WorldWideScience

Sample records for lewis rats immunized

  1. Effect of IgG subclasses on in vivo bioavailability and metabolic fate of immune-complexed insulin in Lewis rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arquilla, E.R.; Stenger, D.; McDougall, B.; Ulich, T.R.

    1987-01-01

    The bioavailability, distribution, and metabolic fate of 125 I-labeled insulin complexed to antibodies in guinea pig antiserum, purified guinea pig IgG1, IgG2, a mixture of IgG1 and IgG2, and homologous Lou/m rat antiserum were studied in inbred Lewis rats. 125 I-insulin complexed to purified guinea pig IgG2 antibodies was rapidly cleared from the blood and sequestered in increasing amounts with time in the liver. Large amounts of the 125 I-insulin complexed to guinea pig IgG1 antibodies remained in the blood for at least 30 min. The bioavailability of 125 I-insulin bound to IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies was inhibited for at least 30 min because significantly less was available for rapid binding to insulin receptors on hepatocytes and renal tubular cells and its subsequent rapid degradation. The bioavailability of 125 I-insulin was further decreased when bound to antibodies in native guinea pig antiserum or a mixture of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies compared with the 125 I-insulin complexed to either purified IgG1 or IgG2 antibodies alone. The 125 I-insulin bound to antibodies in native guinea pig antiserum or a mixture of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies was distributed in vivo in a manner reflecting the relative concentrations of the IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies present. The bioavailability, distribution, and metabolic fate of 125 I-insulin in immune complexes prepared with homologous Lou/m rat insulin antiserum was qualitatively similar to that observed with immune complexes prepared with guinea pig insulin antiserum. It appears that the Lewis rat can be used as an in vivo model to study the bioavailability,distribution,and metabolic fate of insulin bound to xenogenic or homologous insulin antibodies

  2. Streptococcal cell wall-induced arthritis and adjuvant arthritis in F344----Lewis and in Lewis----F344 bone marrow chimeras

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    van Bruggen, M.C.; van den Broek, M.F.; van den Berg, W.B.

    1991-01-01

    Streptococcal cell wall (SCW)-induced arthritis and adjuvant arthritis (AA) are rat models for chronic, erosive polyarthritis. Both models can be induced in susceptible Lewis rats, whereas F344 rats are resistant. In AA as well as in SCW arthritis, antigen-specific T lymphocytes have been demonstrated to be crucial for chronic disease. In this communication the authors describe their studies to probe the cellular mechanism responsible for the difference in susceptibility of Lewis and F344, using bone marrow chimeras. By transplanting bone marrow cells from F344 into lethally irradiated Lewis recipients, Lewis rats were rendered resistant to SCW arthritis induction. F344 rats reconstituted with Lewis bone marrow, i.e., Lewis----F344 chimeras, develop an arthritis upon SCW injection. For AA comparable results were obtained. These data suggest that both resistance and susceptibility to bacterium-induced chronic arthritis are mediated by hemopoietic/immune cells and that the recipiental environment does not influence the susceptibility to chronic joint inflammation

  3. Membrane attack complex of complement is not essential for immune mediated demyelination in experimental autoimmune neuritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Giang T; Hodgkinson, Suzanne J; Carter, Nicole M; Killingsworth, Murray; Nomura, Masaru; Verma, Nirupama D; Plain, Karren M; Boyd, Rochelle; Hall, Bruce M

    2010-12-15

    Antibody deposition and complement activation, especially membrane attack complex (MAC) formation are considered central for immune mediated demyelination. To examine the role of MAC in immune mediated demyelination, we studied experimental allergic neuritis (EAN) in Lewis rats deficient in complement component 6 (C6) that cannot form MAC. A C6 deficient Lewis (Lewis/C6-) strain of rats was bred by backcrossing the defective C6 gene, from PVG/C6- rats, onto the Lewis background. Lewis/C6- rats had the same C6 gene deletion as PVG/C6- rats and their sera did not support immune mediated haemolysis unless C6 was added. Active EAN was induced in Lewis and Lewis/C6- rats by immunization with bovine peripheral nerve myelin in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), and Lewis/C6- rats had delayed clinical EAN compared to the Lewis rats. Peripheral nerve demyelination in Lewis/C6- was also delayed but was similar in extent at the peak of disease. Compared to Lewis, Lewis/C6- nerves had no MAC deposition, reduced macrophage infiltrate and IL-17A, but similar T cell infiltrate and Th1 cytokine mRNA expression. ICAM-1 and P-selectin mRNA expression and immunostaining on vascular endothelium were delayed in Lewis C6- compared to Lewis rats' nerves. This study found that MAC was not required for immune mediated demyelination; but that MAC enhanced early symptoms and early demyelination in EAN, either by direct lysis or by sub-lytic induction of vascular endothelial expression of ICAM-1 and P-selectin. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Maternal Deprivation of Lewis Rat Pups Increases the Severity of Experi-mental Periodontitis in Adulthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breivik, Torbjørn; Gundersen, Yngvar; Murison, Robert; Turner, Jonathan D; Muller, Claude P; Gjermo, Per; Opstad, Kristian

    2015-01-01

    Early life adverse events may influence susceptibility/resistance to chronic inflammatory diseases later in life by permanently dysregulating brain-controlled immune-regulatory systems. We have investigated the impact of infant-mother separation during early postnatal life on the severity of experimental periodontitis, as well as systemic stress and immune responses, in adulthood. Pups of periodontitis resistant Lewis rats were separated from their mothers for 3 h daily during postnatal days 2-14 (termed maternal deprivation; MD), separated for 15 min daily during the same time period (termed handling; HD), or left undisturbed. As adults, their behaviour was tested in a novel stressful situation, and ligature-induced periodontitis applied for 21 days. Two h before sacrifice all rats were exposed to a gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge to induce a robust immune and stress response. Compared to undisturbed controls, MD rats developed significantly more periodontal bone loss as adults, whereas HD rats showed a tendency to less disease. MD and HD rats exhibited depression-like behaviour in a novel open field test, while MD rats showed higher glucocorticoid receptor (Gr) expression in the hippocampus, and HD rats had altered methylation of genes involved in the expression of hippocampal Gr. LPS provoked a significantly lower increase in circulating levels of the cytokine TGF-1β in MD and HD rats, but there were no significant differences in levels of the stress hormone corticosterone. Stressful environmental exposures in very early life may alter immune responses in a manner that influences susceptibility/resistance to periodontitis.

  5. Innate Immune Activation Can Trigger Experimental Spondyloarthritis in HLA-B27/Huβ2m Transgenic Rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Tok, Melissa N.; Satumtira, Nimman; Dorris, Martha; Pots, Desirée; Slobodin, Gleb; van de Sande, Marleen G.; Taurog, Joel D.; Baeten, Dominique L.; van Duivenvoorde, Leonie M.

    2017-01-01

    Spondyloarthritis (SpA) does not display the typical features of auto-immune disease. Despite the strong association with MHC class I, CD8(+) T cells are not required for disease induction in the HLA-B27/Huβ2m transgenic rats. We used Lewis HLA-B27/Huβ2m transgenic rats [21-3 × 283-2]F1,

  6. Influence of Hesperidin on the Systemic and Intestinal Rat Immune Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariona Camps-Bossacoma

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Polyphenols, widely found in edible plants, influence the immune system. Nevertheless, the immunomodulatory properties of hesperidin, the predominant flavanone in oranges, have not been deeply studied. To establish the effect of hesperidin on in vivo immune response, two different conditions of immune system stimulations in Lewis rats were applied. In the first experimental design, rats were intraperitoneally immunized with ovalbumin (OVA plus Bordetella pertussis toxin and alum as the adjuvants, and orally given 100 or 200 mg/kg hesperidin. In the second experimental design, rats were orally sensitized with OVA together with cholera toxin and fed a diet containing 0.5% hesperidin. In the first approach, hesperidin administration changed mesenteric lymph node lymphocyte (MLNL composition, increasing the TCRαβ+ cell percentage and decreasing that of B lymphocytes. Furthermore, hesperidin enhanced the interferon (IFN-γ production in stimulated MLNL. In the second approach, hesperidin intake modified the lymphocyte composition in the intestinal epithelium (TCRγδ+ cells and the lamina propria (TCRγδ+, CD45RA+, natural killer, natural killer T, TCRαβ+CD4+, and TCRαβ+CD8+ cells. Nevertheless, hesperidin did not modify the level of serum anti-OVA antibodies in either study. In conclusion, hesperidin does possess immunoregulatory properties in the intestinal immune response, but this effect is not able to influence the synthesis of specific antibodies.

  7. Vasoprotective effects of life span-extending peripubertal GH replacement in Lewis dwarf rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ungvari, Zoltan; Gautam, Tripti; Koncz, Peter; Henthorn, Jim C; Pinto, John T; Ballabh, Praveen; Yan, Han; Mitschelen, Matthew; Farley, Julie; Sonntag, William E; Csiszar, Anna

    2010-11-01

    In humans, growth hormone deficiency (GHD) and low circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) significantly increase the risk for cerebrovascular disease. Genetic growth hormone (GH)/IGF-1 deficiency in Lewis dwarf rats significantly increases the incidence of late-life strokes, similar to the effects of GHD in elderly humans. Peripubertal treatment of Lewis dwarf rats with GH delays the occurrence of late-life stroke, which results in a significant extension of life span. The present study was designed to characterize the vascular effects of life span-extending peripubertal GH replacement in Lewis dwarf rats. Here, we report, based on measurements of dihydroethidium fluorescence, tissue isoprostane, GSH, and ascorbate content, that peripubertal GH/IGF-1 deficiency in Lewis dwarf rats increases vascular oxidative stress, which is prevented by GH replacement. Peripubertal GHD did not alter superoxide dismutase or catalase activities in the aorta nor the expression of Cu-Zn-SOD, Mn-SOD, and catalase in the cerebral arteries of dwarf rats. In contrast, cerebrovascular expression of glutathione peroxidase 1 was significantly decreased in dwarf vessels, and this effect was reversed by GH treatment. Peripubertal GHD significantly decreases expression of the Nrf2 target genes NQO1 and GCLC in the cerebral arteries, whereas it does not affect expression and activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular expression of IGF-1, IGF-binding proteins, and inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interluekin-6, interluekin-1β, inducible nitric oxide synthase, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1). In conclusion, peripubertal GH/IGF-1 deficiency confers pro-oxidative cellular effects, which likely promote an adverse functional and structural phenotype in the vasculature, and results in accelerated vascular impairments later in life.

  8. Stress Alters the Discriminative Stimulus and Response Rate Effects of Cocaine Differentially in Lewis and Fischer Inbred Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Therese A. Kosten

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Stress enhances the behavioral effects of cocaine, perhaps via hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis activity. Yet, compared to Fischer 344 (F344 rats, Lewis rats have hyporesponsive HPA axis function and more readily acquire cocaine self-administration. We hypothesized that stress would differentially affect cocaine behaviors in these strains. The effects of three stressors on the discriminative stimulus and response rate effects of cocaine were investigated. Rats of both strains were trained to discriminate cocaine (10 mg/kg from saline using a two-lever, food-reinforced (FR10 procedure. Immediately prior to cumulative dose (1, 3, 10 mg/kg cocaine test sessions, rats were restrained for 15-min, had 15-min of footshock in a distinct context, or were placed in the shock-paired context. Another set of F344 and Lewis rats were tested similarly except they received vehicle injections to test if stress substituted for cocaine. Most vehicle-tested rats failed to respond after stressor exposures. Among cocaine-tested rats, restraint stress enhanced cocaine’s discriminative stimulus effects in F344 rats. Shock and shock-context increased response rates in Lewis rats. Stress-induced increases in corticosterone levels showed strain differences but did not correlate with behavior. These data suggest that the behavioral effects of cocaine can be differentially affected by stress in a strain-selective manner.

  9. Innate Immune Activation Can Trigger Experimental Spondyloarthritis in HLA-B27/Huβ2m Transgenic Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa N. van Tok

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Spondyloarthritis (SpA does not display the typical features of auto-immune disease. Despite the strong association with MHC class I, CD8+ T cells are not required for disease induction in the HLA-B27/Huβ2m transgenic rats. We used Lewis HLA-B27/Huβ2m transgenic rats [21-3 × 283-2]F1, HLA-B7/Huβ2m transgenic rats [120-4 × 283-2]F1, and wild-type rats to test our hypothesis that SpA may be primarily driven by the innate immune response. In vitro, splenocytes were stimulated with heat-inactivated Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytokine expression and production was measured. In vivo, male and female rats were immunized with 30, 60, or 90 µg of heat-inactivated M. tuberculosis and clinically monitored for spondylitis and arthritis development. After validation of the model, we tested whether prophylactic and therapeutic TNF targeting affected spondylitis and arthritis. In vitro stimulation with heat-inactivated M. tuberculosis strongly induced gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IL-6, IL-1α, and IL-1β, in the HLA-B27 transgenic rats compared with controls. In vivo immunization induced an increased spondylitis and arthritis incidence and an accelerated and synchronized onset of spondylitis and arthritis in HLA-B27 transgenic males and females. Moreover, immunization overcame the protective effect of orchiectomy. Prophylactic TNF targeting resulted in delayed spondylitis and arthritis development and reduced arthritis severity, whereas therapeutic TNF blockade did not affect spondylitis and arthritis severity. Collectively, these data indicate that innate immune activation plays a role in the initiation of HLA-B27-associated disease and allowed to establish a useful in vivo model to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease initiation and progression.

  10. Effect of isologous and autologous insulin antibodies on in vivo bioavailability and metabolic fate of immune-complexed insulin in Lou/M rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arquilla, E.R.; McDougall, B.R.; Stenger, D.P.

    1989-01-01

    The in vivo bioavailability, distribution, and metabolic fate of 125I-labeled insulin complexed to isologous and autologous antibodies were studied in inbred Lou/M rats. There was an impaired bioavailability of the 125I-insulin bound to the isologous and autologous antibodies. Very little of the 125I-insulin in these immune complexes could bind to insulin receptors on hepatocytes or renal tubular cells and be degraded, because the amounts of 125I from degraded 125I-insulin in the blood or secreted into the stomach were markedly attenuated in both cases for at least 30 min after injection. There was a simultaneous accumulation of 125I-insulin immune complexes in the liver and the kidneys of Lou/M rats injected with 125I-insulin complexed with isologous antibodies or when insulin-immunized Lou/M rats were injected with 125I-insulin during the same interval. The impaired bioavailability of immune-complexed insulin and altered distribution of radioactivity due to the accumulation of immune complexes in the liver and kidney were also observed in previous experiments in which Lewis rats were injected with xenogenic guinea pig and homologous insulin antibodies. These observations are therefore submitted as evidence that the Lou/M rat is a valid model in which to study the bioavailability of insulin immune complexed to isologous, homologous, and xenogenic antibodies and the metabolic fate of the respective insulin-antibody immune complexes

  11. Growth hormone and IGF-1 deficiency exacerbate high-fat diet-induced endothelial impairment in obese Lewis dwarf rats: implications for vascular aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey-Downs, Lora C; Sosnowska, Danuta; Toth, Peter; Mitschelen, Matthew; Gautam, Tripti; Henthorn, Jim C; Ballabh, Praveen; Koller, Akos; Farley, Julie A; Sonntag, William E; Csiszar, Anna; Ungvari, Zoltan

    2012-06-01

    Previous studies suggest that the age-related decline in circulating growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) levels significantly contribute to vascular dysfunction in aging by impairing cellular oxidative stress resistance pathways. Obesity in elderly individuals is increasing at alarming rates, and there is evidence suggesting that elderly individuals are more vulnerable to the deleterious cardiovascular effects of obesity than younger individuals. However, the specific mechanisms through which aging, GH/IGF-1 deficiency, and obesity interact to promote the development of cardiovascular disease remain unclear. To test the hypothesis that low circulating GH/IGF-1 levels exacerbate the pro-oxidant and proinflammatory vascular effects of obesity, GH/IGF-1-deficient Lewis dwarf rats and heterozygous control rats were fed either a standard diet or a high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 months. Feeding an HFD resulted in similar relative weight gains and increases in body fat content in Lewis dwarf rats and control rats. HFD-fed Lewis dwarf rats exhibited a relative increase in blood glucose levels, lower insulin, and impaired glucose tolerance as compared with HFD-fed control rats. Analysis of serum cytokine expression signatures indicated that chronic GH/IGF-1 deficiency exacerbates HFD-induced inflammation. GH/IGF-1 deficiency also exacerbated HFD-induced endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and expression of inflammatory markers (tumor necrosis factor-α, ICAM-1) in aortas of Lewis dwarf rats. Overall, our results are consistent with the available clinical and experimental evidence suggesting that GH/IGF-1 deficiency renders the cardiovascular system more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of obesity.

  12. Differential impact of stress on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis: Gene expression changes in Lewis and Fisher rats

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ergang, Peter; Vodička, Martin; Soták, Matúš; Klusoňová, Petra; Behuliak, Michal; Řeháková, Lenka; Zach, P.; Pácha, Jiří

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 53, Mar 2015 (2015), s. 49-59 ISSN 0306-4530 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP303/10/0969 Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 * brain * neuropeptides * stress * Fisher rat * Lewis rat Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 4.704, year: 2015

  13. Dr. Lewis Kitchener Dahl, the Dahl Rats and the ‘Inconvenient truth’ abou the Genetics of Hypertension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joe, Bina

    2014-01-01

    Synopsis Lewis K. Dahl is regarded as an iconic figure in the field of hypertension research. During the 1960s and 1970s he published several seminal articles in the field that shed light on the relationship between salt and hypertension. Further, the Dahl rat models of hypertension that he developed by a selective breeding strategy are among the most widely used models for hypertension research. To this day, genetic studies using this model are ongoing in our laboratory. While Dr. Dahl is known for his contributions to the field of hypertension, very little, if any, of his personal history is documented. This article details a short biography of Dr. Lewis Dahl, the history behind the development of the Dahl rats and presents an overview of the results obtained through the genetic analysis of the Dahl rat as an experimental model to study the inheritance of hypertension. PMID:25646295

  14. Cross-immunity among allogeneic tumors of rats immunized with solid tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogasawara, Masamichi

    1979-01-01

    Several experiments were done for the study of cross-immunity among allogeneic rat tumors by immunization using gamma-irradiated or non-irradiated solid tumors. Each group of rats which were immunized with gamma-irradiation solid tumor inocula from ascites tumor cell line of tetra-ploid Hirosaki sarcoma, Usubuchi sarcoma or AH 130, showed an apparent resistance against the intraperitoneal challenge with Hirosaki sarcoma. A similar resistance was demonstrated in the case of the challenge with Usubuchi sarcoma into rats immunized with non-irradiated methylcholanthrene (MCA)-induced tumors. In using solid MCA tumors as immunogen and Hirosaki sarcoma as challenge tumor, it was also demonstrated in 2 out of 3 groups immunized with non-irradiated tumors. In the experiment of trying to induce cross-immunity between 2 MCA tumors by immunization with irradiated solid tumor only, the inhibitory effect on the growth was observed in the early stage in the treated groups as compared with the control one. From the above results, it may be considered that the immunization with irradiated solid tumors fromas cites cell lines and non-irradiated solid MCA tumors induced strong cross-immunity in general, but that the immunization with only irradiated solid MCA tumors induced weak cross-immunity commonly. (author)

  15. Cross-immunity among allogeneic tumors in rats immunized with gamma-irradiated ascites tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sato, Tatsusuke; Suga, Michio; Kudo, Hajime; Waga, Takashi; Ogasawara, Masamichi

    1980-01-01

    Non-inbred rats of the Gifu strain were intraperitoneally challenged with Hirosaki sarcoma (Tetraploid type, 10 5 cells) after repeated immunization with gamma-irradiated (13,000 rads 60 Co) allogeneic non-viral tumors of ascites type (Tetraploid or diploid type of Hirosaki sarcoma, Usubuchi sarcoma or AH130). In rats immunized not only with the same tumor as the immunizing tumor but also with a different tumor, the growth of the challenge tumor was markedly inhibited as compared with the control in non-immunized rats. It is considered that these tumors retained common antigen(s) by the resistance to irradiation because of their form of ascites tumor. The marked cross-immunity in rats immunized with AH130 may be explained by the fact that gamma-irradiated AH130 cells were alive longer in the peritoneal cavity than other tumors on account of its high resistance to irradiation. (author)

  16. Strain-dependent effects of diazepam and the 5-HT2B/2C receptor antagonist SB 206553 in spontaneously hypertensive and Lewis rats tested in the elevated plus-maze

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takahashi R.N.

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The 5-HT2B/2C receptor antagonist SB 206553 exerts anxiolytic effects in rat models of anxiety. However, these effects have been reported for standard rat strains, thus raising the issue of SB 206553 effects in rat strains displaying different levels of anxiety. Herein, the effects of SB 206553 in a 5-min elevated plus-maze test of anxiety were compared to those of the reference anxiolytic, diazepam, in two rat strains respectively displaying high (Lewis rats and low (spontaneously hypertensive rats, SHR anxiety. Diazepam (0.37, 0.75, or 1.5 mg/kg; 30 min before testing increased in a dose-dependent manner the behavioral measures in SHR, but not in Lewis rats. On the other hand, SB 206553 (1.25, 2.5, or 5 mg/kg; 30 min before testing failed to alter the anxiety parameters in both strains, whereas it increased closed arm entries in Lewis rats, suggesting that it elicited hyperactivity in the latter strain. Accordingly, the hypolocomotor effect of the nonselective 5-HT2B/2C receptor agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (1.5 mg/kg ip 20 min before a 15-min exposure to an activity cage was prevented by the 1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg doses of SB 206553 in Lewis rats and SHR, respectively. Compared with SHR, Lewis rats may display a lower response to benzodiazepine-mediated effects and a more efficient control of locomotor activity by 5-HT2B/2C receptors.

  17. Immunity to Fasciola hepatica in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armour, J.; Dargie, J.D.

    1974-01-01

    Experiments were carried out which demonstrated an acquired immunity to Fasciola hapatica in the rat. It was shown that this immunity could be transferred to recipients using either lymphoid cells or serum from infected donor rats. The extent of the protection obtained by cells appeared to be related to the quantity and persistence of the antigenic stimulus in the donor. Likewise, the degree of immunity conferred by immune serum was dependent upon the volume transferred. The significance of these results in relation to the mechanism of immunity to fascioliasis is discussed

  18. Effects of the immunomodulator, VGX-1027, in endotoxin-induced uveitis in Lewis rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mangano, K; Sardesai, N Y; Quattrocchi, C

    2008-01-01

    VGX-1027 is a novel, low molecular weight, immunomodulatory compound that has shown efficacy against a variety of immuno-inflammatory disease models in animals including autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice, collagen-induced arthritis and chemically induced inflammatory colitis. Here, we have studied ...... the effects of VGX-1027 on the development of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in male Lewis rats, as a model of inflammatory ocular diseases in humans....

  19. Immunity to experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections in rats. Transfer of immunity with primed CD45RC+ and CD45RC- CD4 T-cell subpopulations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

    1996-01-01

    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 CD4 T cells were separated by antibody......-induced increase in CD45RC+ cells is most likely due to generation of antigen-specific memory T cells....

  20. Serum expression of HA and LN in lewis rat models of autoimmune myocarditis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Li'na; Li Tieling; Zhang Yajing; Yang Tingshu; Ding Yu; Guo Shuli; Zhao Xiaoning

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To study the clinical significance of dynamic changes of serum expressions of hyaluronic acid (HA) and laminin (LN) in Lewis rat models of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Methods: Fifty Lewis rat models of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) were established with injection of recombinant cardiac C protein with complete freund adjuvant into two foot-pads plus intraperitoneal injection of pertussis toxin. At 1w, 2w, 4w, 6w and 8w, 10 models were sacrificed each time;cardiac tissues were examined with HE stain for myocardial inflammatory score and examined with picrosirius red stain for myocardial fibrosis score, also, serum HA and LN expressions were determined with RIA. These examinations were performed in 10 undisturbed animals as controls. Results: The myocardial inflammatory scores of the models at 1w were about the same as those in the controls, but the scores rapidly increased from 2w on to 4w then fell gradually. The myocardial fibrosis scores of the models at 1wk were also not much different from those in controls. The fibrosis scores increased rapidly at 4w and maintained at high level up to 8w. The changes of serum expressions of HA and LN roughly paralleled those of myocardial fibrosis scores i. e. rapidly increased at 4w up to 8w. Conclusion: Serum expressions of HA and LN could faithfully reflect the degree of myocardial fibrosis in rat models of EAM. HA and LN were useful markers of myocardial fibrois and were of prognostic importance. (authors)

  1. Development of immune memory to glial brain tumours after tumour regression induced by immunotherapeutic Toll-like receptor 7/8 activation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stathopoulos, A.; Pretto, C.; Devilliers, L.; Hofman, F.M.; Kruse, C.A.; Jadus, M.; Chen, T.C.; Schijns, V.E.J.C.

    2012-01-01

    The efficacy of immunotherapeutic TLR7/8 activation by resiquimod (R848) was evaluated in vivo, in the CNS-1 rat glioma model syngeneic to Lewis rats. The immune treatment was compared with cytotoxic cyclophosphamide chemotherapy, and as well, was compared with the combination cytotoxic and

  2. 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....

  3. Tumor Progression Is Associated with Increasing CD11b(+) Cells and CCL2 in Lewis Rat Sarcoma

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mishra, Rajbardhan; Kovalská, Jana; Janda, Jozef; Vannucci, Luca; Rajmon, R.; Horák, Vratislav

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 35, č. 2 (2015), s. 703-712 ISSN 0250-7005 R&D Projects: GA MŠk ED2.1.00/03.0124 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : Lewis rat sarcoma * CD11b+cells * neutrophils Subject RIV: FD - Oncology ; Hematology Impact factor: 1.895, year: 2015

  4. Intestinal T lymphocytes of different rat strains in immunotoxicity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruder, M.C.; Spanhaak, S.; Bruijntjes, J.P.; Michielsen, C.P.P.C.; Vos, J.G.; Kuper, C.F.

    1999-01-01

    In order to study the intestinal mucosal immune cells, with emphasis on single T lymphocytcs, an inventory was made of single and organized lymphocytes in the epithelium and lamina propria of the small intestines of untreated Wistar, Fischer 344, and Lewis rats. The single and organized lymphocytes

  5. Fibre type composition of soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles in normal female inbred Lewis rats

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Soukup, Tomáš; Zachařová, Gisela; Smerdu, V.

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 104, č. 4 (2002), s. 399-405 ISSN 0065-1281 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA304/00/1653 Grant - others:CZ - SI Czech-Slovenian Intergovernmental S&T Co-operation(XC) - Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : inbred Lewis rats * skeletal muscles * soleus and EDL muscles Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 0.867, year: 2002

  6. Kefir milk enhances intestinal immunity in young but not old rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thoreux, K; Schmucker, D L

    2001-03-01

    The adjuvant effect of kefir fermented milk on the mucosal and systemic immune systems was examined in young (6 mo old) and old (26 mo old) rats. Kefir-fed rats consisted of young or old rats consuming kefir-fermented milk ad libitum on a daily basis in addition to the standard diet, for 28 d. Control rats consumed only the standard diet. The rats were immunized intraduodenally with cholera toxin (CT) on d 7 and 21 and killed on d 28. The nonspecific serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A titers in kefir-fed and control rats did not differ in either age group. The serum anti-CT IgA antibody concentrations were significantly higher in the kefir-fed young rats compared with their age-matched controls (+86%, P: 120%, P: kefir-fed rats compared with their respective controls. Nevertheless, these results demonstrate that a kefir-supplemented diet affects the intestinal mucosal and systemic immune responses to intraduodenal CT differently in young and old rats. Most importantly, our data suggest that orally administered kefir enhances the specific intestinal mucosal immune response against CT in young adult, but not in senescent rats.

  7. Passive immunization reduces behavioral and neuropathological deficits in an alpha-synuclein transgenic model of Lewy body disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masliah, Eliezer; Rockenstein, Edward; Mante, Michael; Crews, Leslie; Spencer, Brian; Adame, Anthony; Patrick, Christina; Trejo, Margarita; Ubhi, Kiren; Rohn, Troy T; Mueller-Steiner, Sarah; Seubert, Peter; Barbour, Robin; McConlogue, Lisa; Buttini, Manuel; Games, Dora; Schenk, Dale

    2011-04-29

    Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Parkinson's Disease (PD) are common causes of motor and cognitive deficits and are associated with the abnormal accumulation of alpha-synuclein (α-syn). This study investigated whether passive immunization with a novel monoclonal α-syn antibody (9E4) against the C-terminus (CT) of α-syn was able to cross into the CNS and ameliorate the deficits associated with α-syn accumulation. In this study we demonstrate that 9E4 was effective at reducing behavioral deficits in the water maze, moreover, immunization with 9E4 reduced the accumulation of calpain-cleaved α-syn in axons and synapses and the associated neurodegenerative deficits. In vivo studies demonstrated that 9E4 traffics into the CNS, binds to cells that display α-syn accumulation and promotes α-syn clearance via the lysosomal pathway. These results suggest that passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies against the CT of α-syn may be of therapeutic relevance in patients with PD and DLB.

  8. Effect of Scoparia dulcis on noise stress induced adaptive immunity and cytokine response in immunized Wistar rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundareswaran, Loganathan; Srinivasan, Sakthivel; Wankhar, Wankupar; Sheeladevi, Rathinasamy

    Noise acts as a stressor and is reported to have impact on individual health depending on nature, type, intensity and perception. Modern medicine has no effective drugs or cure to prevent its consequences. Being an environmental stressor noise cannot be avoided; instead minimizing its exposure or consuming anti-stressor and adaptogens from plants can be considered. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-stressor, adaptogen and immunostimulatory activity of Scoparia dulcis against noise-induced stress in Wistar rat models. Noise stress in rats was created by broadband white noise generator, 100 dB A/4 h daily/15 days and S. dulcis (200 mg/kg b.w.) was administered orally. 8 groups of rats were used consisting of 6 animals each; 4 groups for unimmunized and 4 groups for immunized. For immunization, sheep red blood cells (5 × 10 9  cells/ml) were injected intraperitoneally. Sub-acute noise exposed rats showed a significant increase in corticosterone and IL-4 levels in both immunized and unimmunized rats whereas lymphocytes, antibody titration, soluble immune complex, IL-4 showed a marked increase with a significant decrease in IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ cytokines only in unimmunized rats. Immunized noise exposed rats presented increased leukocyte migration index and decreased foot pad thickness, IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ with no changes in the lymphocytes. S. dulcis (SD) has normalized and prevented the noise induced changes in cell-mediated and humoral immunity and it could be the presence of anti-stressor and immuno stimulant activity of the plant. Copyright © 2016 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Theobromine Is Responsible for the Effects of Cocoa on the Antibody Immune Status of Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camps-Bossacoma, Mariona; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Franch, Àngels; Castell, Margarida

    2018-03-01

    A 10% cocoa-enriched diet influences immune system functionality including the prevention of the antibody response and the induction of lower immunoglobulin (Ig) concentrations. However, neither cocoa polyphenols nor cocoa fiber can totally explain these immunoregulatory properties. This study aimed to establish the influence of cocoa theobromine in systemic and intestinal Ig concentrations and to determine the effect of cocoa or theobromine feeding on lymphoid tissue lymphocyte composition. Three-week-old female Lewis rats were fed either a standard diet (AIN-93M; RF group), a 10% cocoa diet (CC group), or a 0.25% theobromine diet (the same amount provided by the cocoa diet; TB group) in 2 separate experiments that lasted 19 (experiment 1) or 8 (experiment 2) d. Serum IgG, IgM, IgA, and intestinal secretory IgA (sIgA) concentrations were determined. In addition, at the end of experiment 2, thymus, mesenteric lymph node (MLN), and spleen lymphocyte populations were analyzed. Both CC and TB groups in experiments 1 and 2 showed similar serum IgG, IgM, and IgA and intestinal sIgA concentrations, which were lower than those in the RF group (46-98% lower in experiment 1 and 23-91% lower in experiment 2; P theobromine diets similarly changed the thymocyte composition by increasing CD4-CD8- (+133%) and CD4+CD8- (+53%) proportions (P theobromine in cocoa plays an immunoregulatory role that is responsible for cocoa's influence on both systemic and intestinal antibody concentrations and also for modifying lymphoid tissue lymphocyte composition in young healthy Lewis rats. The majority of these changes are observed after a single week of being fed a diet containing 0.25% theobromine.

  10. Fischer 344 and Lewis rat strains as a model of genetic vulnerability to drug addiction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina eCadoni

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Today it is well acknowledged that both nature and nurture play important roles in the genesis of psychopathologies, including drug addiction. Increasing evidence suggests that genetic factors contribute for at least 40-60 % of the variation in liability to drug dependence. Human genetic studies suggest that multiple genes of small effect, rather than single genes, contribute to the genesis of behavioral psychopathologies. Therefore the use of inbred rat strains might provide a valuable tool to identify differences, linked to genotype, important in liability to addiction and related disorders. In this regard, Lewis and Fischer 344 inbred rats have been proposed as a model of genetic vulnerability to drug addiction, given their innate differences in sensitivity to the reinforcing and rewarding effects of drugs of abuse, as well their different responsiveness to stressful stimuli. This review will provide evidence in support of this model for the study of the genetic influence on addiction vulnerability, with particular emphasis to differences in mesolimbic dopamine (DA transmission, rewarding and emotional function. It will be highlighted that Lewis and Fischer 344 rats differ not only in several indices of DA transmission and adaptive changes following repeated drug exposure, but also in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis responsiveness, influencing not only the ability of the individual to cope with stressful events, but also interfering with rewarding and motivational processes, given the influence of corticosteroids on dopamine neurons functionality.Further differences between the two strains, as impulsivity or anxiousness, might contribute to their different proneness to addiction, and likely these features might be linked to their different DA neurotransmission plasticity. Although differences in other neurotransmitter systems might deserve further investigations, results from the reviewed studies might open new vistas in

  11. Fischer 344 and Lewis Rat Strains as a Model of Genetic Vulnerability to Drug Addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cadoni, Cristina

    2016-01-01

    Today it is well acknowledged that both nature and nurture play important roles in the genesis of psychopathologies, including drug addiction. Increasing evidence suggests that genetic factors contribute for at least 40-60% of the variation in liability to drug dependence. Human genetic studies suggest that multiple genes of small effect, rather than single genes, contribute to the genesis of behavioral psychopathologies. Therefore, the use of inbred rat strains might provide a valuable tool to identify differences, linked to genotype, important in liability to addiction and related disorders. In this regard, Lewis and Fischer 344 inbred rats have been proposed as a model of genetic vulnerability to drug addiction, given their innate differences in sensitivity to the reinforcing and rewarding effects of drugs of abuse, as well their different responsiveness to stressful stimuli. This review will provide evidence in support of this model for the study of the genetic influence on addiction vulnerability, with particular emphasis on differences in mesolimbic dopamine (DA) transmission, rewarding and emotional function. It will be highlighted that Lewis and Fischer 344 rats differ not only in several indices of DA transmission and adaptive changes following repeated drug exposure, but also in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responsiveness, influencing not only the ability of the individual to cope with stressful events, but also interfering with rewarding and motivational processes, given the influence of corticosteroids on dopamine neuron functionality. Further differences between the two strains, as impulsivity or anxiousness, might contribute to their different proneness to addiction, and likely these features might be linked to their different DA neurotransmission plasticity. Although differences in other neurotransmitter systems might deserve further investigation, results from the reviewed studies might open new vistas in understanding aberrant

  12. Estrogen Therapy, Independent of Timing, Improves Cardiac Structure and Function in Oophorectomized mRen2.Lewis Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jessup, Jewell A.; Wang, Hao; MacNamara, Lindsay M.; Presley, Tennille D.; Kim-Shapiro, Daniel B.; Zhang, Lili; Chen, Alex F.; Groban, Leanne

    2013-01-01

    Objective mRen2.Lewis Rats exhibit exacerbated increases in blood pressure, left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and diastolic impairment following the loss of estrogens. In this same model, depletion of estrogens has marked effects on the cardiac biopterin profile concomitant with suppressed nitric oxide (NO) release. With respect to the establishment of overt systolic hypertension after oophorectomy (OVX), we assessed the effects of timing chronic 17 β-estradiol (E2) therapy on myocardial function, structure, and the cardiac NO system. Methods Oophrectomy (OVX; n=24) or sham-operation (Sham; n=13) was performed in 4-week-old, female mRen2.Lewis rats. Following randomization, OVX rats received E2 immediately (OVX + early E2; n=7), E2 at 11 weeks of age (OVX + late E2 N=8), or no E2 at all (OVX N=9). Results Early E2 was associated with lower body weight, less hypertension-related cardiac remodeling, and decreased LV filling pressure compared to OVX rats without E2 supplementation. Late E2 similarly attenuated the adverse effects of ovarian hormone loss on tissue-Doppler derived LV filling pressures and perivascular fibrosis, and significantly improved myocardial relaxation, or mitral annular velocity (e′). Early and late exposure to E2 decreased dihydrobiopterin, but only late E2 yielded significant increases in cardiac nitrite concentrations. Conclusions Although there were some similarities between early and late E2 treatment on preservation of diastolic function and cardiac structure after OVX, the lusitropic potential of E2 was most consistent with late supplementation. The cardioprotective effects of late E2 were independent of blood pressure and may have occurred through regulation of cardiac biopterins and NO production. PMID:23481117

  13. Aversive properties of negative incentive shifts in Fischer 344 and Lewis rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, Adam; Johnson, Patrick; Stein, Jeff; Schlund, Michael; Williams, Dean C.

    2018-01-01

    Research on incentive contrast highlights that reward value is not absolute but rather is based upon comparisons we make to rewards we have received and expect to receive. Both human and nonhuman studies on incentive contrast show that shifting from a larger more-valued reward to a smaller less-valued reward is associated with long periods of nonresponding—a negative contrast effect. In this investigation, we used two different genetic rat strains, Fischer 344 and Lewis rats that putatively differ in their sensitivity to aversive stimulation, to assess the aversive properties of large-to-small reward shifts (negative incentive shifts). Additionally, we examined the extent to which increasing cost (fixed-ratio requirements) modulates negative contrast effects. In the presence of a cue that signaled the upcoming reward magnitude, lever pressing was reinforced with one of two different magnitudes of food (large or small). This design created two contrast shifts (small-to-large, large-to-small) and two shifts used as control conditions (small-to-small, large-to-large). Results showed a significant interaction between rat strain and cost requirements only during the negative incentive shift with the emotionally reactive Fischer 344 rats exhibiting significantly longer response latencies with increasing cost, highlighting greater negative contrast. These findings are more consistent with emotionality accounts of negative contrast and results of neurophysiological research that suggests shifting from a large to a small reward is aversive. Findings also highlight how subjective reward value and motivation is a product of gene-environment interactions. PMID:27864048

  14. A Chronic Autoimmune Dry Eye Rat Model with Increase in Effector Memory T Cells in Eyeball Tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Aihua; Bose, Tanima; Chandy, K George; Tong, Louis

    2017-06-07

    Dry eye disease is a very common condition that causes morbidity and healthcare burden and decreases the quality of life. There is a need for a suitable dry eye animal model to test novel therapeutics to treat autoimmune dry eye conditions. This protocol describes a chronic autoimmune dry eye rat model. Lewis rats were immunized with an emulsion containing lacrimal gland extract, ovalbumin, and complete Freund's adjuvant. A second immunization with the same antigens in incomplete Freund's adjuvant was administered two weeks later. These immunizations were administered subcutaneously at the base of the tail. To boost the immune response at the ocular surface and lacrimal glands, lacrimal gland extract and ovalbumin were injected into the forniceal subconjunctiva and lacrimal glands 6 weeks after the first immunization. The rats developed dry eye features, including reduced tear production, decreased tear stability, and increased corneal damage. Immune profiling by flow cytometry showed a preponderance of CD3 + effector memory T cells in the eyeball.

  15. Variety of immune responses to chronic stress in rats male

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Іlona S Polovynko

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. Previously we have been carry out integrated quantitative estimation of neuroendocrine and immune responses to chronic restraint stress in male rats. Revealed that the value of canonical discriminant roots rats subjected to chronic stress different not only on the values of intact animals (by definition, but also among themselves. So we set a goal retrospectively divided stressed rats into three homogeneous groups. Material and methods. The experiment is at 50 white male rats. Of these 10 animals not subjected to any influences and 40 within 7 days subjected to moderate stress by daily 30-minute immobilization. The day after the completion of stressing in portion of the blood immunological parameters were determined by tests I and II levels of WHO. The spleen and thymus did smears for counting spleno- and thymocytograms. Results. The method of cluster analysis (k-means clustering formed three groups-clusters. For further analysis selected 18 parameters that members of each cluster differing minimum and maximum are different from members of other clusters (η2=0,73÷0,15; F=49,0÷3,26; p=10-6÷0,05. We stated that in 16 rats from cluster III the deviation 16 parameters in either side of the average norm almost identical and are in an acceptable range of ±0,5σ. Thus, the immune status of 40% of the rats subjected to moderate chronic stress was resistant to its factors. For the immune status of the 15 (37,5% rats cluster II typical moderate inhibition microphage, killer and T-cellular links in combination with a strong activation macrophage link. Poststressory changes in immunity in 9 rats (22,5% from cluster I differ from those in cluster II both qualitatively and quantitatively. In particular, the rats in this cluster were found no deviations from the norm or reaction blast transformation T-cells nor NK-lymphocytes levels. However, other parameters of T-link and microhage link suppressed more and settings macrophage link appeared

  16. Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Analog, Liraglutide, Delays Onset of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalitis in Lewis Rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    DellaValle, Brian; Brix, Gitte S; Brock, Birgitte

    2016-01-01

    (GLP-1) family, is also anti-diabetic and weight-reducing and is, moreover, directly neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory in a broad spectrum of experimental models of brain disease. In this study we investigate the potential for this FDA-approved drug, liraglutide, as a treatment for MS by utilizing...... the experimental model, experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE). Methods: EAE was induced in 30 female Lewis rats that subsequently received twice-daily liraglutide (200 μg/kg s.c.) or saline. Healthy controls were included (saline, n = 6, liraglutide, n = 7). Clinical score and weight were assessed daily...... treatment delayed disease onset (group clinical score significantly >0) by 2 days and markedly reduced disease severity (median clinical score 2 vs. 5; p = 0.0003). Fourteen of 15 (93%) of vehicle-treated rats reached the humane endpoint (clinical score ≥4) by day 11 compared to 5 of 15 (33%) of liraglutide...

  17. Lumbar spine intervertebral disc gene delivery: a pilot study in lewis rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damle, Sheela R; Rawlins, Bernard A; Boachie-Adjei, Oheneba; Crystal, Ronald G; Hidaka, Chisa; Cunningham, Matthew E

    2013-02-01

    Basic research toward understanding and treating disc pathology in the spine has utilized numerous animal models, with delivery of small molecules, purified factors, and genes of interest. To date, gene delivery to the rat lumbar spine has only been described utilizing genetically programmed cells in a matrix which has required partial disc excision, and expected limitation of treatment diffusion into the disc. This study was designed to develop and describe a surgical technique for lumbar spine exposure and disc space preparation, and use of a matrix-free method for gene delivery. Naïve or genetically programmed isogeneic bone marrow stromal cells were surgically delivered to adolescent male Lewis rat lumbar discs, and utilizing quantitative biochemical and qualitative immunohistological assessments, the implanted cells were detected 3 days post-procedure. Statistically significant differences were noted for recovery of the β-galactosidase marker gene comparing delivery of naïve or labeled cells (10(5) cells per disc) from the site of implantation, and between delivery of 10(5) or 10(6) labeled cells per disc at the site of implantation and the adjacent vertebral body. Immunohistology confirmed that the β-galactosidase marker was detected in the adjacent vertebra bone in the zone of surgical implantation. The model requires further testing in larger cohorts and with biologically active genes of interest, but the observations from the pilot experiments are very encouraging that this will be a useful comparative model for basic spine research involving gene or cell delivery, or other locally delivered therapies to the intervertebral disc or adjacent vertebral bodies in rats.

  18. Direct binding of autoimmune disease related T cell epitopes to purified Lewis rat MHC class II molecules

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Joosten, I; Wauben, M H; Holewijn, M C

    1994-01-01

    New strategies applied in the treatment of experimental autoimmune disease models involve blocking or modulation of MHC-peptide-TCR interactions either at the level of peptide-MHC interaction or, alternatively, at the level of T cell recognition. In order to identify useful competitor peptides one...... characteristics of the Lewis rat MHC class II RT1.B1 molecule. We have now developed a biochemical binding assay which enables competition studies in which the relative MHC binding affinity of a set of non-labelled peptides can be assessed while employing detection of biotinylated marker peptides...

  19. Cocoa Diet Prevents Antibody Synthesis and Modifies Lymph Node Composition and Functionality in a Rat Oral Sensitization Model

    OpenAIRE

    Camps-Bossacoma, Mariona; Abril-Gil, Mar; Salda?a-Ruiz, Sandra; Franch, ?ngels; P?rez-Cano, Francisco J.; Castell, Margarida

    2016-01-01

    Cocoa powder, a rich source of polyphenols, has shown immunomodulatory properties in both the intestinal and systemic immune compartments of rats. The aim of the current study was to establish the effect of a cocoa diet in a rat oral sensitization model and also to gain insight into the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) activities induced by this diet. To achieve this, three-week-old Lewis rats were fed either a standard diet or a diet with 10% cocoa and were orally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA)...

  20. Glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue, liraglutide, delays onset and reduces severity of experimental autoimmune encephalitis in Lewis rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian DellaValle

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available AbstractIntroduction: Recent findings indicate that metabolic disturbances are involved in multiple sclerosis (MS pathology and influence the susceptibility to treatment, directing attention towards anti-diabetic drugs such as metformin and pioglitazone. Liraglutide, a drug of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 family, is also anti-diabetic and weight-reducing and is moreover, directly neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory in a broad spectrum of experimental models of brain disease. In this study we investigate the potential for this FDA-approved drug, liraglutide, as a treatment for MS by utilizing the experimental model, experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE.Methods: EAE was induced in 30 female Lewis rats that subsequently received twice-daily liraglutide (200 µg/kg s.c. or saline. Healthy controls were included (saline, n=6, liraglutide, n=7. Clinical score and weight were assessed daily by blinded observers. Animals were killed at peak disease severity (day 11 or if exceeding humane endpoint (clinical score ≥4. Protein levels of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD, amyloid precursor protein (APP, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP were determined.Results: Liraglutide treatment delayed disease onset (group clinical score significantly >0 by two days and markedly reduced disease severity (median clinical score 2 vs. 5; p=0.0003. Fourteen of 15 (93% of vehicle-treated rats reached the humane endpoint (clinical score ≥4 by day 11 compared to 5 of 15 (33% of liraglutide-treated rats (p=0.0004. Liraglutide substantially increased the mitochondrial antioxidant MnSOD (p<0.01 and reduced the neurodegenerative marker APP (p=0.036 in the brain. GFAP levels were not significantly changed with drug treatment (p=0.09Conclusion: We demonstrate, for the first time, that liraglutide treatment delays onset of EAE in Lewis rats and is associated with improved protective capacity against oxidative stress. These data suggest GLP-1 receptor

  1. Immune defense of wild-caught Norway rats is characterized by increased levels of basal activity but reduced capability to respond to further immune stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirkov, Ivana; Popov Aleksandrov, Aleksandra; Subota, Vesna; Kataranovski, Dragan; Kataranovski, Milena

    2018-03-01

    Studies of wild animals' immunity often use comparison with laboratory-raised individuals. Using such an approach, various data were obtained concerning wild Norway rat's immunity. Lower or higher potential of immune system cells to respond to activation stimuli were shown, because of analysis of disparate parameters and/ or small number of analyzed individuals. Inconsistent differences between laboratory and wild rats were shown too, owing to great response variability in wild rats. We hypothesized that wild rats will express more intense immune activity compared to their laboratory counterparts which live in a less demanding environment. To test this, we analyzed the circulating levels of inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), a mediator which has a central role in host immune defense. In addition, we examined the activity of the central immune organ, the spleen, including cell proliferation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-17 (IL-17), which are major effectors of cellular adaptive immune response. In order to obtain reasonable insight into the immunity of wild Norway rats, analysis was conducted on a much larger number of individuals compared to other studies. Higher levels of plasma IL-6, higher spleen mass, cellularity and basal IFN-γ production concomitantly with lower basal production of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) revealed more intense immune activity in the wild compared to laboratory rats. However, lower responsiveness of their spleen cells' proinflammatory cytokine production to concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation, along with preserved capacity of IL-10 response, might be perceived as an indication of wild rats' reduced capability to cope with incoming environmental stimuli, but also as a means to limit tissue damage. © 2017 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  2. Influence of a cocoa-enriched diet on specific immune response in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Ramiro-Puig, Emma; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castellote, Cristina; Permanyer, Joan; Franch, Angels; Castell, Margarida

    2009-03-01

    Previous studies in young rats have reported the impact of 3 weeks of high cocoa intake on healthy immune status. The present article describes the effects of a longer-term cocoa-enriched diet (9 weeks) on the specific immune response to ovalbumin (OVA) in adult Wistar rats. At 4 weeks after immunization, control rats produced anti-OVA antibodies, which, according their amount and isotype, were arranged as follows: IgG1 > IgG2a > IgM > IgG2b > IgG2c. Both cocoa diets studied (4% and 10%) down-modulated OVA-specific antibody levels of IgG1 (main subclass associated with the Th2 immune response in rats), IgG2a, IgG2c and IgM isotypes. Conversely, cocoa-fed rats presented equal or higher levels of anti-OVA IgG2b antibodies (subclass linked to the Th1 response). Spleen and lymph node cells from OVA-immunized control and cocoa-fed animals proliferated similarly under OVA stimulation. However, spleen cells from cocoa-fed animals showed decreased interleukin-4 secretion (main Th2 cytokine), and lymph node cells from the same rats displayed higher interferon-gamma secretion (main Th1 cytokine). These changes were accompanied by a reduction in the number of anti-OVA IgG-secreting cells in spleen. In conclusion, cocoa diets induced attenuation of antibody synthesis that may be attributable to specific down-regulation of the Th2 immune response.

  3. Aberrant Pregnancy Adaptations in the Peripheral Immune Response in Type 1 Diabetes: A Rat Model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bart Groen

    Full Text Available Despite tight glycemic control, pregnancy complication rate in type 1 diabetes patients is higher than in normal pregnancy. Other etiological factors may be responsible for the development of adverse pregnancy outcome. Acceptance of the semi-allogeneic fetus is accompanied by adaptations in the maternal immune-response. Maladaptations of the immune-response has been shown to contribute to pregnancy complications. We hypothesized that type 1 diabetes, as an autoimmune disease, may be associated with maladaptations of the immune-response to pregnancy, possibly resulting in pregnancy complications.We studied pregnancy outcome and pregnancy-induced immunological adaptations in a normoglycemic rat-model of type 1 diabetes, i.e. biobreeding diabetes-prone rats (BBDP; 5 non-pregnant rats, 7 pregnant day 10 rats and 6 pregnant day 18 rats , versus non-diabetic control rats (i.e. congenic non-diabetic biobreeding diabetes-resistant (BBDR; 6 non-pregnant rats, 6 pregnant day 10 rats and 6 pregnant day 18 rats and Wistar-rats (6 non-pregnant, 6 pregnant day 10 rats and 5 pregnant day 18 rats.We observed reduced litter size, lower fetal weight of viable fetuses and increased numbers of resorptions versus control rats. These complications are accompanied by various differences in the immune-response between BBDP and control rats in both pregnant and non-pregnant animals. The immune-response in non-pregnant BBDP-rats was characterized by decreased percentages of lymphocytes, increased percentages of effector T-cells, regulatory T-cells and natural killer cells, an increased Th1/Th2-ratio and activated monocytes versus Wistar and BBDR-rats. Furthermore, pregnancy-induced adaptations in BBDP-rats coincided with an increased Th1/Th2-ratio, a decreased mean fluorescence intensity CD161a/NKR-P1b ratio and no further activation of monocytes versus non-diabetic control rats.This study suggests that even in the face of strict normoglycemia, pregnancy complications

  4. A comparison of Lewis and Fischer rat strains on autoshaping (sign-tracking), discrimination reversal learning and negative auto-maintenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kearns, David N; Gomez-Serrano, Maria A; Weiss, Stanley J; Riley, Anthony L

    2006-05-15

    Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rat strains differ on a number of physiological characteristics, such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, as well as on behavioral tasks, including those that measure impulsivity and drug reward. Since autoshaping, the phenomenon where animals approach and contact reward-paired conditioned stimuli, has been linked to HPA axis functioning, impulsivity and drug taking, the present study compared LEW and F344 rats on the rate of acquisition and performance of the autoshaping response. Rats were trained on an autoshaping procedure where insertions of one retractable lever (CS(+)) were paired response-independently with food, while insertions of another lever (CS(-)) were not paired with food. LEW rats acquired the autoshaping response more rapidly and also performed the autoshaping response at a higher rate than F344 rats. No differences between the strains were observed when rats were trained on a discrimination reversal where the CS(+) and CS(-) levers were reversed or during a negative auto-maintenance phase where CS(+) lever contacts cancelled food delivery. Potential physiological mechanisms that might mediate the present results, including strain differences in HPA axis and monoamine neurotransmitter activity, are discussed. The finding that LEW (as compared to F344 rats) more readily acquire autoshaping and perform more responses is consistent with research indicating that LEW rats behave more impulsively and more readily self-administer drugs of abuse.

  5. Alpha1A-adrenergic receptor-directed autoimmunity induces left ventricular damage and diastolic dysfunction in rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrin Wenzel

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Agonistic autoantibodies to the alpha(1-adrenergic receptor occur in nearly half of patients with refractory hypertension; however, their relevance is uncertain. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We immunized Lewis rats with the second extracellular-loop peptides of the human alpha(1A-adrenergic receptor and maintained them for one year. Alpha(1A-adrenergic antibodies (alpha(1A-AR-AB were monitored with a neonatal cardiomyocyte contraction assay by ELISA, and by ERK1/2 phosphorylation in human alpha(1A-adrenergic receptor transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. The rats were followed with radiotelemetric blood pressure measurements and echocardiography. At 12 months, the left ventricles of immunized rats had greater wall thickness than control rats. The fractional shortening and dp/dt(max demonstrated preserved systolic function. A decreased E/A ratio in immunized rats indicated a diastolic dysfunction. Invasive hemodynamics revealed increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressures and decreased dp/dt(min. Mean diameter of cardiomyocytes showed hypertrophy in immunized rats. Long-term blood pressure values and heart rates were not different. Genes encoding sarcomeric proteins, collagens, extracellular matrix proteins, calcium regulating proteins, and proteins of energy metabolism in immunized rat hearts were upregulated, compared to controls. Furthermore, fibrosis was present in immunized hearts, but not in control hearts. A subset of immunized and control rats was infused with angiotensin (Ang II. The stressor raised blood pressure to a greater degree and led to more cardiac fibrosis in immunized, than in control rats. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We show that alpha(1A-AR-AB cause diastolic dysfunction independent of hypertension, and can increase the sensitivity to Ang II. We suggest that alpha(1A-AR-AB could contribute to cardiovascular endorgan damage.

  6. IMMUNITY STATE IN THE OFFSPRING OF RATS EXPOSED ANTIGENS TOXOPLASMA GONDII

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. F. Sokolova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Today the questions about possibility of development disturbances in the immune system of the fetus and the newborn in chronic toxoplasmosis are poorly understood. Aim of research: to detect immunological disturbances in the offspring of rats which have been administered antigens T. gondii.Two series of experiments was performed. In these experiments white female Wistar rats in the III trimester of pregnancy have been administered corpuscular antigen T. gondii. The 60 days-old offspring of these rats have been included in study group of 137 animals. CD3+ cells count was performed in peripherical blood and standard suspension of splenocytesrats offspring. Peripherical blood cells count was performed in the blood of the rats offspring. In the second experiment rats offspring have been administered sheep erythrocytes in 5 days, before euthanasia. In spleen of this rats antigen-produced cells was counted.In control group was included 118 animals, which was born from white female Wistar rats have been administered 0,9% NaCl solution. CD3+ cells was detected in Cytomics FC500 flow cytometry analyzer (Beckman Coulter,USA by use rats origne-specifed monoclonal antibodies Anti-Rat CD3-FITC (Beckman Coulter,USA. Hematological parameters was assessed by use hematological analyzer Excell-22 (USA.We observed, that CD3+ lymphocytes and antigen-produced cells was decreased in test group (degress of decrease CD3+ cells was 17,2%; р = 0,003 in spleen vs. control group, degress of decrease antigen-produced cells was 27,3%; р = 0,03 vs. control group. Number of leukocytes was increased in in test group (34,5%; р = 0,009 vs. control group. Power and strength correlation pleiades between studied blood and spenal markers were higher in in test group vs. control group (∑Gi = 16; ∑Di = 4,38 vs. ∑Gi = 13; ∑Di = 2,28. This phenomenon is probably due to the development adaptive reactions disruption in the immune system and development

  7. The unresponsiveness of the immune system of the rat to hypergravity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scibetta, S. M.; Caren, L. D.; Oyama, J.

    1984-01-01

    The immune response in rats exposed to simulated hypergravity (2.1 G and 3.1 G) by chronic centrifugation was assessed. Rats were immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBC), either on the day of initial exposure to hypergravity (hyper-G), or after being centrifuged for 28 d and remaining on the centrifuge thereafter. Pair-fed and ad libitum fed noncentrifuged controls were used. Although there were some alterations in leukocyte counts, hyper-G did not systematically affect the primary or secondary anti-SRBC response, hematocrits, or the sizes of the liver, spleen, kidneys, thymus, or adrenal glands. The immune system is thus remarkably homeostatic under hypergravity conditions which do affect other physiologic parameters.

  8. Immune responses to implanted human collagen graft in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quteish, D.; Dolby, A.E.

    1991-01-01

    Immunity to collagen implants may be mediated by cellular and humoral immune responses. To examine the possibility of such immunological reactivity and crossreactivity to collagen, 39 Sprague-Dawley rats (female, 10 weeks old, approximately 250 g wt) were implanted subcutaneously at thigh sites with crosslinked, freeze-dried human placental type I collagen grafts (4x4x2 mm) which had been irradiated (520 Gray) or left untreated. Blood was obtained by intracardiac sampling prior to implantation or from normal rats, and at various times afterwards when the animals were sacrificed. The sera from these animals were examined for circulating antibodies to human, bovine and rat tail (type I) collagens by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Also, the lymphoblastogenic responses of spleen lymphocytes from the irradiated collagen-implanted animals were assessed in culture by measuring thymidine uptake with autologous and normal rat sera in the presence of human bovine type I collagens. Implantation of the irradiated and non-irradiated collagen graft in rats led to a significant increase in the level of circulating antibodies to human collagen. Also antibody to bovine and rat tail collagens was detectable in the animals implanted with irradiated collagen grafts but at a lower level than the human collagen. There was a raised lymphoblastogenic response to both human and bovine collagens. The antibody level and lymphoblastogenesis to the tested collagens gradually decreased towards the end of the post-implantation period. (author)

  9. Biodistribution and Immunogenicity of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Model of Intraarticular Chondrocyte Xenotransplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maribel Marquina

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Xenogeneic chondrocytes and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSC are considered a potential source of cells for articular cartilage repair. We here assessed the immune response triggered by xenogeneic chondrocytes when injected intraarticularly, as well as the immunoregulatory effect of allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSC after systemic administration. To this end, a discordant xenotransplantation model was established by injecting three million porcine articular chondrocytes (PAC into the femorotibial joint of Lewis rats and monitoring the immune response. First, the fate of MSC injected using various routes was monitored in an in vivo imaging system. The biodistribution revealed a dependency on the injection route with MSC injected intravenously (i.v. succumbing early after 24 h and MSC injected intraperitoneally (i.p. lasting locally for at least 5 days. Importantly, no migration of MSC to the joint was detected in rats previously injected with PAC. MSC were then administered either i.v. 1 week before PAC injection or i.p. 3 weeks after to assess their immunomodulatory function on humoral and adaptive immune parameters. Anti-PAC IgM and IgG responses were detected in all PAC-injected rats with a peak at week 2 postinjection and reactivity remaining above baseline levels by week 18. IgG2a and IgG2b were the predominant and long-lasting IgG subtypes. By contrast, no anti-MSC antibody response was detected in the cohort injected with MSC only, but infusion of MSC before PAC injection temporarily augmented the anti-PAC antibody response. Consistent with a cellular immune response to PAC in PAC-injected rats, cytokine/chemokine profiling in serum by antibody array revealed a distinct pattern relative to controls characterized by elevation of multiple markers at week 2, as well as increases in proliferation in draining lymph nodes. Notably, systemic administration of allogeneic MSC under the described conditions did not diminish the immune

  10. Immune system stimulation in rats by Lactobacillus sp. isolates from Raffia wine (Raphia vinifera).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flore, Tiepma N E; François, Zambou N; Félicité, Tchouanguep M

    2010-01-01

    The immune system consists of organs and several cell types. Antigen interaction with these cells induces a cellular immune response mediated by activated cells. The effects of lactic acid bacteria on the systemic immune response and on the secretory immune system are described. The current investigation sets out to examine the possible effects of isolated wine lacto-bacilli upon various hematologic and immunologic parameters in rats. We have fed rats with probiotic isolates from Raffia wine and challenged with castor oil; two control groups were fed with castor oil and others were not. We counted blood cells at the end of the experiment; all isolates seemed to cause a decrease of circulating white blood cells. The percentage of lymphocytes and the total protein in the spleen increased in the treated animals; also a normal aspect of faeces was observed compared to the control. These isolates of Lactobacillus seem to occur to immune cell-mediated responses in rats.

  11. Ferrocene-based Lewis acids and Lewis pairs: Synthesis and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The design and synthesis of molecules containing non-interacting Lewis base and Lewis acid groups. [Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLP's)] have received intense attention due to their potential applications in the area of molecular catalysis.1–3. For example,. Stephen's and co-workers have demonstrated that the unquenched ...

  12. Lewy Body Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewy body dementia Overview Lewy body dementia, also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease dementia. Protein deposits, ...

  13. Dim light at night increases immune function in Nile grass rats, a diurnal rodent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonken, Laura K; Haim, Achikam; Nelson, Randy J

    2012-02-01

    With the widespread adoption of electrical lighting during the 20th century, human and nonhuman animals became exposed to high levels of light at night for the first time in evolutionary history. This divergence from the natural environment may have significant implications for certain ecological niches because of the important influence light exerts on the circadian system. For example, circadian disruption and nighttime light exposure are linked to changes in immune function. The majority of studies investigating the effects of light exposure and circadian disruption on the immune system use nocturnal rodents. In diurnal species, many hormones and immune parameters vary with secretion patterns 180° out of phase to those of nocturnal rodents. Thus, the authors investigated the effects of nighttime light exposure on immunocompetence in diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus). Rats were housed in either standard 14-h light (L):10-h dark (D) cycles with L ∼150 lux and D 0 lux or dim light at night (dLAN) cycles of LD 14:10 with L ∼150 lux and D 5 lux for 3 wks, then tested for plasma bactericidal capacity, as well as humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Rats exposed to dLAN showed increased delayed-type hypersensitivity pinna swelling, which is consistent with enhanced cell-mediated immune function. dLAN rats similarly showed increased antibody production following inoculation with keyhole lymphocyte hemocyanin (KLH) and increased bactericidal capacity. Daytime corticosterone concentrations were elevated in grass rats exposed to nighttime dim light, which may have influenced immunological measures. Overall, these results indicate nighttime light affects immune parameters in a diurnal rodent.

  14. Lewis and Fischer 344 rats as a model for genetic differences in spatial learning and memory: Cocaine effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fole, Alberto; Miguéns, Miguel; Morales, Lidia; González-Martín, Carmen; Ambrosio, Emilio; Del Olmo, Nuria

    2017-06-02

    Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats are considered a model of genetic vulnerability to drug addiction. We previously showed important differences in spatial learning and memory between them, but in contrast with previous experiments demonstrating cocaine-induced enhanced learning in Morris water maze (MWM) highly demanding tasks, the eight-arm radial maze (RAM) performance was not modified either in LEW or F344 rats after chronic cocaine treatment. In the present work, chronically cocaine-treated LEW and F344 adult rats have been evaluated in learning and memory performance using the Y-maze, two RAM protocols that differ in difficulty, and a reversal protocol that tests cognitive flexibility. After one of the RAM protocols, we quantified dendritic spine density in hippocampal CA1 neurons and compared it to animals treated with cocaine but not submitted to RAM. LEW cocaine treated rats showed a better performance in the Y maze than their saline counterparts, an effect that was not evident in the F344 strain. F344 rats significantly took more time to learn the RAM task and made a greater number of errors than LEW animals in both protocols tested, whereas cocaine treatment induced deleterious effects in learning and memory in the highly difficult protocol. Moreover, hippocampal spine density was cocaine-modulated in LEW animals whereas no effects were found in F344 rats. We propose that differences in addictive-like behavior between LEW and F344 rats could be related to differences in hippocampal learning and memory processes that could be on the basis of individual vulnerability to cocaine addiction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Prolongation of rat heart allografts by donor-specific blood transfusion treated with ultraviolet irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oluwole, S.F.; Iga, C.; Lau, H.; Hardy, M.A.

    1985-01-01

    The effect of donor-specific blood transfusion was compared to that of UVB-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusion on heart allograft survival in inbred rats with major histocompatibility differences. In one series ACI rats received heterotopic heart grafts from Lewis rats and 1 mL transfusion of donor-type blood at 1, 2, and 3 weeks prior to the transplantation. Fifty percent of the grafts were permanently accepted (survival greater than 200 days). Following UVB-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusion, 55% of the grafts survived indefinitely. In a mixed lymphocyte reaction ACI lymphocytes are weak responders to Lewis lymphocytes. In another series, Lewis rats received ACI hearts. Donor-specific transfusions at 1, 2, and 3 weeks prior to transplantation did not significantly alter the survival of heart allografts. Lewis lymphocytes react strongly to ACI stimulator cells in a mixed lymphocyte reaction. However, when the donor blood was UVB-irradiated prior to transfusion, the ACI allograft survival was significantly prolonged in this ACI-to-Lewis strain combination. When Lewis rats received W/F hearts following either donor-specific or UVB-irradiated donor-specific transfusions, the hearts' survival was similarly and significantly prolonged, but did not become permanent. Mixed lymphocyte reaction reveals that the stimulation index of Lewis lymphocytes against W/F lymphocytes is greater than that of ACI versus Lewis, but is less than that between Lewis responder cells against ACI stimulators

  16. Fasting ameliorates metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadek, Km; Saleh, Ea

    2014-12-01

    Fasting has been recently discovered to improve overall health, but its beneficial effects in the presence of hepatic insufficiency have not been proven. The influence of fasting on the metabolism, immunological aspects, and oxidative stress of 40 male carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated Wistar rats was investigated in the present study. The rats were divided into four groups, including a placebo group, CCl4-intoxicated rats, which were injected subcutaneously with 1.0 ml/kg of CCl4 solution, a fasting group, which was fasted 12 h/day for 30 days, and a fourth group, which was injected with CCl4 and fasted. The metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress improved in CCl4-intoxicated rats fasted for 12 h/day for 30 days, as evidenced in significant increase (p fasting improved metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in CCl4-intoxicated rats. Thus, fasting during Ramadan is safe for patients with hepatic disorders, as the prophet Mohammed (S) said "Keep the fast, keep your health". © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. Quantification of Lewis acid induced Brønsted acidity of protogenic Lewis bases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lathem, A Paige; Heiden, Zachariah M

    2017-05-09

    Proton transfer promoted by the coordination of protogenic Lewis bases to a Lewis acid is a critical step in catalytic transformations. Although the acidification of water upon coordination to a Lewis acid has been known for decades, no attempts have been made to correlate the Brønsted acidity of the coordinated water molecule with Lewis acid strength. To probe this effect, the pK a 's (estimated error of 1.3 pK a units) in acetonitrile of ten protogenic Lewis bases coordinated to seven Lewis acids containing Lewis acidities varying 70 kcal mol -1 , were computed. To quantify Lewis acid strength, the ability to transfer a hydride (hydride donor ability) from the respective main group hydride was used. Coordination of a Lewis acid to water increased the acidity of the bound water molecule between 20 and 50 pK a units. A linear correlation exhibiting a 2.6 pK a unit change of the Lewis acid-water adduct per ten kcal mol -1 change in hydride donor ability of the respective main group hydride was obtained. For the ten protogenic Lewis bases studied, the coordinated protogenic Lewis bases were acidified between 10 and 50 pK a units. On average, a ten kcal mol -1 change in hydride donor ability of the respective main group hydride resulted in about a 2.8 pK a unit change in the Brønsted acidity of the Lewis acid-Lewis base adducts. Since attempts to computationally investigate the pK a of main group dihydrogen complexes were unsuccessful, experimental determination of the first reported pK a of a main group dihydrogen complex is described. The pK a of H 2 -B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 was determined to be 5.8 ± 0.2 in acetonitrile.

