidly in mouse brain and labeled metabolites appeared in baboon plasma. PET studies of compounds 2a-c in a baboon showed that influx of compounds 2a-c into the brain was high for the first few min but radioactivity then declined rapidly. Although the retention of radioactivity in the baboon striatum was not significantly different for 2a-c 20 min post-injection, graphical analysis of time-activity data for each enantiomer and for the racemate in baboon striatum suggested that (+)-ketamine may interact with receptors slightly more effectively than its (-)-enantiomer or racemate. However, due to its rapid metabolism in the brain and a similar uptake in the striatum and cerebellum, [ 11 C]ketamine may not be an ideal tracer for studying NMDA receptor with PET

Effects of synthetic and naturally occurring flavonoids on mitogen-induced proliferation of human peripheral-blood lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirano, Toshihiko; Oka, Kitaro; Kawashima, Etsuko; Akiba, Mitsuo

1989-01-01

Examination was made of the effects of 17 synthetic and naturally occurring flavonoids on human lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of concanavalin A as a mitogen. Twelve of the flavonoids examined were mono-hydroxy of methoxy derivatives. The mitogen-induced response of lymphocytes was evaluated from the extent of the incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine into cells in vitro. All the compounds showed inhibitory effects; 4.5-77.7% of [ 3 H] thymidine incorporation was blocked by an 1.0 μg/ml concentration. The viability of lymphocytes before and after treatment, as assessed by a dye exclusion test, indicated no change, and thus the flavonoids may inhibit DNA synthesis. The flavonoids possessing 5-hydroxyl, 5-methoxyl and 6-methoxyl groups, and those with cyclohexyl instead of phenyl substituent (i.e. 2-cyclohexyl-benzopyran-4-one), showed the greatest inhibition. The inhibitory effect of any one of them was less than one half that of prednisolone, but essentially the same or somewhat exceeding that of bredinine of azathioprine. It would thus appear that the well-known anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids may possibly arise in part from the inhibition of the proliferative response of lymphocytes

The ‘strength of weak ties’ among female baboons : fitness-related benefits of social bonds

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McFarland, Richard; Murphy, Derek; Lusseau, David; Henzi, S. Peter; Parker, Jessica L.; Pollet, Thomas V.; Barrett, Louise

2017-01-01

Studies across a range of species have shown that sociability has positive fitness consequences. Among baboons, both increased infant survival and adult longevity have been associated with the maintenance of strong, equitable and durable social bonds. However, not all baboon populations show these

The role of the maturation stage of thymocytes on the phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A responses in thymocyte and lymph node lymphocyte cocultures in guinea pig. Effects of pretreatment of thymocytes with thymosin or levamisole.

Science.gov (United States)

Soppi, E

1981-02-01

Guinea pig thymocytes (TH) and lymph node lymphocytes (LNL) synergized optimally in both phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin (Con A) responses in mixtures containing 0.3 x 10(6) TH and 0.2 x 10(6) LNL. Using discontinuous albumin gradient centrifugation thymocytes were separated into two subpopulations (F4 and F6) at different stages of maturation. Immature, PHA and Con A unresponsive F6 thymocytes synergized significantly only in the PHA response. More mature, PHA and Con A responsive F4 thymocytes cooperated well in the Con A response, but only a small synergy was observed in the PHA response. Pretreatment of the unfractionated thymocytes with the low concentration (0.05 microgram/ml) of thymosin decreased significantly their capacity to interact with LNL in both PHA and Con A responses. Preincubation of F4 thymocytes with the high concentration (200 microgram/ml) of thymosin increased the synergy in PHA response. All other combinations with thymosin or levamisole and thymocytes were ineffective on the mitogenic responses in the TH and LNL cocultures. Altogether, the results how that the thymocyte populations that induce synergy in PHA, or in (PHA and) Con A responses represent the two subpopulations of thymocytes with different maturation stages. The differential effects of the two concentrations of thymosin on the thymocytes support further the concept that the thymocytes synergizing in responses to both mitogens are more mature than those synergizing only PHA response. Thus, the ability of thymocytes to interact with LNL is dependent on the maturation stage of thymocytes, and can be utilized to study the differentiation of thymocytes.

Haplotypes in the APOA1-C3-A4-A5 gene cluster affect plasma lipids in both humans and baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Qian-fei; Liu, Xin; O' Connell, Jeff; Peng, Ze; Krauss, Ronald M.; Rainwater, David L.; VandeBerg, John L.; Rubin, Edward M.; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Pennacchio, Len A.

2003-09-15

Genetic studies in non-human primates serve as a potential strategy for identifying genomic intervals where polymorphisms impact upon human disease-related phenotypes. It remains unclear, however, whether independently arising polymorphisms in orthologous regions of non-human primates leads to similar variation in a quantitative trait found in both species. To explore this paradigm, we studied a baboon apolipoprotein gene cluster (APOA1/C3/A4/A5) for which the human gene orthologs have well established roles in influencing plasma HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Our extensive polymorphism analysis of this 68 kb gene cluster in 96 pedigreed baboons identified several haplotype blocks each with limited diversity, consistent with haplotype findings in humans. To determine whether baboons, like humans, also have particular haplotypes associated with lipid phenotypes, we genotyped 634 well characterized baboons using 16 haplotype tagging SNPs. Genetic analysis of single SNPs, as well as haplotypes, revealed an association of APOA5 and APOC3 variants with HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, respectively. Thus, independent variation in orthologous genomic intervals does associate with similar quantitative lipid traits in both species, supporting the possibility of uncovering human QTL genes in a highly controlled non-human primate model.

Revisiting Biomarkers of Total-Body and Partial-Body Exposure in a Baboon Model of Irradiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Valente

Full Text Available In case of a mass casualty radiation event, there is a need to distinguish total-body irradiation (TBI and partial-body irradiation (PBI to concentrate overwhelmed medical resources to the individuals that would develop an acute radiation syndrome (ARS and need hematologic support (i.e., mostly TBI victims. To improve the identification and medical care of TBI versus PBI individuals, reliable biomarkers of exposure could be very useful. To investigate this issue, pairs of baboons (n = 18 were exposed to different situations of TBI and PBI corresponding to an equivalent of either 5 Gy 60Co gamma irradiation (5 Gy TBI; 7.5 Gy left hemibody/2.5 right hemibody TBI; 5.55 Gy 90% PBI; 6.25 Gy 80% PBI; 10 Gy 50% PBI, 15 Gy 30% PBI or 2.5 Gy (2.5 Gy TBI; 5 Gy 50% PBI. More than fifty parameters were evaluated before and after irradiation at several time points up to 200 days. A partial least square discriminant analysis showed a good distinction of TBI from PBI situations that were equivalent to 5 Gy. Furthermore, all the animals were pooled in two groups, TBI (n = 6 and PBI (n = 12, for comparison using a logistic regression and a non parametric statistical test. Nine plasmatic biochemical markers and most of hematological parameters turned out to discriminate between TBI and PBI animals during the prodromal phase and the manifest illness phase. The most significant biomarkers were aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lactico dehydrogenase, urea, Flt3-ligand, iron, C-reactive protein, absolute neutrophil count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the early period, and Flt3-ligand, iron, platelet count, hemoglobin, monocyte count, absolute neutrophil count and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio for the ARS phase. These results suggest that heterogeneity could be distinguished within a range of 2.5 to 5 Gy TBI.

Astaxanthin, a Carotenoid, Stimulates Immune Responses by Enhancing IFN-γ and IL-2 Secretion in Primary Cultured Lymphocytes in Vitro and ex Vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Kuan-Hung; Lin, Kao-Chang; Lu, Wan-Jung; Thomas, Philip-Aloysius; Jayakumar, Thanasekaran; Sheu, Joen-Rong

2015-01-01

Astaxanthin, a potent antioxidant carotenoid, plays a major role in modulating the immune response. In this study, we examined the immunomodulatory effects of astaxanthin on cytokine production in primary cultured lymphocytes both in vitro and ex vivo. Direct administration of astaxanthin (70–300 nM) did not produce cytotoxicity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 µg/ mL)- or concanavalin A (Con A, 10 µg/ mL)-activated lymphocytes, whereas astaxanthin alone at 300 nM induced proliferation of splenic lymphocytes (p < 0.05) in vitro. Although astaxanthin, alone or with Con A, had no apparent effect on interferon (INF-γ) and interleukin (IL-2) production in primary cultured lymphocytes, it enhanced LPS-induced INF-γ production. In an ex vivo experiment, oral administration of astaxanthin (0.28, 1.4 and 7 mg/kg/day) for 14 days did not cause alterations in the body or spleen weights of mice and also was not toxic to lymphocyte cells derived from the mice. Moreover, treatment with astaxanthin significantly increased LPS-induced lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo but not Con A-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation ex vivo. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analysis revealed that administration of astaxanthin significantly enhanced INF-γ production in response to both LPS and Con A stimulation, whereas IL-2 production increased only in response to Con A stimulation. Also, astaxanthin treatment alone significantly increased IL-2 production in lymphocytes derived from mice, but did not significantly change production of INF-γ. These findings suggest that astaxanthin modulates lymphocytic immune responses in vitro, and that it partly exerts its ex vivo immunomodulatory effects by increasing INF-γ and IL-2 production without inducing cytotoxicity. PMID:26729100

Maternal Vaccination With a Monocomponent Pertussis Toxoid Vaccine Is Sufficient to Protect Infants in a Baboon Model of Whooping Cough.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapil, Parul; Papin, James F; Wolf, Roman F; Zimmerman, Lindsey I; Wagner, Leslie D; Merkel, Tod J

2018-03-28

Bordetella pertussis is a human pathogen responsible for serious respiratory illness. The disease is most severe in infants too young to be vaccinated with most hospitalizations and deaths occurring within this age group. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended immunization of pregnant women to protect infants from birth until their first vaccination at 6-8 weeks of age. We previously demonstrated that maternal vaccination with licensed acellular pertussis vaccines protected newborn baboons from disease. We hypothesized that protection was due to toxin-neutralizing, maternal anti-pertussis toxin antibodies and predicted that maternal vaccination with a pertussis toxoid (PTx)-only vaccine would protect newborns from disease. Infant baboons born to unvaccinated mothers or mothers vaccinated with a PTx-only vaccine were challenged with B. pertussis at 5 weeks of age and followed for infection and signs of disease. Although all challenged infants were heavily colonized, the infant baboons born to mothers vaccinated with PTx-only vaccine were free from clinical disease following exposure to B. pertussis. In contrast, disease was observed in infants born to unvaccinated mothers. Our results demonstrated that maternal vaccination with a PTx-only vaccine is sufficient to protect newborn baboons from disease following exposure to pertussis.

The effects of 3-methylcholanthrene on lymphocyte proliferation in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynaud, S.; Deschaux, P.

2005-01-01

The sensitivity of lymphocyte proliferation as bioindicator of pollution stress was evaluated in the common carp (Cyrinus carpio L.). The time course response of peripheral blood leukocyte proliferation in response or not to mitogens was measured from 1 to 7 days after peritoneal injection of 3-methylcholantrene (3-MC), and compared to the time course response of a highly sensitive biomarker, induction of cytochrome P450. 3-Methylcholanthrene (40 mg kg -1 ) inhibited both B- and T-lymphocyte proliferation in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and concanavalin A (Con A). Studies with α-naphtofiavone, suggest the lack of metabolic processes. 3-Methylcholanthrene alone strongly stimulated resting peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) proliferation. This effect was not transient. The induction of lymphocyte proliferation paralleled the increase in cytochrome P450 content in the liver. The specificity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced lymphocyte proliferation suggests that this immune activity may be an early marker of exposure to PAHs in aquatic environments. The capacity of 3-MC to induce rapid lymphocyte proliferation may be related to PAH-induced rapid clonal expansion in mammals. These results strongly suggested that the underlying mechanism might be the same in both models. More studies are needed in fish to explain this phenomenon and may be helpful in understanding the occurrence of neoplastic epizootics in fish associated with PAH exposition

The ontogeny of insulin signaling in the preterm baboon model.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Cynthia L; Liang, Hanyu; Joya-Galeana, Joaquin; DeFronzo, Ralph A; McCurnin, Donald; Musi, Nicolas

2010-05-01

Hyperglycemia, a prevalent condition in premature infants, is thought to be a consequence of incomplete suppression of endogenous glucose production and reduced insulin-stimulated glucose disposal in peripheral tissues. However, the molecular basis for these conditions remains unclear. To test the hypothesis that the insulin transduction pathway is underdeveloped with prematurity, fetal baboons were delivered, anesthetized, and euthanized at 125 d gestational age (GA), 140 d GA, or near term at 175 d GA. Vastus lateralis muscle and liver tissues were obtained, and protein content of insulin signaling molecules [insulin receptor (IR)-beta, IR substate-1, p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt, and AS160] and glucose transporters (GLUT)-1 and GLUT4 was measured by Western blotting. Muscle from 125 d GA baboons had markedly reduced GLUT1 protein content (16% of 140 d GA and 9% of 175 d GA fetuses). GLUT4 and AS160 also were severely reduced in 125 d GA fetal muscle (43% of 175 d GA and 35% of 175 d GA, respectively). In contrast, the protein content of IR-beta, IR substate-1, and Akt was elevated by 1.7-, 5.2-, and 1.9-fold, respectively, in muscle from 125 d GA baboons when compared with 175 d GA fetuses. No differences were found in the content of insulin signaling proteins in liver. In conclusion, significant gestational differences exist in the protein content of several insulin signaling proteins in the muscle of fetal baboons. Reduced muscle content of key glucose transport-regulating proteins (GLUT1, GLUT4, AS160) could play a role in the pathogenesis of neonatal hyperglycemia and reduced insulin-stimulated glucose disposal.

New data on the toxicity and translocation of inhaled /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ in baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metivier, H.; Masse, R.; Rateau, G.; Nolibe, D.; Lafuma, J. (CEA Centre d' Etudes de Bruyeres-le-Chatel, 91 (France))

1989-01-01

In 1973-1974, baboons were exposed to a polydispersed aerosol of /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/, prepared at 1000/sup 0/C, at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique in France. The data published in 1978 for these baboons were used by Bair et al (1980), for comparison with those obtained in beagles exposed to /sup 239/PuO/sub 2/ at the Pacific Northwest Laboratory, USA. Since our 1978 publication, 8 baboons have died or were killed by euthanasia when moribund, and 11 were still alive when the present report was drafted. Two of the eight baboons died of lung squamous cell carcinoma at 2171 and 2528 days respectively. The remaining 6 died of fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia or diseases unrelated to Pu toxicity. The relationship observed in the eight baboons between initial lung burden and survival time shows that their lifespan was longer than expected from the data curve based on the findings for the first 1000 days. However, this increased survival time was not observed if the lifespan was expressed as a function of the average lung burden. (author).

Carbon-11 labelled ketamine-synthesis, distribution in mice and PET studies in baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiue, C.-Y.; Vallabhahosula, Shankar; Wolf, Alfred P.; Dewey, Stephen L.; Fowler, Joanna S.; Schlyer, David J.; Arnett, Carroll D.; Zhou Yiguo

1997-02-01

No-carrier-added (NCA)[{sup 11}C]({+-})-ketamine (2a) and its enantiomers (+)-2b and (-)-2c were synthesized by methylation of the corresponding norketamine (1a-c) with [{sup 11}C]H{sub 3}I in an overall radiochemical yield of 20% (EOB) with specific activities of 0.35-0.45 Ci/{mu}mole at EOB in a synthesis time of 40 min from EOB. Compound 2a was metabolized rapidly in mouse brain and labeled metabolites appeared in baboon plasma. PET studies of compounds 2a-c in a baboon showed that influx of compounds 2a-c into the brain was high for the first few min but radioactivity then declined rapidly. Although the retention of radioactivity in the baboon striatum was not significantly different for 2a-c 20 min post-injection, graphical analysis of time-activity data for each enantiomer and for the racemate in baboon striatum suggested that (+)-ketamine may interact with receptors slightly more effectively than its (-)-enantiomer or racemate. However, due to its rapid metabolism in the brain and a similar uptake in the striatum and cerebellum, [{sup 11}C]ketamine may not be an ideal tracer for studying NMDA receptor with PET.

Reexamining unconscious response priming: A liminal-prime paradigm.

Science.gov (United States)

Avneon, Maayan; Lamy, Dominique

2018-03-01

Research on the limits of unconscious processing typically relies on the subliminal-prime paradigm. However, this paradigm is limited in the issues it can address. Here, we examined the implications of using the liminal-prime paradigm, which allows comparing unconscious and conscious priming with constant stimulation. We adapted an iconic demonstration of unconscious response priming to the liminal-prime paradigm. On the one hand, temporal attention allocated to the prime and its relevance to the task increased the magnitude of response priming. On the other hand, the longer RTs associated with the dual task inherent to the paradigm resulted in response priming being underestimated, because unconscious priming effects were shorter-lived than conscious-priming effects. Nevertheless, when the impact of long RTs was alleviated by considering the fastest trials or by imposing a response deadline, conscious response priming remained considerably larger than unconscious response priming. These findings suggest that conscious perception strongly modulates response priming. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3-Methylcholanthrene inhibits lymphocyte proliferation and increases intracellular calcium levels in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynaud, S.; Duchiron, C.; Deschaux, P.

2003-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important class of environmental pollutants that are known to be carcinogenic and immunotoxic. Many authors have focused on macrophage activities in fish exposed to PAHs. However, fewer studies have reported decrease in specific immunity in such fish. We investigated the intracellular mechanisms by which the 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) decreased lymphocyte proliferation in carp. T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were inhibited by 3-MC (0.5-50 μM). 3-MC also produced a rapid and a sustained increase in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ) (2 h minimum). However, the cytochrome P450 1A and Ah receptor inhibitor, α-naphtoflavone (a-NF), also inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and did not reverse the effects of 3-MC. Moreover, since a-NF and 3-MC increased [Ca 2+ ] i and inhibited lymphocyte proliferation it was possible that calcium release played a role in 3-MC-inhibited lymphocyte proliferation. The rise in [Ca 2+ ] i induced by 3-MC was potentiated by the inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPases, thapsigargin. Treating cells with 3-MC decreased calcium mobilization caused by thapsigargin. These results suggest that 3-MC acts on the endoplasmic reticulum, perhaps directly on calcium ATPases, to increase intracellular calcium levels in carp leucocytes

Fusion-Expressed CTB Improves Both Systemic and Mucosal T-Cell Responses Elicited by an Intranasal DNA Priming/Intramuscular Recombinant Vaccinia Boosting Regimen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sugan Qiu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Previous study showed that CTB (Cholera toxin subunit B can be used as a genetic adjuvant to enhance the systemic immune responses. To further investigate whether it can also be used as a genetic adjuvant to improve mucosal immune responses, we constructed DNA and recombinant Tiantan vaccinia (rTTV vaccines expressing OVA-CTB fusion antigen. Female C57BL/6 mice were immunized with an intranasal DNA priming/intramuscular rTTV boosting regimen. OVA specific T-cell responses were measured by IFN-γ ELISPOT and specific antibody responses were determined by ELISA. Compared to the nonadjuvant group (pSV-OVA intranasal priming/rTTV-OVA intramuscular boosting, pSV-OVA-CTB intranasal priming/rTTV-OVA-CTB intramuscular boosting group significantly improved the magnitudes of T-cell responses at spleen (1562±567 SFCs/106 splenocytes versus 330±182 SFCs/106 splenocytes, P<0.01, mesenteric LN (96±83 SFCs/106 lymphocytes versus 1±2 SFCs/106 lymphocytes, P<0.05, draining LNs of respiratory tract (109±60 SFCs/106 lymphocytes versus 2±2 SFCs/106 lymphocytes, P<0.01 and female genital tract (89±48 SFCs/106 lymphocytes versus 23±21 SFCs/106 lymphocytes, P<0.01. These results collectively demonstrated that fusion-expressed CTB could act as a potent adjuvant to improve both systemic and mucosal T-cell responses.

Antelope Predation by Nigerian Forest Baboons: Ecological and Behavioural Correlates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sommer, Volker; Lowe, Adriana; Jesus, Gonçalo; Alberts, Nienke; Bouquet, Yaëlle; Inglis, David M; Petersdorf, Megan; van Riel, Eelco; Thompson, James; Ross, Caroline

2016-01-01

Baboons are well studied in savannah but less so in more closed habitats. We investigated predation on mammals by olive baboons (Papio anubis) at a geographical and climatic outlier, Gashaka Gumti National Park (Nigeria), the wettest and most forested site so far studied. Despite abundant wildlife, meat eating was rare and selective. Over 16 years, baboons killed 7 bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) and 3 red-flanked duiker (Cephalophus rufilatus), mostly still-lying 'parked' infants. Taking observation time into account, this is 1 predation per group every 3.3 months - far lower than at other sites. Some features of meat eating resemble those elsewhere; predation is opportunistic, adult males monopolize most prey, a targeted killing bite is lacking and begging or active sharing is absent. Carcass owners employ evasive tactics, as meat is often competed over, but satiated owners may tolerate others taking meat. Other features are unusual; this is only the second study site with predation records for bushbuck and the only one for red-flanked duiker. The atypical prey and rarity of eating mammals probably reflects the difficulty of acquiring prey animals when vegetation cover is dense. Our data support the general prediction of the socioecological model that environments shape behavioural patterns, while acknowledging their intraspecific or intrageneric plasticity. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ovarian cycling and reproductive state shape the vaginal microbiota in wild baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Elizabeth A; Livermore, Joshua A; Alberts, Susan C; Tung, Jenny; Archie, Elizabeth A

2017-01-19

The vaginal microbiome is an important site of bacterial-mammalian symbiosis. This symbiosis is currently best characterized for humans, where lactobacilli dominate the microbial community and may help defend women against infectious disease. However, lactobacilli do not dominate the vaginal microbiota of any other mammal studied to date, raising key questions about the forces that shape the vaginal microbiome in non-human mammals. We used Illumina sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to investigate variation in the taxonomic composition of the vaginal microbiota in 48 baboons (Papio cynocephalus), members of a well-studied wild population in Kenya. Similar to prior studies, we found that the baboon vaginal microbiota was not dominated by lactobacilli. Despite this difference, and similar to humans, reproductive state was the dominant predictor of baboon vaginal microbiota, with pregnancy, postpartum amenorrhea, and ovarian cycling explaining 18% of the variance in community composition. Furthermore, among cycling females, a striking 39% of variance in community composition was explained by ovarian cycle phase, with an especially distinctive microbial community around ovulation. Periovulatory females exhibited the highest relative abundance of lactic acid-producing bacteria compared to any other phase, with a mean relative abundance of 44%. To a lesser extent, sexual behavior, especially a history of shared sexual partners, also predicted vaginal microbial similarity between baboons. Despite striking differences in their dominant microbes, both human and baboon vaginal microbiota exhibit profound changes in composition in response to reproductive state, ovarian cycle phase, and sexual behavior. We found major shifts in composition during ovulation, which may have implications for disease risk and conception success. These findings highlight the need for future studies to account for fine-scale differences in reproductive state, particularly differences between

Metabolism and gastrointestinal absorption of neptunium and protactinium in adult baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ralston, L.G.; Cohen, N.; Bhattacharyya, M.H.; Larsen, R.P.; Ayres, L.; Oldham, R.D.; Moretti, E.S.

1985-01-01

The metabolism of neptunium and protactinium was studied in adult female baboons following intravenous injection and intragastric intubation. Immediately following intravenous injection (10 -1 to 10 -10 mg Np per kg body wt), neptunium cleared rapidly from blood, deposited primarily in the skeleton (54 +- 5%) and liver (3 +- 0.2%), and was excreted predominantly via urine (40 +- 3%). For the first year post injection, neptunium was retained with a biological half-time of approx.100 days in liver and 1.5 +- 0.2 yr in bone. In comparison, injected protactinium (10 -9 mg/kg) was retained in blood in higher concentrations and was initially eliminated in urine to a lesser extent (6 +- 3%). In vivo measurements indicated that protactinium was retained in bone (65 +- 0.3%) with a half-time of 3.5 +- 0.6 yr. Differences in the physicochemical states of the neptunium or protactinium solutions injected did not alter the metabolic behavior of these nuclides. The gastrointestinal absorption value for neptunium in two fasted baboons, sacrificed at 1 day post administration, was determined to be 0.92 +- 0.04%. Of the total amount of neptunium absorbed, 52 +- 3% was retained in bone, 6 +- 2% was in liver, and 42 +- 0.1% was excreted in urine. A method was developed to estimate GI absorption values for both nuclides in baboons which were not sacrificed. Absorption values calculated by this method for neptunium and protactinium in fasted baboons were 1.8 +- 0.8% and 0.65 +- 0.01%, respectively. Values for fed animals were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude less than those for fasted animals. 14 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs. (DT)

Metabolism and gastrointestinal absorption of neptunium and protactinium in adult baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ralston, L.G.; Cohen, N.; Bhattacharyya, M.H.; Larsen, R.P.; Ayres, L.; Oldham, R.D.; Moretti, E.S.

1985-01-01

The metabolism of neptunium and protactinium was studied in adult female baboons following intravenous injection and intragastric intubation. Immediately following intravenous injection (10/sup -1/ to 10/sup -10/ mg Np per kg body wt), neptunium cleared rapidly from blood, deposited primarily in the skeleton (54 +- 5%) and liver (3 +- 0.2%), and was excreted predominantly via urine (40 +- 3%). For the first year post injection, neptunium was retained with a biological half-time of approx.100 days in liver and 1.5 +- 0.2 yr in bone. In comparison, injected protactinium (10/sup -9/ mg/kg) was retained in blood in higher concentrations and was initially eliminated in urine to a lesser extent (6 +- 3%). In vivo measurements indicated that protactinium was retained in bone (65 +- 0.3%) with a half-time of 3.5 +- 0.6 yr. Differences in the physicochemical states of the neptunium or protactinium solutions injected did not alter the metabolic behavior of these nuclides. The gastrointestinal absorption value for neptunium in two fasted baboons, sacrificed at 1 day post administration, was determined to be 0.92 +- 0.04%. Of the total amount of neptunium absorbed, 52 +- 3% was retained in bone, 6 +- 2% was in liver, and 42 +- 0.1% was excreted in urine. A method was developed to estimate GI absorption values for both nuclides in baboons which were not sacrificed. Absorption values calculated by this method for neptunium and protactinium in fasted baboons were 1.8 +- 0.8% and 0.65 +- 0.01%, respectively. Values for fed animals were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude less than those for fasted animals. 14 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs. (DT)

A defect in the inflammation-primed macrophage-activation cascade in osteopetrotic rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, N; Lindsay, D D; Naraparaju, V R; Ireland, R A; Popoff, S N

1994-05-15

Macrophages were activated by administration of lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-Pc) or dodecylglycerol (DDG) to wild-type rats but not in osteopetrotic (op) mutant rats. In vitro treatment of wild-type rat peritoneal cells with lyso-Pc or DDG efficiently activated macrophages whereas treatment of op mutant rat peritoneal cells with lyso-Pc or DDG did not activate macrophages. The inflammation-primed macrophage activation cascade in rats requires participation of B lymphocytes and vitamin D binding protein (DBP). Lyso-Pc-inducible beta-galactosidase of wild-type rat B lymphocytes can convert DBP to the macrophage-activating factor (MAF), whereas B lymphocytes of the op mutant rats were shown to be deficient in lyso-Pc-inducible beta-galactosidase. DBP is conserved among mammalian species. Treatment of human DBP (Gc1 protein) with commercial glycosidases yields an extremely high titrated MAF as assayed on mouse and rat macrophages. Because the enzymatically generated MAF (GcMAF) bypasses the role of lymphocytes in macrophage activation, the op mutant rat macrophages were efficiently activated by administration of a small quantity (100 pg/rat) of GcMAF. Likewise, in vitro treatment of op rat peritoneal cells with as little as 40 pg GcMAF/ml activated macrophages.

Influence of age, reproductive cycling status, and menstruation on the vaginal microbiome in baboons (Papio anubis).

Science.gov (United States)

Uchihashi, M; Bergin, I L; Bassis, C M; Hashway, S A; Chai, D; Bell, J D

2015-05-01

The vaginal microbiome is believed to influence host health by providing protection from pathogens and influencing reproductive outcomes such as fertility and gestational length. In humans, age-associated declines in diversity of the vaginal microbiome occur in puberty and persist into adulthood. Additionally, menstruation has been associated with decreased microbial community stability. Adult female baboons, like other non-human primates (NHPs), have a different and highly diverse vaginal microbiome compared to that of humans, which is most commonly dominated by Lactobacillus spp. We evaluated the influence of age, reproductive cycling status (cycling vs. non-cycling) and menstruation on the vaginal microbiome of 38 wild-caught, captive female olive baboons (Papio anubis) by culture-independent sequencing of the V3-V5 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. All baboons had highly diverse vaginal microbial communities. Adult baboons had significantly lower microbial diversity in comparison to subadult baboons, which was attributable to decreased relative abundance of minor taxa. No significant differences were detected based on cycling state or menstruation. Predictive metagenomic analysis showed uniformity in relative abundance of metabolic pathways regardless of age, cycle stage, or menstruation, indicating conservation of microbial community functions. This study suggests that selection of an optimal vaginal microbial community occurs at puberty. Since decreased diversity occurs in both baboons and humans at puberty, this may reflect a general strategy for selection of adult vaginal microbial communities. Comparative evaluation of vaginal microbial community development and composition may elucidate mechanisms of community formation and function that are conserved across host species or across microbial community types. These findings have implications for host health, evolutionary biology, and microbe-host ecosystems. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

CM 40907: a structurally novel anticonvulsant in mice, rats and baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chambon, J.P.; Brochard, J.; Hallot, A.; Heaulme, M.; Brodin, R.; Roncucci, R.; Biziere, K.

1985-01-01

CM 40907 [3-(4-hydroxypiperidyl)-6-(2'-chlorophenyl)-pyridazine] is a chemically original compound which possesses the pharmacological properties of a potent, p.o. active anticonvulsant. The anticonvulsant activity of CM 40907 was examined in mice, rats and photosensitive Papio-papio baboons and compared to that of phenobarbital, diphenylhydantoin, carbamazepine, sodium valproate and ethosuximide. In mice, CM 40907 antagonized electroconvulsive shock and chemically induced seizures with an overall potency comparable to that of carbamazepine and a therapeutic ratio (ED50 rotorod/ED50 electroshock) superior to that of ethosuximide, sodium valproate, phenobarbital and carbamazepine. In the rat CM 40907 suppressed completed kindled amygdaloid seizures and was approximately as active as phenobarbital. In naturally photosensitive Senegalese Papio-papio baboons CM 40907 antagonized myoclonus and cortical paroxysmal discharges. In this model CM 40907 was approximately one-fourth as potent as phenobarbital, twice as potent as carbamazepine and 6 times more potent than sodium valproate. In mice CM 40907, at anticonvulsant doses, increased the affinity of [ 3 H]flunitrazepam for its central receptor site. Based on these results it is postulated that CM 40907 is a potent and relatively nonsedative anticonvulsant and may be of therapeutic benefit in epileptic disorders

Antenatal corticosteroids alter insulin signaling pathways in fetal baboon skeletal muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanco, Cynthia L; Moreira, Alvaro G; McGill-Vargas, Lisa L; Anzueto, Diana G; Nathanielsz, Peter; Musi, Nicolas

2014-05-01

We hypothesize that prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) negatively alters the insulin signal transduction pathway and has differing effects on the fetus according to gestational age (GA) at exposure. Twenty-three fetal baboons were delivered from 23 healthy, nondiabetic mothers. Twelve preterm (0.67 GA) and 11 near-term (0.95 GA) baboons were killed immediately after delivery. Half of the pregnant baboons at each gestation received two doses of i.m. betamethasone 24 h apart (170 μg/kg) before delivery, while the other half received no intervention. Vastus lateralis muscle was obtained from postnatal animals to measure the protein content and gene expression of insulin receptor β (IRβ; INSR), IRβ Tyr 1361 phosphorylation (pIRβ), IR substrate 1 (IRS1), IRS1 tyrosine phosphorylation (pIRS1), p85 subunit of PI3-kinase, AKT (protein kinase B), phospho-AKT Ser473 (pAKT), AKT1, AKT2, and glucose transporters (GLUT1 and GLUT4). Skeletal muscle from preterm baboons exposed to GCs had markedly reduced protein content of AKT and AKT1 (respectively, 73 and 72% from 0.67 GA control, P<0.001); IRβ and pIRβ were also decreased (respectively, 94 and 85%, P<0.01) in the muscle of premature GC-exposed fetuses but not in term fetuses. GLUT1 and GLUT4 tended to increase with GC exposure in preterm animals (P=0.09), while GLUT4 increased sixfold in term animals after exposure to GC (P<0.05). In conclusion, exposure to a single course of antenatal GCs during fetal life alters the insulin signaling pathway in fetal muscle in a manner dependent on the stage of gestation.

Immunotoxicity of environmentally relevant mixtures of polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons with methyl mercury on rat lymphocytes in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omara, F.O.; Brochu, C.; Flipo, D.; Denizeau, F.; Fournier, M. [Univ. of Quebec, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

1997-03-01

The immunosuppressive effects of methyl mercury (MHg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are well established at higher exposure levels but unclear at low exposure levels. The authors exposed Fischer 344 rat splenocytes, thymocytes, and peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro for 72 h to MHg of three PCDDs and two PCDFs PCB mixtures, or combinations of MHg/PCB/PCDD/PCDF mixtures Mitogenic responses of lymphocytes to concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, or lipopolysaccharide/dextran sulfate were determined by {sup 3}H-thymidine uptake; cytotoxicity and intracellular Ca{sup 2+} were determined by flow cytometry. Methylmercury mixtures with 2 {micro}g/ml MHg decreased the viability of splenocytes to 57 and 40% at 4 and 24 h, respectively. Basal intracellular calcium ion levels were unaffected by the treatments. Methylmercury suppressed the responses of lymphocytes to T and B cell mitogens. All combinations of MHg/PCB/PCDD/PCDF mixtures decreased mitogenic responses to levels similar to those to MHg alone. In contrast, PCB and PCDD/PCDF mixtures did not suppress but augmented responses of splenocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes to T cell mitogens. Overall, no interactive toxicity was observed with MHg/PCB/PCDD/PCDF mixtures on cytotoxicity and lymphocyte mitogenic responses. Therefore, MHg may pose a greater threat than organochlorines to the mammalian immune system.

Adverse effects of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocytes blastogenesis and its protection with Vitamin E.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaradat, Ziad W; Viià, Borja; Marquardt, Ronal R

2006-08-15

T-2 toxin, a trichothecene mycotoxin that is produced by fusarium species, is prevalent mainly in cereal crops and poultry feed. One of the major effects of this toxin is immunomodulation. The effect of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of mitogens and the subsequent protection with Vitamin E in both fat and water soluble forms was studied using an MTT colorimetric assay. T-2 toxin was administered in concentrations ranging from 0 to 10ng/mL of lymphocytes in the presence of either concanavalin A (ConA) or phytohemagglutinine (PHA-M) at optimum concentration of 333ng/mL and a dilution of 1:160 for ConA and PHA-M, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to ConA and PHA-M mitogens was depressed at T-2 doses of 1ng/mL or higher (pprotection effect against the toxin when it was added at either 25 or 100microg. However, when the water soluble form (Trolox) was added at a concentration of (200microg) (equivalent to 100microM of alpha-tocopherol), it provided considerable protection (pprotection.

Male-driven grooming bouts in mixed-sex dyads of Kinda baboons (Papio kindae).

Science.gov (United States)

Weyher, Anna H; Phillips-Conroy, Jane E; Fourrier, Marc S; Jolly, Clifford J

2014-01-01

The behavior of the Central African Kinda baboon (Papio kindae) is not well documented. Having previously noted distinctive grooming behavior in several Kinda baboon populations, we investigated the topic more systematically in the Kafue National Park, Zambia. We recorded the duration and details of male-female dyadic interactions (approaches, withdrawals and time spent grooming) in the early morning and late afternoon. Such interactions were more often initiated by the male and terminated by the female partner. The male groomed the female more often, and longer, than she groomed him, regardless of the female's reproductive state or the presence of an infant. The bias towards male grooming was stronger in morning than evening interactions. These behaviors, whose function is not immediately obvious, and which are unlike those previously reported in baboons, further exemplify the distinctiveness of the taxon.

CONCANAVALIN-A VARIANTS OF ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN IN FIRST TRIMESTER FETUSES WITH TRISOMY-21 AND WITH NORMAL KARYOTYPES

NARCIS (Netherlands)

LOS, FJ; JANSE, HC; BRANDENBURG, H; DEVRIJ, RW; DEBRUIJN, HWA

1995-01-01

Total alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentrations and proportions of AFP non-reactive with the lectin concanavalin A (Con A) were studied in extracellular fluid of 22 first-trimester fetuses. Total AFP concentrations were significantly lower in fetuses with Down's syndrome than in those with

Effect of chloroquine on human lymphocyte proliferation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bygbjerg, Ib Christian; Flachs, H

1986-01-01

The effect of chloroquine on human blood mononuclear cells was studied. High concentrations of chloroquine in vitro profoundly suppressed the proliferation of mitogen- and antigen-stimulated cells, as indicated by decreased 14C-thymidine incorporation. Lower concentrations of chloroquine increase...... to large particulate antigens; the response to small antigens was not affected. The mode of action of chloroquine and the possible consequences of the findings for dosage of chloroquine when used for malaria prophylaxis is discussed.......The effect of chloroquine on human blood mononuclear cells was studied. High concentrations of chloroquine in vitro profoundly suppressed the proliferation of mitogen- and antigen-stimulated cells, as indicated by decreased 14C-thymidine incorporation. Lower concentrations of chloroquine increased...... the response to pokeweed mitogen. The response to concanavalin A and to various antigens was suppressed, especially the response to large particulate antigens. Oral intake of 300 mg of chloroquine base/week did not affect the lymphocyte proliferative responses. 600 mg of base/week decreased the response...

Effect of the antiestrogen ethamoxytriphetol (MER-25) on placental low density lipoprotein uptake and degradation in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henson, M.C.; Babischkin, J.S.; Pepe, G.J.; Albrecht, E.D.

1988-01-01

The present study determined if the decline in placental progesterone (P4) production that results from administration of the antiestrogen ethamoxytriphetol (MER-25) to pregnant baboons results from a change in placental low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and/or degradation. Pregnant baboons (Papio anubis) were untreated (n = 10) or received MER-25 (25 mg/kg BW, orally; n = 10) daily on days 140-170 of gestation (term, 184 days). Placentas were removed by cesarean section on day 170 of gestation, and villous tissue was dispersed with 0.1% collagenase at 37 C for 40 min. Placental cells (10(6)) were incubated in medium 199 (pH 7.2) for 12 h at 37 C with increasing amounts (5-100 micrograms) of [125I]LDL, with or without a 100-fold excess of unlabeled baboon LDL. Mean (+/- SE) peripheral serum P4 concentrations on days 140-170 of gestation were 51% lower (P less than 0.01) in MER-25-treated (5.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml) than in untreated (11.6 +/- 0.5 ng/ml) baboons. The uptake of LDL was 56% lower (P less than 0.01) in placental cells from antiestrogen-treated (6.3 +/- 1.6 ng/micrograms cell protein) than in those from untreated (14.4 +/- 1.9 ng/micrograms cell protein) baboons. The dissociation constants for placental LDL uptake, as assessed by Scatchard analysis, however, were similar in untreated (0.80 microgram/ml) and MER-25-treated (0.76 microgram/ml) animals. The amount of [125I]LDL concomitantly degraded by cells from baboons that received MER-25 was 54% of that degraded by cells from untreated controls. The relative decline in LDL degradation by cells of antiestrogen-treated baboons was proportionate to the decline in overall LDL uptake. The results indicate, therefore, that antiestrogen treatment decreased the amount of placental LDL uptake, but did not change the affinity for the lipoprotein

Effect of the antiestrogen ethamoxytriphetol (MER-25) on placental low density lipoprotein uptake and degradation in baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henson, M.C.; Babischkin, J.S.; Pepe, G.J.; Albrecht, E.D.