  18. Lewy body dementias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Løkkegaard, Annemette; Korbo, Lise

    2017-01-01

    Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia share the same pathophysiology. Together they are called Lewy body dementias and are the second most common type of dementia. Lewy body dementias receive little attention, and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal...

  19. Antitumor effect of malaria parasite infection in a murine Lewis lung cancer model through induction of innate and adaptive immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lili; He, Zhengxiang; Qin, Li; Li, Qinyan; Shi, Xibao; Zhao, Siting; Chen, Ling; Zhong, Nanshan; Chen, Xiaoping

    2011-01-01

    Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in humans and its high fatality means that no effective treatment is available. Developing new therapeutic strategies for lung cancer is urgently needed. Malaria has been reported to stimulate host immune responses, which are believed to be efficacious for combating some clinical cancers. This study is aimed to provide evidence that malaria parasite infection is therapeutic for lung cancer. Antitumor effect of malaria infection was examined in both subcutaneously and intravenously implanted murine Lewis lung cancer (LLC) model. The results showed that malaria infection inhibited LLC growth and metastasis and prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Histological analysis of tumors from mice infected with malaria revealed that angiogenesis was inhibited, which correlated with increased terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated (TUNEL) staining and decreased Ki-67 expression in tumors. Through natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity activity, cytokine assays, enzyme-linked immunospot assay, lymphocyte proliferation, and flow cytometry, we demonstrated that malaria infection provided anti-tumor effects by inducing both a potent anti-tumor innate immune response, including the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α and the activation of NK cells as well as adaptive anti-tumor immunity with increasing tumor-specific T-cell proliferation and cytolytic activity of CD8(+) T cells. Notably, tumor-bearing mice infected with the parasite developed long-lasting and effective tumor-specific immunity. Consequently, we found that malaria parasite infection could enhance the immune response of lung cancer DNA vaccine pcDNA3.1-hMUC1 and the combination produced a synergistic antitumor effect. Malaria infection significantly suppresses LLC growth via induction of innate and adaptive antitumor responses in a mouse model. These data suggest that the malaria parasite may provide a novel strategy or therapeutic vaccine vector for anti-lung cancer

  20. Antitumor effect of malaria parasite infection in a murine Lewis lung cancer model through induction of innate and adaptive immunity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili Chen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in humans and its high fatality means that no effective treatment is available. Developing new therapeutic strategies for lung cancer is urgently needed. Malaria has been reported to stimulate host immune responses, which are believed to be efficacious for combating some clinical cancers. This study is aimed to provide evidence that malaria parasite infection is therapeutic for lung cancer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Antitumor effect of malaria infection was examined in both subcutaneously and intravenously implanted murine Lewis lung cancer (LLC model. The results showed that malaria infection inhibited LLC growth and metastasis and prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Histological analysis of tumors from mice infected with malaria revealed that angiogenesis was inhibited, which correlated with increased terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated (TUNEL staining and decreased Ki-67 expression in tumors. Through natural killer (NK cell cytotoxicity activity, cytokine assays, enzyme-linked immunospot assay, lymphocyte proliferation, and flow cytometry, we demonstrated that malaria infection provided anti-tumor effects by inducing both a potent anti-tumor innate immune response, including the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α and the activation of NK cells as well as adaptive anti-tumor immunity with increasing tumor-specific T-cell proliferation and cytolytic activity of CD8(+ T cells. Notably, tumor-bearing mice infected with the parasite developed long-lasting and effective tumor-specific immunity. Consequently, we found that malaria parasite infection could enhance the immune response of lung cancer DNA vaccine pcDNA3.1-hMUC1 and the combination produced a synergistic antitumor effect. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Malaria infection significantly suppresses LLC growth via induction of innate and adaptive antitumor responses in a mouse model. These data suggest that the malaria

  1. Passive Immunization of Anti bZP3 (Zone Pellucida3 in Wistar Rat (Rattus novergicus and Mouse (Mus musculus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Pantiwati

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This study was aimed at comparing the influence of anti bZP3’s passive immunization on anti-anti bZP3’s titer and pregnancy level on Wistar rats and mice. This study employed factorial design experiment with completely randomized design. The first factor was immunogenic type. The treated rats were immunized with 100 L anti bZP3 in 100 L Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA, while the treated mice were injected with 50 L anti bZP3 in 50 L CFA. Control Wistar rats and mice were immunized with CFA and Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant (IFA without anti bZP3. The second factor was animal type. The third factor was the length of serum incubation, i.e. 38, 49, 63, 86, 100, and 126 d. Dot blot on the treated Wistar rats and mice showed positive response proven by blue gradation; pre-immune mice as well as control Wistar rats and mice showed negative response proven by white gradation. The highest antibody titer in treated mouse serum was shown in 63 d incubation. The pregnancy on treated mice, control mice and Wistar rat occurred 100% until day 126; while the failure percentage on the treated mice was 4.5%. The pregnancy on treated mice occurred in 86 d incubation (1 rat, 100 d incubation (1 rat, and 126 d incubation (3 rats. Effective passive immunization on similar hospes occurred until day 63; while different hospes was ineffective. Antibodi anti-bZP3 was potential as a contraception through passive immunization on similar hospes.

  2. Immunity to Schistosoma mansoni in congenitally athymic, irradiated and mast cell-depleted rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ford, M.J.; Bickle, Q.D.; Taylor, M.G.

    1987-01-01

    Immunity to Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in congenitally athymic (Nu/Nu) rats, irradiated rats and in mast cell-depleted rats. Nu/Nu rats failed to develop significant resistance following vaccination with irradiated cercariae, although Nu/Nu recipients of serum from vaccinated Fischer rats (VRS) manifested resistance comparable to heterozygous controls, suggesting that T-cells were required in the induction of resistance but were not involved in the efferent arm of antibody-dependent elimination. Radiosensitive cells (including eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and mast cells) were apparently not essential for the antibody-dependent elimination of lung or post-lung stages since irradiated (700-750 rad.) recipients of VRS manifested comparable degrees of resistance to unirradiated controls in spite of a greater than 85% reduction in total blood leucocyte counts after irradiation. Depletion of 99% of tissue mast cells by treatment of rats with Compound 48/80 had no significant effect on the attrition of a challenge infection in rats rendered immune by vaccination with irradiated cercariae or by transfer of VRS. However, there was a significant increase in worm recovery in unimmunized and mast cell-depleted or irradiated rats, indicating that mast cells and perhaps other radio-isotope sensitive cells may be involved in innate resistance. (author)

  3. Immunity to Schistosoma mansoni in congenitally athymic, irradiated and mast cell-depleted rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ford, M.J.; Bickle, Q.D.; Taylor, M.G.

    1987-04-01

    Immunity to Schistosoma mansoni was investigated in congenitally athymic (Nu/Nu) rats, irradiated rats and in mast cell-depleted rats. Nu/Nu rats failed to develop significant resistance following vaccination with irradiated cercariae, although Nu/Nu recipients of serum from vaccinated Fischer rats (VRS) manifested resistance comparable to heterozygous controls, suggesting that T-cells were required in the induction of resistance but were not involved in the efferent arm of antibody-dependent elimination. Radiosensitive cells (including eosinophils, basophils, neutrophils, lymphocytes and mast cells) were apparently not essential for the antibody-dependent elimination of lung or post-lung stages since irradiated (700-750 rad.) recipients of VRS manifested comparable degrees of resistance to unirradiated controls in spite of a greater than 85% reduction in total blood leucocyte counts after irradiation. Depletion of 99% of tissue mast cells by treatment of rats with Compound 48/80 had no significant effect on the attrition of a challenge infection in rats rendered immune by vaccination with irradiated cercariae or by transfer of VRS. However, there was a significant increase in worm recovery in unimmunized and mast cell-depleted or irradiated rats, indicating that mast cells and perhaps other radio-isotope sensitive cells may be involved in innate resistance.

  4. Acute lung injury in rat caused by immunoglobulin A immune complexes.

    OpenAIRE

    Johnson, K J; Wilson, B S; Till, G O; Ward, P A

    1984-01-01

    Mouse IgG and IgA, with reactivity to dinitrophenol conjugated to carrier protein, have been isolated from myeloma proteins by means of a variety of affinity techniques. The IgA was predominantly in the dimeric form. The in vitro and in vivo biological activities of IgA-containing immune complexes were assessed in the rat. IgA-containing immune complexes were demonstrated, in a dose-dependent manner in vitro, to activate neutrophils and to generate O.-2. In addition, these immune complexes sh...

  5. Amphetamine self-administration and dopamine function: assessment of gene × environment interactions in Lewis and Fischer 344 rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Andrew C; Bardo, Michael T

    2015-07-01

    Previous research suggests both genetic and environmental influences on substance abuse vulnerability. The current work sought to investigate the interaction of genes and environment on the acquisition of amphetamine self-administration as well as amphetamine-stimulated dopamine (DA) release in nucleus accumbens shell using in vivo microdialysis. Inbred Lewis (LEW) and Fischer (F344) rat strains were raised in either an enriched condition (EC), social condition (SC), or isolated condition (IC). Acquisition of amphetamine self-administration (0.1 mg/kg/infusion) was determined across an incrementing daily fixed ratio (FR) schedule. In a separate cohort of rats, extracellular DA and the metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured in the nucleus accumbens shell following an acute amphetamine injection (1 mg/kg). "Addiction-prone" LEW rats had greater acquisition of amphetamine self-administration on a FR1 schedule compared to "addiction-resistant" F344 rats when raised in the SC environment. These genetic differences were negated in both the EC and IC environments, with enrichment buffering against self-administration and isolation enhancing self-administration in both strains. On a FR5 schedule, the isolation-induced increase in amphetamine self-administration was greater in F344 than LEW rats. While no group differences were obtained in extracellular DA, gene × environment differences were obtained in extracellular levels of the metabolite DOPAC. In IC rats only, LEW rats showed attenuation in the amphetamine-induced decrease in DOPAC compared to F344 rats. IC LEW rats also had an attenuated DOPAC response to amphetamine compared to EC LEW rats. The current results demonstrate gene × environment interactions in amphetamine self-administration and amphetamine-induced changes in extracellular DOPAC in nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell. However, the behavioral and neurochemical differences were not related directly, indicating that

  6. Lewy Body Dementia Association

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Now events There are no upcoming events. Lewy Body Digest September 2017 Lewy Digest Caregiving as a ... and research, we support those affected by Lewy body dementias, their families and caregivers. We are dedicated ...

  7. Epistatic effects contribute to variation in BMD in Fischer 344 x Lewis F2 rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koller, Daniel L; Liu, Lixiang; Alam, Imranul; Sun, Qiwei; Econs, Michael J; Foroud, Tatiana; Turner, Charles H

    2008-01-01

    To further delineate the factors underlying the complex genetic architecture of BMD in the rat model, a genome screen for epistatic interactions was conducted. Several significant interactions were identified, involving both previously identified and novel QTLs. The variation in several of the risk factors for osteoporotic fracture, including BMD, has been shown to be caused largely by genetic differences. However, the genetic architecture of BMD is complex in both humans and in model organisms. We have previously reported quantitative trait locus (QTL) results for BMD from a genome screen of 595 female F(2) progeny of Fischer 344 and Lewis rats. These progeny also provide an excellent opportunity to search for epistatic effects, or interaction between genetic loci, that contribute to fracture risk. Microsatellite marker data from a 20-cM genome screen was analyzed along with weight-adjusted BMD (DXA and pQCT) phenotypic data using the R/qtl software package. Genotype and phenotype data were permuted to determine a genome-wide significance threshold for the epistasis or interaction LOD score corresponding to an alpha level of 0.01. Novel loci on chromosomes 12 and 15 showed a strong epistatic effect on total BMD at the femoral midshaft by pQCT (LOD = 5.4). A previously reported QTL on chromosome 7 was found to interact with a novel locus on chromosome 20 to affect whole lumbar BMD by pQCT (LOD = 6.2). These results provide new information regarding the mode of action of previously identified rat QTLs, as well as identifying novel loci that act in combination with known QTLs or with other novel loci to contribute to the risk factors for osteoporotic fracture.

  8. Surgical Anatomy and Microvascular Surgical Technique Relevant to Experimental Renal Transplant in Rat Employing Aortic and Inferior Venacaval Conduits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shrestha, Badri Man; Haylor, John

    2017-11-15

    Rat models of renal transplant are used to investigate immunologic processes and responses to therapeutic agents before their translation into routine clinical practice. In this study, we have described details of rat surgical anatomy and our experiences with the microvascular surgical technique relevant to renal transplant by employing donor inferior vena cava and aortic conduits. For this study, 175 rats (151 Lewis and 24 Fisher) were used to establish the Fisher-Lewis rat model of chronic allograft injury at our institution. Anatomic and technical details were recorded during the period of training and establishment of the model. A final group of 12 transplanted rats were studied for an average duration of 51 weeks for the Lewis-to-Lewis isografts (5 rats) and 42 weeks for the Fisher-to-Lewis allografts (7 rats). Functional measurements and histology confirmed the diagnosis of chronic allograft injury. Mastering the anatomic details and microvascular surgical techniques can lead to the successful establishment of an experimental renal transplant model.

  9. Basic study on low dose radiation effect: SOD activity of immune organs and hemogram in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaoka, Kiyonori; Kaneko, Ichiro; Mizutani, Takeo; Nakano, Kazushiro; Edamatsu, Rei; Mori, Akitane.

    1989-01-01

    We examined the effect of low dose radiation on SOD activities of immune organs such as thymus, spleen, bone marrow in rats and hematological findings changes. Animals were exposed to radiation in a wholebody fashion, 4 hours before sacrifice. SOD activities in thymus and bone marrow cells from the rats X-ray irradiated at doses of 0.25∼0.50 Gy/10 min were enhanced in comparison with those of non-irradiated rats. The enhancement was also observed in spleen cells obtained from group of rats irradiated at 0.05 Gy/10 min. Radiation exposure with over 0.50 Gy/10 min gave rats inhibitory responses in those immune organs. The changes in homogram were not observed with γ-ray exposure of less than 0.10 Gy/10 min. (author)

  10. Epistatic Effects Contribute to Variation in BMD in Fischer 344 × Lewis F2 Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koller, Daniel L; Liu, Lixiang; Alam, Imranul; Sun, Qiwei; Econs, Michael J; Foroud, Tatiana; Turner, Charles H

    2008-01-01

    To further delineate the factors underlying the complex genetic architecture of BMD in the rat model, a genome screen for epistatic interactions was conducted. Several significant interactions were identified, involving both previously identified and novel QTLs. Introduction The variation in several of the risk factors for osteoporotic fracture, including BMD, has been shown to be caused largely by genetic differences. However, the genetic architecture of BMD is complex in both humans and in model organisms. We have previously reported quantitative trait locus (QTL) results for BMD from a genome screen of 595 female F2 progeny of Fischer 344 and Lewis rats. These progeny also provide an excellent opportunity to search for epistatic effects, or interaction between genetic loci, that contribute to fracture risk. Materials and Methods Microsatellite marker data from a 20-cM genome screen was analyzed along with weight-adjusted BMD (DXA and pQCT) phenotypic data using the R/qtl software package. Genotype and phenotype data were permuted to determine a genome-wide significance threshold for the epistasis or interaction LOD score corresponding to an α level of 0.01. Results and Conclusions Novel loci on chromosomes 12 and 15 showed a strong epistatic effect on total BMD at the femoral midshaft by pQCT (LOD = 5.4). A previously reported QTL on chromosome 7 was found to interact with a novel locus on chromosome 20 to affect whole lumbar BMD by pQCT (LOD = 6.2). These results provide new information regarding the mode of action of previously identified rat QTLs, as well as identifying novel loci that act in combination with known QTLs or with other novel loci to contribute to the risk factors for osteoporotic fracture. PMID:17907919

  11. Methanol fractionations of Catha edulis Frosk (Celastraceae) contracted Lewis rat aorta in vitro: a comparison between crimson and green leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmood, Samira Abdulla; Pavlovic, Dragan; Hoffmann, Ulrich

    2009-05-07

    The study investigated the effect of methanol extract and its fractionations obtained from Yemeni khat on the smooth muscle isometric tension in Lewis rat aortal ring preparations and compared the effects of the crimson and green leaves. Khat leaves were sorted into green (khat Light; KL) and crimson (khat Dark; KD) leaves, extracted with methanol, followed with solvent-solvent extraction (benzene, chloroform and ethylacetate). The contractile activity of the fractions was tested using aortal ring preparations. The control (phenylepherine contraction) methanol extracts contracted aortas at concentrations 250, 125 and 67.5 microg/ml buffer by 80.2%, 57.3%, 26.4% and 81.5%, 65.6%, 24.6% for KL and KD, respectively. Fractions of benzene (BF) and ethylacetate (EaF) contracted the aorta with 2 microgm, whereas, chloroform (ChF) with 1 microgm/1 ml buffer was less potent. The shape of contraction curve produced by EaF differed from that of ChF and BF of both (KL and KD). The EaF induced-contraction peaked after 3.3 +/- 0.94 mins, whereas those of BF and CHF peaked after 18.0 +/- 2.2, 19.7 +/- 0.94 mins, respectively. Pre-incubation with nifedipine (10(-6) M) insignificantly reduced the contraction induced by all fractionations, but prazosin (10(-6) M) reduced the contraction by 81.9%, 63.1%, 71.8% with p = 0.23, 0.09, 0.15 for BF, ChF and EaF of KL, respectively. It significantly reduced contraction of ChF, 64.1%; p = 0.02, and of EaF, 73.5%; p = 0.04 of KD, while the reduction in contraction of BF was 63.1%; p = 0.06. In conclusion, fractions of green and crimson Yemeni khat leaves contracted aortas of Lewis rats. Both leaves behave almost similarly. Contraction induced by chloroform fraction produced alpha-sympathetic activity.

  12. The effects of different schedules of total-body irradiation in heterotopic vascularized bone transplantation. An experimental study in the Lewis rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez del Pino, J.; Benito, M.; Randolph, M.A.; Weiland, A.J.

    1990-01-01

    To evaluate the effects of irradiation on heterotopically placed vascularized knee isografts, a single dose of 10 Gy of total-body irradiation was given to Lewis donor rats. Irradiation was delivered either 2 or 6 days prior to harvesting or subsequent transplantation, and evaluated at 1, 2, and 4 weeks after grafting. Irradiation caused endothelial depopulation of the graft artery, although vascular pedicle patency was maintained throughout the study. Bone graft viability and mineralization were normal. Dramatic changes in the bone marrow were seen that included an increase of its fat content (P less than 0.001), and a concomitant decrease in bone marrow-derived immunocompetent cells. These changes were more prominent in recipients of grafts from day -6 irradiated donor rats. Total-body irradiation did not prejudice the use of vascularized bone grafts, and exhibited an associated immunosuppresant effect over the vascular endothelium and bone marrow. This may be a further rational conditioning procedure to avoid recipient manipulation in vascularized bone allotransplantation

  13. Mechanism of donor to host tolerance in rat bone marrow chimeras

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tutschka, P.; Schwerdtfeger, R.; Slavin, R.; Santos, G.

    1977-01-01

    Lewis rats were conditioned with cyclophosphamide and grafted with AgB incompatible bone marrow. They were examined 250 days after transplantation and demonstrated to be healthy complete chimeras. Marrow cells from these chimeras were infused into lethally irradiated ACI, Lewis and BN recipients. Graft-versus-host disease occurred only in the BN rats. Other chimeric rats were given no treatment, busulfan, CY, or total body irradiation prior to the infusion of normal ACI BM. GvHD occurred only in animals given CY or TBI. Normal Lewis rats were conditioned with TBI and given ACI BM. In addition, they received whole blood, irradiated blood, or serum from chimeric rats. GvHD developed in all animals except those given unirradiated chimeric blood. These studies suggest that suppressor cell populations, sensitive to immunosuppression, are likely the fundamental mechanism of recovery from GvHD

  14. Maternal immune activation during pregnancy in rats impairs working memory capacity of the offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Brendan G; Davies, Don A; Molder, Joel J; Howland, John G

    2017-05-01

    Maternal immune activation during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia in the offspring. Patients with schizophrenia display an array of cognitive symptoms, including impaired working memory capacity. Rodent models have been developed to understand the relationship between maternal immune activation and the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. The present experiment was designed to test whether maternal immune activation with the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) during pregnancy affects working memory capacity of the offspring. Pregnant Long Evans rats were treated with either saline or polyI:C (4mg/kg; i.v.) on gestational day 15. Male offspring of the litters (2-3months of age) were subsequently trained on a nonmatching-to-sample task with odors. After a criterion was met, the rats were tested on the odor span task, which requires rats to remember an increasing span of different odors to receive food reward. Rats were tested using delays of approximately 40s during the acquisition of the task. Importantly, polyI:C- and saline-treated offspring did not differ in performance of the nonmatching-to-sample task suggesting that both groups could perform a relatively simple working memory task. In contrast, polyI:C-treated offspring had reduced span capacity in the middle and late phases of odor span task acquisition. After task acquisition, the rats were tested using the 40s delay and a 10min delay. Both groups showed a delay-dependent decrease in span, although the polyI:C-treated offspring had significantly lower spans regardless of delay. Our results support the validity of the maternal immune activation model for studying the cognitive symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Aged Lewis rats exposed to low and moderate doses of rotenone are a good model for studying the process of protein aggregation and its effects upon central nervous system cell physiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael F. Almeida

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Cell physiology is impaired before protein aggregation and this may be more relevant than inclusions themselves for neurodegeneration. The present study aimed to characterize an animal model to enable the analysis of the cell biology before and after protein aggregation. Ten-month-old Lewis rats were exposed either to 1 or 2 mg/kg/day of rotenone, delivered subcutaneously through mini-pumps, for one month. Hyperphosphorylated TAU, alpha-synuclein, amyloid-beta peptide and protein carbonylation (indicative of oxidative stress were evaluated in the hippocampus, substantia nigra and locus coeruleus through immunohistochemistry or western blot. It was found that 2 mg/kg/day rotenone increased amyloid-beta peptide, hyperphosphorylation of TAU and alpha-synuclein. Rotenone at 1mg/kg/day did not alter protein levels. Protein carbonylation remained unchanged. This study demonstrated that aged Lewis rats exposed to a low dose of rotenone is a useful model to study cellular processes before protein aggregation, while the higher dose makes a good model to study the effects of protein inclusions.

  16. Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Two Uveitis Models in Lewis Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pepple, Kathryn L; Rotkis, Lauren; Wilson, Leslie; Sandt, Angela; Van Gelder, Russell N

    2015-12-01

    Inflammation generates changes in the protein constituents of the aqueous humor. Proteins that change in multiple models of uveitis may be good biomarkers of disease or targets for therapeutic intervention. The present study was conducted to identify differentially-expressed proteins in the inflamed aqueous humor. Two models of uveitis were induced in Lewis rats: experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and primed mycobacterial uveitis (PMU). Differential gel electrophoresis was used to compare naïve and inflamed aqueous humor. Differentially-expressed proteins were separated by using 2-D gel electrophoresis and excised for identification with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). Expression of select proteins was verified by Western blot analysis in both the aqueous and vitreous. The inflamed aqueous from both models demonstrated an increase in total protein concentration when compared to naïve aqueous. Calprotectin, a heterodimer of S100A8 and S100A9, was increased in the aqueous in both PMU and EAU. In the vitreous, S100A8 and S100A9 were preferentially elevated in PMU. Apolipoprotein E was elevated in the aqueous of both uveitis models but was preferentially elevated in EAU. Beta-B2-crystallin levels decreased in the aqueous and vitreous of EAU but not PMU. The proinflammatory molecules S100A8 and S100A9 were elevated in both models of uveitis but may play a more significant role in PMU than EAU. The neuroprotective protein β-B2-crystallin was found to decline in EAU. Therapies to modulate these proteins in vivo may be good targets in the treatment of ocular inflammation.

  17. Lewy body dementias

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Løkkegaard, Annemette; Korbo, Lise

    2017-01-01

    Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson disease dementia share the same pathophysiology. Together they are called Lewy body dementias and are the second most common type of dementia. Lewy body dementias receive little attention, and patients are often misdiagnosed, leading to less than ideal...... management. In this article, diagnostic criteria combined with imaging and other biomarkers as well as current treatment recommendations are summarized, and some of the challenges for the future are outlined. Refinement of diagnosis and clarification of the pathogenesis are required in search for disease...

  18. Lewis Acidic Ionic Liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Lucy C; Hogg, James M; Swadźba-Kwaśny, Małgorzata

    2017-08-21

    Until very recently, the term Lewis acidic ionic liquids (ILs) was nearly synonymous with halometallate ILs, with a strong focus on chloroaluminate(III) systems. The first part of this review covers the historical context in which these were developed, speciation of a range of halometallate ionic liquids, attempts to quantify their Lewis acidity, and selected recent applications: in industrial alkylation processes, in supported systems (SILPs/SCILLs) and in inorganic synthesis. In the last decade, interesting alternatives to halometallate ILs have emerged, which can be divided into two sub-sections: (1) liquid coordination complexes (LCCs), still based on halometallate species, but less expensive and more diverse than halometallate ionic liquids, and (2) ILs with main-group Lewis acidic cations. The two following sections cover these new liquid Lewis acids, also highlighting speciation studies, Lewis acidity measurements, and applications.

  19. Lewy Body Digest eNewsletter

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... resources Join the fight against LBD! Donate Lewy Digest Click here to subscribe today to receive regular ... research in Lewy body dementia. April 2018 Lewy Digest Month of Compassion Caregiver Spotlight Research Centers of ...

  20. Genetic resistance in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. I. Analysis of the mechanism of LeR resistance using radiation chimeras

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pelfrey, C.M.; Waxman, F.J.; Whitacre, C.C.

    1989-01-01

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that has been extensively studied in the rat. The Lewis rat is highly susceptible to the induction of EAE, while the Lewis resistant (LeR) rat is known to be resistant. In this paper, we demonstrate that the LeR rat, which was derived from the Lewis strain by inbreeding of fully resistant animals, is histocompatible with the Lewis strain. Radiation chimeras, a tool for distinguishing between immunologic and nonimmunologic resistance mechanisms, were utilized to analyze the cellular mechanisms involved in genetic resistance to EAE. By transplanting bone marrow cells from LeR rats into irradiated Lewis recipients, Lewis rats were rendered resistant to EAE induction. Likewise, transplanting Lewis bone marrow cells into irradiated LeR recipients rendered LeR rats susceptible. Mixed lymphoid cell chimeras using bone marrow, spleen, and thymus cells in Lewis recipient rats revealed individual lymphoid cell types and cell interactions that significantly affected the incidence and severity of EAE. Our results suggest that LeR resistance is mediated by hematopoietic/immune cells, and that cells located in the spleen appear to play a critical role in the resistance/susceptibility to EAE induction. Depletion of splenic adherent cells did not change the patterns of EAE resistance. In vivo cell mixing studies suggested the presence of a suppressor cell population in the LeR spleen preparations which exerted an inhibitory effect on Lewis autoimmune responses. Thus, the mechanism of LeR resistance appears to be different from that in other EAE-resistant animals

  1. Experimental Salmonella typhimurium infections in rats. II. Active and passive immunization as protection against a lethal bacterial dose

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougen, H P; Jensen, E T; Klausen, B

    1990-01-01

    Immunization against a lethal dose of Salmonella typhimurium was studied in athymic and thymus-bearing LEW rats. Active immunization was performed with formalin-killed whole cell vaccine or sublethal infection prior to the lethal infection. After vaccination with killed bacteria the euthymic...... from immunized thymus grafted animals provided only limited protective effect, and treatment with cells from athymic animals had no effect. The study shows that although isogeneic thymus-grafted nude rats become resistent to reinfection with S. typhimurium, only large doses of spleen cells from...

  2. Cocoa Flavonoid-Enriched Diet Modulates Systemic and Intestinal Immunoglobulin Synthesis in Adult Lewis Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J. Pérez-Cano

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have reported that a diet containing 10% cocoa, a rich source of flavonoids, has immunomodulatory effects on rats and, among others effects, is able to attenuate the immunoglobulin (Ig synthesis in both systemic and intestinal compartments. The purpose of the present study was focused on investigating whether these effects were attributed exclusively to the flavonoid content or to other compounds present in cocoa. To this end, eight-week-old Lewis rats were fed, for two weeks, either a standard diet or three isoenergetic diets containing increasing proportions of cocoa flavonoids from different sources: one with 0.2% polyphenols from conventional defatted cocoa, and two others with 0.4% and 0.8% polyphenols, respectively, from non-fermented cocoa. Diet intake and body weight were monitored and fecal samples were obtained throughout the study to determine fecal pH, IgA, bacteria proportions, and IgA-coated bacteria. Moreover, IgG and IgM concentrations in serum samples collected during the study were quantified. At the end of the dietary intervention no clear changes of serum IgG or IgM concentrations were quantified, showing few effects of cocoa polyphenol diets at the systemic level. However, in the intestine, all cocoa polyphenol-enriched diets attenuated the age-related increase of both fecal IgA and IgA-coated bacteria, as well as the proportion of bacteria in feces. As these effects were not dependent on the dose of polyphenol present in the diets, other compounds and/or the precise polyphenol composition present in cocoa raw material used for the diets could be key factors in this effect.

  3. Protective influences on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by MHC class I and class II alleles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mustafa, M; Vingsbo, C; Olsson, T

    1994-01-01

    are resistant. Interestingly, rats with the MHC u haplotype develop an immune response to the MBP 63-88, but do not get EAE. In this study we have used intra-MHC recombinant rat strains to compare the influences of the MHC u with the a haplotype. We discovered the following: 1) The class II region of the MHC...... a haplotype permits EAE and a Th1 type of immune response as measured by IFN-gamma production after in vitro challenge of in vivo-primed T cells with MBP 63-88. 2) The class II region of the u haplotype is associated with a disease-protective immune response characterized by production of not only IFN......Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is influenced by polymorphism of the MHC. We have previously found that Lewis rats with certain MHC haplotypes are susceptible to disease induced with the myelin basic protein (MBP) peptide 63-88, whereas Lewis rats with other MHC haplotypes...

  4. Mechanism of immune tolerance induced by donor derived immature dendritic cells in rat high-risk corneal transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xu-Dong Zhao

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available AIM: To study the role of immature dendritic cells (imDCs on immune tolerance in rat penetrating keratoplasty (PKP in high-risk eyes and to investigate the mechanism of immune hyporesponsiveness induced by donor-derived imDCs. METHODS: Seventy-five SD rats (recipient and 39 Wistar rats (donor were randomly divided into 3 groups: control, imDC and mature dendritic cell (mDC group respectively. Using a model of orthotopic corneal transplantation in which allografts were placed in neovascularized high-risk eyes of recipient rat. Corneal neovascularization was induced by alkaline burn in the central cornea of recipient rat. Recipients in imDC group or mDC group were injected donor bone marrow-derived imDCs or mDCs of 1×106 respectively 1 week before corneal transplantation via tail vein. Control rat received the same volume of PBS. In each group, 16 recipients were kept for determination of survival time and other 9 recipients were executed on day 3, 7 and 14 after transplantation. Cornea was harvested for hematoxylin-eosin staining and acute rejection evaluation, Western blot was used to detect the expression level of Foxp3. RESULTS: The mean survival time of imDC group was significantly longer than that of control and mDC groups (all P<0.05. The expression level of Foxp3 on CD4+CD25+T cells of imDC group (2.24±0.18 was significantly higher than that in the control (1.68±0.09 and mDC groups (1.46±0.13 (all P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Donor-derived imDC is an effective treatment in inducing immune hyporesponsiveness in rat PKP. The mechanism of immune tolerance induced by imDC might be inhibit T lymphocytes responsiveness by regulatory T cells.

  5. A Biography of Distinguished Scientist Gilbert Newton Lewis (by Edward S. Lewis)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, Reviewed By Harold H.

    1999-11-01

    The Edward Mellen Press: Lewiston, NY, 1998. 114 pp + index. ISBN 0-7734-8284-9. $69.95. There may not be a surname better known to students of chemistry than Lewis, from the Lewis electron-dot diagrams and the Lewis theory of acids and bases. More advanced students may know of the groundbreaking textbook Thermodynamics, by Lewis and Randall. Yet few Americans know much about this remarkable U.S.-born scholar, whose contributions equal those of the greatest scientists. He is a chemist-educator of whom we should be as proud and as well informed as we are of Linus Pauling, who was part of the westward movement of science in this country that G. N. Lewis began, or of the recently deceased Glenn Seaborg, who was one of the many students of Lewis who achieved renown. Gilbert N. Lewis was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1875, but his family moved to near Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1884. He spent two years at the University of Nebraska, but then moved to Harvard when his father became an executive at Merchants Trust Company in Boston. Young Lewis (then only 17) was also said to have been disappointed with the quality of education in Nebraska, and this may have been part of the impetus for the family's move east. After earning his baccalaureate at Harvard, he taught for a year at Phillips Andover Academy before returning to Harvard to study for his doctorate, which he completed 100 years ago, in 1899, under T. W. Richards. Lewis's doctoral work was on the thermodynamics of zinc and cadmium amalgams. At that time, physical chemistry was only beginning to achieve recognition as a branch of science, and its boundaries were ill defined. Edward Lewis quotes his father as often saying, "Physical chemistry is anything interesting." Like many chemists of his time, Lewis went to Europe to complete his preparation for a career; he was in the laboratories of Ostwald in Leipzig and Nernst in Göttingen in 1900-1901. On his return to the United States, he was an instructor at Harvard

  6. Immune homeostasis disturbances in different generations of rats at chronic exposure to ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mel'nikov, O.F.; Sambur, M.B.; Timchenko, S.V.; Rozenfel'd, L.G.; Yindik, V.M.; Zayats, T.A.

    1994-01-01

    The aim of the work was to study immune homeostasis disturbance in six generations of rats which were kept under the conditions of chronic exposure to small doses of low-intensity radiation resembling those after the accident at Chernobyl Atomic Power Station. The controls included the animals from Kiev vivarium. Leukopenia and lymphopenia of different stage, decrease of the absolute number of immunocompetent cell having Fc receptor to lg G, inhibition of their functional activity, increase of mastocytelike lymphocytes in the peripheral blood, stable suppression of natural cytotoxic cells activity has been found out in the rats of the experimental groups examined at the age 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. The revealed disturbances of cell immunity indices and nonspecific resistance factors depended on the age of the animals and their generation to greater extend in the young rats of F 1 -F 2 generation

  7. Subacute effects of inhaled Jet Fuel-A (Jet A) on airway and immune function in female rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweeney, Lisa M; Prues, Susan L; Reboulet, James E

    2013-04-01

    Two studies were conducted to assess the potential airway and immune effects following subacute (14 d) exposure of female rats to 500, 1000 or 2000 mg/m³ of Jet-A for 4 h/d. The first study used Sprague-Dawley rats; the second study included both Fischer 344 (F344) and Sprague-Dawley rats. In the first study, exposure to 2000 mg/m³ jet fuel may have caused significant upper airway inflammation on day 7 post-exposure, as indicated by elevated protein and lactate dehydrogenase in nasal lavage fluid, but any inflammation resolved by day 14 post-exposure. No significant impact on immune cell populations in the spleens was observed. The histological examination showed no evidence of infectious or toxic effect. In the second study, body weights of the F344 rats in the 2000 mg/m³ group were depressed, as compared to the controls, at the end of the exposure. Some lung lavage fluid markers were increased at 24 h after the final exposure, however, no test article-induced histological changes were observed in the lungs, nasal cavities, or any other tissue of any of the jet fuel exposed animals. Overall, these studies demonstrated limited evidence of effects of 14 d of exposure to Jet A on the airways, immune system, or any other organ or system of female Sprague-Dawley and F344 rats, with no remarkable differences between strains. The lack of identified significant airway or immune effects was in contrast to previous examinations of jet fuel for pulmonary toxicity in mice and rats and for immunotoxicity in mice.

  8. Effects of repeated light-dark phase shifts on voluntary ethanol and water intake in male and female Fischer and Lewis rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenwasser, Alan M; Clark, James W; Fixaris, Michael C; Belanger, Gabriel V; Foster, James A

    2010-05-01

    Several lines of evidence implicate reciprocal interactions between excessive alcohol (ethanol) intake and dysregulation of circadian biological rhythms. Thus, chronic alcohol intake leads to widespread circadian disruption in both humans and experimental animals, while in turn, chronobiological disruption has been hypothesized to promote or sustain excessive alcohol intake. Nevertheless, the effects of circadian disruption on voluntary ethanol intake have not been investigated extensively, and prior studies have reported both increased and decreased ethanol intake in rats maintained under "shift-lag" lighting regimens mimicking those experienced by shift workers and transmeridian travelers. In the present study, male and female inbred Fischer and Lewis rats were housed in running wheel cages with continuous free-choice access to both water and 10% (vol/vol) ethanol solution and exposed to repeated 6-h phase advances of the daily light-dark (LD) cycle, whereas controls were kept under standard LD 12:12 conditions. Shift-lag lighting reduced overall ethanol and water intake, and reduced ethanol preference in Fischer rats. Although contrary to the hypothesis that circadian disruption would increase voluntary ethanol intake, these results are consistent with our previous report of reduced ethanol intake in selectively bred high-alcohol-drinking (HAD1) rats housed under a similar lighting regimen. We conclude that chronic circadian disruption is a form of chronobiological stressor that, like other stressors, can either increase or decrease ethanol intake, depending on a variety of poorly understood variables. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Antibody Contributes to Heterosubtypic Immunity In the Cotton Rat Model of Influenza

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-09-29

    H1N2 swine influenza virus in pigs previously infected with H1N1 and/or H3N2 subtypes. Vaccine 21: 1375–1381. Wei, C.J., J.C. Boyington, P.M...contributes to heterosubtypic protection against influenza A-induced tachypnea in cotton rats" Name of Candidate: r. Timothy M. Straight Doctor of...Heterosubtypic Immunity In the Cotton Rat Model of Influenza " is appropriately acknowledged and, beyond brief excerpts, is with the permission of the

  10. The extracellular domain of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein elicits atypical experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rat and Macaque species.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan D Curtis

    Full Text Available Atypical models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE are advantageous in that the heterogeneity of clinical signs appears more reflective of those in multiple sclerosis (MS. Conversely, models of classical EAE feature stereotypic progression of an ascending flaccid paralysis that is not a characteristic of MS. The study of atypical EAE however has been limited due to the relative lack of suitable models that feature reliable disease incidence and severity, excepting mice deficient in gamma-interferon signaling pathways. In this study, atypical EAE was induced in Lewis rats, and a related approach was effective for induction of an unusual neurologic syndrome in a cynomolgus macaque. Lewis rats were immunized with the rat immunoglobulin variable (IgV-related extracellular domain of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (IgV-MOG in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA followed by one or more injections of rat IgV-MOG in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA. The resulting disease was marked by torticollis, unilateral rigid paralysis, forelimb weakness, and high titers of anti-MOG antibody against conformational epitopes of MOG, as well as other signs of atypical EAE. A similar strategy elicited a distinct atypical form of EAE in a cynomolgus macaque. By day 36 in the monkey, titers of IgG against conformational epitopes of extracellular MOG were evident, and on day 201, the macaque had an abrupt onset of an unusual form of EAE that included a pronounced arousal-dependent, transient myotonia. The disease persisted for 6-7 weeks and was marked by a gradual, consistent improvement and an eventual full recovery without recurrence. These data indicate that one or more boosters of IgV-MOG in IFA represent a key variable for induction of atypical or unusual forms of EAE in rat and Macaca species. These studies also reveal a close correlation between humoral immunity against conformational epitopes of MOG, extended confluent demyelinating plaques in

  11. The extracellular domain of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein elicits atypical experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in rat and Macaque species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtis, Alan D; Taslim, Najla; Reece, Shaun P; Grebenciucova, Elena; Ray, Richard H; Rosenbaum, Matthew D; Wardle, Robert L; Van Scott, Michael R; Mannie, Mark D

    2014-01-01

    Atypical models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) are advantageous in that the heterogeneity of clinical signs appears more reflective of those in multiple sclerosis (MS). Conversely, models of classical EAE feature stereotypic progression of an ascending flaccid paralysis that is not a characteristic of MS. The study of atypical EAE however has been limited due to the relative lack of suitable models that feature reliable disease incidence and severity, excepting mice deficient in gamma-interferon signaling pathways. In this study, atypical EAE was induced in Lewis rats, and a related approach was effective for induction of an unusual neurologic syndrome in a cynomolgus macaque. Lewis rats were immunized with the rat immunoglobulin variable (IgV)-related extracellular domain of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (IgV-MOG) in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) followed by one or more injections of rat IgV-MOG in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). The resulting disease was marked by torticollis, unilateral rigid paralysis, forelimb weakness, and high titers of anti-MOG antibody against conformational epitopes of MOG, as well as other signs of atypical EAE. A similar strategy elicited a distinct atypical form of EAE in a cynomolgus macaque. By day 36 in the monkey, titers of IgG against conformational epitopes of extracellular MOG were evident, and on day 201, the macaque had an abrupt onset of an unusual form of EAE that included a pronounced arousal-dependent, transient myotonia. The disease persisted for 6-7 weeks and was marked by a gradual, consistent improvement and an eventual full recovery without recurrence. These data indicate that one or more boosters of IgV-MOG in IFA represent a key variable for induction of atypical or unusual forms of EAE in rat and Macaca species. These studies also reveal a close correlation between humoral immunity against conformational epitopes of MOG, extended confluent demyelinating plaques in spinal cord and

  12. The induction of species-specific immunity against Schistosoma japonicum by exposure of rats to ultra-violet attenuated cercariae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moloney, N.A.; Webbe, G.; Hinchcliffe, P.

    1987-01-01

    Single percutaneous immunizations of Fischer rats with 1000 ultra-violet attenuated Schistosoma japonicum cercariae induced 52-88% resistance to challenge 4 weeks later. Increasing this to 3 immunizations induced 90% resistance to challenge, and this level of protection remained undiminished for up to 40 weeks after vaccination. Rats vaccinated with gamma-irradiated S. mansoni cercariae were resistant to challenge with S. mansoni but not S. japonicum. Similarly rats vaccinated with u.v.-attenuated S. japonicum cercariae were not resistant to heterologous challenge. Thus irradiated vaccines are species-specific in both permissive and non-permissive hosts. (author)

  13. Lewy Body Dementia Diagnosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... provide an experienced diagnostic team skilled in Lewy body dementia. A thorough dementia diagnostic evaluation includes physical ... a good way to benefit others with Lewy body dementia. Medications Medications are one of the most ...

  14. Lewy Body Dementia Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... notices changes in at least one area of cognition, such as memory or language. Daytime Sleepiness is ... the field of Lewy body dementias. Memantine Improves Attention and Episodic Memory in Mild to Moderate Lewy ...

  15. Comparison of estrogenic responses in bone and uterus depending on the parity status in Lewis rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keiler, Annekathrin Martina; Bernhardt, Ricardo; Scharnweber, Dieter; Jarry, Hubertus; Vollmer, Günter; Zierau, Oliver

    2013-01-01

    The reproductive transition of women through peri- to postmenopause is characterized by changes in steroid hormone levels due to the cessation of the ovarian function. Beside several complaints associated with these hormonal changes, the deterioration of the trabecular bone micro-architecture and the loss of skeletal mass can cause osteoporosis. At this life stage, women often have a reproductive history of one to several pregnancies. The ovariectomized skeletally mature rat (>10 months old) is one of the most commonly used animal models for postmenopausal osteoporosis research. Despite the fact that mammals can undergo up to several reproductive cycles (primi-/pluriparous), nulliparous animals are often used and the question whether changes in the hormonal milieu subsequently affect the skeleton and influence the outcome of intervention studies is often neglected in study designs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare the estrogen responsiveness of nulliparous and pluriparous rats. For this purpose, one year old virgin or retired breeder Lewis rats were either sham operated or ovariectomized, whereas half of the ovariectomized animals received subcutaneous 17β-estradiol pellets eight weeks after surgery. After another four weeks, the effects on the uterus were determined by expression analysis of estrogen-dependently regulated steroid receptor genes and well-established marker genes. Moreover, trabecular bone parameters in the tibia were analyzed by micro-computed tomography (μCT). Parity-dependency in estrogen responsiveness was observed with respect to the achieved serum E2 levels in response to similar E2 treatment. This led to differences both on the uterus wet weight and on the expression level of uterine target genes. In addition, a reversal of the ovariectomy-induced changes of the bone architecture after 17β-estradiol substitution was only observed among the nulliparous. In conclusion, the observations of this study support parity

  16. Gram-positive bacteria as an antigen topically applied into gingival sulcus of immunized rat accelerates periodontal destruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagano, F; Kaneko, T; Yoshinaga, Y; Ukai, T; Kuramoto, A; Nakatsu, S; Oshino, K; Ichimura, I; Hara, Y

    2013-08-01

    Periodontitis is generally accepted to relate to gram-negative bacteria, and the host defense system influences its onset and progression. However, little is known about the relation between gram-positive bacteria and periodontitis. In this study, we topically applied gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial suspensions to the gingival sulcus in rats after immunization, and then histopathologically examined their influence on periodontal destruction. Rats previously immunized with heat-treated and sonicated Staphylococcus aureus or Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans were used as immunized groups. The non-immunized group received only sterile phosphate-buffered saline. In each animal, S. aureus or A. actinomycetemcomitans suspension was applied topically to the palatal gingival sulcus of first molars every 24 h for 10 d. Blood samples were collected and the serum level of anti-S. aureus or anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The first molar regions were resected and observed histopathologically. Osteoclasts were stained with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). The formation of immune complexes was confirmed by immunohistological staining of C1qB. Serum levels of anti-S. aureus and anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans IgG antibodies in the immunized groups were significantly higher than those in the non-immunized groups were. The loss of attachment, increase in apical migration of the junctional epithelium, and decreases in alveolar bone level and number of TRAP-positive multinuclear cells in each immunized group were significantly greater than in each non-immunized group. The presence of C1qB was observed in the junctional epithelium and adjacent connective tissue in the immunized groups. Heat-treated and sonicated S. aureus and A. actinomycetemcomitans induced attachment loss in rats immunized with their suspensions. Our results suggest that not only gram-negative but also gram

  17. Detection of acute renal allograft rejection by analysis of Renal TissueProteomics in rat models of renal transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Y.; Lv, T.; Wang, K.; Li, D.; Huang, Y.; Liu, J.

    2008-01-01

    At present, the diagnosis of renal allograft rejection requires a renalbiopsy. Clinical management of renal transplant patients would be improved ifrapid, noninvasive and reliable biomarkers of rejection were available. Thisstudy is designed to determine whether such protein biomarkers can be foundin renal graft tissue proteomic approach. Orthotopic kidney transplantationswere performed using Fisher (F344) or Lewis rats as donors and Lewis rats asrecipients. Hence, there were two groups of renal transplant models: one isallograft (from F344 to Lewis rats); another is syngrafts (from Lewis toLewis rats) serving as control. Renal tissues were collected 3, 7 and 14 daysafter transplantation. As many 18 samples were analyzed by 2-DElectrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS). Elevendifferentially expressed proteins were identified between groups. Inconclusion, proteomic technology can detect renal tissue proteins associatedwith acute renal allograft rejection. Identification of these proteins asdiagnostic markers for rejection in patient's urine or sera may be useful andnon-invasive, and these proteins might serve as novel therapeutic targetsthat also help to improve the understanding of mechanisms of renal rejection.(author)

  18. Monoclonal antibodies from rats immunized with fragment D of human fibrinogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kennel, S.J.; Chen, J.P.; Lankford, P.K.; Foote, L.J.

    1981-01-01

    Fischer rats were immunized with fragment D (Fg-D) of human fibrinogen (Fg) to obtain antibody specific for neoantigens unique to this molecule. Absorption of serum with whole Fg indicated that some of the antibody produced reacted preferentially with Fg-D. Hybridoma cultures were prepared by fusion of immune rat spleen cells with mouse myeloma P3-X63-Ag8. Monoclonal antibodies obtained from these cultures fell into two classes: (a) Those reacting equally well with Fg and Fg-D. (b) Those reacting preferentially but not absolutely wth Fg-D. Antibody from hybridoma 104-14, a member of the first group had an affinity for Fg-D of 1.5 x 10 9 M -1 while antibodies from 106-59 and 106-71 (group 2) demonstrated much lower affinities of 1.0 x 10 7 and 4.7 x 10 6 M -1 , respectively. The cross reactivity of antibodies in the second group indicated that they react with protein conformations that are altered during production of Fg-D from Fg

  19. Changes in the Interstitial Cells of Cajal and Immunity in Chronic Psychological Stress Rats and Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture at the Zusanli Point (ST36

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mucang Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Now, chronic psychological stress (CPS related diseases are increasing. Many CPS patients have gastrointestinal complaints, immune suppression, and immune imbalance. Increasing evidence is indicating that acupuncture (AP at the Zusanli point (ST36 can alleviate functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID, immune suppression, and immune imbalance. However, few studies have investigated the potential mechanisms. In this study, CPS rat models were established, and electroacupuncture (EA at ST36 was done for CPS rats. Daily food intake, weight, intestinal sensitivity, the morphology of interstitial cell of Cajal (ICC in the small intestine, and serum indexes were measured. The study found that, in CPS rats, EA at ST36 could improve food intake, weight, visceral hypersensitivity, and immunity; in CPS rats, in small intestine, the morphology of ICCs was abnormal and the number was decreased, which may be part causes of gastrointestinal motility dysfunction. EA at ST36 showed useful therapeutic effects. The mechanisms may be partially related to its repairing effects on ICCs damages; in CPS rats, there were immune suppression and immune imbalance, which may be part causes of visceral hypersensitivity. EA at ST36 showed useful therapeutic effects. The mechanisms may be partially related to its regulation on immunity.

  20. Suppressive effects of a novel compound on interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein-induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun-ichi Sakai

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The immunosuppressive effect of ethyl O-(N-(pcarboxyphenyl-carbamoyl-mycophenolate(CAM was examined in interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP-induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU in rats. Lewis rats immunized with bovine IRBP were treated with various oral doses of CAM postimmunization. The degree of inflammation was assessed clinically each day and histologically on day 14 or day 20. Production of various cytokines and IRBP-specific antibody, as well as IRBP-specific proliferation response, was assessed. Complete inhibition of EAU in rats, both by clinical and histologic criteria, was achieved with 50 mg/kg CAM when administered daily for 14 days following IRBP immunization. Partial inhibition was observed at lesser doses of CAM. This CAM-mediated response was accompanied by diminished production of cytokines interleukin-2, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as a reduction in IRBP-specific antibody production. Furthermore, administration of CAM either in the induction phase only (days 0–7 or in the effector phase only (days 9 or 11 to day 20 was also capable of suppressing EAU, as assessed histopathologically on day 20. We conclude that CAM is effective in suppressing EAU in rats and its mechanism of action appears to involve modulation of T cell function.

  1. Bernard Lewis: An Appreciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphreys, R. Stephen

    1990-01-01

    Discusses the career and publications of Bernard Lewis, a noted scholar in the field of Middle-Eastern studies and Islamic history. Traces the history of Western-based Islamic historiography. Examines Lewis' interpretation of Islamic history, outlining his political and social views. (RW)

  2. Immune cell distribution and immunoglobulin levels change following sciatic nerve injury in a rat model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Yuan

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: To investigate the systemic and local immune status of two surgical rat models of sciatic nerve injury, a crushed sciatic nerve, and a sciatic nerve transection Materials and Methods:Twenty-four adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operation (control group, sciatic nerve crush, and sciatic nerve transaction. Sciatic nerve surgery was performed. The percentage of CD4+ cells and the CD4+/CD8+ratio were determined by flow cytometry. Serum IgM and IgG levels were analyzed by ELISA. T-cells (CD3 and macrophages (CD68 in sciatic nerve tissue sections were identified through immunohistochemistry. Results: Compared to sham-operated controls, in rats that underwent nerve injury, the percentage of CD4+ cells and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the peripheral blood were significantly  decreased 7 days after surgery, serum IgM levels were increased 14 days after surgery, and serum IgG levels were increased 21 days after surgery. There were a large number of CD3+ cells and a small number of CD68+ cells in sciatic nerve tissue sections 21 days after surgery, indicating T-cell and macrophage activation and infiltration. Local IgG deposition was also detected at the nerve injury site 21 days after surgery. Conclusion: Rat humoral and cellular immune status changed following sciatic nerve injury, particularly with regard to the cellular immune response at the nerve injury site.

  3. Rejoinder to Lewis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashton Anderson

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In a response to our article “Political Ideology and Racial Preferences in Online Dating,” Kevin Lewis (2015 has raised concerns about various aspects of our analysis of user behavior on a national online dating site. The core of Lewis’ critique is that we do not report specifics of the sample, the website, and the analysis. Lewis also details numerous smaller points with respect to details of the analysis. The goal of this response is not to reply to every point that Lewis makes. As with any research project, our design decisions require tradeoffs, and readers should evaluate the evidence on their own. Rather, we use this space to make broader points about the general value for sociology of research using online data and how such research should be practiced.

  4. The state of immune system circadian rhythms in rats at exposure to ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuz'menko, O.V.; Nyikyiforova, N.A.; Yivanenko, M.O.

    2010-01-01

    Circadian rhythms of the immune system parameters restoration in rats with different response to stress, exposed to single total irradiation at dose of 6 Gy at various time of the day was investigated.

  5. Analysis of adrenocortical secretory responses during acute an prolonged immune stimulation in inflammation-susceptible and -resistant rat strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, I M; Lorentzen, J C; Ericsson-Dahlstrand, A

    2000-11-01

    Endogenous corticosterone secreted during immune challenge restricts the inflammatory process and genetic variations in this neuroendocrine-immune dialogue have been suggested to influence an individuals sensitivity to develop chronic inflammatory disorders. We have tested inflammation-susceptible Dark Agouti (DA) rats and resistant, MHC-identical, PVG.1AV1 rats for their abilities to secrete corticosterone in response to acute challenge with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a prolonged activation of the nonspecific immune system with arthritogenic yeast beta-glucan. Intravenous injection of LPS triggered equipotent secretion of corticosterone in both rat strains. Interestingly, peak concentrations of corticosterone did not differ significantly between the strains. Intradermal injection of beta-glucan caused severe, monophasic, polyarthritis in DA rats while PVG.1AV1 responded with significantly milder joint inflammation. Importantly, serial sampling of plasma from glucan-injected DA and PVG.1AV1 rats did not reveal elevated concentrations of plasma corticosterone at any time from days 1-30 postinjection compared to preinjection values, in spite of the ongoing inflammatory process. Interestingly, adrenalectomized, beta-glucan-challenged DA rats responded with an aggravated arthritic process, indicating an anti-inflammatory role for the basal levels of corticosterone that were detected in intact DA rats challenged with beta-glucan. Moreover, substitution with subcutaneous corticosterone-secreting pellets, yielding moderate stress-levels, significantly attenuated the arthritic response. In contrast, adrenalectomized and glucan-challenged PVG.1AV1 rats did not respond with an elevated arthritic response, suggesting that these rats contain the arthritic process via corticosterone-independent mechanisms. In conclusion, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in both rat strains exhibited strong activation after challenge with LPS. This contrasted to the basal

  6. Immune Modulating Capability of Two Exopolysaccharide-Producing Bifidobacterium Strains in a Wistar Rat Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nuria Salazar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Fermented dairy products are the usual carriers for the delivery of probiotics to humans, Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus being the most frequently used bacteria. In this work, the strains Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis IPLA R1 and Bifidobacterium longum IPLA E44 were tested for their capability to modulate immune response and the insulin-dependent glucose homeostasis using male Wistar rats fed with a standard diet. Three intervention groups were fed daily for 24 days with 10% skimmed milk, or with 109 cfu of the corresponding strain suspended in the same vehicle. A significant increase of the suppressor-regulatory TGF-β cytokine occurred with both strains in comparison with a control (no intervention group of rats; the highest levels were reached in rats fed IPLA R1. This strain presented an immune protective profile, as it was able to reduce the production of the proinflammatory IL-6. Moreover, phosphorylated Akt kinase decreased in gastroctemius muscle of rats fed the strain IPLA R1, without affecting the glucose, insulin, and HOMA index in blood, or levels of Glut-4 located in the membrane of muscle and adipose tissue cells. Therefore, the strain B. animalis subsp. lactis IPLA R1 is a probiotic candidate to be tested in mild grade inflammation animal models.

  7. In vivo immunoprotective role of Indigofera tinctoria and Scoparia dulcis aqueous extracts against chronic noise stress induced immune abnormalities in Wistar albino rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Boothapandi Madakkannu

    Full Text Available Indigofera tinctoria and Scoparia dulcis are being widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of various disorders. Environmental noise pollution is thought to be an important factor for many health problems and it causes immune abnormalities. In the present study immune-regulating potential of I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts on innate and adaptive immune system of wistar albino rats was evaluated during normal and chronic noise induced stress conditions. The results demonstrated that both I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts (200 mg/kg b.w showed immunostimulant effect on both innate and adaptive immune response of wistar albino rat compared to control group under normal condition. The noise stress (100 dB for 1 h, 20 days induced animals showed suppressive effects on immune response by decreasing macrophage phagocytosis, antibody secretion by spleen cells, humoral immune response, proliferation of lymphocytes, cytotoxicity, TNF α expression, granzyme B and perforin expression in splenic NK cells. Similarly, noise stress also caused DNA damage in tissues. However, the suppressed effects induced by noise stress on rat immune system were significantly prevented by oral administration of both I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts. Considering all these results it is suggested that the selected medicinal plant’s aqueous extracts have the potential to prevent the effects of noise stress induced rat immune system and explore a strong immunostimulant potential applicable to clinical practices. Keywords: Indigofera tinctoria, Scoparia dulcis, Chronic noise stress, Immunomodulatory, Innate immunity, Adaptive immunity

  8. Impaired immune function in seals and laboratory rats exposed to dioxin-like compounds from Baltic herring

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ross, P.S. [Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Pieterburen (Netherlands)]|[National Inst. of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven (Netherlands); Swart, R.L. de [Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Pieterburen (Netherlands)]|[Erasmus Univ., Rotterdam (Netherlands); Timmerman, H.H.; Loveren, H. van [National Inst. of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven (Netherlands); Osterhaus, A.D.M.E. [Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Pieterburen (Netherlands)]|[National Inst. of Public Health and Environmental Protection, Bilthoven (Netherlands)]|[Erasmus Univ., Rotterdam (Netherlands)

    1995-12-31

    Complex mixtures of lipophilic contaminants have been shown to affect certain top predators in the aquatic food chain, including seals. A recent demonstration that harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) fed Baltic Sea herring displayed impaired natural killer cell activity and T-lymphocyte function represented the first demonstration of immunotoxicity induced by ambient levels of contaminants in the environment. While these animals had a lower ability to respond to immunizations with inactivated vaccines, specific antibody responses, and in vitro antigen-specific lymphoproliferative responses, obvious constraints limited the ability to extend these results with host resistance tests or an evaluation of thymus and other lymphoid organs. The authors therefore set up a parallel study by exposing pregnant laboratory rats to the same Baltic herring contaminant mixture as received the seals. They then examined immune function parameters and host resistance to virus infection. As in the seals, rat pups of the Baltic group had impaired T-lymphocyte function. In addition, thymus cells and/or their precursors appeared to be targeted, as their numbers and function were reduced in the rats. Following challenge with rat cytomegalovirus in a host resistance study, rat pups in the Baltic group had impaired natural killer cell responses to the virus infection, and lower specific CD8 + (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte) responses following in vitro stimulation. By extrapolation, these results suggest that the impaired immune responses observed in the Baltic group of seals may lead to a less effective defense against virus infections in marine mammals inhabiting polluted coastal waters. Toxicological profiles and results of both the captive seal and laboratory rat experiments tend to implicate the 2,3,7,8-TCDD-like PCB, dioxin and furan congeners in the immunosuppression, and point to a major role for the PCBs.

  9. Detection of acute renal allograft rejection by analysis of renal tissue proteomics in rat models of renal transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dai Yong

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available At present, the diagnosis of renal allograft rejection requires a renal biopsy. Clinical management of renal transplant patients would be improved if rapid, noninvasive and reliable biomarkers of rejection were available. This study is designed to determine whether such protein biomarkers can be found in renal-graft tissue proteomic approach. Orthotopic kidney transplantations were performed using Fisher (F344 or Lewis rats as donors and Lewis rats as recipients. Hence, there were two groups of renal transplant models: one is allograft (from F344 to Lewis rats; another is syngrafts (from Lewis to Lewis rats serving as control. Renal tissues were collected 3, 7 and 14 days after transplantation. As many as 18 samples were analyzed by 2-D Electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-TOF-MS. Eleven differentially expressed proteins were identified between groups. In conclusion, proteomic technology can detect renal tissue proteins associated with acute renal allograft rejection. Identification of these proteins as diagnostic markers for rejection in patients′ urine or sera may be useful and non-invasive, and these proteins might serve as novel therapeutic targets that also help to improve the understanding of mechanism of renal rejection.

  10. Immune-mediated effects upon oral challenge of ovalbumin-sensitized Brown Norway rats: Further characterization of a rat food allergy model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Knippels, L.M.J.; Penninks, A.H.; Smit, J.J.; Houben, G.F.

    1999-01-01

    Although several in vivo antigenicity assays using parenteral immunization are operational, no full validated enteral models are available to study food allergy and allergenicity of food proteins. To further validate a developed enteral Brown Norway (BN) rat food allergy model, systemic and local

  11. The mechanism of effective electroacupuncture on T cell response in rats with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yumei Liu

    Full Text Available Previously, we demonstrated that electroacupuncture (EA decreased lymphocyte infiltration into the spinal cords of rats presenting with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE, a disease model used in the study of multiple sclerosis (MS. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of EA on the EAE. Female Lewis rats were divided into either CFA, EAE, EA, or injection with naloxone after electroacupuncture (NAL groups. Electroacupuncture was administered every day for 21 days. To evaluate proliferation and apoptosis, lymphocytes from rats presenting with EAE were collected and cultured with β-endorphin. Immunohistochemisty, flow cytometry and radio-immunity methods were applied to detect the expression of β-endorphin. Results presented in this report demonstrate that the beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of EA on EAE were related to β-endorphin production that balances the Thl/Th2 and Th17/Treg responses. These results suggest that β-endorphin could be an important component in the development of EA-based therapies used for the treatment of EAE.

  12. The influence of intrauterine exposure to immunosuppressive treatment on changes in the immune system in juvenile Wistar rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabat-Koperska, Joanna; Kolasa-Wołosiuk, Agnieszka; Wojciuk, Bartosz; Wojciechowska-Koszko, Iwona; Roszkowska, Paulina; Krasnodębska-Szponder, Barbara; Paczkowska, Edyta; Safranow, Krzysztof; Gołembiewska, Edyta; Machaliński, Bogusław; Ciechanowski, Kazimierz

    2016-01-01

    In our study, we assessed the impact of immunosuppressive drug combinations on changes in the immune system of juvenile Wistar rats exposed to these drugs during pregnancy. We primarily concentrated on changes in two organs of the immune system - the thymus and the spleen. The study was conducted on 40 (32+8) female Wistar rats administered full and half dose of drugs, respectively, subjected to regimens commonly used in therapy of human kidney transplant recipients ([1] cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone; [2] tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone; [3] cyclosporine A, everolimus, and prednisone). The animals received drugs by oral gavage 2 weeks before pregnancy and during 3 weeks of pregnancy. There were no statistically significant differences in the weight of the thymus and spleen, but changes were found in the results of blood hematology, cytometry from the spleen, and a histologic examination of the examined immune organs of juvenile Wistar rats. In the cytokine assay, changes in the level of interleukine 17 (IL-17) after increasing amounts of concanavaline A were dose-dependent; the increase of IL-17 was blocked after administration of higher doses of immunosuppressive drugs. However, after a reduction of doses, its increase resumed. Qualitative, quantitative, and morphological changes in the immune system of infant rats born to pharmacologically immunosuppressed females were observed. Thymus structure, spleen composition, and splenocyte IL-17 production were mostly affected in a drug regimen-dependent manner.

  13. In vivo immunoprotective role of Indigofera tinctoria and Scoparia dulcis aqueous extracts against chronic noise stress induced immune abnormalities in Wistar albino rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madakkannu, Boothapandi; Ravichandran, Ramanibai

    2017-01-01

    Indigofera tinctoria and Scoparia dulcis are being widely used in Indian folk medicine for the treatment of various disorders. Environmental noise pollution is thought to be an important factor for many health problems and it causes immune abnormalities. In the present study immune-regulating potential of I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts on innate and adaptive immune system of wistar albino rats was evaluated during normal and chronic noise induced stress conditions. The results demonstrated that both I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts (200 mg/kg b.w) showed immunostimulant effect on both innate and adaptive immune response of wistar albino rat compared to control group under normal condition. The noise stress (100 dB for 1 h, 20 days) induced animals showed suppressive effects on immune response by decreasing macrophage phagocytosis, antibody secretion by spleen cells, humoral immune response, proliferation of lymphocytes, cytotoxicity, TNF α expression, granzyme B and perforin expression in splenic NK cells. Similarly, noise stress also caused DNA damage in tissues. However, the suppressed effects induced by noise stress on rat immune system were significantly prevented by oral administration of both I. tinctoria and S. dulcis aqueous extracts. Considering all these results it is suggested that the selected medicinal plant's aqueous extracts have the potential to prevent the effects of noise stress induced rat immune system and explore a strong immunostimulant potential applicable to clinical practices.