1988-05-01

The present study determined if the decline in placental progesterone (P4) production that results from administration of the antiestrogen ethamoxytriphetol (MER-25) to pregnant baboons results from a change in placental low density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and/or degradation. Pregnant baboons (Papio anubis) were untreated (n = 10) or received MER-25 (25 mg/kg BW, orally; n = 10) daily on days 140-170 of gestation (term, 184 days). Placentas were removed by cesarean section on day 170 of gestation, and villous tissue was dispersed with 0.1% collagenase at 37 C for 40 min. Placental cells (10(6)) were incubated in medium 199 (pH 7.2) for 12 h at 37 C with increasing amounts (5-100 micrograms) of (125I)LDL, with or without a 100-fold excess of unlabeled baboon LDL. Mean (+/- SE) peripheral serum P4 concentrations on days 140-170 of gestation were 51% lower (P less than 0.01) in MER-25-treated (5.7 +/- 0.3 ng/ml) than in untreated (11.6 +/- 0.5 ng/ml) baboons. The uptake of LDL was 56% lower (P less than 0.01) in placental cells from antiestrogen-treated (6.3 +/- 1.6 ng/micrograms cell protein) than in those from untreated (14.4 +/- 1.9 ng/micrograms cell protein) baboons. The dissociation constants for placental LDL uptake, as assessed by Scatchard analysis, however, were similar in untreated (0.80 microgram/ml) and MER-25-treated (0.76 microgram/ml) animals. The amount of (125I)LDL concomitantly degraded by cells from baboons that received MER-25 was 54% of that degraded by cells from untreated controls. The relative decline in LDL degradation by cells of antiestrogen-treated baboons was proportionate to the decline in overall LDL uptake. The results indicate, therefore, that antiestrogen treatment decreased the amount of placental LDL uptake, but did not change the affinity for the lipoprotein.

Biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of [11C]DASB in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belanger, Marie-Jose; Simpson, Norman R.; Wang, Theodore

2004-01-01

Objective: The serotonin transporter has been implicated in a variety of conditions including mood disorders and suicidal behavior. In vivo human brain studies with positron emission tomography and the serotonin transporter antagonist [ 11 C]DASB ([ 11 C]-3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile) are ongoing in several laboratories with the maximum administered activity based on dosimetry collected in rodents. We report on the biodistribution and dosimetry of [ 11 C]DASB in the baboon as this species may be a more reliable surrogate for human dosimetry. Methods: Four baboon studies (two studies in each of two baboons) were acquired in an ECAT ACCEL camera after the bolus injection of 183±5 MBq/2.3±1.0 nmol of [ 11 C]DASB. For each study, six whole-body emission scans were collected in 3D mode over 6/7 bed positions for 2 h. Regions of interest were drawn on brain, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, small intestine and bladder. Since no fluid was removed from the animal, total body radioactivity was calculated using the injected dose calibrated to the ACCEL image units. Results: Uptake was greatest in lungs, followed by the urinary bladder, gallbladder, brain and other organs. The ligand was eliminated via the hepato-billiary and renal systems. The largest absorbed dose was found in the lungs (3.6x10 -2 mSv/MBq). The absorbed radiation doses in lungs and gallbladder were four and nine times larger than that previously estimated from rat studies. Conclusion: Based on our baboon biodistribution and dose estimates, the lungs are the critical organs for administration of [ 11 C]DASB. In the United States, the absorbed dose to the lungs would limit [ 11 C]DASB administered with the approval of a Radioactive Drug Research Committee to 1400 MBq (37 mCi) in the adult male and 1100 MBq (30 mCi) in the adult female

Serum Vitamin D Concentrations in Baboons (Papio spp.) during Pregnancy and Obesity.

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Schlabritz-Loutsevitch, Natalia E; Comuzzie, Anthony G; Mahaney, Michael M; Hubbard, Gene B; Dick, Edward J; Kocak, Mehmet; Gupta, Sonali; Carrillo, Maira; Schenone, Mauro; Postlethwaite, Arnold; Slominski, Andrzej

2016-04-01

Obesity is associated with vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to serious problems during pregnancy. However, the mechanisms of the deficiency and guidelines for vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy are not established yet, and variations in environmental exposures combined with the difficulties of performing research in pregnant women are obstacles in the evaluation of vitamin D metabolism. Baboons (Papio spp.) are an excellent, well-established model for reproductive research and represent a unique opportunity to study vitamin D metabolism in a controlled environment. This study used secondary data and specimen analysis as well as a novel experimental design to evaluate pregnant and nonpregnant baboons that were or were not exposed to sunlight while they were obese and after weight reduction. Daily D3 intake was 71% higher in nonpregnant obese baboons than in their nonobese counterparts, but serum vitamin D concentrations did not differ between these populations. In addition, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations correlated negatively with the obesity index. This report is the first to show the effect of obesity and pregnancy on vitamin D concentrations in a NHP population. These data underline the importance of adequate vitamin D supplementation in obese animals.

Aspirin decreases platelet uptake on Dacron vascular grafts in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mackey, W.C.; Connolly, R.J.; Callow, A.D.

1984-01-01

The influence of a single dose of aspirin (5.4-7.4 mg/kg) on platelet uptake on 4-mm Dacron interposition grafts was studied in a baboon model using gamma camera scanning for 111-Indium labeled platelets. In vitro assessment of platelet function after aspirin administration revealed that in the baboon, as in the human, aspirin abolished arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation, prolonged the lag time between exposure to collagen and aggregation, and decreased plasma thromboxane B2 levels. Aspirin also prolonged the template bleeding time. Scans for 111-Indium labeled platelets revealed that pretreatment with a single dose of aspirin decreased platelet uptake on 4-mm Dacron carotid interposition grafts. This decrease in platelet uptake was associated with a significant improvement in 2-hour graft patency and with a trend toward improved 2-week patency

Resource base influences genome-wide DNA methylation levels in wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

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Lea, Amanda J.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.; Tung, Jenny

2015-01-01

Variation in resource availability commonly exerts strong effects on fitness-related traits in wild animals. However, we know little about the molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects, or about their persistence over time. To address these questions, we profiled genome-wide whole blood DNA methylation levels in two sets of wild baboons: (i) ‘wild-feeding’ baboons that foraged naturally in a savanna environment and (ii) ‘Lodge’ baboons that had ready access to spatially concentrated human food scraps, resulting in high feeding efficiency and low daily travel distances. We identified 1,014 sites (0.20% of sites tested) that were differentially methylated between wild-feeding and Lodge baboons, providing the first evidence that resource availability shapes the epigenome in a wild mammal. Differentially methylated sites tended to occur in contiguous stretches (i.e., in differentially methylated regions or DMRs), in promoters and enhancers, and near metabolism-related genes, supporting their functional importance in gene regulation. In agreement, reporter assay experiments confirmed that methylation at the largest identified DMR, located in the promoter of a key glycolysis-related gene, was sufficient to causally drive changes in gene expression. Intriguingly, all dispersing males carried a consistent epigenetic signature of their membership in a wild-feeding group, regardless of whether males dispersed into or out of this group as adults. Together, our findings support a role for DNA methylation in mediating ecological effects on phenotypic traits in the wild, and emphasize the dynamic environmental sensitivity of DNA methylation levels across the life course. PMID:26508127

Protective effect of galangin in Concanavalin A- induced hepatitis in mice

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Luo Q

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Qingqiong Luo,1,* Liping Zhu,1,* Jieying Ding,1 Xing Zhuang,1 Lili Xu,2 Fuxiang Chen1 1Department of Clinical Immunology, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, 2Division of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Galangin is an active pharmacological ingredient from propolis and Alpinia officinarum Hance, and has been reported to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. The present study aims to reveal the effect of galangin on Concanavalin A (ConA-induced hepatitis (CIH, a well-established animal model of immune-mediated liver injury, and to clarify the related mechanism. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with galangin followed by ConA challenge. Results indicated that galangin inhibited ConA-induced liver damage. Mice pretreated with galangin showed more reduction of liver damage when compared with control mice pretreated with vehicle solution. In galangin-pretreated mice with induced CIH, increases in serum levels of several inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and interleukin-12 were dramatically attenuated, and chemokines and adhesion molecules like interferon inducible protein-10, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 messenger RNA expressions in liver were decreased. Moreover, CIH mice pretreated with galangin showed less leukocyte infiltration and T-cell activation in the liver. Further, the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effects of galangin may be attributed to its modulation of crucial inflammatory signaling pathways, including nuclear factor kappa B and interferon-gamma/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1. Collectively, these findings suggest the preventive and therapeutic potential of galangin in immune-mediated liver injury in vivo. Keywords: galangin, Concanavalin A

Monkey Management: Using Spatial Ecology to Understand the Extent and Severity of Human-Baboon Conflict in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa

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Tali S. Hoffman

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Conflict with humans poses one of the greatest threats to the persistence and survival of all wildlife. In the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, human-baboon conflict levels remain high despite substantial investment by conservation authorities in a variety of mitigation measures. Here we explore how spatial ecology can inform wildlife managers on the extent and severity of both current and projected human-baboon conflict. We apply conservative and generous densities - 2.3 and 5.9 baboons/km2 - to hypothetical landscape management scenarios to estimate whether the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus population in the Cape Peninsula is currently overabundant. We correlate conflict indices with spatial variables to explain intertroop differences in conflict levels. We investigate how an understanding of key elements of baboon ecology, including sleeping-site characteristics and intertroop territoriality, can direct management efforts and mitigate conflict. Our findings suggest that the current population of 475 baboons is below even the most conservative density estimate and that the area could potentially sustain up to 799 baboons. Conflict levels correlated positively with the loss of access to low-lying land through habitat transformation (Pearson r = 0.77, p = 0.015, n = 9 troops, and negatively with the distance of sleeping sites from the urban edge (Pearson r = 0.81, p = 0.001, n = 9 troops. Despite the availability of suitable sleeping sites elsewhere, more than half of all troops slept

Baboon feeding ecology informs the dietary niche of Paranthropus boisei.

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Gabriele A Macho

Full Text Available Hominins are generally considered eclectic omnivores like baboons, but recent isotope studies call into question the generalist status of some hominins. Paranthropus boisei and Australopithecus bahrelghazali derived 75%-80% of their tissues' δ(13C from C4 sources, i.e. mainly low-quality foods like grasses and sedges. Here I consider the energetics of P. boisei and the nutritional value of C4 foods, taking into account scaling issues between the volume of food consumed and body mass, and P. boisei's food preference as inferred from dento-cranial morphology. Underlying the models are empirical data for Papio cynocephalus dietary ecology. Paranthropus boisei only needed to spend some 37%-42% of its daily feeding time (conservative estimate on C4 sources to meet 80% of its daily requirements of calories, and all its requirements for protein. The energetic requirements of 2-4 times the basal metabolic rate (BMR common to mammals could therefore have been met within a 6-hour feeding/foraging day. The findings highlight the high nutritional yield of many C4 foods eaten by baboons (and presumably hominins, explain the evolutionary success of P. boisei, and indicate that P. boisei was probably a generalist like other hominins. The diet proposed is consistent with the species' derived morphology and unique microwear textures. Finally, the results highlight the importance of baboon/hominin hand in food acquisition and preparation.

Crosstalk between T lymphocytes and dendritic cells.

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Hivroz, Claire; Chemin, Karine; Tourret, Marie; Bohineust, Armelle

2012-01-01

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells (APCs) with the unique property of inducing priming and differentiation of naïve CD4+ and CD8+ T cells into helper and cytotoxic effectors. Their efficiency is due to their unique ability to process antigen, express costimulatory molecules, secrete cytokines, and migrate to tissues or lymphoid organs to prime T cells. DCs also play an important role in T-cell peripheral tolerance. There is ample evidence that the DC ability to present antigens is regulated by CD4+ helper T cells. Indeed, interactions between surface receptors and ligands expressed respectively by T cells and DCs, as well as T-cell-derived cytokines modify DC functions. This T-cell-induced modification of DCs has been called "education" or "licensing." This intimate crosstalk between DCs and T lymphocytes is key in establishing appropriate adaptive immune responses. It requires cognate interactions between T lymphocytes and DCs, which are organized in time and space by structures called immunological synapses. Here we discuss the particular aspects of immunological synapses formed between T cells and DCs and the role these organized interactions have in T-cell-DC crosstalk.

B lymphocytes not required for progression from insulitis to diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Charlton, B; Zhang, M D; Slattery, R M

2001-12-01

Previous studies have implicated B lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of diabetes in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse. While it is clear that B lymphocytes are necessary, it has not been clear at which stage of disease they play a role; early, late or both. To clarify when B lymphocytes are needed, T lymphocytes were transferred from 5-week-old NOD female mice to age-matched NOD/severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) recipient mice. NOD/SCID mice, which lack functionally mature T and B lymphocytes, do not normally develop insulitis or insulin-dependent diabetes melitus (IDDM). The NOD/SCID mice that received purified T lymphocytes from 5-week-old NOD mice subsequently developed insulitis and diabetes even though they did not have detectable B lymphocytes. This suggests that while B lymphocytes may be essential for an initial priming event they are not requisite for disease progression in the NOD mouse.

Co-Culturing of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells with Autological and Allogenic Lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kapranov, N M; Davydova, Yu O; Gal'tseva, I V; Petinati, N A; Bakshinskaitė, M V; Drize, N I; Kuz'mina, L A; Parovichnikova, E N; Savchenko, V G

2018-03-01

We studied the effect of autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes on multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells in co-culture. It is shown that changes in multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells and in lymphocytes did not depend on the source of lymphocytes. Contact with lymphocytes triggers expression of HLA-DR molecules on multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells and these cells lose their immune privilege. In multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells, the relative level of expression of factors involved in immunomodulation (IDO1, PTGES, and IL-6) and expression of adhesion molecule ICAM1 increased, while expression of genes involved in the differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells remained unchanged. Priming of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells with IFN did not affect these changes. In turn, lymphocytes underwent activation, expression of HLA-DR increased, subpopulation composition of lymphocytes changed towards the increase in the content of naïve T cells. These findings are important for cell therapy.

Pavlovian conditioning of shock-induced suppression of lymphocyte reactivity: acquisition, extinction, and preexposure effects.

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Lysle, D T; Cunnick, J E; Fowler, H; Rabin, B S

1988-01-01

Recent research has indicated that physical stressors, such as electric shock, can suppress immune function in rats. The present study investigated whether a nonaversive stimulus that had been associated with electric shock would also impair immune function. Presentation of that conditioned stimulus (CS) by itself produced a pronounced suppression of lymphocyte proliferation in response to the nonspecific mitogens, Concanavalin-A (ConA) and Phytohemagglutinin (PHA). In further evidence of a conditioning effect, the suppression was attenuated by extinction and preexposure manipulations that degraded the associative value of the CS. These results indicate that a psychological or learned stressor can suppress immune reactivity independently of the direct effect of physically aversive stimulation or of ancillary changes in dietary and health-related habits.

Ontogenetic scaling of fore- and hind limb posture in wild chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus.

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Biren A Patel

Full Text Available Large-scale interspecific studies of mammals ranging between 0.04-280 kg have shown that larger animals walk with more extended limb joints. Within a taxon or clade, however, the relationship between body size and joint posture is less straightforward. Factors that may affect the lack of congruence between broad and narrow phylogenetic analyses of limb kinematics include limited sampling of (1 ranges of body size, and/or (2 numbers of individuals. Unfortunately, both issues are inherent in laboratory-based or zoo locomotion research. In this study, we examined the relationship between body mass and elbow and knee joint angles (our proxies of fore- and hind limb posture, respectively in a cross-sectional ontogenetic sample of wild chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus habituated in the De Hoop Nature Reserve, South Africa. Videos were obtained from 33 individuals of known age (12 to ≥ 108 months and body mass (2-29.5 kg during walking trials. Results show that older, heavier baboons walk with significantly more extended knee joints but not elbow joints. This pattern is consistent when examining only males, but not within the female sample. Heavier, older baboons also display significantly less variation in their hind limb posture compared to lighter, young animals. Thus, within this ontogenetic sample of a single primate species spanning an order of magnitude in body mass, hind limb posture exhibited a postural scaling phenomenon while the forelimbs did not. These findings may further help explain 1 why younger mammals (including baboons tend to have relatively stronger bones than adults, and 2 why humeri appear relatively weaker than femora (in at least baboons. Finally, this study demonstrates how field-acquired kinematics can help answer fundamental biomechanical questions usually addressed only in animal gait laboratories.

G-CSF-primed autologous and allogeneic bone marrow for transplantation in clinical oncology. Cell content and immunological characteristics

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Grivtsova, L. Yu; Melkova, K. N.; Kupryshkina, N. A.; Vorotnikov, I. K.; Grigoryeva, T. A.; Selchuk, V. Yu; Grebennikova, O. P.; Titova, G. V.; Tupitsyn, N. N.

2018-01-01

60 samples of G-CSF-primed bone marrow (39 cancer patients and 21 healthy donors) to be used for transplantation to cancer patients were analyzed and compared by main characteristics with historical control and 13 bone marrow samples from control patient with mastopathy. Basing on morphological and multicolor flow cytometry findings certain characteristics of G-CSF-primed bone marrow were discovered, such as a significant increase in blast count in cancer patients as compared to donors and control patients (p<0.037), a higher neutrophil maturation index (p<0.001) and a lower percentage of mature lymphocytes (p<0.008) as compared to the control group. Among lymphocyte populations G-CSF-priming was associated with a significant increase in the total of mature CD3+ T-cells and CD8+ T-killers (p<0.0001) and a decrease in CD56+CD3- and/or CD16+CD3- NK-cells (p<0.006) both in cancer patients and healthy donors in comparison with the controls.

Flow cytometry analysis of FITC-labeled concanavalin A binding to human blood cells as an indicator of radiation-induced membrane alterations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donnadieu-Claraz, M.; Paillole, N.; Voisin, P.

1995-01-01

The 3 H concanavalin-A binding to human blood cells have been described as a promising biological indicator of radiation overexposure. Flow cytometry adaptation of this technique using fluorescein-labelled concanavalin-A were performed to estimate time-dependent changes in binding on human blood cells membranes after in vitro γ irradiation ( 60 Co). Result revealed significant enhanced lectin-binding to platelets and erythrocytes in a dose range of 0,5-5 Gy, 1 and 3 hours after irradiation. However for both platelets and erythrocytes, it was impossible to discriminate between the different doses. Further studies are necessary to confirm the suitability of lectin-binding as a biological indicator for radiation dose assessment. (authors). 5 refs., 1 fig

Effect of menstrual cycle phase and hormonal treatments on evaluation of tubal patency in baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Jeffrey T; Hanna, Carol; Mishler, Emily; Lim, Jeong Y; Slayden, Ov D

2018-02-01

We evaluated whether menstrual cycle phase influences the assessment of tubal patency by hysterosalpingography (HSG) in baboons. Retrospective analysis of baseline tubal patency studies and serum estradiol (E 2 ) and progesterone (P4) values obtained from female baboons used as models for development of non-surgical permanent contraception in women. The main outcome measure was bilateral tubal patency (BTP) in relationship with estradiol level. Female baboons (n = 110) underwent a single (n = 81), two (n = 26), or three (n = 3) HSG examinations. In 33/142 (23%) HSG examinations, one or both tubes showed functional occlusion (FO). The median E 2 in studies with BTP (49 pg/mL) was significantly higher than in those studies with FO (32 pg/mL, P = .005). Among 18 animals with repeat examinations where serum E 2 changed from <60 to ≥ 60 pg/mL, 13 results changed from FO to BTP (P = .0001). No sets showed a change from BTP to FO with an increase in estradiol. In baboons, functional occlusion of the fallopian tube is associated with low estradiol levels, supporting a role for estrogen-mediated relaxation of the utero-tubal junction. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Medical Primatology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of [{sup 11}C]DASB in baboons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belanger, Marie-Jose [Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, NY 10032 (United States); Division of Brain Imaging, Department of Neuroscience, New York State Pyschiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032 (United States); Simpson, Norman R. [Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Division of Brain Imaging, Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032 (United States); Wang, Theodore [Department of Radiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Division of Brain Imaging, Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032 (United States); Division of Brain Imaging, Department of Neuroscience, New York State Pyschiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032 (United States)] [and others

2004-11-01

Objective: The serotonin transporter has been implicated in a variety of conditions including mood disorders and suicidal behavior. In vivo human brain studies with positron emission tomography and the serotonin transporter antagonist [{sup 11}C]DASB ([{sup 11}C]-3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile) are ongoing in several laboratories with the maximum administered activity based on dosimetry collected in rodents. We report on the biodistribution and dosimetry of [{sup 11}C]DASB in the baboon as this species may be a more reliable surrogate for human dosimetry. Methods: Four baboon studies (two studies in each of two baboons) were acquired in an ECAT ACCEL camera after the bolus injection of 183{+-}5 MBq/2.3{+-}1.0 nmol of [{sup 11}C]DASB. For each study, six whole-body emission scans were collected in 3D mode over 6/7 bed positions for 2 h. Regions of interest were drawn on brain, lungs, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, small intestine and bladder. Since no fluid was removed from the animal, total body radioactivity was calculated using the injected dose calibrated to the ACCEL image units. Results: Uptake was greatest in lungs, followed by the urinary bladder, gallbladder, brain and other organs. The ligand was eliminated via the hepato-billiary and renal systems. The largest absorbed dose was found in the lungs (3.6x10{sup -2} mSv/MBq). The absorbed radiation doses in lungs and gallbladder were four and nine times larger than that previously estimated from rat studies. Conclusion: Based on our baboon biodistribution and dose estimates, the lungs are the critical organs for administration of [{sup 11}C]DASB. In the United States, the absorbed dose to the lungs would limit [{sup 11}C]DASB administered with the approval of a Radioactive Drug Research Committee to 1400 MBq (37 mCi) in the adult male and 1100 MBq (30 mCi) in the adult female.

Opioid receptor imaging and displacement studies with [6-O-[11C]methyl]buprenorphine in baboon brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galynker, Igor; Schlyer, David J.; Dewey, Stephen L.; Fowler, Joanna S.; Logan, Jean; Gatley, S. John; MacGregor, Robert R.; Ferrieri, Richard A.; Holland, M. J.; Brodie, Jonathan; Simon, Eric; Wolf, Alfred P.

1996-01-01

Buprenorphine (BPN) is a mixed opiate agonist-antagonist used as an analgesic and in the treatment of opiate addiction. We have used [6-O-[ 11 C]methyl]buprenorphine ([ 11 C]BPN) to measure the regional distribution in baboon brain, the test-retest stability of repeated studies in the same animal, the displacement of the labeled drug by naloxone in vivo, and the tissue distribution in mice. The regional distribution of radioactivity in baboon brain determined with PET was striatum > thalamus > cingulate gyrus > frontal cortex > parietal cortex > occipital cortex > cerebellum. This distribution corresponded to opiate receptor density and to previously published data (37). The tracer uptake in adult female baboons showed no significant variation in serial scans in the same baboon with no intervention in the same scanning session. HPLC analysis of baboon plasma showed the presence of labeled metabolites with 92% ± 2.2% and 43% ± 14.4% of the intact tracer remaining at 5 and 30 min, respectively. Naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist, administered 30-40 min after tracer injection at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg i.v., reduced [ 11 C]BPN binding in thalamus, striatum, cingulate gyrus, and frontal cortex to values 0.25 to 0.60 of that with no intervention. There were minimal ( 11 C]BPN can be displaced by naloxone in vivo, and they affirm the feasibility of using this tracer and displacement methodology for short-term kinetics studies with PET. Mouse tissue distribution data were used to estimate the radiation dosimetry to humans. The critical organ was the small intestine, with a radiation dose estimate to humans of 117 nrad/mCi

Magnetic Parkia pendula seed gum as matrix for Concanavalin A lectin immobilization and its application in affinity purification

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MOACYR J.B.M. RÊGO

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present work aimed to magnetize Parkia pendula seeds gum and use it as a matrix for Concanavalin A covalent immobilization. This composite was applied in affinity purification of glycoconjugates. Parkia pendula seeds were hydrated and the gum provenient from the supernatant was precipitated and washed with ethanol and dried. The gum was magnetized in co-precipitation using solutions of Fe+2 and Fe+3. Matrix activation was accomplished with NaIO4. Magnetized Parkia pendula seeds gum with covalently immobilized Concanavalin A was used as an affinity matrix for the recognition of bovine serum fetuin glycoprotein. Fetuin elution was carried out with a solution of glucose (300mM and evaluated through SDS-PAGE. The efficiency of lectin immobilization and fetuin purification were 63% and 14%, respectively. These results indicate that the composite produced is a promising magnetic polysaccharide matrix for lectins immobilization. Thus, such system can be applied for affinity purification allowing an easy recovery by magnetic field.

Carbohydrate metabolism of lymphocytes: modified methodology and comparisons of diabetics with non-diabetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glassman, A.B.; Bennett, C.E.

1980-01-01

Changes in the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) and Krebs cycle activity during lymphocyte blast transformation are reported in 50 patients with diabetes mellitus and 50 non-diabetics. A modified technique using 12 X 75 mm sterile tubes and micropipette tips stuffed with filter paper was used. The filter paper, soaked with hyamine hydroxide, absorbed radioactively labeled CO 2 produced from [ 14 C]- labeled glucose incorporated by cells. [ 14 C]CO 2 from glucose labeled at the C-1 position measured the activity of the HMPS. [ 14 C]CO 2 from glucose labeled at the C-2 position measured the HMPS activity associated with the feedback of pentose sugars. [ 14 C]-labeled CO 2 from glucose labeled at the C-6 position was used to measure Krebs cycle activity. A statistically significant decrease in HMPS activity was found in diabetic cells exposed to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), concanavalin-A (CON-A) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) (P<0.01). This decrease in HMPS activity and its relation to lymphocyte blast transformation may be related to the increased incidence of infection known to occur in patients with diabetes mellitus. (Auth.)

Carbohydrate metabolism of lymphocytes: modified methodology and comparisons of diabetics with non-diabetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glassman, A B; Bennett, C E [Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, (USA). Department of Laboratory Medicine

1980-10-01

Changes in the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) and Krebs cycle activity during lymphocyte blast transformation are reported in 50 patients with diabetes mellitus and 50 non-diabetics. A modified technique using 12 X 75 mm sterile tubes and micropipette tips stuffed with filter paper was used. The filter paper, soaked with hyamine hydroxide, absorbed radioactively labeled CO/sub 2/ produced from (/sup 14/C)- labeled glucose incorporated by cells. (/sup 14/C)CO/sub 2/ from glucose labeled at the C-1 position measured the activity of the HMPS. (/sup 14/C)CO/sub 2/ from glucose labeled at the C-2 position measured the HMPS activity associated with the feedback of pentose sugars. (/sup 14/C)-labeled CO/sub 2/ from glucose labeled at the C-6 position was used to measure Krebs cycle activity. A statistically significant decrease in HMPS activity was found in diabetic cells exposed to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P), concanavalin-A (CON-A) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) (P<0.01). This decrease in HMPS activity and its relation to lymphocyte blast transformation may be related to the increased incidence of infection known to occur in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Ecology of baboons ( Papio ursinus ) at Cape Point | Davidge ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Invertebrates (ants, grasshoppers, marine shellfish) were also taken. Daily distance (3-14 km) covered by the troop while foraging was greatest in summer. Female baboons had menstrual cycles and copulated throughout the year. The calculated reproductive rate (12%) was roughly 80% of those reported for congeners ...

Rank and grooming reciprocity among females in a mixed-sex group of captive hamadryas baboons

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leinfelder, I.; Vries, Han de; Deleu, R.; Nelissen, M.

2001-01-01

In a mixed-sex, captive group of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) we investigated whether female grooming relationships are affected by their dominance ranks. Seyfarths [1977] grooming for support model and Barrett et al.s [1999] biological market model both predict that in primate

Mitochondrial genome analyses suggest multiple Trichuris species in humans, baboons, and pigs from different geographical regions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hawash, Mohamed B. F.; Andersen, Lee O.; Gasser, Robin B.

2015-01-01

Trichuris from françois' leaf monkey, suggesting multiple whipworm species circulating among non-human primates. The genetic and protein distances between pig Trichuris from Denmark and other regions were roughly 9% and 6%, respectively, while Chinese and Ugandan whipworms were more closely related......) suggesting that they represented different species. Trichuris from the olive baboon in US was genetically related to human Trichuris in China, while the other from the hamadryas baboon in Denmark was nearly identical to human Trichuris from Uganda. Baboon-derived Trichuris was genetically distinct from......BACKGROUND: The whipworms Trichuris trichiura and Trichuris suis are two parasitic nematodes of humans and pigs, respectively. Although whipworms in human and non-human primates historically have been referred to as T. trichiura, recent reports suggest that several Trichuris spp. are found...

Effects of metal ions on cyprinid fish immune response: In vitro effects of Zn2+ and Mn2+ on the mitogenic response of carp pronephros lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghanmi, Z.; Rouabhia, M.; Othmane, O.; Deschaux, P.A.

1989-01-01

Lymphocytes from the pronephros of carp (Cyprinus carpio L) have been subjected to transformation by mitogens, concanavalin A (Con A), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and lipopolysaccharides (LPS), with Zn or Mn at varying concentrations. Addition of Zn 2+ (10(-7) to 10(-3) M) to mitogen-stimulated T and B cells enhanced [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation. Addition of 10(-5) M Zn 2+ inhibited the response to Con A, PHA, and LPS. At this concentration, Zn was toxic. Addition of Mn2+ (10(-7) to 10(-3) M) to mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes enhanced [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation. This effect was observed with Con A- and PHA-stimulated lymphocytes, but not with LPS-stimulated lymphocytes. In contrast, addition of 10(-1) M Mn 2+ to lymphocyte cultures exerted an inhibitor on the response to Con A or to PHA, while the response to LPS was unaffected. Addition of 10(-1) M Mn 2+ to Con A- or PHA-stimulated cultures at different times after initiation of stimulation indicated that Mn 2+ was inhibitory only when it was added before the first 16 hr of cultures. The inhibition induced by 10(-1) M Mn2+ could be reversed by adding 2 mM CaCl 2 to the culture

Cucurbitacin IIb exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through modulating multiple cellular behaviors of mouse lymphocytes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao Wang

Full Text Available Cucurbitacin IIb (CuIIb is one of the major active compounds in Hemsleyadine tablets which have been used for clinical treatment of bacillary dysentery, enteritis and acute tonsilitis. However, its action mechanism has not been completely understood. This study aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory activity of CuIIb and its underlying mechanism in mitogen-activated lymphocytes isolated from mouse mesenteric lymph nodes. The results showed that CuIIb inhibited the proliferation of concanavalin A (Con A-activated lymphocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner. CuIIb treatment arrested their cell cycle in S and G2/M phases probably due to the disruption of the actin cytoskeleton and the modulation of p27(Kip1 and cyclin levels. Moreover, the surface expression of activation markers CD69 and CD25 on Con A-activated CD3(+ T lymphocytes was suppressed by CuIIb treatment. Both Con A- and phorbol ester plus ionomycin-induced expression of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 proteins was attenuated upon exposure to CuIIb. Mechanistically, CuIIb treatment suppressed the phosphorylation of JNK and Erk1/2 but not p38 in Con A-activated lymphocytes. Although CuIIb unexpectedly enhanced the phosphorylation of IκB and NF-κB (p65, it blocked the nuclear translocation of NF-κB (p65. In support of this, CuIIb significantly decreased the mRNA levels of IκBα and TNF-α, two target genes of NF-κB, in Con A-activated lymphocytes. In addition, CuIIb downregulated Con A-induced STAT3 phosphorylation and increased cell apoptosis. Collectively, these results suggest that CuIIb exhibits its anti-inflammatory activity through modulating multiple cellular behaviors and signaling pathways, leading to the suppression of the adaptive immune response.

Application of Concanavalin A during immune responsiveness skin-swelling tests facilitates measurement interpretation in mammalian ecology

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bílková, B.; Albrecht, Tomáš; Chudíčková, Milada; Holáň, Vladimír; Piálek, Jaroslav; Vinkler, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 6, č. 13 (2016), s. 4551-4564 ISSN 2045-7758 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/08/0640; GA ČR GA15-11782S Institutional support: RVO:68081766 ; RVO:68378041 Keywords : Concanavalin A * cytokine * ecoimmunology * evolutionary immunology * field immunoecological research * histology * leucocytes * PHA-induced hypersensitivity * phytohemagglutinin * T-cell-mediated immunocompetence Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 2.440, year: 2016

Transposed-Letter Priming Effects with Masked Subset Primes: A Re-Examination of the "Relative Position Priming Constraint"

Science.gov (United States)

Stinchcombe, Eric J.; Lupker, Stephen J.; Davis, Colin J.

2012-01-01

Three experiments are reported investigating the role of letter order in orthographic subset priming (e.g., "grdn"-GARDEN) using both the conventional masked priming technique as well as the sandwich priming technique in a lexical decision task. In all three experiments, subset primes produced priming with the effect being considerably…

Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy of Ivermectin and Fenbendazole for Treating Captive-Born Olive Baboons (Papio anubis) Coinfected with Strongyloides fülleborni and Trichuris trichiura.

Science.gov (United States)

Reichard, Mason V; Thomas, Jennifer E; Chavez-Suarez, Maria; Cullin, Cassandra O; White, Gary L; Wydysh, Emily C; Wolf, Roman F

2017-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of combined treatment with ivermectin and fenbendazole (IVM-FBZ) for treating captive olive baboons (Papio anubis) infected with Strongyloides fülleborni and Trichuris trichiura, 2 common nematode parasites of these NHP. Infected baboons were treated for a total of 9 wk with ivermectin (400 μg/kg IM twice weekly) and fenbendazole (50 mg/kg PO once daily for 3 d; 3 rounds of treatment, 21 d apart). Five baboons naturally infected with both S. fülleborni and T. trichiura (n = 4) or S. fülleborni alone (n = 1) received the combination therapy; an additional baboon infected with both parasites served as a nontreated control. The efficacy of IVM-FBZ was measured as the reduction in fecal egg counts of S. fülleborni and T. trichiura as determined by quantitative fecal flotation examination after treatment of baboons with IVM-FBZ. All baboons treated with IVM-FBZ stopped shedding S. fülleborni and T. trichiura eggs by 8 d after treatment and remained negative for at least 161 d. The nontreated control baboon shed S. fülleborni and T. trichiura eggs throughout the study period. Our results indicate that the IVM-FBZ regimen was efficacious for treating olive baboons infected with S. fülleborni and T. trichiura.

Innate Immune Responses to TLR2 and TLR4 Agonists Differ between Baboons, Chimpanzees and Humans

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkworth, Jessica F.; Pechenkina, Ekaterina A.; Silver, Jack; Goyert, Sanna M.

2012-01-01

Background African catarrhine primates differ in bacterial disease susceptibility. Methods Human, chimpanzee, and baboon blood was stimulated with TLR-detected bacterial agonists and cytokine/chemokine induction assessed by real-time pcr. Results Humans and chimpanzees shared similar cytokine/chemokine responses, while baboon cytokine/chemokine induction differed. Generally, responses were agonist-independent. Conclusions These primates tend to generate species rather than agonist–specific responses to bacterial agonists. PMID:22978822

Effects of exogenous vitamins A, C, and E and NADH supplementation on proliferation, cytokines release, and cell redox status of lymphocytes from healthy aged subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouamama, Samia; Merzouk, Hafida; Medjdoub, Amel; Merzouk-Saidi, Amel; Merzouk, Sid Ahmed

2017-06-01

Aging is an inevitable biological event that is associated with immune alterations. These alterations are related to increased cellular oxidative stress and micronutrient deficiency. Antioxidant supplementation could improve these age-related abnormalities. The aim of this study was to determine in vitro effects of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) on T cell proliferation, cytokine release, and cell redox status in the elderly compared with young adults. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isolated using a density gradient of Histopaque. They were cultured in vitro and stimulated with concanavalin A in the presence or absence of vitamins. Cell proliferation was determined by conducting MTT assays, and based on interleukin-2 and interleukin-4 secretions. Cell oxidant/antioxidant balance was assessed by assaying reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde, carbonyl protein levels, and catalase activity. The present study demonstrated that T-lymphocyte proliferation was decreased with aging and was associated with cytokine secretion alterations, GSH depletion, and intracellular oxidative stress. In the elderly, vitamin C, vitamin E, and NADH significantly improved lymphocyte proliferation and mitigated cellular oxidative stress, whereas vitamin A did not affect cell proliferation or cell redox status. In conclusion, vitamin C, vitamin E, and NADH supplementation improved T-lymphocytes response in the elderly, and could contribute to the prevention of age-related immune alterations. Consumption of food items containing these vitamins is recommended, and further investigation is necessary to evaluate the effect of vitamin supplementation in vivo.

Associative learning in baboons (Papio papio) and humans (Homo sapiens): species differences in learned attention to visual features.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagot, J; Kruschke, J K; Dépy, D; Vauclair, J

1998-10-01

We examined attention shifting in baboons and humans during the learning of visual categories. Within a conditional matching-to-sample task, participants of the two species sequentially learned two two-feature categories which shared a common feature. Results showed that humans encoded both features of the initially learned category, but predominantly only the distinctive feature of the subsequently learned category. Although baboons initially encoded both features of the first category, they ultimately retained only the distinctive features of each category. Empirical data from the two species were analyzed with the 1996 ADIT connectionist model of Kruschke. ADIT fits the baboon data when the attentional shift rate is zero, and the human data when the attentional shift rate is not zero. These empirical and modeling results suggest species differences in learned attention to visual features.

Isotopic assessment of marine food consumption by natural-foraging chacma baboons on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Matthew C; West, Adam G; O'Riain, M Justin

2018-01-01

Stable isotope analysis has been used to investigate consumption of marine resources in a variety of terrestrial mammals, including humans, but not yet in extant nonhuman primates. We sought to test the efficacy of stable isotope analysis as a tool for such studies by comparing isotope- and observation-based estimates of marine food consumption by a troop of noncommensal, free-ranging chacma baboons. We determined δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of baboon hair (n = 9) and fecal samples (n = 144), and principal food items (n = 362). These values were used as input for diet models, the outputs of which were compared to observation-based estimates of marine food consumption. Fecal δ 13 C values ranged from -29.3‰ to -25.6‰. δ 15 N values ranged from 0.9‰ to 6.3‰ and were positively correlated with a measure of marine foraging during the dietary integration period. Mean (± SD) δ 13 C values of adult male and female baboon hairs were -21.6‰ (± 0.1) and -21.8‰ (± 0.3) respectively, and corresponding δ 15 N values were 5.0‰ (± 0.3) and 3.9‰ (± 0.2). Models indicated that marine contributions were ≤10% of baboon diet within any season, and contributed ≤17% of dietary protein through the year. Model output and observational data were in agreement, both indicating that despite their abundance in the intertidal region, marine foods comprised only a small proportion of baboon diet. This suggests that stable isotope analysis is a viable tool for investigating marine food consumption by natural-foraging primates in temperate regions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Opioid receptor imaging and displacement studies with [6-O-[{sup 11}C]methyl]buprenorphine in baboon brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galynker, Igor; Schlyer, David J.; Dewey, Stephen L.; Fowler, Joanna S.; Logan, Jean; Gatley, S. John; MacGregor, Robert R.; Ferrieri, Richard A.; Holland, M. J.; Brodie, Jonathan; Simon, Eric; Wolf, Alfred P

1996-04-01

Buprenorphine (BPN) is a mixed opiate agonist-antagonist used as an analgesic and in the treatment of opiate addiction. We have used [6-O-[{sup 11}C]methyl]buprenorphine ([{sup 11}C]BPN) to measure the regional distribution in baboon brain, the test-retest stability of repeated studies in the same animal, the displacement of the labeled drug by naloxone in vivo, and the tissue distribution in mice. The regional distribution of radioactivity in baboon brain determined with PET was striatum > thalamus > cingulate gyrus > frontal cortex > parietal cortex > occipital cortex > cerebellum. This distribution corresponded to opiate receptor density and to previously published data (37). The tracer uptake in adult female baboons showed no significant variation in serial scans in the same baboon with no intervention in the same scanning session. HPLC analysis of baboon plasma showed the presence of labeled metabolites with 92% {+-} 2.2% and 43% {+-} 14.4% of the intact tracer remaining at 5 and 30 min, respectively. Naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist, administered 30-40 min after tracer injection at a dose of 1.0 mg/kg i.v., reduced [{sup 11}C]BPN binding in thalamus, striatum, cingulate gyrus, and frontal cortex to values 0.25 to 0.60 of that with no intervention. There were minimal (< 15%) effects on cerebellum. Naloxone treatment significantly reduced the slope of the Patlak plot in receptor-containing regions. These results demonstrate that [{sup 11}C]BPN can be displaced by naloxone in vivo, and they affirm the feasibility of using this tracer and displacement methodology for short-term kinetics studies with PET. Mouse tissue distribution data were used to estimate the radiation dosimetry to humans. The critical organ was the small intestine, with a radiation dose estimate to humans of 117 nrad/mCi.