  14. A novel mutation causing nephronophthisis in the Lewis polycystic kidney rat localises to a conserved RCC1 domain in Nek8

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McCooke John K

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Nephronophthisis (NPHP as a cause of cystic kidney disease is the most common genetic cause of progressive renal failure in children and young adults. NPHP is characterized by abnormal and/or loss of function of proteins associated with primary cilia. Previously, we characterized an autosomal recessive phenotype of cystic kidney disease in the Lewis Polycystic Kidney (LPK rat. Results In this study, quantitative trait locus analysis was used to define a ~1.6Mbp region on rat chromosome 10q25 harbouring the lpk mutation. Targeted genome capture and next-generation sequencing of this region identified a non-synonymous mutation R650C in the NIMA (never in mitosis gene a- related kinase 8 ( Nek8 gene. This is a novel Nek8 mutation that occurs within the regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1-like region of the protein. Specifically, the R650C substitution is located within a G[QRC]LG repeat motif of the predicted seven bladed beta-propeller structure of the RCC1 domain. The rat Nek8 gene is located in a region syntenic to portions of human chromosome 17 and mouse 11. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed abnormally long cilia on LPK kidney epithelial cells, and fluorescence immunohistochemistry for Nek8 protein revealed altered cilia localisation. Conclusions When assessed relative to other Nek8 NPHP mutations, our results indicate the whole propeller structure of the RCC1 domain is important, as the different mutations cause comparable phenotypes. This study establishes the LPK rat as a novel model system for NPHP and further consolidates the link between cystic kidney disease and cilia proteins.

  15. Symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... the fight against LBD! Donate Symptoms Lewy body dementia (LBD) has variable presentations that include cognitive difficulties ... wake cycle alterations. Cognitive impairment in Lewy body dementia (LBD) is often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). ...

  16. Lewis Lung Cancer Cells Promote SIGNR1(CD209b)-Mediated Macrophages Polarization Induced by IL-4 to Facilitate Immune Evasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Xiaolong; Li, Wenhai; Pan, Lei; Fu, Enqing; Xie, Yonghong; Chen, Min; Mu, Deguang

    2016-05-01

    Tumor-associated macrophages are a prominent component of lung cancer and contribute to tumor progression by facilitating the immune evasion of cancer cells. DC-SIGN (CD209) assists in the immune evasion of a broad spectrum of pathogens and neoplasms by inhibiting the maturation of DCs and subsequent cytokines production. However, the expression of DC-SIGN in macrophages and its role in mediating immune evasion in lung cancer and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Our study aimed to identify the immunosuppressive role of SIGNR1 in murine macrophage differentiation and lung cancer progression. We found that SIGNR1-positive RAW264.7 macrophages were enriched in mixed cultures with Lewis lung cancer cells (LLC) (ratio of RAW 264.7 to LLC being 1:1) after stimulation with IL-4. Moreover, LLC-educated macrophages exhibited significantly higher levels of IL-10 but lower IL-12 in response to IL-4 treatment as determined by RT-PCR and ELISA. However, inhibition of SIGNR1 markedly hampered the production of IL-10, indicating that SIGNR1 was indispensable for IL-4+LLC induced macrophage polarization towards the M2 subtype. Furthermore, polarized M2 cells immersed in a tumor microenvironment promoted the migration of LLCs, as measured by transwell assays, but migration was suppressed after blockade of SIGNR1 using CD209b antibody. In addition, IL-4+LLC-educated macrophages reduced the proliferation of the activated T cells and reduced IFN-γ-mediated Th1 response in T cells, while SIGNR1 inhibition rescued Th1 cell functions. In conclusion, murine SIGNR1 expressed in LLC-educated macrophages appears to mediate IL-4-induced RAW264.7 macrophage polarization and thus facilitate lung cancer evasion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Slovene critics on Sinclair Lewis's novels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanja Avsenak

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to present the reception of Sinclair Lewis's novels by Slovene critics. Initially, the article focuses on the life and workof Sinclair Lewis, giving special emphasis to social influences that made the author a representative figure in the literary and social world. Thus his works are nowadays to be understood primarily as fiction, but on the other hand also as sociological documents of a social and political situation of the period between the two world wars. Generally, the effect they produce is one of a critical discussion of the nation of the United States. When speaking of the social relevance that Lewis's novels have, it is obvious that his works are the portrayals of Americans and their deficiencies. At the time of their publication Lewis's novels received unfavourable criticism on accountof his overly open pro-European attitude and Slovene critics of the period before World War II emphasise this in much detail. It was precisely this anti-American propaganda in the novels themselves and sincerity on the part of the novelist that won the European critics as well as the readers whenit came to appreciating his works. However, Lewis's view of the Americans, as presented throughout his works, only enhanced his literary credibility as a modern writer. That is why the articles by Slovene critics that appeared after the Second World War, and even more significantly after Lewis's death, almost minutely reflect a more favourable attitude to Sinclair Lewis, which was also the case with foreign literary criticism of the post-war period. Critics still discuss the qualities and flaws of Lewis's novels, but being more lenient they no longer profess that the novels lack in artistic value. They remain, however, primarily relevant as social documents of the pre- and post-war era, which fully presented the American middle-class mentality in America and elsewhere. For this reason, the Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to

  18. Immune responsiveness associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunocompetent rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Omalu ICJ

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Microsporidial infections have been recognized as an increasingly important infection in immuncompromised patients, particularly those infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was designed to study immune responses associated with experimental Encephalitozoon intestinalis infection in immunocompetent rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty-four Rats in 3 groups, A (Control, B (Intraperitoneal and C (Oral were given injections of 0.5 ml of 2 x 10 6 of purified spores of Encephalitotozoon intestinalis spores and were observed for serum specific IgG for 21 days using both direct and indirect ELISA. Results: In indirect ELISA, specific lgG were detected on days 7, 14 and 21 for the group B rats and on day 21 for group C and in direct ELISA method, specific lgG were detected in-group B rats on days 7 and 21, for group C rats on day 21 only, while in the control rats, specific lgG were not detected. There was no significant difference between the direct and indirect methods (df=1, X 2 , P>0.05. E. intestinalis was observed in stool samples of rats in 1/12 (08.33% on days 14 and 21 in group B, and in 4/10 (33.33%, 3/10 (25.00% and 2/10 (16.67% on days 7, 14 and 21 respectively in group C. In group A, which is the control rats, no microsporidia were observed on days 0, 7, 14 and 21. Conclusions: There were no changes in the T-lymphocyte counts of rats prior to and after inoculation with spores. Extensive lesions were observed along the intestinal walls especially on the middle and lower sections of group C rats only.

  19. Passive transfer of resistance and the site of immune-dependent elimination of the challenge infection in rats vaccinated with highly irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ford, M.J.; Bickle, Q.D.; Taylor, M.G.; Andrews, B.J.

    1984-01-01

    The immune-dependent elimination of a challenge infection in rats vaccinated with highly-irradiated cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni was analysed by passive transfer of serum, recovery of the challenge from the lungs and livers and by transferring lung-stage schistosomula. Recipients of serum from rats immunized with either unirradiated, 20 or 40 krad.-irradiated cercariae, were equally resistant if the serum was injected on the day of infection or 5-7 days after infection. Vaccinated rat serum transferred to mice and vaccinated rabbit serum transferred to rats conferred comparable protection when injected on day 0 or 5 days after infection of the recipients. This apparent susceptibility of the lung schistosomula to immune attack was confirmed by challenging 20 or 40 krad.-irradiated cercariae vaccinated rats with lung-stage schistosomula derived from mice or rats. All the detectable attrition of a cercarial challenge in vaccinated rats occurred between 7 and 10 days post-challenge, before the parasites reached the liver. Since there was no evidence of damage or attrition in the skin or lungs before day 7 it was concluded that immune-dependent elimination occurred rapidly following a 'window of sensitivity' coinciding with the migration of the parasites from the lungs to the liver. (author)

  20. Role of Respirable Saudi Arabian Sand and Pyridostigmine in the Gulf War syndrome: An Autoimmune Adjuvant Disease

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sopori, Mohan

    2002-01-01

    In the Lewis rat, inhalation of silica (SL) in realistic doses for 6 wk exacerbated the Mycobacterium- induced autoimmune adjuvant disease and impaired the humoral as well as cellular immune responses...

  1. Reduced Incidence of Slowly Progressive Heymann Nephritis in Rats Immunized With a Modified Vaccination Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arpad Z. Barabas

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available A slowly progressive Heymann nephritis (SPHN was induced in three groups of rats by weekly injections of a chemically modified renal tubular antigen in an aqueous medium. A control group of rats received the chemically unmodified version of the antigen in an aqueous solution. One group of SPHN rats were pre- and post-treated with weekly injections of IC made up of rKF3 and rarKF3 IgM antibody at antigen excess (MIC (immune complexes [ICs] containing sonicated ultracentrifuged [u/c] rat kidney fraction 3 [rKF3] antigen and IgM antibodies specific against the antigen, at slight antigen excess. One group of SPHN rats were post-treated with MIC 3 weeks after the induction of the disease and one group of SPHN animals received no treatment. The control group of rats received pre- and post-treatment with sonicated u/c rKF3.

  2. The effects of immune modulation on plutonium dioxide lung carcinogenesis in the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nolibe, D.; Discour, M.; Masse, R.; Lafuma, J.

    1979-01-01

    After inhalation of radioactive particles only some rats developed lung tumors. It was interesting to see whether this was a random effect or the result of different individual susceptibilities. Among the possible individual differences, cell mediated mechanisms and genetic factors have been reported. The relationships between cancerogenesis and host immune status are tested on rats submitted to an inhalation of plutonium dioxide particles after depression by azathioprine, hydrocortisone or thymectomy. The effects of immuno stimulation by BCG are also studied. The influence of genetic factors is studied with the same protocol on two strains of Wistar rats outbred or inbred. The incidence, nature, size, extension and metastases of tumors are compared between the groups. Results give a good evidence that AZA treated rats and thymectomized rats have a greater incidence of spontaneous tumors. This effect is observed at different levels in the two strains of rats. According to strain used, immunodepression have no or weak enhancing effect on PuO 2 tumor induction, but significant effect of development of tumors is always observed. A shift towards bronchogenic type is also observed. BCG have also an enhancing effect on development of tumors and no protective effect on their incidence

  3. INTEGRATED QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF CHANGES IN NEURO-ENDOCRINE-IMMUNE COMPLEX AND METABOLISM IN RATS EXPOSED TO ACUTE COLD-IMMOBILIZATION STRESS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sydoruk O Sydoruk

    2016-09-01

        Abstracts Background. It is known that the reaction of the neuroendocrine-immune complex to acute and chronic stress are different. It is also known about sex differences in stress reactions. Previously we have been carry out integrated quantitative estimation of neuroendocrine and immune responses to chronic restraint stress at male rats. The purpose of this study - to carry out integrated quantitative estimation of neuroendocrine, immune and metabolic responses to acute stress at male and female rats. Material and research methods. The experiment is at 58 (28 male and 30 female white rats Wistar line weighing 170-280 g (Mean=220 g; SD=28 g. The day after acute (water immersion restraint stress determined HRV, endocrine, immune and metabolic parameters as well as gastric mucosa injuries and comparing them with parameters of intact animals. Results. Acute cold-immobilization stress caused moderate injuries the stomach mucosa as erosions and ulcers. Among the metabolic parameters revealed increased activity Acid Phosphatase, Asparagine and Alanine Aminotranspherase as well as Creatinephosphokinase. It was also found to reduce plasma Testosterone as well as serum Potassium and Phosphate probably due to increased Parathyrine and Mineralocorticoid activity and Sympathotonic shift of sympatho-vagal balance. Integrated quantitative measure manifestations of Acute Stress as mean of modules of Z-Scores makes for 10 metabolic parameters 0,75±0,10 σ and for 8 neuro-endocrine parameters 0,40±0,07 σ. Among immune parameters some proved resistant to acute stress factors, while 10 significant suppressed and 12 activated. Integrated quantitative measure poststressory changes makes 0,73±0,08 σ. Found significant differences integrated status intact males and females, whereas after stress differences are insignificant. Conclusion. The approach to integrated quantitative assessment of neuroendocrine-immune complex and metabolism may be useful for testing the

  4. Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat is prevented by a novel immune modulation therapy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tremblay, J.; Chen, H.; Peng, J.; Kuneš, Jaroslav; Vu, M. D.; Der Sarkissian, S.; deBlois, D.; Bolton, A. E.; Gaboury, L.; Marshansky, V.; Gouadon, E.; Hamet, P.

    2002-01-01

    Roč. 74, č. 10 (2002), s. 1425-1433 ISSN 0041-1337 Grant - others:Vasogen Inc.(CA) - Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : renal ischemia * immune therapy * rat Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 3.265, year: 2002

  5. Neonatal infection produces significant changes in immune function with no associated learning deficits in juvenile rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Brittany F; Caulfield, Jasmine I; Solomotis, Samantha A; Schwarz, Jaclyn M

    2017-10-01

    The current experiments examined the impact of early-life immune activation and a subsequent mild immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 25µg/kg) on hippocampal-dependent learning, proinflammatory cytokine expression in the brain, and peripheral immune function in juvenile male and female rats at P24, an age when hippocampal-dependent learning and memory first emerges. Our results indicate that neonatal infection did not produce learning deficits in the hippocampal-dependent context pre-exposure facilitation effect paradigm in juvenile males and females, contrary to what has been observed in adults. Neonatal infection produced an increase in baseline IL-1β expression in the hippocampus (HP) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of juvenile rats. Furthermore, neonatally infected rats showed exaggerated IL-1β expression in the HP following LPS treatment as juveniles; and juvenile females, but not males, showed exaggerated IL-1β expression in the mPFC following LPS treatment. Neonatal infection attenuated the production of IL-6 expression following LPS treatment in both the brain and the spleen, and neonatal infection decreased the numbers of circulating white blood cells in juvenile males and females, an effect that was further exacerbated by subsequent LPS treatment. Together, our data indicate that the consequences of neonatal infection are detectable even early in juvenile development, though we found no concomitant hippocampal-dependent learning deficits at this young age. These findings underscore the need to consider age and associated on-going neurodevelopmental processes as important factors contributing to the emergence of cognitive and behavioral disorders linked to early-life immune activation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 1221-1236, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Impact of ingestion of rice bran and shitake mushroom extract on lymphocyte function and cytokine production in healthy rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giese, Scott; Sabell, George Richard; Coussons-Read, Mary

    2008-01-01

    This article provides a controlled evaluation of the ability of dietary supplementation with a commercially available rice bran extract modified with shitake mushroom extract (MGN-3) to support the immune function by assessing the ability of immunocytes to proliferate and produce cytokines in response to a mitogenic challenge. Twenty-four male Lewis rats were fed a control diet (Maypo sweetened oatmeal) or Maypo containing the recommended daily dose of MGN-3 for 2 weeks. This treatment modestly enhanced mitogen enhanced proliferation of splenocytes and interferon-gamma (IFN-g) production, and significantly increased proliferation of splenocytes to the superantigen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) as well as natural killer (NK) cell activity and production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by stimulated lymphocytes. These data support the contention that ingestion of MGN-3 can support immune cell function. These data add to a growing body of data showing that ingestion of MGN-3 improves the ability of immune cells to proliferate the lyse tumor cells, suggesting that it may have utility as a dietary aid to support the immune system.

  7. Fish oil versus arachis oil food supplementation in relation to pregnancy duration in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, S.F.; Hansen, Harald S.; Jensen, B.

    1990-01-01

    Throughout pregnancy, Lewis rats were fed standard rat chow supplemented with 15% (w/w) of either MaxEPA fish oil (FO) or arachis oil (AO); a third group was fed standard rat chow only (St) (n = 15, 15, and 16 rats, respectively). Compared to AO-rats, FO-rats had substantially higher levels of n-3...

  8. Advantages of laparoscopic compared to conventional surgery are not related to an innate immune response of peritoneal immune activation: an animal study in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lingohr, Philipp; Dohmen, Jonas; Matthaei, Hanno; Schwandt, Timo; Stein, Kathy; Hong, Gun-Soo; Steitz, Julia; Longerich, Thomas; Bölke, Edwin; Wehner, Sven; Kalff, Jörg C

    2017-06-01

    Laparoscopic surgery (LS) has proved superior compared to conventional surgery (CS) regarding morbidity, length of hospital stay, rate of wound infection and time until recovery. An improved preservation of the postoperative immune function is assumed to contribute to these benefits though the role of the local peritoneal immune response is still poorly understood. Our study investigates the peritoneal immune response subsequent to abdominal surgery and compares it between laparoscopic and conventional surgery to find an immunological explanation for the clinically proven benefits of LS. Wistar rats (N = 140) underwent laparoscopic cecum resection (LCR; N = 28), conventional cecum resection (CCR; N = 28), laparoscopic sham operation (LSO; N = 28), conventional sham operation (CSO; N = 28), or no surgical treatment (CTRL; N = 28). Postoperatively, peritoneal lavages were performed, leukocytes isolated and analyzed regarding immune function and phagocytosis activity. Immune function was inhibited postoperatively in animals undergoing LCR or CCR compared to CTRL reflected by a lower TNF-α (CTRL 3956.65 pg/ml, LCR 2018.48 pg/ml (p = 0.023), CCR 2793.78 pg/ml (n.s.)) and IL-6 secretion (CTRL 625.84 pg/ml, LCR 142.84 pg/ml (p = 0.009), CCR 169.53 pg/ml (p = 0.01)). Phagocytosis was not affected in rats undergoing any kind of surgery compared to CTRL. Neither cytokine secretion nor phagocytosis activity differed significantly between laparoscopic and conventional surgery. According to our findings the benefits associated with LS compared to CS cannot be explained by differences in the postoperative peritoneal innate immune response. Further studies are needed to elucidate the causes for a more favorable postoperative outcome in patients after LS compared to CS.

  9. A benign helminth alters the host immune system and the gut microbiota in a rat model system.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Wegener Parfrey

    Full Text Available Helminths and bacteria are major players in the mammalian gut ecosystem and each influences the host immune system and health. Declines in helminth prevalence and bacterial diversity appear to play a role in the dramatic rise of immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs in western populations. Helminths are potent modulators of immune system and their reintroduction is a promising therapeutic avenue for IMIDs. However, the introduction of helminths represents a disturbance for the host and it is important to understand the impact of helminth reintroduction on the host, including the immune system and gut microbiome. We tested the impact of a benign tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, in a rat model system. We find that H. diminuta infection results in increased interleukin 10 gene expression in the beginning of the prepatent period, consistent with induction of a type 2 immune response. We also find induction of humoral immunity during the patent period, shown here by increased IgA in feces. Further, we see an immuno-modulatory effect in the small intestine and spleen in patent period, as measured by reductions in tissue immune cells. We observed shifts in microbiota community composition during the patent period (beta-diversity in response to H. diminuta infection. However, these compositional changes appear to be minor; they occur within families and genera common to both treatment groups. There was no change in alpha diversity. Hymenolepis diminuta is a promising model for helminth therapy because it establishes long-term, stable colonization in rats and modulates the immune system without causing bacterial dysbiosis. These results suggest that the goal of engineering a therapeutic helminth that can safely manipulate the mammalian immune system without disrupting the rest of the gut ecosystem is in reach.

  10. A benign helminth alters the host immune system and the gut microbiota in a rat model system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wegener Parfrey, Laura; Jirků, Milan; Šíma, Radek; Jalovecká, Marie; Sak, Bohumil; Grigore, Karina; Jirků Pomajbíková, Kateřina

    2017-01-01

    Helminths and bacteria are major players in the mammalian gut ecosystem and each influences the host immune system and health. Declines in helminth prevalence and bacterial diversity appear to play a role in the dramatic rise of immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) in western populations. Helminths are potent modulators of immune system and their reintroduction is a promising therapeutic avenue for IMIDs. However, the introduction of helminths represents a disturbance for the host and it is important to understand the impact of helminth reintroduction on the host, including the immune system and gut microbiome. We tested the impact of a benign tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, in a rat model system. We find that H. diminuta infection results in increased interleukin 10 gene expression in the beginning of the prepatent period, consistent with induction of a type 2 immune response. We also find induction of humoral immunity during the patent period, shown here by increased IgA in feces. Further, we see an immuno-modulatory effect in the small intestine and spleen in patent period, as measured by reductions in tissue immune cells. We observed shifts in microbiota community composition during the patent period (beta-diversity) in response to H. diminuta infection. However, these compositional changes appear to be minor; they occur within families and genera common to both treatment groups. There was no change in alpha diversity. Hymenolepis diminuta is a promising model for helminth therapy because it establishes long-term, stable colonization in rats and modulates the immune system without causing bacterial dysbiosis. These results suggest that the goal of engineering a therapeutic helminth that can safely manipulate the mammalian immune system without disrupting the rest of the gut ecosystem is in reach.

  11. Splenic microenvironment and self recognition as factors in allograft rejection in rats. A study using indium-111-labeled cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pollak, R.; Blanchard, J.M.; Lazda, V.A.

    1986-01-01

    Splenectomy facilitates organ allograft survival in some rat strains, and in weak donor-recipient histoincompatible pairs. We have found using a heart spleen twin graft model, using ACI rats as recipients and Lewis rats as donors, that the transplanted heart will survive in most recipients after delayed host splenectomy. The presence of a viable mass of splenic tissue will allow rejection to proceed only when the transplanted spleen is of host origin, and not when it comes from the donor (i.e., when it is allogeneic). The use of 111In-labeled cells has allowed us to show that lymphocyte traffic and trapping is markedly altered in the transplanted allogeneic spleens, when compared with control transplanted syngeneic spleens. Thus, despite the presence of the splenic ''microenvironment,'' cardiac allograft rejection does not occur in the absence of syngeneic splenic tissue. We conclude that the role of the spleen in the immune response is to facilitate the recognition of self and the acquisition of alloreactivity in weak responder rat strains and donor-recipient pairs

  12. LEWIS BINFORD AND HIS MORAL MAJORITY (Lewis Binford y su mayoría moral

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alice Beck Kehoe

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available This essay looks at the late Lewis Binford’s career from the standpoint of sociology of science. His thinking and manner reflect his socialization in Virginia Baptist subculture. As convinced of his authority on science as Jerry Falwell was of his authority on Biblical morality, Lewis Binford and his third wife Sally Rosen Binford excited a group of 1960s students to follow Lewis in an outmoded version of science (hypothetico-deductive and in trusting statistics. The “frames of reference” he laboriously constructed are naïve on environmental interpretation and, because he expressed contempt for “political” aspects of archaeology, fail to take into account effects of colonialism. His work is often scientistic, in the “modern” mode that historian Dorothy Ross describes as characteristic of twentieth-century American social sciences. ESPAÑOL: En este ensayo se analiza la etapa final de la carrera de Lewis Binford desde el punto de vista de la sociología de la ciencia. Su pensamiento refleja su socialización en el seno de la subcultura de la Virginia baptista. Tan convencido de su autoridad en la ciencia como Jerry Falwell lo fuera sobre la moralidad bíblica, Lewis Binford y su tercera esposa Sally Rosen Binford animaron a un grupo estudiantes de los sesenta a seguir a Lewis a través de una versión anticuada de la ciencia (hipotético-deductiva y a confiar en la estadística. Los “marcos de referencia” que laboriosamente construyó son ingenuos en la interpretación del medio ambiente y, como expresó el desprecio por los aspectos “políticos” de la arqueología, no tienen en cuenta los efectos del colonialismo. Su trabajo es a menudo cientificista, en el sentido “moderno” que la historiadora Dorothy Ross describe como una característica de las ciencias sociales norteamericanas del siglo XX.

  13. Lewis basicity of relevant monoanions in a non-protogenic organic solvent using a zinc(ii) Schiff-base complex as a reference Lewis acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveri, Ivan Pietro; Di Bella, Santo

    2017-09-12

    Anions are ubiquitous species playing a primary role in chemistry, whose reactivity is essentially dominated by their Lewis basicity. However, no Lewis basicity data, in terms of Gibbs energy, are reported in the literature. We report here the first Lewis basicity of relevant monoanions through the determination of binding constants for the formation of stable 1 : 1 adducts, using a Zn II Schiff-base complex, 1, as a reference Lewis acid. Binding constants for equilibrium reactions were achieved through a nonlinear regression analysis of the binding isotherms from spectrophotometric titration data. The Lewis acidic complex 1 is a proper reference species because it forms stable adducts with both neutral and charged Lewis bases, thus allowing ranking their Lewis basicity. Binding constants indicate generally a strong Lewis basicity for all involved anions, rivalling or exceeding that of the stronger neutral bases, such as primary amines or pyridine. The cyanide anion results to be the strongest Lewis base, while the nitrate is the weaker base within the present anion series. Moreover, even the weaker base anions behave as stronger bases than the most common non-protogenic coordinating solvents.

  14. Frustrated Lewis pairs: Design and reactivity

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    for FLP systems and their unique reactivity are discussed here. Keywords. Lewis .... we will concentrate on the design principles of such. FLPs and the ... Designs of frustrated Lewis pairs ..... 64 and neutral titanium (III) complex [Cp2TiOC6.

  15. Enhanced expressions of mRNA for neuropeptide Y and interleukin 1 beta in hypothalamic arcuate nuclei during adjuvant arthritis-induced anorexia in Lewis rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stofkova, Andrea; Haluzik, Martin; Zelezna, Blanka; Kiss, Alexander; Skurlova, Martina; Lacinova, Zdenka; Jurcovicova, Jana

    2009-01-01

    Food intake is activated by hypothalamic orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY), which is mainly under the dual control of leptin and ghrelin. Rat adjuvant arthritis (AA), similarly as human rheumatoid arthritis, is associated with cachexia caused by yet unknown mechanisms. The aim of our study was to evaluate NPY expression in hypothalamic arcuate nuclei (nARC) under the conditions of AA-induced changes in leptin, ghrelin and adiponectin. Since IL-1beta is involved in the central induction of anorexia, we studied its expression in the nARC as well. AA was induced to Lewis rats using complete Freund's adjuvant. On days 12, 15 and 18 after complete Freund's adjuvant injection, the levels of leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin and IL-1beta were determined by RIA or ELISA. The mRNA expressions for NPY, leptin receptor (OB-R), ghrelin receptor (Ghsr) and IL-1beta were determined by TaqMan RT-PCR from isolated nARC. In AA rats, decreased appetite, body mass and epididymal fat stores positively correlated with reduced circulating and epididymal fat leptin and adiponectin. Ghrelin plasma levels were increased. In nARC, mRNA for OB-R, Ghsr and NPY were overexpressed in AA rats. AA rats showed overexpression of mRNA for IL-1beta in nARC while circulating, and spleen IL-1beta was unaltered. During AA, overexpression of orexigenic NPY mRNA in nARC along with enhanced plasma ghrelin and lowered leptin levels occur. Decreased food intake indicates a predominant effect of the anorexigenic pathway. Activated expression of IL-1beta in nARC suggests its role in keeping AA-induced anorexia in progress. The reduction in adiponectin may also contribute to AA-induced anorexia. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. Systemic immune cell response in rats after pulmonary exposure to manganese-containing particles collected from welding aerosols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonini, James M; Zeidler-Erdely, Patti C; Young, Shih-Houng; Roberts, Jenny R; Erdely, Aaron

    2012-01-01

    Welding fume inhalation affects the immune system of exposed workers. Manganese (Mn) in welding fume may induce immunosuppressive effects. The goal was to determine if Mn in welding fume alters immunity by reducing the number of circulating total leukocytes and specific leukocyte sub-populations. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated by intratracheal instillation (ITI) with either a single dose (2.00 mg/rat) or repeated doses (0.125 or 2.00 mg/rat for 7 weeks) with welding fumes that contained different levels of Mn. Additional rats were treated by ITI once a week for 7 weeks with the two doses of manganese chloride (MnCl₂). Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed to assess lung inflammation. Also, whole blood was recovered, and the number of circulating total leukocytes, as well as specific lymphocyte subsets, was determined by flow cytometry. The welding fume highest in Mn content significantly increased lung inflammation, injury, and production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared to all other treatment groups. In addition, the same group expressed significant decreases in the number of circulating CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes after a single exposure, and significant reductions in the number of circulating total lymphocytes, primarily CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes, after repeated exposures (compared to control values). Repeated MnCl₂ exposure led to a trend of a reduction (but not statistically significant) in circulating total lymphocytes, attributable to the changes in the CD4⁺ T-lymphocyte population levels. The welding fume with the lower concentration of Mn had no significant effect on the numbers of blood lymphocytes and lymphocyte subsets compared to control values. Evidence from this study indicates that pulmonary exposure to certain welding fumes cause decrements in systemic immune cell populations, specifically circulating T-lymphocytes, and these alterations in immune cell number are not dependent exclusively on Mn, but likely a

  17. Identification of a nutrient-sensing transcriptional network in monocytes by using inbred rat models on a cafeteria diet

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neus Martínez-Micaelo

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Obesity has reached pandemic levels worldwide. The current models of diet-induced obesity in rodents use predominantly high-fat based diets that do not take into account the consumption of variety of highly palatable, energy-dense foods that are prevalent in Western society. We and others have shown that the cafeteria (CAF diet is a robust and reproducible model of human metabolic syndrome with tissue inflammation in the rat. We have previously shown that inbred rat strains such as Wistar Kyoto (WKY and Lewis (LEW show different susceptibilities to CAF diets with distinct metabolic and morphometric profiles. Here, we show a difference in plasma MCP-1 levels and investigate the effect of the CAF diet on peripheral blood monocyte transcriptome, as powerful stress-sensing immune cells, in WKY and LEW rats. We found that 75.5% of the differentially expressed transcripts under the CAF diet were upregulated in WKY rats and were functionally related to the activation of the immune response. Using a gene co-expression network constructed from the genes differentially expressed between CAF diet-fed LEW and WKY rats, we identified acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family member 2 (Acss2 as a hub gene for a nutrient-sensing cluster of transcripts in monocytes. The Acss2 genomic region is significantly enriched for previously established metabolism quantitative trait loci in the rat. Notably, monocyte expression levels of Acss2 significantly correlated with plasma glucose, triglyceride, leptin and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA levels as well as morphometric measurements such as body weight and the total fat following feeding with the CAF diet in the rat. These results show the importance of the genetic background in nutritional genomics and identify inbred rat strains as potential models for CAF-diet-induced obesity.

  18. The Effect of Pistacia khynjuk on Humoral Immune System of Wistar Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Hadinia

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Plants from the genus Pistacia family such as Pistacia atlantica, Pistacia vera and Pistacia khynjuk are considered as herbal medicines. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of these plants have been confirmed. The aim of the current study was to find the effect of Pistacia khynjuk on humoral immune system of Wistar rats. Materials & Methods: This is an experimental study which was conducted at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences in 2009. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups of ten animals and orally received 10 mg/kg of the extract of nucleus, cutin and fruit of Pistacia khynjuk respectively, every day for two weeks. The control group received only placebo. Immuno-reactivity was induced using BCG vaccine (IP with Freund‘s complete adjuvant (CFA. The titer of IgG and IgM were measured after the treatment using ELISA method. Moreover, the cervical lymph nodes and spleen of animals were excised and the volume and density of the primary and secondary follicle was evaluated by steriology. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS using one-way ANOVA. Results: The differences in the mean level of IgG and IgM between the treated and the control animals were not significant (p>.05. Also, the mean volume of the spleen and cervical lymph nodes of the first three groups in comparison with the control animals were not significant (p>.05. Conclusion: Findings of this study showed that the Pistacia khynjuk did not have any direct effect on the activity of humoral immune system and the increasing of antibody level among Wistar rats.

  19. Teaching Beginning Chemistry Students Simple Lewis Dot Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nassiff, Peter; Czerwinski, Wendy A.

    2015-01-01

    Students beginning their initial study of chemistry often have a difficult time mastering simple Lewis dot structures. Textbooks show students how to manipulate Lewis structures by moving valence electron dots around the chemical structure so each atom has an octet or duet. However, an easier method of teaching Lewis structures for simple…

  20. Genetic background of nonmutant Piebald-Virol-Glaxo rats does not influence nephronophthisis phenotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yengkopiong JP

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Jada Pasquale Yengkopiong, Joseph Daniel Wani LakoJohn Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Bor, Jonglei State, Republic of South SudanBackground: Nephronophthisis (NPHP, which affects multiple organs, is a hereditary cystic kidney disease (CKD, characterized by interstitial fibrosis and numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys. It is caused by mutations in NPHP genes, which encode for ciliary proteins known as nephrocystins. The disorder affects many people across the world and leads to end-stage renal disease. The aim of this study was to determine if the genetic background of the nonmutant female Piebald-Virol-Glaxo (PVG/Seac-/- rat influences phenotypic inheritance of NPHP from mutant male Lewis polycystic kidney rats.Methods: Mating experiments were performed between mutant Lewis polycystic kidney male rats with CKD and nonmutant PVG and Wistar Kyoto female rats without cystic kidney disease to raise second filial and backcross 1 progeny, respectively. Rats that developed cystic kidneys were identified. Systolic blood pressure was determined in each rat at 12 weeks of age using the tail and cuff method. After euthanasia, blood samples were collected and chemistry was determined. Histological examination of the kidneys, pancreas, and liver of rats with and without cystic kidney disease was performed.Results: It was established that the genetic background of nonmutant female PVG rats did not influence the phenotypic inheritance of the CKD from mutant male Lewis polycystic kidney rats. The disease arose as a result of a recessive mutation in a single gene (second filial generation, CKD = 13, non-CKD = 39, Χ2 = 0.00, P ≥ 0.97; backcross 1 generation, CKD = 67, non-CKD = 72, Χ2 = 0.18, P > 0.05 and inherited as NPHP. The rats with CKD developed larger fluid-filled cystic kidneys, higher systolic blood pressure, and anemia, but there were no extrarenal cysts and disease did not lead to

  1. Lewy Body Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... range of symptoms, including Changes in alertness and attention Hallucinations Problems with movement and posture Muscle stiffness Confusion Loss of memory Lewy body disease can be hard to diagnose, ...

  2. Elucidating the Key Role of a Lewis Base Solvent in the Formation of Perovskite Films Fabricated from the Lewis Adduct Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xiaobing; Zhi, Lili; Li, Yahui; Fang, Fei; Cui, Xian; Yao, Youwei; Ci, Lijie; Ding, Kongxian; Wei, Jinquan

    2017-09-27

    High-quality perovskite films can be fabricated from Lewis acid-base adducts through molecule exchange. Substantial work is needed to fully understand the formation mechanism of the perovskite films, which helps to further improve their quality. Here, we study the formation of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 perovskite films by introducing some dimethylacetamide into the PbI 2 /N,N-dimethylformamide solution. We reveal that there are three key processes during the formation of perovskite films through the Lewis acid-base adduct approach: molecule intercalation of solvent into the PbI 2 lattice, molecule exchange between the solvent and CH 3 NH 3 I, and dissolution-recrystallization of the perovskite grains during annealing. The Lewis base solvents play multiple functions in the above processes. The properties of the solvent, including Lewis basicity and boiling point, play key roles in forming smooth perovskite films with large grains. We also provide some rules for choosing Lewis base additives to prepare high-quality perovskite films through the Lewis adduct approach.

  3. Effects of local immunization with Streptococcus mutans on induction of salivary immunoglobulin A antibody and experimental dental caries in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talbman, M A; Smith, D J

    1974-06-01

    The effect of local immunization with Streptococcus mutans on dental caries in conventional and gnotobiotic rats was studied. Injection of these animals with S. mutans strain 6715 incorporated into complete Freund adjuvant consistently resulted in the presence of antibody in saliva directed to this organism. This antibody was primarily of the immunoglobulin A class as demonstrated by specific antiglobulin augmentation and gel filtration of antibody activity. Serum antibody was also present. Five experiments have been completed in conventional rats and two in gnotobiotic animals. The immunized group of animals always had lower mean caries scores than comparably sham-immunized or nonimmunized control groups. The numbers of lesions were also always lower in the immunized animals, suggesting a possible interference with the formation of new lesions in immunized animals. The reductions in dental caries and lesions were greater on smooth surfaces than on occlusal surfaces. which might be explained as interference with adherence phenomena demonstrated by S. mutans. It is proposed that salivary immunoglobulin A antibody may be viewed as an ecological determinant in the oral cavity by affecting oral microorganisms and possibly their by-products.

  4. Modulation of Immune Function in Rats Using Oligosaccharides Extracted from Palm Kernel Cake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faseleh Jahromi, Mohammd; Shokryazdan, Parisa; Idrus, Zulkifli; Ebrahimi, Rohollah; Bashokouh, Fatemeh; Liang, Juan Boo

    2017-01-01

    To investigate the prebiotic and immunomodulatory effects of PKC extract (OligoPKC) a total of 24 male rats were randomly assigned to three treatment groups receiving basal diet (control), basal diet containing 0.5% OligoPKC, or basal diet containing 1% OligoPKC for four weeks. We found that OligoPKC had no significant effect on the tested growth parameters. However, it increased the size of the total and beneficial bacterial populations while reducing pathogen populations. OligoPKC increased the concentration of immunoglobulins in the serum and cecal contents of rats. It also enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the liver while reducing lipid peroxidation in liver tissue. OligoPKC affected the expression of genes involved in immune system function in the intestine. Therefore, OligoPKC could be considered a potential mannan-based prebiotic for humans and animals due to its beneficial effects on the health and well-being of the model rats.

  5. Maternal immune activation in rats produces temporal perception impairments in adult offspring analogous to those observed in schizophrenia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashley R Deane

    Full Text Available The neurophysiology underlying temporal perception significantly overlaps with areas of dysfunction identified in schizophrenia. Patients commonly exhibit distorted temporal perception, which likely contributes to functional impairments. Thus, study of temporal perception in animal models of the disease may help to understand both cognitive and neurobiological factors involved in functional impairments in patients. As maternal immune activation (MIA has been shown to be a significant etiological risk factor in development of schizophrenia and other developmental psychiatric diseases, we tested interval timing in a rat model of MIA that has previously been shown to recapitulate several behavioural and neurophysiological impairments observed in the disease. Rats were tested on a temporal-bisection task, in which temporal duration stimuli were categorized as either "short" or "long" by responding to a corresponding lever. Data from this task were modeled to provide estimates of accuracy and sensitivity of temporal perception. Parameter estimates derived from the model fitting showed that MIA rats significantly overestimated the passage of time compared to controls. These results indicate that the MIA rat paradigm recapitulates timing distortions that are phenotypical of schizophrenia. These findings lend further support to the epidemiological validity of this MIA rat model, supporting its relevance for future research into the role of maternal immune activation in producing neurobiological and behavioural impairments in schizophrenia.

  6. Hochu-ekki-to Treatment Improves Reproductive and Immune Modulation in the Stress-Induced Rat Model of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Eunkuk; Choi, Chun Whan; Kim, Soo Jeong; Kim, Yong-In; Sin, Samkee; Chu, Jong-Phil; Heo, Jun Young

    2017-06-13

    The traditional herbal medicine, Hochu-ekki-to, has been shown to have preventive effects on viral infection and stress. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of Hochu-ekki-to on two stress-related rat models of polycystic ovarian syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and treatment groups, the latter of which were subjected to stress induced by exposure to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cold temperatures. After these stress inductions, rats were orally treated with dissolved Hochu-ekki-to once per day for 7 days. Rats subjected to the two different stressors exhibited upregulation of steroid hormone receptors (in ovaries) and reproductive hormones (in blood), and consequent stimulation of abnormal follicle development accompanied by elevation of Hsp 90 expression (in ovaries). Treatment with Hochu-ekki-to for 7 days after stress induction increased immune functions, reduced the stress-induced activation of Hsp 90, and normalized the levels of the tested steroid hormone receptors and reproductive hormones. Our findings suggest that stress stimulations may promote the activation of Hsp 90 via the dysregulation of steroid hormone receptors and reproductive hormones, but that post-stress treatment with Hochu-ekki-to improves reproductive and immune functions in the ovaries of stressed rats.

  7. Refinement of the Collagen Induced Arthritis Model in Rats by Infrared Thermography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jasemian, Yousef; Deleuran, Bent Winding; Svendsen, Pia

    2011-01-01

    correlation between temperature and clinical scores. Conclusion: The thermographic response appeared prior to the clinical signs, suggesting that thermography may be used as a predictive sign for the development of disease. This technique could be a non-invasive, objective, rapid, and reproducible method...... with other clinical parameters such as clinical score and edema and may serve as a method for quantification of the degree of inflammation. Study design: Experimental animal study. Place and Duration of Study: Institute of Biomedicine, University of Aarhus, Denmark between February and March 2010....... Methodology: Arthritis was induced with collagen immunization in sixteen Lewis rats. Four of the animals were treated with dexamethasone to function as negative controls. Clinical scores were based on the magnitude of paw edema. The mean temperature of the hind feet (region covering the metatarsus and tarsus...

  8. Lewy body dementia--clinical, pathological and neurochemical interconnections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, R; McKeith, I; Perry, E

    1997-01-01

    Senile dementia of Lewy body type or Lewy body dementia (SDLT or LBD) is defined as a Lewy body associated disease presenting in the elderly primarily with dementia with variable extrapyramidal disorder. Characteristic clinical symptoms include fluctuating cognitive impairment, psychotic features such as hallucinations and a particular sensitivity to neuroleptic medication. Although apolipoprotein e4 allele is increased 2-3 fold in SDLT (as in Alzheimer's disease) and beta-amyloidosis occurs in most cases, the most robust neurobiological correlate of the dementia so far identified appears to be extensive cholinergic deficits in the neocortex. This is consistent with previously reported correlations between cortical cholinergic activity and dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease. There is also a significant interaction between the density of limbic cortical Lewy bodies and dementia in both SDLT and PD, although the cortical neuronal population affected remains to be identified. Cortical Lewy body density is positively correlated with the age of disease onset in PD and SDLT. This may account for the increased incidence of psychiatric syndromes, as opposed to extrapyramidal disorder in Lewy body disease with advancing age as may age-related loss of cholinergic activity in cortical areas such as the hippocampus.

  9. Cocoa-enriched diets modulate intestinal and systemic humoral immune response in young adult rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Franch, Angels; Ramos-Romero, Sara; Castellote, Cristina; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castell, Margarida

    2011-05-01

    Previous studies have shown that a highly enriched cocoa diet affects both intestinal and systemic immune function in young rats. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether diets containing lower amounts of cocoa could also influence the systemic and intestinal humoral immune response. Fecal and serum samples were collected during the study and, at the end, intestinal washes were obtained and mesenteric lymph nodes and small-intestine walls were excised for gene expression assessment. IgA, IgM, IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG2c concentrations were quantified in serum whereas S-IgA and S-IgM were determined in feces and intestinal washes. Animals receiving 5 and 10% cocoa for 3 wk showed no age-related increase in serum IgG1 and IgG2a concentrations, and IgG2a values were significantly lower than those in reference animals. Serum IgM was also decreased by the 10% cocoa diet. The 5 and 10% cocoa diets dramatically reduced intestinal S-IgA concentration and modified the expression of several genes involved in IgA synthesis. A diet containing 2% cocoa had no effect on most of the studied variables. The results demonstrate the downregulatory effect of a 5% or higher cocoa diet on the systemic and intestinal humoral immune response in adult rats. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Relative sensitivity of developmental and immune parameters in juvenile versus adult male rats after exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tonk, Elisa C.M.; Verhoef, Aart; Gremmer, Eric R.; Loveren, Henk van; Piersma, Aldert H.

    2012-01-01

    The developing immune system displays a relatively high sensitivity as compared to both general toxicity parameters and to the adult immune system. In this study we have performed such comparisons using di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) as a model compound. DEHP is the most abundant phthalate in the environment and perinatal exposure to DEHP has been shown to disrupt male sexual differentiation. In addition, phthalate exposure has been associated with immune dysfunction as evidenced by effects on the expression of allergy. Male wistar rats were dosed with corn oil or DEHP by gavage from postnatal day (PND) 10–50 or PND 50–90 at doses between 1 and 1000 mg/kg/day. Androgen-dependent organ weights showed effects at lower dose levels in juvenile versus adult animals. Immune parameters affected included TDAR parameters in both age groups, NK activity in juvenile animals and TNF-α production by adherent splenocytes in adult animals. Immune parameters were affected at lower dose levels compared to developmental parameters. Overall, more immune parameters were affected in juvenile animals compared to adult animals and effects were observed at lower dose levels. The results of this study show a relatively higher sensitivity of juvenile versus adult rats. Furthermore, they illustrate the relative sensitivity of the developing immune system in juvenile animals as compared to general toxicity and developmental parameters. This study therefore provides further argumentation for performing dedicated developmental immune toxicity testing as a default in regulatory toxicology. -- Highlights: ► In this study we evaluate the relative sensitivities for DEHP induced effects. ► Results of this study demonstrate the age-dependency of DEHP toxicity. ► Functional immune parameters were more sensitive than structural immune parameters. ► Immune parameters were affected at lower dose levels than developmental parameters. ► Findings demonstrate the susceptibility of the

  11. Relative sensitivity of developmental and immune parameters in juvenile versus adult male rats after exposure to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tonk, Elisa C.M., E-mail: ilse.tonk@rivm.nl [Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht (Netherlands); Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven (Netherlands); Verhoef, Aart; Gremmer, Eric R. [Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven (Netherlands); Loveren, Henk van [Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht (Netherlands); Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven (Netherlands); Piersma, Aldert H. [Laboratory for Health Protection Research, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven (Netherlands); Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht (Netherlands)

    2012-04-01

    The developing immune system displays a relatively high sensitivity as compared to both general toxicity parameters and to the adult immune system. In this study we have performed such comparisons using di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) as a model compound. DEHP is the most abundant phthalate in the environment and perinatal exposure to DEHP has been shown to disrupt male sexual differentiation. In addition, phthalate exposure has been associated with immune dysfunction as evidenced by effects on the expression of allergy. Male wistar rats were dosed with corn oil or DEHP by gavage from postnatal day (PND) 10–50 or PND 50–90 at doses between 1 and 1000 mg/kg/day. Androgen-dependent organ weights showed effects at lower dose levels in juvenile versus adult animals. Immune parameters affected included TDAR parameters in both age groups, NK activity in juvenile animals and TNF-α production by adherent splenocytes in adult animals. Immune parameters were affected at lower dose levels compared to developmental parameters. Overall, more immune parameters were affected in juvenile animals compared to adult animals and effects were observed at lower dose levels. The results of this study show a relatively higher sensitivity of juvenile versus adult rats. Furthermore, they illustrate the relative sensitivity of the developing immune system in juvenile animals as compared to general toxicity and developmental parameters. This study therefore provides further argumentation for performing dedicated developmental immune toxicity testing as a default in regulatory toxicology. -- Highlights: ► In this study we evaluate the relative sensitivities for DEHP induced effects. ► Results of this study demonstrate the age-dependency of DEHP toxicity. ► Functional immune parameters were more sensitive than structural immune parameters. ► Immune parameters were affected at lower dose levels than developmental parameters. ► Findings demonstrate the susceptibility of the

  12. Nuclear pursuits: The scientific biography of Wilfrid Bennett Lewis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fawcett, R.

    1994-01-01

    The scientific life of Wilfrid Bennett Lewis. The biography covers Lewis's role in the development of radar, his tenure as the Chief Superintendent of the Telecommunications Research Establishment at Malvern through his heading of the then fledgling Canadian nuclear research facility in Chalk River, Ontario. Lewis's drive, intelligence, and remarkable organizational skills placed him at the forefront of Canada's nuclear program. His influence lead to a collaboration between Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Ontario Hydro that ultimately resulted in the development of the CANDU reactor. His influence was also profound in the near by town of Deep River with one prime legacy being the W.B. Lewis Library. Lewis's bibliography is included in the biography

  13. Immunization with FSHβ fusion protein antigen prevents bone loss in a rat ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geng, Wenxin; Yan, Xingrong; Du, Huicong; Cui, Jihong; Li, Liwen, E-mail: liven@nwu.edu.cn; Chen, Fulin, E-mail: chenfl@nwu.edu.cn

    2013-05-03

    Highlights: •A GST-FSH fusion protein was successfully expressed in E. coli. •Immunization with GST-FSH antigen can raise high-titer anti-FSH polyclonal sera. •Anti-FSH polyclonal sera can neutralize osteoclastogenic effect of FSH in vitro. •FSH immunization can prevent bone loss in a rat osteoporosis model. -- Abstract: Osteoporosis, a metabolic bone disease, threatens postmenopausal women globally. Hormone replacement therapy (HTR), especially estrogen replacement therapy (ERT), is used widely in the clinic because it has been generally accepted that postmenopausal osteoporosis is caused by estrogen deficiency. However, hypogonadal α and β estrogen receptor null mice were only mildly osteopenic, and mice with either receptor deleted had normal bone mass, indicating that estrogen may not be the only mediator that induces osteoporosis. Recently, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), the serum concentration of which increases from the very beginning of menopause, has been found to play a key role in postmenopausal osteoporosis by promoting osteoclastogenesis. In this article, we confirmed that exogenous FSH can enhance osteoclast differentiation in vitro and that this effect can be neutralized by either an anti-FSH monoclonal antibody or anti-FSH polyclonal sera raised by immunizing animals with a recombinant GST-FSHβ fusion protein antigen. Moreover, immunizing ovariectomized rats with the GST-FSHβ antigen does significantly prevent trabecular bone loss and thereby enhance the bone strength, indicating that a FSH-based vaccine may be a promising therapeutic strategy to slow down bone loss in postmenopausal women.

  14. Diversity of aging of the immune system classified in the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) model of human infectious diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guichelaar, Teun; van Erp, Elisabeth A; Hoeboer, Jeroen; Smits, Noortje A M; van Els, Cécile A C M; Pieren, Daan K J; Luytjes, Willem

    2018-05-01

    Susceptibility and declined resistance to human pathogens like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at old age is well represented in the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus). Despite providing a preferred model of human infectious diseases, little is known about aging of its adaptive immune system. We aimed to define aging-related changes of the immune system of this species. Concomitantly, we asked whether the rate of immunological alterations may be stratified by physiological aberrations encountered during aging. With increasing age, cotton rats showed reduced frequencies of T cells, impaired induction of antibodies to RSV, higher incidence of aberrations of organs and signs of lipemia. Moreover, old animals expressed high biological heterogeneity, but the age-related reduction of T cell frequency was only observed in those specimens that displayed aberrant organs. Thus, cotton rats show age-related alterations of lymphocytes that can be classified by links with health status. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  15. Treatment with mPEG-SPA improves the survival of corneal grafts in rats by immune camouflage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuangyong; Li, Liangliang; Liu, Ying; Li, Chaoyang; Zhang, Min; Wang, Bowen; Huang, Zheqian; Gao, Xinbo; Wang, Zhichong

    2015-03-01

    We investigated the immune camouflage effects of methoxy polyethylene glycol succinimidyl propionate (mPEG-SPA) on corneal antigens and explored a novel approach for reducing corneal antigenicity, thereby decreasing corneal graft rejection. Importantly, this approach did not alter normal local immunity. Corneal grafts were treated with mPEG-SPA 5KD or 20KD (3% W/V), which could shield major histocompatibility antigen class I molecules (RT1-A) of corneal grafts. Skin grafts of Wistar rats were transplanted to SD rats. Then the splenic lymphocytes were isolated from SD rats. Subsequently, the lymphocytes were co-cultured with autologous corneal grafts or untreated corneal grafts and PEGylated grafts treated with mPEG-SPA 5KD or 20KD obtained from the counterpart skin donors, which were used as autologous control, allogeneic control, mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation was lower in mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group than in the allogeneic control. SD rats with corneal neovascularisation were used as recipients for high-risk corneal transplantation and were randomly divided into four groups: autologous control, allogeneic control, mPEG-SPA 5KD group and mPEG-SPA 20KD group. The recipients received corneal grafts from Wistar rats. Corneal graft survival was prolonged and graft rejection was reduced in the mPEG-SPA 5KD group and the mPEG-SPA 20KD group compared to the allogeneic control. Thus, we think that mPEG-SPA could immunologically camouflage corneal antigens to prolong corneal grafts survival in high-risk transplantation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. No priming of the immune response in newborn Brown Norway rats dosed with ovalbumin in the mouth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard; Pilegaard, Kirsten

    2003-01-01

    with ovalbumin and if this method could be used in an animal model for food allergy. Methods: Newborn Brown Norway rats were dosed with ovalbumin in the mouth (100 mug or 6 mg). As young adults, the animals were dosed by gavage for 35 days with 1 mg ovalbumin/day or once intraperitoneally with 100 mug. Control......E and IgG responses were decreased compared to the control groups, however, not always reaching statistical significance. A statistical significant decrease in the specific immune response was found in young adult rats dosed in the mouth as compared to by gavage. Conclusions: Dosing Brown Norway rats...

  17. Nitrile ylides: diastereoselective cycloadditions using chiral oxazolidinones without Lewis acid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibi, Mukund P; Soeta, Takahiro; Jasperse, Craig P

    2009-12-03

    Lewis acid complexation is generally required for chiral-auxiliary-controlled stereoselectivity, and chiral Lewis acid catalysis is frequently optimal for introducing asymmetry. In this work, we show that nitrile ylide cycloadditions to electron-poor acceptors attached to chiral auxiliaries proceed in high yield and stereoselectivity in the absence of Lewis acids. In contrast, chiral Lewis acids are inferior in these cycloadditions.

  18. Adolescent voluntary exercise attenuated hippocampal innate immunity responses and depressive-like behaviors following maternal separation stress in male rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghi, Mahsa; Peeri, Maghsoud; Hosseini, Mir-Jamal

    2016-09-01

    Early life stressful events have detrimental effects on the brain and behavior, which are associated with the development of depression. Immune-inflammatory responses have been reported to contribute in the pathophysiology of depression. Many studies have reported on the beneficial effects of exercise against stress. However, underlying mechanisms through which exercise exerts its effects were poorly studied. Therefore, it applied maternal separation (MS), as a valid animal model of early-life adversity, in rats from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 14 for 180min per day. At PND 28, male Wistar albino rats were subjected to 5 experimental groups; 1) controls 2) MS rats 3) MS rats treated with fluoxetine 5mg/kg to PND 60, 4) MS rats that were subjected to voluntary running wheel (RW) exercise and 5) MS rats that were subjected to mandatory treadmill (TM) exercise until adulthood. At PND 60, depressive-like behaviors were assessed by using forced swimming test (FST), splash test, and sucrose preference test (SPT). Our results revealed that depressive-like behaviors following MS stress were associated with an increase in expression of toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr-4) and its main signaling protein, Myd88, in the hippocampal formation. Also, we found that voluntary (and not mandatory) physical exercise during adolescence is protected against depressant effects of early-life stress at least partly through mitigating the innate immune responses in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. On the axisymmetric Lewis metric

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gariel, J.; Marcilhacy, G.

    2001-03-01

    We obtain the general solution of the axisymmetric stationary vacuum spacetime of Lewis. After precising the fundamental hypothesis of Lewis, we demonstrate that the solution is related to an arbitrary harmonic function. Formally, these solutions are the same as for the corresponding cylindrically symmetric case, and can be classified in a similar way. Furthermore, the interpretation, in the cylindrically symmetric system, of the field equations as decribing the motion of a classical particle in a central force field is still valid. (author)

  20. Immunity to transplantable nitrosourea-induced neurogenic tumors. III. Systemic adoptive transfer of immunity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibuya, N.; Hochgeschwender, U.; Kida, Y.; Hochwald, G.M.; Thorbecke, G.J.; Cravioto, H.

    1984-01-01

    The effect of intravenously injected tumor immune spleen cells on growth of 3 X 10 5 gliosarcoma T 9 cells injected intradermally (ID) or intracerebrally (IC) into sublethally irradiated CDF rats was evaluated. Spleen cells from donor rats with sufficient immunity to reject 5 X 10 5 T 9 cells inhibited the growth of T 9 cells mixed with spleen cells in a ratio of 1:25 and injected ID, but could not act after intravenous transfer. However, donor rats which had rejected increasing T 9 challenge doses up to 1 X 10 7 cells produced immune spleen cells which, upon IV transfer, could inhibit growth of ID T 9 challenge but not of EB-679, an unrelated glioma, in recipient rats. Rejection of IC T 9 challenge was also obtained after IV transfer, in recipients of such ''hyperimmune'' spleen cells, but was less (60% maximum) than that noted after ID T 9 challenge (100% maximum). The removal of B cells from the transferred spleen cells did not affect the results, suggesting that the specific immunity was mediated by T cells. The authors conclude that the special immunological circumstances of tumors growing in the brain renders them less accessible to rejection by systemically transferred immune cells, but it is nevertheless possible to effect a significant incidence of rejection of syngeneic tumor growth in the brain by the intravenous transfer of hyperimmune spleen cells

  1. Effect of dimethyl fumarate on heme oxygenase-1 expression in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaja Kasarełło

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Multiple sclerosis (MS is an autoimmunological disease leading to neurodegeneration. The etiology of the disease remains unknown, which strongly impedes the development of effective therapy. Most MS treatments focus on modulating the activity of the immune system. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF exerts a broad spectrum of action, such as modulating immune cell differentiation towards anti-inflammatory subtypes, influencing cytokine production, regulating immune cell migration into the central nervous system, and activating intracellular antioxidant mechanisms. It is well established that activation of the nuclear factor E2 (Nrf2-dependent pathway, leading to expression of the second-phase antioxidant enzymes, is influenced by DMF. In our experiments we used female Lewis rats in an animal model of MS – experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE. The rats were fed with dimethyl fumarate to test the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1, one of the second-phase antioxidant enzymes, at specific time points of the symptomatic phases of the disease: on the first day of the occurrence of clinical symptoms (10th day post immunization, DPI; at the peak of clinical symptoms (14th DPI; and at the end of the relapse (21st DPI. The results showed that HO-1 expression, at both the mRNA and protein level, is influenced by DMF administration only at the very beginning of the symptomatic phase of EAE, and not at the peak of clinical symptoms, nor at the end of the relapse. This indicates that the regulation of the Nrf2-dependent antioxidant pathway by DMF occurs at a certain time interval (early EAE/MS and strongly underlines the importance of the earliest introduction of the therapy to the patient.

  2. Chronic low-level tritium contamination effects on humoral immune response in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petcu, I.; Bejan, A.; Stinga, A.

    1993-01-01

    Using an adaptation of the radioimmunoassay technique, the present study reports on immunochemical parameters of the antibodies synthesized in vivo against bovine serum albumin by rats previously exposed to long-term internal contamination with tritiated water. The corresponding dose range of the irradiation was between 0.6 and 6.2 mGy. A slight increase of a affinity constant of the antibodies produced by the irradiated organisms was found. This experimental fact might sustain the hypothesis of a humoral immune response associated to adaptation increase in cell renewal mechanisms, rather than to selective cell deletion. We also observed a total dissimilarity between the modifications induced by chronic low-dose irradiation and those induced by physiological aging. For old rats the concentration of antibodies is higher by almost an order of magnitude, but they are much less efficient as the decreased value of the affinity constant indicates. (Author)

  3. Cadmium-induced immune abnormality is a key pathogenic event in human and rat models of preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qiong; Huang, Yinping; Zhang, Keke; Huang, Yanjun; Yan, Yan; Wang, Fan; Wu, Jie; Wang, Xiao; Xu, Zhangye; Chen, Yongtao; Cheng, Xue; Li, Yong; Jiao, Jinyu; Ye, Duyun

    2016-11-01

    With increased industrial development, cadmium is an increasingly important environmental pollutant. Studies have identified various adverse effects of cadmium on human beings. However, the relationships between cadmium pollution and the pathogenesis of preeclampsia remain elusive. The objective of this study is to explore the effects of cadmium on immune system among preeclamptic patients and rats. The results showed that the cadmium levels in the peripheral blood of preeclamptic patients were significantly higher than those observed in normal pregnancy. Based on it, a novel rat model of preeclampsia was established by the intraperitoneal administration of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) (0.125 mg of Cd/kg body weight) on gestational days 9-14. Key features of preeclampsia, including hypertension, proteinuria, placental abnormalities and small foetal size, appeared in pregnant rats after the administration of low-dose of CdCl2. Cadmium increased immunoglobulin production, mainly angiotensin II type 1-receptor-agonistic autoantibodies (AT1-AA), by increasing the expression of activation-induced cytosine deaminase (AID) in B cells. AID is critical for the maturation of antibody and autoantibody responses. In addition, angiotensin II type 1-receptor-agonistic autoantibody, which emerged recently as a potential pathogenic contributor to PE, was responsible for the deposition of complement component 5 (C5) in kidneys of pregnant rats via angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) activation. C5a is a fragment of C5 that is released during C5 activation. Selectively interfering with C5a signalling by a complement C5a receptor-specific antagonist significantly attenuated hypertension and proteinuria in Cd-injected pregnant rats. Our results suggest that cadmium induces immune abnormalities that may be a key pathogenic contributor to preeclampsia and provide new insights into treatment strategies of preeclampsia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Frustrated Lewis Pairs

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 19; Issue 11. Frustrated Lewis Pairs : Enabling via inability. Sanjoy Mukherjee ... Author Affiliations. Sanjoy Mukherjee Pakkirisamy Thilagar1. Department of Inorgainic and Physical Chemistry Indian Institute of Science Bangalore 560 012, India.

  5. Unruly Woman: An Interview with Helen Lewis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briscoe, Lori; Collins, Erica S.; Deal, Amanda; Hancock, Ron; McGraw, Kristyn; Lewis, Helen

    2000-01-01

    Overviews the career of Helen Lewis as sociologist, social activist, teacher, writer, researcher, and mentor. Helen Lewis discusses growing up in segregated Georgia, her unorthodox approach to education, her fight for social and economic equality, her instrumental role in the development of Appalachian Studies programs, and how social activism…

  6. Complexation of Nitrous Oxide by Frustrated Lewis Pairs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Otten, Edwin; Neu, Rebecca C.; Stephan, Douglas W.

    2009-01-01

    Frustrated Lewis pairs comprised of a basic yet sterically encumbered phosphine with boron Lewis acids bind nitrous oxide to give intact PNNOB linkages. The synthesis, structure, and bonding of these species are described.

  7. I-Metaiodobenzylguanidine Myocardial Scintigraphy in Lewy Body-Related Disorders: A Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eun Joo Chung

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Lewy body-related disorders are characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which have abnormal aggregations of α-synuclein in the nigral and extranigral areas, including in the heart. 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG scintigraphy is a well-known tool to evaluate cardiac sympathetic denervation in the Lewy body-related disorders. MIBG scintigraphy showed low uptake of MIBG in the Lewy body-related disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, pure autonomic failure and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. This review summarizes previous results on the diagnostic applications of MIBG scintigraphy in Lewy body-related disorders.

  8. Suppression of cellular immunity in obstructive jaundice is caused by endotoxins: a study with germ-free rats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Greve, J. W.; Gouma, D. J.; Soeters, P. B.; Buurman, W. A.

    1990-01-01

    The increased susceptibility to infections after surgery in jaundiced patients is considered to be caused by an impairment of cellular immunity and/or nutritional status. Endotoxins are suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis. However, the mechanism of action is unknown. Germ-free rats were

  9. Heightened fear in response to a safety cue and extinguished fear cue in a rat model of maternal immune activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan eSangha

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Maternal immune activation during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and autism in the offspring. Hence, changes in an array of behaviors, including behavioral flexibility, consistent with altered functioning of cortico-limbic circuits have been reported in rodent models of maternal immune activation. Surprisingly, previous studies have not examined the effect of maternal immune activation on the extinction of fear conditioning which depends on cortico-limbic circuits. Thus, we tested the effects of treating pregnant Long Evans rats with the viral mimetic polyI:C (gestational day 15; 4 mg/kg; i.v. on fear conditioning and extinction in the male offspring using two different tasks. In the first experiment, we observed no effect of polyI:C treatment on the acquisition or extinction of a classically conditioned fear memory in a non-discriminative auditory cue paradigm. However, polyI:C-treated offspring did increase contextual freezing during the recall of fear extinction in this non-discriminative paradigm. The second experiment utilized a recently developed task to explicitly test the ability of rats to discriminate among cues signifying fear, reward, and safety; a task that requires behavioral flexibility. To our surprise, polyI:C-treated rats acquired the task in a manner similar to saline-treated rats. However, upon subsequent extinction training, they showed significantly faster extinction of the freezing response to the fear cue. In contrast, during the extinction recall test, polyI:C-treated offspring showed enhanced freezing behavior before and after presentation of the fear cue, suggesting an impairment in their ability to regulate fear behavior. These behavioral results are integrated into the literature suggesting impairments in cortico-limbic brain function in the offspring of rats treated with polyI:C during pregnancy.

  10. Attenuation of phosphamidon-induced oxidative stress and immune dysfunction in rats treated with N-acetylcysteine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.G. Suke

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available The effect of N-acetylcysteine, a thiolic antioxidant, on attenuation of phosphamidon-induced oxidative stress and immune dysfunction was evaluated in adult male Wistar rats weighing 200-250 g. Rats were divided into four groups, 8 animals/group, and treated with phosphamidon, N-acetylcysteine or the combination of both for 28 days. Oral administration of phosphamidon (1.74 mg/kg, an organophosphate insecticide, increased serum malondialdehyde (3.83 ± 0.18 vs 2.91 ± 0.24 nmol/mL; P < 0.05 and decreased erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (567.8 ± 24.36 vs 749.16 ± 102.61 U/gHb; P < 0.05, catalase activity (1.86 ± 0.18 vs 2.43 ± 0.08 U/gHb; P < 0.05 and whole blood glutathione levels (1.25 ± 0.21 vs 2.28 ± 0.08 mg/gHb; P < 0.05 showing phosphamidon-induced oxidative stress. Phosphamidon exposure markedly suppressed humoral immune response as assessed by antibody titer to ovalbumin (4.71 ± 0.51 vs 8.00 ± 0.12 -log2; P < 0.05, and cell-mediated immune response as assessed by leukocyte migration inhibition (25.24 ± 1.04 vs 70.8 ± 1.09%; P < 0.05 and macrophage migration inhibition (20.38 ± 0.99 vs 67.16 ± 5.30%; P < 0.05 response. Phosphamidon exposure decreased IFN-у levels (40.7 ± 3.21 vs 55.84 ± 3.02 pg/mL; P < 0.05 suggesting a profound effect of phosphamidon on cell-mediated immune response. A phosphamidon-induced increase in TNF-α level (64.19 ± 6.0 vs 23.16 ± 4.0 pg/mL; P < 0.05 suggests a contributory role of immunocytes in oxidative stress. Co-administration of N-acetylcysteine (3.5 mmol/kg, orally with phosphamidon attenuated the adverse effects of phosphamidon. These findings suggest that oral N-acetylcysteine treatment exerts protective effect and attenuates free radical injury and immune dysfunction caused by subchronic phosphamidon exposure.

  11. Effect of unequal fuel and oxidizer Lewis numbers on flame dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shamim, Tariq [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128-1491 (United States)

    2006-12-15

    The interaction of non-unity Lewis number (due to preferential diffusion and/or unequal rates of heat and mass transfer) with the coupled effect of radiation, chemistry and unsteadiness alters several characteristics of a flame. The present study numerically investigates this interaction with a particular emphasis on the effect of unequal and non-unity fuel and oxidizer Lewis numbers in a transient diffusion flame. The unsteadiness is simulated by considering the flame subjected to modulations in reactant concentration. Flames with different Lewis numbers (ranging from 0.5 to 2) and subjected to different modulating frequencies are considered. The results show that the coupled effect of Lewis number and unsteadiness strongly influences the flame dynamics. The impact is stronger at high modulating frequencies and strain rates, particularly for large values of Lewis numbers. Compared to the oxidizer side Lewis number, the fuel side Lewis number has greater influence on flame dynamics. (author)

  12. Inbred Rats as a Model to Study Persistent Renal Leptospirosis and Associated Cellular Immune Responsiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jarlath E. Nally

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Pathogenic species of Leptospira cause leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease with a global distribution affecting over one million people annually. Rats are regarded as one of the most significant reservoir hosts of infection for human disease, and in the absence of clinical signs of infection, excrete large numbers of organisms in their urine. A unique biological equilibrium exists between pathogenic leptospires and reservoir hosts of infection, but surprisingly, little is known concerning the host's cellular immune response that facilitates persistent renal colonization. To address this deficiency, we established and applied an immunocompetent inbred rat model of persistent renal colonization; leptospires were detected in urine of experimentally infected rats by 3 weeks post-infection and remained positive until 8 weeks post-infection. However, there was little, if any, evidence of inflammation in colonized renal tubules. At 8 weeks post-infection, a robust antibody response was detected against lipopolysaccharide and protein outer membrane (OM components. Purified B and T cells derived from the spleen of infected and non-infected rats proliferated in response to stimulation with 0.5 μg of OM fractions of Leptospira, including CD4+ T cells, which comprised 40% of proliferating cells, compared to 25% in non-infected controls. However, analysis of gene expression did not determine which immunoregulatory pathways were activated. Lymphocytes purified from the lymph node draining the site of colonization, the renal lymph node, also showed an increase in percentage of proliferating B and T cells. However, in contrast to a phenotype of 40% CD4+ T cells in the spleen, the phenotype of proliferating T cells in the renal lymph node comprised 65% CD4+ T cells. These results confirm that the renal lymph node, the local lymphoid organ, is a dominant site containing Leptospira reactive CD4+ T cells and highlight the need to consider the local, vs

  13. Intestinal immune system of young rats influenced by cocoa-enriched diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramiro-Puig, Emma; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Ramos-Romero, Sara; Pérez-Berezo, Teresa; Castellote, Cristina; Permanyer, Joan; Franch, Angels; Izquierdo-Pulido, Maria; Castell, Margarida

    2008-08-01

    Gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) maintains mucosal homeostasis by counteracting pathogens and inducing a state of nonresponsiveness when it receives signals from food antigens and commensal bacteria. We report for the first time the influence of continuous cocoa consumption on GALT function in rats postweaning. Weaned Wistar rats were fed cocoa-enriched diets (4% or 10% food intake) for 3 weeks. The function of the primary inductive sites of GALT, such as Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), was evaluated through an analysis of IgA-secretory ability and lymphocyte composition (T, B and natural killer cells), activation (IL-2 secretion and IL-2 receptor alpha expression) and proliferation. T-helper effector cell balance was also established based on cytokine profile (interferon gamma, IL-4 and IL-10) after mitogen activation. A 10% cocoa intake induced significant changes in PP and MLN lymphocyte composition and function, whereas a 4% cocoa diet did not cause significant modifications in either tissues. Cocoa diet strongly reduced secretory IgA (S-IgA) in the intestinal lumen, although IgA's secretory ability was only slightly decreased in PP. In addition, the 10% cocoa diet increased T-cell-antigen receptor gammadelta cell proportion in both lymphoid tissues. Thus, cocoa intake modulates intestinal immune responses in young rats, influencing gammadelta T-cells and S-IgA production.

  14. Contribution of radiosensitivity study for Walker 256 tumor in rats. Association of early immunization with action of ionized radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakate, A.T.Y.

    1979-01-01

    The suspension of tumoral cells from Walker 256 were irradiated with doses of 2.500, 4.500, 5.000, 5.500 and 7.500 rad for determining the attenuation dose. The suspension of inactives tumoral cells were injected in rats for verifying the immunized effects in relation of active Walker tumor. After be certified the growth of tumor, the rats were irradiated with cobalt 60 and was verified the decrease of tumor. (author)

  15. Thioredoxin priming prolongs lung allograft survival by promoting immune tolerance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanbo Hu

    Full Text Available Tolerance to allograft antigen is the major challenge and final goal of transplant medicine. Our previous study demonstrated that thioredoxin-1 (Trx priming of donor lung significantly protected allogeneic lung graft. To determine whether Trx priming of donor lung inhibits allograft rejection, extends allograft survival and induces immune tolerance, orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed from Lewis to Sprague-Dawley rats without immunosuppression. Donor lungs were primed with Trx at 4°C for 4 hr prior to transplantation. After up to 37 days post-transplantation, allograft lung morphology, recipient T cell and humoral alloantigen-specific immune responses were examined. We found that Trx-primed lungs exhibited much reduced acute rejection and associated lung injuries resulting in loss of graft functional area at 5-37 days post-transplant in contrast to the control groups. CD4+ T cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts responded to the stimulation of dendritic cells (DCs of donor origin, in contrast to DCs from the third party, with significantly reduced proliferation. Consistent with above findings, we observed that CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in spleen cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts were significantly increased compared to controls, and CD4+ T cells from the recipients with Trx-primed grafts produced much higher levels of immunosuppressive cytokine, IL-10 when stimulated with allogeneic donor DCs. In addition, humoral immune tolerance was also induced as there was no significant increase levels of serum antibodies against donor antigens in Trx-lung recipients when re-challenged with allogeneic donor antigens. Our results demonstrate that one-time Trx-priming of donor lung grafts prior to transplantation significantly prolongs the survival of the grafts through inducing or promoting cellular and humoral alloantigen-specific immune tolerance, which might be associated with the induction of

  16. Platelet deposition in rat heart allografts and the effect of a thromboxane receptor antagonist

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Foegh, M.L.; Khirabadi, B.S.; Ramwell, P.W.

    1986-01-01

    The effect of a thromboxane antagonist, L640,035 on platelet deposition in heart allografts was studied. Twenty Lewis rats received heterotopic allografts from Lewis x Brown-Norway F1 hybrid. All recipients received azathioprine (5 mg/kg/day). The rats were divided into three groups. Groups II and III were also treated daily with either the vehicle for L640,035 or L640,035 respectively. Syngeneic indium-111-labeled platelet deposition was determined in the allograft and the native heart at 6, 9, and 13 days after transplantation; group III was studied on the sixth and ninth day only. A rapidly increasing platelet deposition was seen in allografts from rats given azathioprine; whereas the thromboxane antagonist prevented the increase in platelet deposition on the ninth day

  17. Radioimmunoanalysis of the immune response and tissue lipoperoxidation of rats for low doses contaminated with tritiated water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bejan, A.; Turcu, Gr.

    1996-01-01

    The paper presents the evaluation of the humoral immune response and liver and kidney lipoperoxidation on rats acutely and chronically contaminated with low doses of tritiated water (HTO). The contamination doses for both situations were 0.5 cSv, 5 cSv and 10 cSv. By humoral immune response analysis we mean the measurement, through a radioimmunoanalysis (RIA) method, of the two intrinsic parameters of an antiserum, that is, the mean antibodies concentration and the mean antibodies affinity constant. We followed the liver and kidney lipidic peroxidation through malondialdehyde (MDA) formation assayed by the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) reaction. The humoral immune response and lipoperoxidation have been compared with the response of an uncontaminated group by the Student t test. (author). 17 refs., 2 tabs

  18. Targeting beta- and alpha-adrenergic receptors differentially shifts Th1, Th2, and inflammatory cytokine profiles in immune organs to attenuate adjuvant arthritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dianne eLorton

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The sympathetic nervous system (SNS regulates host defense responses and restores homeostasis. SNS-immune regulation is altered in rheumatoid arthritis (RA and rodent models of RA, characterized by nerve remodeling in immune organs and defective adrenergic receptor (AR signaling to immune cell targets that typically promotes or suppresses inflammation via α- and β2-AR activation, respectively, and indirectly drives humoral immunity by blocking Th1 cytokine secretion. Here, we investigate how β2-AR stimulation and/or α-AR blockade at disease onset affects disease pathology and cytokine profiles in relevant immune organs from male Lewis rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA. Rats challenged to induce AA were treated with terbutaline (TERB, a β2-AR agonist (600 μg/kg/day and/or phentolamine (PHEN, an α-AR antagonist (5.0 mg/kg/day or vehicle from disease onset through severe disease. We report that in spleen, mesenteric (MLN and draining lymph node (DLN cells, TERB reduces proliferation, an effect independent of IL-2. TERB also fails to shift Th cytokines from a Th1 to Th2 profile in spleen and MLN (no effect on IFN-γ and DLN (greater IFN-γ cells. In splenocytes, TERB, PHEN and co-treatment (PT promotes an anti-inflammatory profile (greater IL-10 and lowers TNF-α (PT only. In DLN cells, drug treatments do not affect inflammatory profiles, except PT, which raised IL-10. In MLN cells, TERB or PHEN lowers MLN cell secretion of TNF-α or IL-10, respectively. Collectively, our findings indicate disrupted β2-AR, but not α-AR signaling in AA. Aberrant β2-AR signaling consequently derails the sympathetic regulation of lymphocyte expansion, Th cell differentiation, and inflammation in the spleen, DLNs and MLNs that is required for immune system homeostasis. Importantly, this study provides potential mechanisms through which reestablished balance between α- and β2-AR function in the immune system ameliorates inflammation and joint

  19. Effects of the immunomodulator, VGX-1027, in endotoxin-induced uveitis in Lewis ratsTumor necrosis factor-alpha binding capacity and anti-infliximab antibodies measured by fluid-phase radioimmunoassays as predictors of clinical efficacy of infliximab in Crohn's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mangano, K.; Sardesai, N.Y.; Quattrocchi, C.

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: VGX-1027 is a novel, low molecular weight, immunomodulatory compound that has shown efficacy against a variety of immuno-inflammatory disease models in animals including autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice, collagen-induced arthritis and chemically induced inflammatory colitis...... with VGX-1027 counteracts the uveitis-inducing effect of LPS in rats and suggests that this drug may have potential in the treatment of immuno-inflammatory conditions of the eye in humans Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11....... Here, we have studied the effects of VGX-1027 on the development of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in male Lewis rats, as a model of inflammatory ocular diseases in humans. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: EIU was induced by a single footpad injection of 200 microg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Groups of rats were......, immunological and histological signs of EIU. KEY RESULTS: The rats treated with VGX-1027 within 6 h after LPS challenge exhibited milder clinical, histological and laboratory signs of EIU than those treated with vehicle. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This study provides the first evidence that systemic treatment...

  20. Boron Affects Immune Function Through Modulation of Splenic T Lymphocyte Subsets, Cytokine Secretion, and Lymphocyte Proliferation and Apoptosis in Rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Erhui; Li, Shenghe; Ren, Man; Hu, Qianqian; Gu, Youfang; Li, Kui

    2017-08-01

    This study demonstrated the mechanisms of boron effects in a rat model and provided a scientific basis for the rational of boron use. These findings were achieved by investigating the effects of boron (10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320, and 640 mg/L in drinking water or 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 96 mg/kg BW) on rat serum immunoglobulins (IgGs), splenic cytokines, lymphocyte subsets, as well as on lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis. Addition of 20 (3) and 40 (6) mg/L (mg/kg BW) of boron to drinking water significantly increased rat serum IgG concentrations, splenic IFN-γ and IL-4 expression as well as the number of splenic CD3 + , CD4 + and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) + cells. Supplementation of drinking water with 40 mg/L (6 mg/kg BW) boron also markedly increased splenic IL-2 expression and the CD4 + /CD8 + cell ratio and reduced splenic CD8 + cell number. Supplementation with 80 mg/L (12 mg/kg BW) boron significantly increased CD3 + and PCNA + cell numbers (P boron markedly reduced the serum IgG concentrations; splenic IL-2 and IL-10 expression; the number of CD3 + , CD4 + and PCNA + cells; and increased the number of splenic CD8 + and caspase-3 + cells and promoted caspase-3 expression in CD3 + cells. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the supplementation of rat drinking water with 20(3) and 40(6) mg/L (mg/kg BW) boron can markedly enhance humoral and cellular immune functions, while boron concentrations above 320 mg/L (48 mg/kg BW) can have an inhibitory effect or even toxicity on immune functions. These results exhibit a U-shaped response characteristic of low and high doses of boron supplementation on immune function and imply that proper boron supplementation in food for humans and animals could be used as an immunity regulator.

  1. Intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus in Lewy body diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Daniel; Halliday, Glenda M

    2009-02-16

    Although the intralaminar thalamus is a target of alpha-synuclein pathology in Parkinson's disease, the degree of neuronal loss in Lewy body diseases has not been assessed. We have used unbiased stereological techniques to quantify neuronal loss in intralaminar thalamic nuclei concentrating alpha-synuclein pathology (the anterodorsal, cucullar, parataenial, paraventricular, central medial, central lateral and centre-median/parafascicular complex) in different clinical forms of Lewy body disease (Parkinson's disease with and without dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies, N=21) compared with controls (N=5). Associations were performed in the Lewy body cases between intralaminar cell loss and the main diagnostic clinical (parkinsonism, dementia, fluctuation in consciousness, and visual hallucinations) and pathological (Braak stage of Parkinson's disease) features of these diseases, as well as between cell loss and the scaled severity of the alpha-synuclein deposition within the intralaminar thalamus. As expected, significant alpha-synuclein accumulation occurred in the intralaminar thalamus in the cases with Lewy body disease. Pathology concentrated anteriorly and in the central lateral and paraventricular nuclei was related to the Braak stage of Parkinson's disease, ageing, and the presence of dementia. Across all types of Lewy body cases there was substantial atrophy and neuronal loss in the central lateral, cucullar and parataenial nuclei, and neuronal loss without atrophy in the centre-median/parafascicular complex. Cases with visual hallucinations showed a greater degree of atrophy of the cucullar nucleus, possibly due to amygdala denervation. The significant degeneration demonstrated in the intralaminar thalamus is likely to contribute to the movement and cognitive dysfunction observed in Lewy body disorders.

  2. UVB-induced decreased resistance to Trichinella spiralis in the rat is related to impaired cellular immunity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goettsch, W.; Garssen, J.; Loveren, H. van; Gruijl, F.R. de

    1996-01-01

    Our laboratory has demonstrated in preliminary experiments that UVB exposure using the Kromayer lamp can induce increased numbers of Trichinella spiralis larvae in carcasses of infected Wistar rats, without affecting specific antibody titers to this parasite. In this study, orally T.spiralis-infected Wistar rats were exposed to subery-thermal doses of UVB radiation using FS40 lamps during different time periods before or after infection. A significant increase in the number of T. spiralis larvae was found in the carcasses of rats that were UVB irradiated daily for 7 consecutive days in the second week after infection. Additionally, increased numbers of larvae were also detected histologically in the tongue of rats that were exposed the first and the second week after infection. Lymphocyte stimulation assays using mesenteral lymph node cells indicated that UVB exposure also impaired the specific lymphocyte response to T. spiralis. Moreover, DTH responses to T. spiralis were severely impaired in rats that were UVB irradiated daily for 7 consecutive days in the second week after infection. Thus, these data combined with the data of the Kromayer study indicate that exposure of rats to FS40 irradiation following oral infection with T. spiralis leads to increased numbers of larvae in systemic sites and impaired T-cell immunity to the parasite. (Author)

  3. Effect of a cocoa-enriched diet on immune response and anaphylaxis in a food allergy model in Brown Norway rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abril-Gil, Mar; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Franch, Àngels; Castell, Margarida

    2016-01-01

    Previous studies have demonstrated that cocoa intake decreased Th2 immune-related antibodies in rats. In consequence, we aimed to study in depth this cocoa action, particularly assessing its effect on a rat model of food allergy (FA) and also on an anaphylactic response. The involvement of the intestinal immune system was analyzed to allow the action mechanisms to be investigated. The role of cocoa flavonoids in the antiallergic properties of cocoa was also established. Brown Norway rats were fed either a reference diet or diets containing conventional cocoa (CC) or nonfermented cocoa (NFC). FA to ovalbumin (OVA) was induced and, later, an anaphylactic response was provoked. As expected, the synthesis of anti-OVA IgE and other Th2-related antibodies was inhibited by CC diet. In addition, the release of mast cell protease II after anaphylaxis was partially prevented by CC, although other variables were not modified. The CC diet also attenuated the increase of some Th2-related cytokines released from mesenteric lymph node and spleen cells, and modulated the intestinal gene expression of molecules involved in allergic response. These results demonstrated the local and systemic influence of CC diet. The effects of the NFC diet were weaker than those of CC, suggesting that cocoa components other than flavonoids play a role in cocoa's action. In conclusion, by acting on intestinal and systemic immune functions, a cocoa-enriched diet in rats exhibited a protective effect against FA and partially against anaphylaxis, making this a food of high interest to the fields of health and immunonutrition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Effect of electromagnetic waves from mobile phone on immune status of male rats: possible protective role of vitamin D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Gohary, Ola Ahmed; Said, Mona Abdel-Azeem

    2017-02-01

    There are considerable public concerns about the relationship between mobile phone radiation and human health. The present study assesses the effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted from a mobile phone on the immune system in rats and the possible protective role of vitamin D. Rats were randomly divided into six groups: Group I: control group; Group II: received vitamin D (1000 IU/kg/day) orally; Group III: exposed to EMF 1 h/day; Group IV: exposed to EMF 2 h/day; Group V: exposed to EMF 1 h/day and received vitamin D (1000 IU/kg/day); Group VI: exposed to EMF 2 h/day and received vitamin D (1000 IU/kg/day). After 30 days of exposure time, 1 h/day EMF exposure resulted in significant decrease in immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgE, IgM, and IgG); total leukocyte, lymphocyte, eosinophil and basophil counts; and a significant increase in neutrophil and monocyte counts. These changes were more increased in the group exposed to 2 h/day EMF. Vitamin D supplementation in EMF-exposed rats reversed these results when compared with EMF-exposed groups. In contrast, 7, 14, and 21 days of EMF exposure produced nonsignificant differences in these parameters among all experimental groups. We concluded that exposure to mobile phone radiation compromises the immune system of rats, and vitamin D appears to have a protective effect.

  5. Cocoa Diet and Antibody Immune Response in Preclinical Studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariona Camps-Bossacoma

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The ability of cocoa to interact with the immune system in vitro and in vivo has been described. In the latter context, a cocoa-enriched diet in healthy rats was able to modify the immune system’s functionality. This fact could be observed in the composition and functionality of lymphoid tissues, such as the thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. Consequently, immune effector mechanisms, such as antibody synthesis, were modified. A cocoa-enriched diet in young rats was able to attenuate the serum levels of immunoglobulin (Ig G, IgM, and IgA and also the intestinal IgM and IgA secretion. Moreover, in immunized rats, the intake of cocoa decreased specific IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2c, and IgM concentrations in serum. This immune-regulator potential was then tested in disease models in which antibodies play a pathogenic role. A cocoa-enriched diet was able to partially prevent the synthesis of autoantibodies in a model of autoimmune arthritis in rats and was also able to protect against IgE and T helper 2-related antibody synthesis in two rat models of allergy. Likewise, a cocoa-enriched diet prevented an oral sensitization process in young rats. In this review, we will focus on the influence of cocoa on the acquired branch of the immune function. Therefore, we will focus on how a cocoa diet influences lymphocyte function both in the systemic and intestinal immune system. Likewise, its potential role in preventing some antibody-induced immune diseases is also included. Although further studies must characterize the particular cocoa components responsible for such effects and nutritional studies in humans need to be carried out, cocoa has potential as a nutraceutical agent in some hypersensitivity status.

  6. From Conventional Lewis Acids to Heterogeneous Montmorillonite K10: Eco-Friendly Plant-Based Catalysts Used as Green Lewis Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hechelski, Marie; Ghinet, Alina; Louvel, Brice; Dufrénoy, Pierrick; Rigo, Benoît; Daïch, Adam; Waterlot, Christophe

    2018-04-25

    The concept of green chemistry began in the USA in the 1990s. Since the publication of the 12 principles of this concept, many reactions in organic chemistry have been developed, and chemical products have been synthesized under environmentally friendly conditions. Lewis acid mediated synthetic transformations are by far the most numerous and best studied. However, the use of certain Lewis acids may cause risks to environmental and human health. This Review discusses the evolution of Lewis acid catalyzed reactions from a homogeneous liquid phase to the solid phase to yield the expected organic molecules under green, safe conditions. In particular, recent developments and applications of biosourced catalysts from plants are highlighted. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. C. S. Lewis, Reluctant Convert and (not so Ordinary Anglican

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mănăstireanu Dănuţ

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available After some passing considerations on the reception of Lewis in Romania, the present paper discusses the role played by Anglicanism in the late personal commitment of C.S. Lewis to the Christian faith, after years of atheism, scepticism, and agnosticism. It argues that in fact Anglicanism contributed very little to Lewis’s (reconversion to Christianity. Furthermore, the paper agrees with the generally accepted idea that the particular calling that Lewis felt he had, that of being a Christian apologist, made him wary of being associated with the defence of any specific Christian tradition. In virtue of this special calling, Lewis also reacted quite strongly against certain aspects of Anglicanism, like, for instance, the ordination of women to priesthood, which he perceived as an obstacle to ecumenism and, implicitly, to an effective defence of the Christian faith in the public arena. In spite of all this, there is little doubt that Lewis has fully and unreservedly adopted Anglicanism as his preferred version of Christianity. From this particular stance, the life and ministry of C.S. Lewis made a huge public impact in the twentieth century and beyond. In light of the undeniable influence he had on the intellectual and religious scene in the last hundred years, one may ask not so much how Anglican was Lewis, but, rather, ‘why isn’t Anglicanism more like Lewis’.

  8. Diversity of aging of the immune system classified in the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) model of human infectious diseases.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guichelaar, Teun; van Erp, Elisabeth A; Hoeboer, Jeroen; Smits, Noortje A M; van Els, Cécile A C M; Pieren, Daan K J; Luytjes, Willem

    2018-01-01

    Susceptibility and declined resistance to human pathogens like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at old age is well represented in the cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus). Despite providing a preferred model of human infectious diseases, little is known about aging of its adaptive immune system. We aimed

  9. Evidence that shock-induced immune suppression is mediated by adrenal hormones and peripheral beta-adrenergic receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunnick, J E; Lysle, D T; Kucinski, B J; Rabin, B S

    1990-07-01

    Our previous work has demonstrated that presentations of mild foot-shock to Lewis rats induces a suppression of splenic and peripheral blood lymphocyte responses to nonspecific T-cell mitogens. The present study demonstrated that adrenalectomy prevented the shock-induced suppression of the mitogenic response of peripheral blood T-cells but did not attenuate the suppression of splenic T-cells. Conversely, the beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists, propranolol and nadolol, attenuated the shock-induced suppression of splenic T-cells in a dose-dependent manner but did not attenuate suppression of the blood mitogen response. These data indicate that distinct mechanisms mediate the shock-induced suppression of T-cell responsiveness to mitogens in the spleen and the peripheral blood. The results indicate that the peripheral release of catecholamines is responsible for splenic immune suppression and that adrenal hormones, which do not interact with beta-adrenergic receptors, are responsible for shock-induced suppression of blood mitogenic responses.

  10. Lewis acid enhanced switching of the 1,1-dicyanodihydroazulene/vinylheptafulvene photo/thermoswitch

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Parker, Christian Richard; Tortzen, Christian Gregers; Broman, Søren Lindbæk

    2011-01-01

    Mild Lewis acids enhance the rate of the thermal conversion of vinylheptafulvene (VHF) to dihydroazulene (DHA). In the absence of light, stronger Lewis acids promote the otherwise photoinduced DHA to VHF conversion.......Mild Lewis acids enhance the rate of the thermal conversion of vinylheptafulvene (VHF) to dihydroazulene (DHA). In the absence of light, stronger Lewis acids promote the otherwise photoinduced DHA to VHF conversion....

  11. Pareidolias: complex visual illusions in dementia with Lewy bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchiyama, Makoto; Nishio, Yoshiyuki; Yokoi, Kayoko; Hirayama, Kazumi; Imamura, Toru; Shimomura, Tatsuo; Mori, Etsuro

    2012-08-01

    Patients rarely experience visual hallucinations while being observed by clinicians. Therefore, instruments to detect visual hallucinations directly from patients are needed. Pareidolias, which are complex visual illusions involving ambiguous forms that are perceived as meaningful objects, are analogous to visual hallucinations and have the potential to be a surrogate indicator of visual hallucinations. In this study, we explored the clinical utility of a newly developed instrument for evoking pareidolic illusions, the Pareidolia test, in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies-one of the most common causes of visual hallucinations in the elderly. Thirty-four patients with dementia with Lewy bodies, 34 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 26 healthy controls were given the Pareidolia test. Patients with dementia with Lewy bodies produced a much greater number of pareidolic illusions compared with those with Alzheimer's disease or controls. A receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the number of pareidolias differentiated dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 88%. Full-length figures and faces of people and animals accounted for >80% of the contents of pareidolias. Pareidolias were observed in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies who had visual hallucinations as well as those who did not have visual hallucinations, suggesting that pareidolias do not reflect visual hallucinations themselves but may reflect susceptibility to visual hallucinations. A sub-analysis of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies who were or were not treated with donepzil demonstrated that the numbers of pareidolias were correlated with visuoperceptual abilities in the former and with indices of hallucinations and delusional misidentifications in the latter. Arousal and attentional deficits mediated by abnormal cholinergic mechanisms and visuoperceptual dysfunctions are likely to contribute to the development

  12. Characterization of three newly established rat sarcoma cell clones

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Holubová, Monika; Leba, M.; Sedmíková, M.; Vannucci, Luca; Horák, Vratislav

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 48, č. 10 (2012), s. 610-618 ISSN 1071-2690 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B08063 Institutional support: RVO:67985904 Keywords : sarcoma * cell clones * lewis rat Subject RIV: FD - Oncology ; Hematology Impact factor: 1.289, year: 2012

  13. Immune characterization of the Lewis rats inoculated with K2 sarcoma cell line and newly derived R5-28 malignant cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Morávková, Alena; Málek, Ondřej; Pokorná, Eva; Strnádel, Ján; Hradecký, Jan; Horák, Vratislav

    2005-01-01

    Roč. 51, - (2005), s. 159-165 ISSN 0015-5500 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/04/0102 Grant - others:Ústav živočišné fyziologie a genetiky AV ČR(CZ) IAPG/05/16 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : rat sarcoma * malignancy * myeloid cells Subject RIV: EC - Immunology Impact factor: 0.719, year: 2005

  14. OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat dendritic cells are unable to prime CD4+ T cells for an effective immune response following acute burn injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazal, Nadeem

    2013-01-01

    Co-stimulatory molecules expressed on Dendritic Cells (DCs) function to coordinate an efficient immune response by T cells in the peripheral lymph nodes. We hypothesized that CD4+ T cell-mediated immune suppression following burn injury may be related to dysfunctional DCs residing in gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), such as Mesenteric Lymph Nodes (MLN). Therefore, we studied co-stimulatory molecules expressed on burn rat MLN DCs as an index of functional DCs that would mount an effective normal CD4+ T cell immune response. In a rat model of 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) scald burn, OX62+OX6+OX35+ DCs and CD4+ T cells were isolated from MLN of day 3 post-burn and sham control rats. DCs were tested for their expression of co-stimulatory molecules, and prime CD4+ T cell (DC:CD4+T cell co-culture assays) to determine an effector immune response such as CD4+ T cell proliferation. The surface receptor expressions of MLN DCs co-stimulatory molecules, i.e., MHC-II, CD40, CD80 (B7-1), and CD86 (B7-2) were determined by Flow cytometry (quantitatively) and confocal microscopy (qualitatively). Tritiated thymidine and CFDA-SE determined CD4+ T cell proliferation following co-incubation with DCs. Cytokine milieu of MLN (IL-12 and IL-10) was assessed by mRNA determination by RT-PCR. The results showed down-regulated expressions of co-stimulatory markers (CD80, CD86, CD40 and MHC-II) of MLN DCs obtained from burn-injured rats, as well as lack of ability of these burn-induced DCs to stimulate CD4+ T cell proliferation in co-culture assays, as compared to the sham rats. Moreover, anti-CD40 stimulation of affected burn MLN DCs did not reverse this alteration. Furthermore, a marked up-regulation of mRNA IL-10 and down-regulation of mRNA IL-12 in burn MLN as compared to sham animals was also observed. To surmise, the data indicated that dysfunctional OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat MLN DCs may contribute to CD4+ T-cell-mediated immune suppression observed following acute burn injury.

  15. OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat dendritic cells are unable to prime CD4+ T cells for an effective immune response following acute burn injury☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazal, Nadeem

    2013-01-01

    Co-stimulatory molecules expressed on Dendritic Cells (DCs) function to coordinate an efficient immune response by T cells in the peripheral lymph nodes. We hypothesized that CD4+ T cell-mediated immune suppression following burn injury may be related to dysfunctional DCs residing in gut associated lymphoid tissues (GALT), such as Mesenteric Lymph Nodes (MLN). Therefore, we studied co-stimulatory molecules expressed on burn rat MLN DCs as an index of functional DCs that would mount an effective normal CD4+ T cell immune response. In a rat model of 30% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) scald burn, OX62+OX6+OX35+ DCs and CD4+ T cells were isolated from MLN of day 3 post-burn and sham control rats. DCs were tested for their expression of co-stimulatory molecules, and prime CD4+ T cell (DC:CD4+T cell co-culture assays) to determine an effector immune response such as CD4+ T cell proliferation. The surface receptor expressions of MLN DCs co-stimulatory molecules, i.e., MHC-II, CD40, CD80 (B7-1), and CD86 (B7-2) were determined by Flow cytometry (quantitatively) and confocal microscopy (qualitatively). Tritiated thymidine and CFDA-SE determined CD4+ T cell proliferation following co-incubation with DCs. Cytokine milieu of MLN (IL-12 and IL-10) was assessed by mRNA determination by RT-PCR. The results showed down-regulated expressions of co-stimulatory markers (CD80, CD86, CD40 and MHC-II) of MLN DCs obtained from burn-injured rats, as well as lack of ability of these burn-induced DCs to stimulate CD4+ T cell proliferation in co-culture assays, as compared to the sham rats. Moreover, anti-CD40 stimulation of affected burn MLN DCs did not reverse this alteration. Furthermore, a marked up-regulation of mRNA IL-10 and down-regulation of mRNA IL-12 in burn MLN as compared to sham animals was also observed. To surmise, the data indicated that dysfunctional OX62+OX6+OX35+ rat MLN DCs may contribute to CD4+ T-cell-mediated immune suppression observed following acute burn injury

  16. Ransom, Religion, and Red Giants: C.S. Lewis and Fred Hoyle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Kristine

    2010-01-01

    Famed fantasy writer C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was known to friends as a well-read astronomy aficionado. However, this medieval scholar and Christian apologist embraced a pre-Copernican universe (with its astrological overtones) in his Chronicles of Narnia series and defended the beauty and relevance of the geocentric model in his final academic work, "The Discarded Image". In the "Ransom Trilogy” ("Out of the Silent Planet", "Perelandra", and "That Hideous Strength") philologist Ransom (loosely based on Lewis's close friend J.R.R. Tolkien) travels to Lewis's visions of Mars and Venus, where he interacts with intelligent extraterrestrials, battles with evil scientists, and aids in the continuation of extraterrestrial Christian values. In the final book, Ransom is joined by a handful of colleagues in open warfare against the satanic N.I.C.E. (National Institute for Coordinated Experiments). Geneticist and evolutionary biologist J.B.S. Haldane criticized Lewis for his scientifically inaccurate descriptions of the planets, and his disdain for the scientific establishment. Lewis responded to the criticism in essays of his own. Another of Lewis's favorite scientific targets was atheist Fred Hoyle, whom he openly criticized for anti-Christian statements in Hoyle's BBC radio series. Writer and Lewis friend Dorothy L. Sayers voiced her own criticism of Hoyle. In a letter, Lewis dismissed Hoyle as "not a great philosopher (and none of my scientific colleagues think much of him as a scientist.” Given Lewis's lack of respect for Hoyle, and use of creative license in describing the planets, and the flat-earth, "geocentric” Narnia, it is surprising that Lewis very carefully includes an astronomically correct description of red giants in two novels in the Narnia series ("The Magician's Nephew" and "The Last Battle"). This inclusion is even more curious given that Fred Hoyle is well-known as one of the pioneers in the field of stellar death and the properties of red giants.

  17. Supradural inflammatory soup in awake and freely moving rats induces facial allodynia that is blocked by putative immune modulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wieseler, Julie; Ellis, Amanda; McFadden, Andrew; Stone, Kendra; Brown, Kimberley; Cady, Sara; Bastos, Leandro F; Sprunger, David; Rezvani, Niloofar; Johnson, Kirk; Rice, Kenner C; Maier, Steven F; Watkins, Linda R

    2017-06-01

    Facial allodynia is a migraine symptom that is generally considered to represent a pivotal point in migraine progression. Treatment before development of facial allodynia tends to be more successful than treatment afterwards. As such, understanding the underlying mechanisms of facial allodynia may lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying migraine. Migraine facial allodynia is modeled by applying inflammatory soup (histamine, bradykinin, serotonin, prostaglandin E2) over the dura. Whether glial and/or immune activation contributes to such pain is unknown. Here we tested if trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) glial and/or immune cells are activated following supradural inflammatory soup, and if putative glial/immune inhibitors suppress the consequent facial allodynia. Inflammatory soup was administered via bilateral indwelling supradural catheters in freely moving rats, inducing robust and reliable facial allodynia. Gene expression for microglial/macrophage activation markers, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α increased following inflammatory soup along with robust expression of facial allodynia. This provided the basis for pursuing studies of the behavioral effects of 3 diverse immunomodulatory drugs on facial allodynia. Pretreatment with either of two compounds broadly used as putative glial/immune inhibitors (minocycline, ibudilast) prevented the development of facial allodynia, as did treatment after supradural inflammatory soup but prior to the expression of facial allodynia. Lastly, the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) antagonist (+)-naltrexone likewise blocked development of facial allodynia after supradural inflammatory soup. Taken together, these exploratory data support that activated glia and/or immune cells may drive the development of facial allodynia in response to supradural inflammatory soup in unanesthetized male rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Fullerene–Carbene Lewis Acid–Base Adducts

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Huaping

    2011-08-17

    The reaction between a bulky N-heterocylic carbene (NHC) and C60 leads to the formation of a thermally stable zwitterionic Lewis acid-base adduct that is connected via a C-C single bond. Low-energy absorption bands with weak oscillator strengths similar to those of n-doped fullerenes were observed for the product, consistent with a net transfer of electron density to the C60 core. Corroborating information was obtained using UV photoelectron spectroscopy, which revealed that the adduct has an ionization potential ∼1.5 eV lower than that of C60. Density functional theory calculations showed that the C-C bond is polarized, with a total charge of +0.84e located on the NHC framework and -0.84e delocalized on the C 60 cage. The combination of reactivity, characterization, and theoretical studies demonstrates that fullerenes can behave as Lewis acids that react with C-based Lewis bases and that the overall process describes n-doping via C-C bond formation. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  19. Inlfuence of Different-Frequency Glucocorticoid Induction on Morphological Structures of Humeri, Soft Tissues and Immune System in Rats

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    LI Jian-min; LI Heng

    2016-01-01

    Objective: To explore the influence of different-frequency glucocorticoid (GC) induction on morphological structures of humeri and soft tissues as well as immune system in rats. Methods: A total of 32 speciifc pathogen-free (SPF) SD rats at the age of 3 months were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups, 8 cases in each group. The rats in control group were not given any treatment, while those in low-, moderate- and high-frequency groups were treated with intramuscular injection of dexamethasone 1 mg/kg per time for twice, 4 times and 6 times per week, respectively. All the rats were sacriifced on d30 to measure their body mass and qualities of soft tissues and immune organs, and bone histomorphometry was applied to analyze humeral bone mass and bone structural changes. Results: Compared with control group, there was no change in cancellous bone mass and bone structures of upper humeri in low-frequency group, but serious loss of bone mass, signiifcantly degenerated bone structure, markedly reduced trabecular thickness and number as well as notably increased trabecular separation was all observed in moderate- and high-frequency groups. The size of cortical bones, total size of bone structure, thickness of cortical bones and size percentage of cortical bones in middle humeri reduced apparently, while the size percentage of medullary cavity increased dramatically in high-frequency group. Growth plate thickness of upper humeri decreased in low-, moderate- and high-frequency groups, and the diameters of mastocytes diminished in moderate- and high-frequency groups. Compared with control group, body mass decreased obviously, qualities and indexes of spleen and thymus showed decreasing tendency along with the increase of drug administration frequency in low-, moderate- and high-frequency groups. Conclusion: Low-frequency GC cannot change humeral morphology. The higher the frequency of drug administration is, the more the loss of cancellous bone mass is. When the

  20. A systematic revision of Baconia Lewis (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Caterino

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Here we present a complete revision of the species of Baconia. Up until now there have been 27 species assigned to the genus (Mazur, 2011, in two subgenera (Binhister Cooman and Baconia s. str., with species in the Neotropical, Nearctic, Palaearctic, and Oriental regions. We recognize all these species as valid and correctly assigned to the genus, and redescribe all of them. We synonymize Binhister, previously used for a polyphyletic assemblage of species with varied relationships in the genus. We move four species into Baconia from other genera, and describe 85 species as new, bringing the total for the genus to 116 species. We divide these into 12 informal species groups, leaving 13 species unplaced to group. We present keys and diagnoses for all species, as well as habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia for nearly all. The genus now contains the following species and species groups: Baconia loricata group [B. loricata Lewis, 1885, B. patula Lewis, 1885, B. gounellei (Marseul, 1887a, B. jubaris (Lewis, 1901, B. festiva (Lewis, 1891, B. foliosoma sp. n., B. sapphirina sp. n., B. furtiva sp. n., B. pernix sp. n., B. applanatis sp. n., B. disciformis sp. n., B. nebulosa sp. n., B. brunnea sp. n.], B. godmani group [B. godmani (Lewis, 1888, B. venusta (J. E. LeConte, 1845, B. riehli (Marseul, 1862, comb. n., B. scintillans sp. n., B. isthmia sp. n., B. rossi sp. n., B. navarretei sp. n., B. maculata sp. n., B. deliberata sp. n., B. excelsa sp. n., B. violacea (Marseul, 1853, B. varicolor (Marseul, 1887b, B. dives (Marseul, 1862, B. eximia (Lewis, 1888, B. splendida sp. n., B. jacinta sp. n., B. prasina sp. n., B. opulenta sp. n., B. illustris (Lewis, 1900, B. choaspites (Lewis, 1901, B. lewisi Mazur, 1984], B. salobrus group [B. salobrus (Marseul, 1887b, B. turgifrons sp. n., B. crassa sp. n., B. anthracina sp. n., B. emarginata sp. n., B. obsoleta sp. n.], B. ruficauda group [B. ruficauda sp. n., B. repens sp. n.], B. angusta group [B

  1. A systematic revision of Baconia Lewis (Coleoptera, Histeridae, Exosternini).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caterino, Michael S; Tishechkin, Alexey K

    2013-01-01

    Here we present a complete revision of the species of Baconia. Up until now there have been 27 species assigned to the genus (Mazur, 2011), in two subgenera (Binhister Cooman and Baconia s. str.), with species in the Neotropical, Nearctic, Palaearctic, and Oriental regions. We recognize all these species as valid and correctly assigned to the genus, and redescribe all of them. We synonymize Binhister, previously used for a polyphyletic assemblage of species with varied relationships in the genus. We move four species into Baconia from other genera, and describe 85 species as new, bringing the total for the genus to 116 species. We divide these into 12 informal species groups, leaving 13 species unplaced to group. We present keys and diagnoses for all species, as well as habitus photos and illustrations of male genitalia for nearly all. The genus now contains the following species and species groups: Baconia loricata group [Baconia loricata Lewis, 1885, B. patula Lewis, 1885, Baconia gounellei (Marseul, 1887a), Baconia jubaris (Lewis, 1901), Baconia festiva (Lewis, 1891), Baconia foliosoma sp. n., Baconia sapphirina sp. n., Baconia furtiva sp. n., Baconia pernix sp. n., Baconia applanatis sp. n., Baconia disciformis sp. n., Baconia nebulosa sp. n., Baconia brunnea sp. n.], Baconia godmani group [Baconia godmani (Lewis, 1888), Baconia venusta (J. E. LeConte, 1845), Baconia riehli (Marseul, 1862), comb. n., Baconia scintillans sp. n., Baconia isthmia sp. n., Baconia rossi sp. n., Baconia navarretei sp. n., Baconia maculata sp. n., Baconia deliberata sp. n., Baconia excelsa sp. n., Baconia violacea (Marseul, 1853), Baconia varicolor (Marseul, 1887b), Baconia dives (Marseul, 1862), Baconia eximia (Lewis, 1888), Baconia splendida sp. n., Baconia jacinta sp. n., Baconia prasina sp. n., Baconia opulenta sp. n., Baconia illustris (Lewis, 1900), Baconia choaspites (Lewis, 1901), Baconia lewisi Mazur, 1984], Baconia salobrus group [Baconia salobrus (Marseul, 1887b), Baconia

  2. Lewis Carroll, a educação e o ensino de geometria na Inglaterra vitoriana - Lewis Carroll, education and the teaching of geometry in victorian England

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Montoito

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Parte da pesquisa motivada pela tradução para o português do livro Euclides e seus rivais modernos, publicado por Lewis Carroll em 1879, este artigo se inscreve numa série de estudos que visam a um exame hermenêutico dessa obra. São discutidos temas relacionados com a educação, a educação matemática e o ensino de geometria na Inglaterra vitoriana.Palavras-chave: Lewis Carroll, Euclides e seus rivais modernos, história da educação, educação matemática, geometria. LEWIS CARROLL, EDUCATION AND THE TEACHING OF GEOMETRY IN VICTORIAN ENGLANDAbstractResearch partly motivated by Lewis Carrroll's Euclid and his modern rivals (1879 portuguese translation, this paper presents some hermeneutical remarks taken as necessary to understand the context in which such book was produced. The paper focuses particularly on education, in general, and on the teaching of mathematics and geometry in victorian England.Key-words: Lewis Carroll, Euclid and his modern rivals, history of education, mathematics education, geometry. LEWIS CARROLL, LA EDUCACIÓN Y EL ENSINO DE GEOMETRÍA EN LA INGLATERRA VICTORIANAResumenParte de la investigación motivada por la traducción al portugués del libro Euclides y sus enemigos modernos, publicado por Lewis Carroll en 1879, este artículo se inscribe en una serie de estudios que tienen por objetivo hacer un examen hermenéutico de la obra. Son aquí discutidos temas relacionados como la educación, la educación matemática y la enseñanza de geometría en la Inglaterra victoriana.Palabras-clave: Lewis Carroll, Euclides y sus enemigos modernos, historia de la educación, educación matemática, geometría. LEWIS CARROLL, L’ÉDUCATION ET L’ENSEIGMENT DE GÉOMÉTRIE EN L’ANGLETERRE VICTORIENNERésuméFaisant partie de la recherche motivée par la traduction en portugais du livre Euclide et ses rivaux modernes, publié par Lewis Carrol en 1879 , cet article s’inscrit dans une série d’études dont le but

  3. Cocoa Diet Prevents Antibody Synthesis and Modifies Lymph Node Composition and Functionality in a Rat Oral Sensitization Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariona Camps-Bossacoma

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Cocoa powder, a rich source of polyphenols, has shown immunomodulatory properties in both the intestinal and systemic immune compartments of rats. The aim of the current study was to establish the effect of a cocoa diet in a rat oral sensitization model and also to gain insight into the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN activities induced by this diet. To achieve this, three-week-old Lewis rats were fed either a standard diet or a diet with 10% cocoa and were orally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA and with cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant. Specific antibodies were quantified, and lymphocyte composition, gene expression, and cytokine release were established in MLN. The development of anti-OVA antibodies was almost totally prevented in cocoa-fed rats. In addition, this diet increased the proportion of TCRγδ+ and CD103+CD8+ cells and decreased the proportion of CD62L+CD4+ and CD62L+CD8+ cells in MLN, whereas it upregulated the gene expression of OX40L, CD11c, and IL-1β and downregulated the gene expression of IL-17α. In conclusion, the cocoa diet induced tolerance in an oral sensitization model accompanied by changes in MLN that could contribute to this effect, suggesting its potential implication in the prevention of food allergies.

  4. Cocoa Diet Prevents Antibody Synthesis and Modifies Lymph Node Composition and Functionality in a Rat Oral Sensitization Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camps-Bossacoma, Mariona; Abril-Gil, Mar; Saldaña-Ruiz, Sandra; Franch, Àngels; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castell, Margarida

    2016-04-23

    Cocoa powder, a rich source of polyphenols, has shown immunomodulatory properties in both the intestinal and systemic immune compartments of rats. The aim of the current study was to establish the effect of a cocoa diet in a rat oral sensitization model and also to gain insight into the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) activities induced by this diet. To achieve this, three-week-old Lewis rats were fed either a standard diet or a diet with 10% cocoa and were orally sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and with cholera toxin as a mucosal adjuvant. Specific antibodies were quantified, and lymphocyte composition, gene expression, and cytokine release were established in MLN. The development of anti-OVA antibodies was almost totally prevented in cocoa-fed rats. In addition, this diet increased the proportion of TCRγδ+ and CD103+CD8+ cells and decreased the proportion of CD62L+CD4+ and CD62L+CD8+ cells in MLN, whereas it upregulated the gene expression of OX40L, CD11c, and IL-1β and downregulated the gene expression of IL-17α. In conclusion, the cocoa diet induced tolerance in an oral sensitization model accompanied by changes in MLN that could contribute to this effect, suggesting its potential implication in the prevention of food allergies.

  5. Progression of nephropathy after islet of langerhans transplantation in alloxan-induced diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Tadeu Spadella

    1997-03-01

    Full Text Available We studied the effects of islet of Langerhans transplantation (IT on the kidney lesions of rats with alloxan-induced diabetes. Forty-five inbred male Lewis rats were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups: group Gl included 15 non-diabetic control rats (NC, group GIT included 15 alloxan-induced diabetic rats (DC, and group III included 15 alloxan-induced diabetic rats that received pancreatic islet transplantation prepared by nonenzymatic method from normal donor Lewis rats and injected into the portal vein (IT. Each group was further divided into 3 subgroups of 5 rats which were sacrificed at 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up, respectively. Clinical and laboratorial parameters were recorded in the mentioned periods in the 3 experimental groups. For histology, the kidneys of all rats of each subgroup were studied and 50 glomeruli and 50 tubules of each kidney were analyzed using light microscopy by two different investigators in a double blind study. The results showed progressive glomerular basement membrane thickening (GBMT, mesangial enlargement (ME, and Bowman's capsule thickening (BCT in the 3 experimental groups throughout the follow-up. These alterations were significantly more severe in DC rats at 6 months when compared to NC rats (p < 0.01. However, the degree of GBMT, ME, and BCT observed in DC rats was not statistically different from IT rats at 1, 3, and 6 months. In addition, Armanni-Ebstein lesions of the tubules (AE and tubular lumen protein (PRO observed in DC rats were also observed in IT rats all over the study. These lesions were never present in NC rats. We conclude that IT did not prevent progression of kidney lesions in alloxan-induced diabetic rats within 6 months after transplantation.

  6. Developmental changes in intraepithelial T lymphocytes and NK cells in the small intestine of neonatal rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Castellote, Cristina; González-Castro, Ana M; Pelegrí, Carme; Castell, Margarida; Franch, Angels

    2005-11-01

    The main objective of this study was to characterize developmental changes in small intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) subpopulations during the suckling period, thus contributing to the understanding of the development of diffuse gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and to the identification of early mechanisms that protect the neonate from the first contact with diet and gut microbial antigens. The study was performed by double labeling and flow cytometry in IEL isolated from the proximal and distal small intestine of 1- to 21-d-old Lewis rats. During the suckling period, intraepithelial natural killer (NK) cells changed from a typical systemic phenotype, CD8+, to a specific intestinal phenotype, CD8-. Analysis of CD8+ IEL revealed a progressive increase in the relative number of CD8+ IEL co-expressing TCRalphabeta, cells associated with acquired immunity, whereas the percentage of CD8+ cells expressing the NK receptor, i.e. cells committed to innate immunity, decreased. At weaning, IEL maturity was still not achieved, as revealed by a phenotypic pattern that differed from that of adult rats. Thus, late after weaning, the regulatory CD8+CD4+ T IEL population appeared and the NK population declined. In summary, the intestinal intraepithelial compartment undergoes changes in its lymphocyte composition associated with the first ingestion of food. These changes are focused on a relatively high proportion of NK cells during the suckling period, and after weaning, an expansion of the regulatory CD8+CD4+ T cells.

  7. Pomegranate extract and exercise provide additive benefits on improvement of immune function by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress in high-fat-diet-induced obesity in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Fei; Pang, Wentao; Zhang, Ziyi; Zhao, Jialong; Wang, Xin; Liu, Ye; Wang, Xun; Feng, Zhihui; Zhang, Yong; Sun, Wenyan; Liu, Jiankang

    2016-06-01

    Obesity is reported to be associated with immune dysfunction and a state of low-grade, chronic inflammation. Either pomegranate extract (PomE) or exercise (Ex) has been shown to have antiobesity, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Nevertheless, no study has addressed the additive benefits of PomE and Ex on the restoration of obesity-induced immune defects. The present work aims to study the effect of PomE and Ex as a combined intervention on immune function and the underlying mechanism involved in inflammation and oxidative stress in rats with high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity. Our results demonstrate that the combination of PomE and Ex showed additive benefits on inhibition of HFD-induced body weight increase and improvement of HFD-induced immune dysfunction, including (a) attenuating the abnormality of histomorphology of the spleen, (b) increasing the ratio of the CD4+:CD8+ T cell subpopulations in splenocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), (c) inhibition of apoptosis in splenocytes and PBMC, (d) normalizing peritoneal macrophage phenotypes and (e) restoring immunomodulating factors in serum. We also find that immune dysfunction in HFD-fed rats was associated with increased inflammatory cytokine secretion and oxidative stress biomarkers, and that the combination of PomE and Ex effectively inhibited the inflammatory response and decreased oxidative damage. The effect of PomE and Ex as a combined intervention is greater than the effect of either PomE or Ex alone, showing that PomE and Ex may be additively effective in improving immune function in HFD-fed rats by inhibiting inflammation and decreasing oxidative stress. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Biochemical, histopathological and morphological profiling of a rat model of early immune stimulation: relation to psychopathology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Kubesova

    Full Text Available Perinatal immune challenge leads to neurodevelopmental dysfunction, permanent immune dysregulation and abnormal behaviour, which have been shown to have translational validity to findings in human neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. schizophrenia, mood and anxiety disorders, autism, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this animal study was to elucidate the influence of early immune stimulation triggered by systemic postnatal lipopolysaccharide administration on biochemical, histopathological and morphological measures, which may be relevant to the neurobiology of human psychopathology. In the present study of adult male Wistar rats we examined the brain and plasma levels of monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, their metabolites, the levels of the main excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid and the levels of tryptophan and its metabolites from the kynurenine catabolic pathway. Further, we focused on histopathological and morphological markers related to pathogenesis of brain diseases--glial cell activation, neurodegeneration, hippocampal volume reduction and dopaminergic synthesis in the substantia nigra. Our results show that early immune stimulation in adult animals alters the levels of neurotransmitters and their metabolites, activates the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism and leads to astrogliosis, hippocampal volume reduction and a decrease of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra. These findings support the crucial pathophysiological role of early immune stimulation in the above mentioned neuropsychiatric disorders.

  9. Changes of some immune functions in combined radiation-burn injury in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Yongtang; Ran Xinze; Wei Shuqing

    1991-01-01

    The characteristics of some immune functions in radiation injury (6 Gy), burn injury (15%, III deg) and combined radiation-burn injury (CRBI) were studied in rats. The results showed that the functions of splenocytes and thymocytes in radiation injury group (RIG) were depressed more markedly 24-72 h after injury. The degree of thymocyte depression in burn injury group (BIG) was significantly lower than that in RIG and recovered more easily. The characteristics of the CRBI effects were as follows: (1) The combined depression effect on thymocytes in CRBI as compared with that in RIG was deeper and the recovery was slower. (2) The depression course of splenocytes was similar to that in RIG, but the depression degree in the early stage was significantly more heavy than that in RIG. (3) In the later stage of CRBI the level of recovery of T H cells was significantly lower than that in RIG. (4) Eschar-excision plus skin grafting at 24 h after combined injury was helpful for the recovery of thymocyte and splenocytes function. The results showed that the depression and recovery of immune functions in combined injury were closely related to the wound of burn

  10. File list: Unc.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Unc.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 Unclassified Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung ...http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  11. Attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and Shigella flexneri 2a strains mucosally deliver DNA vaccines encoding measles virus hemagglutinin, inducing specific immune responses and protection in cotton rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasetti, Marcela F; Barry, Eileen M; Losonsky, Genevieve; Singh, Mahender; Medina-Moreno, Sandra M; Polo, John M; Ulmer, Jeffrey; Robinson, Harriet; Sztein, Marcelo B; Levine, Myron M

    2003-05-01

    Measles remains a leading cause of child mortality in developing countries. Residual maternal measles antibodies and immunologic immaturity dampen immunogenicity of the current vaccine in young infants. Because cotton rat respiratory tract is susceptible to measles virus (MV) replication after intranasal (i.n.) challenge, this model can be used to assess the efficacy of MV vaccines. Pursuing a new measles vaccine strategy that might be effective in young infants, we used attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi CVD 908-htrA and Shigella flexneri 2a CVD 1208 vaccines to deliver mucosally to cotton rats eukaryotic expression plasmid pGA3-mH and Sindbis virus-based DNA replicon pMSIN-H encoding MV hemagglutinin (H). The initial i.n. dose-response with bacterial vectors alone identified a well-tolerated dosage (1 x 10(9) to 7 x 10(9) CFU) and a volume (20 micro l) that elicited strong antivector immune responses. Animals immunized i.n. on days 0, 28, and 76 with bacterial vectors carrying DNA plasmids encoding MV H or immunized parenterally with these naked DNA vaccine plasmids developed MV plaque reduction neutralizing antibodies and proliferative responses against MV antigens. In a subsequent experiment of identical design, cotton rats were challenged with wild-type MV 1 month after the third dose of vaccine or placebo. MV titers were significantly reduced in lung tissue of animals immunized with MV DNA vaccines delivered either via bacterial live vectors or parenterally. Since attenuated serovar Typhi and S. flexneri can deliver measles DNA vaccines mucosally in cotton rats, inducing measles immune responses (including neutralizing antibodies) and protection, boosting strategies can now be evaluated in animals primed with MV DNA vaccines.

  12. Gilbert Newton Lewis: his influence on physical-organic chemists at Berkeley

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Calvin, M.

    1982-03-01

    A review is presented of the historical contributions of Gilbert N. Lewis to science and a discussion of the influence of Lewis on the research of the members of the physical-organic staff at Berkeley, including Melvin Calvin, during the twenties, thirties and forties. Some specific examples are discussed. Also, the effect of Lewis, his science and administrative concepts in the creation of excellence in a department of chemistry are reviewed.

  13. Gilbert Newton Lewis: his influence on physical-organic chemists at Berkeley

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calvin, M.

    1982-03-01

    A review is presented of the historical contributions of Gilbert N. Lewis to science and a discussion of the influence of Lewis on the research of the members of the physical-organic staff at Berkeley, including Melvin Calvin, during the twenties, thirties and forties. Some specific examples are discussed. Also, the effect of Lewis, his science and administrative concepts in the creation of excellence in a department of chemistry are reviewed

  14. Primary immune system responders to nucleus pulposus cells: evidence for immune response in disc herniation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Murai

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Although intervertebral disc herniation and associated sciatica is a common disease, its molecular pathogenesis is not well understood. Immune responses are thought to be involved. This study provides direct evidence that even non-degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP cells elicit immune responses. An in vitro colony forming inhibition assay demonstrated the suppressive effects of autologous spleen cells on NP cells and an in vitro cytotoxicity assay showed the positive cytotoxic effects of natural killer (NK cells and macrophages on NP cells. Non-degenerated rat NP tissues transplanted into wild type rats and immune-deficient mice demonstrated a significantly higher NP cell survival rate in immune-deficient mice. Immunohistochemical staining showed the presence of macrophages and NK cells in the transplanted NP tissues. These results suggest that even non-degenerated autologous NP cells are recognized by macrophages and NK cells, which may have an immunological function in the early phase of disc herniation. These findings contribute to understanding resorption and the inflammatory reaction to disc herniation.

  15. File list: DNS.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available DNS.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 DNase-seq Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung htt...p://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/DNS.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  16. File list: DNS.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available DNS.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 DNase-seq Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung htt...p://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/DNS.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  17. File list: Pol.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 RNA polymerase Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Pol.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  18. File list: Pol.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 RNA polymerase Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Pol.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  19. File list: Pol.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 RNA polymerase Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Pol.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  20. File list: DNS.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available DNS.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 DNase-seq Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung htt...p://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/DNS.Lng.20.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  1. In vivo biocompatibility evaluation of Cibacron blue-agarose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kao, J M; Rose, R; Yousef, M; Hunter, S K; Rodgers, V G

    1999-12-15

    This study investigated the biocompatibility of Cibacron blue-agarose as a biomaterial for microencapsulation. Cibacron blue-agarose is known to have an affinity for albumin under certain pH conditions and in the proper steric environment. Thus it was postulated that the material's high affinity for host albumin might reduce a secondary immune response and reduce the fibrotic overgrowth that often accompanies transplanted foreign materials. In vivo tests were performed using the Lewis rat model. Both Cibacron blue-agarose and plain agarose disks were prepared, with some disks from each group being pre-exposed to sera from Lewis rats. The disks were transplanted into the peritoneal cavities of Lewis rats. After 115 days the disks were excised. Fibrotic overgrowth was analyzed using light microscopy, and a blind study was used to measure the average growth thickness on each disk. The results demonstrated that all disks developed some fibrotic encapsulation and that the presence of Cibacron blue was not significant in reducing fibrotic overgrowth (p = 0.62). Agarose disks pre-exposed to sera had significantly less average overgrowth than any other group (p = 0. 06). Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  2. File list: Oth.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 TFs and others Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Oth.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  3. Thallium kinetics in rat cardiac transplant rejection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barak, J.H.; LaRaia, P.J.; Boucher, C.A.; Fallon, J.T.; Buckley, M.J.

    1988-01-01

    Cardiac transplant rejection is a very complex process involving both cellular and vascular injury. Recently, thallium imaging has been used to assess acute transplant rejection. It has been suggested that changes in thallium kinetics might be a sensitive indicator of transplant rejection. Accordingly, thallium kinetics were assessed in vivo in acute untreated rat heterotopic (cervical) transplant rejection. Male Lewis rats weighing 225-250 g received heterotopic heart transplants from syngeneic Lewis rats (group A; n = 13), or allogeneic Brown Norway rats (group B; n = 11). Rats were imaged serially on the 2nd and the 7th postoperative days. Serial cardiac thallium content was determined utilizing data collected every 150 sec for 2 hr. The data were fit to a monoexponential curve and the decay rate constant (/sec) derived. By day 7 all group B hearts had histological evidence of severe acute rejection, and demonstrated decreased global contraction. Group A hearts showed normal histology and contractility. However, thallium uptakes and washout of the two groups were the same. Peak thallium uptake of group B was +/- 3758 1166 counts compared with 3553 +/- 950 counts in the control group A (P = 0.6395); The 2-hr percentage of washout was 12.1 +/- 1.04 compared with 12.1 +/- 9.3 (P = 1.0000); and the decay constant was -0.00002065 +/- 0.00001799 compared with -0.00002202 +/- 0.00001508 (P = 0.8409). These data indicate that in vivo global thallium kinetics are preserved during mild-to-severe acute transplant rejection. These findings suggest that the complex cellular and extracellular processes of acute rejection limit the usefulness of thallium kinetics in the detection of acute transplant rejection

  4. Lewis acid catalyzed transformations of Z-ligustilide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rios, Maria Yolanda [Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Delgado, Guillermo [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

    1999-08-01

    Some Lewis acid mediated reactions of Z-ligustilide (1), a bioactive constituent of the medicinal species Ligusticum porteri, were investigated. These reactions provided varying mixtures of Z-butylidenephthalide (7), E-butylidenephthalide (8), n-butyphthalide (13), and novel linear dimeric phthalides (9-12) as the main products. The formation of the dimers occurred in low yields and with regio and situ-selectivity. Initial competitive O- and C- complexation of the Lewis acid with Z-ligustilide promoted the formation of the dimers occurred in low yields and with regio and situ- selectivity. Initial competitive O- and C- complexation of the Lewis acid with Z-ligustilide promoted the formation of carbocations at C(8), C(6) and C(7), which were stabilized by the addition of the C(6')-C(7') olefin of a second unit of the starting material, to provide cations at C(6') and C(7'). Subsequent isomerizations and elimination of the catalyst afforded the dimeric products 9-12. The yields and structure of the products are quite dependent on variations of the reaction conditions and the catalyst employed. [Spanish] Se investigaron algunas reacciones de Z-ligustilidas (1), un constituyente bioactivo de la planta medicinal Ligusticum porteri, catalizadas por acidos de Lewis. Estas reacciones produjeron mezclas variables de Z-butilidenftalida (7), E-butilidenftalida (8), n-butilftalida (13), y ftalidos dimetricos lineales novedosos (9-12) como productos principales. La formacion de los dimeros procedio en rendimientos bajos y con regio- y situ-selectividad. La O- y C- complejacion competitiva inicial del acido de Lewis con Z-lingustilida promueve la formacion de cationes en C(8), C(6) y C(7), los cuales son estabilizados por la adicion de la olefina C(6')-C(7') de una segunda unidad de la materia prima para generar los cationes en C(6')-C(7'). Isomerizaciones subsecuentes y la eliminacion del catalizador conducen a los productos dimericos 9

  5. Free Total Rhubarb Anthraquinones Protect Intestinal Injury via Regulation of the Intestinal Immune Response in a Rat Model of Severe Acute Pancreatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuxia Xiong

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Intestinal mucosal immune barrier dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP. Rhubarb is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine as a laxative in China. It markedly protects pancreatic acinar cells from trypsin-induced injury in rats. Free total rhubarb anthraquinones (FTRAs isolated and extracted from rhubarb display the beneficial effects of antibacteria, anti-inflammation, antivirus, and anticancer. The principal aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of FTRAs on the protection of intestinal injury and modification of the intestinal barrier function through regulation of intestinal immune function in rats with SAP. We established a rat model of SAP by injecting 3.5% sodium taurocholate (STC, 350 mg/kg into the biliopancreatic duct via retrograde injection and treated the rats with FTRAs (36 or 72 mg/kg or normal saline (control immediately and 12 h after STC injection. Then, we evaluated the protective effect of FTRAs on intestinal injury by pathological analysis and determined the levels of endotoxin (ET, interleukin 1β (IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α, nitric oxide (NO, myeloperoxidase (MPO, capillary permeability, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors 3 (NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD domain (ASC, casepase-1, secretary immunoglobulin A (SIgA, regulatory T cells (Tregs, and the ratio of Th1/Th2 in the blood and/or small intestinal tissues or mesenteric lymph node (MLN cells. Moreover, the chemical profile of FTRAs was analyzed by HPLC-UV chromatogram. The results showed that FTRAs significantly protected intestinal damage and decreased the levels of ET, IL-1β, TNF-α, and NO in the blood and TNF-α, IL-1β, and protein extravasation in the intestinal tissues in SAP rats. Furthermore, FTRAs significantly decreased the expressions of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1, the number of Tregs and the ratio of Th1/Th2, while

  6. 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

  7. Lewis, Prof. Gilbert Newton

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Fellowship. Fellow Profile. Elected: 1935 Honorary. Lewis, Prof. Gilbert Newton. Date of birth: 25 October 1875. Date of death: 24 March 1946. YouTube; Twitter; Facebook; Blog. Academy News. IAS Logo. 29th Mid-year meeting. Posted on 19 January 2018. The 29th Mid-year meeting of the Academy will be held ...

  8. Development of Fluorous Lewis Acid-Catalyzed Reactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joji Nishikido

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Organic synthetic methodology in the 21st century aims to conform to the principles of green sustainable chemistry (GSC and we may expect that in the future, the realization of GSC will be an important objective for chemical industries. An important aim of synthetic organic chemistry is to implement waste-free and environmentally-benign industrial processes using Lewis acids as versatile as aluminum choride. A key technological objective of our work in this area has been to achieve a “catalyst recycling system that utilizes the high activity and structural features of fluorous Lewis acid catalysts”. Thus, we have developed a series of novel fluorous Lewis acid catalysts, namely the ytterbium(III, scandium(III, tin(IV or hafnium(IV bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonylamides or tris(perfluoro- alkanesulfonylmethides. Our catalysts are recyclable and effective for acylations of alcohols and aromatics, Baeyer-Villiger reactions, direct esterifications and transesterifications in a fluorous biphasic system (FBS, in supercritical carbon dioxide and on fluorous silica gel supports.

  9. Manipulating the Lewis antigen specificity of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin lectinolysin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara eLawrence

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs attack cells by punching large holes in their membranes. Lectinolysin from Streptococcus mitis is unique among CDCs due to the presence of an N-terminal lectin domain that enhances the pore-forming activity of the toxin. We recently determined the crystal structures of the lectin domain in complex with various glycans. These structures revealed the molecular basis for the Lewis antigen specificity of the toxin. Based on this information we have used in silico molecular modelling to design a mutant toxin, which we predicted would increase its specificity for Lewis y, an antigen found on the surface of cancer cells. Surprisingly, we found by surface plasmon resonance binding experiments that the resultant mutant lectin domain exhibited higher specificity for Lewis b antigens instead. We then undertook comparative crystallographic and molecular dynamics simulation studies of the wild-type and mutant lectin domains to understand the molecular basis for the disparity between the theoretical and experimental results. The crystallographic results revealed that the net number of interactions between Lewis y and wild-type versus mutant was unchanged whereas there was a loss of a hydrogen bond between mutant and Lewis b compared to wild-type. In contrast, the molecular dynamics studies revealed that the Lewis b antigen spent more time in the binding pocket of the mutant compared to wild-type and the reverse was true for Lewis y. The results of these simulation studies are consistent with the conclusions drawn from the surface plasmon resonance studies. This work is part of a program to engineer lectinolysin so that it will target and kill specific cells in human diseases.

  10. Chiral lewis Acid catalysis in nitrile oxide cycloadditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibi, Mukund P; Itoh, Kennosuke; Jasperse, Craig P

    2004-05-05

    We describe examples of highly regio- and enantioselective nitrile oxide cycloadditions to unsaturated alkenes using substoichiometric amounts of a chiral Lewis acid. Pyrazolidinones proved to be effective achiral templates in the cycloadditions providing C-adducts typically in >30:1 selectivity and 80-99% ee. To avoid potential problems involving coordination of the Lewis acid by amine bases, we have devised a novel method for the generation of unstable nitrile oxides from hydroximinoyl chlorides using Amberlyst 21 as the base.

  11. Interview with Smithsonian NASM Spacesuit Curator Dr. Cathleen Lewis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Cathleen; Wright, Rebecca

    2012-01-01

    Dr. Cathleen Lewis was interviewed by Rebecca Wright during the presentation of an "Interview with Smithsonian NASM Spacesuit Curator Dr. Cathleen Lewis" on May 14, 2012. Topics included the care, size, and history of the spacesuit collection at the Smithsonian and the recent move to the state-of-the-art permanent storage facility at the Udvar-Hazy facility in Virginia.

  12. Distance Learning With NASA Lewis Research Center's Learning Technologies Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petersen, Ruth

    1998-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center's Learning Technologies Project (LTP) has responded to requests from local school district technology coordinators to provide content for videoconferencing workshops. Over the past year we have offered three teacher professional development workshops that showcase NASA Lewis-developed educational products and NASA educational Internet sites. In order to determine the direction of our involvement with distance learning, the LTP staff conducted a survey of 500 U.S. schools. We received responses from 72 schools that either currently use distance learning or will be using distance learning in 98-99 school year. The results of the survey are summarized in the article. In addition, the article provides information on distance learners, distance learning technologies, and the NASA Lewis LTP videoconferencing workshops. The LTP staff will continue to offer teacher development workshops through videoconferencing during the 98-99 school year. We hope to add workshops on new educational products as they are developed at NASA Lewis.