Livebirth and utero-placental insufficiency in Papio hamadryas baboons with uterus angiosome perfused by bilateral utero-ovarian microsurgical anastomoses alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Beran, B; Arnolds, K; Shockley, M; Rivas, K; Medina, M; Escobar, P F; Tzakis, A; Falcone, T; Sprague, M L; Zimberg, S

2017-09-01

Can the baboon uterus support a gestation to livebirth with an angiosome using microsurgically anastomosed utero-ovarian vessels and lacking uterine arteries and veins? Our angiosome model allows healthy livebirth albeit with risk of fetal growth restriction and stillbirth. Uterine transplant can provide livebirth in humans, but requires a living donor to undergo a prolonged laparotomy for hysterectomy. In an attempt to avoid the time-consuming dissection of the uterine vein, our group has previously shown maintenance of baboon uterine menstrual function after ligation of the uterine vein and after ligation of both the uterine artery and uterine vein. In a 19-month timespan, three baboons underwent laparotomy to surgically alter uterine perfusion, and pregnancy outcomes were monitored after spontaneous mating in a breeding colony. Three nulligravid female Papio hamadryas baboons in a breeding colony underwent laparotomy to ligate uterine arteries and veins along with colpotomy and cervico-vaginal anastomosis. During the same surgery, the utero-ovarian arteries and veins were microsurgically transected and re-anastomosed to themselves. Intraoperative organ perfusion was confirmed with laser angiography. After a recovery period, monitoring of menstrual cycling via menstrual blood flow and sex-skin cycling occurred, as well as uterine viability via sonography and cervical biopsy. Each baboon was released to the breeding colony for spontaneous mating and pregnancies dated by menstrual calendar and compared with early ultrasound. Delivery outcomes were monitored in each including neonate weight and placental pathology. In the event of a stillbirth, the animal was returned to the breeding colony for repeat mating attempts. After achieving a livebirth, the maternal baboon was removed from the study. Each baboon in the trial underwent successful surgery with all uteri demonstrating viability and return of menstrual function within 10 weeks of surgery. Pregnancies occurred

Scintigraphic visualization of myocardial infarcts in baboons using thallium-201 and technetium-99m pyrophosphate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frick, M P; Ponto, R A; Pyle, R B; Yasmineh, W G; Loken, M K

1978-01-01

Four baboons with myocardial infarcts were evaluated using thallium-201 for myocardial imaging and /sup 99m/Tc pyrophosphate for infarct visualization. Scintiphotographic findings were compared with the size of myocardial infarcts calculated from measurements of the activity of MB isoenzymes of creatine kinase (CK-MB) in serum and in the myocardium at autopsy, as described by Sobel's method. Lack of thallium-201 accumulation was noted in left ventricular infarcts of 3 of the 4 baboons. These same areas localized /sup 99m/Tc pyrophosphate administered 24 to 30 h after infarction.

An Investigation of Extracellular Histones in Pig-To-Baboon Organ Xenotransplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tao; Lee, Whayoung; Hara, Hidetaka; Long, Cassandra; Ezzelarab, Mohamed; Ayares, David; Huang, Hai; Wang, Yi; Esmon, Charles T; Cooper, David K C; Iwase, Hayato

2017-10-01

Serum (extracellular) histone levels are increased in inflammatory states and in the presence of coagulation dysfunction, for example, trauma, chemical/ischemic injury, infection. There is increasing evidence of a systemic inflammatory response associated with the presence of a pig xenograft in a nonhuman primate. We evaluated extracellular histone levels in baboons with various pig xenografts. We measured serum histones in baboons with pig heterotopic heart (n = 8), life-supporting kidney (n = 5), orthotopic liver (n = 4), and artery patch (n = 9) grafts by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. C-reactive protein (CRP), free triiodothyronine (fT3), serum amyloid A (SAA), and platelet counts were also measured, all of which may provide an indication of an inflammatory state. We investigated the effect of histones on platelet aggregation and on cytotoxicity of pig cells in vitro. Serum histones increased when baboons developed consumptive coagulopathy (eg, thrombocytopenia) or infection. CRP levels tended to be higher and fT3 levels lower when consumptive coagulopathy developed. Measurement of SAA correlated fairly well with CRP and indicated the state of inflammation. Treatment of the recipient with tocilizumab reduced the level of serum histones, CRP, and SAA, and increased the level of fT3 and platelet counts. In vitro, histone-induced platelet aggregation and endothelial cell apoptosis were both significantly reduced by the NF-κB pathway inhibitor, parthenolide. These noninvasive assays may be useful for monitoring the health status of nonhuman primate recipients of pig organ grafts and may help in management after xenotransplantation. Tocilizumab and NF-κB inhibitors might prove valuable in reducing the inflammatory response to a pig xenograft.

Taxonomy Icon Data: Guinea baboon [Taxonomy Icon

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available Guinea baboon Papio papio Chordata/Vertebrata/Mammalia/Theria/Eutheria/Primate Papio_papio_L.png Papio_papi...o_NL.png Papio_papio_S.png Papio_papio_NS.png http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Papio+papi...o&t=L http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Papio+papio&t=NL http://bioscien...cedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Papio+papio&t=S http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Papio+papio&t=NS ...

Effect of melatonin on monochromatic light-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation in the thymus of chickens.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fuju; Reheman, Aikebaier; Cao, Jing; Wang, Zixu; Dong, Yulan; Zhang, Yuxian; Chen, Yaoxing

2016-08-01

A total of 360 post-hatching day 0 (P0) Arbor Acre male broilers, including intact, sham operation and pinealectomy groups, were exposed to white light (WL), red light (RL), green light (GL) and blue light (BL) from a light-emitting diode (LED) system until for P14. We studied the effects of melatonin and its receptors on monochromatic light-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation in the thymus of broilers. The density of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) cells and the proliferation of T-lymphocytes in response to Concanavalin A (ConA) in GL significantly increased both in vivo and in vitro (from 9.57% to 32.03% and from 34.30% to 50.53%, respectively) compared with other lights (p<0.005) and was strongly correlated with melatonin levels in plasma (p<0.005). Pinealectomy reduced the levels of circulatory melatonin and the proliferation of T-lymphocytes and eliminated the differences between GL and other lights (p<0.005). However, exogenous melatonin (10(-9)M) significantly increased the proliferative activity of T-lymphocyte by 9.64% (p=0.002). In addition, GL significantly increased mRNA expression levels of Mel1a, Mel1b and Mel1c receptors from 21.09% to 32.57%, and protein expression levels from 24.43% to 42.92% compared with RL (p<0.05). However, these effects were blocked after pinealectomy. Furthermore, 4P-PDOT (a selective Mel1b antagonist) and prazosin (a selective Mel1c antagonist) attenuated GL-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation in response to ConA (p=0.000). Luzindole (a nonselective Mel1a/Mel1b antagonist), however, did not induce these effects (p=0.334). These results suggest that melatonin may mediate GL-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation via the Mel1b and Mel1c receptors but not via the Mel1a receptor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adverse effects of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocytes blastogenesis and its protection with Vitamin E

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaradat, Ziad W.; ViIa, Borja; Marquardt, Ronal R.

2006-01-01

T-2 toxin, a trichothecene mycotoxin that is produced by fusarium species, is prevalent mainly in cereal crops and poultry feed. One of the major effects of this toxin is immunomodulation. The effect of T-2 toxin on chicken lymphocyte proliferation in the presence of mitogens and the subsequent protection with Vitamin E in both fat and water soluble forms was studied using an MTT colorimetric assay. T-2 toxin was administered in concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 ng/mL of lymphocytes in the presence of either concanavalin A (ConA) or phytohemagglutinine (PHA-M) at optimum concentration of 333 ng/mL and a dilution of 1:160 for ConA and PHA-M, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to ConA and PHA-M mitogens was depressed at T-2 doses of 1 ng/mL or higher (p < 0.05). The proliferation was completely abolished at 10 ng/mL when the toxin was added at 0 time, while it was decreased by 80% when the toxin was added to the lymphocytes after 24 h. The addition of Vitamin E in the fat soluble form (α-tocopheryl acetate) did not exert any protection effect against the toxin when it was added at either 25 or 100 μg. However, when the water soluble form (Trolox) was added at a concentration of (200 μg) (equivalent to 100 μM of α-tocopherol), it provided considerable protection (p < 0.05) against T-2 toxin inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. The difference in the effect between the two forms of Vitamin E might be related to their relative solubility in the culture media which in turn may affect their availability for protection

Advantages of Papio anubis for preclinical testing of immunotoxicity of candidate therapeutic antagonist antibodies targeting CD28

Science.gov (United States)

Poirier, Nicolas; Mary, Caroline; Le Bas-Bernardet, Stephanie; Daguin, Veronique; Belarif, Lyssia; Chevalier, Melanie; Hervouet, Jeremy; Minault, David; Ville, Simon; Charpy, Vianney; Blancho, Gilles; Vanhove, Bernard

2014-01-01

Antagonist anti-CD28 antibodies prevent T-cell costimulation and are functionally different from CTLA4Ig since they cannot block CTLA-4 and PDL-1 co-inhibitory signals. They demonstrated preclinical efficacy in suppressing effector T cells while enhancing immunoregulatory mechanisms. Because a severe cytokine release syndrome was observed during the Phase 1 study with the superagonist anti-CD28 TGN1412, development of other anti-CD28 antibodies requires careful preclinical evaluation to exclude any potential immunotoxicity side-effects. The failure to identify immunological toxicity of TGN1412 using macaques led us to investigate more relevant preclinical models. We report here that contrary to macaques, and like in man, all baboon CD4-positive T lymphocytes express CD28 in their effector memory cells compartment, a lymphocyte subtype that is the most prone to releasing cytokines after reactivation. Baboon lymphocytes are able to release pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro in response to agonist or superagonist anti-CD28 antibodies. Furthermore, we compared the reactivity of human and baboon lymphocytes after transfer into non obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) interleukin-2rγ knockout mice and confirmed that both cell types could release inflammatory cytokines in situ after injection of agonistic anti-CD28 antibodies. In contrast, FR104, a monovalent antagonistic anti-CD28 antibody, did not elicit T cell activation in these assays, even in the presence of anti-drug antibodies. Infusion to baboons also resulted in an absence of cytokine release. In conclusion, the baboon represents a suitable species for preclinical immunotoxicity evaluation of anti-CD28 antibodies because their effector memory T cells do express CD28 and because cytokine release can be assessed in vitro and trans vivo. PMID:24598534

Development of a nonlinear model for the prediction of response times of glucose affinity sensors using concanavalin A and dextran and the development of a differential osmotic glucose affinity sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, Louis G.

With the increasing prevalence of diabetes in the United States and worldwide, blood glucose monitoring must be accurate and reliable. Current enzymatic sensors have numerous disadvantages that make them unreliable and unfavorable among patients. Recent research in glucose affinity sensors correct some of the problems that enzymatic sensors experience. Dextran and concanavalin A are two of the more common components used in glucose affinity sensors. When these sensors were first explored, a model was derived to predict the response time of a glucose affinity sensor using concanavalin A and dextran. However, the model assumed the system was linear and fell short of calculating times representative of the response times determined through experimental tests with the sensors. In this work, a new model that uses the Stokes-Einstein Equation to demonstrate the nonlinear behavior of the glucose affinity assay was developed to predict the response times of similar glucose affinity sensors. In addition to the device tested by the original linear model, additional devices were identified and tested with the proposed model. The nonlinear model was designed to accommodate the many different variations between systems. The proposed model was able to accurately calculate response times for sensors using the concanavalin A-dextran affinity assay with respect to the experimentally reported times by the independent research groups. Parameter studies using the nonlinear model were able to identify possible setbacks that could compromise the response of thesystem. Specifically, the model showed that the improper use of asymmetrical membranes could increase the response time by as little as 20% or more as the device is miniaturized. The model also demonstrated that systems using the concanavalin Adextran assay would experience higher response times in the hypoglycemic range. This work attempted to replicate and improve an osmotic glucose affinity sensor. The system was designed to

Concanavalin A-binding cholesterol crystallization inhibiting and promoting activity in bile from patients with Crohn's disease compared to patients with ulcerative colitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Keulemans, Y C; Mok, K S; Slors, J F; Brink, M A; Gouma, D J; Tytgat, G N; Groen, A K

1999-10-01

Crohn's disease is a risk factor for gallstone formation. In contrast, patients with ulcerative colitis have an incidence of gallstone formation comparable to the general population. The reason for this difference is not known. The aim of this study was to elucidate the factors controlling cholesterol crystallization in gallbladder bile of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Gallbladder bile was obtained by aspiration during bowel resections (26 Crohn's disease patients, 20 ulcerative colitis patients). Biliary lipid composition, crystal detection time and the effect of extraction of the concanavalin A-binding fraction on crystal formation were determined. Cholesterol crystals were present in seven of the 26 bile samples of Crohn's disease-patients and one of the 20 ulcerative colitis patients. Four of the bile samples of Crohn's disease patients were fast nucleating. None of the 20 ulcerative colitis patients had fast nucleating bile. Lipid composition, total lipid concentration and CSI were not significantly different between the two groups. In Crohn's disease patients extraction of concanavalin A-binding fraction decreased crystallization in 10 bile samples but accelerated crystallization in one bile sample. In eight bile samples from ulcerative colitis patients crystallization increased after concanavalin A-binding fraction extraction. Compared to ulcerative colitis patients, gallbladder bile of Crohn's disease patients showed increased cholesterol crystallization despite comparable lipid composition and cholesterol saturation index. This difference is caused by increased cholesterol crystallization-promoting activity. Bile from ulcerative colitis patients contains a Con A-binding factor which inhibits cholesterol crystallization.

Variable transcription of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in phocine lymphocytes following canine distemper virus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Seibel, H; Siebert, U; Rosenberger, T; Baumgärtner, W

2014-10-15

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a highly contagious viral pathogen. Domesticated dogs are the main reservoir of CDV. Although phocine distemper virus was responsible for the recent epidemics in seals in the North and Baltic Seas, most devastating epidemics in seals were also caused by CDV. To further study the pathogenesis of CDV infection in seals, it was the aim of the present study to investigate the mechanisms of CDV induced immunosuppression in seals by analyzing the gene transcription of different pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in Concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated and non-stimulated phocine lymphocytes in vitro following infection with the CDV Onderstepoort (CDV-OND) strain. Phocine lymphocytes were isolated via density gradient centrifugation. The addition of 1 μg/ml Con A and virus was either performed simultaneously or lymphocytes were stimulated for 48 h with Con A prior to virus infection. Gene transcription of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) as pro-inflammatory cytokines and IL-4, IL-10 and transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) as anti-inflammatory cytokines were determined by using RT-qPCR. CDV-OND infection caused an initial increase of pro-inflammatory phocine cytokines mRNA 24h after infection, followed by a decrease in gene transcription after 48 h. A strong increase in the transcription of IL-4 and TGFβ was detected after 48 h when virus and mitogen were added simultaneously. An increased IL-10 production occurred only when stimulation and infection were performed simultaneously. Furthermore, an inhibition of IL-12 on IL-4 was noticed in phocine lymphocytes which were stimulated for 48 h prior to infection. In summary, the duration of the stimulation or the lymphocytes seem to have an important influence on the cytokine transcription and indicates that the outcome of CDV infection is dependent on various factors that might sensitize lymphocytes or make them more susceptible or reactive to CDV infection

Evidence for varying social strategies across the day in chacma baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Sick, Claudia; Carter, Alecia J; Marshall, Harry H; Knapp, Leslie A; Dabelsteen, Torben; Cowlishaw, Guy

2014-07-01

Strong social bonds can make an important contribution to individual fitness, but we still have only a limited understanding of the temporal period relevant to the adjustment of social relationships. While there is growing recognition of the importance of strong bonds that persist for years, social relationships can also vary over weeks and months, suggesting that social strategies may be optimized over shorter timescales. Using biological market theory as a framework, we explore whether temporal variation in the benefits of social relationships might be sufficient to generate daily adjustments of social strategies in wild baboons. Data on grooming, one measure of social relationships, were collected from 60 chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) across two troops over a six month period. Our analyses suggest that social strategies can show diurnal variation, with subordinates preferentially grooming more dominant individuals earlier in the day compared with later in the day. These findings indicate that group-living animals may optimize certain elements of their social strategies over relatively short time periods. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Failure to label baboon milk intrinsically with iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figueroa-Colon, R.; Elwell, J.H.; Jackson, E.; Osborne, J.W.; Fomon, S.J.

1989-01-01

The widely held belief that 50% of the iron in human milk is absorbed is based on studies that have used an extrinsic radioactive iron tag. To determine the validity of an extrinsic tag, it is necessary to label the milk intrinsically with one isotope and to compare absorption of this isotope with absorption of another isotope added as the extrinsic tag. We chose the baboon as a model and infused 59Fe intravenously. In each of three attempts we failed to label the milk intrinsically

Successful vitrification and autografting of baboon (Papio anubis) ovarian tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Amorim, Christiani A; Jacobs, Sophie; Devireddy, Ram V; Van Langendonckt, Anne; Vanacker, Julie; Jaeger, Jonathan; Luyckx, Valérie; Donnez, Jacques; Dolmans, Marie-Madeleine

2013-08-01

Can a vitrification protocol using an ethylene glycol/dimethyl sulphoxide-based solution and a cryopin successfully cryopreserve baboon ovarian tissue? Our results show that baboon ovarian tissue can be successfully cryopreserved with our vitrification protocol. Non-human primates have already been used as an animal model to test vitrification protocols for human ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Ovarian biopsies from five adult baboons were vitrified, warmed and autografted for 5 months. After grafting, follicle survival, growth and function and also the quality of stromal tissue were assessed histologically and by immunohistochemistry. The influence of the vitrification procedure on the cooling rate was evaluated by a computer model. After vitrification, warming and long-term grafting, follicles were able to grow and maintain their function, as illustrated by Ki67, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) immunostaining. Corpora lutea were also observed, evidencing successful ovulation in all the animals. Stromal tissue quality did not appear to be negatively affected by our cryopreservation procedure, as demonstrated by vascularization and proportions of fibrotic areas, which were similar to those found in fresh ungrafted ovarian tissue. Despite our promising findings, before applying this technique in a clinical setting, we need to validate it by achieving pregnancies. In addition to encouraging results obtained with our vitrification procedure for non-human ovarian tissue, this study also showed, for the first time, expression of AMH and GDF-9 in ovarian follicles. This study was supported by grants from the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique de Belgique (grant Télévie No. 7.4507.10, grant 3.4.590.08 awarded to Marie-Madeleine Dolmans), Fonds Spéciaux de Recherche, Fondation St Luc, Foundation Against Cancer, and Department of Mechanical Engineering at Louisiana State University (support to Ram Devireddy), and

Concanavalin A conjugated biodegradable nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Hurkat, Pooja; Jain, Aviral; Jain, Ashish; Shilpi, Satish; Gulbake, Arvind; Jain, Sanjay K.

2012-11-01

Major research issues in oral protein delivery include the stabilization of protein in delivery devices which could increase its oral bioavailability. The study deals with development of oral insulin delivery system utilizing biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles and modifying its surface with Concanavalin A to increase lymphatic uptake. Surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles were characterized for conjugation efficiency of ligand, shape and surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release. Stability of insulin in the developed formulation was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and integrity of entrapped insulin was assessed using circular dichroism spectrum. Ex vivo study was performed on Wistar rats, which exhibited the higher intestinal uptake of Con A conjugated nanoparticles. In vivo study performed on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats which indicate that a surface-modified nanoparticle reduces blood glucose level effectively within 4 h of its oral administration. In conclusion, the present work resulted in successful production of Con A NPs bearing insulin with sustained release profile, and better absorption and stability. The Con A NPs showed high insulin uptake, due to its relative high affinity for non-reducing carbohydrate residues i.e., fucose present on M cells and have the potential for oral insulin delivery in effective management of Type 1 diabetes condition.

Concanavalin A conjugated biodegradable nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hurkat, Pooja; Jain, Aviral; Jain, Ashish; Shilpi, Satish; Gulbake, Arvind; Jain, Sanjay K., E-mail: drskjainin@yahoo.com [Dr. Hari Singh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Pharmaceutics Research Projects Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (India)

2012-11-15

Major research issues in oral protein delivery include the stabilization of protein in delivery devices which could increase its oral bioavailability. The study deals with development of oral insulin delivery system utilizing biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles and modifying its surface with Concanavalin A to increase lymphatic uptake. Surface-modified PLGA nanoparticles were characterized for conjugation efficiency of ligand, shape and surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro drug release. Stability of insulin in the developed formulation was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, and integrity of entrapped insulin was assessed using circular dichroism spectrum. Ex vivo study was performed on Wistar rats, which exhibited the higher intestinal uptake of Con A conjugated nanoparticles. In vivo study performed on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats which indicate that a surface-modified nanoparticle reduces blood glucose level effectively within 4 h of its oral administration. In conclusion, the present work resulted in successful production of Con A NPs bearing insulin with sustained release profile, and better absorption and stability. The Con A NPs showed high insulin uptake, due to its relative high affinity for non-reducing carbohydrate residues i.e., fucose present on M cells and have the potential for oral insulin delivery in effective management of Type 1 diabetes condition.

An Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Dfmo In Baboons (Papio Anubis ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The disease also disrupted the circadian rhythmicity of sleep and wakefulness between weeks 8 and 10 when the animals were in the classical diurnal sleepiness with 8 - 10 sleep episodes and nocturnal restlessness. All the infected baboons died from the attendant disease between the 8 and 10 weeks of infection.

Sequential Stereotype Priming: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kidder, Ciara K; White, Katherine R; Hinojos, Michelle R; Sandoval, Mayra; Crites, Stephen L

2017-08-01

Psychological interest in stereotype measurement has spanned nearly a century, with researchers adopting implicit measures in the 1980s to complement explicit measures. One of the most frequently used implicit measures of stereotypes is the sequential priming paradigm. The current meta-analysis examines stereotype priming, focusing specifically on this paradigm. To contribute to ongoing discussions regarding methodological rigor in social psychology, one primary goal was to identify methodological moderators of the stereotype priming effect-whether priming is due to a relation between the prime and target stimuli, the prime and target response, participant task, stereotype dimension, stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA), and stimuli type. Data from 39 studies yielded 87 individual effect sizes from 5,497 participants. Analyses revealed that stereotype priming is significantly moderated by the presence of prime-response relations, participant task, stereotype dimension, target stimulus type, SOA, and prime repetition. These results carry both practical and theoretical implications for future research on stereotype priming.

Concanavalin-A conjugated fine-multiple emulsion loaded with 6-mercaptopurine.

Science.gov (United States)

Khopade, A J; Jain, N K

2000-01-01

Fine-multiple (water-in-oil-in-water) emulsions were prepared by two-step emulsification using sonication. They were coated with concanavalin-A (Con-A) by three methods. The one involving covalent coupling of Con-A to the multiple emulsion incorporated anchor was better compared with lipid derivatized Con-A anchoring or the glutaraldehyde-based cross-linking method, as shown by the faster rate of dextran-induced aggregation. The selected multiple emulsions were characterized by physical properties such as droplet size, encapsulation efficiency, and zeta potential. Stability parameters such as droplet size, creaming, leakage, and aggregation as a function of relative turbidity were monitored over a 1-month period, which revealed good stability of the formulations. The release profile of 6-mercaptopurine followed zero-order kinetics. Pharmacokinetic studies showed an increase in half-life and bioavailability from multiple emulsion formulations administered intravenously. There was prolonged retention of drug in various tissues of rats when treated with Con-A-coated multiple emulsion as compared with uncoated one. Our study demonstrates the suitability of fine-multiple emulsion for intravenous administration and the potential for prolonged retention of drugs and targeting in biological systems.

Preparation of insulin-containing microcapsules by a layer-by-layer deposition of concanavalin A and glycogen.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Katsuhiko; Kodama, Daisuke; Endo, Yoshihiro; Anzai, Jun-ichi

2009-01-01

The sugar sensitive microcapsules were prepared by a layer-by-layer deposition of concanavalin A (Con A) and glycogen on a calcium carbonate particle containing fluorescein-labeled insulin (F-insulin). The Con A/glycogen multilayer capsules were formed through sugar-lectin interactions by using inner and outer poly(ethyleneimine)/poly(vinyl sulfate) multilayers as supports, while without the supports the microcapsules could not be formed. Fluorescent microscope observations revealed that the capsules thus prepared are spherical in shape with 3-10 microm diameter. The microcapsules released encapsulated F-insulin upon addition of sugars. This is because the added sugars replace glycogen in the binding site of Con A, resulting in the enhanced permeability of the microcapsules to insulin.

Rhizosphere priming: a nutrient perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feike Auke Dijkstra

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Rhizosphere priming is the change in decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM caused by root activity. Rhizosphere priming plays a crucial role in soil carbon (C dynamics and their response to global climate change. Rhizosphere priming may be affected by soil nutrient availability, but rhizosphere priming itself can also affect nutrient supply to plants. These interactive effects may be of particular relevance in understanding the sustained increase in plant growth and nutrient supply in response to a rise in atmospheric CO2 concentration. We examined how these interactions were affected by elevated CO2 in two similar semiarid grassland field studies. We found that an increase in rhizosphere priming enhanced the release of nitrogen (N through decomposition of a larger fraction of SOM in one study, but not in the other. We postulate that rhizosphere priming may enhance N supply to plants in systems that are N limited, but that rhizosphere priming may not occur in systems that are phosphorus (P limited. Under P limitation, rhizodeposition may be used for mobilisation of P, rather than for decomposition of SOM. Therefore, with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations, rhizosphere priming may play a larger role in affecting C sequestration in N poor than in P poor soils.

Characterisation of [11C]PR04.MZ in Papio anubis baboon: A selective high-affinity radioligand for quantitative imaging of the dopamine transporter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Riss P. J.; Fowler J.; Riss, P.J.; Hooker, J.M.; Shea, C.; Xu, Y.; Carter, P.; Warner, D.; Ferrari V.; Kim, S.W.; Aigbirhio, F.I.; Fowler, J.S.; Roesch, F.

2011-10-25

N-(4-fluorobut-2-yn-1-yl)-2{beta}-carbomethoxy-3{beta}-(4{prime}-tolyl)nortropane (PR04.MZ, 1) is a PET radioligand for the non-invasive exploration of the function of the cerebral dopamine transporter (DAT). A reliable automated process for routine production of the carbon-11 labelled analogue [{sup 11}C]PR04.MZ ([{sup 11}C]-1) has been developed using GMP compliant equipment. An adult female Papioanubis baboon was studied using a test-retest protocol with [{sup 11}C]-1 in order to assess test-retest reliability, metabolism and CNS distribution profile of the tracer in non-human primates. Blood sampling was performed throughout the studies for determination of the free fraction in plasma (fP), plasma input functions and metabolic degradation of the radiotracer [{sup 11}C]-1. Time-activity curves were derived for the putamen, the caudate nucleus, the ventral striatum, the midbrain and the cerebellum. Distribution volumes (VT) and non-displaceable binding potentials (BPND) for various brain regions and the blood were obtained from kinetic modelling. [{sup 11}C]-1 shows promising results as aselective marker of the presynaptic dopamine transporter. With the reliable visualisation of the extra-striatal dopaminergic neurons and no indication on labelled metabolites, the tracer provides excellent potential for translation into man.

Non-cognate translation priming in masked priming lexical decision experiments: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Yun; van Heuven, Walter J B

2017-06-01

The masked translation priming paradigm has been widely used in the last 25 years to investigate word processing in bilinguals. Motivated by studies reporting mixed findings, in particular for second language (L2) to first language (L1) translation priming, we conducted, for the first time in the literature, a meta-analysis of 64 masked priming lexical decision experiments across 24 studies to assess the effect sizes of L1-L2 and L2-L1 non-cognate translation priming effects in bilinguals. Our meta-analysis also investigated the influence of potential moderators of translation priming effects. The results provided clear evidence of significant translation priming effects for both directions, with L1-L2 translation priming significantly larger than L2-L1 translation priming (i.e., effect size of 0.86 vs. 0.31). The analyses also revealed that L1-L2 translation effect sizes were moderated by the interval between prime and target (ISI), whereas L2-L1 translation effect sizes were modulated by the number of items per cell. Theoretical and methodological implications of this meta-analysis are discussed and recommendations for future studies are provided.

Masked priming effect reflects evidence accumulated by the prime.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinoshita, Sachiko; Norris, Dennis

2010-01-01

In the same-different match task, masked priming is observed with the same responses but not different responses. Norris and Kinoshita's (2008) Bayesian reader account of masked priming explains this pattern based on the same principle as that explaining the absence of priming for nonwords in the lexical decision task. The pattern of priming follows from the way the model makes optimal decisions in the two tasks; priming does not depend on first activating the prime and then the target. An alternative explanation is in terms of a bias towards responding "same" that exactly counters the facilitatory effect of lexical access. The present study tested these two views by varying both the degree to which the prime predicts the response and the visibility of the prime. Unmasked primes produced effects expected from the view that priming is influenced by the degree to which the prime predicts the response. In contrast, with masked primes, the size of priming for the same response was completely unaffected by predictability. These results rule out response bias as an explanation of the absence of masked priming for different responses and, in turn, indicate that masked priming is not a consequence of automatic lexical access of the prime.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate attenuates apoptosis and autophagy in concanavalin A-induced hepatitis by inhibiting BNIP3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li S

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Sainan Li, Yujing Xia, Kan Chen, Jingjing Li, Tong Liu, Fan Wang, Jie Lu, Yingqun Zhou, Chuanyong Guo Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Background: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG is the most effective compound in green tea, and possesses a wide range of beneficial effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiobesity, and anticancer effects. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of EGCG in concanavalin A (ConA-induced hepatitis in mice and explored the possible mechanisms involved in these effects.Methods: Balb/C mice were injected with ConA (25 mg/kg to induce acute autoimmune hepatitis, and EGCG (10 or 30 mg/kg was administered orally twice daily for 10 days before ConA injection. Serum liver enzymes, proinflammatory cytokines, and other marker proteins were determined 2, 8, and 24 hours after the ConA administration.Results: BNIP3 mediated cell apoptosis and autophagy in ConA-induced hepatitis. EGCG decreased the immunoreaction and pathological damage by reducing inflammatory factors, such as TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, and IL-1β. EGCG also exhibited an antiapoptotic and antiautophagic effect by inhibiting BNIP3 via the IL-6/JAKs/STAT3 pathway.Conclusion: EGCG attenuated liver injury in ConA-induced hepatitis by downregulating IL-6/JAKs/STAT3/BNIP3-mediated apoptosis and autophagy. Keywords: concanavalin A, hepatitis, EGCG, autophagy, apoptosis, BNIP3, STAT3, JAKs, IL-6

Factors affecting the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction in kidney transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuller, L.; Flaa, C.; Jaffe, D.; Strauss, J.; Kyriakides, G.K.; Miller, J.

1983-01-01

In long-term well adapted kidney transplant recipients we have found a close correlation between the T helper (TH):T suppressor/cytotoxic (TS/C) subset ratios and the presence of T cells that respond in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR). In 21 recipients with T cell E rosette levels ranging between 53 and 86% and TH:TS/C ratios between 0.15 to 2.10, ratios of greater than 0.8 correlated with AMLR responses (13/13), and ratios of less than 0.8 with AMLR nonreactivity (7/7). By contrast, the allogeneic MLR showed no apparent correlation with the TH:TS/C ratios or with the AMLR pre- or postoperatively. It was found that the AMLR in 22 of 23 normal individuals was markedly inhibited by autologous T cells obtained from peripheral blood lymphocytes, exposed to 3,000 rad (Tx) and added as a third component to the cultures. In contrast, 13 of 13 kidney transplant recipients failed to exhibit this Tx AMLR inhibitory cell population. The ''naturally occurring'' T inhibitory cells, fractionated by an affinity column chromatography procedure into x-irradiated TH and TS/C subsets, inhibited the AMLR to the same extent as unseparated Tx cells. In cell interchange studies performed in four of five HLA identical donor-recipient pairs the Tx cells of the (normal) donor inhibited the recipient AMLR (immunosuppressed), but recipient Tx cells failed to inhibit the donor AMLR. Finally T cells, primed in AMLR and allogeneic MLR for 10 d were tested for AMLR or allogeneic MLR inhibitory activity. Allogeneic MLR primed x-irradiated cells, inhibited both the AMLR and allogeneic MLR while AMLR x-irradiated primed cells inhibited neither reaction. The Tx AMLR inhibitor found in normal peripheral blood, appears to be a cell that is highly sensitive to the effects of biologic or pharmacologic immunosuppressive agents

Increased antibody responses to Herpes virus papio (HVP) antigens in pre-lymphomatous baboons (Papio hamadryas) of the Sukhumi high lymphoma stock.

Science.gov (United States)

Voevodin, A F; Yakovleva, L A; Lapin, B A; Ponomarjeva, T I

1983-11-15

Antibody responses to Herpes virus papio (HVP) antigens were studied in 21 pre-lymphoma baboons (which subsequently died of malignant lymphoma), 21 paired controls, i.e. age-, sex- and population-matched healthy baboons, and 185 randomly selected healthy baboons of the same population. The sera were all collected at the same time and were tested blind in the fixed-cell indirect immunofluorescence test against HVP viral capsid antigen (VCA)-positive, early antigen (EA)-positive cell targets before and after absorption with HVP. Eleven of the pre-lymphoma sera were anti-EA-positive whereas none of the paired controls contained anti-EA. Anti-VCA titers of pre-lymphoma sera were higher than those of paired controls in thirteen cases. Only in four cases were anti-VCA titers of pre-lymphoma sera lower than those of paired controls. Qualitatively, the same results were obtained when anti-VCA and anti-EA titers of pre-lymphoma sera were compared with respective mean population values. The differences between pre-lymphoma group and control groups, especially in the case of anti-EA, were statistically highly significant. Thus, elevated anti-HVP titers in healthy baboons of the Sukhumi lymphoma-prone stock can be considered as a marker of high risk for development of malignant lymphoma.

The baboon model under anaesthesia for in vivo cerebral blood flow studies using single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dormehl, I.; Redelinghuys, F.; Hugo, N.; Oliver, D.; Pilloy, W.

1992-01-01

Single photon computed tomography of the brain can be useful in animal experimentation directed towards cerebral conditions. A well established and understood baboon model, necessarily under anaesthesia, could especially be valuable in such investigations. Six normal baboons were studied under various anesthetic agents and their combinations: ketamine, thiopentone, pentobarbitone and halothane. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) studies were performed with 99m Tc-HMPAO. CBF effects from various anaesthesia were detected, requiring careful choice of the anaesthesia for cerebral investigations. (author). 13 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs

The baboon model under anaesthesia for in vivo cerebral blood flow studies using single photon emission computed tomographic (SPECT) techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dormehl, I.; Redelinghuys, F.; Hugo, N. [Pretoria Univ. (South Africa); Oliver, D.; Pilloy, W. [Medical Univ. of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA), Pretoria (South Africa)

1992-12-31

Single photon computed tomography of the brain can be useful in animal experimentation directed towards cerebral conditions. A well established and understood baboon model, necessarily under anaesthesia, could especially be valuable in such investigations. Six normal baboons were studied under various anesthetic agents and their combinations: ketamine, thiopentone, pentobarbitone and halothane. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) studies were performed with {sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO. CBF effects from various anaesthesia were detected, requiring careful choice of the anaesthesia for cerebral investigations. (author). 13 refs, 4 figs, 3 tabs.

Comparative evolution of coagulation disorders in baboons and Pigs after total body irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Destombe, C.; Lefleche, P.; Veyret, J.; Grasseau, A.; Agay, D.; Mestries, J.C.

1994-01-01

Acute total body irradiation in pigs, with a lethal dose of either gamma or mixed gamma-neutron radiation, induced similar plasmatic coagulation disorders as those observed in baboons. These data validated pathophysiological hypothesis which were developed during previous studies, but do not support the idea of a possible species specific radiosensitivity. (author)

Mucosal immunization with PLGA-microencapsulated DNA primes a SIV-specific CTL response revealed by boosting with cognate recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharpe, Sally; Hanke, Tomas; Tinsley-Bown, Anne; Dennis, Mike; Dowall, Stuart; McMichael, Andrew; Cranage, Martin

2003-01-01

Systemically administered DNA encoding a recombinant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) derived immunogen effectively primes a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response in macaques. In this further pilot study we have evaluated mucosal delivery of DNA as an alternative priming strategy. Plasmid DNA, pTH.HW, encoding a multi-CTL epitope gene, was incorporated into poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microparticles of less than 10 μm in diameter. Five intrarectal immunizations failed to stimulate a circulating vaccine-specific CTL response in 2 Mamu-A*01 + rhesus macaques. However, 1 week after intradermal immunization with a cognate modified vaccinia virus Ankara vaccine MVA.HW, CTL responses were detected in both animals that persisted until analysis postmortem, 12 weeks after the final boost. In contrast, a weaker and less durable response was seen in an animal vaccinated with the MVA construct alone. Analysis of lymphoid tissues revealed a disseminated CTL response in peripheral and regional lymph nodes but not the spleen of both mucosally primed animals

First records of talon cusps on baboon maxillary incisors argue for standardizing terminology and prompt a hypothesis of their formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Heaton, Jason L; Pickering, Travis Rayne

2013-12-01

Dental characters can provide vital clues for understanding intra- and intertaxonomic morphological variation and its underlying genetic and environmental components. However, the unambiguous identification of particular traits and their comparative study is often confounded by lack of consistent terminology in the relevant literature. This difficulty is exacerbated when the etiologies are not completely understood, as is the case with talon cusps. To date, research on talon cusps has focused on modern humans. In many instances, descriptions of talon cusps appear in clinical case studies focusing on their treatment and removal. What is lacking in those discussions, though, is a comparative framework, in which the occurrence of talon cusps in nonhuman primates, and possibly other mammals, is established and understood. Here, we report on a taloned upper central incisor of a wild baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) from South Africa. The anomalous incisor of this individual includes an exaggerated accessory cusp diagnosed as a Type II talon. Microcomputed tomographic and radiographic analyses show that the taloned cusp possesses enamel, dentin, and pulp. In addition, we identified an unclassifiable talon cusp on a central maxillary incisor of a baboon skull housed in the Smithsonian Institution's Natural History Museum collection. Our observations of talon cusps on baboon incisors demonstrate that, with regard to this phenomenon, systematic study of nonhuman primates is much needed, along with a consistent use of terminology in the anatomical and anthropological literature. Finally, we present a hypothesis of the formation of talon cusps on mammalian incisors. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stacking faults of {gamma}{prime}{prime} phase precipitated in a Ni-15Cr-8Fe-6Nb alloy; Ni-15Cr-8Fe-6Nb gokin ni sekishutsusuru {gamma}{prime}{prime} sonai no sekiso kekkan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusabiraki, K; Ikeuchi, S [Toyama University, Toyama (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1995-09-01

The stacking faults of a metastable {gamma}{prime}{prime} phase precipitated in a nickel-base superalloy, a modified NCF 3 type alloy (X-750M) were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction method. The {gamma}{prime}{prime} precipitates are circular shaped plates at the early stage of aging and they become elliptic or irregular shaped plates at the latter stage of aging up to 1033K. Contrast which suggests the existence of stacking faults on {l_brace}112{r_brace}{sub {gamma}{prime}{prime}} planes can be seen in many of large {gamma}{prime}{prime} precipitates extracted from the specimens aged at 1033K. It is clear that the values of {gamma}{prime}{prime}/{gamma} lattice mismatch increase with increasing the aging time from the measurement of lattice constants of the {gamma} and the {gamma}{prime}{prime} phase. The formation of stacking faults on {l_brace}112{r_brace}{sub {gamma}{prime}{prime}} in the large {gamma}{prime}{prime} precipitates is due to the movement of an a/6 [111] partial dislocation introduced by {gamma}{prime}{prime} /{gamma} coherency strain. Since a part of stacking sequence has a similar crystal structure to that of a stable {delta} phase precipitates in {gamma} phase, the formation of stacking faults in the {gamma}{prime}{prime} precipitates is considered to be favorable for the stabilization of them. 14 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.