  13. [Immunomodulators of microbial origin enhance cytotoxicity of human mononuclear leukocytes and reduce metastatic progression of Lewis lung carcinoma in mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akhmatova, N K; Semenova, I B; Donenko, F V; Kiselevskiĭ, M V; Kurbatova, E A; Egorova, N B

    2006-01-01

    Effect of immunomodulators for microbial origin on innate immunity and antitumor system was continued to study. Immunomodificator Immunovac VP-4, purified staphylococcal toxoid and glucosaminyl muramyl dipeptide (GMDP) equally enhanced cytotoxicity of mononuclear leukocytes of peripheral blood of healthy donors. Index of cytotoxicity was 2.78, 2.77 and 2.70 respectively. Reduced metastatic progression of Lewis lung carcinoma in mice was observed after Immunovac VP-4 and GMDP administration. Effectiveness was seen when preparations administered according to schedules including their administration before implantation of the tumor. If preparations were administered number of metastases reduced in 4.4-5.6 times and size of metastases reduced in 7-10 times. Interplay between antitumor activity of studied immunomodulators and cytotoxic activity of NK-cells, which are base effectors of antitumor immune response, are discussed.

  14. Wyndham Lewis

    OpenAIRE

    Maes-Jelinek, Hena

    2013-01-01

    Ours is a clownish age. If so the manYou be to understand it then you canScarcely be other than a man in an Iron MaskOr choose but choose a most invidious task. –Henceforth the voice you hear is the deep growl –The mask, if any, the notorious scowl –Of Enemy Number One. Wyndham Lewis was so prolific a writer that one sometimes tends to forget he was a painter in the first place, though his method owes much to the painter’s approach to his subject. His basic motive as a writer was to defend We...

  15. Radiosensitivity of the DS-carcinosarcoma of the rat as influenced by immune reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rotte, K.

    1972-01-01

    BDII rats obtained humoral antibodies in a xenogenetic or syngenetic immune serum or specific sensitised isogenetic immune cells for passive immunisation. Other animals were actively immunised with a so-called large dose of DS-carcinosarcoma extract or a so-called small dose of the tumour extract. The mode of irradiation was chosen in such a manner that even slight differences in the radiation sensitivity between immunised and non-immunised animals would as far as possible not be hidden by other factors. Thus when irradiating the tumours, one did without the administration of a dose which would have effected a best possible irradiation effect. A greater fractionation of the uniformly administered total dose of 2,000 R in the tests was also avoided. If the growth of a tumour can be inhibited by an immunologic influence of the tumour host relationship, then the radiation sensitivity of these cells is sumultaneously increased. If the specifically prepared immunity against tumours was not transfered to the test animals, no influence on the radiation sensitivity of the tumours was found. If the growth of the tumour accelerates, then a reduced radiation sensitivity of these tumours was simulated by the fast growth partly compensating the irradiation effect. A transfer of animal experimental investigations to the treatment of human cancer is still faced by great difficulties. The experience gathered in the last decades in the field of experimental tumour immunology are, however, important steps to this target. (orig./LH) [de

  16. Functional connectivity in cortical regions in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenny, Eva R; Blamire, Andrew M; Firbank, Michael J; O'Brien, John T

    2012-02-01

    Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, spontaneous low-frequency fluctuations in the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal were measured to investigate connectivity between key brain regions hypothesized to be differentially affected in dementia with Lewy bodies compared with Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls. These included connections of the hippocampus, because of its role in learning, and parietal and occipital areas involved in memory, attention and visual processing. Connectivity was investigated in 47 subjects aged 60 years and over: 15 subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies, 16 subjects with Alzheimer's disease and 16 control subjects. Subjects were scanned using a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system. The mean blood oxygenation level-dependent signal time series was extracted from seed regions in the hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus and primary visual cortex and correlated with all other brain voxels to determine functional connectivity. Both subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease showed greater connectivity than control subjects. Compared with controls, the dementia with Lewy bodies group had greater connectivity between the right posterior cingulate cortex and other brain areas. In dementia with Lewy bodies, there were no significant differences in hippocampal connectivity compared with controls, but in Alzheimer's disease left hippocampal connectivity was greater compared with controls. There were no significant differences between groups for precuneus or primary visual cortex connectivity. No seed regions showed significantly less connectivity in subjects with dementia with Lewy bodies or Alzheimer's disease compared with controls. We found greater connectivity with the posterior cingulate in dementia with Lewy bodies and with the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease. Consistent with the known relative preservation of memory in dementia with Lewy bodies compared with Alzheimer

  17. Prenatal immune challenge in rats: Altered responses to dopaminergic and glutamatergic agents, prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle, and reduced route-based learning as a function of maternal body weight gain after prenatal exposure to Poly IC

    OpenAIRE

    Vorhees, Charles V.; Graham, Devon L.; Braun, Amanda A.; Schaefer, Tori L.; Skelton, Matthew R.; Richtand, Neil M.; Williams, Michael T.

    2012-01-01

    Prenatal maternal immune activation has been used to test the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. Most of the data are in mouse models; far less is available for rats. We previously showed that maternal weight change in response to the immune activator polyinosinic-polycytidylic (Poly IC) in rats differentially affects offspring. Therefore, we treated gravid Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats i.p. on embryonic day 14 with 8 mg/kg of Poly IC or Saline. The Poly IC group was divided into th...

  18. File list: His.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 Histone Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung SRX10...91778,SRX1091782,SRX1091783,SRX1091781,SRX1091784,SRX1091779,SRX1091785,SRX1091780 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/His.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  19. Ovariectomy and subsequent treatment with estrogen receptor agonists tune the innate immune system of the hippocampus in middle-aged female rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miklós Sárvári

    Full Text Available The innate immune system including microglia has a major contribution to maintenance of the physiological functions of the hippocampus by permanent monitoring of the neural milieu and elimination of tissue-damaging threats. The hippocampus is vulnerable to age-related changes ranging from gene expression to network connectivity. The risk of hippocampal deterioration increases with the decline of gonadal hormone supply. To explore the impact of hormone milieu on the function of the innate immune system in middle-aged female rats, we compared mRNA expression in the hippocampus after gonadal hormone withdrawal, with or without subsequent estrogen replacement using estradiol and isotype-selective estrogen receptor (ER agonists. Targeted profiling assessed the status of the innate immune system (macrophage-associated receptors, complement, inhibitory neuronal ligands, local estradiol synthesis (P450 aromatase and estrogen reception (ER. Results established upregulation of macrophage-associated (Cd45, Iba1, Cd68, Cd11b, Cd18, Fcgr1a, Fcgr2b and complement (C3, factor B, properdin genes in response to ovariectomy. Ovariectomy upregulated Cd22 and downregulated semaphorin3A (Sema3a expression, indicating altered neuronal regulation of microglia. Ovariectomy also led to downregulation of aromatase and upregulation of ERα gene. Of note, analogous changes were observed in the hippocampus of postmenopausal women. In ovariectomized rats, estradiol replacement attenuated Iba1, Cd11b, Fcgr1a, C3, increased mannose receptor Mrc1, Cd163 and reversed Sema3a expression. In contrast, reduced expression of aromatase was not reversed by estradiol. While the effects of ERα agonist closely resembled those of estradiol, ERβ agonist was also capable of attenuating the expression of several macrophage-associated and complement genes. These data together indicate that the innate immune system of the aging hippocampus is highly responsive to the gonadal hormone milieu

  20. Clinical and imaging correlates of amyloid deposition in dementia with Lewy bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donaghy, Paul C; Firbank, Michael J; Thomas, Alan J; Lloyd, Jim; Petrides, George; Barnett, Nicola; Olsen, Kirsty; O'Brien, John T

    2018-04-19

    Amyloid deposition is common in dementia with Lewy bodies, but its pathophysiological significance is unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between amyloid deposition and clinical profile, gray matter volume, and brain perfusion in dementia with Lewy bodies. Dementia with Lewy bodies (n = 37), Alzheimer's disease (n = 20), and controls (n = 20) underwent a thorough clinical assessment, 3T MRI, and early- and late-phase 18 F-Florbetapir PET-CT to assess cortical perfusion and amyloid deposition, respectively. Amyloid scans were visually categorized as positive or negative. Image analysis was carried out using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) 8. There were no significant differences between amyloid-positive and amyloid-negative dementia with Lewy bodies cases in age (P = .78), overall cognitive impairment (P = .83), level of functional impairment (P = .80), or any other clinical or cognitive scale. There were also no significant differences in hippocampal or gray matter volumes. However, amyloid-positive dementia with Lewy bodies cases had lower medial temporal lobe perfusion (P = .03) than amyloid-negative cases, although a combination of medial temporal lobe perfusion, hippocampal volume, and cognitive measures was unable to accurately predict amyloid status in dementia with Lewy bodies. Amyloid deposition was not associated with differences in clinical or neuropsychological profiles in dementia with Lewy bodies, but was associated with imaging evidence of medial temporal lobe dysfunction. The presence of amyloid in dementia with Lewy bodies cannot be identified on the basis of clinical and other imaging features and will require direct assessment via PET imaging or CSF. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf

  1. File list: InP.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 Input control Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lung... http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.Lng.50.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  2. Lewy and his inclusion bodies: Discovery and rejection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliasz Engelhardt

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Fritz Jacob Heinrich Lewy described the pathology of Paralysis agitans [Parkinson disease] and was the first to identify eosinophilic inclusion bodies in neurons of certain brain nuclei, later known as Lewy bodies, the pathological signature of the Lewy body diseases. In 1912, he published his seminal study, followed soon after by an update paper, and 10 years later, in 1923, by his voluminous book, where he exhaustively described the subject. The publication provided extensive information on the pathology of Paralysis agitans, and the entirely novel finding of eosinophilic inclusion bodies, which would become widely recognized and debated in the future. His discovery was acknowledged by important researchers who even named the structure after him. However, after his last publication on the issue, inexplicably, he never mentioned his histopathological discovery again. Despite several hypotheses, the reasons that led him to neglect (reject the structure which he so preeminently described have remained elusive.

  3. File list: NoD.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available NoD.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 No description Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/NoD.Lng.05.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  4. File list: NoD.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available NoD.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung mm9 No description Lung Carcinoma, Lewis Lun...g http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/NoD.Lng.10.AllAg.Carcinoma,_Lewis_Lung.bed ...

  5. Chicken type II collagen induced immune balance of main subtype of helper T cells in mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes in rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Tong; Zhao, Wei; Wu, Ying-Qi; Chang, Yan; Wang, Qing-Tong; Zhang, Ling-Ling; Wei, Wei

    2010-05-01

    To investigate the effect of the oral administration of chicken type II collagen (CCII) on T cells from mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). CIA was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats immunized with CCII in Freund's complete adjuvant. CCII (10, 20, and 40 microg kg(-1) day(-1), i.g. x 7 days) was administered orally to rats from day 14 to 21 after immunization. Arthritis was evaluated by hind paw swelling and polyarthritis index, and MLNs and synovium were harvested for histological examination. Activity of interleukin-2 (IL-2) in MLN lymphocyte supernatant was measured by ConA-induced splenocyte proliferation in C57BL/6J mice, and IL-4, IL-17, and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) levels in MLN lymphocytes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells and Th17 cells was determined by double-color labeling for flow cytometry analysis. The administration of CCII (10, 20, 40 microg/kg, i.g. x 7 days) suppressed secondary inflammatory reactions and histological changes in CIA model. The activity of IL-2 and IL-17 produced by MLN lymphocytes from CIA rats was significantly inhibited by the administration of CCII (10, 20, and 40 microg kg(-1) day(-1)). The levels of IL-4 and TGF-beta were increased in CCII (10, 20, and 40 microg kg(-1) day(-1)) groups. The flow cytometry analysis showed that CCII (10, 20, and 40 microg kg(-1) day(-1)) significantly increased the proportion of Treg and decreased the proportion of Th17. These results indicate that oral administration of CCII had therapeutic effects on CIA rats, which was related to decreased production of pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-2, IL-17) and increased production of anti-inflammatory mediators (IL-4, TGF-beta). This suggests that CCII plays an important role in regulating the immune balance of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg in rats with CIA.

  6. Lewis acid catalysis of a Diels-Alder reaction in water

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Otto, S; Bertoncin, F; Engberts, JBFN

    1996-01-01

    Here we report the first detailed study of a Diels-Alder (DA) reaction that is catalyzed by Lewis acids in water. The effect of Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions as Lewis acid catalysts on the rate and endo-exo selectivity of the DA reaction between the bidentate dienophiles

  7. Lewis Information Network (LINK): Background and overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulte, Roger R.

    1987-01-01

    The NASA Lewis Research Center supports many research facilities with many isolated buildings, including wind tunnels, test cells, and research laboratories. These facilities are all located on a 350 acre campus adjacent to the Cleveland Hopkins Airport. The function of NASA-Lewis is to do basic and applied research in all areas of aeronautics, fluid mechanics, materials and structures, space propulsion, and energy systems. These functions require a great variety of remote high speed, high volume data communications for computing and interactive graphic capabilities. In addition, new requirements for local distribution of intercenter video teleconferencing and data communications via satellite have developed. To address these and future communications requirements for the next 15 yrs, a project team was organized to design and implement a new high speed communication system that would handle both data and video information in a common lab-wide Local Area Network. The project team selected cable television broadband coaxial cable technology as the communications medium and first installation of in-ground cable began in the summer of 1980. The Lewis Information Network (LINK) became operational in August 1982 and has become the backbone of all data communications and video.

  8. Integrated analysis of genetic, behavioral, and biochemical data implicates neural stem cell-induced changes in immunity, neurotransmission and mitochondrial function in Dementia with Lewy Body mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakatos, Anita; Goldberg, Natalie R S; Blurton-Jones, Mathew

    2017-03-10

    We previously demonstrated that transplantation of murine neural stem cells (NSCs) can improve motor and cognitive function in a transgenic model of Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). These benefits occurred without changes in human α-synuclein pathology and were mediated in part by stem cell-induced elevation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, instrastriatal NSC transplantation likely alters the brain microenvironment via multiple mechanisms that may synergize to promote cognitive and motor recovery. The underlying neurobiology that mediates such restoration no doubt involves numerous genes acting in concert to modulate signaling within and between host brain cells and transplanted NSCs. In order to identify functionally connected gene networks and additional mechanisms that may contribute to stem cell-induced benefits, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on striatal tissue isolated from NSC- and vehicle-injected wild-type and DLB mice. Combining continuous behavioral and biochemical data with genome wide expression via network analysis proved to be a powerful approach; revealing significant alterations in immune response, neurotransmission, and mitochondria function. Taken together, these data shed further light on the gene network and biological processes that underlie the therapeutic effects of NSC transplantation on α-synuclein induced cognitive and motor impairments, thereby highlighting additional therapeutic targets for synucleinopathies.

  9. Effect of glucocorticoids on melatonin receptor expression under T-cell activated immune response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tauschanova, P.; Georgiev, G.; Manchev, S.; Konakchieva, R.

    2007-01-01

    The present study was aimed to explore the stress response in rats under conditions of T-cell antigen-activated immune function and to investigate the specific melatonin (MEL) receptor binding in primary and secondary immune tissue of rats employing 2-( 125 I)-iodo melatonin autoradiography and in vitro ligand binding assay. The study revealed that melatonin receptor binding was specifically expressed in discrete areas of the lymphoid sheath of the spleen and in a network of interdigitating cells of the experimental rats. Demonstration of the modulation of MEL receptor binding in the course of a primary immune response under hypercorticalemic conditions indicate that the pineal hormone might interfere in the processes of glucocorticoid-dependent immune competency. (authors)

  10. SSTI- Lewis Spacecraft Nickel-Hydrogen Battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tobias, R. F.

    1997-01-01

    Topics considered include: NASA-Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative (SSTI) objectives, SSTI-Lewis overview, battery requirement, two cells Common Pressure Vessel (CPV) design summary, CPV electric performance, battery design summary, battery functional description, battery performance.

  11. Sudden Death: An Uncommon Occurrence in Dementia with Lewy Bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molenaar, Joery P; Wilbers, Joyce; Aerts, Marjolein B; Leijten, Quinten H; van Dijk, Jan G; Esselink, Rianne A; Bloem, Bastiaan R

    2016-01-01

    We present a 75-year-old woman with dementia and parkinsonism who developed severe orthostatic hypotension and eventually died. Autopsy revealed extensive Lewy body formation in the midbrain, limbic system, intermediate spinal cord, and medulla oblongata. Furthermore, a vast amount of Lewy bodies was seen in the paravertebral sympathetic ganglia which likely explained the severe autonomic failure. We speculate that this autonomic failure caused sudden death through dysregulation of respiration or heart rhythm, reminiscent of sudden death in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Clinicians should be aware of this complication in patients presenting with parkinsonism and autonomic dysfunction, and that sudden death may occur in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) as it does in MSA.

  12. Rendezvous, un juego de Lewis Carroll

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Manuel Sánchez Muñoz

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Todos en mayor o menor medida asociamos el nombre de Lewis Carrolla la literatura, sobre todo a la de temática infantil, con títulos a sus espaldas como Alicia en el País de las Maravillas, Alicia a través del espejo, o La Caza del Snark. Pero además de literato, Lewis Carrol fue un hombre con bastantes inquietudes en torno a la matemática, la lógica y el pensamiento filosófico. Pero no todo el mundo es conocedor de su faceta como creativo en el campo de los juegos. Rendezvous es una de sus más sorprendentes invenciones,un juego de inteligencia para todos los públicos, cuyas directrices hacen de él un entretenimiento bastante original.

  13. Ermakov–Lewis invariants and Reid systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mancas, Stefan C., E-mail: stefan.mancas@erau.edu [Department of Mathematics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL 32114-3900 (United States); Rosu, Haret C., E-mail: hcr@ipicyt.edu.mx [IPICyT, Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica, Camino a la presa San José 2055, Col. Lomas 4a Sección, 78216 San Luis Potosí, S.L.P. (Mexico)

    2014-06-13

    Reid's mth-order generalized Ermakov systems of nonlinear coupling constant α are equivalent to an integrable Emden–Fowler equation. The standard Ermakov–Lewis invariant is discussed from this perspective, and a closed formula for the invariant is obtained for the higher-order Reid systems (m≥3). We also discuss the parametric solutions of these systems of equations through the integration of the Emden–Fowler equation and present an example of a dynamical system for which the invariant is equivalent to the total energy. - Highlights: • Reid systems of order m are connected to Emden–Fowler equations. • General expressions for the Ermakov–Lewis invariants both for m=2 and m≥3 are obtained. • Parametric solutions of the Emden–Fowler equations related to Reid systems are obtained.

  14. Coronary blood flow and thallium 201 uptake in rejecting rat heart transplantations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergsland, J.; Hwang, K.; Driscoll, R.; Carr, E.A.; Wright, J.R.; Curran-Everett, D.C.; Carroll, M.; Krasney, E.; Krasney, J.A.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of rejection on coronary flow (CAF) in heart allografts are unclear, although previous evidence with cardiac imaging agents indicates impaired flow during advanced rejection. The purpose of this study was to measure CAF in heterotopically placed heart grafts. Lewis rats (LEW) received grafts from either syngeneic Lewis rats (LEW/LEW group) or allogeneic ACI rats (ACI/LEW group). CAF was measured in both the transplanted and native hearts with radiolabeled microspheres. Rejection was measured histologically (grades 0 [absent] to 4+ [severe]). In addition systemic blood pressure and cardiac outputs of the native hearts were determined with microspheres. Different animals were studied during relatively early (4 days) and late (6 days) rejection. Among the 4-day animals a cyclosporine-treated group was included (ACI/LEW CyA). In 6-day rats CAF in allografts was lower (0.56 +/- .06 ml/gm/min) compared with syngeneic grafts (1.72 +/- 0.4 ml/gm/min) (p less than 0.05). The CAF in the native hearts did not differ significantly but was higher than in the grafts in both groups. Heart rates were reduced in allografts (p less than 0.05). It is interesting that arterial pressure and cardiac output were significantly lower in animals bearing allogeneic than syngeneic grafts. In rats studied at 4 days graft CAF was lower than in the native heart in both the LEW/LEW and ACI/LEW groups, but there was no significant difference in behavior between groups. The same was true for a cyclosporine-treated group. Graft heart rates were similar in all 4-day rats

  15. Incorporating spectroscopic on-line monitoring as a method of detection for a Lewis cell setup

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heller, Forrest D.; Casella, Amanda J.; Lumetta, Gregg J.; Nash, Kenneth L.; Sinkov, Sergey I.; Bryan, Samuel A.

    2017-01-01

    A Lewis cell was designed and constructed for investigating solvent extraction systems by spectrophotometrically monitoring both the organic and aqueous phases in real time. This new Lewis cell was tested and shown to perform well compared to other previously reported Lewis cell designs. The advantage of the new design is that the spectroscopic measurement allows determination of not only metal ion concentrations, but also information regarding chemical speciation—information not available with previous Lewis cell designs. For convenience, the new Lewis cell design was dubbed COSMOFLEX (COntinuous Spectroscopic MOnitoring of Forrest’s Liquid-liquid EXtraction cell).

  16. Direct conscious telemetry recordings demonstrate increased renal sympathetic nerve activity in rats with chronic kidney disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim M Salman

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Chronic kidney disease (CKD is associated with sympathetic hyperactivity and impaired blood pressure control reflex responses, yet direct evidence demonstrating these features of autonomic dysfunction in conscious animals is still lacking. Here we measured renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA and mean arterial pressure (MAP using telemetry-based recordings in a rat model of CKD, the Lewis Polycystic Kidney (LPK rat, and assessed responses to chemoreflex activation and acute stress. Male LPK and Lewis control animals (total n=16 were instrumented for telemetric recording of RSNA and MAP. At 12–13 weeks-of-age, resting RSNA and MAP, sympathetic and haemodynamic responses to both peripheral (hypoxia: 10% O2 and central chemoreflex (hypercapnia: 7% CO2 activation and acute stress (open-field exposure, were measured. As indicators of renal function, urinary protein (UPro and creatinine (Ucr levels were assessed. LPK rats had higher resting RSNA (1.2±0.1 vs. 0.6±0.1 µV, p<0.05 and MAP (151±8 vs. 97±2 mmHg, p<0.05 compared to Lewis. MAP was negatively correlated with Ucr (r=-0.80, p=0.002 and positively correlated with RSNA (r=0.66, p=0.014, with multiple linear regression modeling indicating the strongest correlation was with Ucr. RSNA and MAP responses to activation of the central chemoreflex and open-field stress were reduced in the LPK relative to the Lewis (all p<0.05. This is the first description of dual conscious telemetry recording of RSNA and MAP in a genetic rodent model of CKD. Elevated RSNA is likely a key contributor to the marked hypertension in this model, while attenuated RSNA and MAP responses to central chemoreflex activation and acute stress in the LPK indicate possible deficits in the neural processing of autonomic outflows evoked by these sympathoexcitatory pathways.

  17. Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis may occur in the context of a polarized Th1- or Th2-type immune response in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saoudi, A; Bernard, I; Hoedemaekers, A

    1999-01-01

    Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) is a T cell-dependent, Ab-mediated autoimmune disease induced in rats by a single immunization with acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Although polarized Th1 responses have been shown to be crucial for the development of mouse EAMG, the role of Th cell...

  18. Edward B Lewis (1918–2004)

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Ed Lewis spent his life working on the genetics of Dro- sophila with ... bithorax mutations, in which organs that control balance ... His pioneering work on homeotic genes induced ... a close and cooperative family within the larger scientific.

  19. Catalytic Conversion of Glucose into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural by Hf(OTf4 Lewis Acid in Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junjie Li

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available A series of Lewis acidic metal salts were used for glucose dehydration to 5-hydroymethylfurfural (HMF in water. Effect of valence state, ionic radii of Lewis acidic cation, and the type of anions on the catalytic performance have been studied systematically. The experimental results showed that the valence state played an important role in determining catalytic activity and selectivity. It was found that a higher glucose conversion rate and HMF selectivity could be obtained over high valent Lewis acid salts, where the ionic radii of these Lewis acidic metal salts are usually relatively small. Analysis on the effect of the anions of Lewis acid salts on the catalytic activity and the selectivity suggested that a higher glucose conversion and HMF selectivity could be readily obtained with Cl−. Furthermore, the recyclability of high valence state Lewis acid salt was also studied, however, inferior catalytic performance was observed. The deactivation mechanism was speculated to be the fact that high valence state Lewis acid salt was comparatively easier to undergo hydrolysis to yield complicated metal aqua ions with less catalytic activity. The Lewis acidic activity could be recovered by introducing a stoichiometric amount of hydrochloric acid (HCl to the catalytic before the reaction.

  20. Immunization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa vaccines and adjuvant can modulate the type of inflammatory response subsequent to infection

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, H K; Espersen, F; Cryz, S J

    1994-01-01

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the predominant pathogen in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). To study the possibility of preventing lung inflammation and decreasing the progression of the infection by vaccination, we have developed a rat model of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. Rats were......, 2.0 versus 2.1 to 2.8) pathologic abnormalities were less severe in the control rats injected with sterile saline than in the immunized rats and the IFA group. The more severe lung abnormalities observed in immunized rats could be due to the result of immune complex-mediated lung tissue damage...... an acute-type inflammation to a chronic-type inflammation dominated by mononuclear leukocytes and scattered granulomas. Cross-reacting antibodies were induced by the two alginate vaccines, and most immunized animals developed a significant (P

  1. Lewis-Acid/Base Effects on Gallium Volatility in Molten Chlorides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Williams, D.F.

    2001-01-01

    It has been proposed that GaCl 3 can be removed by direct volatilization from a Pu-Ga alloy that is dissolved in a molten chloride salt. Although pure GaCl 3 is quite volatile (boiling point, 201 C), the behavior of GaCl 3 dissolved in chloride salts is different due to solution effects and is critically dependent on the composition of the solvent salt (i.e., its Lewis-acid/base character). In this report, the behavior of gallium in prototypical Lewis-acid and Lewis-base salts is compared. It was found that gallium volatility is suppressed in basic melts and enhanced in acidic melts. The implications of these results on the potential for simple gallium removal in molten salt systems are significant

  2. Capgras' syndrome in dementia with Lewy bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marantz, Andrew G; Verghese, Joe

    2002-01-01

    We report the occurrence of Capgras' syndrome, or the delusion of doubles, in a patient with dementia with Lewy bodies. The patient believed that several similar-looking impostors had replaced his wife of over 50 years. Uncharacteristically, he adopted a friendly attitude with these impostors. This unusual convivial reaction to the impostors may result from differential involvement of the dual visual pathways processing facial recognition and emotional responses to faces. The delusion resolved spontaneously, coincident with worsening of the dementia. In a retrospective chart review of 18 autopsy-confirmed cases of dementia with Lewy bodies, delusions were reported in 5 subjects (27.8%), of whom 1 had misidentification delusions much like Capgras' syndrome.

  3. Fugle og andre observationer på Lewis og Harris

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Provencal, Philippe

    2017-01-01

    En beskrivelse af observationer af især fugle men også nogle få pattedyr på øen Lewis and Harris i de Ydre Hebrider. Observationerne fandt sted fra den 19. til den 23- april 2017.......En beskrivelse af observationer af især fugle men også nogle få pattedyr på øen Lewis and Harris i de Ydre Hebrider. Observationerne fandt sted fra den 19. til den 23- april 2017....

  4. Lewis and Clark as Naturalists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. National Museum of Natural History.

    Intended for use in elementary and high school education, this Web site includes a teacher's guide and three lesson plans. The site contains images of museum specimens, scientific drawings, and field photos of the plant and animal species observed by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with journal excerpts, historical notes, and references…

  5. Gene Expression in Accumbens GABA Neurons from Inbred Rats with Different Drug-Taking Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharp, B.M.; Chen, H.; Gong, S.; Wu, X.; Liu, Z.; Hiler, K.; Taylor, W.L.; Matta, S.G.

    2011-01-01

    Inbred Lewis and Fisher 344 rat strains differ greatly in drug self-administration; Lewis rats operantly self-administer drugs of abuse including nicotine, whereas Fisher self-administer poorly. As shown herein, operant food self-administration is similar. Based on their pivotal role in drug reward, we hypothesized that differences in basal gene expression in GABAergic neurons projecting from nucleus accumbens (NAcc) to ventral pallidum (VP) play a role in vulnerability to drug taking behavior. The transcriptomes of NAcc shell-VP GABAergic neurons from these two strains were analyzed in adolescents, using a multidisciplinary approach that combined stereotaxic ionotophoretic brain microinjections, laser-capture microdissection (LCM) and microarray measurement of transcripts. LCM enriched the gene transcripts detected in GABA neurons compared to the residual NAcc tissue: a ratio of neuron/residual > 1 and false discovery rate (FDR) 3 yielded 3,514. Strain-dependent differences in gene expression within GABA neurons were identified; 322 vs. 60 transcripts showed 1.5-fold vs. 2-fold differences in expression (FDR<5%). Classification by gene ontology showed these 322 transcripts were widely distributed, without categorical enrichment. This is most consistent with a global change in GABA neuron function. Literature-mining by Chilibot found 38 genes related to synaptic plasticity, signaling and gene transcription, all of which determine drug-abuse; 33 genes have no known association with addiction or nicotine. In Lewis rats, upregulation of Mint-1, Cask, CamkIIδ, Ncam1, Vsnl1, Hpcal1 and Car8 indicates these transcripts likely contribute to altered signaling and synaptic function in NAcc GABA projection neurons to VP. PMID:21745336

  6. Resistance to BN myelogenous leukemia in rat radiation chimeras

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singer, D.E.; Haynor, D.R.; Williams, R.M

    1980-01-01

    Lewis → LBNFl rat radiation chimeras showed marked resistance to transplanted BN myelogenous leukemia when compared to naive LBNFl, LBNFl → LBNFl, or BN → LBNFl. This occurred in the absence of overt graft versus host disease or of anti-BN response in mixed lymphocyte culture. Bone marrow specific antigens may serve as the target of the resistance mechanism. (author)

  7. The central effect of biological Amines on immunosuppressive effect of restraint stress in rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeraati F

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available The effects of some histaminergic agents were evaluated on stress- induced immunosuppression in immunized nale rats. In rat immunized with sheep red blood cells ( SRBCs. Restraint stress (RS prevented the booster-induced rise in anti-SRBC antibody titre and cell immunity response. Intracerebroventicular (I.C>V injection of histamine (150 µg/rat induced a similar effect with RS. Pretreatment with chlorpheniramine (50 µg/rat reduced the inhibitory effect of Ras on immune function. Also histamine could inhibit the effect of RS on immune function. Also histamine could inhibitory the effect of chlorpheniramine when injected simultaneously. Pretreatment with ranidine (10 µg/rat had not a significant effect. Serotonin (3 µg/rat and dopamine (0.2 µg/rat could reverse the effects of chlorpheniromine when injected with chlorpheniramine (P<0.05. Epinephrine (0.2 µg/rat had not a significant effect. The results indicate that histamine mediates the immunosuppression of restraint stress by influencing the histamine H1 receptor in the brain and this effects of histamine may be modulated by serotoninergic and dopaminergic system.

  8. Erosive arthritis and hepatic granuloma formation induced by peptidoglycan polysaccharide in rats is aggravated by prasugrel treatment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Analia E Garcia

    Full Text Available Administration of the thienopyridine P2Y12 receptor antagonist, clopidogrel, increased the erosive arthritis induced by peptidoglycan polysaccharide (PG-PS in rats or by injection of the arthritogenic K/BxN serum in mice. To determine if the detrimental effects are caused exclusively by clopidogrel, we evaluated prasugrel, a third-generation thienopyridine pro-drug, that contrary to clopidogrel is mostly metabolized into its active metabolite in the intestine. Prasugrel effects were examined on the PG-PS-induced arthritis rat model. Erosive arthritis was induced in Lewis rats followed by treatment with prasugrel for 21 days. Prasugrel treated arthritic animals showed a significant increase in the inflammatory response, compared with untreated arthritic rats, in terms of augmented macroscopic joint diameter associated with significant signs of inflammation, histomorphometric measurements of the hind joints and elevated platelet number. Moreover, fibrosis at the pannus, assessed by immunofluorescence of connective tissue growth factor, was increased in arthritic rats treated with prasugrel. In addition to the arthritic manifestations, hepatomegaly, liver granulomas and giant cell formation were observed after PG-PS induction and even more after prasugrel exposure. Cytokine plasma levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, MIP1 alpha, MCP1, IL-17 and RANTES were increased in arthritis-induced animals. IL-10 plasma levels were significantly decreased in animals treated with prasugrel. Overall, prasugrel enhances inflammation in joints and liver of this animal model. Since prasugrel metabolites inhibit neutrophil function ex-vivo and the effects of both clopidogrel and prasugrel metabolites on platelets are identical, we conclude that the thienopyridines metabolites might exert non-platelet effects on other immune cells to aggravate inflammation.

  9. Erosive arthritis and hepatic granuloma formation induced by peptidoglycan polysaccharide in rats is aggravated by prasugrel treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Analia E; Rico, Mario C; Liverani, Elisabetta; DeLa Cadena, Raul A; Bray, Paul F; Kunapuli, Satya P

    2013-01-01

    Administration of the thienopyridine P2Y12 receptor antagonist, clopidogrel, increased the erosive arthritis induced by peptidoglycan polysaccharide (PG-PS) in rats or by injection of the arthritogenic K/BxN serum in mice. To determine if the detrimental effects are caused exclusively by clopidogrel, we evaluated prasugrel, a third-generation thienopyridine pro-drug, that contrary to clopidogrel is mostly metabolized into its active metabolite in the intestine. Prasugrel effects were examined on the PG-PS-induced arthritis rat model. Erosive arthritis was induced in Lewis rats followed by treatment with prasugrel for 21 days. Prasugrel treated arthritic animals showed a significant increase in the inflammatory response, compared with untreated arthritic rats, in terms of augmented macroscopic joint diameter associated with significant signs of inflammation, histomorphometric measurements of the hind joints and elevated platelet number. Moreover, fibrosis at the pannus, assessed by immunofluorescence of connective tissue growth factor, was increased in arthritic rats treated with prasugrel. In addition to the arthritic manifestations, hepatomegaly, liver granulomas and giant cell formation were observed after PG-PS induction and even more after prasugrel exposure. Cytokine plasma levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, MIP1 alpha, MCP1, IL-17 and RANTES were increased in arthritis-induced animals. IL-10 plasma levels were significantly decreased in animals treated with prasugrel. Overall, prasugrel enhances inflammation in joints and liver of this animal model. Since prasugrel metabolites inhibit neutrophil function ex-vivo and the effects of both clopidogrel and prasugrel metabolites on platelets are identical, we conclude that the thienopyridines metabolites might exert non-platelet effects on other immune cells to aggravate inflammation.

  10. Immune function and hematology of male cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in response to food supplementation and methionine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Webb, R.E.; Leslie, David M.; Lochmiller, R.L.; Masters, R.E.

    2003-01-01

    We examined effects of supplementation of food quantity and quality (=enhanced methionine) on hematologic and immunologic parameters of wild, but enclosed, adult male cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) in north-central Oklahoma. Sheet metal enclosures were stocked with a high density of wild-caught cotton rats (160 animals/ha) and randomly assigned a treatment of no supplementation, mixed-ration supplementation or methionine-enhanced supplementation. Aside from small increases in counts of red blood cells and hematocrit levels, most indices of erythrocytic characteristics were not affected by supplementation with the mixed-ration or enhanced methionine. In contrast, platelet counts were highest in mixed-ration and methionine treatments and counts of total white blood cells were highest with methionine supplementation, albeit relative proportions of different leukocytes did not differ among treatments. Immunologically, neither delayed-type hypersensitivity response nor hemolytic-complement activity differed among treatments. Supplementation of food quantity and quality did not broadly affect hematologic parameters and immune function of male cotton rats, but enhanced platelet and leukocyte counts may confer advantages to overall health. Clarification of the role of such effects on population limitation or regulation requires additional research.

  11. Fullerene–Carbene Lewis Acid–Base Adducts

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Huaping; Risko, Chad; Seo, Jung Hwa; Campbell, Casey; Wu, Guang; Brédas, Jean-Luc; Bazan, Guillermo C.

    2011-01-01

    The reaction between a bulky N-heterocylic carbene (NHC) and C60 leads to the formation of a thermally stable zwitterionic Lewis acid-base adduct that is connected via a C-C single bond. Low-energy absorption bands with weak oscillator strengths

  12. C. S. Lewis: The Romantic Rationalist

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasiliu Daniela

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper “C. S. Lewis: The Romantic Rationalist” presents the way C. S. Lewis gives an account in his first fictional (allegorical book, The Pilgrim’s Regress, of how he discovered Christianity on the converging paths of romanticism and rationalism. The outstanding scholar and author whose intellectual and spiritual development has turned him into one of the most influential Christian writers of the twentieth century became an atheist in his teens and after a long journey through different philosophical convictions he converted to Christianity in his early thirties, a change that affected his entire work. His love of literature was essential in discovering both the rational and the imaginative appeal of Christianity, which led him into a vision of the reality of the world and of life that satisfied the longing of his heart and the hunger of his imagination.

  13. Lewis Research Center space station electric power system test facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Birchenough, Arthur G.; Martin, Donald F.

    1988-01-01

    NASA Lewis Research Center facilities were developed to support testing of the Space Station Electric Power System. The capabilities and plans for these facilities are described. The three facilities which are required in the Phase C/D testing, the Power Systems Facility, the Space Power Facility, and the EPS Simulation Lab, are described in detail. The responsibilities of NASA Lewis and outside groups in conducting tests are also discussed.

  14. Liquid-Phase Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation of Furfural over Homogeneous Lewis Acid-Ru/C Catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panagiotopoulou, Paraskevi; Martin, Nickolas; Vlachos, Dionisios G

    2015-06-22

    The catalytic performance of homogeneous Lewis acid catalysts and their interaction with Ru/C catalyst are studied in the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural by using 2-propanol as a solvent and hydrogen donor. We find that Lewis acid catalysts hydrogenate the furfural to furfuryl alcohol, which is then etherified with 2-propanol. The catalytic activity is correlated with an empirical scale of Lewis acid strength and exhibits a volcano behavior. Lanthanides are the most active, with DyCl3 giving complete furfural conversion and a 97 % yield of furfuryl alcohol at 180 °C after 3 h. The combination of Lewis acid and Ru/C catalysts results in synergy for the stronger Lewis acid catalysts, with a significant increase in the furfural conversion and methyl furan yield. Optimum results are obtained by using Ru/C combined with VCl3 , AlCl3 , SnCl4 , YbCl3 , and RuCl3 . Our results indicate that the combination of Lewis acid/metal catalysts is a general strategy for performing tandem reactions in the upgrade of furans. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Freqüências relativas dos fenótipos eritrocitários ABO e Lewis na doença de Jorge Lobo Frequencies of ABO and Lewis blood groups in Jorge Lobo's disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane A. Silva

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available A doença de Jorge Lobo é uma micose de evolução crônica, causada pelo Lacazia loboi. Os mecanismos envolvidos na suscetibilidade/resistência do hospedeiro frente ao agente não estão ainda elucidados, dentre eles encontra-se a constituição genética. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a distribuição dos grupos sangüíneos ABO e Lewis de pacientes com doença de Jorge Lobo em relação à população geral. Foram analisados 13 pacientes provenientes do estado do Acre, 60 indivíduos da região de Bauru (SP não acometidos pela doença em estudo (grupo controle Lewis e 2.673 doadores do Banco de Sangue da cidade de Rio Branco (AC como grupo controle ABO. As presenças dos antígenos eritrocitários foram determinadas pela reação de aglutinação em tubo através dos soros anti-AB, anti-A e anti-B para o fenótipo ABO e dos soros anti-Lewis a e Lewis b para fenotipagem Lewis. As freqüências fenotípicas Lewis e ABO nos pacientes e nos controles são, respectivamente: Le (a- b+ = 54,0% X 72,0%, Le (a+ b- = 15,0% X 6,0%, Le (a- b- = 31,0% X 22,0% ; A =15,4% X 33,6%, B = 30,8% X 10,8%, O = 53,8% X 52,9%, AB = 0 X 2,7%. Embora não tenhamos encontrado resultados estatisticamente significantes, nossos achados sugerem existir suscetibilidade à doença de Jorge Lobo em indivíduos com fenótipo B e com menor freqüência fenotípica Lewis b, conferindo assim um grau de importância epidemiológica como grupo de risco naquele meio ambiente.Jorge Lobo's disease is a mycosis with chronic evolution caused by the fungus Lacazia loboi. The mechanisms involved in host resistance and susceptibility to the agent, including aspects relating to the genetic background, are still not clear. The objective of the present study, therefore, is to evaluate the ABO and Lewis blood group distributions in Jorge Lobo's disease patients compared to the general population. Thirteen patients from Acre state, 60 healthy individuals (Lewis control group

  16. Effects of Nicotine and Stress on Anxiety-related and Depression-related Behavior in Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-30

    mesolimbic dopamine (3). Picciotto et al (46) highlight the ambiguity of nicotine’s relationship with stress suggesting that the drug can either...Toxicology 57:380-6 43. Lewis EM, Barnett JF, Freshwater L, Hoberman AM, Christian MS. 2002. Sexual maturation data for Crl Sprague-Dawley rats

  17. Genomic expression analysis of rat chromosome 4 for skeletal traits at femoral neck

    OpenAIRE

    Alam, Imranul; Sun, Qiwei; Liu, Lixiang; Koller, Daniel L.; Liu, Yunlong; Edenberg, Howard J.; Econs, Michael J.; Foroud, Tatiana; Turner, Charles H.

    2008-01-01

    Hip fracture is the most devastating osteoporotic fracture type with significant morbidity and mortality. Several studies in humans and animal models identified chromosomal regions linked to hip size and bone mass. Previously, we identified that the region of 4q21-q41 on rat chromosome (Chr) 4 harbors multiple femoral neck quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in inbred Fischer 344 (F344) and Lewis (LEW) rats. The purpose of this study is to identify the candidate genes for femoral neck structure an...

  18. Effects of multiple low dose radiation on the apoptosis of splenocytes and immune factor in male diabetic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yanbo; Guo Caixia; Dong Lihua; Wang Jianfeng; Liu Shuchun; Lu Zhe; Gong Shouliang

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To explore the effect of multiple low dose radiation (LDR) on the apoptosis of splenocytes and immune factors in diabetes mellitus (DM) rats. Methods: The rats were randomly divided into control, DM and DM + LDR groups. The irradiation doses were 25, 50 and 75 mGy, and the irradiated times were 15. At the fourth weekend after the DM rats irradiated, the apoptotic rate and TCRαβ percentage of splenocytes were detected by flow cytometry, and the content of IL-2 in both serum and supernatant of cultured splenocytes were detected by ELISA. Results: Compared with that in the control, the body weight (BW) decreased in the DM and DM + LDR groups,particularly in DM group. The blood glucose (BG) level in the DM + LDR groups was higher than that in the control, but decreased significantly as compared with that in the DM group (P < 0.01). As compared with those in the control, the apoptotic rate in DM + 50 mGy (P < 0.05) and the content of serum IL-2 in DM + 75 mGy group (P < 0.01) all increased significantly, while the content of IL-2 in supernatant of cultured splenocytes decreased significantly in the DM + LDR groups. Compared with those in the DM group, the apoptotic rate and the percentage of TCRαβ in splenocytes in the DM + LDR groups (P < 0.01-P < 0.001) and the content of IL-2 in serum in DM + 50 mGy group (P < 0.01) decreased significantly. Conclusions: The multiple LDR could weaken the loss of BW and increase of BG caused by DM, decrease the splenocyte apoptosis induced by DM, and regulate the immune factors. (authors)

  19. Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heyward, Ann; Gott, Susan (Technical Monitor)

    2004-01-01

    The Lewis Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program (LERCIP) is a collaborative undertaking by the Office of Educational Programs at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (formerly NASA Lewis Research Center) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. This program provides 10-week internships in addition to summer and winter extensions if funding is available and/or is requested by mentor (no less than 1 week no more than 4 weeks) for undergraduate/graduate students and secondary school teachers. Students who meet the travel reimbursement criteria receive up to $500 for travel expenses. Approximately 178 interns are selected to participate in this program each year and begin arriving the fourth week in May. The internships provide students with introductory professional experiences to complement their academic programs. The interns are given assignments on research and development projects under the personal guidance of NASA professional staff members. Each intern is assigned a NASA mentor who facilitates a research assignment. In addition to the research assignment, the summer program includes a strong educational component that enhances the professional stature of the participants. The educational activities include a research symposium and a variety of workshops, and lectures. An important aspect of the program is that it includes students with diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds. The purpose of this report is to document the program accomplishments for 2004.

  20. Modulation of the immune response by emotional stress

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Croiset, G; Heijnen, C J; Veldhuis, H D; de Wied, D; Ballieux, R E

    1987-01-01

    The influence of mild, emotional stress was investigated for its effect on the immune system by subjecting rats to the one-trial-learning passive avoidance test. The reactivity of the immune system was tested by determining the proliferative response after mitogenic stimulation in vitro as well as

  1. Barack Obama, John Lewis, and the Legacy of the Civil Rights Struggle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glenn T. Eskew

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The watershed election in 2008 of Barack Obama as the first President of the United States to have African ancestry resulted from the life work of such civil rights activists as U.S. Congressman John Lewis. Born on a sharecropper’s farm in 1940, the African American Lewis grew up in segregated Alabama. As a college student in Nashville, he joined the sit-in protests and volunteered for the original Freedom Ride in 1961. He was elected chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, becoming the youngest speaker at the March on Washington in 1963. The radical shift to Black ultimately forced Lewis out of SNCC. Consequently Lewis capitalized on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, turned his attentions to voter registration campaigns, and continued working within the system. In 1986 he won election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Atlanta’s Fifth Congressional District, a seat he continues to hold today.

  2. The Critical Reception of Lewis Nordan

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerre, Thomas Ærvold

    2010-01-01

    The essay covers the critical reception of Mississippi-writer Lewis Nordan from his debut in 1983 to the boost in scholarly attention in the new millennium. The essay covers newspaper reviews but pays particular attention to the many academic essays that have placed Nordan as a writer...

  3. Hormesis of Low Doses of Ionizing Radiation Exposure on Immune System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ragab, M.H.; Abbas, M.O.; El-Asady, R.S.; Amer, H.A.; El-Khouly, W.A.; Shabon, M.H.

    2015-01-01

    The effect of low doses of ionizing radiation on the immune system has been a controversial subject. To evaluate the effect of low-doses γ-irradiation exposure on immune system. An animal model, using Rattus Rattus rats was used. The rats were divided into groups exposed to either continuous or fractionated 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 mSv of radiation and compared to control rats that did not receive radiation. All groups were exposed to a total white blood count (Wcs), lymphocyte count and serum IgG level measurement, as indicators of the function of the cell-mediated (T lymphocytes) and the humoral (B lymphocytes) immune system. The results of the current study revealed that the counts of total leukocytes (WBCs) and lymphocytes, as well as the serum level of IgG were increased significantly in rats receiving low dose radiation, indicating enhancement of immune system. The data suggests that low-dose gamma-radiation improved hematological parameters and significantly enhances immune response indices of the exposed rats. These findings are similar to the radiation adaptive responses in which a small dose of pre irradiation would induce certain radiation resistance and enhances the cell response after exposure to further irradiation doses The applied low doses used in the present study may appear effective inducing the radio adaptive response. Farooqi and Kesavan (1993) and Bravard et al. (1999) reported that the adaptive response to ionizing radiation refers to the phenomenon by which cells irradiated with low (cGy) or sublethal doses (conditioning doses) become less susceptible to genotoxic effects of a subsequent high dose (challenge dose, several Gy).

  4. Development of immune organs and functioning in humans and test animals: Implications for immune intervention studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuper, C Frieke; van Bilsen, Jolanda; Cnossen, Hilde; Houben, Geert; Garthoff, Jossie; Wolterbeek, Andre

    2016-09-01

    A healthy immune status is mostly determined during early life stages and many immune-related diseases may find their origin in utero and the first years of life. Therefore, immune health optimization may be most effective during early life. This review is an inventory of immune organ maturation events in relation to developmental timeframes in minipig, rat, mouse and human. It is concluded that time windows of immune organ development in rodents can be translated to human, but minipig reflects the human timeframes better; however the lack of prenatal maternal-fetal immune interaction in minipig may cause less responsiveness to prenatal intervention. It is too early to conclude which immune parameters are most appropriate, because there are not enough comparative immune parameters. Filling these gaps will increase the predictability of results observed in experimental animals, and guide future intervention studies by assessing relevant parameters in the right corresponding developmental time frames. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Lewis acid-catalyzed depolymerization of soda lignin in supercritical ethanol/water mixtures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Güvenatam, Burcu; Heeres, Erik H.J.; Pidko, Evgeny A.; Hensen, Emiel J M

    2016-01-01

    The depolymerization of lignin model compounds and soda lignin by super Lewis acidic metal triflates has been investigated in a mixture of ethanol and water at 400 °C. The strong Lewis acids convert representative model compounds for the structure-forming linkages in lignin, namely α-O-4, 5-O-4

  6. Airway fungal colonization compromises the immune system allowing bacterial pneumonia to prevail.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roux, Damien; Gaudry, Stéphane; Khoy-Ear, Linda; Aloulou, Meryem; Phillips-Houlbracq, Mathilde; Bex, Julie; Skurnik, David; Denamur, Erick; Monteiro, Renato C; Dreyfuss, Didier; Ricard, Jean-Damien

    2013-09-01

    To study the correlation between fungal colonization and bacterial pneumonia and to test the effect of antifungal treatments on the development of bacterial pneumonia in colonized rats. Experimental animal investigation. University research laboratory. Pathogen-free male Wistar rats weighing 250-275 g. Rats were colonized by intratracheal instillation of Candida albicans. Fungal clearance from the lungs and immune response were measured. Both colonized and noncolonized animals were secondarily instilled with different bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, or Staphylococcus aureus). Bacterial phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages was evaluated in the presence of interferon-gamma, the main cytokine produced during fungal colonization. The effect of antifungal treatments on fungal colonization and its immune response were assessed. The prevalence of P. aeruginosa pneumonia was compared in antifungal treated and control colonized rats. C. albicans was slowly cleared and induced a Th1-Th17 immune response with very high interferon-gamma concentrations. Airway fungal colonization favored the development of bacterial pneumonia. Interferon-gamma was able to inhibit the phagocytosis of unopsonized bacteria by alveolar macrophages. Antifungal treatment decreased airway fungal colonization, lung interferon-gamma levels and, consequently, the prevalence of subsequent bacterial pneumonia. C. albicans airway colonization elicited a Th1-Th17 immune response that favored the development of bacterial pneumonia via the inhibition of bacterial phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages. Antifungal treatment decreased the risk of bacterial pneumonia in colonized rats.

  7. A dual Lewis base activation strategy for enantioselective carbene-catalyzed annulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izquierdo, Javier; Orue, Ane; Scheidt, Karl A

    2013-07-24

    A dual activation strategy integrating N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysis and a second Lewis base has been developed. NHC-bound homoenolate equivalents derived from α,β-unsaturated aldehydes combine with transient reactive o-quinone methides in an enantioselective formal [4 + 3] fashion to access 2-benzoxopinones. The overall approach provides a general blueprint for the integration of carbene catalysis with additional Lewis base activation modes.

  8. Inhibition of Tumor Growth and Immunomodulatory Effects of Flavonoids and Scutebarbatines of Scutellaria barbata D. Don in Lewis-Bearing C57BL/6 Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Gong

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Immunomodulatory effect has been found to be an important therapeutic measure for immune responses against cancer. In this study, we evaluated the inhibition of Scutellaria barbata D. Don (SB, an anti-inflammatory and an antitumor Chinese herb, including flavonoids and scutebarbatines on tumor growth and its immunomodulatory effects in vivo. HPLC and LC/MS/MS methods were conducted for the analysis of flavonoids and scutebarbatines in SB. Lewis-bearing C57BL/6 mice model was established and tumor volume was evaluated by high frequency color ultrasound experiment. ELISA and western blot analysis were performed for the determination of immunomodulatory factors. SB treatment at the dose of 10, 6.67, and 3.33 g crude drug/kg/d significantly inhibited tumor growth of Lewis-bearing C57BL/6 mice with the inhibition rates of 44.41±5.44%, 33.56±4.85%, and 27.57±4.96%, respectively. More importantly, the spleen and thymus indexes were increased remarkably by SB treatment. SB could decrease IL-17, IL-10, FOXP3, TGF-β1, RORγt, and IL-6 levels whereas it could increase remarkably IL-2 and IFN-γ levels. Our results demonstrated that SB could inhibit tumor growth in vivo through regulating immune function in tumor-bearing mice and suggested that the immunomodulatory function of SB had a potential therapeutic effect in lung cancer.

  9. Caspase-1 inhibitor regulates humoral responses in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis via IL-6- dependent inhibiton of STAT3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cong-Cong; Zhang, Min; Li, Heng; Li, Xiao-Li; Yue, Long-Tao; Zhang, Peng; Liu, Ru-Tao; Chen, Hui; Li, Yan-Bin; Duan, Rui-Sheng

    2017-08-24

    We have previously demonstrated that Cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 (caspase-1) inhibitor ameliorates experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) by inhibited cellular immune response, via suppressing DC IL-1 β, CD4 + T and γdT cells IL-17 pathways. In this study, we investigated the effect of caspase-1 inhibitor on humoral immune response of EAMG and further explore the underlying mechanisms. An animal model of MG was induced by region 97-116 of the rat AChR α subunit (R97-116 peptide) in Lewis rats. Rats were treated with caspase-1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-cmk intraperitoneally (i.p.) every second day from day 13 after the first immunization. Flow cytometry, western blot, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were performed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of caspase-1 inhibitor on humoral immune response of EAMG. The results showed that caspase-1 inhibitor reduced the relative affinity of anti-R97-116 IgG, suppressed germinal center response, decreased follicular helper T cells, and increased follicular regulatory T cells and regulatory B cells. In addition, we found that caspase-1 inhibitor inhibited humoral immunity response in EAMG rats via suppressing IL-6-STAT3-Bcl-6 pathways. These results suggest that caspase-1 inhibitor ameliorates EAMG by regulating humoral immune response, thus providing new insights into the development of myasthenia gravis and other autoimmune diseases therapies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Frustrated Lewis pairs-assisted tritium labeling

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Marek, Aleš; Široká, Sabina; Elbert, Tomáš

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 14, č. 5 (2016), s. 219 ISSN 2336-7202. [Sjezd českých a slovenských chemických společností /68./. 04.09.2016-07.09.2016, Praha] Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : frustrated Lewis pairs * one-pot synthesis * tritium -labeling Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry

  11. Effects of aspartame on hsp70, bcl-2 and bax expression in immune organs of Wistar albino rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choudhary, Arbind Kumar; Devi, Rathinasamy Sheela

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Aspartame, a “first generation sweetener”, is widely used in a variety of foods, beverages, and medicine. The FDA has determined the acceptable daily intake (ADI) value of aspartame to be 50 mg/kg·day, while the JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) has set this value at 40 mg/kg of body weight/day. Safety issues have been raised about aspartame due to its metabolites, specifically toxicity from methanol and/or its systemic metabolites formaldehyde and formic acid. The immune system is now recognized as a target organ for many xenobiotics, such as drugs and chemicals, which are able to trigger unwanted apoptosis or to alter the regulation of apoptosis. Our previous studies has shown that oral administration of aspartame [40 mg/(kg·day)] or its metabolites for 90 days increased oxidative stress in immune organs of Wistar albino rats. In this present study, we aimed to clarify whether aspartame consumption over a longer period (90-days) has any effect on the expression of hsp70, bcl-2 and bax at both mRNA transcript and protein expression levels in immune organs. We observed that oral administration of aspartame for 90 days did not cause any apparent DNA fragmentation in immune organs of aspartame treated animals; however, there was a significant increase in hsp70 expression, apart from significant alteration in bcl-2 and bax at both mRNA transcript and protein expression level in the immune organs of aspartame treated animals compared to controls. Hence, the results indicated that hsp70 levels increased in response to oxidative injury induced by aspartame metabolites; however, these metabolites did not induce apoptosis in the immune organs. Furthermore, detailed analyses are needed to elucidate the precise molecular mechanisms involved in these changes. PMID:27845306

  12. β3-Adrenergic receptors, adipokines and neuroendocrine activation during stress induced by repeated immune challenge in male and female rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csanova, Agnesa; Hlavacova, Natasa; Hasiec, Malgorzata; Pokusa, Michal; Prokopova, Barbora; Jezova, Daniela

    2017-05-01

    The main hypothesis of the study is that stress associated with repeated immune challenge has an impact on β 3 -adrenergic receptor gene expression in the brain. Sprague-Dawley rats were intraperitoneally injected with increasing doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for five consecutive days. LPS treatment was associated with body weight loss and increased anxiety-like behavior. In LPS-treated animals of both sexes, β 3 -receptor gene expression was increased in the prefrontal cortex but not the hippocampus. LPS treatment decreased β 3 -receptor gene expression in white adipose tissue with higher values in males compared to females. In the adipose tissue, LPS reduced peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma, leptin and adiponectin gene expression, but increased interleukin-6 expression, irrespective of sex. Repeated immune challenge resulted in increased concentrations of plasma aldosterone and corticosterone with higher values of corticosterone in females compared to males. Concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in plasma were unaffected by LPS, while DHEA levels in the frontal cortex were lower in the LPS-treated animals compared to the controls. Thus, changes of DHEA levels in the brain take place irrespective of the changes of this neurosteroid in plasma. We have provided the first evidence on stress-induced increase in β 3 -adrenergic receptor gene expression in the brain. Greater reduction of β 3 -adrenergic receptor expression in the adipose tissue and of the body weight gain by repeated immune challenge in male than in female rats suggests sex differences in the role of β 3 -adrenergic receptors in the metabolic functions. LPS-induced changes in adipose tissue regulatory factors and hormone concentrations might be important for coping with chronic infections.

  13. One hundred years of Lewis Chemical Bond!

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-09-20

    Sep 20, 2016 ... was a conceptual quantum jump, coming more than a decade ahead of ... did use a 'cubic model of atoms' with eight electrons in their corners, he realized that ... started referring to these advances as Lewis-Langmuir theory.

  14. Selective lymphoid irradiation: III. Prolongation of cardiac xenografts and allografts in presensitized rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardy, M.A.; Oluwole, S.; Fawwaz, R.; Satake, K.; Nowygrod, R.; Reemtsma, K.

    1982-01-01

    Selective lymphoid irradiation (SLI) with palladium-109-hematoporphyrin (Pd-H) combined with antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) induces either donor-specific permanent rat heart allograft acceptance or significant allograft prolongation depending on the degree of donor-recipient matching. The purpose of this study was to determine if SLI combined with ALG can affect ACI heart allograft survival in Lewis recipients presensitized to ACI, and of hamster heart xenografts of Lewis rats. SLI combined with ALG delays allograft and xenograft rejection in the presence of induced or preformed antidonor antibodies, and converts primarily a humoral rejection into a cellular rejection by mechanisms as yet uncertain. Such peritransplant treatment had significant effect on the levels of antidonor complement-dependent cytotoxic antibody titers but did not correlate directly with graft survival. Histological analysis of rejected hearts in all groups demonstrated primarily a humoral hyperacute rejection in control animals and in recipients treated with ALG alone, while peritransplant treatment with Pd-H and ALG resulted not only in prolonged graft survival but histologically, primarily a cellular rejection of the graft

  15. Stochastic Modeling of Rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia Using Bartlett Lewis Rectangular Pulses Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim Suliman Hanaish

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Three versions of Bartlett Lewis rectangular pulse rainfall models, namely, the Original Bartlett Lewis (OBL, Modified Bartlett Lewis (MBL, and 2N-cell-type Bartlett Lewis model (BL2n, are considered. These models are fitted to the hourly rainfall data from 1970 to 2008 obtained from Petaling Jaya rain gauge station, located in Peninsular Malaysia. The generalized method of moments is used to estimate the model parameters. Under this method, minimization of two different objective functions which involve different weight functions, one weight is inversely proportional to the variance and another one is inversely proportional to the mean squared, is carried out using Nelder-Mead optimization technique. For the purpose of comparison of the performance of the three different models, the results found for the months of July and November are used for illustration. This performance is assessed based on the goodness of fit of the models. In addition, the sensitivity of the parameter estimates to the choice of the objective function is also investigated. It is found that BL2n slightly outperforms OBL. However, the best model is the Modified Bartlett Lewis MBL, particularly when the objective function considered involves weight which is inversely proportional to the variance.

  16. Lewis Research Center studies of multiple large wind turbine generators on a utility network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, L. J.; Triezenberg, D. M.

    1979-01-01

    A NASA-Lewis program to study the anticipated performance of a wind turbine generator farm on an electric utility network is surveyed. The paper describes the approach of the Lewis Wind Energy Project Office to developing analysis capabilities in the area of wind turbine generator-utility network computer simulations. Attention is given to areas such as, the Lewis Purdue hybrid simulation, an independent stability study, DOE multiunit plant study, and the WEST simulator. Also covered are the Lewis mod-2 simulation including analog simulation of a two wind turbine system and comparison with Boeing simulation results, and gust response of a two machine model. Finally future work to be done is noted and it is concluded that the study shows little interaction between the generators and between the generators and the bus.

  17. Effect of a cocoa diet on the small intestine and gut-associated lymphoid tissue composition in an oral sensitization model in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camps-Bossacoma, Mariona; Pérez-Cano, Francisco J; Franch, Àngels; Untersmayr, Eva; Castell, Margarida

    2017-04-01

    Previous studies have attributed to the cocoa powder the capacity to attenuate the immune response in a rat oral sensitization model. To gain a better understanding of cocoa-induced mechanisms at small intestinal level, 3-week-old female Lewis rats were fed either a standard diet or a diet containing 10% cocoa for 4 weeks with or without concomitant oral sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). Thereafter, we evaluated the lymphocyte composition of the Peyer's patches (PPL), small intestine epithelium (IEL) and lamina propria (LPL). Likewise, gene expression of several immune molecules was quantified in the small intestine. Moreover, histological samples were used to evaluate the proportion of goblet cells, IgA+ cells and granzyme+cells as well. In cocoa-fed animals, we identified a five-time reduction in the percentage of IgA+ cells in intestinal tissue together with a decreased proportion of TLR4+ IEL. Analyzing the lymphocyte composition, almost a double proportion of TCRγδ+cells and an increase of NK cell percentage in PPL and IEL were found. In addition, a rise in CD25+, CD103+ and CD62L- cell proportions was observed in CD4+ PPL from cocoa-fed animals, along with a decrease in gene expression of CD11b, CD11c and IL-10. These results suggest that changes in PPL and IEL composition and in the gene expression induced by the cocoa diet could be involved, among other mechanisms, on its tolerogenic effect. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. NASA Lewis advanced IPV nickel-hydrogen technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smithrick, John J.; Britton, Doris L.

    1993-01-01

    Individual pressure vessel (IPV) nickel-hydrogen technology was advanced at NASA Lewis and under Lewis contracts. Some of the advancements are as follows: to use 26 percent potassium hydroxide electrolyte to improve cycle life and performance, to modify the state of the art cell design to eliminate identified failure modes and further improve cycle life, and to develop a lightweight nickel electrode to reduce battery mass, hence reduce launch and/or increase satellite payload. A breakthrough in the LEO cycle life of individual pressure vessel nickel-hydrogen battery cells was reported. The cycle life of boiler plate cells containing 26 percent KOH electrolyte was about 40,000 accelerated LEO cycles at 80 percent DOD compared to 3,500 cycles for cells containing 31 percent KOH. Results of the boiler plate cell tests have been validated at NWSC, Crane, Indiana. Forty-eight ampere-hour flight cells containing 26 and 31 percent KOH have undergone real time LEO cycle life testing at an 80 percent DOD, 10 C. The three cells containing 26 percent KOH failed on the average at cycle 19,500. The three cells containing 31 percent KOH failed on the average at cycle 6,400. Validation testing of NASA Lewis 125 Ah advanced design IPV nickel-hydrogen flight cells is also being conducted at NWSC, Crane, Indiana under a NASA Lewis contract. This consists of characterization, storage, and cycle life testing. There was no capacity degradation after 52 days of storage with the cells in the discharged state, on open circuit, 0 C, and a hydrogen pressure of 14.5 psia. The catalyzed wall wick cells have been cycled for over 22,694 cycles with no cell failures in the continuing test. All three of the non-catalyzed wall wick cells failed (cycles 9,588; 13,900; and 20,575). Cycle life test results of the Fibrex nickel electrode has demonstrated the feasibility of an improved nickel electrode giving a higher specific energy nickel-hydrogen cell. A nickel-hydrogen boiler plate cell using an 80

  19. Lewis acid controlled regioselectivity in styrene hydrocyanation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bini, L.; Pidko, E.A.; Müller, C.; Santen, van R.A.; Vogt, D.

    2009-01-01

    According to present knowledge, the Ni-catalyzed hydrocyanation of styrene leads predominantly to the branched product 2-phenylpropionitrile (98%). We observed a dramatic inversion of the regioselectivity upon addition of a Lewis acid. Up to 83 % of the linear product 3-phenylpropionitrile was

  20. Oral Interpretation of C.S. Lewis'"Narnia Tales": A Refracting of "Pictures."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keefe, Carolyn

    "The Chronicles of Narnia" are a series of seven fairy tales written by C.S. Lewis that have become popular with both children and adults. Lewis points to five aspects of the fairy tale form that made the form suitable for expressing the images he saw. The aspects are: (1) no love interest; (2) no close psychology; (3) severe restraints…

  1. A chromatographic study of the Lewis acid-base chemistry of zirconia surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blackwell, J.A.; Carr, P.W.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports on the chromatographic properties of porous microparticulate zirconium oxide surfaces in aqueous media which are highly dependent upon the chemical composition of the eluent. In particular, retention is controlled by the type and concentration of hard Ligand exchange is the dominant mechanism for the retention of solutes which are Lewis bases. consequently, the capacity factor and plate height depend on both the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of whatever competing Lewis bases may be present in the eluent. These Lewis base eluent components act to control retention in two ways. They modify the net ligand exchange contribution to retention, and they serve as sites for secondary interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions between solutes and the dynamic stationary phase

  2. Induction of rat yolk sac carcinomas with consistent pattern of laminin, entactin, and type IV collagen biosynthesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wewer, U

    1984-01-01

    Twenty-four yolk sac carcinomas in Lewis rats were experimentally induced by puncturing the pregnant uterine wall with a hypodermic needle at day 9-13 of gestation. Morphologically, the tumours were composed of parietal- and visceral yolk sac carcinoma and to a less degree of trophoblastic giant...

  3. Arthritis by autoreactive T cell lines obtained from rats after injection of intestinal bacterial cell wall fragments

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    I. Klasen (Ina); J. Kool (Jeanette); M.J. Melief (Marie-José); I. Loeve (I.); W.B. van den Berg (Wim); A.J. Severijnen; M.P.H. Hazenberg (Maarten)

    1992-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ T cell lines (B13, B19) were isolated from the lymph nodes of Lewis rats 12 days after an arthritogenic injection of cell wall fragments of Eubacterium aerofaciens (ECW), a major resident of the human intestinal flora. These cell wall fragments consist of

  4. Nest-site selection and nest survival of Lewis's woodpecker in aspen riparian woodlands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karen R. Newlon; Victoria A. Saab

    2011-01-01

    Riparian woodlands of aspen (Populus tremuloides) provide valuable breeding habitat for several cavity-nesting birds. Although anecdotal information for this habitat is available for Lewis's Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis), no study has previously examined the importance of aspen woodlands to this species' breeding biology. From 2002 to 2004, we monitored 76...

  5. Adverse effect of nano-silicon dioxide on lung function of rats with or without ovalbumin immunization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Han

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The great advances of nanomaterials have brought out broad important applications, but their possible nanotoxicity and risks have not been fully understood. It is confirmed that exposure of environmental particulate matter (PM, especially ultrafine PM, are responsible for many lung function impairment and exacerbation of pre-existing lung diseases. However, the adverse effect of nanoparticles on allergic asthma is seldom investigated and the mechanism remains undefined. For the first time, this work investigates the relationship between allergic asthma and nanosized silicon dioxide (nano-SiO₂. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Ovalbumin (OVA-treated and saline-treated control rats were daily intratracheally administered 0.1 ml of 0, 40 and 80 µg/ml nano-SiO₂ solutions, respectively for 30 days. Increased nano-SiO₂ exposure results in adverse changes on inspiratory and expiratory resistance (Ri and Re, but shows insignificant effect on rat lung dynamic compliance (Cldyn. Lung histological observation reveals obvious airway remodeling in 80 µg/ml nano-SiO₂-introduced saline and OVA groups, but the latter is worse. Additionally, increased nano-SiO₂ exposure also leads to more severe inflammation. With increasing nano-SiO₂ exposure, IL-4 in lung homogenate increases and IFN-γ shows a reverse but insignificant change. Moreover, at a same nano-SiO₂ exposure concentration, OVA-treated rats exhibit higher (significant IL-4 and lower (not significant IFN-γ compared with the saline-treated rats. The percentages of eosinophil display an unexpected result, in which higher exposure results lower eosinophil percentages. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This was a preliminary study which for the first time involved the effect of nano-SiO₂ to OVA induced rat asthma model. The results suggested that intratracheal administration of nano-SiO₂ could lead to the airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR and the airway remolding with or without OVA

  6. Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Intership Program Grant Closeout Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    2003-01-01

    The Lewis' Educational and Research Collaborative Internship Program (LERCIP) is a collaborative undertaking by the Office of Educational Programs at NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field (formerly NASA Lewis Research Center) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute. This program provides 10-week internships and 10 or 12-week fellowships for undergraduate/graduate students and secondary school teachers. Approximately 130 interns are selected to participate in this program each year and begin arriving the second week in May. The internships provide students with introductory professional experiences to complement their academic programs. The interns are given assignments on research and development projects under the personal guidance of NASA professional staff members. Each intern is assigned a NASA mentor who facilitates a research assignment. In addition to the research assignment, the summer program includes a strong educational component that enhances the professional stature of the participants. The educational activities include a research symposium and a variety of workshops, lectures and short courses. An important aspect of the program is that it includes students with diverse social, cultural and economic backgrounds.

  7. Is It Lewy Body Dementia or Something Else?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Options Join the fight against LBD! Donate Is It LBD or Something Else? Early and accurate diagnosis ... dementia with Lewy bodies’ (DLB). Symptoms that differentiate it from Alzheimer’s include unpredictable levels of cognitive ability, ...

  8. Effects of deceleration on the humoral antibody response in rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barone, R. P.; Caren, L. D.; Oyama, J.

    1985-01-01

    Effects of hypergravity, simulated by chronic centrifugation, followed by a return to normal G (deceleration) on the immune system of rats were investigated. Two groups of male rats (28 days at 2.1 G, and 3.1 G) were compared to the control group (1.0 G). The animals were immunized by i.p. injections of sheep red blood cells on days 29, 42, and 57, and bled on days 36, 47, and 62. While the centrifuged rats ate and gainedsignificantly less than the control rats, the antibody titers and the organ/body mass ratios for the adrenal glands, kidneys, lungs, heart, and thymus were unaffected by gravity exposures, as were the values of the hematocrit and the white blood cell counts. It is concluded that deceleration does not adversely affect these particular aspects of the immune system.

  9. Induction of highly immunogenic variants of Lewis lung carcinoma tumor by ultraviolet irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peppoloni, S.; Herberman, R.B.; Gorelik, E.

    1985-01-01

    This study was undertaken to determine whether in vitro treatment of Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) cells with ultraviolet (UV) radiation could increase their immunogenicity. Tumor cells were irradiated with UV light from a germicidal lamp (254 nm; UV-C) at a dose of 720 J/sq m. After 2 weeks of culture, the surviving cell population was cloned by limiting dilution. Cell suspensions of each clone were injected intrafootpad in C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 2.5 X 10(5) cells per mouse. Eighty independent clones were tested. Fifty-one clones showed decreased tumorigenicity and failed to grow in 20 to 95% of immunocompetent mice, whereas they produced tumors in 100% of irradiated (550 R) and athymic nude mice. These clones were designated tum- (nontumorigenic) clones. In contrast, all 25 clones selected from the untreated parental 3LL induced progressively growing tumors in 100% of the mice. After two courses of UV treatment, the uncloned 3LL population was rejected in 45% of inoculated mice. Mice rejecting an inoculum of a tum- clone were completely resistant to subsequent challenge with higher doses of the same or unrelated tum- clones. This resistance was fully expressed even after irradiation of immune mice with 550 R. Mice immune to a tum- clone also were able to prevent the growth of various tum+ clones or untreated 3LL tumor cells. When tum- and tum+ clone cells were simultaneously inoculated intrafootpad in opposite legs, rejection of tum- clone resulted also in the prevention of the growth of tum+ clone. Spleen cells of immune mice caused rapid elimination of radiolabeled 3LL tumor cells from the place of their inoculation (intrafootpad) and prevented tumor growth

  10. Daniel Day-Lewis - veri peab voolama / Kristiina Davidjants

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Davidjants, Kristiina, 1974-

    2008-01-01

    Iiri-juudi näitleja Daniel Day-Lewis, kes võitis oma rolliga P.T. Andersoni filmis "Veri hakkab voolama" parima meespeaosatäitja Oscari. Tema põhjalikust tööst rollidega läbi tema filmiloomingu

  11. Frustrated Lewis pairs-assisted reduction of carbonyl compounds

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Marek, Aleš; Pedersen, M. H. F.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 71, č. 6 (2015), s. 917-921 ISSN 0040-4020 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : frustrated Lewis pairs * hydrogen activation * benzyl alcohol * tritium labeling * labeled compounds Subject RIV: CC - Organic Chemistry Impact factor: 2.645, year: 2015

  12. Proteolytic activity of IgGs from blood serum of wistar rats at experimental rheumatoid arthritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. Ya. Kit

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the proteolytic activity of IgGs purified from blood serum of Wistar rats at experimental rheumatoid arthritis (ERA induced by an injection of bovine collagen of type II. Twenty rats were immunized with a preparation of bovine collagen II (Sigma-Aldrich, USA in the presence of complete Freund’s adjuvant. ERA development was determined by inflammation in limbs of treated animals. IgG preparations were isolated from blood serum of immunized and non-immunized animals by precipitation of antibodies with 33% ammonium sulfate followed by chromatography on the Protein G-Sepharose column. Human histone H1, bovine collagen II, calf thymus histones, myelin basic protein (MBP, bovine serum albumin (BSA, and bovine casein were used as substrates of the proteolytic activity of IgGs. It was found that IgG preparations from blood serum of rats with ERA were capable of cleaving histone H1 and MBP, however, they were catalytically inactive towards collagen II, casein, BSA, and core histones. IgGs from blood serum of non-immunized rats were proteolytically inactive towards all used protein substrates. Thus, we demonstrated that immunization of rats with bovine collagen II induced IgG-antibodies possessing the proteolytic activity towards histone H1 and MBP. This activity might be associated with the development of inflammatory processes in the immunized rats.

  13. Radiation-induced alterations in murine lymphocyte homing patterns. II. Recovery and function of memory cells in LBN rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crouse, D.A.; Feldbush, T.L.; Evans, T.C.

    1978-01-01

    Suspensions of lymph node cells from dinitrophenylated bovine gamma globulin (DNP-BGG)-immune LBN F 1 hybrid rats (Lewis X Brown Norway) were prepared, irradiated, and injected intravenously into unirradiated syngeneic intermediate hosts and irradiated syngeneic adoptive controls. After allowance of 24 hr for homing to occur, the intermediate hosts were killed and cell preparations from the lymph nodes and spleen were injected intravenously into separate irradiated LBN final host groups. All control and experimental groups were challenged (DNP-BGG saline iv) 24 hr after the injection of the lymphoid cells. Rats were bled on Days 7, 11, and 14 after challenge and the antigen-binding capacity (ABC) of the serum was determined. After correction for the fraction of the total cell population transferred from the intermediate host, the peak ABC of the final hosts was related to the number of memory cells present. It was thus possible to determine the relative distribution of the memory cell population to the spleen and lymph nodes of the intermediate hosts. In the intermediate control animals, irradiated memory cells provided a secondary antibody response which was delayed but not suppressed when compared to unirradiated cells. In intermediate hosts, the homing of lymph node memory cells to the spleen and lymph nodes was significantly reduced by an exposure to 200 R of x radiation

  14. Specific acid catalysis and Lewis acid catalysis of Diels–Alder reactions in aqueous media

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mubofu, Egid B.; Engberts, Jan B.F.N.

    2004-01-01

    A comparative study of specific acid catalysis and Lewis acid catalysis of Diels–Alder reactions between dienophiles (1, 4 and 6) and cyclopentadiene (2) in water and mixed aqueous media is reported. The reactions were performed in water with copper(II) nitrate as the Lewis acid catalyst whereas

  15. Specific acid catalysis and Lewis acid catalysis of Diels-Alder reactions in aqueous media

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mubofu, E.B.; Engberts, J.B.F.N.

    A comparative study of specific acid catalysis and Lewis acid catalysis of Diells-Alder reactions between dienophiles (1, 4 and 6) and cyclopentadiene (2) in water and mixed aqueous media is reported. The reactions were performed in water with copper(II) nitrate as the Lewis acid catalyst whereas

  16. Carbonyl Activation by Borane Lewis Acid Complexation: Transition States of H2 Splitting at the Activated Carbonyl Carbon Atom in a Lewis Basic Solvent and the Proton-Transfer Dynamics of the Boroalkoxide Intermediate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heshmat, Mojgan; Privalov, Timofei

    2017-07-06

    By using transition-state (TS) calculations, we examined how Lewis acid (LA) complexation activates carbonyl compounds in the context of hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds by H 2 in Lewis basic (ethereal) solvents containing borane LAs of the type (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B. According to our calculations, LA complexation does not activate a ketone sufficiently enough for the direct addition of H 2 to the O=C unsaturated bond; but, calculations indicate a possibly facile heterolytic cleavage of H 2 at the activated and thus sufficiently Lewis acidic carbonyl carbon atom with the assistance of the Lewis basic solvent (i.e., 1,4-dioxane or THF). For the solvent-assisted H 2 splitting at the carbonyl carbon atom of (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B adducts with different ketones, a number of TSs are computed and the obtained results are related to insights from experiment. By using the Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics with the DFT for electronic structure calculations, the evolution of the (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B-alkoxide ionic intermediate and the proton transfer to the alkoxide oxygen atom were investigated. The results indicate a plausible hydrogenation mechanism with a LA, that is, (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B, as a catalyst, namely, 1) the step of H 2 cleavage that involves a Lewis basic solvent molecule plus the carbonyl carbon atom of thermodynamically stable and experimentally identifiable (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B-ketone adducts in which (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B is the "Lewis acid promoter", 2) the transfer of the solvent-bound proton to the oxygen atom of the (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B-alkoxide intermediate giving the (C 6 F 5 ) 3 B-alcohol adduct, and 3) the S N 2-style displacement of the alcohol by a ketone or a Lewis basic solvent molecule. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. NASA Lewis Research Center's materials and structures division

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weymueller, C.R.

    1976-01-01

    Research activities at the NASA Lewis Research Center on materials and structures are discussed. Programs are noted on powder metallurgy superalloys, eutectic alloys, dispersion strengthened alloys and composite materials. Discussions are included on materials applications, coatings, fracture mechanics, and fatigue

  18. 17a-Ethynyl-5a-androstane-3a, 17 β-diol Treatment of MNU-Induced Mammary Cancer in Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahlem, C.N.; Frincke, J.M.; White, S.K.; Reading, Ch.L.; Trauger, R.J.; Lakshmanaswamy, R.

    2011-01-01

    N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) induces estrogen-dependent mammary tumors in female Lewis rats. We explored the antineoplastic activity of a synthetic androstane derivative, 17 a-ethynyl-5a-androstane-3a, 17β-diol (HE3235), as a single agent or in combination with docetaxel compared to tamoxifen, anastrazole, and docetaxel mono therapies against MNU-induced mammary tumors in female Lewis rats. Treatment with HE3235 alone rapidly reduced tumor burden, similar in effect to tamoxifen and anastrozole. The combination of HE3235 with docetaxel was more effective than any single agent, although without apparent toxicity. Only HE3235 or HE3235 plus docetaxel continued to suppress tumor growth after cessation of treatment. HE3235 treatment increased immunohistochemical markers of apoptosis and expression of pro apoptotic genes and estrogen receptor beta and decreased expression of anti apoptotic genes, androgen receptor, and estrogen receptor alpha. These data warrant clinical investigation of HE3235 for breast cancer treatment.

  19. Long term evolution of the immune response in the rat irradiated at mean and high doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Malarbet, J.L.; Veyrat, M.; Le Go, R.; Prudhomme, J.; Genest, L.; Castelnau, L.

    1977-01-01

    In irradiated animals, the lymphocytes, immunity vectors, are quickly and quantitatively depressed. Their ability to respond to an antigenic stimulus was tested in rats during post-irradiation lymphopenia and after restoration of normal lymphocytosis. The antigenic stimulus, sheep erythrocytes, was applied first 2 and 3 weeks, then 1, 2 and 3 months after exposures to 60 Co gamma rays (doses 300 and 600 rads). This study covered the 3rd through the 10th day after immunisation. Blood lymphocytes were separated by the Ficoll-Contrix gradient method and spleen lymphocytes were obtained by crushing. A lymphocyte sub-population separation was obtained from centrifugation on 4 discontinuous Ficoll-Contrix gradients. Size distribution spectra show that the lighter sub-population is made up of large-sized cells and that the heavier the cells, the smaller they are. The determination of surface immunoglobulins with fluorescent antigens shows that cells bearing immunoglobulins are predominant in the low-density sub-population. The measurement of electrophoretic mobility shows a low-mobility, low-density population and a higher density, faster mobility population which could reflect a higher proportion of B-cells in the low density population and of T-cells in the higher density population. The immune response was tested on the sub-populations. The rosette-forming ability was depressed during 1 month after irradiation then became progressively normal. The cellular plaque-forming ability was markedly suppressed 15 days after irradiation, but was soon active again. These results show the qualitative aspect of the post-irradiation immune defect [fr

  20. Developing an approach for teaching and learning about Lewis structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaufmann, Ilana; Hamza, Karim M.; Rundgren, Carl-Johan; Eriksson, Lars

    2017-08-01

    This study explores first-year university students' reasoning as they learn to draw Lewis structures. We also present a theoretical account of the formal procedure commonly taught for drawing these structures. Students' discussions during problem-solving activities were video recorded and detailed analyses of the discussions were made through the use of practical epistemology analysis (PEA). Our results show that the formal procedure was central for drawing Lewis structures, but its use varied depending on situational aspects. Commonly, the use of individual steps of the formal procedure was contingent on experiences of chemical structures, and other information such as the characteristics of the problem given. The analysis revealed a number of patterns in how students constructed, checked and modified the structure in relation to the formal procedure and the situational aspects. We suggest that explicitly teaching the formal procedure as a process of constructing, checking and modifying might be helpful for students learning to draw Lewis structures. By doing so, the students may learn to check the accuracy of the generated structure not only in relation to the octet rule and formal charge, but also to other experiences that are not explicitly included in the formal procedure.

  1. Reduced frequency of blood group Lewis a-b- in female Type 1 diabetes patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kharagjitsingh, A.V.; Prinsen, K.; Lemkes, H.H.

    2008-01-01

    AIMS: To examine a disputed association between the Lewis(a(-)b(-)) phenotype and Type 1 diabetes (T1D). METHODS: Lewis red blood cell phenotyping was performed for 97 T1D White patients and 100 control subjects using monoclonal antibodies. Two historical cohorts were also included as a control...

  2. Anatomy of an organizational change effort at the Lewis Research Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawker, James R.; Dali, Richard S.

    1988-01-01

    By 1979, after a long decline following the end of the Apollo program, the Lewis Research Center found its very existence endangered because it was not doing the kind of research that could attract funding at the time. New management under Andrew J. Stofan applied a program of strategic planning, participative management, and consensus decision making. A corporate-cultural change was effected which enabled Lewis to commit itself to four fundable research and development projects. Morale-building and training programs which were essential to this change are described.

  3. Vaccination promotes TH1-like inflammation and survival in chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia in rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, H K; Hougen, H P; Cryz, S J

    1995-01-01

    In a rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection mimicking cystic fibrosis (CF) we studied whether the inflammatory response could be altered by vaccination. Rats were immunized with either a depolymerized alginate toxin A conjugate (D-ALG toxin A), purified alginate, an O-polysacc......In a rat model of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection mimicking cystic fibrosis (CF) we studied whether the inflammatory response could be altered by vaccination. Rats were immunized with either a depolymerized alginate toxin A conjugate (D-ALG toxin A), purified alginate, an O......-polysaccharide toxin A conjugate, or sterile saline. After challenge none of the rats immunized with D-ALG toxin A died, in contrast to the other two vaccine groups combined (p = 0.03). A significant reduction in the severity of the macroscopic lung inflammation was seen in rats immunized with D-ALG toxin A, compared...... predominantly PMNs (TH2-like) to a chronic-type inflammation dominated by mononuclear leukocytes (TH1-like). In accordance, the antibody titers induced by the D-ALG toxin A vaccine were not different from those of the control rats after challenge. This study identifies a possible new way of modifying...

  4. Effects of combined radiation-burn injury on survival rate of allogeneic skin grafts and immune reaction in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ran Xinze; Yan Yongtang; Cheng Tianmin; Li Yuan; Wei Shuqing

    1996-01-01

    The effects of combined radiation-burn injury on survival rate of allogeneic skin grafts and immune reaction were studied in rats with combined injury of 3-8 Gy 60 Co γ-ray irradiation plus 15% total body surface area full thickness burn induced by exposure to a 5 kw bromotungsten lamp. The allogeneic skin was transplanted 24 hours after injury. It was found that all the skin grafts failed to survive in 10 days and the immune reaction significantly increased in the early stage of burn injury. But the immune reaction was obviously suppressed by the combined radiation-burn injury. The survival rates of skin grafts were 20% and 30% in the combined injury of burn plus 3 and 4 Gy irradiation respectively. When the radiation doses increased to 5,6 and 8 Gy, the survival rates elevated to 69%, 88% and 100% respectively (in the group of 8 Gy, bone marrow transplantation was conducted before receiving skin graft). At day 30 post-transplantation the survival rates were still 36%, 42% and 100% respectively. Compared with burn group, there was a significant difference in survival rate when the radiation doses were higher than 5 Gy. These results indicate that the survival rate of the allogeneic skin graft increases concurrently with the increase in radiation dose and decreases with the elapse of the post-transplantation time

  5. Intestinal absorption of dinitrophenyl-lysine and effect of immunization with dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimura, Fumio; Shimura, Junko; Shimazaki, Shigeki; Hosoya, Norimasa

    1983-01-01

    The intestinal absorption of dinitrophenyl-lysine (DNP-lys) was studied with a special interest on the role of the immune system in the absorption of small molecules which are recognized as nonself. [ 3 H]-DNP- lys was rapidly absorbed by ligated intestinal loops in situ via a saturable and unique route. When [ 3 H]-DNP-lys was preincubated with the immume serum obtained from rats immunized with dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA), the [ 3 H]-DNP-lys absorption was depressed. The absorption of [ 3 H]-DNP-lys in DNP-BSA-immunized rats was depressed compared to the control. The results obtained suggest that the immune system play a role in avoiding the absorption of small molecules with antigenicity. (author)

  6. Validating the pivotal role of the immune system in low-dose radiation-induced tumor inhibition in Lewis lung cancer-bearing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Lei; Zhang, Xiaoying; Li, Hui; Niu, Chao; Yu, Dehai; Yang, Guozi; Liang, Xinyue; Wen, Xue; Li, Min; Cui, Jiuwei

    2018-04-01

    Although low-dose radiation (LDR) possesses the two distinct functions of inducing hormesis and adaptive responses, which result in immune enhancement and tumor inhibition, its clinical applications have not yet been elucidated. The major obstacle that hinders the application of LDR in the clinical setting is that the mechanisms underlying induction of tumor inhibition are unclear, and the risks associated with LDR are still unknown. Thus, to overcome this obstacle and elucidate the mechanisms mediating the antitumor effects of LDR, in this study, we established an in vivo lung cancer model to investigate the participation of the immune system in LDR-induced tumor inhibition and validated the pivotal role of the immune system by impairing immunity with high-dose radiation (HDR) of 1 Gy. Additionally, the LDR-induced adaptive response of the immune system was also observed by sequential HDR treatment in this mouse model. We found that LDR-activated T cells and natural killer cells and increased the cytotoxicity of splenocytes and the infiltration of T cells in the tumor tissues. In contrast, when immune function was impaired by HDR pretreatment, LDR could not induce tumor inhibition. However, when LDR was administered before HDR, the immunity could be protected from impairment, and tumor growth could be inhibited to some extent, indicating the induction of the immune adaptive response by LDR. Therefore, we demonstrated that immune enhancement played a key role in LDR-induced tumor inhibition. These findings emphasized the importance of the immune response in tumor radiotherapy and may help promote the application of LDR as a novel approach in clinical practice. © 2018 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Case report of Lewy body disease mimicking Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a 44-year-old man.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint-Aubert, Laure; Pariente, Jérémie; Dumas, Herve; Payoux, Pierre; Brandel, Jean-Philippe; Puel, Michèle; Vital, Anne; Guedj, Eric; Lesage, Suzanne; Peoc'h, Katell; Brefel Courbon, Christine; Ory Magne, Fabienne

    2016-07-30

    Few patients are reported with dementia with Lewy bodies before fifty years-old, which may partly reflect the difficulty of accurate diagnosis in young population. We report the case of a 44-year-old male with pathologically confirmed sporadic dementia with Lewy bodies, who did not fulfil the revised clinical criteria for this disease. We document this atypical case with clinical and cognitive evaluation, imaging, biochemistry, genetics and pathology investigations. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was first suspected in this patient with no previous medical history, who developed acute and rapid cognitive impairment, L-dopa-non-responsive parkinsonism, and delusion. Positive 14-3-3 protein was initially detected in cerebrospinal fluid and until the late stages of the disease. Severe atrophy with no diffusion hypersignal was found on structural MRI as well as an extensive hypometabolism on (18)F-FDG-PET, in comparison to age-matched healthy volunteers. Genetic investigation found no alpha-synuclein gene mutation. The patient died within 5 years, and post-mortem examination found numerous Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites consistent with pure Lewy body disease. This comprehensively described case illustrates that dementia with Lewy bodies can occur in young patients with atypical clinical presentation. Biochemistry and neuroimaging investigations can sometimes be insufficient to allow accurate diagnostic. More specific markers to support such diagnosis are needed.

  8. Playing around in Lewis Carroll's "Alice" Books

    Science.gov (United States)

    Susina, Jan

    2010-01-01

    Mathematician Charles Dodgson's love of play and his need for rules came together in his use of popular games as part of the structure of the two famous children's books, "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass," he wrote under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. The author of this article looks at the interplay between…

  9. Efficient Lewis Acid Ionic Liquid-Catalyzed Synthesis of the Key Intermediate of Coenzyme Q10 under Microwave Irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Efferth

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available An efficient synthesis of a valuable intermediate of coenzyme Q10 by microwave-assisted Lewis acidic ionic liquid (IL-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation is reported. The acidity of six [Etpy]BF4-based ionic liquids was characterized by means of the FT-IR technique using acetonitrile as a molecular probe. The catalytic activities of these ionic liquids were correlated with their Lewis acidity. With increasing Lewis acid strength of the ionic liquids, their catalytic activity in the Friedel-Crafts reaction increased, except for [Etpy]BF4-AlCl3. The effects of the reaction system, the molar fraction of Lewis acid in the Lewis acid ILs and heating techniques were also investigated. Among the six Lewis acid ionic liquids tested [Etpy]BF4-ZnCl2 showed the best catalytic activity, with a yield of 89% after a very short reaction time (150 seconds. This procedure has the advantages of higher efficiency, better reusability of ILs, energy conservation and eco-friendliness. The method has practical value for preparation of CoQ10 on an industrial scale.

  10. Visual Hallucinations in PD and Lewy Body Dementias: Old and New Hypotheses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Onofrj

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Visual Hallucinations (VH are a common non-motor symptom of Parkinson’s Disease (PD and the Lewy body dementias (LBD of Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB. The origin of VH in PD and LBD is debated: earlier studies considered a number of different possible mechanisms underlying VH including visual disorders, Rapid Eye Movement (REM Sleep Intrusions, dysfunctions of top down or bottom up visual pathways, and neurotransmitter imbalance.

  11. Lewis x is highly expressed in normal tissues: a comparative immunohistochemical study and literature revision.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Croce, María V; Isla-Larrain, Marina; Rabassa, Martín E; Demichelis, Sandra; Colussi, Andrea G; Crespo, Marina; Lacunza, Ezequiel; Segal-Eiras, Amada

    2007-01-01

    An immunohistochemical analysis was employed to determine the expression of carbohydrate antigens associated to mucins in normal epithelia. Tissue samples were obtained as biopsies from normal breast (18), colon (35) and oral cavity mucosa (8). The following carbohydrate epitopes were studied: sialyl-Lewis x, Lewis x, Lewis y, Tn hapten, sialyl-Tn and Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen. Mucins were also studied employing antibodies against MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC6 and also normal colonic glycolipid. Statistical analysis was performed and Kendall correlations were obtained. Lewis x showed an apical pattern mainly at plasma membrane, although cytoplasmic staining was also found in most samples. TF, Tn and sTn haptens were detected in few specimens, while sLewis x was found in oral mucosa and breast tissue. Also, normal breast expressed MUC1 at a high percentage, whereas MUC4 was observed in a small number of samples. Colon specimens mainly expressed MUC2 and MUC1, while most oral mucosa samples expressed MUC4 and MUC1. A positive correlation between MUC1VNTR and TF epitope (r=0.396) was found in breast samples, while in colon specimens MUC2 and colonic glycolipid versus Lewis x were statistically significantly correlated (r=0.28 and r=0.29, respectively). As a conclusion, a defined carbohydrate epitope expression is not exclusive of normal tissue or a determined localization, and it is possible to assume that different glycoproteins and glycolipids may be carriers of carbohydrate antigens depending on the tissue localization considered.

  12. Diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection with indium-111 labeled platelets in cyclosporin treated rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fawwaz, R.A.; Iga, C.; Hardy, M.A.; Alderson, P.O.

    1984-01-01

    Rejection of heart transplants remains difficult to diagnose. Indium-111 (In-111) labeled lymphocytes accumulate in rat cardiac allografts when recipients are treated with Cyclosporin (Cy), even in the absence of clinical rejection. This presumably occurs because of the non-specific 'interstitial infiltration' caused by Cy. This study examines the usefulness of In-111 labeled platelets in differentiating experimental cardiac allograft rejection from Cy-induced tissue changes. The authors initially examined the migration patterns of syngeneic In-111 labeled platelets in groups of Lewis recipients of ACI cardiac allografts treated with IM Cy (10mg/kg) for 6-14 days. In addition, 10 control animals were not immunosuppressed, and 10 were treated with Cy but received Lewis cardiac isografts. Syngeneic In-111 platelets were injected IV into each animal 24 hours prior to sacrifice. Three to five rats from each group were killed at 3 ,7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation and the % ID/gm in the transplanted hearts and native hearts were determined and correlated with histopathology. Untreated Lewis recipients rejected ACI hearts in 6.5 +- 0.4 days while Cy prolonged allograft survival in a variable fashion. In-111 platelet accumulation correlated well with the degree of rejection determined independently by histopathology. No significant In-111 platelet accumulation was detected in non-rejecting cardiac transplants or in native hearts in Cy treated or control animals. The results suggest that In-111 labeled platelets will be an effective agent for diagnosis of cardiac rejection, even in the presence of Cy treatment

  13. LewiSpace: An Exploratory Study with a Machine Learning Model in an Educational Game

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghali, Ramla; Ouellet, Sébastien; Frasson, Claude

    2016-01-01

    The use of educational games as a tool for providing learners with a playful and educational aspect is widespread. In this paper, we present an educational game that we developed to teach a chemistry lesson, namely drawing a Lewis diagram. Our game is a 3D environment known as LewiSpace and aims at balancing between playful and educational…

  14. The Immune Effects of an African Traditional Energy Tonic in In Vitro and In Vivo Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mlungisi Ngcobo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Most of the African traditional medicines (ATM are formulated as energy tonics to boost and maintain immune defences. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the immune effects of a traditional energy tonic using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs, THP-1 monocytes, and bacteria infected rats. When tested in mitogen and peptidoglycan stimulated PBMCs, this energy tonic showed minimal cytotoxicity, while in acute toxicity studies in rats it did not exhibit any significant toxicity at doses up to 2000 mg/mL/kg. The energy tonic doses between 100 and 10 μg/mL were shown to stimulate secretion of cytokines and increase sIL-2R levels in PHA-treated PBMCs. Similar doses in PG-S. aureus-stimulated PBMCs significantly (p<0.05 increased IL-1α, IL-2, and GM-CSF while causing a significant (p<0.05 decrease in sIL-2R levels. NF-κβ transcriptional activity was increased in LPS stimulated THP-1 cells. In Sprague Dawley rats pretreated with the energy tonic and then infected with S. aureus, there were insignificant increases in cytokines and sIL-2R when compared to bacteria infected only and 5% Enrofloxacin treated rats. Posttreatment with energy tonic doses after infection with S. aureus did not enhance inflammatory cytokines significantly but changed the immune response profile and decreased corticosterone levels. This ATM showed promising immunomodulatory effects on isolated immune cells and modulated the immune response of rat models infected with S. aureus.

  15. Effects of total glucosides of paeony on immune regulatory toll-like receptors TLR2 and 4 in the kidney from diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xing-xin; Qi, Xiang-Ming; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Chao-Qun; Wu, Xiao-Xu; Wu, Yong-Gui; Wang, Kun; Shen, Ji-Jia

    2014-05-15

    TLRs are a family of receptors that play a critical role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. TGP have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and immuno-regulatory activities. However, the relation between TGP and TLRs on diabetic nephropathy remains unknown. In this study, we examined effects of TGP on immune regulatory TLR2 and 4 in the kidney from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. TGP decreased the levels of 24h urinary albumin excretion rate significantly in diabetic rats. Western blot analysis showed that TGP significantly inhibited the expression of TLR2 and 4, MyD88, p-IRAK1, NF-κB p65, p-IRF3, TNF-α and IL-1β. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the significantly increased levels of TLR2 and 4, and MyD88mRNA in the kidneys of diabetic rats were significantly suppressed by TGP treatment. Macrophages infiltration were also markedly increased in the kidneys of the diabetic rats, but were significantly inhibited by TGP in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that TGP has protective effects on several pharmacological targets in the progress of diabetic nephropathy by selectively blocking TLRs activation in vivo. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Synthesis, characterization, and application of two Al(OR(F))3 Lewis superacids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kraft, Anne; Trapp, Nils; Himmel, Daniel; Böhrer, Hannes; Schlüter, Peter; Scherer, Harald; Krossing, Ingo

    2012-07-23

    We report herein the synthesis and full characterization of the donor-free Lewis superacids Al(OR(F))(3) with OR(F) = OC(CF(3))(3) (1) and OC(C(5)F(10))C(6)F(5) (2), the stabilization of 1 as adducts with the very weak Lewis bases PhF, 1,2-F(2)C(6)H(4), and SO(2), as well as the internal C-F activation pathway of 1 leading to Al(2)(F)(OR(F))(5) (4) and trimeric [FAl(OR(F))(2)](3) (5, OR(F) = OC(CF(3))(3)). Insights have been gained from NMR studies, single-crystal structure determinations, and DFT calculations. The usefulness of these Lewis acids for halide abstractions has been demonstrated by reactions with trityl chloride (NMR; crystal structures). The trityl salts allow the introduction of new, heteroleptic weakly coordinating [Cl-Al(OR(F))(3)](-) anions, for example, by hydride or alkyl abstraction reactions. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Reduced CSF CART in dementia with Lewy bodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schultz, Kristofer; Wiehager, Sara; Nilsson, Karin

    2009-01-01

    Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is the second most common form of neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying neurobiological mechanism of DLB is not fully understood and no generally accepted biomarkers are yet available for the diagnosis of DLB. In a recent MRI study...

  18. Frustrated Lewis pairs-assisted reduction of carbonyl compounds

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marek, Ales; Pedersen, Martin Holst Friborg

    2015-01-01

    An alternative and robust method for the reduction of carbonyl groups by frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) is reported in this paper. With its very mild reaction conditions, good to excellent yields, absolute regioselectivity and the non-metallic character of the reagent, it provides an excellent too...

  19. Compensatory shifts in visual perception are associated with hallucinations in Lewy body disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowman, Alan Robert; Bruce, Vicki; Colbourn, Christopher J; Collerton, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    Visual hallucinations are a common, distressing, and disabling symptom of Lewy body and other diseases. Current models suggest that interactions in internal cognitive processes generate hallucinations. However, these neglect external factors. Pareidolic illusions are an experimental analogue of hallucinations. They are easily induced in Lewy body disease, have similar content to spontaneous hallucinations, and respond to cholinesterase inhibitors in the same way. We used a primed pareidolia task with hallucinating participants with Lewy body disorders (n = 16), non-hallucinating participants with Lewy body disorders (n = 19), and healthy controls (n = 20). Participants were presented with visual "noise" that sometimes contained degraded visual objects and were required to indicate what they saw. Some perceptions were cued in advance by a visual prime. Results showed that hallucinating participants were impaired in discerning visual signals from noise, with a relaxed criterion threshold for perception compared to both other groups. After the presentation of a visual prime, the criterion was comparable to the other groups. The results suggest that participants with hallucinations compensate for perceptual deficits by relaxing perceptual criteria, at a cost of seeing things that are not there, and that visual cues regularize perception. This latter finding may provide a mechanism for understanding the interaction between environments and hallucinations.

  20. Immune Cell-Mediated Protection against Vaginal Candidiasis: Evidence for a Major Role of Vaginal CD4+ T Cells and Possible Participation of Other Local Lymphocyte Effectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoni, Giorgio; Boccanera, Maria; Adriani, Daniela; Lucciarini, Roberta; Amantini, Consuelo; Morrone, Stefania; Cassone, Antonio; De Bernardis, Flavia

    2002-01-01

    The protective roles of different lymphocyte subsets were investigated in a rat vaginal candidiasis model by adoptive transfer of vaginal lymphocytes (VL) or sorted, purified CD3+ T cells, CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, or CD3− CD5+ B cells from the vaginas of naïve or immune rats following three rounds of Candida albicans infection. The adoptive transfer of total VL from nonimmune animals did not alter the course of vaginal candidiasis of the recipient rats. In contrast, the animals receiving total VL or CD3+ T cells from immune rats showed a highly significant acceleration of fungus clearance compared with animals which received nonimmune VL. The animals with vaginal CD3− CD5+ B cells transferred from immune rats also had fewer Candida CFU than the controls, but fungal clearance was significantly retarded with respect to the animals administered immune T cells. Sorted, purified CD4+ and CD8+ vaginal T cells from immune rats were also adoptively transferred to naïve animals. Although both populations were seen to accelerate the clearance of the fungus from the vagina, CD4+ T cells were much more effective than CD8+ T cells. Overall, there was no difference between the antifungal effects of immune vaginal CD4+ T cells and those achievable with the transfer of whole, immune VL. Histological observations of the vaginal tissues of rats with adoptively transferred immune T cells demonstrated a remarkable accumulation of lymphocytes in the subepithelial lamina propria and also infiltrating the mucosal epithelium. These results strongly suggest that distinct vaginal lymphocyte subsets participate in the adaptive anti-Candida immunity at the vaginal level, with the vaginal CD4+ T cells probably playing a major role. PMID:12183521

  1. Predominance of AT1 Blockade Over Mas–Mediated Angiotensin-(1–7) Mechanisms in the Regulation of Blood Pressure and Renin–Angiotensin System in mRen2.Lewis Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND We investigated whether the antihypertensive actions of the angiotensin II (Ang II) receptor (AT1-R) blocker, olmesartan medoxomil, may in part be mediated by increased Ang-(1–7) in the absence of significant changes in plasma Ang II. METHODS mRen2.Lewis congenic hypertensive rats were administered either a vehicle (n = 14) or olmesartan (0.5mg/kg/day; n = 14) by osmotic minipumps. Two weeks later, rats from both groups were further randomized to receive either the mas receptor antagonist A-779 (0.5mg/kg/day; n = 7 per group) or its vehicle (n = 7 per group) for the next 4 weeks. Blood pressure was monitored by telemetry, and circulating and tissue components of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS) were measured at the completion of the experiments. RESULTS Antihypertensive effects of olmesartan were associated with an increase in plasma renin concentration, plasma Ang I, Ang II, and Ang-(1–7), whereas serum aldosterone levels and kidney Ang II content were reduced. Preserved Ang-(1–7) content in kidneys was associated with increases of ACE2 protein but not activity and no changes on serum and kidney ACE activity. There was no change in cardiac peptide levels after olmesartan treatment. The antihypertensive effects of olmesartan were not altered by concomitant administration of the Ang-(1–7) receptor antagonist except for a mild further increase in plasma renin concentration. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the independent regulation of RAS among plasma, heart, and kidney tissue in response to AT1-R blockade. Ang-(1–7) through the mas receptor does not mediate long-term effects of olmesartan besides counterbalancing renin release in response to AT1-R blockade. PMID:23459599

  2. The middle ear immune defense changes with age

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Michelle Christine; Friis, Morten; Martin-Bertelsen, Tomas

    2016-01-01

    of this study was to analyze the relationship between age and the mucosal immune system in the middle ear. It is hypothesized that genes involved in the middle ear immune system will change with age. A comprehensive assessment of these genetic differences using the techniques of complementary DNA has not been...... performed. Complementary DNA microarray technology was used to identify immune-related genes differentially expressed between the normal middle ear mucosa of young (10 days old) and adult rats (80 days old). Data were analyzed using tools of bioinformatics. A total of 260 age-related genes were identified...

  3. On the behaviour of biradicaloid [P(μ-NTer)]2 towards Lewis acids and bases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinz, Alexander; Schulz, Axel; Villinger, Alexander

    2016-05-07

    The well-known diphosphadiazane-1,3-diyl [P(μ-NTer)]2 (Ter = 2,6-bis(2,4,6-trimethyl-phenyl)-phenyl) was treated with Lewis bases such as N-heterocyclic carbenes and Lewis acids e.g. gold(i) chloride complexes. In the reaction with the Lewis base, fragmentation of the P2N2 framework was observed, yielding a salt of the type [(NHC)2P](+)[(TerN)2P](-) in a clean reaction. The reaction of [P(μ-NTer)]2 with gold(i) chloride afforded 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexes. The dinuclear complex [(ClAu)2P(μ-NTer)2P] displays a bridging P atom between both gold centers, as has been observed for P based zwitterions.

  4. Lewis pair polymerization by classical and frustrated Lewis pairs: Acid, base and monomer scope and polymerization mechanism

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Yuetao

    2012-01-01

    Classical and frustrated Lewis pairs (LPs) of the strong Lewis acid (LA) Al(C 6F 5) 3 with several Lewis base (LB) classes have been found to exhibit exceptional activity in the Lewis pair polymerization (LPP) of conjugated polar alkenes such as methyl methacrylate (MMA) as well as renewable α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (MBL) and γ-methyl- α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (γ-MMBL), leading to high molecular weight polymers, often with narrow molecular weight distributions. This study has investigated a large number of LPs, consisting of 11 LAs as well as 10 achiral and 4 chiral LBs, for LPP of 12 monomers of several different types. Although some more common LAs can also be utilized for LPP, Al(C 6F 5) 3-based LPs are far more active and effective than other LA-based LPs. On the other hand, several classes of LBs, when paired with Al(C 6F 5) 3, can render highly active and effective LPP of MMA and γ-MMBL; such LBs include phosphines (e.g., P tBu 3), chiral chelating diphosphines, N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs), and phosphazene superbases (e.g., P 4- tBu). The P 4- tBu/Al(C 6F 5) 3 pair exhibits the highest activity of the LP series, with a remarkably high turn-over frequency of 9.6 × 10 4 h -1 (0.125 mol% catalyst, 100% MMA conversion in 30 s, M n = 2.12 × 10 5 g mol -1, PDI = 1.34). The polymers produced by LPs at RT are typically atactic (P γMMBL with ∼47% mr) or syndio-rich (PMMA with ∼70-75% rr), but highly syndiotactic PMMA with rr ∼91% can be produced by chiral or achiral LPs at -78 °C. Mechanistic studies have identified and structurally characterized zwitterionic phosphonium and imidazolium enolaluminates as the active species of the current LPP system, which are formed by the reaction of the monomer·Al(C 6F 5) 3 adduct with P tBu 3 and NHC bases, respectively. Kinetic studies have revealed that the MMA polymerization by the tBu 3P/ Al(C 6F 5) 3 pair is zero-order in monomer concentration after an initial induction period, and the polymerization

  5. Oral delivery of Bacillus subtilis spore expressing enolase of Clonorchis sinensis in rat model: induce systemic and local mucosal immune responses and has no side effect on liver function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jinyun; Chen, Tingjin; Xie, Zhizhi; Liang, Pei; Qu, Honglin; Shang, Mei; Mao, Qiang; Ning, Dan; Tang, Zeli; Shi, Mengchen; Zhou, Lina; Huang, Yan; Yu, Xinbing

    2015-07-01

    Caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater fish containing infective metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis, human clonorchiasis remains a major public health problem in China. In previous study, we had expressed enolase from C. sinensis (CsENO) on the surface of Bacillus subtilis spore and the recombinant spore induced a pronounced protection in terms of reduced worm burden and eggs per gram feces, suggesting B. subtilis spore as an ideal vehicle for antigen delivery by oral treatment and CsENO as a promising vaccine candidate against clonorchiasis. In the current study, we detected CsENO-specific IgG and IgA levels both in serum and in intestinal mucus from rats orally administrated with B. subtilis spore surface expressing CsENO by ELISA. Lysozyme levels in serum and in intestinal mucus were analyzed too. In addition, IgA-secreting cells in intestine epithelium of the rats were detected by immunohistochemistry assay. The intestinal villi lengths of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were also measured. Rats orally treated with B. subtilis spore or normal saline were used as controls. Our results showed that, compared with the control groups, oral administration of B. subtilis spore expressing CsENO induced both systemic and local mucosal immune response. The recombinant spores also enhanced non-specific immune response in rats. The spores had no side effect on liver function. Moreover, it might facilitate food utilization and digestion of the rats. Our work will pave the way to clarify the involved mechanisms of protective efficacy elicited by B. subtilis spore expressing CsENO and encourage us to carry out more assessment trails of the oral treated spore to develop vaccine against clonorchiasis.

  6. Historical perspectives - The role of the NASA Lewis Research Center in the national space nuclear power programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, H. S.; Sovie, R. J.

    1991-01-01

    The history of the NASA Lewis Research Center's role in space nuclear power programs is reviewed. Lewis has provided leadership in research, development, and the advancement of space power and propulsion systems. Lewis' pioneering efforts in nuclear reactor technology, shielding, high temperature materials, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, mechanical and direct energy conversion, high-energy propellants, electric propulsion and high performance rocket fuels and nozzles have led to significant technical and management roles in many natural space nuclear power and propulsion programs.

  7. Historical perspectives: The role of the NASA Lewis Research Center in the national space nuclear power programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloomfield, H. S.; Sovie, R. J.

    1991-01-01

    The history of the NASA Lewis Research Center's role in space nuclear power programs is reviewed. Lewis has provided leadership in research, development, and the advancement of space power and propulsion systems. Lewis' pioneering efforts in nuclear reactor technology, shielding, high temperature materials, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, mechanical and direct energy conversion, high-energy propellants, electric propulsion and high performance rocket fuels and nozzles have led to significant technical and management roles in many national space nuclear power and propulsion programs.

  8. Copolymer-1 enhances cognitive performance in young adult rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meneses, Alfredo; Cruz-Martínez, Yolanda; Anaya-Jiménez, Rosa María; Liy-Salmerón, Gustavo; Carvajal, Horacio Guillermo; Ponce-López, Maria Teresa

    2018-01-01

    Cognitive impairment is a dysfunction observed as a sequel of various neurodegenerative diseases, as well as a concomitant element in the elderly stages of life. In clinical settings, this malfunction is identified as mild cognitive impairment. Previous studies have suggested that cognitive impairment could be the result of a reduction in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and/or immune dysfunction. Copolymer-1 (Cop-1) is an FDA-approved synthetic peptide capable of inducing the activation of Th2/3 cells, which are able to release BDNF, as well as to migrate and accumulate in the brain. In this study, we evaluated the effect of Cop-1 immunization on improvement of cognition in adult rats. For this purpose, we performed four experiments. We evaluated the effect of Cop-1 immunization on learning/memory using the Morris water maze for spatial memory and autoshaping for associative memory in 3- or 6-month-old rats. BDNF concentrations at the hippocampus were determined by ELISA. Cop-1 immunization induced a significant improvement of spatial memory and associative memory in 6-month-old rats. Likewise, Cop-1 improved spatial memory and associative memory when animals were immunized at 3 months and evaluated at 6 months old. Additionally, Cop-1 induced a significant increase in BDNF levels at the hippocampus. To our knowledge, the present investigation reports the first instance of Cop-1 treatment enhancing cognitive function in normal young adult rats, suggesting that Cop-1 may be a practical therapeutic strategy potentially useful for age- or disease-related cognitive impairment. PMID:29494605

  9. Immune Repertoire after Immunization As Seen by Next-Generation Sequencing and Proteomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martijn M. VanDuijn

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The immune system produces a diverse repertoire of immunoglobulins in response to foreign antigens. During B-cell development, VDJ recombination and somatic mutations generate diversity, whereas selection processes remove it. Using both proteomic and NGS approaches, we characterized the immune repertoires in groups of rats after immunization with purified antigens. Proteomics and NGS data on the repertoire are in qualitative agreement, but did show quantitative differences that may relate to differences between the biological niches that were sampled for these approaches. Both methods contributed complementary information in the characterization of the immune repertoire. It was found that the immune repertoires resulting from each antigen had many similarities that allowed samples to cluster together, and that mutated immunoglobulin peptides were shared among animals with a response to the same antigen significantly more than for different antigens. However, the number of shared sequences decreased in a log-linear fashion relative to the number of animals that share them, which may affect future applications. A phylogenetic analysis on the NGS reads showed that reads from different individuals immunized with the same antigen populated distinct branches of the phylogram, an indication that the repertoire had converged. Also, similar mutation patterns were found in branches of the phylogenetic tree that were associated with antigen-specific immunoglobulins through proteomics data. Thus, data from different analysis methods and different experimental platforms show that the immunoglobulin repertoires of immunized animals have overlapping and converging features. With additional research, this may enable interesting applications in biotechnology and clinical diagnostics.

  10. Visual cortex in dementia with Lewy bodies: magnetic resonance imaging study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, John-Paul; Firbank, Michael J.; He, Jiabao; Barnett, Nicola; Pearce, Sarah; Livingstone, Anthea; Vuong, Quoc; McKeith, Ian G.; O’Brien, John T.

    2012-01-01

    Background Visual hallucinations and visuoperceptual deficits are common in dementia with Lewy bodies, suggesting that cortical visual function may be abnormal. Aims To investigate: (1) cortical visual function using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); and (2) the nature and severity of perfusion deficits in visual areas using arterial spin labelling (ASL)-MRI. Method In total, 17 participants with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB group) and 19 similarly aged controls were presented with simple visual stimuli (checkerboard, moving dots, and objects) during fMRI and subsequently underwent ASL-MRI (DLB group n = 15, control group n = 19). Results Functional activations were evident in visual areas in both the DLB and control groups in response to checkerboard and objects stimuli but reduced visual area V5/MT (middle temporal) activation occurred in the DLB group in response to motion stimuli. Posterior cortical perfusion deficits occurred in the DLB group, particularly in higher visual areas. Conclusions Higher visual areas, particularly occipito-parietal, appear abnormal in dementia with Lewy bodies, while there is a preservation of function in lower visual areas (V1 and V2/3). PMID:22500014

  11. Cytomegalovirus Infection of the Rat Developing Brain In Utero Prominently Targets Immune Cells and Promotes Early Microglial Activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robin Cloarec

    Full Text Available Congenital cytomegalovirus infections are a leading cause of neurodevelopmental disorders in human and represent a major health care and socio-economical burden. In contrast with this medical importance, the pathophysiological events remain poorly known. Murine models of brain cytomegalovirus infection, mostly neonatal, have brought recent insights into the possible pathogenesis, with convergent evidence for the alteration and possible involvement of brain immune cells.In order to confirm and expand those findings, particularly concerning the early developmental stages following infection of the fetal brain, we have created a model of in utero cytomegalovirus infection in the developing rat brain. Rat cytomegalovirus was injected intraventricularly at embryonic day 15 (E15 and the brains analyzed at various stages until the first postnatal day, using a combination of gene expression analysis, immunohistochemistry and multicolor flow cytometry experiments.Rat cytomegalovirus infection was increasingly seen in various brain areas including the choroid plexi and the ventricular and subventricular areas and was prominently detected in CD45low/int, CD11b+ microglial cells, in CD45high, CD11b+ cells of the myeloid lineage including macrophages, and in CD45+, CD11b- lymphocytes and non-B non-T cells. In parallel, rat cytomegalovirus infection of the developing rat brain rapidly triggered a cascade of pathophysiological events comprising: chemokines upregulation, including CCL2-4, 7 and 12; infiltration by peripheral cells including B-cells and monocytes at E17 and P1, and T-cells at P1; and microglia activation at E17 and P1.In line with previous findings in neonatal murine models and in human specimen, our study further suggests that neuroimmune alterations might play critical roles in the early stages following cytomegalovirus infection of the brain in utero. Further studies are now needed to determine which role, whether favorable or detrimental

  12. Fas ligand exists on intervertebral disc cells: a potential molecular mechanism for immune privilege of the disc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takada, Toru; Nishida, Kotaro; Doita, Minoru; Kurosaka, Masahiro

    2002-07-15

    Rat and human intervertebral disc specimens were examined immunohistochemically. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was also performed on rat disc tissue to demonstrate the existence of Fas ligand. To clarify the existence of Fas ligand on intact intervertebral disc cells. The nucleus pulposus has been reported to be an immune-privileged site. The immune-privileged characteristic in other tissues such as the retina and testis has been attributed to the local expression of Fas ligand, which acts by inducing apoptosis of invading Fas-positive T-cells. The existence of Fas ligand in normal disc cells has not yet been addressed. Skeletally mature SD male rats were killed, and the coccygeal discs were harvested. Human disc specimens were obtained from idiopathic scoliosis patients during surgical procedures. Immunohistochemical staining for Fas ligand was performed for cross-sections of the discs by standard procedures. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was also carried out to demonstrate Fas ligand mRNA expression on rat intervertebral discs. Testes of the rats were used for positive controls, and muscles were used for negative controls. The sections were observed by light microscopy. The nucleus pulposus cells exhibited intense positive immune staining for Fas ligand. The outer anulus fibrosus cells and notochordal cells exhibited little immunopositivity. The positive controls exhibited positive immune staining, and the negative control showed no immunopositivity. The result of RT-PCR confirmed the existence of Fas ligand in disc cells. The human nucleus pulposus cells showed a similar predilection to rat disc cells. We demonstrated the existence of Fas ligand on disc cells, which should play a key role in the potential molecular mechanism to maintain immune privilege of the disc. Immune privilege and Fas ligand expression of the intervertebral disc may provide a new insight for basic science research as well as

  13. preparation of bicyclic lactones using lewis acids catalyzed ene

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    The synthesis of the cis-fused bicyclic lactones relies extensively on the Lewis acid ... having an allylic hydrogen (an"ene") and a compound containing an electron .... observed that the lithium enolate obtained from 3-methyl-2(5H)- furanone ...

  14. Lewis antigen mediated adhesion of freshly removed human bladder tumors to E-selectin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skorsteensgaard, Karna; Vestergaard, Else Marie; Langkilde, Niels

    1999-01-01

    PURPOSE: Twenty fresh surgical specimens of human bladder tumors were tested for their ability to adhere to recombinant P and E-selectin. The adhesion was correlated to immunological detection of carbohydrate structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A static titertray assay with immobilized selectins.......003), whereas no correlation was found to secretor and Lewis genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: These data on clinical specimens indicate that Lewis antigen mediated E-selectin adhesion may play a role in the human bladder cancer disease....

  15. Prebiotic potential of Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) in Wistar rats: effects of levels of supplementation on hindgut fermentation, intestinal morphology, blood metabolites and immune response.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samal, Lipismita; Chaturvedi, Vishwa Bandhu; Saikumar, Guttula; Somvanshi, Ramesh; Pattanaik, Ashok Kumar

    2015-06-01

    Many studies have been conducted using purified prebiotics such as inulin or fructooligosaccharides (FOS) as nutraceuticals, but there is very little information available on the prebiotic potential of raw products rich in inulin and FOS, such as Jerusalem artichoke (JA; Helianthus tuberosus L.). The present experiment aimed to evaluate the prebiotic effects of JA tubers in rats. Seventy-two Wistar weanling rats divided into four groups were fed for 12 weeks on a basal diet fortified with pulverized JA tubers at 0 (control), 20, 40 and 60 g kg(-1) levels. Enhanced cell-mediated immunity in terms of skin indurations (P = 0.082) and CD4+ T-lymphocyte population (P = 0.002) was observed in the JA-supplemented groups compared with the control group. Blood haemoglobin (P = 0.017), glucose (P = 0.001), urea (P = 0.004) and calcium (P = 0.048) varied favourably upon inclusion of JA. An increasing trend (P = 0.059) in the length of large intestine was apparent in the JA-fed groups. The tissue mass of caecum (P = 0.069) and colon (P = 0.003) was increased in the JA-supplemented groups, accompanied by higher (P = 0.007) caecal crypt depth. The pH and ammonia concentrations of intestinal digesta decreased and those of lactate and total volatile fatty acids increased in the JA-fed groups. The results suggest that JA had beneficial effects on immunity, blood metabolites, intestinal morphometry and hindgut fermentation of rats. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  16. An Integrated Perspective of Humanism and Supernaturalism for Education: C. S. Lewis's Version of Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seung Chun

    2013-01-01

    This paper explores some theoretical reflections on the connection between C. S. Lewis's thoughts on the purpose and process of education and his understanding of supernatural human nature which has been relatively little explored. An introduction about Lewis's career as a college teacher blends into the background of this paper. It is followed by…

  17. Effect of ultraviolet-B-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusions and peritransplant immunosuppression with cyclosporine on rat cardiac allograft survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oluwole, S.F.; Lau, H.T.; Reemtsma, K.; Hardy, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment of ACI recipients with ultraviolet-irradiated donor-specific blood transfusion (UV-DST) leads to permanent cardiac allograft survival without further host immunosuppression (ACI rats are weak responders to Lewis lymphocytes in mixed-lymphocyte reaction). This study examines the effect of UV-DST and the timing of transfusions on ACI cardiac allograft survival in Lewis recipients with and without the addition of peritransplant cyclosporine (CsA) (20 mg/kg i.m.) given on days 0, +1, and +2 in relation to the time of transplantation. The mean survival time (MST) of ACI cardiac allografts in Lewis recipients was significantly increased to 33.6 +/- 5.7 days (P less than 0.001) by CsA treatment alone as compared to 6.5 +/- 0.5 days survival in control. When DST was given on day -3 combined with CsA, graft survival was increased to 42.0 +/- 9.3 days (P less than 0.01), as compared to 5.8 +/- 1.3 days when DST alone was used. When DST was irradiated with ultraviolet B (UV-DST) and administered on day -3 combined with peritransplant CsA, the MST was increased to 68.83 +/- 16.1 days as compared to an MST of 10.0 +/- 1.0 days in controls treated with UV-DST alone. When UV-DST was given on day -7 and combined with peritransplant CsA immunosuppression, the results were similar. However, when UV-DST was peritransplant CsA course, 4 of 6 recipients maintained their ACI heart allografts indefinitely (greater than 300 days) in contrast to the effect of UV-DST alone (MST of 13.5 days). Third-party (W/F) UV-irradiated blood transfusions were ineffective in prolonging ACI cardiac allografts in Lewis rats, regardless of whether the transfusions were given alone or in combination with peritransplant immunosuppression with CsA

  18. Host immune status affects maturation time in two nematode species--but not as predicted by a simple life-history model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guinnee, M A; Gemmill, A W; Chan, B H K; Viney, M E; Read, A F

    2003-11-01

    In theory, the age at which maturation occurs in parasitic nematodes is inversely related to pre-maturational mortality rate, and cross-species data on mammalian nematodes are consistent with this prediction. Immunity is a major source of parasite mortality and parasites stand to gain sizeable fitness benefits through short-term adjustments of maturation time in response to variation in immune-mediated mortality. The effects of thymus-dependent immune responses on maturation in the nematode parasites Strongyloides ratti and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis were investigated using congenitally thymus-deficient (nude) rats. As compared with worms in normal rats, reproductive maturity of parasites (presence of eggs in utero) in nude rats occurred later in S. ratti but earlier in N. brasiliensis. Immune-mediated differences in maturation time were not associated with differences in worm length. Thymus-dependent immunity had no effect on prematurational mortality. Results are discussed in relation to theoretical expectations and possible explanations for the observed patterns in parasite maturation.

  19. Who Needs Lewis Structures to Get VSEPR Geometries?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindmark, Alan F.

    2010-01-01

    Teaching the VSEPR (valence shell electron-pair repulsion) model can be a tedious process. Traditionally, Lewis structures are drawn and the number of "electron clouds" (groups) around the central atom are counted and related to the standard VSEPR table of possible geometries. A simpler method to deduce the VSEPR structure without first drawing…

  20. Phleum pratense pollen starch granules induce humoral and cell-mediated immune responses in a rat model of allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motta, A; Peltre, G; Dormans, J A M A; Withagen, C E T; Lacroix, G; Bois, F; Steerenberg, P A

    2004-02-01

    Timothy grass (Phleum pratense) pollen allergens are an important cause of allergic symptoms. However, pollen grains are too large to penetrate the deeper airways. Grass pollen is known to release allergen-bearing starch granules (SG) upon contact with water. These granules can create an inhalable allergenic aerosol capable of triggering an early asthmatic response and are implicated in thunderstorm-associated asthma. We studied the humoral (IgE) and bronchial lymph node cells reactivities to SG from timothy grass pollen in pollen-sensitized rats. Brown-Norway rats were sensitized (day 0) and challenged (day 21) intratracheally with intact pollen and kept immunized by pollen intranasal instillation by 4 weeks intervals during 3 months. Blood and bronchial lymph nodes were collected 7 days after the last intranasal challenge. SG were purified from fresh timothy grass pollen using 5 microm mesh filters. To determine the humoral response (IgE) to SG, we developed an original ELISA inhibition test, based on competition between pollen allergens and purified SG. The cell-mediated response to SG in the bronchial lymph node cells was determined by measuring the uptake of [3H]thymidine in a proliferation assay. An antibody response to SG was induced, and purified SG were able to inhibit the IgE ELISA absorbance by 45%. Pollen extract and intact pollen gave inhibitions of 55% and 52%, respectively. A cell-mediated response was also found, as pollen extract, intact pollen and SG triggered proliferation of bronchial lymph node cells. It was confirmed that timothy grass pollen contains allergen-loaded SG, which are released upon contact with water. These granules were shown to be recognized by pollen-sensitized rats sera and to trigger lymph node cell proliferation in these rats. These data provide new arguments supporting the implication of grass pollen SG in allergic asthma.

  1. α-Synuclein pathology in the cranial and spinal nerves in Lewy body disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Keiko; Mori, Fumiaki; Tanji, Kunikazu; Miki, Yasuo; Toyoshima, Yasuko; Kakita, Akiyoshi; Takahashi, Hitoshi; Yamada, Masahito; Wakabayashi, Koichi

    2016-06-01

    Accumulation of phosphorylated α-synuclein in neurons and glial cells is a histological hallmark of Lewy body disease (LBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Recently, filamentous aggregations of phosphorylated α-synuclein have been reported in the cytoplasm of Schwann cells, but not in axons, in the peripheral nervous system in MSA, mainly in the cranial and spinal nerve roots. Here we conducted an immunohistochemical investigation of the cranial and spinal nerves and dorsal root ganglia of patients with LBD. Lewy axons were found in the oculomotor, trigeminal and glossopharyngeal-vagus nerves, but not in the hypoglossal nerve. The glossopharyngeal-vagus nerves were most frequently affected, with involvement in all of 20 subjects. In the spinal nerve roots, Lewy axons were found in all of the cases examined. Lewy axons in the anterior nerves were more frequent and numerous in the thoracic and sacral segments than in the cervical and lumbar segments. On the other hand, axonal lesions in the posterior spinal nerve roots appeared to increase along a cervical-to-sacral gradient. Although Schwann cell cytoplasmic inclusions were found in the spinal nerves, they were only minimal. In the dorsal root ganglia, axonal lesions were seldom evident. These findings indicate that α-synuclein pathology in the peripheral nerves is axonal-predominant in LBD, whereas it is restricted to glial cells in MSA. © 2015 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

  2. Rat macrophages: membrane glycoproteins in differentiation and function

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van den Berg, T. K.; Döpp, E. A.; Dijkstra, C. D.

    2001-01-01

    Macrophages (mphi) play a crucial role in the immune system. The rat offers unique advantages for studying the biology of mphi. Firstly, monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against many rat mphi surface glycoproteins have become available. These have not only demonstrated a considerable heterogeneity among

  3. HLA-B27 and human β2-microglobulin affect the gut microbiota of transgenic rats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Phoebe Lin

    Full Text Available The HLA-B27 gene is a major risk factor for clinical diseases including ankylosing spondylitis, acute anterior uveitis, reactive arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis, but its mechanism of risk enhancement is not completely understood. The gut microbiome has recently been shown to influence several HLA-linked diseases. However, the role of HLA-B27 in shaping the gut microbiome has not been previously investigated. In this study, we characterize the differences in the gut microbiota mediated by the presence of the HLA-B27 gene. We identified differences in the cecal microbiota of Lewis rats transgenic for HLA-B27 and human β2-microglobulin (hβ2m, compared with wild-type Lewis rats, using biome representational in situ karyotyping (BRISK and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. 16S sequencing revealed significant differences between transgenic animals and wild type animals by principal coordinates analysis. Further analysis of the data set revealed an increase in Prevotella spp. and a decrease in Rikenellaceae relative abundance in the transgenic animals compared to the wild type animals. By BRISK analysis, species-specific differences included an increase in Bacteroides vulgatus abundance in HLA-B27/hβ2m and hβ2m compared to wild type rats. The finding that HLA-B27 is associated with altered cecal microbiota has not been shown before and can potentially provide a better understanding of the clinical diseases associated with this gene.

  4. Effects of female gonadal hormones and LPS on depressive-like behavior in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitić Miloš

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Considerable evidence shows an association of depression with the immune system and emphasizes the importance of gender in the etiology of the disease and the response to inflammatory stimuli. We examined the influence of immune-challenged systems on depressive-like behavior in female rats in the context of gonadal hormones. We used a neuroinflammatory model of depression elicited by lipopolysaccharide (LPS administration on naive and ovariectomized (OVX female rats, and examined the effects of estradiol (E2 and/or progesterone (P4 replacement therapy on animal behavior, as assessed by the forced swimming test (FST. We found that LPS and OVX increase immobility in the FST, while LPS also decreased body weight in naive female rats. Further, even though P4 application alone showed beneficial effects on the behavioral profile (it reduced immobility and increased climbing, supplementation of both hormones (E2 and P4 together to OVX rats failed to do so. When OVX rats were exposed to LPS-induced immune challenge, neither hormone individually nor their combination had any effect on immobility, however, their joint supplementation increased climbing behavior. In conclusion, our study confirmed that both LPS and OVX induced depressive-like behavior in female rats. Furthermore, our results potentiate P4 supplementation in relieving the depressive-like symptomatology in OVX rats, most likely through fine-tuning of different neurotransmitter systems. In the context of an activated immune system, the application of E2 and/or P4 does not provide any advantageous effects on depressive-like behavior.

  5. Wound healing treatment by high frequency ultrasound, microcurrent, and combined therapy modifies the immune response in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raciele I. G. Korelo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Therapeutic high-frequency ultrasound, microcurrent, and a combination of the two have been used as potential interventions in the soft tissue healing process, but little is known about their effect on the immune system. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of therapeutic high frequency ultrasound, microcurrent, and the combined therapy of the two on the size of the wound area, peritoneal macrophage function, CD4+ and CD8+, T lymphocyte populations, and plasma concentration of interleukins (ILs. METHOD: Sixty-five Wistar rats were randomized into five groups, as follows: uninjured control (C, group 1, lesion and no treatment (L, group 2, lesion treated with ultrasound (LU, group 3, lesion treated with microcurrent (LM, group 4, and lesion treated with combined therapy (LUM, group 5. For groups 3, 4 and 5, treatment was initiated 24 hours after surgery under anesthesia and each group was allocated into three different subgroups (n=5 to allow for the use of the different therapy resources at on days 3, 7 and 14 Photoplanimetry was performed daily. After euthanasia, blood was collected for immune analysis. RESULTS: Ultrasound increased the phagocytic capacity and the production of nitric oxide by macrophages and induced the reduction of CD4+ cells, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and the plasma concentration of IL-1β. Microcurrent and combined therapy decreased the production of superoxide anion, nitric oxide, CD4+-positive cells, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and IL-1β concentration. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic high-frequency ultrasound, microcurrent, and combined therapy changed the activity of the innate and adaptive immune system during healing process but did not accelerate the closure of the wound.