Activation of the baboon fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis at midgestation by estrogen-induced changes in placental corticosteroid metabolism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pepe, G.J.; Waddell, B.J.; Albrecht, E.D.

1990-01-01

We have hypothesized that the change in placental cortisol (F)-cortisone (E) metabolism induced by estrogen late in gestation is important to activation of the baboon fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, culminating in the ontogenesis of de novo F secretion by the fetal adrenal. The present study tested this hypothesis in vivo by comparing the proportion of F in the fetus derived via maternal and fetal production on day 100 (n = 7; term = day 184) and day 165 (n = 4) in untreated baboons and on day 100 in baboons (n = 9) in which 50-mg pellets of androstenedione were implanted sc in the mother in increasing numbers (i.e. two on day 70, four on day 78, six on day 86, and eight on day 94) to increase placental estrogen production. Maternal, uterine, and umbilical venous samples were collected during constant maternal infusion (120 min) of [3H]F/[14C]E, endogenous and radiolabeled F/E content was determined, and corticosteroid dynamics were quantified. The MCR and peripheral interconversion of F and E as well as the production rate of F were unaltered in the mother. However, at midgestation, androstenedione increased (P less than 0.05) estrogen by 62% and altered transuterofeto placental F-E metabolism from preferential reduction of E to preferential oxidation of F, a pattern similar to that at term. In untreated baboons, on day 100 none of the F in the fetus was due to fetal production, whereas by day 165, 49 +/- 6% was of fetal origin. In animals treated with androstenedione at midgestation, 22 +/- 4% of fetal F was derived de novo within the fetus. Thus, production of F by the fetus was negligible on day 100, increased near term in association with an increase in transplacental oxidation of F to E, and was induced at midgestation in baboons in which placental F-E metabolism was altered by an increase in estrogen production

Cardiac output by Doppler echocardiography in the premature baboon: Comparison with radiolabeled microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinsella, J.P.; Morrow, W.R.; Gerstmann, D.R.; Taylor, A.F.; deLemos, R.A.

1991-01-01

Pulsed-Doppler echocardiography (PDE) is a useful noninvasive method for determining left ventricular output (LVO). However, despite increasingly widespread use in neonatal intensive care units, validation studies in prematures with cardiopulmonary disease are lacking. The purpose of this study was to compare radiolabeled microsphere (RLM) and PDE measurements of LVO, using the critically ill premature baboon as a model of the human neonate. Twenty-two paired RLM and PDE measurements of LVO were obtained in 14 animals between 3 and 24 h of age. Average PDE LVO was 152 ml/min/kg (range, 40-258 ml/min/kg) compared to 158 ml/min/kg (range, 67-278 ml/min/kg) measured by RLM. Linear regression analysis of the paired measurements showed good correlation with a slope near unity (gamma = 0.94x + 4.20, r = 0.91, SEE = 25.7 ml). The authors conclude that PDE determinations of LVO compare well with those measured by RLM in the premature baboon. PDE appears to provide a valid estimate of LVO and should be useful in human prematures with cardiopulmonary distress

Analysis of prostate-specific antigen transcripts in chimpanzees, cynomolgus monkeys, baboons, and African green monkeys.

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James N Mubiru

Full Text Available The function of prostate-specific antigen (PSA is to liquefy the semen coagulum so that the released sperm can fuse with the ovum. Fifteen spliced variants of the PSA gene have been reported in humans, but little is known about alternative splicing in nonhuman primates. Positive selection has been reported in sex- and reproductive-related genes from sea urchins to Drosophila to humans; however, there are few studies of adaptive evolution of the PSA gene. Here, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR product cloning and sequencing, we study PSA transcript variant heterogeneity in the prostates of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes, cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis, baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis, and African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops. Six PSA variants were identified in the chimpanzee prostate, but only two variants were found in cynomolgus monkeys, baboons, and African green monkeys. In the chimpanzee the full-length transcript is expressed at the same magnitude as the transcripts that retain intron 3. We have found previously unidentified splice variants of the PSA gene, some of which might be linked to disease conditions. Selection on the PSA gene was studied in 11 primate species by computational methods using the sequences reported here for African green monkey, cynomolgus monkey, baboon, and chimpanzee and other sequences available in public databases. A codon-based analysis (dN/dS of the PSA gene identified potential adaptive evolution at five residue sites (Arg45, Lys70, Gln144, Pro189, and Thr203.

The elimination of positive priming with increasing prime duration reflects a transition from perceptual fluency to disfluency rather than bias against primed words.

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Kevin W; Donkin, Chris; Huber, David E

2018-03-01

With immediate repetition priming of forced choice perceptual identification, short prime durations produce positive priming (i.e., priming the target leads to higher accuracy, while priming the foil leads to lower accuracy). Many theories explain positive priming following short duration primes as reflecting increased perceptual fluency for the primed target (i.e., decreased identification latency). However, most studies only examine either accuracy or response times, rather than considering the joint constraints of response times and accuracy to properly address the role of decision biases and response caution. This is a critical oversight because several theories propose that the transition to negative priming following a long duration prime reflects a decision strategy to compensate for the effect of increased perceptual fluency. In contrast, the nROUSE model of Huber and O'Reilly (2003) explains this transition as reflecting perceptual habituation, and thus a change to perceptual disfluency. We confirmed this prediction by applying a sequential sampling model (the diffusion race model) to accuracy and response time distributions from a new single item same-different version of the priming task. In this way, we measured strategic biases and perceptual fluency in each condition for each subject. The nROUSE model was only applied to accuracy from the original forced-choice version of the priming task. This application of nROUSE produced separate predictions for each subject regarding the degree of fluency and disfluency in each condition, and these predictions were confirmed by the drift rate parameters (i.e., fluency) from the response time model in contrast to the threshold parameters (i.e., bias). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solid-state NMR spin-echo investigation of the metalloproteins parvalbumin, concanavalin A, and pea and lentil lectins, substituted with cadmium-113

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Marchetti, Paul S.; Bhattacharyya, Lokesh; Ellis, Paul D.; Brewer, C. Fred

Solid-state 113Cd NMR spectroscopy of static powder samples of 113Cd-substituted metalloproteins, parvalbumin, concanavalin A, and pea and lentil lectins, was carried out. Cross polarization followed by application of a train of uniformly spaced π pulses was employed to investigate the origin of residual cadmium NMR linewidths observed previously in these proteins. Fourier transformation of the resulting spin-echo train yielded spectra consisting of uniformly spaced lines having linewidths of the order of 1-2 ppm. The observed linewidths were not influenced by temperature as low as -50°C or by extent of protein hydration. Since the echo-train pulse sequence is able to eliminate inhomogeneous but not homogeneous contributions to the linewidths, there is a predominant inhomogeneous contribution to cadmium linewidths in the protein CP/MAS spectra. However, significant changes in spectral intensities were observed with change in temperature and extent of protein hydration. These intensity changes are attributed for parvalbumin and concanavalin A to changes in cross-polarization efficiency with temperature and hydration. For pea and lentil lectins, this effect is attributed to the elimination of static disorder at the pea and lentil S2 metal-ion sites due to sugar binding.

Genetic integration of molar cusp size variation in baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Christina; Bates, Elizabeth; Broughton, Elizabeth; Do, Nicholas T; Fletcher, Zachary; Mahaney, Michael C; Hlusko, Leslea J

2010-06-01

Many studies of primate diversity and evolution rely on dental morphology for insight into diet, behavior, and phylogenetic relationships. Consequently, variation in molar cusp size has increasingly become a phenotype of interest. In 2007 we published a quantitative genetic analysis of mandibular molar cusp size variation in baboons. Those results provided more questions than answers, as the pattern of genetic integration did not fit predictions from odontogenesis. To follow up, we expanded our study to include data from the maxillary molar cusps. Here we report on these later analyses, as well as inter-arch comparisons with the mandibular data. We analyzed variation in two-dimensional maxillary molar cusp size using data collected from a captive pedigreed breeding colony of baboons, Papio hamadryas, housed at the Southwest National Primate Research Center. These analyses show that variation in maxillary molar cusp size is heritable and sexually dimorphic. We also estimated additive genetic correlations between cusps on the same crown, homologous cusps along the tooth row, and maxillary and mandibular cusps. The pattern for maxillary molars yields genetic correlations of one between the paracone-metacone and protocone-hypocone. Bivariate analyses of cuspal homologues on adjacent teeth yield correlations that are high or not significantly different from one. Between dental arcades, the nonoccluding cusps consistently yield high genetic correlations, especially the metaconid-paracone and metaconid-metacone. This pattern of genetic correlation does not immediately accord with the pattern of development and/or calcification, however these results do follow predictions that can be made from the evolutionary history of the tribosphenic molar. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Transfer of primed CD4+OX40- T lymphocytes induces increased immunity to experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections in rats

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thygesen, P; Christensen, H B; Hougen, H P

1997-01-01

The protective effect of primed CD4 T cells against a lethal dose of Salmonella typhimurium was studied in Lewis rats. Primed CD4 T cells were obtained by inoculating Lewis rats with a non-lethal dose of S. typhimurium. Four weeks after the infection, spleen non-adherent mononuclear cells were is......-specific memory T cells that have returned to a resting state....

Isolation and characterization of new strains of cholesterol-reducing bacteria from baboons.

OpenAIRE

Brinkley, A W; Gottesman, A R; Mott, G E

1982-01-01

We isolated and characterized nine new strains of cholesterol-reducing bacteria from feces and intestinal contents of baboons. Cholesterol-brain agar was used for the primary isolation, and subsequent biochemical tests were done in a lecithin-cholesterol broth containing plasmenylethanolamine and various substrates. All strains had similar colony and cell morphology, hydrolyzed the beta-glucosides esculin and amygdalin, metabolized pyruvate, and produced acetate and acetoin. Unlike previously...

First report on Aonchotheca annulosa Dujardin, 1845 (Nematoda, Capillariidae) in a Hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) from a zoo in northern Turkey

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Umur, S.; Moravec, František; Gurler, A.; Bolukbas, C.; Acici, M.

2012-01-01

Roč. 41, č. 6 (2012), s. 384-387 ISSN 0047-2565 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Aonchotheca annulosa * baboon * Capillariidae * Turkey * zoo Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine; GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine (BC-A) Impact factor: 1.106, year: 2012 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jmp.12020/abstract

Synthesis, radiolabeling and baboon SPECT imaging of 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(3'-[123I]iodophenyl)tropane ([123I]YP256) as a serotonin transporter radiotracer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bois, Frederic; Baldwin, Ronald M.; Amici, Louis; Al-Tikriti, Mohammed S.; Kula, Nora; Baldessarini, Ross; Innis, Robert B.; Staley, Julie K.; Tamagnan, Gilles D.

2008-01-01

To develop a potential SPECT probe to evaluate the integrity of the serotoninergic system (5-HTT) whose dysfunction is linked to several disease conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and depression, we report the synthesis, radiolabeling and in vivo baboon imaging of 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(3'-[ 123 I]iodophenyl) tropane (YP256, ). The radiolabeling was performed by iododestannylation using sodium [ 123 I]iodide and peracetic acid. Although the ligand displayed high selectivity for 5-HTT over dopamine transporter in vitro, SPECT imaging in baboons did not reveal selective 5-HTT accumulation in brain in vivo

[Grooming and group structure in hamadryas baboons].

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

The results of 3-year observation on coral living hamadryas baboons transported from natural habitat in Tuapse reservation have been presented. Despite of the fact that grooming between males and females accounted for 73% of total cases of grooming in adult individual pairs, only the relationships of males with high-ranked females of their harems fully corresponded to a star-shaped sociogram. The high-ranked females were not different from all the other females either according to a total number of grooming cases with their female partners or according to a proportion of a performed and received grooming. Grooming between the related females was noted predominantly in the cases when they belonged to the same harem. Grooming between the related males accounted for 59% of all the cases of grooming between the male partners.

Differential regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and -2 by insulin in the baboon (Papio anubis endometrium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fazleabas Asgerally T

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of insulin on expression and synthesis of IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 in the baboon endometrium in vitro. Methods Baboon endometrial explants collected from cycling, ovariectomized, steroid-treated, simulated-pregnant and pregnant animals were cultured for 48 h in the presence or absence of insulin, with or without estradiol, progesterone and hCG. Results Insulin clearly inhibited IGFBP-1 production and mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner, whereas IGFBP-2 synthesis was not significantly affected. The inhibitory effects of insulin on IGFBP-1 were more evident in explants of non-pregnant tissue or tissue away from the implantation site. In the absence of insulin, synthesis of IGFBP-1 was induced in explants with low levels of de novo synthesis whereas IGFBP-2 synthesis was inhibited. This effect was potentiated by steroids and hCG in the explant cultures. Conclusion Insulin differentially regulates endometrial IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 secretion in the baboon.

One-step isolation of plasma membrane proteins using magnetic beads with immobilized concanavalin A

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Yu-Chen; Block, Gregory; Chen, Huiwen

2008-01-01

We have developed a simple method for isolating and purifying plasma membrane proteins from various cell types. This one-step affinity-chromatography method uses the property of the lectin concanavalin A (ConA) and the technique of magnetic bead separation to obtain highly purified plasma membrane...... proteins from crude membrane preparations or cell lines. ConA is immobilized onto magnetic beads by binding biotinylated ConA to streptavidin magnetic beads. When these ConA magnetic beads were used to enrich plasma membranes from a crude membrane preparation, this procedure resulted in 3.7-fold enrichment...... of plasma membrane marker 5'-nucleotidase activity with 70% recovery of the activity in the crude membrane fraction of rat liver. In agreement with the results of 5'-nucleotidase activity, immunoblotting with antibodies specific for a rat liver plasma membrane protein, CEACAM1, indicated that CEACAM1...

Blood androgen levels in male baboons throughout the year

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taranov, A.G.; Goncharov, N.P.

1986-01-01

This paper describes a study of possible dependence of the androgen level in male baboons on the time of year. Plasma was obtained by centrifugation of the blood at 3000 rpm and the following androgens were determined by radioimmunoassay, using chromatographic separation of the steroids on columns with celite: testosterone, 5s-dihydrotestosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone. Plasma steriod concentrations were calculated and the results were subjected to statistical analysis by Students test. Seasonal change in the concentration of steroids in the animals' blood plasma were discovered. The results of androgen assay throughout the year and determination of their mean annual concentrations are shown

A Prime Example of the Maluma/Takete Effect? Testing for Sound Symbolic Priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidhu, David M; Pexman, Penny M

2017-09-01

Certain nonwords, like maluma and takete, are associated with roundness and sharpness, respectively. However, this has typically been demonstrated using explicit tasks. We investigated whether this association would be detectable using a more implicit measure-a sequential priming task. We began with a replication of the standard Maluma/Takete effect (Experiments 1a and 1b) before examining whether round and sharp nonword primes facilitated the categorization of congruent shapes (Experiment 2). We found modest evidence of a priming effect in response accuracy. We next examined whether nonword primes affected categorization of ambiguous shapes, using visual (Experiment 3) and auditory primes (Experiment 4). We found that ambiguous shapes were categorized as round (sharp) more often following the presentation of a round (sharp) nonword. This suggests that phonemes may activate related shape information which then affects the processing of shapes, and that this association emerges even when participants are not explicitly searching for it. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

In vivo hepatic glycogen metabolism in the baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jehenson, P.; Canioni, P.; Hantraye, P.; Gueron, M.; Syrota, A.

1988-01-01

This paper describes hepatic glycogen synthesis from glucose studied in the baboon by C-13 MR spectroscopy at 2 T. Glycogen synthesis was followed for 3 hours on natural abundance spectra during glucose infusion. (1-C-13)-glucose (3g) was then injected. It produced a ten times larger rate of increase of glycogen-C 1 , which is much lower than expected, suggesting that glycogen synthesis mainly occurred from unlabeled gluconeogenic substrates. Signal-to-noise ratio was 50 for glycogen-C 1 on 2-minute H-1 decoupled spectra. Labeling of C 1 but also C 2 , C 5 and C 6 of glycogen indicated a 15% contribution of indirect pathways to its synthesis from glucose

Derivation and characterization of novel nonhuman primate embryonic stem cell lines from in vitro-fertilized baboon preimplantation embryos.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Tien-Cheng; Liu, Ya-Guang; Eddy, Carlton A; Jacoby, Ethan S; Binkley, Peter A; Brzyski, Robert G; Schenken, Robert S

2011-06-01

The development of nonhuman primate (NHP) embryonic stem cell (ESC) models holds great promise for cell-mediated treatment of debilitating diseases and to address numerous unanswered questions regarding the therapeutic efficacy of ESCs while supplanting ethical considerations involved with human studies. Here we report successful establishment and characterization of 3 novel baboon (Papio cynocephalus) ESC lines from the inner cell mass of intracytoplasmic sperm injection-derived blastocysts. Embryos were cultured in an improved baboon embryo in vitro culture protocol. The inner cell mass of blastocyst was laser-dissected and plated on mouse embryonic fibroblast feeder cell monolayer in the NHP ESC culture medium. Three cell lines with characteristic ESC morphology have been cultured through an extended period (>14 months), with 2 male cell lines (UT-1 and -2) and 1 female cell line (UT-3) displaying normal baboon karyotypes. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that all 3 lines express primate ESC pluripotency markers, including OCT-4, NANOG, SOX-2, TERT, TDGF, LEFTYA, and REX-1. All 3 lines demonstrated positive immunocytochemical staining for OCT-4, stage-specific embryonic antigen-3, stage-specific embryonic antigen-4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81. Baboon ESCs injected into NOD/SCID mice formed teratomas with all 3 germ layers. In addition, embryoid body-like spherical structures were derived and initial outgrowth was observed when embedded into extracellular matrix Matrigel. The ESC lines established in this NHP model have the potential to extend our knowledge in the fields of developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and future applications, including preclinical safety assessment of in vivo stem cell therapy.

Donor T cells primed on leukemia lysate-pulsed recipient APCs mediate strong graft-versus-leukemia effects across MHC barriers in full chimeras.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghosh, Arnab; Koestner, Wolfgang; Hapke, Martin; Schlaphoff, Verena; Länger, Florian; Baumann, Rolf; Koenecke, Christian; Cornberg, Markus; Welte, Karl; Blazar, Bruce R; Sauer, Martin G

2009-04-30

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of host origin drive graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects but can also trigger life-threatening graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) across major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barriers. We show that in vitro priming of donor lymphocytes can circumvent the need of recipient-derived APCs in vivo for mediating robust GVL effects and significantly diminishes the risk of severe GVHD. In vitro, generated and expanded T cells (ETCs) mediate anti-leukemia effects only when primed on recipient-derived APCs. Loading of APCs in vitro with leukemia cell lysate, chimerism status of the recipient, and timing of adoptive transfer after HCT are important factors determining the outcome. Delayed transfer of ETCs resulted in strong GVL effects in leukemia-bearing full chimera (FC) and mixed chimera (MC) recipients, which were comparable with the GVL/GVHD rates observed after the transfer of naive donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). Upon early transfer, GVL effects were more pronounced with ETCs but at the expense of significant GVHD. The degree of GVHD was most severe in MCs after transfer of ETCs that had been in vitro primed either on nonpulsed recipient-derived APCs or with donor-derived APCs.

Degree of handedness and priming: Further evidence for a distinction between production and identification priming mechanisms.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donna J. LaVoie

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The distinction between implicit and explicit forms of memory retrieval is long-standing, and important to the extent it reveals how different neural architecture supports different aspects of memory function. Similarly, distinctions have been made between kinds of repetition priming, a form of implicit memory retrieval. This study focuses on the production-identification priming distinction, which delineates priming tasks involving verification of stimulus features as compared to priming tasks that require use of a cue to guide response retrieval. Studies investigating this dissociation in dementia or similar patient populations indicate that these forms of priming may differ in their neural bases. The current study looks at degree of handedness as a way of investigating inferred neural architecture supporting these two forms of priming. A growing body of research indicates that degree of handedness (consistent, or CH, versus inconsistent, or ICH is associated with greater interhemispheric interaction and functional access to right hemisphere processing in ICH, with superior performance seen in ICH on memory tasks reliant on this processing. Arguments about the theoretical mechanisms underlying identification and production forms of perceptual priming tasks suggest that performance on these tasks will differ as a function of degree of handedness. We tested this question in a group of CH and ICH young adults, who were asked to study lists of words prior to performing a production priming task (word stem completion, a perceptual word identification task, and a word stem cued recall task. While both handedness groups exhibited reliable priming across tasks, word stem completion priming was greater in ICH than CH participants, with identification priming not differing between groups. This dissociation supports the argument that production and identification forms of priming have different underlying neural bases.

Mitogenic activity of a water-soluble adjuvant (Bu-WSA) obtained from Bacterionema matruchotii. IV. Synergistic effects of Bu-WSA on Concanavalin A-induced proliferative response of human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitta, T; Okumura, S; Tsushi, M; Nakano, M

1982-01-01

Butanol-extracted water-soluble adjuvant (Bu-WSA) obtained from Bacterionema matruchotii was cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) in the presence of sub- and/or supra-optimal mitogenic concentrations of concanavalin A (Con A). The addition of Bu-WSA resulted in increased tritiated thymidine incorporation above that produced by Con A alone. Bu-WSA by itself is not mitogenic for PBM and in fact produced a decrease in thymidine uptake compared to the control. We investigated the response of subpopulation(s) of PBM to Bu-WSA, Con A and a mixture of Bu-WSA and Con A. Separation of PBM into purified T cells, B cells and macrophages showed that cell-cell cooperation of T cells with B cells or macrophages is necessary for the observed synergistic effect of Bu-WSA with Con A. A marked increase in thymidine incorporation by the mixture of T and B cell populations occurred, while only a small amount of thymidine was incorporated when the B cell population was absent. Mitomycin treatment revealed that the response could be ascribed to the T-cell response with a B-cell helper effect. Moreover, Con A and Bu-WSA appeared to act on the same T cell population. This model may provide unique information about the activation of human peripheral blood T cells compared with the activation of these cells by other mitogens.

Whole body and tissue cholesterol turnover in the baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dell, R.B.; Mott, G.E.; Jackson, E.M.; Ramakrishnan, R.; Carey, K.D.; McGill, H.C. Jr.; Goodman, D.S.

1985-01-01

Cholesterol turnover was studied in four baboons by injecting [ 14 C]cholesterol 186 days and [ 3 H]cholesterol 4 days before necropsy, and fitting a two- or three-pool model to the resulting specific activity-time data. At necropsy, cholesterol mass and specific activity were determined for the total body and for many tissues. The principal aim of this study was to estimate the extent of cholesterol synthesis in the side pools of the model, by computing the amount of side pool synthesis needed to equal the measured total body cholesterol. Central pool synthesis varied from 61 to 89% of the total cholesterol production rate. Moreover, the finding that the measured total body cholesterol fell within the range obtained from the kinetic analysis by using reasonable assumptions, provides evidence for the physiological validity of the model. A second aim of this study was to explore cholesterol turnover in various tissues. A pool model predicts that rapidly turning over tissues will have higher specific activities at early times and lower specific activities at later times after injection of tracer relative to slowly turning over tissues, except where significant synthesis occurs. Results in all four baboons were similar. Turnover rates for the different tissues loosely fell into three groups which were turning over at fast, intermediate, and slow rates. Finally, the magnitude of variation of cholesterol specific activity was moderate for several distributed tissues (fat, muscle, arteries, and the alimentary tract), but was small for liver. Cholesterol turnover in serial biopsies of skin, muscle, and fat could, however, be fitted with a single pool to estimate tissue turnover rates

Knockouts of high-ranking males have limited impact on baboon social networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, Mathias; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C

Social network structures can crucially impact complex social processes such as collective behaviour or the transmission of information and diseases. However, currently it is poorly understood how social networks change over time. Previous studies on primates suggest that `knockouts' (due to death or dispersal) of high-ranking individuals might be important drivers for structural changes in animal social networks. Here we test this hypothesis using long-term data on a natural population of baboons, examining the effects of 29 natural knockouts of alpha or beta males on adult female social networks. We investigated whether and how knockouts affected (1) changes in grooming and association rates among adult females, and (2) changes in mean degree and global clustering coefficient in these networks. The only significant effect that we found was a decrease in mean degree in grooming networks in the first month after knockouts, but this decrease was rather small, and grooming networks rebounded to baseline levels by the second month after knockouts. Taken together our results indicate that the removal of high-ranking males has only limited or no lasting effects on social networks of adult female baboons. This finding calls into question the hypothesis that the removal of high-ranking individuals has a destabilizing effect on social network structures in social animals.

Inhibition of the synthesis of polyamines and DNA in activated lymphocytes by a combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, D R; Jorstad, C M; Seyfried, C E

1977-09-01

The cancer chemotherapeutic drug, methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), inhibits the synthesis of spermidine and spermine, but allows continued putrescine production in small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. DNA replication in these cells is inhibited 50% while the synthesis of protein and RNA continues normally. When excess putrescine accumulation in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was inhibited with alpha-methylornithine, a competitive inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, the inhibition of DNA replication was accentuated, with still no effect on protein or RNA synthesis. No inhibition of DNA synthesis by the combination of alpha-methylornithine and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) was observed when the inhibitors were added after accumulation of cellular polyamines. In addition, inhibition was reversed by exogenous putrescine, spermidine, or spermine. We conclude that putrescine can fulfill in part the role normally played by spermidine and spermine in DNA replication, and that blocking putrescine synthesis in the presence of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) amplifies the polyamine requirement. The implications of this with regard to polyamine synthesis as a site of chemotherapy are discussed.

Binding activity of patterned concanavalin A studied by atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lebed, Kateryna; Pyka-Fosciak, Grazyna; Raczkowska, Joanna; Lekka, Malgorzata; Styczen, Jan

2005-01-01

The mode of protein immobilization plays a crucial role in the preparation of protein microarrays used for a wide spectrum of applications in analytical biochemistry. The microcontact printing technique was used to form a protein pattern using concanavalin A (Con A) since Con A belongs to a group of proteins widely used in analytical assays due to their selectivity as regards different kinds of carbohydrates. Atomic force microscopy was used to image surface topography, delivering information about the quality of the protein pattern. The force spectroscopy mode was used to verify the functional activity of deposited proteins via determination of the forces of interaction between Con A and carboxypeptidase Y bearing carbohydrate structure recognized by Con A. The calculated binding force between Con A and CaY was 105 ± 2 pN and it was compared with that measured for Con A deposited directly from the protein solution. The similarity of the value obtained for the interaction force was independent of the mode of protein deposition, thereby verifying that the microcontact printing technique did not influence the carbohydrate binding activity of Con A. The correlation between the surface topography of patterned samples and adhesion maps obtained showed the possible use of AFM for studying the chemical properties of different regions of the micropatterns produced

T-lymphocyte dependency of B-lymphocyte blastogenic response to phytomitogens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, T.; Dadey, B.

1978-01-01

Human peripheral blood T and B lymphocytes were separated by a method based on the stable rosette formation of T lymphocytes with neuraminidase-treated sheep erythrocytes, followed by centrifugation over a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. Monocytes were isolated from the T-depleted B lymphocyte preparation by allowing the monocytes to ingest iron particles and by subsequent centrifugation over a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. The T lymphocytes responded extremely well to PHA and very well to PWM, while the B lymphocytes were unresponsive to either PHA or PWM. However, when the B lymphocytes were cultured together with irradiated autologous or allogeneic T lymphocytes (1 : 1,1:2 or 1 : 4 ratio), both PHA and PWM became mitogenic to B lymphocytes. Irradiated T lymphocytes alone did not respond to either PHA or PWM, indicating that the 3 H-thymidine incorporation seen in the mixed-cell culture was due to the activation of unirradiated B lymphocytes. The B lymphocytes failed to respond to these phytomitogens in the presence of lower concentrations of irradiated T lymphocytes. The monocytes were found to be incapable of helping the B lymphocytes to respond to PHA or PWM. (author)

The Prime Numbers Hidden Symmetric Structure and its Relation to the Twin Prime Infinitude and an Improved Prime Number Theorem

CERN Document Server

Mikoss, I

2006-01-01

Due to the sieving process represented by a Secondary Sieving Map; during the generation of the prime numbers, geometric structures with definite symmetries are formed which become evident through their geometrical representations. The study of these structures allows the development of a constructive prime generating formula. This defines a mean prime density yielding a second order recursive and discrete prime producing formula and a second order differential equation whose solutions produce an improved Prime Number Theorem. Applying these results to twin prime pairs is possible to generate a Twin Prime Number Theorem and important conclusions about the infinitude of the twin primes.

Primed Mycobacterial Uveitis (PMU): Histologic and Cytokine Characterization of a Model of Uveitis in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Pepple, Kathryn L; Rotkis, Lauren; Van Grol, Jennifer; Wilson, Leslie; Sandt, Angela; Lam, Deborah L; Carlson, Eric; Van Gelder, Russell N

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the histologic features and cytokine profiles of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and a primed mycobacterial uveitis (PMU) model in rats. In Lewis rats, EAU was induced by immunization with interphotoreceptor binding protein peptide, and PMU was induced by immunization with a killed mycobacterial extract followed by intravitreal injection of the same extract. Clinical course, histology, and the cytokine profiles of the aqueous and vitreous were compared using multiplex bead fluorescence immunoassays. Primed mycobacterial uveitis generates inflammation 2 days after intravitreal injection and resolves spontaneously 14 days later. CD68+ lymphocytes are the predominant infiltrating cells and are found in the anterior chamber, surrounding the ciliary body and in the vitreous. In contrast to EAU, no choroidal infiltration or retinal destruction is noted. At the day of peak inflammation, C-X-C motif ligand 10 (CXCL10), IL-1β, IL-18, and leptin were induced in the aqueous of both models. Interleukin-6 was induced 2-fold in the aqueous of PMU but not EAU. Cytokines elevated in the aqueous of EAU exclusively include regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), lipopolysaccharide-induced CXC chemokine (LIX), growth-related oncogene/keratinocyte chemokine (GRO/KC), VEGF, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), and IL-17A. In the vitreous, CXCL10, GRO/KC, RANTES, and MIP-1α were elevated in both models. Interleukin-17A and IL-18 were elevated exclusively in EAU. Primed mycobacterial uveitis generates an acute anterior and intermediate uveitis without retinal involvement. Primed mycobacterial uveitis has a distinct proinflammatory cytokine profile compared with EAU, suggesting PMU is a good complementary model for study of immune-mediated uveitis. CXCL10, a proinflammatory cytokine, was increased in the aqueous and vitreous of both models and may be a

Repetition Priming Magnitude Depends on Affirmative Prime Responses: A Test of Two Congruity Explanations.

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Fiet, Paula; Sorensen, Linda; Mayne, Zachary; Corgiat, Damon; Woltz, Dan

2016-01-01

We conducted 2 experiments to evaluate the impact of positive prime responses on repetition priming effects while decoupling this impact from content congruity and specific evaluation operations. Our first experiment consisted of word-meaning comparison trials that required participants to evaluate synonyms or antonyms. A crossing of evaluation operation with semantic content allowed us to test the goal-content congruity hypothesis against the semantic congruity explanation for greater facilitation from positive response primes. Results suggested that operation-based priming is affected by goal-content congruity. A second experiment tested the observed effect of positive responses on repetition priming using mental rotation of irregular shapes, affording a test of the impact of congruity in evaluation goals and content in a nonverbal stimulus domain. Both experiments produced a pattern of results inconsistent with Schulman's (1974) semantic congruity account and instead implicated a different form of congruity that affects memory for prior operations rather than memory for semantic and episodic content.

Zoonotic intestinal parasites in Papio anubis (baboon) and Cercopithecus aethiops (vervet) from four localities in Ethiopia.

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Legesse, Mengistu; Erko, Berhanu

2004-05-01

A total of 59 faecal samples from ranging Papio anubis (baboons) and another 41 from Cercopithecus aethiops (vervet) from the Rift Valley areas of Ethiopia were microscopically examined to determine the prevalence and species of major gastro-intestinal parasites of zoonotic importance. Faecal smears were prepared from fresh faecal samples, stained using modified Ziehl-Neelsen method and microscopically examined. About 3 gm of the dropping was also preserved separately in clean and properly labelled containers containing 10% formalin. The specimens were microscopically examined after formalin-ether concentration for ova, larvae, cysts and oocyst of intestinal parasites. The results of microscopic examination of faecal samples of baboons demonstrated the presence of Trichuris sp. (27.1%), Strongyloides sp. (37.3%), Trichostrongylus sp. (8.5%), Oesophagostomum sp. (10.2%), Schistosoma mansoni (20.3%), Entamoeba coli (83.1%), Entamoeba histolytica/dispar (16.9%), Blastocystis hominis (3.3%), Cyclospora sp. (13.3%) and Cryptosporidium sp. (11.9%). Likewise, the results of microscopic examination of faecal samples of vervets demonstrated the presence of Trichuris sp. (36.6%), Oesophagostomum sp. (4.9%), E. coli (61.0%), E. histolytica/dispar (24.4%), B. hominis (34.2%), Cyclospora sp. (22.0%) and Cryptosporidium sp. (29.3%). The presence of parasitic protozoa and helminths in baboons and vervets in the study areas is a high risk to human welfare because these non-human primates use the same water sources as humans and range freely in human habitats. An implication of such parasitic infection for the control programme is discussed.

Seroepizootiology of the herpesvirus Papio (HVP) infection in healthy baboons (Papio hamadryas) of high- and low-lymphoma risk populations.

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Voevodin, A F; Ponomarjeva, T I; Lapin, B A

1985-01-01

Seroepizootiology of Herpesvirus Papio (HVP) infection was studied in three groups of healthy hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas): the main Sukhumi (high-lymphoma) stock, forest Sukhumi (lymphoma-free) stock and newly imported wild animals. The prevalence to HVP infection, as judged by anti-VCA-HVP positivity, was approximately the same in both Sukhumi stocks (86% and 90% respectively) and it was significantly lower in the pooled group of newly imported baboons. It is interesting that prevalence of HVP infection in the different independent groups varied markedly (35-79%). Geometric mean titers of positives in all groups were approximately the same. The prevalence of HVP infection was age-dependent. It increased during the first years of life reaching the maximum (about 100%) at the age of 5 years being stable up to the age of 18 years and "decreased" at very old ages (over 18 years). The prevalence of HVP infection in newly imported baboons increased with age up to 71% in a group of the "oldest" monkeys and did not plateau. No significant sex differences in anti-HVP titers were found. Anti-EA-HVP-positive (with one exception) and anti-HUPNA-positive animals were found only in the main Sukhumi stock. Thus, "serologic activity" against HVP infection was the highest in the ligh-lymphoma stock.

Biological behaviour of plutonium inhaled by baboons as plutonium n-tributylphosphate complex. Comparison with ICRP models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metivier, H.; Duserre, C.; Rateau, G.; Legendre, N.; Masse, R.; Piechowski, J.; Menoux, B.

1989-01-01

In order to devise a model capable of calculating committed doses for workers contaminated by inhalation of plutonium tributylphosphate complex during reprocessing, we investigated the biokinetics of plutonium in baboons after inhalation of this chemical form. The animals were killed 0.6, 3, 15, 30, 90 and 365 days post inhalation. Urine and faeces were collected daily. After killing, the main organs were collected for chemical analysis. In order to improve our knowledge of the behaviour of systemic plutonium, three baboons were given an intravenous injection of Pu-TBP and were respectively killed 2, 30 and 365 days post injection. We observed that Pu-TBP could be classified as a W compound, with a half-time for lung clearance of 150 days. Urinary Pu excretion was 3 times higher than was expected from Durbin's model, suggesting that Pu introduced as Pu-TBP, is extremely mobile, and that the complex formed with blood proteins differs from the one formed after inhalation of plutonium nitrate. (author)

Assessing adaptability and reactive scope: Introducing a new measure and illustrating its use through a case study of environmental stress in forest-living baboons.

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MacLarnon, A M; Sommer, V; Goffe, A S; Higham, J P; Lodge, E; Tkaczynski, P; Ross, C

2015-05-01

In order to maintain regulatory processes, animals are expected to be adapted to the range of environmental stressors usually encountered in their environmental niche. The available capacity of their stress responses is termed their reactive scope, which is utilised to a greater or lesser extent to deal with different stressors. Typically, non-invasive hormone assessment is used to measure the physiological stress responses of wild animals, but, for methodological reasons, such measurements are not directly comparable across studies, limiting interpretation. To overcome this constraint, we propose a new measure of the relative strength of stress responses, 'demonstrated reactive scope', and illustrate its use in a study of ecological correlates (climate, food availability) of faecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels in two forest-living troops of baboons. Results suggest the wild-feeding troop experiences both thermoregulatory and nutritional stress, while the crop-raiding troop experiences only thermoregulatory stress. This difference, together with the crop-raiding troop's lower overall physiological stress levels and lower demonstrated fGC reactive scope, may reflect nutritional stress-buffering in this troop. The relatively high demonstrated fGC reactive scope levels of both troops compared with other baboons and primate species, may reflect their extreme habitat, on the edge of the geographic range for baboons. Demonstrated reactive scope provides a means of gauging the relative strengths of stress responses of individuals, populations, or species under different conditions, enhancing the interpretive capacity of non-invasive studies of stress hormone levels in wild populations, e.g. in terms of animals' adaptive flexibility, the magnitude of their response to anthropogenic change, or the severity of impact of environmental conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Plasma membrane isolation using immobilized concanavalin A magnetic beads.

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Lee, Yu-Chen; Srajer Gajdosik, Martina; Josic, Djuro; Lin, Sue-Hwa

2012-01-01

Isolation of highly purified plasma membranes is the key step in constructing the plasma membrane proteome. Traditional plasma membrane isolation method takes advantage of the differential density of organelles. While differential centrifugation methods are sufficient to enrich for plasma membranes, the procedure is lengthy and results in low recovery of the membrane fraction. Importantly, there is significant contamination of the plasma membranes with other organelles. The traditional agarose affinity matrix is suitable for isolating proteins but has limitation in separating organelles due to the density of agarose. Immobilization of affinity ligands to magnetic beads allows separation of affinity matrix from organelles through magnets and could be developed for the isolation of organelles. We have developed a simple method for isolating plasma membranes using lectin concanavalin A (ConA) magnetic beads. ConA is immobilized onto magnetic beads by binding biotinylated ConA to streptavidin magnetic beads. The ConA magnetic beads are used to bind glycosylated proteins present in the membranes. The bound membranes are solubilized from the magnetic beads with a detergent containing the competing sugar alpha methyl mannoside. In this study, we describe the procedure of isolating rat liver plasma membranes using sucrose density gradient centrifugation as described by Neville. We then further purify the membrane fraction by using ConA magnetic beads. After this purification step, main liver plasma membrane proteins, especially the highly glycosylated ones and proteins containing transmembrane domains could be identified by LC-ESI-MS/MS. While not described here, the magnetic bead method can also be used to isolate plasma membranes from cell lysates. This membrane purification method should expedite the cataloging of plasma membrane proteome.

Preventive effect of halofuginone on concanavalin A-induced liver fibrosis.

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Jie Liang

Full Text Available Halofuginone (HF is an active component of extracts derived from the plant alkaloid febrifugine and has shown therapeutic promise in animal models of fibrotic disease. Our main objectives were to clarify the suppressive effect of HF on concanavalin A (ConA-induced liver fibrosis. ConA injection into the tail vein caused a great increase in the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT levels, while orally administration of HF significantly decreased the levels of the transaminases. In addition, the levels of hyaluronic acid (HA, procollagen III (PCIII and TGF-β1 in the serum and collagen I, α-SMA, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2 and Smad3 in the liver tissue were significantly lowered with the treatment of HF. Histological examination also demonstrated that HF significantly reduced the severity of liver fibrosis. Since ConA-induced liver fibrosis is caused by the repeated activation of T cells, immunomodulatory substances might be responsible for the suppressive effect of HF. We found that the production of nuclear factor (NF-kB in the serum was increased in ConA-treated group, while decreased significantly with the treatment of HF. The changes of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β in the serum followed the same rhythm. All together, our findings indicate that orally administration HF (10ppm would attenuate the liver fibrosis by suppressing the synthesis of collagen I and inflammation-mediated liver injury.

Semantic priming without association: a meta-analytic review.

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Lucas, M

2000-12-01

A meta-analysis of 26 studies indicated that automatic semantic priming can occur without association. Priming did not vary substantially with differences in variables that affect automatic versus strategic processing, such as time spent processing the prime and target, relationship proportion, and task (except that average effects were smaller in the naming task). Although category coordinates were investigated in the majority of studies, synonyms, antonyms, and script relations also demonstrated priming; functional relations showed greater priming, and essential and perceptual relations showed less. The average effect size for semantic priming was smaller than that for associative priming, suggesting that there is an "associative boost" from adding an associative relationship to a semantic one. The implications of these findings for the modularity thesis and for models of semantic priming are discussed.

Generalized relational matching by guinea baboons (Papio papio) in two-by-two-item analogy problems.

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Fagot, Joël; Thompson, Roger K R

2011-10-01

Analogical reasoning is considered the hallmark of human reasoning, but some studies have demonstrated that language- and symbol-trained chimpanzees can also reason analogically. Despite the potential adaptive value of this ability, evidence from other studies strongly suggests that other nonhuman primates do not have this capacity for analogical reasoning. In our three experiments, 6 of 29 baboons acquired the ability to perform a relational matching-to-sample (RMTS) task in which pairs of shapes composed relational displays. Five of these 6 monkeys then transferred this ability to RMTS tasks using novel exemplars of identity (elements in a pair are the same) and nonidentity (elements in a pair are different) relations. This transfer occurred even on trials in which the incorrect pair shared an element with the sample pair with which it was being compared. The baboons retained this ability 12 months later. The findings from our study of symbol-naive monkeys indicate that although language and symbol training facilitate conceptual thinking in nonhuman primates, such training is not a prerequisite for analogical reasoning.

Induction of 6-thioguanine-resistant lymphocytes in Fischer 344 rats following in vivo exposure to N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and cyclophosphamide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aidoo, A.; Lyn-Cook, L.E.; Mittelstaedt, R.A.; Heflich, R.H.; Casciano, D.A.

1991-01-01

The authors have developed a limiting dilution clonal assay for determining the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant (TG r ) lymphocytes produced in rats by in vivo exposure to genotoxic agents. Lymphocyte cloning efficiencies (CEs) were highest in plates containing both irradiated TK6 cells and irradiated autologous feeder cells. To measure the effects of chemical mutagens on the frequency of TG r lymphocytes, rats were given a single i.p. injection of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), a direct-acting alkylating agent, cyclophosphamide (CP), an indirect acting alkylating agent. Lymphocytes were isolated, primed, and cloned at 4 weeks after CP treatment and at 1,2,4 and 6 weeks after ENU treatment. CE in these cultures ranged from 12% to 27%. Cultures were also established for measuring CE in the presence of 6-thioguanine (TG). The dose-dependent responses obtained with both ENU and CP treatments suggest that rat lymphocytes are sensitive to direct- and indirect-acting alkylating agents administered in vivo and that the rat lymphocyte assay is a useful complement to the in vivo/in vitro mouse assay for determining the mutagenicity of environmental toxicants

Mitogenic Activity of a Water-Soluble Adjuvant (Bu-WSA) Obtained from Bacterionema matruchotii: IV. Synergistic Effects of Bu-WSA on Concanavalin A-Induced Proliferative Response of Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitta, Toshimasa; Okumura, Seiichi; Tsushi, Masao; Nakano, Masayasu

1982-07-01

Butanol-extracted water-soluble adjuvant (Bu-WSA) obtained from Bacterionema matruchotii was cultured with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) in the presence of sub- and/or supra-optimal mitogenic concentrations of concanavalin A (Con A). The addition of Bu-WSA resulted in increased tritiated thymidine incorporation above that produced by Con A alone. Bu-WSA by itself is not mitogenic for PBM and in fact produced a decrease in thymidine uptake compared to the control. We investigated the response of subpopulation(s) of PBM to Bu-WSA, Con A and a mixture of Bu-WSA and Con A. Separation of PBM into purified T cells, B cells and macrophages showed that cell-cell cooperation of T cells with B cells or macrophages is necessary for the observed synergistic effect of Bu-WSA with Con A. A marked increase in thymidine incorporation by the mixture of T and B cell populations occurred, while only a small amount of thymidine was incorporated when the B cell population was absent. Mitomycin treatment revealed that the response could be ascribed to the T-cell response with a B-cell helper effect. Moreover, Con A and Bu-WSA appeared to act on the same T cell population. This model may provide unique information about the activation of human peripheral blood T cells compared with the activation of these cells by other mitogens. © owned by Center for Academic Publications Japan (Publisher).

Priming semantico e museografia / Semantic priming and museography

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Annalisa Banzi

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Il priming è una tipologia di memoria implicita che facilita l’apprendimento di stimoli di diversa natura (stimoli visivi, semantici, etc.. Un allestimento museale che adotti strumenti basati sul priming potrebbe aiutare il pubblico a selezionare i contenuti relativi agli oggetti esposti. In questo articolo viene descritta l’applicazione del priming semantico allo spazio museale. Questa operazione in prima battutta potrebbe essere letta come una mancanza di fiducia nelle capacità cognitive del visitatore nel discriminare il significato delle informazioni. In realtà è una forma di sostegno per aiutare il visitatore a sviluppare gradualmente una propria metodologia di approccio ai contenuti proposti nel museo. Grazie al priming, il pubblico riceve una serie di stimoli che possono aiutare a costituire la base delle proprie conoscenze in ambito storico-artistico ed essere il punto di partenza sul quale costruire un metodo critico.   Many psychological aspects such as motivation, emotion, and attention, affect human learning. Among these, priming triggers and tunes implicit memory processes. Hence the goal of this paper is to check whether semantic priming can be used as an effective tool to design a supportive museum environment where people can easily learn. Moreover, the resulting stronger and more persistent memories could encourage museum visitors to learn more and better, and to develop a method to “read” the artworks. After a brief overview of current models of semantic priming, practical and theoretical issues are considered and discussed.

Canine length in wild male baboons: maturation, aging and social dominance rank.

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Jordi Galbany

Full Text Available Canines represent an essential component of the dentition for any heterodont mammal. In primates, like many other mammals, canines are frequently used as weapons. Hence, tooth size and wear may have significant implications for fighting ability, and consequently for social dominance rank, reproductive success, and fitness. We evaluated sources of variance in canine growth and length in a well-studied wild primate population because of the potential importance of canines for male reproductive success in many primates. Specifically, we measured maxillary canine length in 80 wild male baboons (aged 5.04-20.45 years from the Amboseli ecosystem in southern Kenya, and examined its relationship with maturation, age, and social dominance rank. In our analysis of maturation, we compared food-enhanced baboons (those that fed part time at a refuse pit associated with a tourist lodge with wild-feeding males, and found that food-enhanced males achieved long canines earlier than wild-feeding males. Among adult males, canine length decreased with age because of tooth wear. We found some evidence that, after controlling for age, longer canines were associated with higher adult dominance rank (accounting for 9% of the variance in rank, but only among relatively high-ranking males. This result supports the idea that social rank, and thus reproductive success and fitness, may depend in part on fighting ability mediated by canine size.

Long-term consequences of 239PuO2 exposure in dogs: persistent T lymphocyte dysfunction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davila, D.R.; Guilmette, R.A.; Bice, D.E.; Muggenburg, B.A.; Swafford, D.S.; Haley, P.J.

1992-01-01

Young Beagle dogs were exposed by inhalation to aerosols of 239 PuO 2 and observed for their lifespans. The purpose was to compare certain immune responses of the 239 PuO 2 -exposed dogs at middle age (7-10 years old) and old age (12-14 years old), with those of unexposed, age-matched or young (3-4 years old) animals. Some of the aged, exposed dogs had developed lung tumours. Lymphocyte proliferative responses to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) were lower in aged control dogs than in either young or middle-aged control dogs. Both aged and middle-aged, radiation-exposed dogs had decreased responses to PHA when compared to age-matched controls. Responses to concanavalin A (Con A) were not affected by age in control dogs, but tended to decrease in the oldest group of radiation-exposed dogs. Responses to both PHA and Con A were severely depressed in tumour-bearing dogs. The cytolytic activity of natural killer cells was not affected by age, radiation exposure, or tumour presence. (author)

Quantitation of fibroblast activation protein (FAP-specific protease activity in mouse, baboon and human fluids and organs

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Fiona M. Keane

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The protease fibroblast activation protein (FAP is a specific marker of activated mesenchymal cells in tumour stroma and fibrotic liver. A specific, reliable FAP enzyme assay has been lacking. FAP's unique and restricted cleavage of the post proline bond was exploited to generate a new specific substrate to quantify FAP enzyme activity. This sensitive assay detected no FAP activity in any tissue or fluid of FAP gene knockout mice, thus confirming assay specificity. Circulating FAP activity was ∼20- and 1.3-fold less in baboon than in mouse and human plasma, respectively. Serum and plasma contained comparable FAP activity. In mice, the highest levels of FAP activity were in uterus, pancreas, submaxillary gland and skin, whereas the lowest levels were in brain, prostate, leukocytes and testis. Baboon organs high in FAP activity included skin, epididymis, bladder, colon, adipose tissue, nerve and tongue. FAP activity was greatly elevated in tumours and associated lymph nodes and in fungal-infected skin of unhealthy baboons. FAP activity was 14- to 18-fold greater in cirrhotic than in non-diseased human liver, and circulating FAP activity was almost doubled in alcoholic cirrhosis. Parallel DPP4 measurements concorded with the literature, except for the novel finding of high DPP4 activity in bile. The new FAP enzyme assay is the first to be thoroughly characterised and shows that FAP activity is measurable in most organs and at high levels in some. This new assay is a robust tool for specific quantitation of FAP enzyme activity in both preclinical and clinical samples, particularly liver fibrosis.

Concanavalin A: A potential anti-neoplastic agent targeting apoptosis, autophagy and anti-angiogenesis for cancer therapeutics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Wen-wen; Yu, Jia-ying; Xu, Huai-long; Bao, Jin-ku

2011-01-01

Highlights: → ConA induces cancer cell death targeting apoptosis and autophagy. → ConA inhibits cancer cell angiogenesis. → ConA is utilized in pre-clinical and clinical trials. -- Abstract: Concanavalin A (ConA), a Ca 2+ /Mn 2+ -dependent and mannose/glucose-binding legume lectin, has drawn a rising attention for its remarkable anti-proliferative and anti-tumor activities to a variety of cancer cells. ConA induces programmed cell death via mitochondria-mediated, P73-Foxo1a-Bim apoptosis and BNIP3-mediated mitochondrial autophagy. Through IKK-NF-κB-COX-2, SHP-2-MEK-1-ERK, and SHP-2-Ras-ERK anti-angiogenic pathways, ConA would inhibit cancer cell survival. In addition, ConA stimulates cell immunity and generates an immune memory, resisting to the same genotypic tumor. These biological findings shed light on new perspectives of ConA as a potential anti-neoplastic agent targeting apoptosis, autophagy and anti-angiogenesis in pre-clinical or clinical trials for cancer therapeutics.

Hydrogen sulfide, a potential novel drug, attenuates concanavalin A-induced hepatitis

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Cheng P

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Ping Cheng,* Kan Chen,* Yujing Xia, Weiqi Dai, Fan Wang, Miao Shen, Chengfen Wang, Jing Yang, Rong Zhu, Huawei Zhang, Jingjing Li, Yuanyuan Zheng, Junshan Wang, Yan Zhang, Jie Lu, Yingqun Zhou, Chuanyong GuoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University of Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S is known to exert anti-inflammatory properties. Apoptosis and autophagy play important roles in concanavalin A (Con A-induced acute hepatitis. The purpose of this study was to explore both the effect and mechanism of H2S on Con A-induced acute hepatitis. Methods: BALB/c mice were randomized into sham group, Con A-injection group, and 14 µmol/kg of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, an H2S donor pretreatment group. Results: Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and pathological damage were significantly ameliorated by NaHS pretreatment. NaHS pretreatment significantly reduced the levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α compared with those of the Con A group. The expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Beclin-1, and LC3-2, which play important roles in the apoptosis and autophagy pathways, were also clearly affected by NaHS. Furthermore, NaHS affected the p-mTOR and p-AKT. Conclusion: H2S attenuates Con A-induced acute hepatitis by inhibiting apoptosis and autophagy, in part, through activation of the PtdIns3K-AKT1 signaling pathway. Keywords: NaHS, apoptosis, PtdIns3K-AKT, autophagy

Gastrointestinal absorption and retention of plutonium and uranium in the baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, R.P.; Bhattacharyya, M.H.; Oldham, R.D.; Moretti, E.S.; Cohen, N.

1984-01-01

Individual isotopes of plutonium and uranium were administered both intragastrically and intravenously to a baboon. Samples of urine, faces, blood, and tissues were taken and are now being analyzed. Preliminary results indicate that the fractional absorptions of plutonium and uranium were 1 x 10 -3 and 1 x 10 -2 , respectively, and their retentions about one month later were about 20% and 10%, respectively, of the amounts absorbed. The fractional retentions of the intravenously injected plutonium and uranium at that time were 0.90 and 0.07. 13 references, 1 figure, 3 tables

Pharmacokinetics of Colistin Methansulphonate (CMS) and Colistin after CMS Nebulisation in Baboon Monkeys.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchand, Sandrine; Bouchene, Salim; de Monte, Michèle; Guilleminault, Laurent; Montharu, Jérôme; Cabrera, Maria; Grégoire, Nicolas; Gobin, Patrice; Diot, Patrice; Couet, William; Vecellio, Laurent

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to compare two different nebulizers: Eflow rapid® and Pari LC star® by scintigraphy and PK modeling to simulate epithelial lining fluid concentrations from measured plasma concentrations, after nebulization of CMS in baboons. Three baboons received CMS by IV infusion and by 2 types of aerosols generators and colistin by subcutaneous infusion. Gamma imaging was performed after nebulisation to determine colistin distribution in lungs. Blood samples were collected during 9 h and colistin and CMS plasma concentrations were measured by LC-MS/MS. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was conducted and simulations were performed to predict lung concentrations after nebulization. Higher aerosol distribution into lungs was observed by scintigraphy, when CMS was nebulized with Pari LC® star than with Eflow Rapid® nebulizer. This observation was confirmed by the fraction of CMS deposited into the lung (respectively 3.5% versus 1.3%).CMS and colistin simulated concentrations in epithelial lining fluid were higher after using the Pari LC star® than the Eflow rapid® system. A limited fraction of CMS reaches lungs after nebulization, but higher colistin plasma concentrations were measured and higher intrapulmonary colistin concentrations were simulated with the Pari LC Star® than with the Eflow Rapid® system.

Effect of alcohol on internally deposited Am-241 in the baboon: a pilot study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, N.; Antonelli, R.; LoSasso, T.

1977-01-01

The efficacy of ethyl alcohol in enhancing the excretion of Am-241 from the baboon has been tested. Alcohol enhances Am-241 excretion via the fecal route by a factor of about 2.5. However, there is a corresponding increase in fecal volume, and no significant change in the concentration of the nuclide in the feces. Other cathartics tested caused increased fecal volumes with no change in amount of activity excreted leading to a decreased concentration of the nuclide in the feces. Alcohol is not as effective as DTPA in removing Am-241 from the body. Preliminary results suggest that alcohol has little or no enhancement effect on the decorporation capability of DTPA

Increased circulating D-lactate levels predict risk of mortality after hemorrhage and surgical trauma in baboons.

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Sobhian, Babak; Kröpfl, Albert; Hölzenbein, Thomas; Khadem, Anna; Redl, Heinz; Bahrami, Soheyl

2012-05-01

Patients with hemorrhagic shock and/or trauma are at risk of developing colonic ischemia associated with bacterial translocation that may lead to multiple organ failure and death. Intestinal ischemia is difficult to diagnose noninvasively. The present retrospective study was designed to determine whether circulating plasma D-lactate is associated with mortality in a clinically relevant two-hit model in baboons. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in anesthetized baboons (n = 24) by controlled bleeding (mean arterial pressure, 40 mmHg), base excess (maximum -5 mmol/L), and time (maximum 3 h). To mimic clinical setting more closely, all animals underwent a surgical trauma after resuscitation including midshaft osteotomy stabilized with reamed femoral interlocking nailing and were followed for 7 days. Hemorrhagic shock/surgical trauma resulted in 66% mortality by day 7. In nonsurvivor (n = 16) hemorrhagic shock/surgical trauma baboons, circulating D-lactate levels were significantly increased (2-fold) at 24 h compared with survivors (n = 8), whereas the early increase during hemorrhage and resuscitation declined during the early postresuscitation phase with no difference between survivors and nonsurvivors. Moreover, D-lactate levels remained elevated in the nonsurvival group until death, whereas it decreased to baseline in survivors. Prediction of death (receiver operating characteristic test) by D-lactate was accurate with an area under the curve (days 1-3 after trauma) of 0.85 (95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.93). The optimal D-lactate cutoff value of 25.34 μg/mL produced sensitivity of 73% to 99% and specificity of 50% to 83%. Our data suggest that elevation of plasma D-lactate after 24 h predicts an increased risk of mortality after hemorrhage and trauma.

[18F]haloperidol binding in baboon brain in vivo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousef, Khalil A.; Fowler, Joanna S.; Volkow, Nora D.; Dewey, Stephen L.; Shea, Colleen; Schlyer, David J.; Gatley, S. John; Logan, Jean; Wolf, Alfred P.

1996-01-01

The binding of [ 18 F]haloperidol to dopamine D2 and to sigma recognition sites in baboon brain was examined using positron emission tomography (PET). Studies were performed at baseline and after treatment with either haloperidol (to evaluate saturability), (+)-butaclamol (which has specificity for dopamine D2 receptors) or (-)-butaclamol (which has specificity for sigma sites). Binding was widespread. Treatment with (-)-butaclamol had no effect, whereas (+)-butaclamol selectively reduced the uptake in striatum. Haloperidol increased the clearance rate from all brain regions. These results indicate that the binding profile of [ 18 F]haloperidol does not permit the selective examination of either dopamine D2 or sigma sites using PET

Smelly primes – when olfactory primes do or do not work

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Monique A Smeets

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In applied olfactory cognition the effects that olfactory stimulation can have on (human behavior are investigated. To enable an efficient application of olfactory stimuli a model of how they may lead to a change in behavior is proposed. To this end we use the concept of olfactory priming. Olfactory priming may prompt a special view on priming as the olfactory sense has some unique properties which make odors special types of primes. Examples of such properties are the ability of odors to influence our behavior outside of awareness, to lead to strong affective evaluations, to evoke specific memories, and to associate easily and quickly to other environmental stimuli. Opportunities and limitations for using odors as primes are related to these properties, and alternative explanations for reported findings are offered. Implications for olfactory semantic, construal, behavior and goal priming are given based on a brief overview of the priming literature from social psychology and from olfactory perception science. We end by formulating recommendations and ideas for a future research agenda and applications for olfactory priming.

A comparison of the neutrophil-lymphocyte, platelet-lymphocyte and monocyte-lymphocyte ratios in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients - a retrospective file review.

Science.gov (United States)

Özdin, Selçuk; Sarisoy, Gökhan; Böke, Ömer

2017-10-01

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) have recently been used as indicators of inflammation. Higher MLR and PLR values have been determined in the euthymic and manic periods in patients with bipolar disorder compared to a control group. High NLR values were determined in the only study investigating this ratio in schizophrenia patients. The purpose of this study was to compare NLR, PLR and MLR values and complete blood count elements in patients receiving treatment and hospitalized due to schizophrenic psychotic episode and bipolar disorder manic episode. All patients meeting the inclusion criteria among subjects receiving treatment and hospitalized due to schizophrenia-psychotic episode and bipolar affective disorder-manic episode at the Ondokuz Mayıs University Medical Faculty Psychiatry Department, Turkey, in 2012-2016 were included in our study. A total of 157 healthy donors were included as a control group. White blood cell (WBC), neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet and monocyte numbers were noted retrospectively from complete blood counts at time of admission, and NLR, PLR and MLR were calculated from these. NLR, PLR and MLR values and platelet numbers in this study were higher and lymphocyte numbers were lower in bipolar disorder patients compared to the controls. Elevation in NLR, MLR and PLR values and neutrophil numbers and lower lymphocyte numbers were determined in schizophrenia patients compared to the controls. Higher NLR and MLR values were found in schizophrenia patients compared to bipolar disorder. Findings of our study supported the inflammation hypothesis for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Dose response from pharmacological interventions for CBF changes in a baboon model using 99Tcm-HMPAO and SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dormehl, I.C.; Hugo, N.; Oliver, D.W.

1993-01-01

This study assesses the sensitivity of the baboon model under anaesthesia to determine by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 99 Tc m -hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) dose responses from drugs (acetazolamide) with known regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) effects on humans. Three dosages of acetazolamide were chosen: 250, 500 and 750 mg. The effects of these were studied by conventional SPECT 5 min after intravenous (i.v.) administration and compared to previous studies of rCBF with the baboons under anaesthesia only. An additional study concerned the effect of 500 mg acetazolamide at 15 min after administration. Haemodynamic parameters and blood gases were also monitored. No statistically significant regional effects were noted. The largest increase in CBF (39%) was observed from 500 mg acetazolamide after 5 min. This was statistically significantly different from control values only at a 10% level of confidence; then following a 27% increase above control values after 750 mg (5 min). At 15 min 500 mg yielded values lower by 10% than the high dose. No effects were observed from 250 mg acetazolamide; only pO 2 showed changes which largely confirm the CBF findings. The model did not give significant results at a 5% level of confidence but large fluctuations were observed, also in the haemodynamic and blood gas values. At a 10% level a significant dose response was confirmed for acetazolamide. (author)

Radiation-induced alterations in binding of concanavalin A to cells and in their susceptibility to agglutination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Kazuhide; Kaneko, Ichiro

1986-01-01

Cell susceptibility to agglutination mediated by a plant lectin, concanavalin A (Con A), and the binding capacity of Con A to cells following γ-irradiation have been examined in mouse myeloid leukaemia cells cultured in suspension. Irradiation caused an immediate decrease in the amount of Con A bound to the cell surface, whereas susceptibility of irradiated cells to agglutination by Con A was unchanged when compared to that of the unirradiated cells. Post-irradiation incubation of cells at 37 0 resulted in a temporary, more than 1.3-fold increase in cell susceptibility to agglutination 60 min after irradiation, whereas binding capacity of cells for Con A gradually-recovered following irradiation, reaching a comparable level to that of unirradiated cells 3 h after irradiation. Cell susceptibility to agglutination by Con A does not depend strongly on its binding capacity. (author)

Synthesis, radiolabeling and baboon SPECT imaging of 2{beta}-carbomethoxy-3{beta}-(3'-[{sup 123}I]iodophenyl)tropane ([{sup 123}I]YP256) as a serotonin transporter radiotracer

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Bois, Frederic; Baldwin, Ronald M.; Amici, Louis; Al-Tikriti, Mohammed S. [Yale University, School of Medicine, VA Connecticut HCS (116A2), West Haven, CT 06516 (United States); Kula, Nora; Baldessarini, Ross [Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Program, Harvard Medical School, Mailman Research Center McLean Division of Massachusetts General Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478 (United States); Innis, Robert B.; Staley, Julie K. [Yale University, School of Medicine, VA Connecticut HCS (116A2), West Haven, CT 06516 (United States); Tamagnan, Gilles D. [Yale University, School of Medicine, VA Connecticut HCS (116A2), West Haven, CT 06516 (United States); Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, New Haven, CT 06510 (United States)], E-mail: gtamagnan@indd.org

2008-01-15

To develop a potential SPECT probe to evaluate the integrity of the serotoninergic system (5-HTT) whose dysfunction is linked to several disease conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and depression, we report the synthesis, radiolabeling and in vivo baboon imaging of 2{beta}-carbomethoxy-3{beta}-(3'-[{sup 123}I]iodophenyl) tropane (YP256, ). The radiolabeling was performed by iododestannylation using sodium [{sup 123}I]iodide and peracetic acid. Although the ligand displayed high selectivity for 5-HTT over dopamine transporter in vitro, SPECT imaging in baboons did not reveal selective 5-HTT accumulation in brain in vivo.

T-Cell Therapy Using Interleukin-21-Primed Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphocytes Combined With Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphocyte Antigen-4 Blockade Results in Long-Term Cell Persistence and Durable Tumor Regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapuis, Aude G; Roberts, Ilana M; Thompson, John A; Margolin, Kim A; Bhatia, Shailender; Lee, Sylvia M; Sloan, Heather L; Lai, Ivy P; Farrar, Erik A; Wagener, Felecia; Shibuya, Kendall C; Cao, Jianhong; Wolchok, Jedd D; Greenberg, Philip D; Yee, Cassian

2016-11-01

Purpose Peripheral blood-derived antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) provide a readily available source of effector cells that can be administered with minimal toxicity in an outpatient setting. In metastatic melanoma, this approach results in measurable albeit modest clinical responses in patients resistant to conventional therapy. We reasoned that concurrent cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) checkpoint blockade might enhance the antitumor activity of adoptively transferred CTLs. Patients and Methods Autologous MART1-specific CTLs were generated by priming with peptide-pulsed dendritic cells in the presence of interleukin-21 and enriched by peptide-major histocompatibility complex multimer-guided cell sorting. This expeditiously yielded polyclonal CTL lines uniformly expressing markers associated with an enhanced survival potential. In this first-in-human strategy, 10 patients with stage IV melanoma received the MART1-specific CTLs followed by a standard course of anti-CTLA-4 (ipilimumab). Results The toxicity profile of the combined treatment was comparable to that of ipilimumab monotherapy. Evaluation of best responses at 12 weeks yielded two continuous complete remissions, one partial response (PR) using RECIST criteria (two PRs using immune-related response criteria), and three instances of stable disease. Infused CTLs persisted with frequencies up to 2.9% of CD8 + T cells for as long as the patients were monitored (up to 40 weeks). In patients who experienced complete remissions, PRs, or stable disease, the persisting CTLs acquired phenotypic and functional characteristics of long-lived memory cells. Moreover, these patients also developed responses to nontargeted tumor antigens (epitope spreading). Conclusion We demonstrate that combining antigen-specific CTLs with CTLA-4 blockade is safe and produces durable clinical responses, likely reflecting both enhanced activity of transferred cells and improved recruitment of new responses

A computational approach to negative priming

Science.gov (United States)

Schrobsdorff, H.; Ihrke, M.; Kabisch, B.; Behrendt, J.; Hasselhorn, M.; Herrmann, J. Michael

2007-09-01

Priming is characterized by a sensitivity of reaction times to the sequence of stimuli in psychophysical experiments. The reduction of the reaction time observed in positive priming is well-known and experimentally understood (Scarborough et al., J. Exp. Psycholol: Hum. Percept. Perform., 3, pp. 1-17, 1977). Negative priming—the opposite effect—is experimentally less tangible (Fox, Psychonom. Bull. Rev., 2, pp. 145-173, 1995). The dependence on subtle parameter changes (such as response-stimulus interval) usually varies. The sensitivity of the negative priming effect bears great potential for applications in research in fields such as memory, selective attention, and ageing effects. We develop and analyse a computational realization, CISAM, of a recent psychological model for action decision making, the ISAM (Kabisch, PhD thesis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universitat, 2003), which is sensitive to priming conditions. With the dynamical systems approach of the CISAM, we show that a single adaptive threshold mechanism is sufficient to explain both positive and negative priming effects. This is achieved by comparing results obtained by the computational modelling with experimental data from our laboratory. The implementation provides a rich base from which testable predictions can be derived, e.g. with respect to hitherto untested stimulus combinations (e.g. single-object trials).

Cortical hypometabolism and its recovery following nucleus basalis lesions in baboons: a PET study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiyosawa, M.; Pappata, S.; Duverger, D.

1987-01-01

The cerebral metabolic rate for glucose was measured serially with positron emission tomography and [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose in five baboons with stereotactic electrocoagulation of the left nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM). Four days after lesion, a significant metabolic depression was present in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex, most marked in the frontotemporal region, and which recovered progressively within 6-13 weeks. These data demonstrate that adaptive mechanisms efficiently compensate for the cortical metabolic effects of NbM-lesion-induced cholinergic deafferentation. Moreover, unilateral NbM lesions also induced a transient reduction in contralateral cortical metabolic rate, the mechanisms of which are discussed. Explanation of these effects of cholinergic deafferentation in the primate could further our understanding of the metabolic deficits observed in dementia of the Alzheimer's type

Fish Lymphocytes: An Evolutionary Equivalent of Mammalian Innate-Like Lymphocytes?

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Giuseppe Scapigliati

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Lymphocytes are the responsible of adaptive responses, as they are classically described, but evidence shows that subpopulations of mammalian lymphocytes may behave as innate-like cells, engaging non-self rapidly and without antigen presentation. The innate-like lymphocytes of mammals have been mainly identified as γδT cells and B1-B cells, exert their activities principally in mucosal tissues, may be involved in human pathologies and their functions and tissue(s of origin are not fully understood. Due to similarities in the morphology and immunobiology of immune system between fish and mammals, and to the uniqueness of having free-living larval stages where the development can be precisely monitored and engineered, teleost fish are proposed as an experimental model to investigate human immunity. However, the homology between fish lymphocytes and mammalian innate-like lymphocytes is an issue poorly considered in comparative immunology. Increasing experimental evidence suggests that fish lymphocytes could have developmental, morphological, and functional features in common with innate-like lymphocytes of mammals. Despite such similarities, information on possible links between conventional fish lymphocytes and mammalian innate-like lymphocytes is missing. The aim of this review is to summarize and describe available findings about the similarities between fish lymphocytes and mammalian innate-like lymphocytes, supporting the hypothesis that mammalian γδT cells and B1-B cells could be evolutionarily related to fish lymphocytes.

The processing of positional information in a two-item sequence limits the emergence of symmetry in baboons (Papio papio), but not in humans (Homo sapiens).

Science.gov (United States)

Fagot, Joël; Malassis, Raphaelle; Medam, Tiphaine

2018-03-01

When trained to associate Stimulus A to Stimulus B, humans can derive the untrained symmetrical B to A relation while nonhuman animals have much more difficulties. Urcuioli (2008, Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 90, 257--282; 2015, Conductal, 3, 4--25) proposed that the apparent difficulty of animals in symmetry testing reflects their double encoding of the information on the stimuli (identity and relation) and their positional (i.e., spatial and temporal/ordinal) characteristics. This comparative study tested the emergence of symmetry in humans and baboons in a task in which the position of the stimuli was manipulated independently of their relation. Humans and baboons initially learned to associate pairs of visual shapes on a touch screen in a specific order. Three pairs of (A-B, C-D, and E-F) stimuli were used in training. After training, the two species were tested with the B-A, F-C, and E-D pairs. The B-A pairs preserved the association initially learned with A-B but reversed the positional information relative to training. The F-C pair neither preserved the association nor the positional information of the training pairs, and positional information were the only cues preserved in the E-D pair. Humans showed a response time advantage for B-A, suggesting symmetry, but also for E-D, suggesting that they also process positional information. In baboons, the advantage was found only for E-D, suggesting that they only process positional information. These results confirm that the processing of stimulus pairs differ between nonhuman animals to humans.

Religious Priming: A Meta-Analysis With a Focus on Prosociality.

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Shariff, Azim F; Willard, Aiyana K; Andersen, Teresa; Norenzayan, Ara

2016-02-01

Priming has emerged as a valuable tool within the psychological study of religion, allowing for tests of religion's causal effect on a number of psychological outcomes, such as prosocial behavior. As the literature has grown, questions about the reliability and boundary conditions of religious priming have arisen. We use a combination of traditional effect-size analyses, p-curve analyses, and adjustments for publication bias to evaluate the robustness of four types of religious priming (Analyses 1-3), review the empirical evidence for religion's effect specifically on prosocial behavior (Analyses 4-5), and test whether religious-priming effects generalize to individuals who report little or no religiosity (Analyses 6-7). Results across 93 studies and 11,653 participants show that religious priming has robust effects across a variety of outcome measures-prosocial measures included. Religious priming does not, however, reliably affect non-religious participants-suggesting that priming depends on the cognitive activation of culturally transmitted religious beliefs. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Derangements of liver tissue bioenergetics in concanavalin A-induced hepatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Shamsi, Mariam; Shahin, Allen; Mensah-Brown, Eric P K; Souid, Abdul-Kader

2013-01-12

A novel in vitro system was employed to investigate liver tissue respiration (mitochondrial O2 consumption) in mice treated with concanavalin A (Con A). This study aimed to investigate hepatocyte bioenergetics in this well-studied hepatitis model. C57Bl/6 and C57Bl/6 IFN-γ-/- mice were injected intravenously with 12 mg ConA/kg. Liver specimens were collected at various timepoints after injection and analyzed for cellular respiration and caspase activation. Serum was analyzed for interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and aminotransferases. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis was used to determine the phenotype of infiltrating cells, and light and electron microscopy were used to monitor morphological changes. Phosphorescence analyzer that measured dissolved O2 as function of time was used to evaluate respiration. In sealed vials, O2 concentrations in solutions containing liver specimen and glucose declined linearly with time, confirming zero-order kinetics of hepatocyte respiration. O2 consumption was inhibited by cyanide, confirming the oxidation occurred in the respiratory chain. Enhanced liver respiration (by ≈68%, pactivity and serum IFN-γ and aminotransferase levels were noted 3 hr after ConA treatment and progressed with time. The above-noted changes were less pronounced in C57Bl/6 IFN-γ-/- mice treated with ConA. Based on these results, liver tissue bioenergetics is increased 3 hr after ConA exposure. This effect is driven by the pathogenesis of the disease, in which IFN-γ and other cytokines contribute to. Subsequent declines in liver bioenergetics appear to be a result of necrosis and active caspases targeting the mitochondria within hepatocytes.

Serum miR-451a Levels Are Significantly Elevated in Women With Endometriosis and Recapitulated in Baboons ( Papio anubis) With Experimentally-Induced Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Nothnick, Warren B; Falcone, Tommaso; Joshi, Niraj; Fazleabas, Asgerally T; Graham, Amanda

2017-08-01

We have previously demonstrated that human microRNA-451a (miR-451a) endometriotic lesion expression is significantly higher compared to that of the corresponding eutopic endometrium. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between lesion and serum content of miR-451a and to determine the utility of serum miR-451a in distinguishing between women with and without visible signs of endometriosis. Eighty-one participants were enrolled in this study, 41 with confirmed endometriosis and 40 without visible signs of endometriosis at laparoscopy (n = 20) or symptoms of endometriosis (pain, infertility n = 20). Experimental endometriosis was also induced in 8 baboons. Blood, endometriotic lesions, and eutopic endometrial samples were collected from women undergoing laparoscopy for surgical removal of endometriosis. Blood was also collected from control participants with no signs and symptoms associated with the disease as well as from baboons prior to, and then 1, 3, 6, 9, and 15 months postinduction of endometriosis. MicroRNA-451a was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in all samples. In humans, serum miR-451a levels positively correlated with endometriotic lesion miR-451a content, and sera levels were significantly higher in these participants compared to controls. The area under the curve (AUC) for miR-451a was 0.8599. In baboons, serum miR-451a reached statistically significant peak levels at 6 months postinduction of endometriosis. We conclude from this study that sera miR-451a levels positively correlated with endometriotic lesion content and are significantly greater compared to sera levels in women without visible signs or symptoms of endometriosis. MicroRNA-451a may serve as a serum diagnostic marker for endometriosis.

Additive genetic variation in the craniofacial skeleton of baboons (genus Papio) and its relationship to body and cranial size.

Science.gov (United States)

Joganic, Jessica L; Willmore, Katherine E; Richtsmeier, Joan T; Weiss, Kenneth M; Mahaney, Michael C; Rogers, Jeffrey; Cheverud, James M

2018-02-01

Determining the genetic architecture of quantitative traits and genetic correlations among them is important for understanding morphological evolution patterns. We address two questions regarding papionin evolution: (1) what effect do body and cranial size, age, and sex have on phenotypic (V P ) and additive genetic (V A ) variation in baboon crania, and (2) how might additive genetic correlations between craniofacial traits and body mass affect morphological evolution? We use a large captive pedigreed baboon sample to estimate quantitative genetic parameters for craniofacial dimensions (EIDs). Our models include nested combinations of the covariates listed above. We also simulate the correlated response of a given EID due to selection on body mass alone. Covariates account for 1.2-91% of craniofacial V P . EID V A decreases across models as more covariates are included. The median genetic correlation estimate between each EID and body mass is 0.33. Analysis of the multivariate response to selection reveals that observed patterns of craniofacial variation in extant baboons cannot be attributed solely to correlated response to selection on body mass, particularly in males. Because a relatively large proportion of EID V A is shared with body mass variation, different methods of correcting for allometry by statistically controlling for size can alter residual V P patterns. This may conflate direct selection effects on craniofacial variation with those resulting from a correlated response to body mass selection. This shared genetic variation may partially explain how selection for increased body mass in two different papionin lineages produced remarkably similar craniofacial phenotypes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prime tight frames

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lemvig, Jakob; Miller, Christopher; Okoudjou, Kasso A.

2014-01-01

to suggest effective analysis and synthesis computation strategies for such frames. Finally, we describe all prime frames constructed from the spectral tetris method, and, as a byproduct, we obtain a characterization of when the spectral tetris construction works for redundancies below two.......We introduce a class of finite tight frames called prime tight frames and prove some of their elementary properties. In particular, we show that any finite tight frame can be written as a union of prime tight frames. We then characterize all prime harmonic tight frames and use thischaracterization...

T-Cell Therapy Using Interleukin-21–Primed Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphocytes Combined With Cytotoxic T-Cell Lymphocyte Antigen-4 Blockade Results in Long-Term Cell Persistence and Durable Tumor Regression

Science.gov (United States)

Chapuis, Aude G.; Roberts, Ilana M.; Thompson, John A.; Margolin, Kim A.; Bhatia, Shailender; Lee, Sylvia M.; Sloan, Heather L.; Lai, Ivy P.; Farrar, Erik A.; Wagener, Felecia; Shibuya, Kendall C.; Cao, Jianhong; Wolchok, Jedd D.; Greenberg, Philip D.

2016-01-01

Purpose Peripheral blood–derived antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) provide a readily available source of effector cells that can be administered with minimal toxicity in an outpatient setting. In metastatic melanoma, this approach results in measurable albeit modest clinical responses in patients resistant to conventional therapy. We reasoned that concurrent cytotoxic T-cell lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) checkpoint blockade might enhance the antitumor activity of adoptively transferred CTLs. Patients and Methods Autologous MART1-specific CTLs were generated by priming with peptide-pulsed dendritic cells in the presence of interleukin-21 and enriched by peptide-major histocompatibility complex multimer-guided cell sorting. This expeditiously yielded polyclonal CTL lines uniformly expressing markers associated with an enhanced survival potential. In this first-in-human strategy, 10 patients with stage IV melanoma received the MART1-specific CTLs followed by a standard course of anti–CTLA-4 (ipilimumab). Results The toxicity profile of the combined treatment was comparable to that of ipilimumab monotherapy. Evaluation of best responses at 12 weeks yielded two continuous complete remissions, one partial response (PR) using RECIST criteria (two PRs using immune-related response criteria), and three instances of stable disease. Infused CTLs persisted with frequencies up to 2.9% of CD8+ T cells for as long as the patients were monitored (up to 40 weeks). In patients who experienced complete remissions, PRs, or stable disease, the persisting CTLs acquired phenotypic and functional characteristics of long-lived memory cells. Moreover, these patients also developed responses to nontargeted tumor antigens (epitope spreading). Conclusion We demonstrate that combining antigen-specific CTLs with CTLA-4 blockade is safe and produces durable clinical responses, likely reflecting both enhanced activity of transferred cells and improved recruitment of new responses

The use of autologous 111In-labelled platelets and scintigraphy to illustrate enhanced platelet activity during erection in the chacma baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dormehl, I.C.; Du Plessis, M.; Maree, M.; Bornman, M.S.; Du Plessis, D.J.