  6. The effect of low-dose X-irradiation on immune system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Keiichiro

    1996-01-01

    The hypothesis of radiation hormesis has been proposed. To elucidate the hormetic effect on the immune system, we studied the mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes of F344/NSlc rat and BALB/c mouse after low-dose X-irradiation. Con A, PHA or LPS-induced proliferation of rat splenocytes prepared at 4 hr after irradiation was augmented with 5 cGy. This augmentation was observed within a few hours after irradiation, being a temporary effect. In case of mice, the proliferation of splenocytes induced by Con A, PHA or LPS was augmented by irradiation with 2.5 cGy. Thus, some phenomena of hormetic effect on the immune system were observed. However, the mechanism of augmentation of immune splenocytes is uncertainty. Therefore, we examined changes in production of LTB 4 and IL-1 being inflammatory mediators. After 5 cGy irradiation the production of LTB 4 of rat splenocyte showed a significant increase. Furthermore, 2.5 cGy irradiation also enhanced, the biological activity of intracellular IL-1 of LPS-stimulated mouse splenocytes. Additionally, to elucidate the stimulative effect on the antitumor immunity by low-dose X-irradiation, we studied the changes in the incidence of thymic lymphoma using AKR mice and of spontaneous metastasis to lung using tumor bearing mice. The incidence of thymic lymphoma was significantly decreased and the life span was significantly prolonged by periodical low-dose X-irradiation in terms of breeding of AKR mice. By an irradiation with 15 cGy, numbers of lung colony in the tumor bearing mice were decreased by 57% relative to the sham-irradiated controls. Then, IL-6 and TNF-α production of tumor bearing mice splenocytes were enhanced. These findings suggest that the low-dose X-irradiation might have caused a light inflammation and might have induced an augmentation of immune splenocytes. Furthermore, these results indicate that an augmentation of the antitumor immunity was induced by low-dose X-irradiation. (author). 127 refs

  7. The effect of low-dose X-irradiation on immune system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishii, Keiichiro [Central Research Inst. of Electric Power Industry, Komae, Tokyo (Japan). Komae Research Lab.

    1996-06-01

    The hypothesis of radiation hormesis has been proposed. To elucidate the hormetic effect on the immune system, we studied the mitogen-induced proliferation of splenocytes of F344/NSlc rat and BALB/c mouse after low-dose X-irradiation. Con A, PHA or LPS-induced proliferation of rat splenocytes prepared at 4 hr after irradiation was augmented with 5 cGy. This augmentation was observed within a few hours after irradiation, being a temporary effect. In case of mice, the proliferation of splenocytes induced by Con A, PHA or LPS was augmented by irradiation with 2.5 cGy. Thus, some phenomena of hormetic effect on the immune system were observed. However, the mechanism of augmentation of immune splenocytes is uncertainty. Therefore, we examined changes in production of LTB{sub 4} and IL-1 being inflammatory mediators. After 5 cGy irradiation the production of LTB{sub 4} of rat splenocyte showed a significant increase. Furthermore, 2.5 cGy irradiation also enhanced, the biological activity of intracellular IL-1 of LPS-stimulated mouse splenocytes. Additionally, to elucidate the stimulative effect on the antitumor immunity by low-dose X-irradiation, we studied the changes in the incidence of thymic lymphoma using AKR mice and of spontaneous metastasis to lung using tumor bearing mice. The incidence of thymic lymphoma was significantly decreased and the life span was significantly prolonged by periodical low-dose X-irradiation in terms of breeding of AKR mice. By an irradiation with 15 cGy, numbers of lung colony in the tumor bearing mice were decreased by 57% relative to the sham-irradiated controls. Then, IL-6 and TNF-{alpha} production of tumor bearing mice splenocytes were enhanced. These findings suggest that the low-dose X-irradiation might have caused a light inflammation and might have induced an augmentation of immune splenocytes. Furthermore, these results indicate that an augmentation of the antitumor immunity was induced by low-dose X-irradiation. 127 refs.

  8. Stereocontrol during the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylates with combined Lewis acids:Aluminium trichloride(AlCl3) and iron dichloride tetrahydrate

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2010-01-01

    The radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate(MMA) was carried out in the presence of combined Lewis acids of the AlCl3-FeCl2 system.Compared with the polymerization produced in the presence of single Lewis acids,AlCl3 or FeCl2,the MMA polymerization in the presence of AlCl3-FeCl2 composite in CHCl3 or 1-butanol produced a polymer with a higher isotacticity and in toluene produced a polymer with a much higher isotacticity(mm=50%) .The molecular weight and polydispersity of PMMA in the presence of Lewis acids were similar with those in the absence of Lewis acids,although Lewis acids decelerate the polymerization of MMA.The effects of the Lewis acids were greater in a solvent with a lower polarity.A possible stereocontrol mechanism of the polymerization was proposed.The Lewis acid composite of AlCl3-FeCl2 readily formed a complex with growing species.These complexes possessed apparent bulkiness that changes the direction of monomer addition to the growing radical center.

  9. Valsartan Attenuates KIR2.1 by Downregulating the Th1 Immune Response in Rats Following Myocardial Infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xinran; Hu, Hesheng; Wang, Ye; Xue, Mei; Li, Xiaolu; Cheng, Wenjuan; Xuan, Yongli; Yin, Jie; Yang, Na; Yan, Suhua

    2016-03-01

    Myocardial infarction (MI) results in decreased inward-rectifier K⁺ current (IK1), which is mediated primarily by the Kir2.1 protein and is accompanied by upregulated T cells. Interferon γ (IFN-γ), secreted predominantly by Th1 cells, causes a decrease in IK1 in microglia. Whether Th1 cells can induce IK1/Kir2.1 remodeling following MI and whether valsartan can ameliorate this phenomenon remain unclear. Rats experiencing MI received either valsartan or saline for 7 days. Th1-enriched lymphocytes and myocytes were cocultured with or without valsartan treatment. Th1 cells were monitored by flow cytometry. The protein levels of Kir2.1 were detected by Western blot analyses. IK1 was recorded through whole-cell patch clamping. The plasma levels of IFN-γ, interleukin 2, and tumor necrosis factor α were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Th1 cell number and cytokine expression levels were higher following MI, and the Kir2.1 protein level was decreased. In MI rats, valsartan reduced Th1 cell number and cytokine expression levels and increased the Kir2.1 expression and the IK1 current compared with the rats that received saline treatment; these results are consistent with the effect of valsartan in cocultured lymphocytes and myocytes. In vitro, IFN-γ overexpression suppressed the IK1 current, whereas interleukin 2 and tumor necrosis factor α had no significant effect on the current, establishing that Th1 cell regulation of IK1/Kir2.1 expression is mainly dependent on IFN-γ. Valsartan ameliorates IK1/Kir2.1 remodeling by downregulating the Th1 immune response following MI.

  10. Providing Total Quality Fundamentals: 1995 Workshops for the NASA Lewis Research Center's Technical Services Directorate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antczak, Paul; Jacinto,Gilda; Simek, Jimmy

    1997-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) agency-wide movement to cultivate a quality workplace is the basis for Lewis Research Center to implement Total Quality Fundamentals (TQF) initiatives. The Lewis Technical Services Directorate (TSD) introduced the Total Quality Fundamentals (TQF) workshops to its work force as an opportunity to introduce the concepts and principles of TQF. These workshops also provided the participants with the opportunity to dialogue with fellow TSD employees and managers. This report describes, through the perspective of the Lewis TSD TQF Coaches, how the TQF work- shop process was accomplished in TSD. It describes the structure for addressing the need, implementation process, input the TSD Coaches provided, common themes and concerns raised, conclusions, and recommendations. The Coaches concluded that these types of workshops could be the key to open the communication channels that are necessary to help everyone at Lewis understand where they fit in the organization. TQF workshops can strengthen the participant's connection with the Mission, Vision of the Center, and Vision of the Agency. Reconunendations are given based on these conclusions that can help the TSD Quality Board develop attainable measures towards a quality workplace.

  11. Modulation of Immune Disorders Induced-Arthritis in γ- Irradiated Rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thabet, N.M.S.

    2013-01-01

    This study was to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capability of a laboratory preparation mixture Nano Selenium-lovastatin (Lov-Se) against oxidative stress and inflammatory cascade in irradiated and/or adjuvant arthritic rats. The experimental animals were divided into: adjuvant free groups and adjuvant induced groups. Rats were exposed to whole body γ-radiation (2 Gy every 3 days up to total dose of 8 Gy) and received oral administration of 1 ml Lov-Se mixture (≈ 20 mg kg - 1 Lov and 0.1 mg kg - 1 day - 1 Se) for 14 successive days. Animal model of arthritis was organized by subcutaneous injection of complete freund’s adjuvant. The antioxidant parameters (heart GSH-Px, CAT, SOD, XDH, GSH and blood Se), and oxidant markers (heart XO, NO, protein carbonyls and TBARS) and Also, the inflammatory molecules (serum TNF-α, CRP and RF) were determined. In irradiated Lov-Se rats, the results obtained reveals that, TBARS, protein carbonyl, TNF-α, CRP levels, and XO, CAT and SOD activities were significantly ameliorated as compared to irradiated rats. Also, heart GSH, NO levels, XDH, GSH-Px activities and blood Se level were significantly improved. In addition, the administration of Lov-Se to the arthritic and arthritic irradiated rats ameliorates the disturbance occurs in oxidative stress, inflammatory cascades and antioxidant indicators when compared to control rats. In conclusion, the proper administration of Lov-Se mixture might reduce the radiation-induced heart injury via amending the antioxidant molecules and decreasing lipid and protein oxidation. Also, it could be suggested that Lov-Se mixture might posses a considerable anti-inflammatory properties

  12. Impairments of speech fluency in Lewy body spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ash, Sharon; McMillan, Corey; Gross, Rachel G; Cook, Philip; Gunawardena, Delani; Morgan, Brianna; Boller, Ashley; Siderowf, Andrew; Grossman, Murray

    2012-03-01

    Few studies have examined connected speech in demented and non-demented patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We assessed the speech production of 35 patients with Lewy body spectrum disorder (LBSD), including non-demented PD patients, patients with PD dementia (PDD), and patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), in a semi-structured narrative speech sample in order to characterize impairments of speech fluency and to determine the factors contributing to reduced speech fluency in these patients. Both demented and non-demented PD patients exhibited reduced speech fluency, characterized by reduced overall speech rate and long pauses between sentences. Reduced speech rate in LBSD correlated with measures of between-utterance pauses, executive functioning, and grammatical comprehension. Regression analyses related non-fluent speech, grammatical difficulty, and executive difficulty to atrophy in frontal brain regions. These findings indicate that multiple factors contribute to slowed speech in LBSD, and this is mediated in part by disease in frontal brain regions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Animal mdels for the study of the effects of spaceflight on the immune system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonnenfeld, G.

    Animal models have been used extensively to study the effects of spaceflight on the immune system. The rat has been the animal used most extensively, but some studies have also been carried out utilizing mice and rhesus monkeys. Hindlimb unloading of rats and mice is a ground-based model that has been utilized to determine the effects of spaceflight-type conditions on the immune systems. The results using this model have shown that hindlimb unloading results in alterations of functional rodent immune responses, including cytokine production, blastogenesis of leukocytes, response of bone marrow cells to colony stimulating factors, neutrophil activity, and resistance to infection. Distribution of leukocyte subtypes was not affected by hindlimb unloading. Studies on rats flown in space have demonstrated that exposure to spaceflight results in alterations in cytokine production, alterations in the ability of bone marrow cells to respond to colony stimulating factors, alterations in leukocyte subset distribution, and alterations in natural killer cell function. When pregnant rats were flown in space, although the immune responses of the pregnant mothers were altered by exposure to spaceflight, no effects of spaceflight on the immune responses of the offspring were observed. In one study, rhesus monkeys were flown in space and their immune status was evaluated upon their return to earth. Results of that study showed alterations in the ability of monkey immune cells to produce cytokines, express cytokine receptors, and respond to colony stimulating factor. Therefore, it is clear that exposure to spaceflight results in alterations in immune responses of the test animals. These changes are similar to those observed for humans that have flown in space, and demonstrate that the animal models are appropriate for studying the effects of spaceflight on the immune system. Although use of the hindlimb unloading model on the ground has indicated that exposure to the model also

  14. Building new discrete supramolecular assemblies through the interaction of iso-tellurazole N-oxides with Lewis acids and bases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Peter C; Jenkins, Hilary A; Britten, James F; Vargas-Baca, Ignacio

    2017-10-13

    The supramolecular macrocycles spontaneously assembled by iso-tellurazole N-oxides are stable towards Lewis bases as strong as N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) but readily react with Lewis acids such as BR 3 (R = Ph, F). The electron acceptor ability of the tellurium atom is greatly enhanced in the resulting O-bonded adducts, which consequently enables binding to a variety of Lewis bases that includes acetonitrile, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, 4,4'-bipyridine, triphenyl phosphine, a N-heterocyclic carbene and a second molecule of iso-tellurazole N-oxide.

  15. The Fruiting Bodies, Submerged Culture Biomass, and Acidic Polysaccharide Glucuronoxylomannan of Yellow Brain Mushroom Tremella mesenterica Modulate the Immunity of Peripheral Blood Leukocytes and Splenocytes in Rats with Impaired Glucose Tolerance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tai-Hao Hsu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM, a chronic disease with hyperglycemia and impaired immune function, is increasing worldwide. Progression from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT to type 2 DM has recently become a target for early intervention. The fruiting bodies (FB and submerged culture mycelium (CM of Tremella mesenterica, an edible and medicinal mushroom, have been demonstrated to have antihyperglycemic and immunomodulatory activities in type 1 DM rats. Herein, we investigated the effects of acidic polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GX extracted from CM on the immunocyte responses. Male Wistar rats were injected with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg plus nicotinamide (200 mg/kg for the induction of IGT, and gavaged daily with vehicle, FB, CM, or GX (1 g/kg/day. Rats injected with saline and gavaged vehicle were used as controls. Two weeks later, peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs and splenocytes were collected. Ingestion of FB, CM, and GX significantly decreased blood glucose levels in the postprandial period and in oral glucose tolerance test, and partially reversed T-splenocytic proliferation in IGT rats. CM significantly decreased T-helper lymphocytes in the PBLs and B-splenocytes. In addition, FB, CM, and GX significantly reversed the IGT-induced decreases in tumor necrosis factor-α production; GX significantly increased interleukin-6 production in T-lymphocytes in the PBLs and splenocytes; and CM and GX significantly reversed IGT-induced decrease in interferon-γ production in T-lymphocytes in the spleen. In conclusion, FB, CM, and acidic polysaccharide GX of T. mesenterica may increase T-cell immunity via the elevation of proinflammatory and T-helper cytokine production in rats with impaired glucose tolerance.

  16. Lewis Base Activation of Silyl Acetals: Iridium-Catalyzed Reductive Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons Olefination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dakarapu, Udaya Sree; Bokka, Apparao; Asgari, Parham; Trog, Gabriela; Hua, Yuanda; Nguyen, Hiep H; Rahman, Nawal; Jeon, Junha

    2015-12-04

    A Lewis base promoted deprotonative pronucleophile addition to silyl acetals has been developed and applied to the iridium-catalyzed reductive Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) olefination of esters and the chemoselective reduction of the resulting enoates. Lewis base activation of silyl acetals generates putative pentacoordinate silicate acetals, which fragment into aldehydes, silanes, and alkoxides in situ. Subsequent deprotonative metalation of phosphonate esters followed by HWE with aldehydes furnishes enoates. This operationally convenient, mechanistically unique protocol converts the traditionally challenging aryl, alkenyl, and alkynyl esters to homologated enoates at room temperature within a single vessel.

  17. Lewis Acid-Base Chemistry of 7-Azaisoindigo-Based Organic Semiconductors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randell, Nicholas M; Fransishyn, Kyle M; Kelly, Timothy L

    2017-07-26

    Low-band-gap organic semiconductors are important in a variety of organic electronics applications, such as organic photovoltaic devices, photodetectors, and field effect transistors. Building on our previous work, which introduced 7-azaisoindigo as an electron-deficient building block for the synthesis of donor-acceptor organic semiconductors, we demonstrate how Lewis acids can be used to further tune the energies of the frontier molecular orbitals. Coordination of a Lewis acid to the pyridinic nitrogen of 7-azaisoindigo greatly diminishes the electron density in the azaisoindigo π-system, resulting in a substantial reduction in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy. This results in a smaller highest occupied molecular orbital-LUMO gap and shifts the lowest-energy electronic transition well into the near-infrared region. Both H + and BF 3 are shown to coordinate to azaisoindigo and affect the energy of the S 0 → S 1 transition. A combination of time-dependent density functional theory and UV/vis and 1 H NMR spectroscopic titrations reveal that when two azaisoindigo groups are present and high concentrations of acid are used, both pyridinic nitrogens bind Lewis acids. Importantly, we demonstrate that this acid-base chemistry can be carried out at the solid-vapor interface by exposing thin films of aza-substituted organic semiconductors to vapor-phase BF 3 ·Et 2 O. This suggests the possibility of using the BF 3 -bound 7-azaisoindigo-based semiconductors as n-type materials in various organic electronic applications.

  18. Anti-Tribbles Pseudokinase 2 (TRIB2)-Immunization Modulates Hypocretin/Orexin Neuronal Functions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Susumu; Honda, Yoshiko; Honda, Makoto; Yamada, Hisao; Honda, Kazuki; Kodama, Tohru

    2017-01-01

    Recent findings showed that 16%-26% of narcolepsy patients were positive for anti-tribbles pseudokinase 2 (TRIB2) antibody, and the intracerebroventricular administration of immunoglobulin-G purified from anti-TRIB2 positive narcolepsy patients caused hypocretin/orexin neuron loss. We investigated the pathophysiological role of TRIB2 antibody using TRIB2-immunized rats and hypocretin/ataxin-3 transgenic (ataxin-3) mice. Plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and hypothalamic tissues from TRIB2-immunized rats were collected. Anti-TRIB2 titers, hypocretin contents, mRNA expressions, the cell count of hypocretin neurons, and immunoreactivity of anti-TRIB2 antibodies on hypocretin neurons were investigated. The plasma from ataxin-3 mice was also used to determine the anti-TRIB2 antibody titer changes following the loss of hypocretin neurons. TRIB2 antibody titers increased in the plasma and CSF of TRIB2-immunized rats. The hypothalamic tissue immunostained with the sera from TRIB2-immunized rats revealed positive signals in the cytoplasm of hypcretin neurons. While no changes were found regarding hypothalamic hypocretin contents or cell counts, but there were significant decreases of the hypocretin mRNA level and release into the CSF. The plasma from over 26-week-old ataxin-3 mice, at the advanced stage of hypocretin cell destruction, showed positive reactions against TRIB2 antigen, and positive plasma also reacted with murine hypothalamic hypocretin neurons. Our results suggest that the general activation of the immune system modulates the functions of hypocretin neurons. The absence of a change in hypocretin cell populations suggested that factors other than anti-TRIB2 antibody play a part in the loss of hypocretin neurons in narcolepsy. The increased anti-TRIB2 antibody after the destruction of hypocretin neurons suggest that anti-TRIB2 antibody in narcolepsy patients is the consequence rather than the inciting cause of hypocretin cell destruction. © Sleep Research

  19. Falta de associação entre o sistema Lewis e obstrução coronariana Lack of association between the Lewis blood group system and coronary vessel obstruction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana R. Cintra

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Estudos prévios demonstraram associação entre o sistema Lewis e a doença arterial coronariana (DAC a partir da observação de que o fenótipo eritrocitário Le(a-b- era prevalente em pacientes e propuseram que esse fenótipo representava um novo marcador de risco para essa doença. Esse estudo teve como objetivo verificar a prevalência desse marcador em pacientes brasileiros com indicação de realizar cineangiocoronariografia. A fenotipagem do sistema Lewis foi realizada pelo método gel centrifugação, e a genotipagem do loco LE foi feita pelo método PCR-RFLP. Cento e oitenta e três pacientes (114 masculinos e 69 femininos, com média de idade igual a 59,1 anos (DP ± 12,37; mediana 60 foram selecionados. Cento e vinte e um (66,1% pacientes apresentaram obstrução coronariana de qualquer grau, sendo essa característica duas vezes mais elevada no sexo masculino do que no feminino (p=0,07. As freqüências dos fenótipos eritrocitários Lewis foram semelhantes em ambos os grupos de pacientes e o fenótipo Le(a-b- mostrou-se não estar associado à presença de obstrução coronariana (p=0,36. Elevados índices de discrepância fenótipo-genótipo foram observados entre os pacientes Le(a-b-, com base na genotipagem das mutações T59G (86,7% e T1067A (90,0%. As freqüências dos alelos T e G (posição 59 e T e A (posição 1067 não mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os pacientes com e sem obstrução coronariana (p = 0,52 e p = 0,44, respectivamente. Esses resultados demonstram que o sistema Lewis não está associado à presença de obstrução coronariana e não suportam a proposição de que o fenótipo eritrocitário Le(a-b- representa um marcador de risco para essa doença na casuística brasileira.Previous studies have shown an association between the Lewis blood group system and coronary artery disease (CAD from the observation that the Le(a-b- red blood cell phenotype was prevalent among these patients

  20. Lewis Acid Pairs for the Activation of Biomass-derived Oxygenates in Aqueous Media

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roman, Yuriy [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

    2015-09-14

    The objective of this project is to understand the mechanistic aspects behind the cooperative activation of oxygenates by catalytic pairs in aqueous media. Specifically, we will investigate how the reactivity of a solid Lewis acid can be modulated by pairing the active site with other catalytic sites at the molecular level, with the ultimate goal of enhancing activation of targeted functional groups. Although unusual catalytic properties have been attributed to the cooperative effects promoted by such catalytic pairs, virtually no studies exist detailing the use heterogeneous water-tolerant Lewis pairs. A main goal of this work is to devise rational pathways for the synthesis of porous heterogeneous catalysts featuring isolated Lewis pairs that are active in the transformation of biomass-derived oxygenates in the presence of bulk water. Achieving this technical goal will require closely linking advanced synthesis techniques; detailed kinetic and mechanistic investigations; strict thermodynamic arguments; and comprehensive characterization studies of both materials and reaction intermediates. For the last performance period (2014-2015), two technical aims were pursued: 1) C-C coupling using Lewis acid and base pairs in Lewis acidic zeolites. Tin-, zirconium-, and hafnium containing zeolites (e.g., Sn-, Zr-, and Hf-Beta) are versatile solid Lewis acids that selectively activate carbonyl functional groups. In this aim, we demonstrate that these zeolites catalyze the cross-aldol condensation of aromatic aldehydes with acetone under mild reaction conditions with near quantitative yields. NMR studies with isotopically labeled molecules confirm that acid-base pairs in the Si-O-M framework ensemble promote soft enolization through α-proton abstraction. The Lewis acidic zeolites maintain activity in the presence of water and, unlike traditional base catalysts, in acidic solutions. 2) One-pot synthesis of MWW zeolite nanosheets for activation of bulky substrates. Through

  1. Candesartan ameliorates impaired fear extinction induced by innate immune activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quiñones, María M; Maldonado, Lizette; Velazquez, Bethzaly; Porter, James T

    2016-02-01

    Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) tend to show signs of a relatively increased inflammatory state suggesting that activation of the immune system may contribute to the development of PTSD. In the present study, we tested whether activation of the innate immune system can disrupt acquisition or recall of auditory fear extinction using an animal model of PTSD. Male adolescent rats received auditory fear conditioning in context A. The next day, an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 100 μg/kg) prior to auditory fear extinction in context B impaired acquisition and recall of extinction. LPS (100 μg/kg) given after extinction training did not impair extinction recall suggesting that LPS did not affect consolidation of extinction. In contrast to cued fear extinction, contextual fear extinction was not affected by prior injection of LPS (100 μg/kg). Although LPS also reduced locomotion, we could dissociate the effects of LPS on extinction and locomotion by using a lower dose of LPS (50 μg/kg) which impaired locomotion without affecting extinction. In addition, 15 h after an injection of 250 μg/kg LPS in adult rats, extinction learning and recall were impaired without affecting locomotion. A sub-chronic treatment with candesartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, prevented the LPS-induced impairment of extinction in adult rats. Our results demonstrate that activation of the innate immune system can disrupt auditory fear extinction in adolescent and adult animals. These findings also provide direction for clinical studies of novel treatments that modulate the innate immune system for stress-related disorders like PTSD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Food-grade TiO2 impairs intestinal and systemic immune homeostasis, initiates preneoplastic lesions and promotes aberrant crypt development in the rat colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bettini, Sarah; Boutet-Robinet, Elisa; Cartier, Christel; Coméra, Christine; Gaultier, Eric; Dupuy, Jacques; Naud, Nathalie; Taché, Sylviane; Grysan, Patrick; Reguer, Solenn; Thieriet, Nathalie; Réfrégiers, Matthieu; Thiaudière, Dominique; Cravedi, Jean-Pierre; Carrière, Marie; Audinot, Jean-Nicolas; Pierre, Fabrice H; Guzylack-Piriou, Laurence; Houdeau, Eric

    2017-01-20

    Food-grade titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) containing a nanoscale particle fraction (TiO 2 -NPs) is approved as a white pigment (E171 in Europe) in common foodstuffs, including confectionary. There are growing concerns that daily oral TiO 2 -NP intake is associated with an increased risk of chronic intestinal inflammation and carcinogenesis. In rats orally exposed for one week to E171 at human relevant levels, titanium was detected in the immune cells of Peyer's patches (PP) as observed with the TiO 2 -NP model NM-105. Dendritic cell frequency increased in PP regardless of the TiO 2 treatment, while regulatory T cells involved in dampening inflammatory responses decreased with E171 only, an effect still observed after 100 days of treatment. In all TiO 2 -treated rats, stimulation of immune cells isolated from PP showed a decrease in Thelper (Th)-1 IFN-γ secretion, while splenic Th1/Th17 inflammatory responses sharply increased. E171 or NM-105 for one week did not initiate intestinal inflammation, while a 100-day E171 treatment promoted colon microinflammation and initiated preneoplastic lesions while also fostering the growth of aberrant crypt foci in a chemically induced carcinogenesis model. These data should be considered for risk assessments of the susceptibility to Th17-driven autoimmune diseases and to colorectal cancer in humans exposed to TiO 2 from dietary sources.

  3. Jungle Honey Enhances Immune Function and Antitumor Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miki Fukuda

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Jungle honey (JH is collected from timber and blossom by wild honey bees that live in the tropical forest of Nigeria. JH is used as a traditional medicine for colds, skin inflammation and burn wounds as well as general health care. However, the effects of JH on immune functions are not clearly known. Therefore, we investigated the effects of JH on immune functions and antitumor activity in mice. Female C57BL/6 mice were injected with JH (1 mg/mouse/day, seven times intra-peritoneal. After seven injections, peritoneal cells (PC were obtained. Antitumor activity was assessed by growth of Lewis Lung Carcinoma/2 (LL/2 cells. PC numbers were increased in JH-injected mice compared to control mice. In Dot Plot analysis by FACS, a new cell population appeared in JH-injected mice. The percent of Gr-1 surface antigen and the intensity of Gr-1 antigen expression of PC were increased in JH-injected mice. The new cell population was neutrophils. JH possessed chemotactic activity for neutrophils. Tumor incidence and weight were decreased in JH-injected mice. The ratio of reactive oxygen species (ROS producing cells was increased in JH-injected mice. The effective component in JH was fractionized by gel filtration using HPLC and had an approximate molecular weight (MW of 261. These results suggest that neutrophils induced by JH possess potent antitumor activity mediated by ROS and the effective immune component of JH is substrate of MW 261.

  4. An order in Lewy body disorders: Retrograde degeneration in hyperbranching axons as a fundamental structural template accounting for focal/multifocal Lewy body disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uchihara, Toshiki

    2017-04-01

    Initial clinical recognition of "paralysis agitans" by James Parkinson was expanded by Jean-Martin Charcot, who recognized additional clinical findings of his own, such as slowness (distinct from paralysis), rigidity (distinct from spasticity) and characteristic countenance. Charcot assembled these findings under the umbrella of "Parkinson disease (PD)". This purely clinical concept was so prescient and penetrating that subsequent neuropathological and biochemical evidences were ordered along this axis to establish the nigra-central trinity of PD (dopamine depletion, nigral lesion with Lewy bodies: LBs). Although dramatic efficacy of levodopa boosted an enthusiasm for this nigra-centralism, extranigral lesions were identified, especially after identification of alpha-synuclein (αS) as a major constituent of LBs. Frequent αS lesions in the lower brainstem with their presumed upward spread were coupled with the self-propagating property of αS molecule, as a molecular template, to constitute the prion-Braak hypothesis. This hybrid concept might expectedly explain clinical, structural and biochemical features of PD/dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) as if they were stereotypic. In spite of this ordered explanation, recent studies have demonstrated unexpectedly that αS lesions in the human brain, as well as their corresponding clinical manifestations, are much more disordered. Even with such a chaos of LB disorders, affected neuronal groups are uniformly characterized by hyperbranching axons, which may facilitate distal-dominant degeneration and retrograde progression of LB-related degeneration along axons as a fundamental structural order to template LB disorders. This "structural template" hypothesis may explain why: (i) some selective groups are prone to develop Lewy pathology; (ii) their clinical manifestations (especially non-motor components) are vague and generalized without somatotopic accentuation; (iii) distal axons and terminals are preferentially affected

  5. Triglyceride kinetics in fasted and fed E.coli septic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanza-Jacoby, S.; Tabares, A.

    1990-01-01

    The mechanism for the development of hypertriglyceridemia during gram-negative sepsis was studies by examining the liver production and clearance of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride (TG). To assess the liver output and peripheral clearance the kinetics of VLDL-TG were determined by a constant intravenous infusion of [2- 3 H] glycerol-labeled VLDL in fasted control, fasted E. coli-treated, fed control, and fed E.coli-treated rats. Lewis inbred rats, 275-300 g, were made septic with 8 x 10 7 live E.coli colonies per 100 g body weight. Twenty-four hours following E.coli injection serum TG of fasted E.coli-treated rats was elevated by 170% which was attributed to a 67% decrease in the clearance rate of VLDL-TG in fasted E.coli-treated rats compared with their fasted controls. The secretion of VLDL-TG declined by 31% in the livers of the fasted E.coli-treated rats which was accompanied by a 2-fold increase in the composition of liver TG. In a second series of experiments control and E.coli-treated rats were fed intragastrically (IG) a balanced solution containing glucose plus fat as the sources of nonprotein calories. Serum TG were 26% lower in the fed E.coli-treated rats because the clearance rate increased by 86%. The secretion of TG in the fed septic rats increased by 40% but this difference was not significant. In the septic rat the ability to clear triglycerides from the plasma depends upon the nutritional state

  6. Effects of non-unity Lewis number of gas-phase species in turbulent nonpremixed sooting flames

    KAUST Repository

    Attili, Antonio

    2016-02-13

    Turbulence statistics from two three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of planar n-heptane/air turbulent jets are compared to assess the effect of the gas-phase species diffusion model on flame dynamics and soot formation. The Reynolds number based on the initial jet width and velocity is around 15, 000, corresponding to a Taylor scale Reynolds number in the range 100 ≤ Reλ ≤ 150. In one simulation, multicomponent transport based on a mixture-averaged approach is employed, while in the other the gas-phase species Lewis numbers are set equal to unity. The statistics of temperature and major species obtained with the mixture-averaged formulation are very similar to those in the unity Lewis number case. In both cases, the statistics of temperature are captured with remarkable accuracy by a laminar flamelet model with unity Lewis numbers. On the contrary, a flamelet with a mixture-averaged diffusion model, which corresponds to the model used in the multi-component diffusion three-dimensional DNS, produces significant differences with respect to the DNS results. The total mass of soot precursors decreases by 20-30% with the unity Lewis number approximation, and their distribution is more homogeneous in space and time. Due to the non-linearity of the soot growth rate with respect to the precursors\\' concentration, the soot mass yield decreases by a factor of two. Being strongly affected by coagulation, soot number density is not altered significantly if the unity Lewis number model is used rather than the mixture-averaged diffusion. The dominant role of turbulent transport over differential diffusion effects is expected to become more pronounced for higher Reynolds numbers. © 2016 The Combustion Institute.

  7. Effects of non-unity Lewis number of gas-phase species in turbulent nonpremixed sooting flames

    KAUST Repository

    Attili, Antonio; Bisetti, Fabrizio; Mueller, Michael E.; Pitsch, Heinz

    2016-01-01

    Turbulence statistics from two three-dimensional direct numerical simulations of planar n-heptane/air turbulent jets are compared to assess the effect of the gas-phase species diffusion model on flame dynamics and soot formation. The Reynolds number based on the initial jet width and velocity is around 15, 000, corresponding to a Taylor scale Reynolds number in the range 100 ≤ Reλ ≤ 150. In one simulation, multicomponent transport based on a mixture-averaged approach is employed, while in the other the gas-phase species Lewis numbers are set equal to unity. The statistics of temperature and major species obtained with the mixture-averaged formulation are very similar to those in the unity Lewis number case. In both cases, the statistics of temperature are captured with remarkable accuracy by a laminar flamelet model with unity Lewis numbers. On the contrary, a flamelet with a mixture-averaged diffusion model, which corresponds to the model used in the multi-component diffusion three-dimensional DNS, produces significant differences with respect to the DNS results. The total mass of soot precursors decreases by 20-30% with the unity Lewis number approximation, and their distribution is more homogeneous in space and time. Due to the non-linearity of the soot growth rate with respect to the precursors' concentration, the soot mass yield decreases by a factor of two. Being strongly affected by coagulation, soot number density is not altered significantly if the unity Lewis number model is used rather than the mixture-averaged diffusion. The dominant role of turbulent transport over differential diffusion effects is expected to become more pronounced for higher Reynolds numbers. © 2016 The Combustion Institute.

  8. Two-step method for creating a gastric tube during laparoscopic-thoracoscopic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yu; Li, Ji-Jia; Zu, Peng; Liu, Hong-Xu; Yu, Zhan-Wu; Ren, Yi

    2017-12-07

    To introduce a two-step method for creating a gastric tube during laparoscopic-thoracoscopic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy and assess its clinical application. One hundred and twenty-two patients with middle or lower esophageal cancer who underwent laparoscopic-thoracoscopic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy at Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute from March 2014 to March 2016 were included in this study, and divided into two groups based on the procedure used for creating a gastric tube. One group used a two-step method for creating a gastric tube, and the other group used the conventional method. The two groups were compared regarding the operating time, surgical complications, and number of stapler cartridges used. The mean operating time was significantly shorter in the two-step method group than in the conventional method group [238 (179-293) min vs 272 (189-347) min, P creating a gastric tube during laparoscopic-thoracoscopic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy has the advantages of simple operation, minimal damage to the tubular stomach, and reduced use of stapler cartridges.

  9. Molecular mimicry in pauci-immune focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kain, R.; Exner, M.; Brandes, R.

    2008-01-01

    develop antibodies to rat and human LAMP-2. Finally, we show that infections with fimbriated pathogens are common before the onset of FNGN. Thus, FimH-triggered autoimmunity to LAMP-2 provides a previously undescribed clinically relevant molecular mechanism for the development of pauci-immune FNGN....

  10. Modified NASA-Lewis chemical equilibrium code for MHD applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, R. A.; Geyer, H. K.; Grammel, S. J.; Doss, E. D.

    1979-01-01

    A substantially modified version of the NASA-Lewis Chemical Equilibrium Code was recently developed. The modifications were designed to extend the power and convenience of the Code as a tool for performing combustor analysis for MHD systems studies. The effect of the programming details is described from a user point of view.

  11. Imidazolinium and amidinium salts as Lewis acid organocatalysts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oksana Sereda

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available The application of imidazolinium and amidinium salts as soft Lewis acid organocatalysts is described. These salts were suitable catalysts for the activation of unsaturated thioesters in a Diels–Alder reaction and in the ring opening of thiiranes and epoxides. The products were isolated in good yields. The mild catalysts did not cause desulfurization of the products containing a thiol or thiocarbonyl group.

  12. Immune mechanisms in the transfer of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis without adjuvant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silberg, D.G.

    1985-01-01

    Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) can be induced in Lewis rats without the use of adjuvant. Spleen cells of naive rats were sensitized to myelin basic protein (MBP) in vitro. Transfer of these cells did not result in the development of EAE. However, spleen cells from primary recipients, taken 10 days post transfer, and cultured with MBP (secondary culture, transferred EAE to secondary recipients. EAE can be induced in primary recipients by the transfer of secondary cultured cells or cultured cells or challenge with MBP in complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) 10 days after injection of naive cultured cells. The finding that MBP-CFA challenged 1' recipients developed EAE, suggests that the rats have been primed to MBP through the naive cultured cell transfer. The cells from naive culture that sensitize the primary recipient were radioresistant (1500 R), probably macrophages. This is in contrast to the cells transferring EAE to the secondary recipient, which were radiosensitive. Unlike the spleen cells which transfer EAE from MBP-CFA sensitized rats, the cells in the secondary transfer could not be activated to transfer EAE when cultured with concanavalin A. Clinical EAE in the secondary recipient was more severe when these rats were irradiated (200 R) prior to transfer. There is evidence that low dose irradiation eliminates naturally occurring suppressor cells. EAE also developed in lethally irradiated (850 R) recipients of secondary cultured cells, suggesting that the transferred cells can induce EAE alone or by recruiting radioresistant cells in the secondary host

  13. Energy efficiency campaign for residential housing at the Fort Lewis army installation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    AH McMakin; RE Lundgren; EL Malone

    2000-02-23

    In FY1999, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted an energy efficiency campaign for residential housing at the Fort Lewis Army Installation near Tacoma, Washington. Preliminary weather-corrected calculations show energy savings of 10{percent} from FY98 for energy use in family housing. This exceeded the project's goal of 3{percent}. The work was funded by the U.S. DOEs Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The project adapted FEMP's national ``You Have the Power Campaign'' at the local level, tailoring it to the military culture. The applied research project was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of tailored, research-based strategies to promote energy conservation in military family housing. In contrast to many energy efficiency efforts, the campaign focused entirely on actions residents could take in their own homes, as opposed to technology or housing upgrades. Behavioral change was targeted because residents do not pay their own utility bills; thus other motivations must drive personal energy conservation. This campaign augments ongoing energy savings from housing upgrades carried out by Fort Lewis. The campaign ran from September 1998 through August 1999. The campaign strategy was developed based on findings from previous research and on input from residents and officials at Fort Lewis. Energy use, corrected to account for weather differences, was compared with the previous year's use. Survey responses from 377 of Fort Lewis residents of occupied housing showed that the campaign was moderately effective in promoting behavior change. Of those who were aware of the campaign, almost all said they were now doing one or more energy-efficient things that they had not done before. Most people were motivated by the desire to do the right thing and to set a good example for their children. They were less motivated by other factors.

  14. CLARITY-BPA: Effects of chronic bisphenol A exposure on the immune system: Part 2 - Characterization of lymphoproliferative and immune effector responses by splenic leukocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinpeng; Bach, Anthony; Crawford, Robert B; Phadnis-Moghe, Ashwini S; Chen, Weimin; D'Ingillo, Shawna; Kovalova, Natalia; Suarez-Martinez, Jose E; Zhou, Jiajun; Kaplan, Barbara L F; Kaminski, Norbert E

    2018-03-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used in the manufacturing of a wide range of consumer products, including polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resin that lines beverage and food cans, and some dental sealants. Consumption of food and beverages containing BPA represents the primary route of human BPA exposure, which is virtually ubiquitous. An increasing number of studies have evaluated the effects of BPA on immune responses in laboratory animals that have reported a variety of effects some of which have been contradictory. To address the divergent findings surrounding BPA exposure, a comprehensive chronic treatment study of BPA was conducted in Sprague-Dawley rats, termed the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on Toxicity of BPA (CLARITY-BPA). As a participant in the CLARITY-BPA project, our studies evaluated the effects of BPA on a broad range of immune function endpoints using spleen cells isolated from BPA or vehicle treated rats. This comprehensive assessment included measurements of lymphoproliferation in response to mitogenic stimuli, immunoglobulin production by B cells, and cellular activation of T cells, NK cells, monocytes, granulocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. In total, 630 different measurements in BPA treated rats were performed of which 35 measurements were statistically different from vehicle controls. The most substantive alteration associated with BPA treatment was the augmentation of lymphoproliferation in response to pokeweed mitogen stimulations in 1 year old male rats, which was also observed in the reference estrogen ethinyl estradiol treated groups. With the exception of the aforementioned, the statistically significant changes associated with BPA treatment were mostly sporadic and not dose-dependent with only one out of five BPA dose groups showing a statistical difference. In addition, the observed BPA-associated alterations were mostly moderate in magnitude and showed no persistent trend over the one-year time period

  15. Recruitment of hypothalamic orexin neurons after formalin injections in adult male rats exposed to a neonatal immune challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Jane Campbell

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to early life physiological stressors, such as infection, is thought to contribute to the onset of psychopathology in adulthood. In animal models, injections of the bacterial immune challenge, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, during the neonatal period has been shown to alter both neuroendocrine function and behavioural pain responses in adulthood. Interestingly, recent evidence suggests a role for the lateral hypothalamic peptide orexin in stress and nociceptive processing. However, whether neonatal LPS exposure affects the reactivity of the orexin system to formalin-induced inflammatory pain in later life remains to be determined. Male Wistar rats (n=13 were exposed to either LPS or saline (0.05mg/kg, i.p on postnatal days (PND 3 and 5. On PND 80-97, all rats were exposed to a subcutaneous hindpaw injection of 2.25% formalin. Following behavioural testing, animals were perfused and brains processed for Fos-protein and orexin immunohistochemistry. Rats treated with LPS during the neonatal period exhibited decreased licking behaviours during the interphase of the formalin test, the period typically associated with the active inhibition of pain, and increased grooming responses to formalin in adulthood. Interestingly, these behavioural changes were accompanied by an increase in the percentage of Fos-positive orexin cells in the dorsomedial and perifornical hypothalamus in LPS-exposed animals. Similar increases in Fos-protein were also observed in stress and pain sensitive brain regions that receive orexinergic inputs. These findings highlight a potential role for orexin in the behavioural responses to pain and provide further evidence that early life stress can prime the circuitry responsible for these responses in adulthood.

  16. Rat strains differ in susceptibility to Ureaplasma parvum-induced urinary tract infection and struvite stone formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, Leticia; Reinhard, Mary; O'donell, L J; Stevens, Janet; Brown, Mary B

    2006-12-01

    Individuals with struvite uroliths are susceptible to recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), sepsis, and renal disease. Unfortunately, little is known about the host-specific factors that predispose to this disease. In order to develop a rodent model that can address this problem, we inoculated female Fischer 344 (F344), Lewis (LEW), Sprague-Dawley (SD), and Wistar (WIS) rats with a host-adapted strain of Ureaplasma parvum. Animals were necropsied at 2 weeks postinoculation; 100% of F344, 42% of SD, 10% of LEW, and 10% of WIS rats remained infected. Severe bladder lesions and struvite calculi were seen in 64% of F344 rats; in other rat strains, bladder lesions were mild or absent. F344 rats with struvite uroliths had the highest urinary levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as GRO/KC, interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha), and IL-1beta. F344 rats without struvite stones at necropsy had milder bladder lesions and significantly lower urinary levels of proinflammatory cytokines but a more prominent inflammatory response than did other rat strains. Based on our results, struvite stone formation is linked to a robust inflammatory response that does not resolve UTI but instead promotes damage to surrounding tissues.

  17. In vitro cell-mediated immunity assay using 125I-iododeoxyuridine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, J.E.; Graham, T.M.

    1979-01-01

    We investigated an in vitro cell-mediated immunity assay using incorporation of 125 I-iododeoxyuridine as an indicator of lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogen stimulation. The system permits the use of whole-blood cultures in rats and dogs

  18. Anion sensing with a Lewis acidic BODIPY-antimony(v) derivative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christianson, Anna M; Gabbaï, François P

    2017-02-21

    We describe the synthesis of a BODIPY dye substituted with a Lewis acidic antimony(v) moiety. This compound, which has been fully characterized, shows a high affinity for small anions including fluoride and cyanide, the complexation of which elicits a fluorescence turn-on response.

  19. Q & A with Ed Tech Leaders: Interview with Brian Lewis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaughnessy, Michael F.; Fulgham, Susan M.

    2013-01-01

    Brian Lewis, International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) chief executive officer, is an education advocate and leader specializing in management and governance, policy, corporate communications, branding, and marketing. He provides leadership to ISTE's Washington, DC, and Eugene, Oregon, offices and directs organizational…

  20. Daniel Day-Lewis lihvis Oscari-rolli neli aastat / Triin Tael

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Tael, Triin

    2008-01-01

    Paul Thomas Andersoni Upton Sinclairi "Õli" järgi lavastatud "Veri hakkab voolama" ("There Will Be Blood"), peaosas Daniel Day-Lewis : Ameerika Ühendriigid 2007. Näitleja võitis oma rolliga parima meespeaosatäitja Oscari. Tema tööst rolli(de)ga

  1. Traffic of antibody-secreting cells after immunization with a liposome-associated, CpG-ODN-adjuvanted oral cholera vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Somroop, Srinuan; Tongtawe, Pongsri; Chaisri, Urai; Tapchaisri, Pramuan; Chongsa-nguan, Manas; Srimanote, Potjanee; Chaicumpa, Wanpen

    2006-12-01

    An oral cholera vaccine made up of heat-treated recombinant cholera toxin (rCT), V. cholerae lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and recombinant toxin-co-regulated pili subunit A (rTcpA), entrapped in liposomes in the presence of unmethylated bacterial CpG-DNA (ODN#1826) was used to orally immunize a group of eight week old rats. A booster dose was given 14 days later. Control rats received placebo (vaccine diluent). The kinetics of the immune response were investigated by enumerating the antigen specific-antibody secreting cells (ASC) in the blood circulation and intestinal lamina propria using the ELISPOT assay and a histo-immunofluorescence assay (IFA), respectively. ASC of all antigenic specificities were detected in the blood of the vaccinated rats as early as two days after the booster dose. The numbers of LPS-ASC and TcpA-ASC in the blood were at their peak at day 3 post booster while the number of CT-ASC was highest at day 4 after the booster immunization. At day 13 post immunization, no ASC were detected in the blood. A several fold increase in the number of ASC of all antigenic specificities in the lamina propria above the background numbers of the control animals were found in all vaccinated rats at days 6 and 13 post booster (earlier and later time points were not studied). Vibriocidal antibody and specific antibodies to CT, LPS and TcpA were detected in 57.1% and 52.4%, 14.3%, and 19.0% of the orally vaccinated rats, respectively. The data indicated that rats orally primed with the vaccine could produce a rapid anamnestic response after re-exposure to the V. cholerae antigens. Thus, a single dose of the vaccine is expected to elicit a similar anamnestic immune response in people from cholera endemic areas who have been naturally primed to V. cholerae antigens, while two doses at a 14 day interval should be adequate for a traveler to a disease endemicarea.

  2. Development of ELISA kit for rat albumin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Zhigang; Han Shiquan; Liu Yibing; Xu Wenge; Jia Juanjuan

    2009-01-01

    The Anti-rat albumin serum was prepared by immunized the sheep with rat albumin. A ELISA method was established for rat albumin. The measurement range of the assay was 1-50 mg/L, sensitivity of the assay was 0.42 mg/L, recovery rate was 85.0%-106.0%. Intra-and inter-assay variation coefficients were <8.9% and <12.8% respectively. The correlation coefficients between measured and expected values were 0.999 after serial dilution of the urine samples with high concentrations of rat albumin. A good correlation was observed between the ELISA and RIA methods, and the kit for rat albumin might provide a convenience in exploitation of renal drugs and experimental injury of the kidney. (authors)

  3. Course of Schistosoma mansoni infection in thymectomized rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cioli, D.; Dennert, G.

    1976-01-01

    Inbred rats were thymectomized, irradiated, and reconstituted with T cell-free bone marrow cells. Thymectomized-reconstituted (B rats) and control rats were infected with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae and the number of worms recovered was determined at various times after infection. The extent of immunosuppression was assessed by two criteria: response to an injection of sheep erythrocytes; response to schistosome antigens. Humoral responses to worm antigens were completely suppressed in almost all instances and anti-sheep erythrocytes responses showed a more variable but always very definite depression in B rats. The number of worms in B rats was about 4 times higher than in control animals at 5 weeks and about 3 times higher at 6 weeks. In a different experiment, rats were perfused at 4, 6, and 9 weeks after infection and the number of worms was found to be consistently higher in B rats, by a factor of about 2 at 4 weeks to a factor of about 4 or 6 at subsequent times. Although B rats had more worms than controls even at 9 weeks, a slow drop in their worm burden was noticeable with time in both experiments. Moreover, the size of worms in B rats was smaller than in controls and even 9-week-old worms failed to develop to normal size and appearance and could not be shown to produce fertile eggs. These experiments show a definite involvement of the immune system in the ''self-cure'' phenomenon, but may at the same time suggest that other non-immune mechanisms are involved in determining the pattern of S. mansoni infection in the rat

  4. The somatostatin receptor-targeted radiotherapeutic [90Y-DOTA-dPhe1,Tyr3]octreotide (90Y-SMT 487) eradicates experimental rat pancreatic CA 20948 tumours

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stolz, B.; Weckbecker, G.; Smith-Jones, P.M.; Albert, R.; Raulf, F.; Bruns, C.

    1998-01-01

    Somatostatin receptor-expressing tumours are potential targets for therapy with radiolabelled somatostatin analogues. We have synthesized a number of such analogues in the past and identified [DOTA-dPhe 1 , Tyr 3 ]octreotide (SMT 487) as the most promising candidate molecule because of its advantageous properties in cellular and in vivo tumour models. In the current paper we describe the radiotherapeutic effect of yttrium-90 labelled SMT 487 in Lewis rats bearing the somatostatin receptor-positive rat pancreatic tumour CA 20948. SMT 487 binds with nanomolar affinity to both the human and the rat somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst 2 ) (human sst 2 IC 50 =0.9 nM, rat sst 2 IC 50 =0.5 nM). In vivo, 90 Y-SMT 487 distributed rapidly to the sst 2 expressing CA 20948 rat pancreatic tumour, with a tumour-to-blood ratio of 49.15 at 24 h post injection. A single intravenous administration of 10 mCi/kg 90 Y-SMT 487 resulted in a complete remission of the tumours in five out of seven CA 20948 tumour-bearing Lewis rats. No regrowth of the tumours occurred 8 months post injection. Control animals that were treated with 30 μg/kg of unlabelled SMT 487 had to be sacrificed 10 days post injection due to excessive growth or necrotic areas on the tumour surface. Upon re-inoculation of tumour cells into those rats that had shown complete remission, the tumours disappeared after 3-4 weeks of moderate growth without any further treatment. The present study shows for the first time the curative potential of 90 Y-SMT 487-based radiotherapy for somatostatin receptor-expressing tumours. Clinical phase I studies with yttrium-labelled SMT 487 have started in September 1997. (orig.)

  5. Self-Assembled Nanocomposite Organic Polymers with Aluminum and Scandium as Heterogeneous Water-Compatible Lewis Acid Catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyamura, Hiroyuki; Sonoyama, Arisa; Hayrapetyan, Davit; Kobayashi, Shū

    2015-09-01

    While water-compatible Lewis acids have great potential as accessible and environmentally benign catalysts for various organic transformations, efficient immobilization of such Lewis acids while keeping high activity and without leaching of metals even under aqueous conditions is a challenging task. Self-assembled nanocomposite catalysts of organic polymers, carbon black, aluminum reductants, and scandium salts as heterogeneous water-compatible Lewis acid catalysts are described. These catalysts could be successfully applied to various C-C bond-forming reactions without leaching of metals. Scanning transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the nanocomposite structure of Al and Sc was fabricated in these heterogeneous catalysts. It is noted that Al species, which are usually decomposed rapidly in the presence of water, are stabilized under aqueous conditions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. ɑ-Synuclein strains and seeding in Parkinson's disease, incidental Lewy body disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and multiple system atrophy: similarities and differences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peelaerts, W; Bousset, L; Baekelandt, V; Melki, R

    2018-04-27

    Several age-related neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the deposition of aberrantly folded endogenous proteins. These proteins have prion-like propagation and amplification properties but so far appear nontransmissible between individuals. Because of the features they share with the prion protein, PrP, the characteristics of pathogenic protein aggregates in several progressive brain disorders, including different types of Lewy body diseases (LBDs), such as Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), have been actively investigated. Even though the pleomorphic nature of these syndromes might suggest different underlying causes, ɑ-synuclein (ɑSyn) appears to play an important role in this heterogeneous group of diseases (the synucleinopathies). An attractive hypothesis is that different types of ɑSyn protein assemblies have a unique and causative role in distinct synucleinopathies. We will discuss the recent research progress on ɑSyn assemblies involved in PD, MSA and DLB; their behavior as strains; current spreading hypotheses; their ability to seed centrally and peripherally; and their implication for disease pathogenesis.

  7. Production of peptide antisera specific for mouse and rat proinsulin C-peptide 2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blume, N; Madsen, O D; Kofod, Hans

    1990-01-01

    for antibody binding to the immunizing antigen. Antisera to C-peptide 2, stained islet beta-cells on mouse and rat, but not monkey pancreas sections in immunocytochemical analysis. Preabsorption to the synthetic C-peptide 2, but not the synthetic mouse and rat C-peptide 1 abolished staining. In conclusion we......Mice and rats have two functional non-allelic insulin genes. By using a synthetic peptide representing a common sequence in mouse and rat C-peptide 2 as antigen, we have produced rabbit antisera specific for an epitope which is not present in mouse or rat C-peptide 1. Long-term immunization did...... not seem to increase the end point titre as tested in direct ELISA. The specificity of the antiserum was determined by competitive ELISA and histochemistry on pancreas sections. Only the synthetic C-peptide 2, but not the homologous synthetic C-peptide 1 from mouse and rat competed efficiently in ELISA...

  8. Improved Lignin Polyurethane Properties with Lewis Acid Treatment

    OpenAIRE

    Chung, Hoyong; Washburn, Newell R.

    2012-01-01

    Chemical modification strategies to improve the mechanical properties of lignin-based polyurethanes are presented. We hypothesized that treatment of lignin with Lewis acids would increase the concentration of hydroxyl groups available to react with diisocyanate monomers. Under the conditions used, hydrogen bromide-catalyzed modification resulted in a 28% increase in hydroxyl group content. Associated increases in hydrophilicity of solvent-cast thin films were also recorded as evidenced by ...

  9. [EFFECT OF 4-METHYLPYRAZOLE ON IMMUNE RESPONSE, FUNCTION OF Th1 AND Th2 LYMPHOCYTES, AND CYTOKINE CONCENTRATION IN RAT BLOOD AFTER ACUTE METHANOL POISONING].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabrodskii, P F; Maslyakov, V V; Gromov, M S

    2016-01-01

    It was established in experiments on noninbred albino rats that the acute intoxication with methanol (1.0 LD50) decreased cellular and humoral immune responses, Th2-lymphocyte activity (to a greater extent as compared to the function of Th1 cells), reduced the blood concentration of immunoregulatory (IFN-g, IL-2, IL-4) and proinflammatory (TNF, IL-1b, IL-6) cytokines on the average by 36.5% (p Methanol antidote 4-methylpyrazole (non-competitive inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase) administered upon acute intoxication with methanol at a dose of 1.0 DL50 partially reduces the intoxication-induced suppression of humoral and cellular immune response, activity of T-helper cells, and production of IL-4 and restores blood levels of TNF, IL-1b, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-2, IL-6 to the control values.

  10. Targeting study of gelatin adsorbed clodronate in reticuloendothelial system and its potential application in immune thrombocytopenic purpura of rat model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, P.; Tan, Z.; Zhu, Y.

    2007-01-01

    Full text: Depletion of splenic and hepatic macrophages has potentials to alleviate hemorrhage in patients who suffered from immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). This investigation was aimed to assess whether nanotechnology can play a role in this clinical setting by absorbing bisphosphonate clodronate (CLOD) to type A gelatin nanospheres (GNS) to form CLOD-GNS. First, the stability of CLOD-GNS was assessed in- vitro and up to 6 mg CLOD can be adsorbed in 1 mg GNS. The ability of CLOD-GNS to target the spleen and the liver was then evaluated by biodistribution assay and 99mTc-CLOD-GNS scintigraphy in rats. It showed that up to 70.6% of CLOD-GNS could be accumulated in the liver and spleen. The survival of the macrophages in vitro and the phagocytic ability of hepatic and splenic macrophage in vivo were reduced and later demonstrated by99mTc-phytic colloid scintigraphy. In rats with induced ITP, administration of CLOD-GNS successfully prevented peripheral platelet levels from decreasing. Our preliminary data demonstrate that CLOD-GNS can effectively target the reticuloendothelial system and has potentials in the treatment of ITP warrants further study. (author)

  11. The development of radioimmunoassay kit for rat albumin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Zhigang; Han Shiquan; Liu Yibing; Xu Wenge

    2006-01-01

    The Anti-rat albumin serum is prepared by immunized the sheep with rat albumin. A radioimmunoassay method is established for rat albumin. The measurement range of the assay is 1-50 mg/L, sensitivity of the assay is 0.12 mg/L, recovery rate is 97.8%- 108.4%. Intra- and inter-assay variation coefficients are <4.0% and <8.2% respectively. The correlation coefficients between measured and expected values are more than 0.990 after serial dilution of the urine samples with high concentrations of rat albumin. The kit for rat albumin might provide a convenience in exploitation of renal drugs and experimental in- jury of the kidney. (authors)

  12. The Organization of Narrative Discourse in Lewy Body Spectrum Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ash, Sharon; McMillan, Corey; Gross, Rachel G.; Cook, Philip; Morgan, Brianna; Boller, Ashley; Dreyfuss, Michael; Siderowf, Andrew; Grossman, Murray

    2011-01-01

    Narrative discourse is an essential component of day-to-day communication, but little is known about narrative in Lewy Body spectrum disorder (LBSD), including Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD), and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We performed a detailed analysis of a semi-structured speech sample in 32 non-aphasic patients with LBSD, and we related their narrative impairments to gray matter (GM) atrophy using voxel-based morphometry. We found that patients with PDD and DLB have significant difficulty organizing their narrative speech. This was correlated with deficits on measures of executive functioning and speech fluency. Regression analyses associated this deficit with reduced cortical volume in inferior frontal and anterior cingulate regions. These findings are consistent with a model of narrative discourse that includes executive as well as language components and with an impairment of the organizational component of narrative discourse in patients with PDD and DLB. PMID:21689852

  13. NASA Lewis Helps Company With New Single-Engine Business Turbojet

    Science.gov (United States)

    1998-01-01

    Century Aerospace Corporation, a small company in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is developing a six-seat aircraft powered by a single turbofan engine for general aviation. The company had completed a preliminary design of the jet but needed analyses and testing to proceed with detailed design and subsequent fabrication of a prototype aircraft. NASA Lewis Research Center used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses to ferret out areas of excessive curvature in the inlet where separation might occur. A preliminary look at the results indicated very good inlet performance; and additional calculations, performed with vortex generators installed in the inlet, led to even better results. When it was initially determined that the airflow distortion pattern at the compressor face fell outside of the limits set by the engine manufacturer, the Lewis team studied possible solutions, selected the best, and provided recommendations. CFD results for the inlet system were so good that wind tunnel tests were unnecessary.

  14. Operational criteria for senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT).

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKeith, I G; Perry, R H; Fairbairn, A F; Jabeen, S; Perry, E K

    1992-11-01

    Recent reports have suggested that brain stem and cortical Lewy body formation may identify a neurodegenerative disorder in elderly demented individuals which accounts for up to 20% of cases of senile dementia coming to autopsy. Retrospective analysis of case notes of 21 autopsy patients with neuropathologically proven senile dementia of Lewy body type (SDLT) and 37 cases with neuropathologically proven Alzheimer's disease (AD) identified a characteristic clinical syndrome in SDLT. Fluctuating cognitive impairment; psychotic features including visual and auditory hallucinations, and paranoid delusions; depressive symptoms; falling and unexplained losses of consciousness were all seen significantly more often than in AD. Over half of the SDLT patients in this series who were given neuroleptics in standard dose showed acute and often irreversible adverse reactions indicative of a neuroleptic sensitivity syndrome. The survival time of drug treated patients was reduced by 50%. Operational criteria to aid in the clinical distinction between SDLT and AD patients are proposed and hypotheses regarding possible aetiology and treatment discussed.

  15. Splenectomy Does Not Improve Long-Term Outcome After Stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zierath, Dannielle; Shen, Angela; Stults, Astiana; Olmstead, Theresa; Becker, Kyra J

    2017-02-01

    Immune responses to brain antigens after stroke contribute to poor outcome. We hypothesized that splenectomy would lessen the development of such responses and improve outcome. Male Lewis rats (275-350 g) underwent 2-hour middle cerebral artery occlusion immediately after splenectomy or sham splenectomy. Animals were survived to 4 weeks (672 hrs), and immune responses to myelin basic protein determined at euthanasia. Infarct volume was determined in a subset of animals euthanized at 72 hours. Behavioral outcomes were assessed to 672 hours. Splenectomy was associated with worse neurological scores early after stroke, but infarct size at 72 hours was similar in both groups. Behavioral outcomes and immune responses to myelin basic protein were also similar among splenectomized and sham-operated animals 672 hours after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Splenectomy did not alter the immune responses to brain antigens or improve outcome after stroke. Differences between this study and other studies of splenectomy and stroke are examined. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  16. Application of rat mast cell incubates as a possible short-time test for sensitizing occupational chemicals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Diel, F.; Neidhart, B.; Opree, W.

    1981-08-01

    The direct action of sensitizing occupational chemicals (formaldehyde, phenol, phenylhydrazine, p-aminophenol) on rat mast cells was investigated by determination of histamine using HPLC separation and fluorimetric detection. It turned out that dispersed mast cells from immunized and non-immunized Wistar-rats are more sensitive than small-cut lung tissue slices. Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis was negative after a fortnight sensitizing experiment with the here described occupational chemicals. Short-time tests with rat mast cells reflect anaphylactoid response and are suitable for the screening of sensitizing chemicals.

  17. Chicken type II collagen induced immune tolerance of mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes by enhancing beta2-adrenergic receptor desensitization in rats with collagen-induced arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Wei; Tong, Tong; Wang, Ling; Li, Pei-Pei; Chang, Yan; Zhang, Ling-Ling; Wei, Wei

    2011-01-01

    Chicken type II collagen (CCII) is a protein extracted from the cartilage of chicken breast and exhibits intriguing possibilities for the treatment of autoimmune diseases by inducing oral tolerance. In this study, we investigated the effects of CCII on inflammatory and immune responses to the mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes (MLNLs) and the mechanisms by which CCII regulates beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2-AR) signal transduction in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. The onset of secondary arthritis in rats appeared around day 14 after injection of CCII emulsion. Remarkable secondary inflammatory response and lymphocytes proliferation were observed in CIA rats. The administration of CCII (10, 20, 40μgkg(-1)day(-1), days 15-22) could significantly reduce synovial hyperplasia, lymphatic follicle hyperplasia, inflammatory cells infiltration of MLNLs in CIA rats. CCII (10, 20, 40μgkg(-1)day(-1), days 15-22) restored the previously decreased level of cAMP of MLNLs of CIA rats. Meanwhile, CCII increased total protein expressions of beta2-AR, GRK2 and decreased that of beta-arrestin1, 2 of MLNLs in CIA rats but had an slight effect on GRK3. CCII further increased plasmatic protein expressions of GRK2, G(α)s and decreased that of beta-arrestin1, 2, beta2-AR, and increased membrane protein expressions of beta2-AR, GRK2, G(α)s and decreased that of beta-arrestin1, 2 of MLNLs in CIA rats. These results demonstrate that the mechanisms of CCII on beta2-AR desensitization and beta2-AR-AC-cAMP transmembrane signal transduction of MLNLs play crucial roles in pathogenesis of this disease. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Ablative Material Testing at Lewis Rocket Lab

    Science.gov (United States)

    1997-01-01

    The increasing demand for a low-cost, reliable way to launch commercial payloads to low- Earth orbit has led to the need for inexpensive, expendable propulsion systems for new launch vehicles. This, in turn, has renewed interest in less complex, uncooled rocket engines that have combustion chambers and exhaust nozzles fabricated from ablative materials. A number of aerospace propulsion system manufacturers have utilized NASA Lewis Research Center's test facilities with a high degree of success to evaluate candidate materials for application to new propulsion devices.

  19. Developmental Changes In Pain And Spinal Immune Gene Expression After Radicular Trauma In The Rat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gordon Alfred Barr

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Neuropathic pain is an example of chronic pain that develops after nerve injury and is less frequent in infants and children than in adults. Likewise, in animal models of neuropathic pain, allodynia and hyperalgesia are non-existent or attenuated in the infant, with a switch during development by which acute nerve injury transitions to chronic pain. Concomitant with the delay in neuropathic pain, there is a parallel delay in the ability of nerve injury to activate the immune system. Models of neuropathic pain in the infant have used various ligation methods and find that neuropathic pain does not occur under after postnatal day 21-28 (PN21-PN28, linked to activation of immune processes and developmental regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. We applied a model of neuropathic pain in the adult using a transient compression of the cervical nerve or nerve root in infant rats (injured at 10, 14, 21 or 28 days of age to define transition periods during which injury results in no change in thermal and mechanical pain sensitivity or in short term changes in pain. There was little to no hyperalgesia when the injury was imposed at PN10, but significant thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia one day after compression injury when performed at PN14, 21 or 28. Thermal withdrawal latencies return to near baseline by 7 days post-surgery (PS7 when the injuries were at PN14, and lasted up to 14 days when imposed at PN28. There was mechanical allodynia following nerve injury at 7 or 14 days after injury at PN14. Measurements of mRNA from spinal cord at 1, 7 and 14 days post-injury at PN14, 21, and 28 showed that both the magnitude and duration of elevated immune markers and chemokines/cytokines were greater in the older animals, corresponding to the development of hyperalgesia. Thus we confirm the late onset of neuropathic pain but found no evidence of emergent hyperalgesia if the injury was before PN21/28. This may be due to the use of a transient

  20. Elk Monitoring Protocol for Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Version 1.0

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Kurt J.; Griffin, Paul C.; Boetsch, John R.; Cole, Carla

    2011-01-01

    Maintaining elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti) herds that frequent Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (NHP) is central to the park’s purpose of preserving the historic, cultural, scenic, and natural resources. Elk were critical to sustaining the members of the Lewis and Clark expedition by providing food and clothing over the winter of 1805-1806. Today, elk viewing opportunities in the park and surrounding region generate broad appeal with the visiting public, which number over 250,000 per year at the Fort Clatsop visitor center. This protocol describes procedures for monitoring trends in the use of the Fort Clatsop area by Roosevelt elk. Specific objectives of elk monitoring in Lewis and Clark NHP are to measure the relative use and proportion of area used by elk during winter in the Fort Clatsop Unit of the park, and the rate at which elk are sighted from roads in and around the park. Relative use and the proportion of area used by elk are determined from elk fecal pellet surveys conducted every other year in the Fort Clatsop park unit. Pairs of observers visit a systematic array of permanent plots in the fall to clear them of elk fecal pellets, and return to the plots in late winter to count elk fecal pellets that have accumulated during winter. Half of the subplots are counted by two independent observers, which allows for the estimation of relative use and proportion of area occupied by elk with analyses of detection biases that account for unseen elk pellet groups. Standardized road surveys are conducted in and near the Fort Clatsop park unit three or four times monthly during alternate months. Data from road surveys are used to quantify the rate that park visitors would be expected to see elk, when driving the selected set of routes. The monitoring protocol is based on three field seasons of development and testing. The protocol narrative describes the background, rationale, sampling design, field methods, analytical methods, data management, reporting

  1. The Brainstem Pathologies of Parkinson's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Seidel, Kay; Mahlke, Josefine; Siswanto, Sonny; Krueger, Reijko; Heinsen, Helmut; Auburger, Georg; Bouzrou, Mohamed; Grinberg, Lea T.; Wicht, Helmut; Korf, Horst-Werner; den Dunnen, Wilfred; Rueb, Udo

    Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are among the human synucleinopathies, which show alpha-synuclein immunoreactive neuronal and/or glial aggregations and progressive neuronal loss in selected brain regions (eg, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, pedunculopontine

  2. Sexually dimorphic effects of a prenatal immune challenge on social play and vasopressin expression in juvenile rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taylor Patrick V

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Infectious diseases and inflammation during pregnancy increase the offspring’s risk for behavioral disorders. However, how immune stress affects neural circuitry during development is not well known. We tested whether a prenatal immune challenge interferes with the development of social play and with neural circuits implicated in social behavior. Methods Pregnant rats were given intraperitoneal injections of the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS – 100 μg /kg or saline on the 15th day of pregnancy. Offspring were tested for social play behaviors between postnatal days 26–40. Brains were harvested on postnatal day 45 and processed for arginine vasopressin (AVP mRNA in situ hybridization. Results In males, LPS treatment reduced the frequency of juvenile play behavior and reduced AVP mRNA expression in the medial amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. These effects were not found in females. LPS treatment did not change AVP mRNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, paraventricular nucleus, or supraoptic nucleus of either sex, nor did it affect the sex difference in the size of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area. Conclusions Given AVP’s central role in regulating social behavior, the sexually dimorphic effects of prenatal LPS treatment on male AVP mRNA expression may contribute to the sexually dimorphic effect of LPS on male social play and may, therefore, increase understanding of factors that contribute to sex differences in social psychopathology.