1984-01-01

The demonstration of thrombelastographic hypercoagulability in the penile blood during erection, and the accompanying deposition of fibrin onto the endothelial layer of the deep penile artery and trabecular surface inspired this investigation of the possible role that platelets might play in the process. The bloodpooling pattern in the penis during and after erection from electro-stimulation was studied in 9 male adult baboons (Papio ursinus) using in vivo sup(99m)Tc-labelled red blood cells and scintigraphy. Platelet activity was similarly investigated after administering autologous 111 In-labelled platelets to the baboons. The results indicate an enhanced platelet concentration with respect to blood-pooling during erection, and an entrapment of platelets after erection. (orig.) [de

[{sup 18}F]haloperidol binding in baboon brain in vivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yousef, Khalil A; Fowler, Joanna S; Volkow, Nora D; Dewey, Stephen L; Shea, Colleen; Schlyer, David J; Gatley, S John; Logan, Jean; Wolf, Alfred P

1996-01-01

The binding of [{sup 18}F]haloperidol to dopamine D2 and to sigma recognition sites in baboon brain was examined using positron emission tomography (PET). Studies were performed at baseline and after treatment with either haloperidol (to evaluate saturability), (+)-butaclamol (which has specificity for dopamine D2 receptors) or (-)-butaclamol (which has specificity for sigma sites). Binding was widespread. Treatment with (-)-butaclamol had no effect, whereas (+)-butaclamol selectively reduced the uptake in striatum. Haloperidol increased the clearance rate from all brain regions. These results indicate that the binding profile of [{sup 18}F]haloperidol does not permit the selective examination of either dopamine D2 or sigma sites using PET.

Radiation sensitivity of T-lymphocytes from immunodeficient wasted mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, M.; Libertin, C.; Krco, C.; Woloschak, G.E.

1990-01-01

Mice with the autosomal recessive gene wasted (wst/wst) exhibit neurologic disorders, reduced mucosal immune responses, and abnormal DNA repair mechanisms. The wst/wst mouse has been proposed as a murine model for the human disorder ataxia telangiectasia. Experiments were designed to examine the sensitivity of T-cells from wasted mice to ionizing radiation. Results demonstrated that T-cell clones derived from wasted mice are more sensitive to the killing effects of gamma-rays than similar T-cell clones from control mice. Bulk thymocyte and splenic cell cultures demonstrated similar radiation sensitivity. Both thymic and splenic lymphocytes from wasted mice also expressed low proliferative responses to mitogenic stimulation with concanavalin A (Con A) that could not be attributed to an absence or reduction in T-cell number. However, following activation with Con A, cell cultures exhibited a marked decrease in the percentage of Thyl + cells in wasted mice, in contrast to cultures from control mice in which significant increases in Thyl + cells were observed. Furthermore, when cells were treated with gamma-rays in combination with Con A, Thyl + cells were decreased in control spleen and thymus, but were elevated in similarly treated wasted cultures. These changes were accompanied by an increase in cell volume in T-cells from wasted but not from control mice. These results describe the sensitivity of T-cells from wasted mice to ionizing radiation; in addition, they suggest that the wst/wst abnormality may be associated with cell cycle aberrancies

Differential requirements of CD4(+) T-cell signals for effector cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) priming and functional memory CTL development at higher CD8(+) T-cell precursor frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Umeshappa, Channakeshava S; Nanjundappa, Roopa H; Xie, Yufeng; Freywald, Andrew; Xu, Qingyong; Xiang, Jim

2013-04-01

Increased CD8(+) T-cell precursor frequency (PF) precludes the requirement of CD4(+) helper T (Th) cells for primary CD8(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses. However, the key questions of whether unhelped CTLs generated at higher PF are functional effectors, and whether unhelped CTLs can differentiate into functional memory cells at higher PF are unclear. In this study, ovalbumin (OVA) -pulsed dendritic cells (DC(OVA)) derived from C57BL/6, CD40 knockout (CD40(-/-)) or CD40 ligand knockout (CD40L(-/-)) mice were used to immunize C57BL/6, Ia(b-/-), CD40(-/-) or CD40L(-/-) mice, whose PF was previously increased with transfer of 1 × 10(6) CD8(+) T cells derived from OVA-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) transgenic OTI, OTI(CD40(-/-)) or OTI(CD40L(-/-)) mice. All the immunized mice were then assessed for effector and memory CTL responses. Following DC immunization, relatively comparable CTL priming occurred without CD4(+) T-cell help and Th-provided CD40/CD40L signalling. In addition, the unhelped CTLs were functional effectors capable of inducing therapeutic immunity against established OVA-expressing tumours. In contrast, the functional memory development of CTLs was severely impaired in the absence of CD4(+) T-cell help and CD40/CD40L signalling. Finally, unhelped memory CTLs failed to protect mice against lethal tumour challenge. Taken together, these results demonstrate that CD4(+) T-cell help at higher PF, is not required for effector CTL priming, but is required for functional memory CTL development against cancer. Our data may impact the development of novel preventive and therapeutic approaches in cancer patients with compromised CD4(+) T-cell functions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Baboons' response speed is biased by their moods.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yousri Marzouki

Full Text Available The affect-as-information hypothesis (e.g., Schwarz & Clore, 2003, predicts that the positive or negative valence of our mood differentially affects our processing of the details of the environment. However, this hypothesis has only been tested with mood induction procedures and fairly complex cognitive tasks in humans. Here, six baboons (Papio papio living in a social group had free access to a computerized visual search task on which they were over-trained. Trials that immediately followed a spontaneously expressed emotional behavior were analyzed, ruling out possible biases due to induction procedures. RTs following negatively valenced behaviors are slower than those following neutral and positively valenced behaviors, respectively. Thus, moods affect the performance of nonhuman primates tested in highly automatized tasks, as it does in humans during tasks with much higher cognitive demands. These findings reveal a presumably universal and adaptive mechanism by which moods influence performance in various ecological contexts.

Concanavalin A immobilized magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) beads for prostate specific antigen binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Idil, Neslihan; Perçin, Işık; Karakoç, Veyis; Yavuz, Handan; Aksöz, Nilüfer; Denizli, Adil

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to prepare Concanavalin A (Con A) immobilized magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (mPGMA) beads for prostate specific antigen (PSA) binding and to study binding capacities of the beads using lectin-glycoprotein interactions. Firstly, iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method and then, beads were synthesized by dispersion polymerization in the presence of iron oxide nanoparticles. Con A molecules were both covalently immobilized onto the beads directly and through the spacer arm (1,6-diaminohexane-HDMA). The total PSA and free PSA binding onto the mPGMA-HDMA-Con A beads were higher than that of the mPGMA-Con A beads. Maximum PSA binding capacity was observed as 91.2 ng/g. Approximately 45% of the bound PSA was eluted by using 0.1 M mannose as elution agent. The mPGMA-HDMA-Con A beads could be reused without a remarkable decrease in the binding capacities after 5 binding-desorption cycles. Serum fractions were analyzed using SDS-PAGE. The mPGMA-HDMA-Con A beads could be useful for the detection of PSA and suggested as a model system for other glycoprotein biomarkers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a portable blood irradiator for potential clinical uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hungate, F.P.

1988-12-01

This document provides an account of the development of a fully portable blood irradiator and the evaluation of its safety and efficacy when implanted in goats, sheep, a baboon and dogs. The program was initiated because the control of lymphocyte populations by irradiation is a potential method for improving success in organ or tissue transplantation and for treating a variety of blood diseases. 15 refs., 27 figs., 2 tabs.

Explaining sex differences in lifespan in terms of optimal energy allocation in the baboon.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Annette M; Kirkwood, Thomas B L; Shanley, Daryl P

2017-10-01

We provide a quantitative test of the hypothesis that sex role specialization may account for sex differences in lifespan in baboons if such specialization causes the dependency of fitness upon longevity, and consequently the optimal resolution to an energetic trade-off between somatic maintenance and other physiological functions, to differ between males and females. We present a model in which females provide all offspring care and males compete for access to reproductive females and in which the partitioning of available energy between the competing fitness-enhancing functions of growth, maintenance, and reproduction is modeled as a dynamic behavioral game, with the optimal decision for each individual depending upon his/her state and the behavior of other members of the population. Our model replicates the sexual dimorphism in body size and sex differences in longevity and reproductive scheduling seen in natural populations of baboons. We show that this outcome is generally robust to perturbations in model parameters, an important finding given that the same behavior is seen across multiple populations and species in the wild. This supports the idea that sex differences in longevity result from differences in the value of somatic maintenance relative to other fitness-enhancing functions in keeping with the disposable soma theory. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Maternal nutrient restriction in baboon programs later-life cellular growth and respiration of cultured skin fibroblasts: a potential model for the study of aging-programming interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmon, Adam B; Dorigatti, Jonathan; Huber, Hillary F; Li, Cun; Nathanielsz, Peter W

2018-05-25

Compelling data exist for programming of chronic later-life diseases and longevity by perinatal developmental programming challenges. Understanding mechanisms by which life course health trajectory and longevity are set is fundamental to understanding aging. Appropriate approaches are needed to determine programming effects on cellular function. We have developed a baboon model in which control mothers eat ad libitum while a second group eat 70% of the global diet fed controls, leading to male and female offspring intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). We have shown that IUGR suffer from acceleration of several age-related physiological declines. Here, we report on a skin-derived fibroblast model with potential relevance for mechanistic studies on how IUGR impacts aging. Fibroblasts were cultured from the skin biopsies taken from adult baboons from control and IUGR cohorts. IUGR-derived fibroblasts grew in culture less well than controls and those derived from male, but not female, IUGR baboons had a significant reduction in maximum respiration rate compared to control-derived fibroblasts. We also show that relative levels of several mitochondrial protein subunits, including NDUFB8 and cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV, were reduced in IUGR-derived fibroblasts even after serial passaging in culture. The lower levels of electron transport system components provide potential mechanisms for accelerated life course aging in the setting of programmed IUGR. This observation fits with the greater sensitivity of males compared with females to many, but not all, outcomes in response to programming challenges. These approaches will be powerful in the determination of programming-aging interactions.

The recovery of bone marrow derived GM-CFU in baboons unilaterally exposed to a total body LD50/30d mixed neutron-gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herodin, F.; Orfeuvre, H.; Janodet, D.; Mestries, J.C.; Fatome, M.

1990-01-01

The unilateral exposure of baboons to a total body LD 50/30d mixed neutron/gamma irradiation was characterized to be non uniform in dose distribution. The pattern of recovery of granulocyte-macrophage progenitors in bone marrow samples collected from entrance and exit sides respectively is consistent with this observed heterogeneity [fr

Identity negative priming: a phenomenon of perception, recognition or selection?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hecke Schrobsdorff

Full Text Available The present study addresses the problem whether negative priming (NP is due to information processing in perception, recognition or selection. We argue that most NP studies confound priming and perceptual similarity of prime-probe episodes and implement a color-switch paradigm in order to resolve the issue. In a series of three identity negative priming experiments with verbal naming response, we determined when NP and positive priming (PP occur during a trial. The first experiment assessed the impact of target color on priming effects. It consisted of two blocks, each with a different fixed target color. With respect to target color no differential priming effects were found. In Experiment 2 the target color was indicated by a cue for each trial. Here we resolved the confounding of perceptual similarity and priming condition. In trials with coinciding colors for prime and probe, we found priming effects similar to Experiment 1. However, trials with a target color switch showed such effects only in trials with role-reversal (distractor-to-target or target-to-distractor, whereas the positive priming (PP effect in the target-repetition trials disappeared. Finally, Experiment 3 split trial processing into two phases by presenting the trial-wise color cue only after the stimulus objects had been recognized. We found recognition in every priming condition to be faster than in control trials. We were hence led to the conclusion that PP is strongly affected by perception, in contrast to NP which emerges during selection, i.e., the two effects cannot be explained by a single mechanism.

Comparison of specificity of inhibition of polyamine synthesis in bovine lymphocytes by ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone).

Science.gov (United States)

Igarashi, K; Porter, C W; Morris, D R

1984-11-01

Ethylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (EGBG) was compared as an inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) (MGBG) in bovine small lymphocytes stimulated by concanavalin A. EGBG brought about a decrease in spermidine and spermine levels equal to that found with MGBG, but at a 5-fold lower intracellular drug concentration. Despite identical polyamine levels, the degree of inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis by EGBG was smaller than that observed with MGBG, in either the presence or absence of the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, alpha-difluoromethylornithine. It was found that in vitro protein synthesis and in vivo mitochondrial function were inhibited by concentrations of MGBG necessary to inhibit polyamine synthesis in cells (1 to 3 mM), but not by efficacious levels of EGBG (0.2 to 0.6 mM). These results suggest that EGBG is more suitable as a specific inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis and that use of this drug, rather than MGBG, in combination with alpha-difluoromethylornithine may be useful for studying the physiological functions of polyamines in animal cells.

Primes, Geometry and Condensed Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al Rabeh R. H.

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Fascination with primes dates back to the Greeks and before. Primes are named by some "the elementary particles of arithmetic" as every nonprime integer is made of a unique set of primes. In this article we point to new connections between primes, geometry and physics which show that primes could be called "the elementary particles of physics" too. This study considers the problem of closely packing similar circles/spheres in 2D/3D space. This is in effect a discretization process of space and the allowable number in a pack is found to lead to some unexpected cases of prime configurations which is independent of the size of the constituents. We next suggest that a non-prime can be considered geometrically as a symmetric collection that is separable (factorable into similar parts- six is two threes or three twos for example. A collection that has no such symmetry is a prime. As a result, a physical prime aggregate is more difficult to split symmetrically resulting in an inherent stability. This "number/physical" stability idea applies to bigger collections made from smaller (prime units leading to larger stable prime structures in a limitless scaling up process. The distribution of primes among numbers can be understood better using the packing ideas described here and we further suggest that differing numbers (and values of distinct prime factors making a nonprime collection is an important factor in determining the probability and method of possible and subsequent disintegration. Disintegration is bound by energy conservation and is closely related to symmetry by Noether theorems. Thinking of condensed matter as the packing of identical elements, we examine plots of the masses of chemical elements of the periodic table, and also those of the elementary particles of physics, and show that prime packing rules seem to play a role in the make up of matter. The plots show convincingly that the growth of prime numbers and that of the masses of

A prime a day keeps calories away: The effects of supraliminal priming on food consumption and the moderating role of gender and eating restraint.

Science.gov (United States)

Minas, Randall K; Poor, Morgan; Dennis, Alan R; Bartelt, Valerie L

2016-10-01

The link between intentions and action in weight control is weaker than previously thought, so recent research has called for further investigation of ways to improve weight control that bypass conscious intentions. Priming has been shown to have effects on individual behavior in a variety of contexts by influencing subconscious cognition. This paper investigates the effects of semantic priming using healthy body image, goal-oriented words on food consumption. The moderating role of both restrained eating and gender is investigated. 161 participants were involved in an experiment using a novel version of a scrambled sentence priming game. The outcome measure was the number of kilocalories consumed, examined using a between subjects ANCOVA with priming, gender, restrained eating index, self-reported BMI, and two interaction terms (primingxgender, and primingxrestrained eating index). There was no main effect of priming but there was an interaction of priming with gender. Females consumed significantly fewer kilocalories after being exposed to priming words related to a healthy body image (i.e. "slim", "fit,") compared to females receiving the neutral prime, with a medium effect size (d = 0.58). The body image prime did not significantly affect food intake for males, nor did it have a differential effect on restrained eaters. This study shows that priming can be an effective method for influencing females to reduce food intake, regardless of whether they are restrained or unrestrained eaters. Future studies could investigate whether different priming words related to a male's healthy body image goal (i.e. "buff," "muscles," etc.) would similarly reduce food intake for males. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Subliminal semantic priming in speech.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jérôme Daltrozzo

Full Text Available Numerous studies have reported subliminal repetition and semantic priming in the visual modality. We transferred this paradigm to the auditory modality. Prime awareness was manipulated by a reduction of sound intensity level. Uncategorized prime words (according to a post-test were followed by semantically related, unrelated, or repeated target words (presented without intensity reduction and participants performed a lexical decision task (LDT. Participants with slower reaction times in the LDT showed semantic priming (faster reaction times for semantically related compared to unrelated targets and negative repetition priming (slower reaction times for repeated compared to semantically related targets. This is the first report of semantic priming in the auditory modality without conscious categorization of the prime.

Plutonium and neptunium absorption from the gastrointestinal tract of neonatal baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lataillade, Ghislaine; Duserre, Claude; Rateau, Gerard; Verry, Monique; Fritsch, Paul; Metivier, Henri

1992-06-01

Nineteen baboons aged 1 to 310 days were given oral doses of 238 Pu citrate or 239 Np nitrate. Gastrointestinal (GI) absorption of Pu and Np were higher than those observed in adults. The values of Pu GI absorption were 0.22% at 1 d, 0.17% at 17 d then about 0.10% until 177 d of age. From 195 d onwards, GI absorption was about 0.02% vs adult values (0.008%). GI absorption of neptunium decreased rapidly with age from 1.71% at 4 d to 0.14% at 6 d and remained at this value until 26 d. From 77 d onwards Np GI absorption was decreased to adult value (0.042%). Gastrointestinal retention associated with GI absorption was small, below 0.4% for Pu and 0.2% for Np. Np and Pu was mainly retained in the small intestine. Pu was retained in the ileum wall till 66 d, and afterwards in the duodenum wall. Histological study of Pu retention showed that it was confined to the macrophages under the ileum villi epithelial cells. Np did not seem to have a well-defined retention compartment. Retention occurred first in the ileum wall up to 6 d, afterwards it was divided between the ileum and duodenum walls up to 77 d and finally, between the duodenum and jejunum walls from 132 days of age onwards. The study shows a difference between Np and Pu GI absorption in neonatal baboons. Np GI absorption decreased to adult value in less than 3 months whereas Pu GI absorption decreased to adult value within 195 days. Our Pu results demonstrated that, the tenfold increase of actinides gastrointestinal transfer proposed by ICRP up to 12 months of age in newborn humans seems acceptable. (authors) [fr

A novel adoptive transfer model of chronic lymphocytic leukemia suggests a key role for T lymphocytes in the disease

OpenAIRE

Bagnara, Davide; Kaufman, Matthew S.; Calissano, Carlo; Marsilio, Sonia; Patten, Piers E. M.; Simone, Rita; Chum, Philip; Yan, Xiao-Jie; Allen, Steven L.; Kolitz, Jonathan E.; Baskar, Sivasubramanian; Rader, Christoph; Mellstedt, Hakan; Rabbani, Hodjattallah; Lee, Annette

2011-01-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is an incurable adult disease of unknown etiology. Understanding the biology of CLL cells, particularly cell maturation and growth in vivo, has been impeded by lack of a reproducible adoptive transfer model. We report a simple, reproducible system in which primary CLL cells proliferate in nonobese diabetes/severe combined immunodeficiency/γcnull mice under the influence of activated CLL-derived T lymphocytes. By cotransferring autologous T lymphocytes, activ...

Insulin, concanavalin A, EGF, IFG-I and vanadate activate de novo phosphatidic acid and diacylglycerol synthesis, C-kinase, and glucose transport in BC3H-1 myocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, D.R.; Hernandez, H.; Konda, T.S.; Standaert, M.S.; Pollet, R.J.; Farese, R.V.

1987-01-01

The authors have reported that insulin stimulates de novo synthesis of phosphatidic acid (PA) which is metabolized directly to diacylglycerol (DG) in BS3H-1 myocytes; this is accompanied by increases in C-kinase activity in membrane and cytosolic extracts. This pathway may be involved in stimulating glucose transport and other metabolic processes. In this study, the authors have compared the effects of concanavalin A, EGF, IGF-I and sodium orthovanadate to insulin on PA/DG synthesis, C-kinase activity and glucose transport. All were found to be effective in stimulating glucose transport. Additionally, all activators rapidly increased the incorporation of [ 3 H]glycerol into DG and total glycerolipids, although none were as effective as insulin, which increased [ 3 H]DG 400% in 1 minute. Increased incorporation into phospholipids and triacylglycerols and to a lesser extent monoacylglycerol was also noted. They examined effects of concanavalin A and EGF on C-kinase activity and found that both agonists, like insulin, increase C-kinase activity in cytosolic and/or membrane fractions. Their findings raise the possibility that activation of receptors having associated tyrosine kinase activity may provoke some cellular responses through de novo PA/GD synthesis and C-kinase activation

On the Control of Single-Prime Negative Priming: The Effects of Practice and Time Course

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Hsuan-Fu

2009-01-01

Single-prime negative priming refers to the phenomenon wherein repetition of a prime as the probe target results in delayed response. Sometimes this effect has been found to be contingent on participants' unawareness of the primes, and sometimes it has not. Further, sometimes this effect has been found to be eliminated when the prime could predict…

Evaluation of the diagnostic efficacy of autologous 111In-labelled platelets as a scanning agent for deep vein thrombosis in the chacma baboon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dormehl, I.C.; Du Plessis, M.; Jacobs, D.J.; Pretorius, J.P.; Franz, R.C.

1985-01-01

The diagnostic efficiency of autologous sup(111I)n-labelled platelets (ILP) as a scanning agent in deep veinthrombosis (DVT) was investigated in 24 South African baboons (Papio ursinus). Thrombi were surgically induced by stasis, intimal injury and the injection of thrombin in the common femoral veins of adult baboons. The thrombi were allowed to age for 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h before injecting the ILP. Scanning was done with a large field gamma camera at 10 min post injection and again at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 24, 48 and 72 h. Time-activity curves were thus obtained and it was possible to establish an optimal time after injection of the ILP to scan for each group of thrombi. The results indicate that only the younger thrombi (1-8 h after thrombus formation) were detected. Twenty-four hour and older thrombi were not visualised. A favourable time to scan in the case of the younger thrombi appeared to be approximately 20 h after the injection of ILP. However, the thrombus age limitation still impairs the diagnostic efficiency of the procedure. (orig.)

Primes, Geometry and Condensed Matter

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al Rabeh R. H.

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Fascination with primes dates back to the Greeks and before. Primes are named by some “the elementary particles of arithmetic” as every nonprime integer is made of a unique set of primes. In this article we point to new connections between primes, geometry and physics which show that primes could be called “the elementary particles of physics” too. This study considers the problem of closely packing similar circles / spheres in 2D / 3D space. This is in effect a discretization process of space and the allowable num- ber in a pack is found to lead to some unexpected cases of prime configurations which is independent of the size of the constituents. We next suggest that a non-prime can be considered geometrically as a symmetric collection that is separable (factorable into similar parts- six is two threes or three twos for example. A collection that has no such symmetry is a prime. As a result, a physical prime aggregate is more difficult to split symmetrically resulting in an inherent stability. This “number / physical” stability idea applies to bigger collections made from smaller (prime units leading to larger sta- ble prime structures in a limitless scaling up process. The distribution of primes among numbers can be understood better using the packing ideas described here and we further suggest that differing numbers (and values of distinct prime factors making a nonprime collection is an important factor in determining the probability and method of possible and subsequent disintegration. Disintegration is bound by energy conservation and is closely related to symmetry by Noether theorems. Thinking of condensed matter as the packing of identical elements, we examine plots of the masses of chemical elements of the periodic table, and also those of the elementary particles of physics, and show that prime packing rules seem to play a role in the make up of matter. The plots show con- vincingly that the growth of prime numbers and that

Radiation effects on lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roser, B.

1976-01-01

This review of the ontogeny of lymphocyte populations concentrates on sites of production, rates of production, and the factors governing the differentiation and longevity of the various lymphocyte pools. The physiology of the lymphocyte pools is described with particular emphasis on recirculation from blood to lymph through lymphoid tissues. The separate routes of recirculation of both thymus-derived and nonthymus-derived lymphocytes and the possible anatomical sites and mechanisms of lymphocyte cooperation are discussed. Radiation effects on lymphocyte populations are divided into two sections. First, the effects of whole-body irradiation on the total lymphocyte pools are discussed including the differential effects of irradiation on T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, lymphoblasts, and plasma cells. The differential sensitivity of various types of immune response is correlated, where possible, with the differential sensitivity of the lymphocyte types involved. Second, experimental attempts to selectively deplete discrete subpopulations of the total lymphocyte pools, e.g., recirculating cells, are briefly discussed with particular emphasis on studies on the effects of the localization of radionuclides in lymphoid tissue

In vivo imaging of nicotinic receptor upregulation following chronic (-)-nicotine treatment in baboon using SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kassiou, Michael; Eberl, Stefan; Meikle, Steven R.; Birrell, Alex; Constable, Chris; Fulham, Michael J.; Wong, Dean F.; Musachio, John L.

2001-01-01

To quantify changes in neuronal nAChR binding in vivo, quantitative dynamic SPECT studies were performed with 5-[ 123 I]-iodo-A-85380 in baboons pre and post chronic treatment with (-)-nicotine or saline control. Infusion of (-)-nicotine at a dose of 2.0 mg/kg/24h for 14 days resulted in plasma (-)-nicotine levels of 27.3 ng/mL. This is equivalent to that found in an average human smoker (20 cigarettes a day). In the baboon brain the regional distribution of 5-[ 123 I]-iodo-A-85380 was consistent with the known densities of nAChRs (thalamus > frontal cortex > cerebellum). Changes in nAChR binding were estimated from the volume of distribution (V d ) and binding potential (BP) derived from 3-compartment model fits. In the (-)-nicotine treated animal V d was significantly increased in the thalamus (52%) and cerebellum (50%) seven days post cessation of (-)-nicotine treatment, suggesting upregulation of nAChRs. The observed 33% increase in the frontal cortex failed to reach significance. A significant increase in BP was seen in the thalamus. In the saline control animal no changes were observed in V d or BP under any experimental conditions. In this preliminary study, we have demonstrated for the first time in vivo upregulation of neuronal nAChR binding following chronic (-)-nicotine treatment

False memories and lexical decision: even twelve primes do not cause long-term semantic priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeelenberg, René; Pecher, Diane

2002-03-01

Semantic priming effects are usually obtained only if the prime is presented shortly before the target stimulus. Recent evidence obtained with the so-called false memory paradigm suggests, however, that in both explicit and implicit memory tasks semantic relations between words can result in long-lasting effects when multiple 'primes' are presented. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether these effects would generalize to lexical decision. In four experiments we showed that even as many as 12 primes do not cause long-term semantic priming. In all experiments, however, a repetition priming effect was obtained. The present results are consistent with a number of other results showing that semantic information plays a minimal role in long-term priming in visual word recognition.

A microculture technique for rat lymphocyte transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay, V J; Allardyce, R A

1979-01-01

We report the development of an economical microculture technique suitable for measuring rat lymphocyte response to mitogens and in mixed lymphocyte reactions. The effects of varying culture conditions, i.e. source of serum, addition and concentration of 2-mercaptoethanol, mitogen concentrations, culture incubation times, absorption of serum, lymphocyte numbers and microtitre plate well shape are described.

Soft tissue around three different implant types after 1.5 years of functional loading without oral hygiene: a preliminary study in baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Watzak, Georg; Zechner, Werner; Tangl, Stefan; Vasak, Christoph; Donath, Karl; Watzek, Georg

2006-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the peri-implant soft tissue dimension (PSD) and peri-implant bone level (BL) of dental implants with different designs and surface modifications after functional loading without oral hygiene. Three types of dental implants were placed in the posterior jaws of adult baboons, three of the same design per quadrant, and fitted with fixed partial dentures. After 1.5 years of functional loading and plaque accumulation, all implants showed severe peri-implant mucositis and comparatively high BL. A histomorphometric evaluation of the sulcus depth (SD), the dimension of the junctional epithelium (JE) and the connective tissue contact (CTC) resulted in no significant differences between the three implant designs, neither in the maxilla nor in the mandible (P>0.05). The sum of SD, JE and CTC forming the PSD was nearly the same in the maxilla (commercially pure titanium, CpTi: 3.5 mm 2.9/4.1 confidence interval (CI); titanium plasma sprayed (TPS): 3.5 mm 2.9/4.2 CI; sand blasted acid-etched (GBAE): 3.2 mm 2.7/3.9 CI) and in the mandible (CpTi: 3.2 mm 2.6/3.8 CI; TPS: 3.2 mm 2.6/3.8 CI; GBAE: 3.2 mm 2.7/3.9 CI; P>0.05). There was no difference in BL around the three implant designs (maxilla: CpTi: 0.9 mm 0.5/1.6 CI; TPS: 0.9 mm 0.5/1.5CI; GBAE: 0.9 mm 0.5/1.6 CI; mandible: CpTi: 0.8 mm 0.5/1.2 CI; TPS: 0.6 mm 0.4/0.9 CI; GBAE: 0.7 mm 0.5/1.1 CI; P>0.05). Overall, the data presented did not show any significant differences in peri-implant soft tissue conditions in baboons. Moreover, plaque accumulation and propagation of peri-implant mucositis after 1.5 years of functional loading was not influenced by implant design and surface modifications in baboons.

In vivo imaging of brain aromatase in female baboons: [11C]vorozole kinetics and effect of the menstrual cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Pareto, Deborah; Biegon, Anat; Alexoff, David; Carter, Pauline; Shea, Coreen; Muench, Lisa; Xu, Youwen; Fowler, Joanna S; Kim, Sunny W; Logan, Jean

2013-01-01

The aim of this work was to quantify the brain distribution of the enzyme aromatase in the female baboon with positron emission tomography and the tracer [11C]vorozole using three different quantification methods for estimating the total distribution volume (V(T)): a graphical method, compartment modeling, and a tissue to plasma ratio. The graphical model and the compartment modeling gave similar estimates to the data and similar values (correlation R  =  .988; p  =  .0001). [11C]Vorozole shows a rapid uptake by the brain followed by a relatively constant accumulation, suggesting the possibility of using the tissue to plasma ratio as an estimate of V(T). The highest uptake of [11C]vorozole in the baboon brain was measured in the amygdala, followed by the preoptic area and hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cortical areas. Pretreatment studies with vorozole or letrozole showed a generalized decrease in brain accumulation and V(T). The results suggested that the physiologic changes in gonadal hormone levels accompanying the menstrual cycle had a significant effect on brain aromatase V(T).

Evaluation of the potential immunotoxicity of 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol in Balb/c mice I. Effect on antibody forming cell, mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, splenic subset, and natural killer cell activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Kwon; Byun, Jung A.; Park, Seung Hee; Kim, Hyung Soo; Park, Jae Hyun; Eom, Juno H.; Oh, Hye Young

2004-01-01

3-Monochloro-1,2-propanediol (MCPD) is a well-known by-product of acid-hydrolyzed soy sauce during its manufacturing process. MCPD has been reported genotoxic in vitro, and reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity in rats. However, no previous studies have investigated MCPD-induced alterations in the immune system. In the present study, MCPD was administered by gavage for 14 days at 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg per day to female Balb/c mice. The antibody-mediated immune response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) was assessed using the antibody-forming cell (AFC) assay, and splenic cell phenotypes were quantified by flow cytometry. Hematological and histopathological changes were assessed. Mitogen-stimulated spleen lymphocyte proliferation and natural killer (NK) cell activity were evaluated. The T-lymphocyte blastogenesis by concanavalin A (Con A) or anti-CD3 and B-lymphocyte blastogenesis by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were not significantly changed. There were no significant changes in the hematological and histopathological findings of MCPD-treated mice. However, the significant decrease in thymus weight was observed in 100 mg dose group, even though that did not change body weight gain. The cellularities of spleen and thymus were significantly reduced in high-dose group. Exposure to high dose of MCPD decreased the AFC response to SRBC in mice. There was a significant decrease in NK cell activity of mice treated with high dose of MCPD. These results indicate that MCPD could modulate the immune function in Balb/c mice

Agricultural expansion as risk to endangered wildlife: Pesticide exposure in wild chimpanzees and baboons displaying facial dysplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Krief, Sabrina; Berny, Philippe; Gumisiriza, Francis; Gross, Régine; Demeneix, Barbara; Fini, Jean Baptiste; Chapman, Colin A; Chapman, Lauren J; Seguya, Andrew; Wasswa, John

2017-11-15

Prenatal exposure to environmental endocrine disruptors can affect development and induce irreversible abnormalities in both humans and wildlife. The northern part of Kibale National Park, a mid-altitude rainforest in western Uganda, is largely surrounded by industrial tea plantations and wildlife using this area (Sebitoli) must cope with proximity to human populations and their activities. The chimpanzees and baboons in this area raid crops (primarily maize) in neighboring gardens. Sixteen young individuals of the 66 chimpanzees monitored (25%) exhibit abnormalities including reduced nostrils, cleft lip, limb deformities, reproductive problems and hypopigmentation. Each pathology could have a congenital component, potentially exacerbated by environmental factors. In addition, at least six of 35 photographed baboons from a Sebitoli troop (17%) have similar severe nasal deformities. Our inquiries in villages and tea factories near Sebitoli revealed use of eight pesticides (glyphosate, cypermethrin, profenofos, mancozeb, metalaxyl, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos and 2,4-D amine). Chemical analysis of samples collected from 2014 to 2016 showed that mean levels of pesticides in fresh maize stems and seeds, soils, and river sediments in the vicinity of the chimpanzee territory exceed recommended limits. Notably, excess levels were found for total DDT and its metabolite pp'-DDE and for chlorpyrifos in fresh maize seeds and in fish from Sebitoli. Imidacloprid was detected in coated maize seeds planted at the edge the forest and in fish samples from the Sebitoli area, while no pesticides were detected in fish from central park areas. Since some of these pesticides are thyroid hormone disruptors, we postulate that excessive pesticide use in the Sebitoli area may contribute to facial dysplasia in chimpanzees and baboons through this endocrine pathway. Chimpanzees are considered as endangered by IUCN and besides their intrinsic value and status as closely related to humans, they

Cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, improves experimental colitis in mice with multiple targets against activated T lymphocytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Xue-Feng; Wu, Xing-Xin; Guo, Wen-Jie; Luo, Qiong [State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Gu, Yan-Hong [Department of Clinical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China); Shen, Yan; Tan, Ren-Xiang [State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Sun, Yang, E-mail: yangsun@nju.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Xu, Qiang, E-mail: molpharm@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2012-09-15

In the present paper, we aimed to examine the novel effects of cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, on murine experimental colitis. Cerebroside D significantly reduced the weight loss, mortality rate and alleviated the macroscopic and microscopic appearances of colitis induced by dexran sulfate sodium. This compound also decreased the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β in intestinal tissue of mice with experimental colitis in a concentration-dependent manner, accompanied with markedly increased serum level of IL-10. Cerebroside D inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of T cells activated by concanavalin A or anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies. The compound did not show an effect on naive lymphocytes but prevented cells from entering S phase and G2/M phase during T cells activation. Moreover, the treatment of cerebroside D led to apoptosis of activated T cells with the cleavage of caspase 3, 9, 12 and PARP. These results showed multiple effects of cerebroside D against activated T cells for a novel approach to treatment of colonic inflammation. Highlights: ► Cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, alleviated DSS induced colitis. ► The mechanism of the compound involved multiple effects against activated T cells. ► It regulated cytokine profiles in mice with experimental colitis. ► It prevented T cells from entering S and G2/M phases during activation. ► It led to apoptosis of activated T cells with the cleavage of caspases and PARP.

Cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, improves experimental colitis in mice with multiple targets against activated T lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Xue-Feng; Wu, Xing-Xin; Guo, Wen-Jie; Luo, Qiong; Gu, Yan-Hong; Shen, Yan; Tan, Ren-Xiang; Sun, Yang; Xu, Qiang

2012-01-01

In the present paper, we aimed to examine the novel effects of cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, on murine experimental colitis. Cerebroside D significantly reduced the weight loss, mortality rate and alleviated the macroscopic and microscopic appearances of colitis induced by dexran sulfate sodium. This compound also decreased the levels of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-1β in intestinal tissue of mice with experimental colitis in a concentration-dependent manner, accompanied with markedly increased serum level of IL-10. Cerebroside D inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of T cells activated by concanavalin A or anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies. The compound did not show an effect on naive lymphocytes but prevented cells from entering S phase and G2/M phase during T cells activation. Moreover, the treatment of cerebroside D led to apoptosis of activated T cells with the cleavage of caspase 3, 9, 12 and PARP. These results showed multiple effects of cerebroside D against activated T cells for a novel approach to treatment of colonic inflammation. Highlights: ► Cerebroside D, a glycoceramide compound, alleviated DSS induced colitis. ► The mechanism of the compound involved multiple effects against activated T cells. ► It regulated cytokine profiles in mice with experimental colitis. ► It prevented T cells from entering S and G2/M phases during activation. ► It led to apoptosis of activated T cells with the cleavage of caspases and PARP.

Clinical manifestation and aetiology of a genital associated disease in Olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) at Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

OpenAIRE

Knauf, Sascha

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate a genitally associated disease and to describe its clinical manifestation and aetiology in baboons at Lake Manyara National Park in the United Republic of Tanzania. Lake Manyara National Park is located in the northern part of the country, 160 km northwest of the Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is among the smallest protected areas, but belongs to the extended ecosystem of the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park. The...

Vitamin K3 suppressed inflammatory and immune responses in a redox-dependent manner.

Science.gov (United States)

Checker, Rahul; Sharma, Deepak; Sandur, Santosh K; Khan, Nazir M; Patwardhan, Raghavendra S; Kohli, Vineet; Sainis, Krishna B

2011-08-01

Recent investigations suggest that cellular redox status may play a key role in the regulation of several immune functions. Treatment of lymphocytes with vitamin K3 (menadione) resulted in a significant decrease in cellular GSH/GSSG ratio and concomitant increase in the ROS levels. It also suppressed Concanavalin A (Con A)-induced proliferation and cytokine production in lymphocytes and CD4 + T cells in vitro. Immunosuppressive effects of menadione were abrogated only by thiol containing antioxidants. Mass spectrometric analysis showed that menadione directly interacted with thiol antioxidant GSH. Menadione completely suppressed Con A-induced activation of ERK, JNK and NF-κB in lymphocytes. It also significantly decreased the homeostasis driven proliferation of syngeneic CD4 + T cells. Further, menadione significantly delayed graft-vs-host disease morbidity and mortality in mice. Menadione suppressed phytohemagglutinin-induced cytokine production in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results reveal that cellular redox perturbation by menadione is responsible for significant suppression of lymphocyte responses.

Evaluation of samarium-153 and holmium-166-EDTMP in the normal baboon model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Louw, W.K.A.; Dormehl, I.C.; Rensburg, A.J. van; Hugo, N.; Alberts, A.S.; Forsyth, O.E.; Beverley, G.; Sweetlove, M.A.; Marais, J.; Loetter, M.G.; Aswegen, A. van

1996-11-01

Bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals such as ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonate (EDTMP) complexes of samarium-153 and holmium-166 are receiving considerable attention for therapeutic treatment of bone metastases. In this study, using the baboon experimental model, multicompartmental analysis revealed that with regard to pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and skeletal localisation, {sup 166}Ho-EDTMP was significantly inferior to {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP and {sup 99m}Tc-MDP. A more suitable {sup 166}Ho-bone-seeking agent should thus be sought for closer similarity to {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP to exploit fully the therapeutic potential of its shorter half-life and more energetic beta radiation.

Unconscious Congruency Priming from Unpracticed Words Is Modulated by Prime-Target Semantic Relatedness

Science.gov (United States)

Ortells, Juan J.; Mari-Beffa, Paloma; Plaza-Ayllon, Vanesa

2013-01-01

Participants performed a 2-choice categorization task on visible word targets that were preceded by novel (unpracticed) prime words. The prime words were presented for 33 ms and followed either immediately (Experiments 1-3) or after a variable delay (Experiments 1 and 4) by a pattern mask. Both subjective and objective measures of prime visibility…

Differential involvement of IL-6 in the early and late phase of 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA) release in Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sternak, Magdalena; Jakubowski, Andrzej; Czarnowska, Elzbieta; Slominska, Ewa M; Smolenski, Ryszard T; Szafarz, Malgorzata; Walczak, Maria; Sitek, Barbara; Wojcik, Tomasz; Jasztal, Agnieszka; Kaminski, Karol; Chlopicki, Stefan

2015-09-01

Exogenous 1-methylnicotinamide (MNA) displays anti-inflammatory activity. The aim of this work was to characterize the profile of release of endogenous MNA during the initiation and progression of murine hepatitis induced by Concanavalin A (ConA). In particular we aimed to clarify the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as the energy state of hepatocytes in MNA release in early and late phases of ConA-induced hepatitis in mice. Hepatitis was induced by ConA in IL-6(+/+) and IL-6(-/-) mice, and various parameters of liver inflammation and injury, as well as the energy state of hepatocytes, were analysed in relation to MNA release. The decrease in ATP/ADP and NADH/NAD ratios, cytokine release (IL-6, IFN-ɤ), acute phase response (e.g. haptoglobin) and liver injury (alanine aminotransaminase, ALT) were all blunted in ConA-induced hepatitis in IL-6(-/-) mice as compared to IL-6(+/+) mice. The release of MNA in response to Con A was also significantly blunted in IL-6(-/-) mice as compared to IL-6(+/+) mice in the early stage of ConA-induced hepatitis. In turn, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT) and aldehyde oxidase (AO) activities were blunted in the liver and MNA plasma concentration was elevated to similar degree in the late stage after Concanavalin A in IL-6(+/+) and IL-6(-/-) mice. In conclusion, we demonstrated that in ConA-induced hepatitis, early, but not late MNA release was IL-6-dependent. Our results suggest that in the initiation and early hepatitis, MNA release is linked to the energy deficit/impaired redox status in hepatocytes, while in a later phase, MNA release is rather linked to the systemic inflammation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leading, but not trailing, primes influence temporal order perception: further evidence for an attentional account of perceptual latency priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Scharlau, Ingrid

2002-11-01

Presenting a masked prime leading a target influences the perceived onset of the masking target (perceptual latency priming; Scharlau & Neumann, in press). This priming effect is explained by the asynchronous updating model (Neumann, 1982; Scharlau & Neumann, in press): The prime initiates attentional allocation toward its location, which renders a trailing target at the same place consciously available earlier. In three experiments, this perceptual latency priming by leading primes was examined jointly with the effects of trailing primes in order to compare the explanation of the asynchronous updating model with the onset-averaging and the P-center hypotheses. Experiment 1 showed that an attended, as well as an unattended, prime leads to perceptual latency priming. In addition, a large effect of trailing primes on the onset of a target was found. As Experiment 2 demonstrated, this effect is quite robust, although smaller than that of a leading prime. In Experiment 3, masked primes were used. Under these conditions, no influence of trailing primes could be found, whereas perceptual latency priming persisted. Thus, a nonattentional explanation for the effect of trailing primes seems likely.

Short-term effects of regional irradiation on lymphocytes, T lymphocytes and eosinophils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chazarin, C.; Roche, H.; Bugat, R.; Pris, F.

1983-01-01

Twenty-three cancer patients treated only by regional irradiation were studied. Radiotherapy was delivered to the pelvis in 14 patients and to the mediastinum in 9. T lymphocytes were evaluated with the Jondal technique. Before treatment, lymphocyte counts were identical in patients and control. Decreases in total lymphocytes and T lymphocytes became significant in both groups after 40 Gy. Significant rises in eosinophil counts were found only after abdominal irradiation and seemed unrelated to variations in lymphocyte counts [fr

Priming in concert: Assimilation and contrast with multiple affective and gender primes.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fockenberg, D.A.; Koole, S.L.; Semin, G.R.

2008-01-01

The present research investigated the influence of multiple sequential primes on social categorization processes. Study 1 examined an evaluative decision task in which targets were preceded and succeeded by two primes. As expected, the temporally closest forward primes had assimilative effects on

Derangements of liver tissue bioenergetics in Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Al-Shamsi Mariam

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A novel in vitro system was employed to investigate liver tissue respiration (mitochondrial O2 consumption in mice treated with concanavalin A (Con A. This study aimed to investigate hepatocyte bioenergetics in this well-studied hepatitis model. Methods C57Bl/6 and C57Bl/6 IFN-γ−/− mice were injected intravenously with 12 mg ConA/kg. Liver specimens were collected at various timepoints after injection and analyzed for cellular respiration and caspase activation. Serum was analyzed for interferon-gamma (IFN-γ and aminotransferases. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis was used to determine the phenotype of infiltrating cells, and light and electron microscopy were used to monitor morphological changes. Phosphorescence analyzer that measured dissolved O2 as function of time was used to evaluate respiration. Results In sealed vials, O2 concentrations in solutions containing liver specimen and glucose declined linearly with time, confirming zero-order kinetics of hepatocyte respiration. O2 consumption was inhibited by cyanide, confirming the oxidation occurred in the respiratory chain. Enhanced liver respiration (by ≈68%, pp=0.005 was noted 12 hr after ConA treatment, and occurred in conjunction with deranged mitochondria, areas of necrosis, and prominent infiltrations with immune cells, most significantly, CD3+NKT+ cells. Increases in intracellular caspase activity and serum IFN-γ and aminotransferase levels were noted 3 hr after ConA treatment and progressed with time. The above-noted changes were less pronounced in C57Bl/6 IFN-γ−/− mice treated with ConA. Conclusions Based on these results, liver tissue bioenergetics is increased 3 hr after ConA exposure. This effect is driven by the pathogenesis of the disease, in which IFN-γ and other cytokines contribute to. Subsequent declines in liver bioenergetics appear to be a result of necrosis and active caspases targeting the mitochondria within hepatocytes.

Preparation of steroid radioligands for ultrafiltration assays by a solid-phase transport globulin method using concanavalin A-Sepharose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hiramatsu, R.; Nisula, B.C.

1985-01-01

Concanavalin A-Sepharose (Con A-Sepharose) was applied to separate non-protein-bound and albumin-bound radioactive impurities from steroid radioligands. Con A-Sepharose gel, plasma, and steroid radioligand were mixed, incubated, and then washed with buffer. This method was compared with an affinity diafiltration method which separates non-protein-bound radioactive impurities with a filter membrane. 3 H-Water and 3 H-estrone sulfate, chosen to serve as molecules representative of non-protein-bound and albumin-bound impurities, were removed quite effectively by the Con A-Sepharose method, while 85% of 3 H-estrone sulfate could not be removed by the diafiltration method. Plasma unbound cortisol (F) and testosterone (T) values determined by ultrafiltration using 3 H-F and 3 H-T prepared by the Con A-Sepharose method were significantly lower than those determined using the radioligands unprocessed or prepared by the diafiltration method. The whole procedure of the Con A-Sepharose method takes only 3-4 hours. This method is a simple, rapid, and effective technique for preparation of steroid radioligands for plasma protein binding studies

Mechanisms of subliminal response priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiesel, Andrea; Kunde, Wilfried; Hoffmann, Joachim

2008-07-15

Subliminal response priming has been considered to operate on several stages, e.g. perceptual, central or motor stages might be affected. While primes' impact on target perception has been clearly demonstrated, semantic response priming recently has been thrown into doubt (e.g. Klinger, Burton, & Pitts, 2000). Finally, LRP studies have revealed that subliminal primes evoke motor processes. Yet, the premises for such prime-evoked motor activation are not settled. A transfer of priming to stimuli that have never been presented as targets appears particularly interesting because it suggests a level of processing that goes beyond a reactivation of previously acquired S-R links. Yet, such transfer has not always withstood empirical testing. To account for these contradictory results, we proposed a two-process model (Kunde, Kiesel, & Hoffmann, 2003): First, participants build up expectations regarding imperative stimuli for the required responses according to experience and/or instructions. Second, stimuli that match these "action triggers" directly activate the corresponding motor responses irrespective of their conscious identification. In line with these assumptions, recent studies revealed that non-target primes induce priming when they fit the current task intentions and when they are expected in the experimental setting.

Associative priming in a masked perceptual identification task: evidence for automatic processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecher, Diane; Zeelenberg, René; Raaijmakers, Jeroen G W

2002-10-01

Two experiments investigated the influence of automatic and strategic processes on associative priming effects in a perceptual identification task in which prime-target pairs are briefly presented and masked. In this paradigm, priming is defined as a higher percentage of correctly identified targets for related pairs than for unrelated pairs. In Experiment 1, priming was obtained for mediated word pairs. This mediated priming effect was affected neither by the presence of direct associations nor by the presentation time of the primes, indicating that automatic priming effects play a role in perceptual identification. Experiment 2 showed that the priming effect was not affected by the proportion (.90 vs. .10) of related pairs if primes were presented briefly to prevent their identification. However, a large proportion effect was found when primes were presented for 1000 ms so that they were clearly visible. These results indicate that priming in a masked perceptual identification task is the result of automatic processes and is not affected by strategies. The present paradigm provides a valuable alternative to more commonly used tasks such as lexical decision.

Colorimetry and prime colours--a theorem.

Science.gov (United States)

Hornaes, Hans Petter; Wold, Jan Henrik; Farup, Ivar

2005-08-01

Human colour vision is the result of a complex process involving topics ranging from physics of light to perception. Whereas the diversity of light entering the eye in principle span an infinite-dimensional vector space in terms of the spectral power distributions, the space of human colour perceptions is three dimensional. One important consequence of this is that a variety of colours can be visually matched by a mixture of only three adequately chosen reference lights. It has been observed that there exists one particular set of monochromatic reference lights that, according to a certain definition, is optimal for producing colour matches. These reference lights are commonly denoted prime colours. In the present paper, we intend to rigorously show that the existence of prime colours is not particular to the human visual system as sometimes stated, but rather an algebraic consequence of the manner in which a kind of colorimetric functions called colour-matching functions are defined and transformed. The solution is based on maximisation of a determinant determining the gamut size of the colour space spanned by the prime colours. Cramer's rule for solving a set of linear equations is an essential part of the proof. By means of examples, it is shown that mathematically the optimal set of reference lights is not unique in general, and that the existence of a maximum determinant is not a necessary condition for the existence of prime colours.

How do wild baboons (Papio ursinus) plan their routes? Travel among multiple high-quality food sources with inter-group competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Noser, Rahel; Byrne, Richard W

2010-01-01

How do humans and animals travel between multiple destinations on a given foraging trip? This question is of theoretical and practical interest, yet few empirical data exist to date. We examined how a group of wild chacma baboons travelled among multiple, simultaneously fruiting mountain fig trees (Ficus glumosa). In the course of a 16-month study, this highly preferred fruit was available during a 3-week period, from relatively few sites, which were also utilized by four larger baboon groups. We used directness of route and travel speed of 13 days of observation, and approach rates of 31 days of observation to differentiate between purposeful and opportunistic encounters with 50 fig trees. The study group visited a total of 30 fig trees overall, but only 8 trees per day on average. Each morning, they travelled along a highly repetitive route on all days of observation, thereby visiting 2-4 fig trees. They approached these trees rapidly along highly directed paths without intermittently exploiting other food sources that were available in large quantities. Then, they abruptly changed behaviour, switching to lower travel speed and less directed routes as they foraged on a variety of foods. They approached additional fig trees later in the day, but approach rates were similar to those at times of year when fruit of this fig species was unavailable; this suggested that encounters with trees after the behavioural switch were not planned. Comparing visits to purposefully and opportunistically encountered trees, we found no difference in the average time spent feeding or frequency of feeding supplants, suggesting that purposefully and opportunistically visited trees had similar values. We conclude that when foraging for mountain fig fruit the baboons' cognitive maps either contain information on relatively few trees or of only a single route along which several trees are situated, leading to very limited planning abilities.

Natural gas prime movers: A prime income opportunity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katz, M.G.

1997-01-01

Although almost every factory, for example, uses compressed air to operate and control equipment--from power tools to packaging machinery--most air compressors are driven by electric motors. Similarly, although industry uses refrigeration for everything from freezing food to chilling warehouses to making chemicals and ice to operating skating rinks, natural gas powers only about 100 industrial refrigeration units in North America. But several factors are beginning to make natural gas more attractive as a prime mover. For one thing, the rising cost of electricity, with its demand or time-of-day and summer on-peak charges, has everyone looking for ways to cut their electric bills. At the same time, in the wake of deregulation of the nation's electric industry, customers can build on-site power plants that use natural gas to generate their own electricity, or have outside power suppliers or energy service companies (ESCOs) do it for them. Waste and exhaust heat, which can represent up to 60% of the total energy supplied from both engines and turbines, can be captured and used. Finally, growing concern over electric power outages has made natural gas more attractive for mission-critical operations, while new financing options let people buy and install natural gas prime movers more easily

Investigation of the retention and distribution of americium-241 in the baboon and the enhanced removal of americium-241 from the body by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guilmette, R.A.; Cohen, N.; Wrenn, M.E.

1975-01-01

Experiments were performed to study the metabolism and distribution of intravenously administered 241 Am in the adult and juvenile baboon; in addition, decorporation therapy using Na 3 -CaDTPA was performed on selected baboons to assess the efficacy of this drug in removing systemic burdens of 241 Am from this primate species. Determination of the kinetics of 241 Am was accomplished principally by in vivo methodologies and by radiochemical analysis of 241 Am activity of biological material. The use of Na 3 -CaDTPA as a therapeutic agent for the removal of 241 Am from the body proved to be an effective form of treatment in the case of early administration. (U.S.)

Behavioral Priming 2.0: Enter a Dynamical Systems Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Krpan, Dario

2017-01-01

On a daily basis, people are exposed to numerous stimuli, ranging from colors and smells to sounds and words, that could potentially activate different cognitive constructs and influence their actions. This type of influence on human behavior is referred to as priming. Roughly two decades ago, behavioral priming was hailed as one of the core forces that shape automatic behavior. However, failures to replicate some of the representative findings in this domain soon followed, which posed the following question: “How robust are behavioral priming effects, and to what extent are they actually important in shaping people's actions?” To shed a new light on this question, I revisit behavioral priming through the prism of a dynamical systems perspective (DSP). The DSP is a scientific paradigm that has been developed through a combined effort of many different academic disciplines, ranging from mathematics and physics to biology, economics, psychology, etc., and it deals with behavior of simple and complex systems over time. In the present paper, I use conceptual and methodological tools stemming from the DSP to propose circumstances under which behavioral priming effects are likely to occur. More precisely, I outline three possible types of the influence of priming on human behavior, to which I refer as emergence, readjustment, and attractor switch, and propose experimental designs to examine them. Finally, I discuss relevant implications for behavioral priming effects and their replications. PMID:28769846

Behavioral Priming 2.0: Enter a Dynamical Systems Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dario Krpan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available On a daily basis, people are exposed to numerous stimuli, ranging from colors and smells to sounds and words, that could potentially activate different cognitive constructs and influence their actions. This type of influence on human behavior is referred to as priming. Roughly two decades ago, behavioral priming was hailed as one of the core forces that shape automatic behavior. However, failures to replicate some of the representative findings in this domain soon followed, which posed the following question: “How robust are behavioral priming effects, and to what extent are they actually important in shaping people's actions?” To shed a new light on this question, I revisit behavioral priming through the prism of a dynamical systems perspective (DSP. The DSP is a scientific paradigm that has been developed through a combined effort of many different academic disciplines, ranging from mathematics and physics to biology, economics, psychology, etc., and it deals with behavior of simple and complex systems over time. In the present paper, I use conceptual and methodological tools stemming from the DSP to propose circumstances under which behavioral priming effects are likely to occur. More precisely, I outline three possible types of the influence of priming on human behavior, to which I refer as emergence, readjustment, and attractor switch, and propose experimental designs to examine them. Finally, I discuss relevant implications for behavioral priming effects and their replications.

Behavioral Effects and Pharmacokinetics of (±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) after Intragastric Administration to Baboons

OpenAIRE

Goodwin, Amy K.; Mueller, Melanie; Shell, Courtney D.; Ricaurte, George A.; Ator, Nancy A.

2013-01-01

(±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”) is a popular drug of abuse. We aimed to characterize the behavioral effects of intragastric MDMA in a species closely related to humans and to relate behavioral effects to plasma MDMA and metabolite concentrations. Single doses of MDMA (0.32–7.8 mg/kg) were administered via an intragastric catheter to adult male baboons (N = 4). Effects of MDMA on food-maintained responding were assessed over a 20-hour period, whereas untrained behaviors...

Mechanisms of masked evaluative priming: task sets modulate behavioral and electrophysiological priming for picture and words differentially.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiefer, Markus; Liegel, Nathalie; Zovko, Monika; Wentura, Dirk

2017-04-01

Research with the evaluative priming paradigm has shown that affective evaluation processes reliably influence cognition and behavior, even when triggered outside awareness. However, the precise mechanisms underlying such subliminal evaluative priming effects, response activation vs semantic processing, are matter of a debate. In this study, we determined the relative contribution of semantic processing and response activation to masked evaluative priming with pictures and words. To this end, we investigated the modulation of masked pictorial vs verbal priming by previously activated perceptual vs semantic task sets and assessed the electrophysiological correlates of priming using event-related potential (ERP) recordings. Behavioral and electrophysiological effects showed a differential modulation of pictorial and verbal subliminal priming by previously activated task sets: Pictorial priming was only observed during the perceptual but not during the semantic task set. Verbal priming, in contrast, was found when either task set was activated. Furthermore, only verbal priming was associated with a modulation of the N400 ERP component, an index of semantic processing, whereas a priming-related modulation of earlier ERPs, indexing visuo-motor S-R activation, was found for both picture and words. The results thus demonstrate that different neuro-cognitive processes contribute to unconscious evaluative priming depending on the stimulus format. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Donor T cells primed on leukemia lysate-pulsed recipient APCs mediate strong graft-versus-leukemia effects across MHC barriers in full chimeras

OpenAIRE

Ghosh, Arnab; Koestner, Wolfgang; Hapke, Martin; Schlaphoff, Verena; Länger, Florian; Baumann, Rolf; Koenecke, Christian; Cornberg, Markus; Welte, Karl; Blazar, Bruce R.; Sauer, Martin G.

2009-01-01

Antigen-presenting cells (APCs) of host origin drive graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects but can also trigger life-threatening graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) across major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barriers. We show that in vitro priming of donor lymphocytes can circumvent the need of recipient-derived APCs in vivo for mediating robust GVL effects and significantly diminishes the risk of severe GVHD. In vitro, generated and expanded T cel...

Cognate status and cross-script translation priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Voga, Madeleine; Grainger, Jonathan

2007-07-01

Greek-French bilinguals were tested in three masked priming experiments with Greek primes and French targets. Related primes were the translation equivalents of target words, morphologically related to targets, or phonologically related to targets. In Experiment 1, cognate translation equivalents (phonologically similar translations) showed facilitatory priming, relative to matched phonologically related primes, in conditions in which morphologically related primes showed no effect (50-msec prime exposure). Cross-language morphological priming emerged at longer prime exposure durations (66 msec), but cognate primes continued to generate more priming than did those in the morphological condition. In Experiments 2 and 3, the level of phonological overlap across translation equivalents was varied, and priming effects were measured against those for matched phonologically related primes and those in an unrelated prime condition. When measured against the unrelated baseline, cognate primes showed the typical advantage over noncognate primes. However, this cognate advantage disappeared when priming was measured against the phonologically related prime condition. The results are discussed in terms of how translation equivalents are represented in bilingual memory.

Biodistribution of radiolabeled lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawwaz, R.A.; Oluwole, S.; Wang, T.S.; Kuromoto, N.; Iga, C.; Hardy, M.A.; Alderson, P.O.

1985-01-01

Factors that might affect the biodistribution and clinical utility of radiolabeled lymphocytes were evaluated in experimental animals. Indium-111 (In-111) labeled lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood, lymph node, or spleen were found in significant amounts in the lymphoid tissues of Lewis rats as early as 3 hours after infusion. A progressive increase in nodal activity with concomitant fall of activity in other organs followed, indicating active recirculation of the lymphocytes. In vitro irradiation of the In-111 labeled lymphocytes resulted in no detectable lymphocyte recirculation and/or reduced localization in lymphoid tissue. Splenectomized animals and those sensitized to an organ allograft before cell infusion showed increased activity in their bone marrow. These results suggest that the source of the injected cells, cell irradiation dose level and host sensitization should be considered when radiolabeled lymphocytes are being prepared for use in clinical diagnosis and therapy

Effect of loading rate on the compressive mechanics of the immature baboon cervical spine.

Science.gov (United States)

Elias, Paul Z; Nuckley, David J; Ching, Randal P

2006-02-01

Thirty-four cervical spine segments were harvested from 12 juvenile male baboons and compressed to failure at displacement rates of 5, 50, 500, or 5000 mm/s. Compressive stiffness, failure load, and failure displacement were measured for comparison across loading rate groups. Stiffness showed a significant concomitant increase with loading rate, increasing by 62% between rates of 5 and 5000 mm/s. Failure load also demonstrated an increasing relationship with loading rate, while displacement at failure showed no rate dependence. These data may help in the development of improved pediatric automotive safety standards and more biofidelic physical and computational models.

Prime Slaughter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Valente, Andrea; Marchetti, Emanuela

2011-01-01

of primality and factorization into playful interactions, addressed to primary and early secondary school children. Taking into account individual needs expressed by children regarding play, during a participatory design processes aimed at enhancing learning in museums, Prime Slaughter allows for multiple......Starting from the difficulty of creating playful representation of domain-specific abstract concepts, this study discusses the design of Prime Slaughter, a computer game aimed at facilitating individual sense-making of abstract mathematical concepts. Specifically the game proposes a transposition...

STEP--a System for Teaching Experimental Psychology using E-Prime.

Science.gov (United States)

MacWhinney, B; St James, J; Schunn, C; Li, P; Schneider, W

2001-05-01

Students in psychology need to learn to design and analyze their own experiments. However, software that allows students to build experiments on their own has been limited in a variety of ways. The shipping of the first full release of the E-Prime system later this year will open up a new opportunity for addressing this problem. Because E-Prime promises to become the standard for building experiments in psychology, it is now possible to construct a Web-based resource that uses E-Prime as the delivery engine for a wide variety of instructional materials. This new system, funded by the National Science Foundation, is called STEP (System for the Teaching of Experimental Psychology). The goal of the STEP Project is to provide instructional materials that will facilitate the use of E-Prime in various learning contexts. We are now compiling a large set of classic experiments implemented in E-Prime and available over the Internet from http://step.psy.cmu.edu. The Web site also distributes instructional materials for building courses in experimental psychology based on E-Prime.

Discrimination of human cytotoxic lymphocytes from regulatory and B-lymphocytes by orthogonal light scattering

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Terstappen, Leonardus Wendelinus Mathias Marie; de Grooth, B.G.; ten Napel, C.H.H.; van Berkel, W.; Greve, Jan

1986-01-01

Light scattering properties of human lymphocyte subpopulations selected by immunofluorescence were studied with a flow cytometer. Regulatory and B-lymphocytes showed a low orthogonal light scatter signal, whereas cytotoxic lymphocytes identified with leu-7, leu-11 and leu-15 revealed a large

Wnt-10b secreted from lymphocytes promotes differentiation of skin epithelial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ouji, Yukiteru; Yoshikawa, Masahide; Shiroi, Akira; Ishizaka, Shigeaki

2006-01-01

Wnt-10b was originally isolated from lymphoid tissue and is known to be involved in a wide range of biological actions, while recently it was found to be expressed early in the development of hair follicles. However, few studies have been conducted concerning the role of Wnt-10b with the differentiation of skin epithelial cells. To evaluate its role in epithelial differentiation, we purified Wnt-10b from the supernatant of a concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocyte culture using an affinity column and investigated its effects on the differentiation of adult mouse-derived primary skin epithelial cells (MPSEC). MPSEC cultured with Wnt-10b showed morphological changes from cuboidal to spindle-shaped with inhibited proliferation, and also obtained characteristics of the hair shaft and inner root sheath of the hair follicle, represented by red-colored Ayoub Shklar staining, and reactions to AE-13 and AE-15 as seen with immunocytology. Further, RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the expression of mRNA for keratin 1, keratin 2, loricrin, mHa5, and mHb5, in association with a decreased expression of the basal cell marker keratin 5, in Wnt-10b-treated MPSEC. In addition, involvement of the canonical Wnt signal pathway was demonstrated by a TCF reporter (pTOPFLASH) assay. These results suggest that Wnt-10b promotes the differentiation of MPSEC and may play an important role in hair follicle development by promoting differentiation of epithelial cells

Monolayer freeze-fracture autoradiography: quantitative analysis of the transmembrane distribution of radioiodinated concanavalin A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, K.A.

1982-01-01

The technique of monolayer freeze-fracture autoradiography (MONOFARG) has been developed and the principles, quantitation, and application of the method are described. Cell monolayers attached to polylysine-treated glass were freeze-fractured, shadowed, and coated with dry, Parlodion-supported Ilford L4 photographic emulsion at room temperature. Quantitative aspects of MONOFARG were examined using radioiodinated test systems. Background was routinely -4 grains/μm 2 /day, the highest overall efficiency was between 25% and 45%, and grain density and efficiency were dependent on radiation dose for iodine-125 and D-19 development. Corrected grain densities were linearly proportional to iodine-125 concentration. The method was applied to an examination of the transmembrane distribution of radioiodinated and fluoresceinated concanavalin A ( 125 I-FITC-Con-A). Human erythrocytes were labeled, column-purified, freeze-dried or freeze-fractured, autoradiographed, and examined by electron microscopy. The number of silver grains per square micrometer of unsplit single membrane was essentially identical to that of split extracellular membrane halves. These data demonstrate that 125 I-FITC-Con-A partitions exclusively with the extracellular half of the membrane upon freeze-fracturing and can be used as a quantitative marker for the fraction of extracellular split membrane halves. This method should be able to provide new information about certain transmembrane properties of biological membrane molecules and probes, as well as about the process of freeze-fracture per se

Interleukin 2 is not sufficient as helper component for the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes but synergizes with a late helper effect that is provided by irradiated T-region-incompatible stimulator cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reddehase, M.; Suessmith, W.; Moyers, C.; Falk, W.; Droege, W.

1982-01-01

Interleukin 2-containing supernatants from concanavalin A-activated spleen cells (CSCS) were found to provide strong helper activity for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against allogeneic stimulator cells in microculture systems, but provided usually insufficient help for CTL responses against l-region compatible allogeneic or TNP-haptenated syngeneic stimulator cells. The interleukin 2-containing supernatant from HGG-activated AODH 7.1 hybridoma cells also mediated only relatively weak CTL responses against TNP-haptenated syngeneic cells in microcultures. Both types of supernatants, however, supported substantial responses against TNP-haptenated syngeneic stimulator cells if irradiated allogeneically activated syngeneic T cells or irradiated allogeneic spleen cells were added to the cultures. The allogeneic cells and the activated syngeneic T cells provided little helper activity if they were added in the absence of the interleukin 2-containing supernatants, thus demonstrating a synergistic effect between these 2 helper components. An l-region difference was sufficient for the helper effect of the allogeneic cells and control experiments showed that the presence of foreign l-region determinants could not be substituted for the TNP-haptenated stimulator cells.

Interleukin 2 is not sufficient as helper component for the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes but synergizes with a late helper effect that is provided by irradiated T-region-incompatible stimulator cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddehase, M.; Suessmith, W.; Moyers, C.; Falk, W.; Droege, W.

1982-01-01

Interleukin 2-containing supernatants from concanavalin A-activated spleen cells (CSCS) were found to provide strong helper activity for cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses against allogeneic stimulator cells in microculture systems, but provided usually insufficient help for CTL responses against l-region compatible allogeneic or TNP-haptenated syngeneic stimulator cells. The interleukin 2-containing supernatant from HGG-activated AODH 7.1 hybridoma cells also mediated only relatively weak CTL responses against TNP-haptenated syngeneic cells in microcultures. Both types of supernatants, however, supported substantial responses against TNP-haptenated syngeneic stimulator cells if irradiated allogeneically activated syngeneic T cells or irradiated allogeneic spleen cells were added to the cultures. The allogeneic cells and the activated syngeneic T cells provided little helper activity if they were added in the absence of the interleukin 2-containing supernatants, thus demonstrating a synergistic effect between these 2 helper components. An l-region difference was sufficient for the helper effect of the allogeneic cells and control experiments showed that the presence of foreign l-region determinants could not be substituted for the TNP-haptenated stimulator cells

Stimulation of cytolytic T lymphocytes by azaguanine-resistant mouse tumor cells in selective hat medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snick, J. van; Uyttenhove, C.; Pel, A. van; Boon, T.

1981-01-01

Primed syngeneic or umprimed allogeneic mouse spleen cells were stimulated with azaguanine-resistant P815 tumor cells that were killed by the addition of aminopterin to the stimulation medium. The recovery of lymphocytes and their cytolytic activity and specificity were similar to those obtained after stimulation with irradiated cells. This method conveniently replaces the inactivation of stimulatory cells by irradiation or mitomycin treatment. Moreover, it has the advantage of inactivating not only the stimulatory cells but also the tumor cells that often contaminate the spleens of tumor-bearing animals, provided these animals have been inoculated with azaguanine-resistant tumor cell mutants. (Auth.)

A proof of the conjecture on the twin primes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuo-ling, Zhou [Department of Lingnan college, Sun Yat-sen University GuangZhou, GuangDong, 510275 (China)

2016-06-08

In this short note, we have proved the conjecture on twin primes using some thoughts of the set theory. Firstly, using the original sieve method and a new notation(concept)introduced by myself, the conjecture on twin primes is summed up as an elementary successive limit, afterwards we form a subsequence of positive integers,and using it,we prove that the successive limits are commutative and complete the proof of the conjecture on twin primes We also give a more straightforward proof of the conjecture.

Comparison of three /sup 18/F-labeled butyrophenone neuroleptic drugs in the baboon using positron emission tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arnett, C D; Shiue, C Y; Wolf, A P; Fowler, J S; Logan, J; Watanabe, M

1985-03-01

The butyrophenone neuroleptics spiroperidol, benperidol, and haloperidol were radiolabeled with fluorine-/sup 18/ and studied in baboon brain using positron emission transaxial tomography (PETT). Pretreatment of the baboon with a high pharmacological dose of (+)-butaclamol reduced the specifically bound component of radioactivity distribution in the striatum to approximately the radioactivity distribution found in the cerebellum. Comparative studies of brain distribution kinetics over a 4-h period indicated that either (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol or (/sup 18/F)benperidol may be suitable for specific labeling of neuroleptic receptors. In an 8-h study with (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol, striatal radioactivity did not decline, suggesting that spiroperidol either has a very slow dissociation rate or that it binds irreversibly to these receptors in vivo. (/sup 18/F)Haloperidol may not be suitable for in vivo PETT studies, because of a relatively high component of nonspecific distribution and a faster dissociation from the receptor. Analysis of /sup 18/F in plasma after injection of (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol indicated rapid metabolism to polar and acidic metabolites, with only 40% of the total radioactivity being present as unchanged drug after 30 min. Analysis of the metabolic stability of the radioactively labeled compound in rat striatum indicated that greater than 95% of (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol remains unchanged after 4 h.

Search for infective mammalian type-C virus-related genes in the DNA of human sarcomas and leukemias.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolson, M O; Gilden, R V; Charman, H; Rice, N; Heberling, R; McAllister, R M

1978-06-15

DNA was extracted from two human sarcoma cell lines, TE-32 and TE-418, and the leukemic cells from five children with acute myelocytic leukemia, three children with acute lymphocytic leukemia and four adults with acute myelocytic leukemia. The DNAs, assayed for infectivity by transfection techniques, induced no measurable virus by methods which would detect known mammalian C-type antigens or RNA-directed DNA polymerase in TE-32, D-17 dog cells and other indicator cells, nor did they recombine with or rescue endogenous human or exogenous murine or baboon type-C virus. Model systems used as controls were human sarcoma cells, TE-32 and HT-1080, and human lymphoma cells TE-543, experimentally infected with KiMuLV, GaLV or baboon type-C virus, all of which released infectious virus and whose DNAs were infectious for TE-32 and D-17 dog cells. Other model systems included two baboon placentas and one embryonic cell strain spontaneously releasing infectious endogenous baboon virus and yielding DNAs infectious for D-17 dog cells but not for TE-32 cells. Four other baboon embryonic tissues and two embryonic cell strains, releasing either low levels of virus or no virus, did not yield infectious DNA.

Pharmacokinetics of Cefovecin in Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fascicularis), Olive Baboons (Papio anubis), and Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatto)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raabe, Brigitte M.; Lovaglio, Jamie A.; Grover, GScott; Brown, Scott A.; Boucher, Joseph F.; Yuan, Yang; Civil, Jacqueline R.; Gillhouse, Kimberly A.; Stubbs, Makeida N.; Hoggatt, Amber F.; Halliday, Lisa C.; Fortman, Jeffrey D.

2011-05-01

Cefovecin sodium is a long-acting, third-generation, cephalosporin antibiotic approved for the treatment of skin infections in dogs and cats. The pharmacokinetic properties of cefovecin were evaluated in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), olive baboons (Papio anubis), and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatto) by using a single-dose (8 mg/kg SC) dosing regimen. Plasma cefovecin concentrations were determined by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, and a noncompartmental model was used to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. The half-life of cefovecin was 4.95 {+-} 1.47 h in cynomolgus macaques, 9.17 {+-} 1.84 h in olive baboons, and 8.40 {+-} 2.53 h in rhesus macaques. These values are considerably lower than the half-lives previously published for dogs (133 h) and cats (166 h). The extended half-life of cefovecin in dogs and cats is speculated to be due to active reabsorption of drug in the kidney tubules because plasma clearance is well below the normal glomerular filtration rate. In nonhuman primates, renal clearance rates approximated plasma clearance rates, suggesting that active renal reabsorption of cefovecin does not occur in these species. The pharmacokinetic properties of cefovecin in nonhuman primates are vastly different from the pharmacokinetic properties in dogs and cats, precluding its use as a long-acting antibiotic in nonhuman primates. This study highlights the importance of performing pharmacokinetic studies prior to extralabel drug usage.

A note on the countable union of prime submodules

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Pournaki

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Let M be a finitely-generated module over a Noetherian ring R. Suppose is an ideal of R and let N=M and =Ann(M/N. If ⫅J(R, M is complete with respect to the -adic topology, {Pi}i≥1 is a countable family of prime submodules of M, and x∈M, then x+N⫅∪i≥1Pi implies that x+N⫅Pj for some i≥1. This extends a theorem of Sharp and Vámos concerning prime ideals to prime submodules.

Superficial Priming in Episodic Recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Dopkins, Stephen; Sargent, Jesse; Ngo, Catherine T.

2010-01-01

We explored the effect of superficial priming in episodic recognition and found it to be different from the effect of semantic priming in episodic recognition. Participants made recognition judgments to pairs of items, with each pair consisting of a prime item and a test item. Correct positive responses to the test item were impeded if the prime…

Ozone Treatment of Alveolar Bone in the Cape Chacma Baboon Does Not Enhance Healing Following Trauma

OpenAIRE

Kotze, Marthinus; Bütow, Kürt-W; Olorunju, Steve A.; Kotze, Harry F.

2013-01-01

In the international literature, the role of Ozone (O3) in the advancement in alveolar bone healing in the absence of bone pathology was not tested before. The purpose of this study was to evaluate alveolar bone regeneration after a bone defect was created and treated with a single topical administration of O3. Alveolar bone defects were created on five healthy chacma baboons. One side of the maxilla and mandible was topically treated with a single treatment of an O3/O2 mixture (3,5–4 % O3), ...

Z(prime) Phenomenology and the LHC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rizzo, Thomas G.

2006-01-01

A brief pedagogical overview of the phenomenology of Z(prime) gauge bosons is ILC in determining Z(prime) properties is also discussed. and explore in detail how the LHC may discover and help elucidate the models, review the current constraints on the possible properties of a Z(prime) nature of these new particles. We provide an overview of the Z(prime) studies presented. Such particles can arise in various electroweak extensions of that have been performed by both ATLAS and CMS. The role of the the Standard Model (SM). We provide a quick survey of a number of Z(prime)

Explaining sex differences in lifespan in terms of optimal energy allocation in the baboon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

King, Annette M.; Kirkwood, Thomas B.L.; Shanley, Daryl P.

2017-01-01

and other physiological functions, to differ between males and females. We present a model in which females provide all offspring care and males compete for access to reproductive females and in which the partitioning of available energy between the competing fitness-enhancing functions of growth......We provide a quantitative test of the hypothesis that sex role specialization may account for sex differences in lifespan in baboons if such specialization causes the dependency of fitness upon longevity, and consequently the optimal resolution to an energetic trade-off between somatic maintenance...... from differences in the value of somatic maintenance relative to other fitness-enhancing functions in keeping with the disposable soma theory....

Effects of concanavalin A on the progesterone production by bovine steroidogenic luteal cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Destro, F C; Martin, I; Landim-Alvarenga, Fdc; Ferreira, Jcp; Pate, J L

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of concanavalin A (CONA) on the progesterone (P4) production by bovine steroidogenic luteal cells (LCs) in vitro. Luteal cells were collected during the mid-luteal stage (at 10-12 days following ovulation) and processed in the laboratory. Luteal cells were grown for 7 days in a humid atmosphere with 5% CO2 , with or without 10% foetal bovine serum, and were subjected to the following treatments: control: no treatment; CONA (10 μg/ml); LH (100 μg/ml); CONA + LH; LH (100 μg/ml) + prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) (10 ng/ml); CONA + LH + PGF2α. Samples of the culture media were collected on days 1 (D1) and 7 (D7) for P4 quantification. The cells were counted on D7 of culture. Differences between treatments were considered statistically significant at p < .05. Culture in the presence of CONA decreased the P4-secreting capacity of LCs on D7 of culture, particularly in the absence of serum. The cell numbers did not change between treatments. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Wrath of God: religious primes and punishment.

Science.gov (United States)

McKay, Ryan; Efferson, Charles; Whitehouse, Harvey; Fehr, Ernst

2011-06-22

Recent evidence indicates that priming participants with religious concepts promotes prosocial sharing behaviour. In the present study, we investigated whether religious priming also promotes the costly punishment of unfair behaviour. A total of 304 participants played a punishment game. Before the punishment stage began, participants were subliminally primed with religion primes, secular punishment primes or control primes. We found that religious primes strongly increased the costly punishment of unfair behaviours for a subset of our participants--those who had previously donated to a religious organization. We discuss two proximate mechanisms potentially underpinning this effect. The first is a 'supernatural watcher' mechanism, whereby religious participants punish unfair behaviours when primed because they sense that not doing so will enrage or disappoint an observing supernatural agent. The second is a 'behavioural priming' mechanism, whereby religious primes activate cultural norms pertaining to fairness and its enforcement and occasion behaviour consistent with those norms. We conclude that our results are consistent with dual inheritance proposals about religion and cooperation, whereby religions harness the byproducts of genetically inherited cognitive mechanisms in ways that enhance the survival prospects of their adherents.

Complex architecture of primes and natural numbers.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Pérez, Guillermo; Serrano, M Ángeles; Boguñá, Marián

2014-08-01

Natural numbers can be divided in two nonoverlapping infinite sets, primes and composites, with composites factorizing into primes. Despite their apparent simplicity, the elucidation of the architecture of natural numbers with primes as building blocks remains elusive. Here, we propose a new approach to decoding the architecture of natural numbers based on complex networks and stochastic processes theory. We introduce a parameter-free non-Markovian dynamical model that naturally generates random primes and their relation with composite numbers with remarkable accuracy. Our model satisfies the prime number theorem as an emerging property and a refined version of Cramér's conjecture about the statistics of gaps between consecutive primes that seems closer to reality than the original Cramér's version. Regarding composites, the model helps us to derive the prime factors counting function, giving the probability of distinct prime factors for any integer. Probabilistic models like ours can help to get deeper insights about primes and the complex architecture of natural numbers.

Syntactic priming in American Sign Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Matthew L; Ferreira, Victor S; Mayberry, Rachel I

2015-01-01

Psycholinguistic studies of sign language processing provide valuable opportunities to assess whether language phenomena, which are primarily studied in spoken language, are fundamentally shaped by peripheral biology. For example, we know that when given a choice between two syntactically permissible ways to express the same proposition, speakers tend to choose structures that were recently used, a phenomenon known as syntactic priming. Here, we report two experiments testing syntactic priming of a noun phrase construction in American Sign Language (ASL). Experiment 1 shows that second language (L2) signers with normal hearing exhibit syntactic priming in ASL and that priming is stronger when the head noun is repeated between prime and target (the lexical boost effect). Experiment 2 shows that syntactic priming is equally strong among deaf native L1 signers, deaf late L1 learners, and hearing L2 signers. Experiment 2 also tested for, but did not find evidence of, phonological or semantic boosts to syntactic priming in ASL. These results show that despite the profound differences between spoken and signed languages in terms of how they are produced and perceived, the psychological representation of sentence structure (as assessed by syntactic priming) operates similarly in sign and speech.

Multisensory Flavor Priming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dijksterhuis, Garmt Bernard

2016-01-01

with a taxonomy of different priming situations. In food-related applications of flavor, both bottom-up (sensory) as well as top-down (expectations) processes are at play. Most of the complex interactions that this leads to take place outside the awareness of the perceiving subject. A model is presented where...... many, past and current, aspects (sensory, surroundings, social, somatic, sentimental) of a (flavor) perception, together result in the perception of a flavor, its liking. or its choice. This model borrows on ideas from priming, situated/embodied cognition, and (food-related) perception.......Flavor is multisensory; several interacting sensory systems-taste, smell, and mouthfeel-together comprise "flavor," making it a cognitively constructed percept rather than a bottom-up sensory one. In this chapter, some of the complications this entails for flavor priming are introduced, along...

Quantification of newly produced B and T lymphocytes in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caimi Luigi

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The immune defects occurring in chronic lymphocytic leukemia are responsible for the frequent occurrence of infections and autoimmune phenomena, and may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of the malignant clone. Here, we evaluated the quantitative defects of newly produced B and T lymphocytes. Methods The output of B and T lymphocytes from the production and maturation sites was analyzed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and healthy controls by quantifying kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs and T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs by a Real-Time PCR assay that simultaneously detects both targets. T-lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by six-color flow cytometric analysis. Data comparison was performed by two-sided Mann-Whitney test. Results KRECs level was reduced in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients studied at the very early stage of the disease, whereas the release of TRECs+ cells was preserved. Furthermore, the observed increase of CD4+ lymphocytes could be ascribed to the accumulation of CD4+ cells with effector memory phenotype. Conclusions The decreased number of newly produced B lymphocytes in these patients is likely related to a homeostatic mechanism by which the immune system balances the abnormal B-cell expansion. This feature may precede the profound defect of humoral immunity characterizing the later stages of the disease.

Mannobiose Binding Induces Changes in Hydrogen Bonding and Protonation States of Acidic Residues in Concanavalin A As Revealed by Neutron Crystallography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerlits, Oksana O. [UT/ORNL; Coates, Leighton [Biology; Woods, Robert J. [Complex; Kovalevsky, Andrey [Biology

2017-08-30

Plant lectins are carbohydrate-binding proteins with various biomedical applications. Concanavalin A (Con A) holds promise in treating cancerous tumors. To better understand the Con A carbohydrate binding specificity, we obtained a room-temperature neutron structure of this legume lectin in complex with a disaccharide Manα1–2Man, mannobiose. The neutron structure afforded direct visualization of the hydrogen bonding between the protein and ligand, showing that the ligand is able to alter both protonation states and interactions for residues located close to and distant from the binding site. An unprecedented low-barrier hydrogen bond was observed forming between the carboxylic side chains of Asp28 and Glu8, with the D atom positioned equidistant from the oxygen atoms having an O···D···O angle of 101.5°.

Progranulin Inhibits Human T Lymphocyte Proliferation by Inducing the Formation of Regulatory T Lymphocytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyu Hwan Kwack

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We have examined the effect of progranulin (PGRN on human T cell proliferation and its underlying mechanism. We show that PGRN inhibits the PHA-induced multiplication of T lymphocytes. It increases the number of iTregs when T lymphocytes are activated by PHA but does not do so in the absence of PHA. PGRN-mediated inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation, as well as the induction of iTregs, was completely reversed by a TGF-β inhibitor or a Treg inhibitor. PGRN induced TGF-β secretion in the presence of PHA whereas it did not in the absence of PHA. Our findings indicate that PGRN suppresses T lymphocyte proliferation by enhancing the formation of iTregs from activated T lymphocytes in response to TGF-β.

Selective inhibition by a synthetic hirudin peptide of fibrin-dependent thrombosis in baboons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadroy, Y.; Hanson, S.R.; Harker, L.A.; Maraganore, J.M.

1991-01-01

To determine the importance of the thrombin substrate recognition exosite for fibrinogen binding in the formation of both arterial and venous thrombi the authors evaluated the antithrombotic effects of the tyrosine-sulfated dodecapeptide from residues 53-64 of hirudin (H peptide) in a nonhuman primate model. This peptide was studied because it inhibits thrombin cleavages of fibrinogen by simple competition without blocking enzyme catalytic-site function. When an exteriorized arteriovenous access shunt model was used in baboons (Papio anubis), thrombus formation was induced by placing a thrombogenic device made of (i) a segment of tubing coated covalently with type I collagen, which generated platelet-rich thrombi under arterial flow conditions, and (ii) two subsequent annular regions of flow expansion that produced fibrin-rich thrombi typically associated with venous valves and veins. Thrombus formation was quantified by measurements of 111 In-labeled platelet and 125 I-labeled fibrinogen deposition in both arterial-flow and venous-flow portions of the device. These finding suggest that, by competitive inhibition of fibrinogen binding to thrombin, fibrin-rich venous-type thrombus formation may be selectively prevented. This strategy may be therapeutically attractive for preserving normal platelet function when conventional anticoagulant therapy is contraindicated

The influence of baboon predation and time in water on germination and early establishment of Opuntia stricta (Australian pest pear in the Kruger National Park

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W.D. Lotter

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The alien invader weed, Opuntia stricta Haw (family Cactaceae, is seriously threatening biodiversity in veld habitats of the Kruger National Park. Basic biological and ecological information on the establishment, growth and reproduction of the species is necessary for the development of effective strategies for its control. The rapid spread of the plant is apparently mainly due to seed dispersal by baboon (Papio ursinus. Sixty percent of seed taken from baboon faeces resulted in seedlings that established. Although palatability criteria for ripe fruit were more favourable than for unripe or medium-ripe fruit, seed from fruit at all three degrees of ripeness germinated equally well, and seedling establishment was similar. Despite their lower acidity, as well as higher total soluble sugar content and pH, cladodes are not subject to herbivory to near the extent that ripe fruit are. Freshly collected seed kept in Sabie River water showed significantly better germination/emergence after seven days submersion (83 than at 14 or 28 days (52 and 66 , respectively. Results suggest that seed dispersal of the species by animals, principally baboon, is an important cause of rapidly expanding infestations, and that dissipation in water will intensify the problem. Current findings should contribute toward the development of long-term weed management strategies aimed at con- tainment/eradication of the weed.

Down-Regulation of Placental Transport of Amino Acids Precedes the Development of Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Maternal Nutrient Restricted Baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantham, Priyadarshini; Rosario, Fredrick J; Weintraub, Susan T; Nathanielsz, Peter W; Powell, Theresa L; Li, Cun; Jansson, Thomas

2016-11-01

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is an important risk factor for perinatal complications and adult disease. IUGR is associated with down-regulation of placental amino acid transporter expression and activity at birth. It is unknown whether these changes are a cause or a consequence of human IUGR. We hypothesized that placental amino acid transport capacity is reduced prior to onset of reduced fetal growth in baboons with maternal nutrient restriction (MNR). Pregnant baboons were fed either a control (n = 8) or MNR diet (70% of control diet, n = 9) from Gestational Day 30. At Gestational Day 120 (0.65 of gestation), fetuses and placentas were collected. Microvillous (MVM) and basal (BM) plasma membrane vesicles were isolated. System A and system L transport activity was determined in MVM, and leucine transporter activity was assessed in BM using radiolabeled substrates. MVM amino acid transporter isoform expression (SNAT1, SNAT2, and SNAT4 and LAT1 and LAT2) was measured using Western blots. LAT1 and LAT2 expression were also determined in BM. Maternal and fetal plasma amino acids concentrations were determined using mass spectrometry. Fetal and placental weights were unaffected by MNR. MVM system A activity was decreased by 37% in MNR baboon placentas (P = 0.03); however MVM system A amino acid transporter protein expression was unchanged. MVM system L activity and BM leucine transporter activity were not altered by MNR. Fetal plasma concentrations of essential amino acids isoleucine and leucine were reduced, while citrulline increased (P growth trajectory. The reduction in plasma leucine and isoleucine in MNR fetuses may be caused by reduced activity of MVM system A, which is strongly coupled with system L essential amino acid uptake. Our findings indicate that reduced placental amino acid transport may be a cause rather than a consequence of IUGR due to inadequate maternal nutrition. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Recognizing Plant Defense Priming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martinez-Medina, Ainhoa; Flors, Victor; Heil, Martin; Mauch-Mani, Brigitte; Pieterse, Corné M J|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/113115113; Pozo, Maria J; Ton, Jurriaan; van Dam, Nicole M; Conrath, Uwe

2016-01-01

Defense priming conditions diverse plant species for the superinduction of defense, often resulting in enhanced pest and disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we propose a guideline that might assist the plant research community in a consistent assessment of defense priming in

Recognizing plant defense priming

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martinez-Medina, A.; Flors, V.; Heil, M.; Mauch-Mani, B.; Pieterse, C.M.J.; Pozo, M.J.; Ton, J.; Van Dam, N.M.; Conrath, U.

2016-01-01

Defense priming conditions diverse plant species for the superinduction of defense, often resulting in enhanced pest and disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we propose a guideline that might assist the plant research community in a consistent assessment of defense priming in

Lymphocyte as a biological dosimeter : a different approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhvanath, U.

1974-01-01

Chromosome aberration frequency as a measure of radiation exposure in human blood lymphocytes following a short term culture is well known and the technique is in use at several laboratories in the world to determine accidental exposures. Results of an entirely different approach to arrive at the exposure is presented. Time course of interphase death of human peripheral blood lymphocytes was followed for 6 days after exposure to cobalt-60 gamma radiation. Trypan blue dye exclusion method was used for scoring viable cells. Survival curves at 5 days post irradiation were exponential and had two components: an initial sensitive component representing a major sub-population of lymphocytes with a mean lethal dose (DO) of 75 rads and the other an apparently more resistant population with a Do of about 300 rads. The initial part of the survival curve which spans to about 100 rads reaching a survival level of 15 percent, can be used to read off the extent of exposure in accident cases. Although 60 percent of the initial lymphocytes survive in the unexposed control cultures, the method is sensitive to exposures of the order of 20 rads and reproducible results have been obtained. The response is independent of dose-rate from 65 rads/min to 65 rads/hour. Other aspects of the dosimetry system such as the neutron response, in vitro and in vivo correlation are discussed. (author)

Semantic priming, not repetition priming, is to blame for false hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Chad S

2017-08-01

Contextual and sensory information are combined in speech perception. Conflict between the two can lead to false hearing, defined as a high-confidence misidentification of a spoken word. Rogers, Jacoby, and Sommers (Psychology and Aging, 27(1), 33-45, 2012) found that older adults are more susceptible to false hearing than are young adults, using a combination of semantic priming and repetition priming to create context. In this study, the type of context (repetition vs. sematic priming) responsible for false hearing was examined. Older and young adult participants read and listened to a list of paired associates (e.g., ROW-BOAT) and were told to remember the pairs for a later memory test. Following the memory test, participants identified words masked in noise that were preceded by a cue word in the clear. Targets were semantically associated to the cue (e.g., ROW-BOAT), unrelated to the cue (e.g., JAW-PASS), or phonologically related to a semantic associate of the cue (e.g., ROW-GOAT). How often each cue word and its paired associate were presented prior to the memory test was manipulated (0, 3, or 5 times) to test effects of repetition priming. Results showed repetitions had no effect on rates of context-based listening or false hearing. However, repetition did significantly increase sensory information as a basis for metacognitive judgments in young and older adults. This pattern suggests that semantic priming dominates as the basis for false hearing and highlights context and sensory information operating as qualitatively different bases for listening and metacognition.

Allergen challenge primes for IL-5 mRNA production and abrogates beta-adrenergic function in peripheral blood T lymphocytes from asthmatics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Borger, P; Jonker, GJ; Vellenga, E; Postma, DS; De Monchy, JGR; Kauffman, HF

Background In previous studies, we have found a dysfunctional adenylyl cyclase (AC) system in patients with asthma after allergen provocation, which resulted in a 40-50% decreased generation of intracellular cAMP. In addition, in activated T helper lymphocyte clones, it has been demonstrated that

Differences between primed allogeneic T-cell responses and the primary mixed leucocyte reaction. Primed T cells become independent of the blocking effects of monoclonal antibodies against IL-1 beta and the CD5, CD11a (LFA-1), and CD11c (p 150,95) molecules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ødum, Niels; Hofmann, B; Morling, N

1988-01-01

.01) and the purified protein derivative (PPD) induced lymphocyte transformation response (42%, P less than or equal to 0.01) of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), whereas primed allogeneic responses to PBMC and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) cell lines were unaffected by this MoAb. In addition, preliminary data...... monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) directed against (i) adhesion molecules belonging to the CD11 cluster of leucocyte antigens (CD11a, LFA-1; CD11b, MAC1 = CR3; and CD11c, p 150,95); (ii) various T cell-related antigens (CD2, CD4, CD5 and CD8); and (iii) recombinant IL-1 beta. The CD5-, CD11a- and CD11c...

Reduced reproductive function in wild baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) related to natural consumption of the African black plum (Vitex doniana).

Science.gov (United States)

Higham, James P; Ross, Caroline; Warren, Ymke; Heistermann, Michael; MacLarnon, Ann M

2007-09-01

Several authors have suggested that the consumption of plant compounds may have direct effects on wild primate reproductive biology, but no studies have presented physiological evidence of such effects. Here, for two troops of olive baboons (Papio hamadryas anubis) at Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria, we show major seasonal increases in levels of fecal progesterone metabolites in females, and provide evidence that this is linked to the consumption of natural plant compounds. Increases in fecal progestogen excretion occurred seasonally in all females, in all reproductive states, including lactation. Detailed feeding data on the study animals showed that only one food species is consumed by both troops at the time of observed progestogen peaks, and at no other times of the year: the African black plum, Vitex doniana. Laboratory tests demonstrated the presence of high concentrations of progestogen-like compounds in V. doniana. Together with published findings linking the consumption of a related Vitex species (Vitex agnus castus) to increased progestogen levels in humans, our data suggest that natural consumption of V. doniana was a likely cause of the observed increases in progestogens. Levels of progestogen excretion in the study baboons during periods of V. doniana consumption are higher than those found during pregnancy, and prevent the expression of the sexual swelling, which is associated with ovulatory activity. As consortship and copulatory activity in baboons occur almost exclusively in the presence of a sexual swelling, V. doniana appears to act on cycling females as both a physiological contraceptive (simulating pregnancy in a similar way to some forms of the human contraceptive pill) and a social contraceptive (preventing sexual swelling, thus reducing association and copulation with males). The negative effects of V. doniana on reproduction may be counter-balanced by the wide-range of medicinal properties attributed to plants in this genus. This is

[{sup 11}C]d-threo-Methylphenidate, a new radiotracer for the dopamine transporter. Characterization in baboon and human brain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ding, Y.S.; Volkow, N.D.; Fowler, J.S. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)] [and others

1995-05-01

dl-threo Methylphenidate (MP, Ritalin) is a psychostimulant drug which binds to the dopamine transporter (DAT). We evaluated [{sup 11}C]d-threo-methylphenidate ([{sup 11}C]d-MP), the more active enantiomer, as a radiotracer for the DAT in baboons and human brain. Stereoselectivity, saturability and pharmacological specificity and reproducibility were examined. Stereoselectivity was examined in baboons by comparing [{sup 11C}]d-MP,[{sup 11}C]l-MP and [{sup 11}C]dl-MP. Unlabeled MP was used to assess the reversibility and saturability of the binding. GBR 12909,{beta}-(4-iodophenyl)tropane-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester ({beta}-CIT), tomoxetine and citalopram were used to assess the specificity of the binding. The ratios between the radioactivity in the striatum to that in cerebellum (ST/CB) were 3.3,2.2 and 1.1 for [{sup 11}C]d-MP,[{sup 11}C]dl-MP and [{sup 11}C]l-MP respectively. Most of the striatal binding of [{sup 11}C]d-threo-MP was displaced by injection of nonradioactive MP demonstrating reversibility. Pretreatment with MP (0.5 mg/kg), GBR12909 (1.5 mg/kg) or {beta}-CIT (0.3 mg/kg) reduced ST/CB by about 60% and the ratios of distribution volumes at the steady-state for the triatum to cerebellum (DV{sub st/}DV{sub cb}) by about 50%. Pretreatment with tomoxetine (3.0 mg/kg) or citalopram (2.0 mg/kg), inhibitors of the norepinephrine and serotonin transporter, had no effect. Studies of [{sup 11}C]d-MP in the human brain showed highest uptake in basal ganglia with a half clearance time of about 60 minutes. Repeated studies in 6 normal human subjects showed differences in DV{sub st/}DV{sub cb} between -7% and 8%. MP pretreatment decreased BG but no cortical or cerebellar binding and reduced Bmax/Kd by 91%.

Immunological studies in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. II. Active suppression or intrinsic defect--investigated by mixing AIDS cells with HLA-DR identical normal cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hofmann, B; Ødum, Niels; Jakobsen, B K

1986-01-01

The lymphocyte transformation responses to mitogens (phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (Con A), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM)), allogeneic cells, and the antigen-purified protein derivative (PPD) were studied in six acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients and in six healthy controls...... with the strong mitogens PHA and Con A or with allogeneic cells, but suppression may be involved in the decreased responses in cultures stimulated with PWM or PPD. Addition of supernatants from macrocultures of AIDS cells did not suppress responses of control PBMC. Thus, suppression by any lymphocyte subset...

Syntactic priming in American Sign Language.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew L Hall

Full Text Available Psycholinguistic studies of sign language processing provide valuable opportunities to assess whether language phenomena, which are primarily studied in spoken language, are fundamentally shaped by peripheral biology. For example, we know that when given a choice between two syntactically permissible ways to express the same proposition, speakers tend to choose structures that were recently used, a phenomenon known as syntactic priming. Here, we report two experiments testing syntactic priming of a noun phrase construction in American Sign Language (ASL. Experiment 1 shows that second language (L2 signers with normal hearing exhibit syntactic priming in ASL and that priming is stronger when the head noun is repeated between prime and target (the lexical boost effect. Experiment 2 shows that syntactic priming is equally strong among deaf native L1 signers, deaf late L1 learners, and hearing L2 signers. Experiment 2 also tested for, but did not find evidence of, phonological or semantic boosts to syntactic priming in ASL. These results show that despite the profound differences between spoken and signed languages in terms of how they are produced and perceived, the psychological representation of sentence structure (as assessed by syntactic priming operates similarly in sign and speech.

Rapid response learning of brand logo priming: Evidence that brand priming is not dominated by rapid response learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Boehm, Stephan G; Smith, Ciaran; Muench, Niklas; Noble, Kirsty; Atherton, Catherine

2017-08-31

Repetition priming increases the accuracy and speed of responses to repeatedly processed stimuli. Repetition priming can result from two complementary sources: rapid response learning and facilitation within perceptual and conceptual networks. In conceptual classification tasks, rapid response learning dominates priming of object recognition, but it does not dominate priming of person recognition. This suggests that the relative engagement of network facilitation and rapid response learning depends on the stimulus domain. Here, we addressed the importance of the stimulus domain for rapid response learning by investigating priming in another domain, brands. In three experiments, participants performed conceptual decisions for brand logos. Strong priming was present, but it was not dominated by rapid response learning. These findings add further support to the importance of the stimulus domain for the relative importance of network facilitation and rapid response learning, and they indicate that brand priming is more similar to person recognition priming than object recognition priming, perhaps because priming of both brands and persons requires individuation.

Repetition-priming effect: a cognitive task for the definition of a clinical assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Pagani

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This research aims to study how semantic priming words can influence behavioral measures (RTs, accuracy, to develop an experimental paradigm to differentiate visual neglect and hemianopia. 69 experimental subjects were involved in four experiments. In each experiment target words were preceded by word primes semantically related, neutral or unrelated to the target. The four experiments differed in terms of: number of prime, prime duration and distance between PC monitor and subject. In general, related primes should improve facilitatory effect in target recognition more than unrelated primes, reducing RTs and increasing response accuracy. After repeated ANOVA analysis applied to each experiment and paired comparisons, it is possible to point out that single related primes, shown for 150 ms, greatly improve response behavior in terms of RTs reduction. For future applications to the clinical field, we assume that neglect patients should be facilitated in these specific experimental conditions, due to implicit contralesional prime processing. On the contrary, hemianopics should nowise be facilitated, due to visual field deficit.

Psychotherapy augmentation through preconscious priming

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Francois eBorgeat

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To test the hypothesis that repeated preconscious (masked priming of personalized positive cognitions could augment cognitive change and facilitate achievement of patients’ goals following a therapy.Methods: Twenty social phobic patients (13 women completed a 36 weeks study beginning by 12 weeks of group behavioural therapy. After the therapy, they received 6 weeks of preconscious priming and 6 weeks of a control procedure in a randomized cross-over design. The Priming condition involved listening twice daily with a passive attitude to a recording of individualized formulations of appropriate cognitions and attitudes masked by music. The Control condition involved listening to an indistinguishable recording where the formulations had been replaced by random numbers. Changes in social cognitions were measured by the Social Interaction Self Statements Test (SISST.Results: Patients improved following therapy. The Priming procedure was associated with increased positive cognitions and decreased negative cognitions on the SISST while the Control procedure was not. The Priming procedure induced more cognitive change when applied immediately after the group therapy. Conclusion: An effect of priming was observed on social phobia related cognitions in the expected direction. This self administered addition to a therapy could be seen as an augmentation strategy.

Priming Ability Emotional Intelligence

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Schutte, Nicola S.; Malouff, John M.

2012-01-01

Two studies examined whether priming self-schemas relating to successful emotional competency results in better emotional intelligence performance. In the first study participants were randomly assigned to a successful emotional competency self-schema prime condition or a control condition and then completed an ability measure of emotional…

Partial protection of baboons against Schistosoma mansoni using radiation-attenuated cryopreserved schistosomula

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, E.R.; Dobinson, A.R.; Otieno, M.; Monorei, J.; Else, J.G.

1986-01-01

Three groups of five baboons were vaccinated in Kenya using three doses of 10,000 viable cryopreserved schistosomula attenuated with either 10, 20 or 60 krad 60 co-irradiation. The results from perfusion indicated reductions in worm burdens in the 10, 20 and 60 krad vaccinated groups of 18%, 23% and 20% respectively, none of which was statistically significant. No stunting of adult worms could be demonstrated in any of the groups. Mean tissue egg burdens were higher in all vaccinated groups and consequently egg production per worm pair was also higher than in the challenge controls. The logistics of preparing and delivering a cryopreserved radiation-attenuated vaccine were amply demonstrated; however, in this study the levels of protection achieved were not statistically significant; possible reasons for this are discussed. (author)

B and T lymphocytes in man. I. Effect of infant thymic irradiation on the circulating B and T lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, M.M.; Goh, K.; Hempelmann, L.H.

1976-01-01

B and T lymphocytes were studied in a group of adults whose thymic glands were irradiated in infancy for alleged thymic enlargement. Two independent methods were used to determine the B and T lymphocytes from each peripheral blood specimen: (1) the relative proportion of cells with surface immunoglobulins (B lymphocytes) and cells forming rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (T lymphocytes); and (2) the relative mitogenic response to phytohemagglutinin (T lymphocytes) and to pokeweed mitogen (B lymphocytes). All specimens were coded. The results obtained indicate: (1) a reduction of B and T lymphocytes; and (2) a decreased mitogenic response of lymphocytes to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen in this group of patients as compared with the controls. These observations suggest that (1) the effect of irradiation to the thymus gland on lymphocytes is long lasting and (2) both B and T lymphocytes are affected by irradiation to the thymus gland

Modified Multi Prime RSA Cryptosystem

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazali Kamardan, M.; Aminudin, N.; Che-Him, Norziha; Sufahani, Suliadi; Khalid, Kamil; Roslan, Rozaini

2018-04-01

RSA [1] is one of the mostly used cryptosystem in securing data and information. Though, it has been recently discovered that RSA has some weaknesses and in advance technology, RSA is believed to be inefficient especially when it comes to decryption. Thus, a new algorithm called Multi prime RSA, an extended version of the standard RSA is studied. Then, a modification is made to the Multi prime RSA where another keys is shared secretly between the receiver and the sender to increase the securerity. As in RSA, the methodology used for modified Multi-prime RSA also consists of three phases; 1. Key Generation in which the secret and public keys are generated and published. In this phase, the secrecy is improved by adding more prime numbers and addition of secret keys. 2. Encryption of the message using the public and secret keys given. 3. Decryption of the secret message using the secret key generated. For the decryption phase, a method called Chinese Remainder Theorem is used which helps to fasten the computation. Since Multi prime RSA use more than two prime numbers, the algorithm is more efficient and secure when compared to the standard RSA. Furthermore, in modified Multi prime RSA another secret key is introduced to increase the obstacle to the attacker. Therefore, it is strongly believed that this new algorithm is better and can be an alternative to the RSA.

Prime time news: the influence of primed positive and negative emotion on susceptibility to false memories.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Stephen; ten Brinke, Leanne; Riley, Sean N; Baker, Alysha

2014-01-01

We examined the relation between emotion and susceptibility to misinformation using a novel paradigm, the ambiguous stimuli affective priming (ASAP) paradigm. Participants (N = 88) viewed ambiguous neutral images primed either at encoding or retrieval to be interpreted as either highly positive or negative (or neutral/not primed). After viewing the images, they either were asked misleading or non-leading questions. Following a delay, memory accuracy for the original images was assessed. Results indicated that any emotional priming at encoding led to a higher susceptibility to misinformation relative to priming at recall. In particular, inducing a negative interpretation of the image at encoding led to an increased susceptibility of false memories for major misinformation (an entire object not actually present in the scene). In contrast, this pattern was reversed when priming was used at recall; a negative reinterpretation of the image decreased memory distortion relative to unprimed images. These findings suggest that, with precise experimental control, the experience of emotion at event encoding, in particular, is implicated in false memory susceptibility.

Transposed-letter priming of prelexical orthographic representations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinoshita, Sachiko; Norris, Dennis

2009-01-01

A prime generated by transposing two internal letters (e.g., jugde) produces strong priming of the original word (judge). In lexical decision, this transposed-letter (TL) priming effect is generally weak or absent for nonword targets; thus, it is unclear whether the origin of this effect is lexical or prelexical. The authors describe the Bayesian Reader theory of masked priming (D. Norris & S. Kinoshita, 2008), which explains why nonwords do not show priming in lexical decision but why they do in the cross-case same-different task. This analysis is followed by 3 experiments that show that priming in this task is not based on low-level perceptual similarity between the prime and target, or on phonology, to make the case that priming is based on prelexical orthographic representation. The authors then use this task to demonstrate equivalent TL priming effects for nonwords and words. The results are interpreted as the first reliable evidence based on the masked priming procedure that letter position is not coded absolutely within the prelexical, orthographic representation. The implications of the results for current letter position coding schemes are discussed.

Behavioral effects and pharmacokinetics of (±)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) after intragastric administration to baboons.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, Amy K; Mueller, Melanie; Shell, Courtney D; Ricaurte, George A; Ator, Nancy A

2013-06-01

(±)-3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy") is a popular drug of abuse. We aimed to characterize the behavioral effects of intragastric MDMA in a species closely related to humans and to relate behavioral effects to plasma MDMA and metabolite concentrations. Single doses of MDMA (0.32-7.8 mg/kg) were administered via an intragastric catheter to adult male baboons (N = 4). Effects of MDMA on food-maintained responding were assessed over a 20-hour period, whereas untrained behaviors and fine-motor coordination were characterized every 30 minutes until 3 hours postadministration. Levels of MDMA and metabolites in plasma were measured in the same animals (n = 3) after dosing on a separate occasion. MDMA decreased food-maintained responding over the 20-hour period, and systematic behavioral observations revealed increased frequency of bruxism as the dose of MDMA was increased. Drug blood level determinations showed no MDMA after the lower doses of MDMA tested (0.32-1.0 mg/kg) and modest levels after higher MDMA doses (3.2-7.8 mg/kg). High levels of 3,4-dihydroxymethamphetamine (HHMA) were detected after all doses of MDMA, suggesting extensive first-pass metabolism of MDMA in the baboon. The present results demonstrate that MDMA administered via an intragastric catheter produced behavioral effects that have also been reported in humans. Similar to humans, blood levels of MDMA after oral administration may not be predictive of the behavioral effects of MDMA. Metabolites, particularly HHMA, may play a significant role in the behavioral effects of MDMA.

Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Escape Does Not Always Explain the Transient Control of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac239 Viremia in Adenovirus-Boosted and DNA-Primed Mamu-A*01-Positive Rhesus Macaques

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Adrian B.; O'Connor, David H.; Fuenger, Sarah; Piaskowski, Shari; Martin, Sarah; Loffredo, John; Reynolds, Matthew; Reed, Jason; Furlott, Jessica; Jacoby, Timothy; Riek, Cara; Dodds, Elizabeth; Krebs, Kendall; Davies, Mary-Ellen; Schleif, William A.; Casimiro, Danilo R.; Shiver, John W.; Watkins, D. I.

2005-01-01

Adenovirus 5 (Ad5) vectors show promise as human immunodeficiency virus vaccine candidates. Indian rhesus macaques vaccinated with Ad5-gag controlled simian-human immunodeficiency virus SHIV89.6P viral replication in the absence of Env immunogens that might elicit humoral immunity. Here we immunized 15 macaques using either a homologous Ad5-gag/Ad5-gag (Ad5/Ad5) or a heterologous DNA-gag/Ad5-gag (DNA/Ad5) prime-boost regimen and challenged them with a high dose of simian immunodeficiency virus SIVmac239. Macaques vaccinated with the DNA/Ad5 regimen experienced a brief viral load nadir of less than 10,000 viral copies per ml blood plasma that was not seen in Mamu-A*01-negative DNA/Ad5 vaccinees, Mamu-A*01-positive Ad5/Ad5 vaccinees, or vaccine-naive controls. Interestingly, most of these animals were not durably protected from disease progression when challenged with SIVmac239. To investigate the reasons underlying this short-lived vaccine effect, we investigated breadth of the T-cell response, immunogenetic background, and viral escape from CD8+ lymphocytes that recognize immunodominant T-cell epitopes. We show that these animals do not mount unusually broad cellular immune response, nor do they express unusual major histocompatibility complex class I alleles. Viral recrudescence occurred in four of the five Mamu-A*01-positive vaccinated macaques. However, only a single animal in this group demonstrated viral escape in the immunodominant Gag181-189CM9 response. These results suggest that viral “breakthrough” in vaccinated animals and viral escape are not inextricably linked and underscore the need for additional research into the mechanisms of vaccine failure. PMID:16306626

Lymphocytic hypophysitis and hypothalamitis - a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stelmachowska, M.; Bolko, P.; Wasko, R.; Sowinski, J.; Kosinski, D.; Towpik, I.

2006-01-01

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an unusual disorder that nearly exclusively affects women. We present a case of 69 year-old female patient who developed the symptoms of diabetes insipidus and partial insufficiency of the anterior pituitary gland. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a mass involving the sella and suprasellar region. After exclusion of other causes of infiltrate in this region and due to evident reaction to glucocorticoid treatment the diagnosis of lymphocytic hypophisitis and hypothalamitis was established. (author)

The pros and cons of masked priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, K I

1998-03-01

Masked priming paradigms offer the promise of tapping automatic, strategy-free lexical processing, as evidenced by the lack of expectancy disconfirmation effects, and proportionality effects in semantic priming experiments. But several recent findings suggest the effects may be prelexical. These findings concern nonword priming effects in lexical decision and naming, the effects of mixed-case presentation on nonword priming, and the dependence of priming on the nature of the distractors in lexical decision, suggesting possible strategy effects. The theory underlying each of these effects is discussed, and alternative explanations are developed that do not preclude a lexical basis for masked priming effects.

Endotoxemia-induced lymphocyte apoptosis is augmented by a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jeppe Sylvest; A, Larsson; Brix-Christensen, Vibeke

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND: Sepsis and endotoxemia are associated with lymphocyte apoptosis. This has been regarded as harmful, contributing to further immune suppression in already immune-compromised patients. Because normalization of blood glucose improves outcome in critically ill patients, the authors...... hypothesized that one of the effects of insulin and normoglycemia would be inhibition of lymphocyte apoptosis. Therefore, in this experimental study in pigs, the authors examined the separate and combined effects of acute endotoxemia and a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (HEC) on lymphocyte apoptosis...... sections of each sample, the apoptosis of B and T lymphocytes were analyzed using stereologic methods: The number of apoptotic B and T cells was estimated by fluorescence immunohistochemistry with anti-active caspase-3 and either anti-CD21 (B lymphocytes) or anti-CD3epsilon (T lymphocytes). The number...

Flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations in induced sputum from patients with asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yutaro Shiota

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Study objectives were to compare the numbers of lymphocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations in induced sputum from asthmatic patients and from healthy subjects, and to determine the effect of inhaled anti-asthmatic steroid therapy on these cell numbers. Hypertonic saline inhalation was used to non-invasively induce sputum samples in 34 patients with bronchial asthma and 21 healthy subjects. The sputum samples were reduced with dithioerythritol and absolute numbers of lymphocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations were assessed by direct immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. To assess the effect of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP on induced sputum, numbers of lymphocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations in sputum also were evaluated after 4 weeks of BDP inhalation treatment in seven asthmatic patients. An adequate sample was obtained in 85.3% of patients with asthma and in 79.2% of the healthy subjects. Induced sputum from patients with asthma had increased numbers of lymphocytes (P = 0.009; CD4+ cells (P = 0.044; CD4+ cells-bearing interleukin-2 receptor (CD25; P = 0.016; and CD4+ cells bearing human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA-DR (P = 0.033. CD8+ cells were not increased in asthmatic patients. In patients treated with inhaled steroids, numbers of lymphocytes, CD4+ cells, CD25-bearing CD4+ cells and HLA-DR-bearing CD4+ cells in sputum decreased from pretreatment numbers (P = 0.016, 0.002, 0.003 and 0.002, respectively. Analysis of lymphocytes in induced sputum by flow cytometry is useful in assessing bronchial inflammation, and activated CD4+ lymphocytes may play a key role in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation in bronchial asthma.

Curcumin and Cholecalciferol in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Stage 0-II Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-26

Contiguous Stage II Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma; Noncontiguous Stage II Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma; Stage 0 Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; Stage I Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia; Stage I Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma; Stage II Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Space-Valence Priming with Subliminal and Supraliminal Words

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulrich eAnsorge

2013-02-01

Full Text Available To date it is unclear whether (1 awareness-independent non-evaluative semantic processes influence affective semantics and whether (2 awareness-independent affective semantics influence non-evaluative semantic processing. In the current study, we investigated these questions with the help of subliminal (masked primes and visible targets in a space-valence across-category congruence effect. In line with (1, we found that subliminal space prime words influenced valence classification of supraliminal target words (Experiment 1: Classifications were faster with a congruent prime (e.g., the prime ‘up’ before the target ‘happy’ than with an incongruent prime (e.g., the prime ‘up’ before the target ‘sad’. In contrast to (2, no influence of subliminal valence primes on the classification of supraliminal space targets into up- and down-words was found (Experiment 2. Control conditions showed that standard masked response-priming effects were found with both subliminal prime types, and that an across-category congruence effect was also found with supraliminal valence primes and spatial target words. The final Experiment 3 confirmed that the across-category congruence effect indeed reflected priming of target categorization of a relevant meaning category. Together, the data jointly confirmed prediction (1 that awareness-independent non-evaluative semantic priming influences valence judgments.

Recognizing Plant Defense Priming.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Medina, Ainhoa; Flors, Victor; Heil, Martin; Mauch-Mani, Brigitte; Pieterse, Corné M J; Pozo, Maria J; Ton, Jurriaan; van Dam, Nicole M; Conrath, Uwe

2016-10-01

Defense priming conditions diverse plant species for the superinduction of defense, often resulting in enhanced pest and disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance. Here, we propose a guideline that might assist the plant research community in a consistent assessment of defense priming in plants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative study of working memory: immediate serial spatial recall in baboons (Papio papio) and humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Fagot, Joël; De Lillo, Carlo

2011-12-01

Two experiments assessed if non-human primates can be meaningfully compared to humans in a non-verbal test of serial recall. A procedure was used that was derived from variations of the Corsi test, designed to test the effects of sequence structure and movement path length in humans. Two baboons were tested in Experiment 1. The monkeys showed several attributes of human serial recall. These included an easier recall of sequences with a shorter number of items and of sequences characterized by a shorter path length when the number of items was kept constant. However, the accuracy and speed of processing did not indicate that the monkeys were able to benefit from the spatiotemporal structure of sequences. Humans tested in Experiment 2 showed a quantitatively longer memory span, and, in contrast with monkeys, benefitted from sequence structure. The results are discussed in relation to differences in how human and non-human primates segment complex visual patterns. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

B Lymphocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Effects of Anti-TNF-α Agents on B Lymphocytes: A Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Pala, Ozlem; Diaz, Alain; Blomberg, Bonnie B; Frasca, Daniela

2018-05-22

The aim of this article was to review published research related to B lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis, their role in the pathogenesis of the disease, the effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors on B lymphocytes, the risk for infection, and responses to vaccines. A PubMed search was conducted to review recent advances related to B lymphocytes and the effects of anti-TNF-α on B lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis. B lymphocytes play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. In this review, we summarize the major mechanisms by which B lymphocytes play a pathologic role in the development and propagation of the disease, as B lymphocytes are recruited to the synovial fluid, where they contribute to local inflammation through the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators (cytokines, chemokines, micro-RNAs) and present antigens to T cells. We discuss the effects of TNF-α, either direct or indirect, on B lymphocytes expressing receptors for this cytokine. We also show that total B-cell numbers have been reported to be reduced in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus healthy controls, but are significantly increased up to normal levels in patients undergoing anti-TNF-α therapy. As for B-cell subsets, controversial results have been reported, with studies showing decreased frequencies of total memory B cells (and memory subsets) and others showing no differences in patients versus healthy controls. Studies investigating the effects of anti-TNF-α therapy have also given controversial results, with therapy found to increase (or not) the frequency of memory B lymphocytes, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis versus healthy controls. Those highly variable results could have been due to differences in patient characteristics and limited numbers of subjects. Finally, we summarize the effects of blocking TNF-α with anti-TNF-α agents on possible infections that patients with rheumatoid arthritis may contract, as well as on

Replicating rather than nonreplicating adenovirus-human immunodeficiency virus recombinant vaccines are better at eliciting potent cellular immunity and priming high-titer antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Bo; Wang, Liqun Rejean; Gómez-Román, Victor Raúl; Davis-Warren, Alberta; Montefiori, David C; Kalyanaraman, V S; Venzon, David; Zhao, Jun; Kan, Elaine; Rowell, Thomas J; Murthy, Krishna K; Srivastava, Indresh; Barnett, Susan W; Robert-Guroff, Marjorie

2005-08-01

A major challenge in combating the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic is the development of vaccines capable of inducing potent, persistent cellular immunity and broadly reactive neutralizing antibody responses to HIV type 1 (HIV-1). We report here the results of a preclinical trial using the chimpanzee model to investigate a combination vaccine strategy involving sequential priming immunizations with different serotypes of adenovirus (Ad)/HIV-1(MN)env/rev recombinants and boosting with an HIV envelope subunit protein, oligomeric HIV(SF162) gp140deltaV2. The immunogenicities of replicating and nonreplicating Ad/HIV-1(MN)env/rev recombinants were compared. Replicating Ad/HIV recombinants were better at eliciting HIV-specific cellular immune responses and better at priming humoral immunity against HIV than nonreplicating Ad-HIV recombinants carrying the same gene insert. Enhanced cellular immunity was manifested by a greater frequency of HIV envelope-specific gamma interferon-secreting peripheral blood lymphocytes and better priming of T-cell proliferative responses. Enhanced humoral immunity was seen in higher anti-envelope binding and neutralizing antibody titers and better induction of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. More animals primed with replicating Ad recombinants mounted neutralizing antibodies against heterologous R5 viruses after one or two booster immunizations with the mismatched oligomeric HIV-1(SF162) gp140deltaV2 protein. These results support continued development of the replicating Ad-HIV recombinant vaccine approach and suggest that the use of replicating vectors for other vaccines may prove fruitful.

Discovery: Prime Numbers

Science.gov (United States)

de Mestre, Neville

2008-01-01

Prime numbers are important as the building blocks for the set of all natural numbers, because prime factorisation is an important and useful property of all natural numbers. Students can discover them by using the method known as the Sieve of Eratosthenes, named after the Greek geographer and astronomer who lived from c. 276-194 BC. Eratosthenes…

Lymphocytic gastritis: a newly described entity: a retrospective endoscopic and histological study.