  3. A Role for the Autonomic Nervous System in Modulating the Immune Response during Mild Emotional Stimuli

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Croiset, Gerda; Heijnen, Cobi J.; Wal, Wim E. van der; Boer, Sietse F. de; Wied, David de

    1990-01-01

    The role of the autonomic nervous system in the modulation of the immune response to emotional stimuli, was established in rats subjected to the passive avoidance test. An increase in splenic primary antibody response directed against SRBC was found after exposure of rats to the passive avoidance

  4. Surface functionalization of two-dimensional metal chalcogenides by Lewis acid-base chemistry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Sidong; Wang, Xifan; Li, Bo; Kang, Jiahao; He, Yongmin; George, Antony; Ge, Liehui; Gong, Yongji; Dong, Pei; Jin, Zehua; Brunetto, Gustavo; Chen, Weibing; Lin, Zuan-Tao; Baines, Robert; Galvão, Douglas S.; Lou, Jun; Barrera, Enrique; Banerjee, Kaustav; Vajtai, Robert; Ajayan, Pulickel

    2016-05-01

    Precise control of the electronic surface states of two-dimensional (2D) materials could improve their versatility and widen their applicability in electronics and sensing. To this end, chemical surface functionalization has been used to adjust the electronic properties of 2D materials. So far, however, chemical functionalization has relied on lattice defects and physisorption methods that inevitably modify the topological characteristics of the atomic layers. Here we make use of the lone pair electrons found in most of 2D metal chalcogenides and report a functionalization method via a Lewis acid-base reaction that does not alter the host structure. Atomic layers of n-type InSe react with Ti4+ to form planar p-type [Ti4+n(InSe)] coordination complexes. Using this strategy, we fabricate planar p-n junctions on 2D InSe with improved rectification and photovoltaic properties, without requiring heterostructure growth procedures or device fabrication processes. We also show that this functionalization approach works with other Lewis acids (such as B3+, Al3+ and Sn4+) and can be applied to other 2D materials (for example MoS2, MoSe2). Finally, we show that it is possible to use Lewis acid-base chemistry as a bridge to connect molecules to 2D atomic layers and fabricate a proof-of-principle dye-sensitized photosensing device.

  5. Stressor Controllability and Immune Function

    Science.gov (United States)

    1986-10-17

    susceptibility to infectious disease . In E. Kurstak, P. V. Morozov, & Z. P. Lipowski (Eds.), Viruses , immunity, and mental health. Plenum Press, in press. w...following inmunization . a. ELISA Procedure. We-Tsof a flat bottomed microtiter plate (NUNC, certified Immunopla.e I) were coated with KLH (0.2 mi/well, 0.5 mg...because the, rats were being infected with viruses and other agents tnat could alter proliferation. We thus began to purchase pathogen-free animals and

  6. Anti-asialo GM1 antibodies prevents guanethidine-induced sympathectomy in athymic rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

    1992-01-01

    Guanethidine sulphate induces destruction of peripheral sympathetic neurons and infiltration of mononuclear cells in rat sympathetic ganglia. The effect of guanethidine is believed to be an autoimmune reaction. In order to determine the effect of anti-asialo GM1, an antibody that binds to the gly......Guanethidine sulphate induces destruction of peripheral sympathetic neurons and infiltration of mononuclear cells in rat sympathetic ganglia. The effect of guanethidine is believed to be an autoimmune reaction. In order to determine the effect of anti-asialo GM1, an antibody that binds...... to the glycolipid asialo GM1 expressed on rodent natural killer cells, athymic Lewis rats received guanethidine 40 mg/kg i.p. daily from day 1 to 14 and anti-asialo GM1 i.p. 1 mg/rat on day -2, 0, 2, 6, and 10 in the study period. Saline and anti-asialo GM1 were given alone in the same doses as control. The number...... of neurons in the sympathetic ganglia were counted and the ganglionic volume determined. The presence of natural killer cells in the ganglia were determined by immunohistochemical methods. Our results shows that anti-asialo GM1 can prevent guanethidine-induced reduction of sympathetic neurons...

  7. Haemophilia A patients are not at increased risk of hepatitis A virus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Azza A.G. Tantawy

    2012-02-21

    Feb 21, 2012 ... immune haemophilia patients and 10 controls. The vaccine was well tolerated with local side effects ..... Presumably in the present study, the herd immunity conferred by the poor sanitation has eliminated transfusion as .... Investigation of homeostasis, In: Lewis SM,. Bain BJ, Bates I, editors. Dacie and Lewis ...

  8. Lewis base activation of Lewis acids: catalytic, enantioselective addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denmark, Scott E; Chung, Won-Jin

    2008-06-20

    A catalytic system involving silicon tetrachloride and a chiral, Lewis basic bisphosphoramide catalyst is effective for the addition of glycolate-derived silyl ketene acetals to aldehydes. It was found that the sense of diastereoselectivity could be modulated by changing the size of the substituents on the silyl ketene acetals. In general, the trimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from methyl glycolates with a large protecting group on the alpha-oxygen provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high syn-diastereoselectivity, whereas the tert-butyldimethylsilyl ketene acetals derived from bulky esters of alpha-methoxyacetic acid provide enantiomerically enriched alpha,beta-dihydroxy esters with high anti-diastereoselecitvity.

  9. Random forest to differentiate dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dauwan, Meenakshi; van der Zande, Jessica J.; van Dellen, Edwin; Sommer, Iris E C; Scheltens, Philip; Lemstra, Afina W.; Stam, Cornelis J.

    2016-01-01

    Introduction The aim of this study was to build a random forest classifier to improve the diagnostic accuracy in differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to quantify the relevance of multimodal diagnostic measures, with a focus on electroencephalography

  10. 2005 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Lewis County

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Terrapoint collected Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for the Lewis County project of 2005. The project site covered approximately 223 square miles, divided...

  11. Controlled synthesis of multi-morphology Te crystals by a convenient Lewis acid/base-assisted solvothermal method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Xiaoping; Yuan Lin; Zhou Shaomin; Lou Shiyun; Wang Yongqiang; Gao Tao; Liu YuBiao; Shi Xiaojing

    2012-01-01

    This paper reports on the controlled growth of multi-morphology Te crystals by a convenient Lewis acid/base-assisted solvothermal method for the first time. The morphological transformation from one-dimension (1D) nanostructures to 2D hierarchical flowerlike microarchitecture has been observed. The nanorods and nanowires with a well-defined crystallographical structure and the hierarchical flowers microarchitecture were obtained by changing the Lewis acids/bases. Lewis acids/bases were found to be crucial for the formation of the products by not only acting as the pH regulator but also as the shape controller, owing to their hydrolysis in the solvent to in situ form H + /OH − and hydrates. The results suggest that this should be an effective approach to the control the growth of t-Te crystals with interesting multiple morphologies, which are of interest for both theoretical investigations and practical applications.

  12. Composition, texture and methane potential of cellulosic residues from Lewis acids organosolv pulping of wheat straw.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Constant, Sandra; Barakat, Abdellatif; Robitzer, Mike; Di Renzo, Francesco; Dumas, Claire; Quignard, Françoise

    2016-09-01

    Cellulosic pulps have been successfully isolated from wheat straw through a Lewis acids organosolv treatment. The use of Lewis acids with different hardness produced pulps with different delignification degrees. The cellulosic residue was characterised by chemical composition, X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, N2 physisorption, scanning electron microscopy and potential for anaerobic digestibility. Surface area and pore volume increased with the hardness of the Lewis acid, in correspondence with the decrease of the amount of lignin and hemicellulose in the pulp. The non linearity of the correlation between porosity and composition suggests that an agglomeration of cellulose fibrils occurs in the early stages of pulping. All organosolv pulps presented a significantly higher methane potential than the parent straw. A methane evolution of 295Ncm(3)/g OM was reached by a moderate improvement of the accessibility of the native straw. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. AAV2-mediated in vivo immune gene therapy of solid tumours

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Collins, Sara A

    2010-12-20

    Abstract Background Many strategies have been adopted to unleash the potential of gene therapy for cancer, involving a wide range of therapeutic genes delivered by various methods. Immune therapy has become one of the major strategies adopted for cancer gene therapy and seeks to stimulate the immune system to target tumour antigens. In this study, the feasibility of AAV2 mediated immunotherapy of growing tumours was examined, in isolation and combined with anti-angiogenic therapy. Methods Immune-competent Balb\\/C or C57 mice bearing subcutaneous JBS fibrosarcoma or Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) tumour xenografts respectively were treated by intra-tumoural administration of AAV2 vector encoding the immune up-regulating cytokine granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and the co-stimulatory molecule B7-1 to subcutaneous tumours, either alone or in combination with intra-muscular (IM) delivery of AAV2 vector encoding Nk4 14 days prior to tumour induction. Tumour growth and survival was monitored for all animals. Cured animals were re-challenged with tumourigenic doses of the original tumour type. In vivo cytotoxicity assays were used to investigate establishment of cell-mediated responses in treated animals. Results AAV2-mediated GM-CSF, B7-1 treatment resulted in a significant reduction in tumour growth and an increase in survival in both tumour models. Cured animals were resistant to re-challenge, and induction of T cell mediated anti-tumour responses were demonstrated. Adoptive transfer of splenocytes to naïve animals prevented tumour establishment. Systemic production of Nk4 induced by intra-muscular (IM) delivery of Nk4 significantly reduced subcutaneous tumour growth. However, combination of Nk4 treatment with GM-CSF, B7-1 therapy reduced the efficacy of the immune therapy. Conclusions Overall, this study demonstrates the potential for in vivo AAV2 mediated immune gene therapy, and provides data on the inter-relationship between tumour

  14. Stereodivergent Mannich reaction of bis(trimethylsilyl)ketene acetals with N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines by Lewis acid or Lewis base activation, a one-pot protocol to obtain chiral β-amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantú-Reyes, Margarita; Alvarado-Beltrán, Isabel; Ballinas-Indilí, Ricardo; Álvarez-Toledano, Cecilio; Hernández-Rodríguez, Marcos

    2017-09-20

    We report a one-pot synthesis of chiral β 2,2,3 -amino acids by the Mannich addition of bistrimethylsilyl ketene acetals to N-tert-butanesulfinyl imines followed by the removal of the chiral auxiliary. The synthesis and isolation of pure β-amino acid hydrochlorides were conducted under mild conditions, without strong bases and this method is operationally simple. The stereoselective reaction was promoted by two different activation methods that lead to different stereoisomers: (1) Lewis Acid (LA) catalysis with boron trifluoride diethyl etherate and (2) Lewis Base (LB) catalysis with tetrabutylammonium difluorotriphenylsilicate. The reaction presented good diastereoselectivity with LB activation and moderate to good dr with LA catalysis. The exceptions in both protocols were imines with electron donating groups in the aromatic ring.

  15. Rat Strains Differ in Susceptibility to Ureaplasma parvum-Induced Urinary Tract Infection and Struvite Stone Formation▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reyes, Leticia; Reinhard, Mary; O'Donell, L. J.; Stevens, Janet; Brown, Mary B.

    2006-01-01

    Individuals with struvite uroliths are susceptible to recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI), sepsis, and renal disease. Unfortunately, little is known about the host-specific factors that predispose to this disease. In order to develop a rodent model that can address this problem, we inoculated female Fischer 344 (F344), Lewis (LEW), Sprague-Dawley (SD), and Wistar (WIS) rats with a host-adapted strain of Ureaplasma parvum. Animals were necropsied at 2 weeks postinoculation; 100% of F344, 42% of SD, 10% of LEW, and 10% of WIS rats remained infected. Severe bladder lesions and struvite calculi were seen in 64% of F344 rats; in other rat strains, bladder lesions were mild or absent. F344 rats with struvite uroliths had the highest urinary levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as GRO/KC, interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and IL-1β. F344 rats without struvite stones at necropsy had milder bladder lesions and significantly lower urinary levels of proinflammatory cytokines but a more prominent inflammatory response than did other rat strains. Based on our results, struvite stone formation is linked to a robust inflammatory response that does not resolve UTI but instead promotes damage to surrounding tissues. PMID:16982825

  16. Role of IL-12 and IFN-γ in immune response to toxoplasma gondii infection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moawad, M.A.F.; ElGawish, M.A.M.

    2004-01-01

    Interlenkin 12 (IL-12) is a potent immunoregulatory molecule that is critically involved in a wide range of diseases. In several murine models of intracellular infection, endogenous IL-12 has been shown to be crucial for the generation of a protective Th1 response in a primary infection for a intracellular pathogens. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is also an important mediator of cellular immunity against microbial pathogens and tumor cells due to its potent capacity to activate macrophages for enhanced cytotoxicity. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the immune response to toxoplasma gondii after primary inflection (infected groups and secondary infection (re-infected groups for over 19 weeks (the time of the experiment). the evaluation was assessed by measurements of levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ using ELISA technique in the sera of these infected rats. The results demonstrated that the primary immune response induced a fluctuation in the levels of IL-12 in the sera of infected rats, which reached maximum value of 122.6 ±1.4 pg/ml after 15 weeks of primary infection. While, in the challenged groups (secondary immune response, re-infected groups) the levels of IL-12 were generally lower than that of the primary immune response. On the other hand, IFN-γ levels increased significantly in the secondary immune response (re-infected groups) as compared to primary immune response 9 infected groups) In conclusion, the results suggest that IL-12 might have a role in the defense mechanism against intracellular infection with T-gondii especially in primary immune response than in the secondary immune response. This is in contrast to IFN-γ that takes the up-hand in secondary immune response to T-gondii infection

  17. Evaluation of humoral and cellular immune responses to a DNA vaccine encoding chicken type II collagen for rheumatoid arthritis in normal rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zhao; Juan, Long; Song, Yun; Zhijian, Zhang; Jing, Jin; Kun, Yu; Yuna, Hao; Dongfa, Dai; Lili, Ding; Liuxin, Tan; Fei, Liang; Nan, Liu; Fang, Yuan; Yuying, Sun; Yongzhi, Xi

    2015-01-01

    A major challenge in the development of effective therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is finding a method for the specific inhibition of the inflammatory disease processes without the induction of generalized immunosuppression. Of note, the development of therapeutic DNA vaccines and boosters that may restore immunological tolerance remains a high priority. pcDNA-CCOL2A1 is a therapeutic DNA vaccine encoding chicken type II collagen(CCII). This vaccine was developed by our laboratory and has been shown to exhibit efficacy comparable to that of the current "gold standard" treatment, methotrexate (MTX). Here, we used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with anti-CII IgG antibodies, quantified the expression levels of Th1, Th2, and Th3 cytokines, and performed flow cytometric analyses of different T-cell subsets, including Th1, Th2, Th17, Tc, Ts, Treg, and CD4(+)CD29(+)T cells to systemically evaluate humoral and cellular immune responses to pcDNA-CCOL2A1 vaccine in normal rats. Similar to our observations at maximum dosage of 3 mg/kg, vaccination of normal rats with 300 μg/kg pcDNA-CCOL2A1 vaccine did not induce the production of anti-CII IgG. Furthermore, no significant changes were observed in the expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-12(IL-23p40), monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, regulated on activation in normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 in vaccinated normal rats relative to that in controls(P > 0.05). However, transforming growth factor (TGF)-β levels were significantly increased on days 10 and 14, while interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels were significantly decreased on days 28 and 35 after vaccination(P 0.05), with the exception of Treg cells, which were significantly

  18. Lewis Acid Assisted Nitrate Reduction with Biomimetic Molybdenum Oxotransferase Complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elrod, Lee Taylor; Kim, Eunsuk

    2018-03-05

    The reduction of nitrate (NO 3 - ) to nitrite (NO 2 - ) is of significant biological and environmental importance. While Mo IV (O) and Mo VI (O) 2 complexes that mimic the active site structure of nitrate reducing enzymes are prevalent, few of these model complexes can reduce nitrate to nitrite through oxygen atom transfer (OAT) chemistry. We present a novel strategy to induce nitrate reduction chemistry of a previously known catalyst Mo IV (O)(SN) 2 (2), where SN = bis(4- tert-butylphenyl)-2-pyridylmethanethiolate, that is otherwise incapable of achieving OAT with nitrate. Addition of nitrate with the Lewis acid Sc(OTf) 3 (OTf = trifluoromethanesulfonate) to 2 results in an immediate and clean conversion of 2 to Mo VI (O) 2 (SN) 2 (1). The Lewis acid additive further reacts with the OAT product, nitrite, to form N 2 O and O 2 . This work highlights the ability of Sc 3+ additives to expand the reactivity scope of an existing Mo IV (O) complex together with which Sc 3+ can convert nitrate to stable gaseous molecules.

  19. Molecular Imaging and Updated Diagnostic Criteria in Lewy Body Dementias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bohnen, Nicolaas I; Müller, Martijn L T M; Frey, Kirk A

    2017-08-14

    The aims of the study were to review recent advances in molecular imaging in the Lewy body dementias (LBD) and determine if these may support the clinical but contested temporal profile distinction between Parkinson disease (PD) with dementia (PDD) versus dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). There do not appear to be major regional cerebral metabolic or neurotransmitter distinctions between PDD and DLB. However, recent studies highlight the relative discriminating roles of Alzheimer proteinopathies. PDD patients have lower cortical β-amyloid deposition than DLB. Preliminary tau PET studies suggest a gradient of increasing tau binding from cognitively normal PD (absent to lowest) to cognitively impaired PD (low) to DLB (intermediate) to Alzheimer disease (AD; highest). However, tau binding in DLB, including the medial temporal lobe, is substantially lower than in AD. Alzheimer-type proteinopathies appear to be more common in DLB compared to PDD with relative but no absolute differences. Given the spectrum of overlapping pathologies, future α-synuclein ligands are expected to have the best potential to distinguish the LBD from pure AD.

  20. The somatostatin receptor-targeted radiotherapeutic [{sup 90}Y-DOTA-dPhe{sup 1},Tyr{sup 3}]octreotide ({sup 90}Y-SMT 487) eradicates experimental rat pancreatic CA 20948 tumours

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stolz, B.; Weckbecker, G.; Smith-Jones, P.M.; Albert, R.; Raulf, F.; Bruns, C. [Novartis Pharma AG, Basel (Switzerland)

    1998-07-01

    Somatostatin receptor-expressing tumours are potential targets for therapy with radiolabelled somatostatin analogues. We have synthesized a number of such analogues in the past and identified [DOTA-dPhe{sup 1}, Tyr{sup 3}]octreotide (SMT 487) as the most promising candidate molecule because of its advantageous properties in cellular and in vivo tumour models. In the current paper we describe the radiotherapeutic effect of yttrium-90 labelled SMT 487 in Lewis rats bearing the somatostatin receptor-positive rat pancreatic tumour CA 20948. SMT 487 binds with nanomolar affinity to both the human and the rat somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst{sub 2}) (human sst{sub 2} IC{sub 50}=0.9 nM, rat sst{sub 2} IC{sub 50}=0.5 nM). In vivo, {sup 90}Y-SMT 487 distributed rapidly to the sst{sub 2} expressing CA 20948 rat pancreatic tumour, with a tumour-to-blood ratio of 49.15 at 24 h post injection. A single intravenous administration of 10 mCi/kg {sup 90}Y-SMT 487 resulted in a complete remission of the tumours in five out of seven CA 20948 tumour-bearing Lewis rats. No regrowth of the tumours occurred 8 months post injection. Control animals that were treated with 30 {mu}g/kg of unlabelled SMT 487 had to be sacrificed 10 days post injection due to excessive growth or necrotic areas on the tumour surface. Upon re-inoculation of tumour cells into those rats that had shown complete remission, the tumours disappeared after 3-4 weeks of moderate growth without any further treatment. The present study shows for the first time the curative potential of {sup 90}Y-SMT 487-based radiotherapy for somatostatin receptor-expressing tumours. Clinical phase I studies with yttrium-labelled SMT 487 have started in September 1997. (orig.) With 4 figs., 2 tabs., 29 refs.

  1. Transfer of immunity by transfer of bone marrow cells: T-cell dependency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marusic, M.

    1978-01-01

    Thymectomized, lethally irradiated mice reconstituted with normal bone marrow cells succumbed when challenged ip with rat Yoshida ascites sarcoma (YAS) cells 40 days after irradiation and reconstitution. In contrast, thymectomized irradiated mice reconstituted with bone marrow cells from YAS-immune donors rejected the subsequent tumor challenge. Pretreatment of the bone marrow cells from immune donors with anti-Thy 1.2 antiserum and complement completely abolished the transfer of anti-YAS resistance. Bone marrow cells from donors thymectomized 2 months before immunization enabled almost all recipients to reject YAS, but bone marrow cells from donors thymectomized 8 months before immunization protected only 50 percent of the recipients. Further analysis showed that mice thymectomized 8 months before immunization failed to generate anti-YAS antibody response, whereas the antibody response of mice thymectomized 2 months before immunization did not differ from that of non-thymectomized age-matched control mice. The data suggest that the immune reaction of mice against xenogeneic YAS requires long-lived T 2 lymphocytes

  2. Bifidobacterium breve alters immune function and ameliorates DSS-induced inflammation in weanling rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izumi, Hirohisa; Minegishi, Mario; Sato, Yohei; Shimizu, Takashi; Sekine, Kazunori; Takase, Mitsunori

    2015-10-01

    Bifidobacterium breve M-16V (M16V) is a probiotic bacterial strain with a long tradition of use in neonatal intensive care units in some countries. Previous study showed that the effects of M16V administration on gene expression were greater during the weaning period than in the neonatal period and were greater in the colon than in the small intestine and spleen, suggesting that M16V has anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we evaluated the effects of inflammation during the weaning period and the effects of M16V on normal and inflammatory conditions. From postnatal day (PD) 21 to 34, weanling rats were administered of 2.5 × 10(9) of M16V daily, and colitis was induced by administration of 2% dextran sulfate sodium from PD28 to 35. Colitis severity, immune function, and microbiota were investigated. Colitis caused a reduction in body weight gain, colon shortening, poor nutritional status, anemia, changes in blood and spleen lymphocyte populations, spleen T-cell malfunctions, and alterations in colon microbiota. M16V administration improved some but not all of the changes induced by colitis. M16V could suppress inflammation and, therefore, can be considered a safe strain to use not only during the neonatal period but also the weaning period.

  3. Strain differences in ethanol preference and reinforced behaviour: a comparison of two-bottle choice and operant self-administration paradigms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, A W; Neill, J C; Costall, B

    1997-02-01

    An animal's volitional consumption of ethanol may be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In addition, genetic control of ethanol intake may depend on the test paradigm used. In the present study, performance for, and intake of ethanol in a limited access oral operant paradigm, and preference for ethanol in a two-bottle free choice test in the home-cage were compared in female rats of the heterogeneous Sprague Dawley (SD) and inbred Lewis strains. A smaller proportion of SD rats reached criterion on the self-administration task (four of 10 SD vs eight of 10 Lewis), but those SD rats that did achieve criterion maintained higher levels of responding and greater ethanol intake, relative to the Lewis strain, in the operant self-administration paradigm. Additionally, SD but not Lewis rats exhibited increased locomotor activity and an increase in performance for ethanol compared with water. In marked contrast, Lewis rats exhibited a greater preference for 10% ethanol over water in the two-bottle choice test compared with the SD strain, which preferred water to ethanol. These results suggest that both genotype and test paradigm are involved in the extent to which ethanol serves as a positive reinforcer and that unlike two-bottle choice preference tests, self-administration studies are more highly predictive of the reinforcing properties of ethanol.

  4. Investigation of prototypal MOFs consisting of polyhedral cages with accessible Lewis-acid sites for quinoline synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Wen-Yang; Leng, Kunyue; Cash, Lindsay; Chrzanowski, Matthew; Stackhouse, Chavis A; Sun, Yinyong; Ma, Shengqian

    2015-03-21

    A series of prototypal metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) consisting of polyhedral cages with accessible Lewis-acid sites, have been systematically investigated for Friedländer annulation reaction, a straightforward approach to synthesizing quinoline and its derivatives. Amongst them MMCF-2 demonstrates significantly enhanced catalytic activity compared with the benchmark MOFs, HKUST-1 and MOF-505, as a result of a high-density of accessible Cu(II) Lewis acid sites and large window size in the cuboctahedral cage-based nanoreactor of MMCF-2.

  5. Endothelin-1-induced focal cerebral ischemia in the growth hormone/IGF-1 deficient Lewis Dwarf rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Han; Mitschelen, Matthew; Toth, Peter; Ashpole, Nicole M; Farley, Julie A; Hodges, Erik L; Warrington, Junie P; Han, Song; Fung, Kar-Ming; Csiszar, Anna; Ungvari, Zoltan; Sonntag, William E

    2014-11-01

    Aging is a major risk factor for cerebrovascular disease. Growth hormone (GH) and its anabolic mediator, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, decrease with advancing age and this decline has been shown to promote vascular dysfunction. In addition, lower GH/IGF-1 levels are associated with higher stroke mortality in humans. These results suggest that decreased GH/IGF-1 level is an important factor in increased risk of cerebrovascular diseases. This study was designed to assess whether GH/IGF-1-deficiency influences the outcome of cerebral ischemia. We found that endothelin-1-induced middle cerebral artery occlusion resulted in a modest but nonsignificant decrease in cerebral infarct size in GH/IGF-1 deficient dw/dw rats compared with control heterozygous littermates and dw/dw rats with early-life GH treatment. Expression of endothelin receptors and endothelin-1-induced constriction of the middle cerebral arteries were similar in the three experimental groups. Interestingly, dw/dw rats exhibited reduced brain edema and less astrocytic infiltration compared with their heterozygous littermates and this effect was reversed by GH-treatment. Because reactive astrocytes are critical for the regulation of poststroke inflammatory processes, maintenance of the blood-brain barrier and neural repair, further studies are warranted to determine the long-term functional consequences of decreased astrocytic activation in GH/IGF-1 deficient animals after cerebral ischemia. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America 2014.

  6. Post-radiation analgesia at rats and function of endogenous opiates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slivkova, E.; Smajda, B.; Paulikova, E.; Lackova, M.

    2002-01-01

    In this work post-radiation analgesia at rats as well as the function of endogenous opiates were tested. Males of rats were irradiated all-body dose 6 Gy. Hot-plate test was used. Dose of 8 mg of naloxone per kg of animal blocked perception of ache. This dose blocked analgetic effect of ionising radiation. Activity of phagocyte activity and phagocyte index were enhanced at rats which obtained naloxone. Authors stated that opiate system play a significant role at analgesia induced by radiation at rats and can modify response of immunity system on the stress

  7. Cellular Immunity State of Protein-deficient Rats with the Toxic Liver Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O.N. Voloshchuk

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Studies on the role of immunity mechanisms in the emergence and maintenance of inflammatory and destructive processes in the liver under toxic hepatitis and nutrient deficiency are topical. The aim of research – to study the quantitative content and functional activity of leukocytes under the conditions of acetaminophen-induced hepatitis on the background of nutritional protein deficiency. The most pronounced changes in cell-mediated immunity are observed in protein-deficient animals with toxic hepatitis. The pronounced defects of both specific and non-specific cellular immunity were manifested by the leukocytosis, increase number of segmented neutrophils in blood serum against decrease their phagocytic index and phagocytic number, reduction of total lymphocyte number, and simultaneously lowering of T- and B-lymphocytes was established under the conditions of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity on the background of protein deficiency. Installed changes indicate the defective formation of functional immunity state which can manifest by decrease the body’s ability to carry out the reaction of cellular and humoral immunity. Research results may be used for the rationale of therapeutic approaches to the elimination and correction of the consequences of immunological status disturbances under the conditions of acetaminophen-induced hepatitis, aggravated by the alimentary protein deprivation.

  8. Stress and Burden among Caregivers of Patients with Lewy Body Dementia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leggett, Amanda N.; Zarit, Steven; Taylor, Angela; Galvin, James E.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD) may present a unique set of symptoms and challenges to family caregivers compared with other types of dementia. Prominent difficulties include motor impairment, activities of daily living (ADLs) disability, recurrent behavioral and emotional problems (BEPs), and diagnostic difficulties. These…

  9. Insights into molecular recognition of LewisX mimics by DC-SIGN using NMR and molecular modelling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guzzi, C.; Angulo, J.; Rojo, J.; Nieto, P.M.; Doro, F.; Bernardi, A.; Thepaut, M.; Fieschi, F.; Thepaut, M.; Fieschi, F.

    2011-01-01

    In this work, we have studied in detail the binding of two α-fucosyl-amide-based mimics of Lewis X to DC-SIGN ECD (ECD = extracellular domain) using STD NMR and docking. We have concluded that the binding mode occurs mainly through the fucose moiety, in the same way as Lewis X . Similarly to other mimics containing mannose or fucose previously studied, we have shown that both compounds bind to DC-SIGN ECD in a multimodal fashion. In this case, the main contact is the interaction of two hydroxyl groups one equatorial and the other one axial (O3 and O4) of the fucose with the Ca 2+ as Lewis X and similarly to mannose-containing mimics (in this case the interacting groups are both in the equatorial position). Finally, we have measured the K D of one mimic that was 0.4 mM. Competitive STD NMR experiments indicate that the aromatic moiety provides additional binding contacts that increase the affinity. (authors)

  10. A rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder reproduces the hippocampal deficits seen in the human syndrome

    OpenAIRE

    Goswami, Sonal; Samuel, Sherin; Sierra, Olga R.; Cascardi, Michele; Paré, Denis

    2012-01-01

    Despite recent progress, the causes and pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remain poorly understood, partly because of ethical limitations inherent to human studies. One approach to circumvent this obstacle is to study PTSD in a valid animal model of the human syndrome. In one such model, extreme and long-lasting behavioral manifestations of anxiety develop in a subset of Lewis rats after exposure to an intense predatory threat that mimics the type of life-and-death situ...

  11. Hematological changes in opium addicted diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asadikaram, Gholamreza; Sirati-Sabet, Majid; Asiabanha, Majid; Shahrokhi, Nader; Jafarzadeh, Abdollah; Khaksari, Mohammad

    2013-01-01

    Chronic opioid treatment in animal models has shown to alter hematological parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological effects of opium on the number of peripheral blood cells and red blood cells (RBCs) indices in diabetic rats. Peripheral blood samples were collected from diabetic, opium-addicted, diabetic opium-addicted and normal male and female rats and hematological parameters were measured. The mean number of white blood cells (WBCs) was significantly higher in diabetic opium-addict females compared to diabetic non-addict female group. In both male and female, the mean number of neutrophils was significantly higher and the mean number of lymphocytes was lower in diabetic opium-addicted rats than those observed in diabetic non-addicted group. In diabetic opium-addicted male group the mean counts of RBC significantly increased as compared with diabetic male group. However, in diabetic addicted female, the mean number of RBCs was significantly lower than diabetic non-addicted female group. In both males and females, the mean number of platelets was significantly lower in diabetic addict rats compared to diabetic non-addict group. Generally, the results indicated that opium addiction has different effects on male and female rats according to the number of WBC, RBC and RBC indices. It could also be concluded that in the opium-addicts the risk of infection is enhanced due to the weakness of immune system as a result of the imbalance effect of opium on the immune cells.

  12. Brush Polymer of Donor-Accepter Dyads via Adduct Formation between Lewis Base Polymer Donor and All Carbon Lewis Acid Acceptor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Wang

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available A synthetic method that taps into the facile Lewis base (LB→Lewis acid (LA adduct forming reaction between the semiconducting polymeric LB and all carbon LA C60 for the construction of covalently linked donor-acceptor dyads and brush polymer of dyads is reported. The polymeric LB is built on poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT macromers containing either an alkyl or vinyl imidazolium end group that can be readily converted into the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC LB site, while the brush polymer architecture is conveniently constructed via radical polymerization of the macromer P3HT with the vinyl imidazolium chain end. Simply mixing of such donor polymeric LB with C60 rapidly creates linked P3HT-C60 dyads and brush polymer of dyads in which C60 is covalently linked to the NHC junction connecting the vinyl polymer main chain and the brush P3HT side chains. Thermal behaviors, electronic absorption and emission properties of the resulting P3HT-C60 dyads and brush polymer of dyads have been investigated. The results show that a change of the topology of the P3HT-C60 dyad from linear to brush architecture enhances the crystallinity and Tm of the P3HT domain and, along with other findings, they indicate that the brush polymer architecture of donor-acceptor domains provides a promising approach to improve performances of polymer-based solar cells.

  13. Suppression of adoptive antituberculosis immunity by normal recipient animals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lefford, M.J.

    1983-01-01

    Adoptive immunity is poorly expressed in normal syngeneic mice. This phenomenon was studied by using experimental antituberculosis immunity as a model system representing pure cell-mediated immunity. Expression of adoptive immunity was facilitated by pretreating recipients with sublethal ionizing radiation (500 rads) or high doses (200 mg/kg) of cyclophosphamide or by using adult thymectomized, lethally irradiated, bone-marrow-reconstituted (TXB) mice. Adult thymectomy was less effective, and a low dose of cyclophosphamide (20 mg/kg) was completely ineffective. The beneficial effect of sublethal irradiation was reduced over time; it persisted for 4 weeks and was absent after 8 weeks. Attempts to restore the suppressed state of normal mice to sublethally irradiated mice by using normal spleen or thymus cells did not succeed. Even in rats, which express adoptive antituberculosis immunity without immunosuppressive treatment, the use of sublethally irradiated or TXB recipients potentiated adoptive immunity. It was concluded that suppression of adoptive immunization in normal recipient mice is mediated predominantly, if not exclusively, by T lymphocytes that are sensitive to a number of immunosuppressive agents. The suppressor cells are long-lived and can be regenerated from precursors that are resistant to 500 but not to 900 rads of ionizing radiation

  14. Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis: Christian Postmodernism beyond Boundaries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuasa, Kyoko

    2012-01-01

    Modern critics do not consider science fiction and mystery novels to be "serious reading", but Dorothy L. Sayers and C. S. Lewis questioned the boundaries between "popular" and "serious" literature. Both Christian writers critically discuss the spiritual crisis of the modern world in each fiction genre. This paper…

  15. Effects of IFN-β1a and IFN-β1b treatment on the expression of cytokines, inducible NOS (NOS type II), and myelin proteins in animal model of multiple sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubina-Dąbrowska, Natalia; Stepień, Adam; Sulkowski, Grzegorz; Dąbrowska-Bouta, Beata; Langfort, Józef; Chalimoniuk, Małgorzata

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of interferon (IFN)-β1a and IFN-β1b treatment on inflammatory factors and myelin protein levels in the brain cortex of the Lewis rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), animal model of multiple sclerosis. To induce EAE, rat were immunized with inoculums containing spinal cord guinea pig homogenized in phosphate-buffered saline and emulsified in Freund's complete adjuvant containing 110 µg of the appropriate antigen in 100 µl of an emulsion and additionally 4-mg/ml Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37Ra). The rats were treated three times per week with subcutaneous applications of 300,000 units IFN-β1a or IFN-β1b. The treatments were started 8 days prior to immunization and continued until day 14 after immunization. The rats were killed on the 14th day of the experiment. EAE induced dramatic increase in interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-concentrations and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in the brain, which closely corresponded to the course of neurological symptoms and the loss of weight. Both IFN-β1b and IFN-β1a treatments inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α and IFN-γ), decreased the activation of astrocytes, increased the myelin protein level in the brain cortex, and improved the neurological status of EAE rats by different mechanisms; IFN-β1a reduced iNOS expression, at least in part, by the enhancement of IL-10, while IFN-β1b diminished IL-10 concentration and did not decrease EAE-induced iNOS expression.

  16. Transplacental absorption of 238Pu in rats and guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sullivan, M.F.

    1980-01-01

    Pregnant rats and guinea pigs were injected intravenously with 238 Pu citrate to determine if the potential for in utero accumulation of 238 Pu by these two species is related to the stage of development at which immunity is gained. Although guinea pigs retained more 238 Pu after birth than rats, the difference was not significant

  17. Calibration and comparison of the NASA Lewis free-piston Stirling engine model predictions with RE-1000 test data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geng, Steven M.

    1987-01-01

    A free-piston Stirling engine performance code is being upgraded and validated at the NASA Lewis Research Center under an interagency agreement between the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and NASA Lewis. Many modifications were made to the free-piston code in an attempt to decrease the calibration effort. A procedure was developed that made the code calibration process more systematic. Engine-specific calibration parameters are often used to bring predictions and experimental data into better agreement. The code was calibrated to a matrix of six experimental data points. Predictions of the calibrated free-piston code are compared with RE-1000 free-piston Stirling engine sensitivity test data taken at NASA Lewis. Resonable agreement was obtained between the code predictions and the experimental data over a wide range of engine operating conditions.

  18. Antifibrogenic role of valproic acid in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat penis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutlu, O; Karaguzel, E; Gurgen, S G; Okatan, A E; Kutlu, S; Bayraktar, C; Kazaz, I O; Eren, H

    2016-05-01

    We investigated the therapeutic effects of valproic acid (VPA) on erectile dysfunction and reducing penile fibrosis in streptozocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Eighteen male rats were divided into three experimental groups (Control, STZ-DM, STZ-DM plus VPA) and diabetes was induced by transperitoneal single dose STZ. Eight weeks after, VPA and placebo treatments were given according to groups for 15 days. All rats were anesthetised for the measurement of in vivo erectile response to cavernous nerve stimulation. Afterward penes were evaluated histologically in terms of immune labelling scores of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Slides were also evaluated in terms of collagen/smooth muscle ratio and penile apoptosis. After the treatment with VPA, erectile responses were found as improved when compared with STZ-DM rats but not statistically meaningful. eNOS and VEGF immune expressions diminished in penile corpora of STZ-DM rats and improved with VPA treatment. VPA led to decrease in TGF-β1 expression and collagen content of diabetic rats' penes. Penile apoptosis was not diminished with VPA. In conclusion, VPA treatment seems to be effective for reducing penile fibrosis in diabetic rats and more prolonged treatment period may enhance erectile functions. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  19. Triglyceride kinetics, tissue lipoprotein lipase, and liver lipogenesis in septic rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanza-Jacoby, S.; Tabares, A.

    1990-01-01

    The mechanism for the development of hypertriglyceridemia during gram-negative sepsis was studied by examining liver production and clearance of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride (TG). To assess liver output and peripheral clearance the kinetics of VLDL-TG were determined by a constant iv infusion of [2-3H]glycerol-labeled VLDL. Clearance of VLDL-TG was also evaluated by measuring activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in heart, soleus muscle, and adipose tissue from fasted control, fasted E. coli-treated, fed control, and fed E. coli-treated rats. Lewis inbred rats, 275-300 g, were made septic with 8 x 10(7) live E. coli colonies per 100 g body wt. Twenty-four hours after E. coli injection, serum TG, free fatty acids (FFA), and cholesterol of fasted E. coli-treated rats were elevated by 170, 76, and 16%, respectively. The elevation of serum TG may be attributed to the 67% decrease in clearance rate of VLDL-TG in fasted E. coli-treated rats compared with their fasted controls. The suppressed activities of LPL in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and heart were consistent with reduced clearance of TG. Secretion of VLDL-TG declined by 31% in livers of fasted E. coli-treated rats, which was accompanied by a twofold increase in the composition of liver TG. Rates of in vivo TG synthesis in livers of the fasted E. coli-treated rats were twofold higher than in those of fasted control rats. Decreased rate of TG appearance along with the increase in liver synthesis of TG contributed to the elevation of liver lipids in the fasted E. coli-treated rats

  20. Experimental observation of pulsating instability under acoustic field in downward-propagating flames at large Lewis number

    KAUST Repository

    Yoon, Sung Hwan

    2017-10-12

    According to previous theory, pulsating propagation in a premixed flame only appears when the reduced Lewis number, β(Le-1), is larger than a critical value (Sivashinsky criterion: 4(1 +3) ≈ 11), where β represents the Zel\\'dovich number (for general premixed flames, β ≈ 10), which requires Lewis number Le > 2.1. However, few experimental observation have been reported because the critical reduced Lewis number for the onset of pulsating instability is beyond what can be reached in experiments. Furthermore, the coupling with the unavoidable hydrodynamic instability limits the observation of pure pulsating instabilities in flames. Here, we describe a novel method to observe the pulsating instability. We utilize a thermoacoustic field caused by interaction between heat release and acoustic pressure fluctuations of the downward-propagating premixed flames in a tube to enhance conductive heat loss at the tube wall and radiative heat loss at the open end of the tube due to extended flame residence time by diminished flame surface area, i.e., flat flame. The thermoacoustic field allowed pure observation of the pulsating motion since the primary acoustic force suppressed the intrinsic hydrodynamic instability resulting from thermal expansion. By employing this method, we have provided new experimental observations of the pulsating instability for premixed flames. The Lewis number (i.e., Le ≈ 1.86) was less than the critical value suggested previously.

  1. Feminine Hypostases in Epic Fantasy: Tolkien, Lewis, Rowling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Măcineanu Laura

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper identifies the types of female figures present in the works of three well-known fantasy writers, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling, discussing the ways in which these characters are presented, their relationship with other characters, and their role in the economy of the novel, which is more important than may appear from a first reading. It also tries to explain the reasons that prompted the above-mentioned authors to choose these female hypostases.

  2. Quetiapine effective in treatment of inappropriate sexual behavior of lewy body disease with predominant frontal lobe signs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prakash, Ravi; Pathak, Amit; Munda, Sanjay; Bagati, Dhruv

    2009-01-01

    Dementia of Lewy body disease is the second most common degenerative cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease, among all the dementias. The core features are a progressive dementia, fluctuations in cognitive functions, visual hallucinations, and spontaneous parkinsonism. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, severe neuroleptic sensitivity, and low dopamine transporter uptake in basal ganglia are other suggestive features. Behavioral abnormalities are commonly present in the form of aggressive behavior, irritability, and uninhibited behaviors. These are mostly seen in the advanced stages of dementia. However, inappropriate sexual behavior is uncommonly seen in such cases. Three types of inappropriate sexual behaviors commonly found in cases of dementia are sex talks, sexual acts, and implied sexual acts. Such inappropriate sexual behaviors have not been described adequately in dementia of Lewy body disease. We report inappropriate sexual behaviors in a case of dementia of Lewy body disease, which improved rapidly after treatment with quetiapine.

  3. Bibliography of Lewis Research Center Technical Publications announced in 1991

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-01-01

    This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes the technical reporting that resulted from the scientific engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1991. All the publications were announced in the 1991 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Included are research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses.

  4. Terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the lewis cliff stranding area, East Antarctica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Welten, K. C.; Lindner, L.; Alderliesten, C.; van der Borg, K.

    1999-07-01

    We determined terrestrial ages of ordinary chondrites from the Lewis Cliff stranding area, East Antarctica, on the basis of the concentrations of cosmogenic 10Be (t1/2 = 1.51 Ma), 26Al (t1/2 = 0.705 Ma) and 36Cl (t1/2 = 0.301 Ma). After an initial 26Al -ray survey of 91 meteorites suggested that many have terrestrial ages larger than 0.1 Ma, we selected 62 meteorites for 10Be and 26Al measurements by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and measured 36Cl in twelve of those. Low terrestrial ages (Ma) were found for about 60% of the meteorites, whereas all others have ages between 0.1 and 0.5 Ma, except for one exceptional age of >2 Ma (Welten et al., 1997). Our major conclusions are: (1) The Lewis Cliff H-chondrites show similar ages as those from the Allan Hills Ice-fields, but the L-chondrites are about a factor of two younger than those from Allan Hills, which indicates that Lewis Cliff is a younger stranding area. (2) The terrestrial age distributions at different parts of the Lewis Cliff stranding area generally agree with simple meteorite concentration models, although differences in weathering rate may also play a role. (3) We confirm that meteorites with natural thermoluminescence (TL) levels >80 krad are associated with low terrestrial ages (Benoit et al., 1992), but conclude that natural TL levels <80 krad can not be used to calculate the terrestrial age of a meteorite. Natural TL levels do seem useful to estimate relative terrestrial ages of large groups of meteorites and to determine differences in surface exposure age of paired meteorite fragments. (4) Of the 62 meteorites measured with AMS, 31 were assigned to eleven different pairing groups, mainly on the basis of their cosmogenic nuclide record. The meteorites are estimated to represent between 42 and 52 distinct falls.

  5. Immune responses induced by co-infection with Capillaria hepatica in Clonorchis sinensis-infected rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, E-K; Lee, S-H; Goo, T W; Quan, F-S

    2018-07-01

    Clonorchis sinensis and Capillaria hepatica are zoonotic parasites that mainly infect the liver and cause serious liver disorders. However, immunological parameters induced by co-infection with these parasites remain unknown. In this study, for the first time, we investigated immunological profiles induced by co-infection with C. hepatica (CH) in C. sinensis (CS)-infected rats (Sprague-Dawley). Rats were infected primarily with 50 metacercariae of C. sinensis; 4 weeks later, they were subsequently infected with 1000 infective C. hepatica eggs. Significantly higher levels of C. sinensis- or C. hepatica-specific IgG antibodies were found in the sera of rats. Interestingly, no cross-reacting antibody was observed between C. sinensis and C. hepatica infections. Significantly raised eosinophil levels were found in the blood of C. sinensis/C. hepatica co-infected rats (CS + CH) compared to the blood of rats infected singly with C. sinensis. Co-infected rats showed significantly higher levels of lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production compared to a single C. sinensis infection. The worm burden of C. sinensis was significantly reduced in co-infected rats compared to the single C. sinensis infection. These results indicate that the eosinophils, lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production induced by subsequent infection with C. hepatica in C. sinensis-infected rats might contribute to the observed C. sinensis worm reduction.

  6. Stimulatory effect of low dose radiation on the immune function in tumor-bearing mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Ying; Li Xiujuan; Li Xiuyi; Liu Shuzheng

    1999-01-01

    Objective: The author aims at investigating the effect of whole body irradiation (WBI) with low dose radiation on immune function in tumor-bearing mice. Methods: C57BL/6J mine implanted with Lewis lung carcinoma cells in the right thighs were used as an experimental animal model. WBI with 75 mGy X-rays was given at the 10 th day after implantation and immunological parameters were detected 18 hours after irradiation. The immunological parameters included the spontaneous incorporation of 3 H-TdR into thymocytes, the number of splenocytes, the reaction of splenocytes to ConA and LPS, the splenic production of IL-2, the cytotoxic activities of natural killer (NK) and lymphokine activated killer cells (LAK) as well as specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). Results: The immunological parameters of irradiated tumor-bearing mice were significantly increased compared with those of sham-irradiated tumor-bearing mice (P<0.05∼0.01). Conclusion: Low dose radiation could significantly increase the immune function of tumor-bearing mice, and this stimulatory effect may be of some potential significance in tumor therapy

  7. Tolerance-like innate immunity and spleen injury: a novel discovery via the weekly administrations and consecutive injections of PEGylated emulsions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang L

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Long Wang,* Chunling Wang,* Jiao Jiao, Yuqing Su, Xiaobo Cheng, Zhenjun Huang, Xinrong Liu, Yihui DengCollege of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: There has been an increasing interest in the study of the innate immune system in recent years. However, few studies have focused on whether innate immunity can acquire tolerance. Therefore, in this study, we investigated tolerance in the innate immune system via the consecutive weekly and daily injections of emulsions modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG, referred to as PEGylated emulsions (PE. The effects of these injections of PE on pharmacokinetics and biodistribution were studied in normal and macrophage-depleted rats. Additionally, we evaluated the antigenic specificity of immunologic tolerance. Immunologic tolerance against PE developed after 21 days of consecutive daily injections or the fourth week of PE administration. Compared with a single administration, it was observed that the tolerant rats had a lower rate of PE clearance from the blood, which was independent of the stress response. In addition, weekly PE injections caused injury to the spleen. Furthermore, the rats tolerant to PEs with the methoxy group (-OCH3 of PEG, failed to respond to the PEs with a different terminal group of PEG or to non-PEG emulsions. Innate immunity tolerance was induced by PE, regardless of the mode of administration. Further study of this mechanism suggested that monocytes play an essential role in the suppression of innate immunity. These findings provide novel insights into the understanding of the innate immune system.Keywords: immunologic tolerance, innate immune system, pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, antigenic specificity

  8. Immunotoxicity evaluation of jet a jet fuel in female rats after 28-day dermal exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mann, Cynthia M; Peachee, Vanessa L; Trimmer, Gary W; Lee, Ji-Eun; Twerdok, Lorraine E; White, Kimber L

    2008-01-01

    The potential for jet fuel to modulate immune functions has been reported in mice following dermal, inhalation, and oral routes of exposure; however, a functional evaluation of the immune system in rats following jet fuel exposure has not been conducted. In this study potential effects of commercial jet fuel (Jet A) on the rat immune system were assessed using a battery of functional assays developed to screen potential immunotoxic compounds. Jet A was applied to the unoccluded skin of 6- to 7-wk-old female Crl:CD (SD)IGS BR rats at doses of 165, 330, or 495 mg/kg/d for 28 d. Mineral oil was used as a vehicle to mitigate irritation resulting from repeated exposure to jet fuel. Cyclophosphamide and anti-asialo GM1 were used as positive controls for immunotoxic effects. In contrast to reported immunotoxic effects of jet fuel in mice, dermal exposure of rats to Jet A did not result in alterations in spleen or thymus weights, splenic lymphocyte subpopulations, immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibody-forming cell response to the T-dependent antigen, sheep red blood cells (sRBC), spleen cell proliferative response to anti-CD3 antibody, or natural killer (NK) cell activity. In each of the immunotoxicological assays conducted, the positive control produced the expected results, demonstrating the assay was capable of detecting an effect if one had occurred. Based on the immunological parameters evaluated under the experimental conditions of the study, Jet A did not adversely affect immune responses of female rats. It remains to be determined whether the observed difference between this study and some other studies reflects a difference in the immunological response of rats and mice or is the result of other factors.

  9. Enterovirus D-68 Infection, Prophylaxis, and Vaccination in a Novel Permissive Animal Model, the Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mira C Patel

    Full Text Available In recent years, there has been a significant increase in detection of Enterovirus D-68 (EV-D68 among patients with severe respiratory infections worldwide. EV-D68 is now recognized as a re-emerging pathogen; however, due to lack of a permissive animal model for EV-D68, a comprehensive understanding of the pathogenesis and immune response against EV-D68 has been hampered. Recently, it was shown that EV-D68 has a strong affinity for α2,6-linked sialic acids (SAs and we have shown previously that α2,6-linked SAs are abundantly present in the respiratory tract of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus. Thus, we hypothesized that cotton rats could be a potential model for EV-D68 infection. Here, we evaluated the ability of two recently isolated EV-D68 strains (VANBT/1 and MO/14/49, along with the historical prototype Fermon strain (ATCC, to infect cotton rats. We found that cotton rats are permissive to EV-D68 infection without virus adaptation. The different strains of EV-D68 showed variable infection profiles and the ability to produce neutralizing antibody (NA upon intranasal infection or intramuscular immunization. Infection with the VANBT/1 resulted in significant induction of pulmonary cytokine gene expression and lung pathology. Intramuscular immunization with live VANBT/1 or MO/14/49 induced strong homologous antibody responses, but a moderate heterologous NA response. We showed that passive prophylactic administration of serum with high content of NA against VANBT/1 resulted in an efficient antiviral therapy. VANBT/1-immunized animals showed complete protection from VANBT/1 challenge, but induced strong pulmonary Th1 and Th2 cytokine responses and enhanced lung pathology, indicating the generation of exacerbated immune response by immunization. In conclusion, our data illustrate that the cotton rat is a powerful animal model that provides an experimental platform to investigate pathogenesis, immune response, anti-viral therapies and vaccines

  10. Borax in the supraglacial moraine of the Lewis Cliff, Buckley Island quadrangle--first Antarctic occurrence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitzpatrick, J.J.; Muhs, D.R.

    1989-01-01

    During the 1987-1988 austral summer field season, membersof the south party of the antarctic search for meteorites south-ern team* working in the Lewis Cliff/Colbert Hills region dis-covered several areas of unusual mineralization within theLewis Cliff ice tongue and its associated moraine field (figure1). The Lewis Cliff ice tongue (84°15'S 161°25'E) is a meteorite-stranding surface of ablating blue ice, about 2.3 by 7.0 kilo-meters, bounded on the west by the Lewis Cliff, on the northand northeast by a large supraglacial moraine, and on the eastby the Colbert Hills. To the south it opens to the Walcott Névé.Because it is a meteorite-stranding surface, the major component of ice motion in the area is believed to be vertical(Whillans and Cassidy 1983). The presence of Thule-Baffinmoraines at the northern terminus of the blue ice tends tosupport the hypothesis that the area underlying the moraineis essentially stagnant and that ice arriving from the south ispiling up against it. Areas containing mineral deposits werefound within the moraine field to the north and east of theblue ice margin and also along the east margins of the blue iceitself. Subsequent X-ray diffraction analyses of these depositshave shown that they are composed predominantly of nah-colite (NaHCO3), trona [Na3(CO3)(HCO3) · 2H20], borax[Na2B405(OH)4 · 8H20], and a new hexagonal hydrous sulfatespecies. This paper reports the details of the borax occurrence,because it is the first known on the continent.

  11. The establishment of a multiple sclerosis model for clinical MRI study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Haiqin; Li Kuncheng; Yu Chunshui; Ma Jia; Qin Wen; Ji Zhijuan; Piao Yueshan

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To establish a rat model of multiple sclerosis (MS) for clinical MRI study. Methods: The Lewis (LEW) rats were immunized by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide 35-55 (MOG 35-55 ) emulsified with complete Freunds adjuvant/incomplete Freunds adjuvant. Twenty LEW rats were selected. Group A rats were 5, group B rats were 10 and control group rats were 5. MRI and histopathology analysis were observed on group A and control group, and clinical course were observed on group B. The clinical course was observed and the brain and spinal cord of EAE rats were scanned on 3.0 T MR system with quadrature wrist joint coil on the third day of the acute stage of disease. The T 2 /T 1 weighted images and Gadolinium enhanced T 1 weighted images in 3D volume were obtained respectively. The magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) images were calculated with special software in workstation. Rats were sacrificed within 24 h after MRI, and the histopathological changes of central nervous system were observed. Results: Twice immunization of MOG 35-55 was used and a rat model of MS was successfully induced with all the rats. The model had varied clinical symptoms. The lesions of central nervous system at acute stage on group A (5 rats) were depicted on MRI. The lesions located in the brain and the spinal cord with main manifestation of hyperintensity on T 2 weighed images and hypointensity on T 1 weighted images. Some lesions had Gd-DTPA enhancement, and the value of MTR decreased. The infiltration of mononuclear cells around blood vessels and the extensive distribution of lesions of demyelination in brain and spinal cord were verified by histological examination. Conclusions: Twice immunization of MOG 35-55 could produce a rat model which mimics MS. The model is stable with higher incidence, and the antigen is cheap and obtained easily. The intravital monitoring of brain and spinal cord lesions in MOG 35-55 induced rat model is possible on 3.0 T clinical whole- body MR

  12. Tribute to Erwin Felix Lewy-Bertaut; Hommage a Erwin Felix Lewy-Bertaut

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2006-07-01

    Erwin Lewy (alias Felix Bertaut) was born in 1913 in Germany, he emigrated to France where he undertook graduate studies in chemistry. Then, he joined the powder central laboratory where he learnt how to use international tables for structure determination. His thesis work was the X-ray study of the statistical distribution of the size of iron grains. The method Bertaut developed is still a reference in powder granulometry. Bertaut was also interested in the nascent neutron diffraction method and he flew to the United-States to improve his knowledge on this topic. Felix Bertaut created the neutron diffraction laboratory in the atomic research center in Grenoble and later he headed the CNRS' crystallography laboratory till 1982. Felix Bertaut and his laboratories became internationally renowned in crystallography, neutron diffraction and magnetism. He favored the scientific cooperation between France and Germany that led to the creation of the Laue-Langevin Institute (ILL). The ILL became European and was a key partner for building the European Synchrotron Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble. Bertaut was elected as a full member of the French Academy of Sciences in 1979, he died in 2003. (A.C.)

  13. Lewis-acid catalyzed depolymerization of Protobind lignin in supercritical water and ethanol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Guvenatam, Burcu; Heeres, Erik H.J.; Pidko, Evgeny A.; Hensen, Ernie J. M.

    2016-01-01

    The use of metal acetates, metal chlorides and metal triflates as Lewis acid catalysts for the depolymerization of soda lignin under supercritical conditions was investigated. The reactions were carried out at 400 degrees C in water and ethanol. Lignin conversion in supercritical water led to

  14. David Lewis in the Lab: Experimental Results on the Emergence of Meaning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bruner, Justin; O'Connor, Cailin; Rubin, Hannah; Huttegger, S. (Simon)

    2014-01-01

    In this paper we use an experimental approach to investigate how linguistic conventions can emerge in a society without explicit agreement. As a starting point we consider the signaling game introduced by Lewis (Convention 1969). We find that in experimental settings, small groups can quickly

  15. 2009 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Lewis County, Washington

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Watershed Sciences, Inc. (WSI) collected Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data for the Lewis County survey area for the Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium. This data...

  16. Role of ABO secretor status in mucosal innate immunity and H. pylori infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Lindén

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The fucosylated ABH antigens, which constitute the molecular basis for the ABO blood group system, are also expressed in salivary secretions and gastrointestinal epithelia in individuals of positive secretor status; however, the biological function of the ABO blood group system is unknown. Gastric mucosa biopsies of 41 Rhesus monkeys originating from Southern Asia were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. A majority of these animals were found to be of blood group B and weak-secretor phenotype (i.e., expressing both Lewis a and Lewis b antigens, which are also common in South Asian human populations. A selected group of ten monkeys was inoculated with Helicobacter pylori and studied for changes in gastric mucosal glycosylation during a 10-month period. We observed a loss in mucosal fucosylation and concurrent induction and time-dependent dynamics in gastric mucosal sialylation (carbohydrate marker of inflammation, which affect H. pylori adhesion targets and thus modulate host-bacterial interactions. Of particular relevance, gastric mucosal density of H. pylori, gastritis, and sialylation were all higher in secretor individuals compared to weak-secretors, the latter being apparently "protected." These results demonstrate that the secretor status plays an intrinsic role in resistance to H. pylori infection and suggest that the fucosylated secretor ABH antigens constitute interactive members of the human and primate mucosal innate immune system.

  17. A Salmonella typhimurium ghost vaccine induces cytokine expression in vitro and immune responses in vivo and protects rats against homologous and heterologous challenges.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nagarajan Vinod

    Full Text Available Salmonella enteritidis and Salmonella typhimurium are important food-borne bacterial pathogens, which are responsible for diarrhea and gastroenteritis in humans and animals. In this study, S. typhimurium bacterial ghost (STG was generated based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC of sodium hydroxide (NaOH. Experimental studies performed using in vitro and in vivo experimental model systems to characterize effects of STG as a vaccine candidate. When compared with murine macrophages (RAW 264.7 exposed to PBS buffer (98.1%, the macrophages exposed to formalin-killed inactivated cells (FKC, live wild-type bacterial cells and NaOH-induced STG at 1 × 108 CFU/mL showed 85.6%, 66.5% and 84.6% cell viability, respectively. It suggests that STG significantly reduces the cytotoxic effect of wild-type bacterial cells. Furthermore, STG is an excellent inducer for mRNAs of pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β and factor (iNOS, anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10 and dual activities (IL-6 in the stimulated macrophage cells. In vivo, STG vaccine induced humoral and cellular immune responses and protection against homologous and heterologous challenges in rats. Furthermore, the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of STG vaccine were compared with those of FKC and non-vaccinated PBS control groups. The vaccinated rats from STG group exhibited higher levels of serum IgG antibody responses, serum bactericidal antibodies, and CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell populations than those of the FKC and PBS control groups. Most importantly, after challenge with homologous and heterologous strains, the bacterial loads in the STG group were markedly lower than the FKC and PBS control groups. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the STG vaccine induces protective immunity against homologous and heterologous challenges.

  18. Catalytic Ozonation of Toluene Using Chilean Natural Zeolite: The Key Role of Brønsted and Lewis Acid Sites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serguei Alejandro-Martín

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The influence of surface physical-chemical characteristics of Chilean natural zeolite on the catalytic ozonation of toluene is presented in this article. Surface characteristics of natural zeolite were modified by acid treatment with hydrochloric acid and ion-exchange with ammonium sulphate. Prior to catalytic ozonation assays, natural and chemically modified zeolite samples were thermally treated at 623 and 823 K in order to enhance Brønsted and Lewis acid sites formation, respectively. Natural and modified zeolite samples were characterised by N2 adsorption at 77 K, elemental analysis, X-ray fluorescence, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, using pyridine as a probe molecule. The highest values of the reaction rate of toluene oxidation were observed when NH4Z1 and 2NH4Z1 zeolite samples were used. Those samples registered the highest density values of Lewis acid sites compared to other samples used here. Results indicate that the presence of strong Lewis acid sites at the 2NH4Z1 zeolite surface causes an increase in the reaction rate of toluene oxidation, confirming the role of Lewis acid sites during the catalytic ozonation of toluene at room temperature. Lewis acid sites decompose gaseous ozone into atomic oxygen, which reacts with the adsorbed toluene at Brønsted acid sites. On the other hand, no significant contribution of Brønsted acid sites on the reaction rate was registered when NH4Z1 and 2NH4Z1 zeolite samples were used.

  19. Effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation (Cuminum cyminum) on bacterial susceptibility of diabetes-induced rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moubarz, Gehan; Embaby, Mohamed A; Doleib, Nada M; Taha, Mona M

    2016-01-01

    Diabetic patients are at risk of acquiring infections. Chronic low-grade inflammation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of diabetic complication. Diabetes causes generation of reactive oxygen species that increases oxidative stress, which may play a role in the development of complications as immune-deficiency and bacterial infection. The study aimed to investigate the role of a natural antioxidant, cumin, in the improvement of immune functions in diabetes. Diabetes was achieved by interperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Bacterial infection was induced by application of Staphylococcus aureus suspension to a wound in the back of rats. The antioxidant was administered for 6 weeks. Results revealed a decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats (p cumin may serve as anti-diabetic treatment and may help in attenuating diabetic complications by improving immune functions. Therefore, a medical dietary antioxidant supplementation is important to improve the immune functions in diabetes.

  20. Immunizing potential of sporulated oocysts of Eimeria nieschulzi exposed to heat and 60Co gamma-radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conder, G.A.; Duszynski, D.W.

    1977-01-01

    Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria nieschulzi Dieben 1924, a rat coccidium, were exposed to radiation, heat, or both in an effort to attenuate the parasite. Moderate levels of each treatment or combination thereof attenuated the parasite, reduced pathogenesis (as judged by oocyst discharge during primary infection), and produced immunity to challenge when the oocysts were subsequently inoculated into rats. Thus, heat- and/or radiation-treated E. nieschulzi oocysts fed to rats could reduce pathogenesis during a primary infection and yet give good homologous protection

  1. Bibliography of Lewis Research Center technical publications announced in 1990

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes the technical reporting that resulted from the scientific and engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1990. All the publications were announced in the 1990 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Included are research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses.

  2. Bibliography of Lewis Research Center technical publications announced in 1992

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-01-01

    This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes the technical reporting that resulted from the scientific and engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1992. All the publications were announced in the 1992 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Included are research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses.

  3. Bibliography of Lewis Research Center technical publications announced in 1993

    Science.gov (United States)

    1994-01-01

    This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes the technical reporting that resulted from the scientific and engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1993. All the publications were announced in the 1993 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Included are research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses.

  4. Bibliography of Lewis Research Center technical publications announced in 1989

    Science.gov (United States)

    1990-01-01

    This compilation of abstracts describes and indexes the technical reporting that resulted from the scientific and engineering work performed and managed by the Lewis Research Center in 1989. All the publications were announced in the 1989 issues of STAR (Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports) and/or IAA (International Aerospace Abstracts). Included are research reports, journal articles, conference presentations, patents and patent applications, and theses.

  5. Nitrated alpha-synuclein immunity accelerates degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric J Benner

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The neuropathology of Parkinson's disease (PD includes loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, nitrated alpha-synuclein (N-alpha-Syn enriched intraneuronal inclusions or Lewy bodies and neuroinflammation. While the contribution of innate microglial inflammatory activities to disease are known, evidence for how adaptive immune mechanisms may affect the course of PD remains obscure. We reasoned that PD-associated oxidative protein modifications create novel antigenic epitopes capable of peripheral adaptive T cell responses that could affect nigrostriatal degeneration.Nitrotyrosine (NT-modified alpha-Syn was detected readily in cervical lymph nodes (CLN from 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP intoxicated mice. Antigen-presenting cells within the CLN showed increased surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class II, initiating the molecular machinery necessary for efficient antigen presentation. MPTP-treated mice produced antibodies to native and nitrated alpha-Syn. Mice immunized with the NT-modified C-terminal tail fragment of alpha-Syn, but not native protein, generated robust T cell proliferative and pro-inflammatory secretory responses specific only for the modified antigen. T cells generated against the nitrated epitope do not respond to the unmodified protein. Mice deficient in T and B lymphocytes were resistant to MPTP-induced neurodegeneration. Transfer of T cells from mice immunized with N-alpha-Syn led to a robust neuroinflammatory response with accelerated dopaminergic cell loss.These data show that NT modifications within alpha-Syn, can bypass or break immunological tolerance and activate peripheral leukocytes in draining lymphoid tissue. A novel mechanism for disease is made in that NT modifications in alpha-Syn induce adaptive immune responses that exacerbate PD pathobiology. These results have implications for both the pathogenesis and treatment of this disabling neurodegenerative disease.

  6. L-selectin-carbohydrate interactions: relevant modifications of the Lewis x trisaccharide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanders, W J; Katsumoto, T R; Bertozzi, C R; Rosen, S D; Kiessling, L L

    1996-11-26

    Protein-carbohydrate interactions are known to mediate cell-cell recognition and adhesion events. Specifically, three carbohydrate binding proteins termed selectins (E-, P-, and L-selectin) have been shown to be essential for leukocyte rolling along the vascular endothelium, the first step in the recruitment of leukocytes from the blood into inflammatory sites or into secondary lymphoid organs. Although this phenomenon is well-established, little is known about the molecular-level interactions on which it depends. All three selectins recognize sulfated and sialylated derivatives of the Lewis x [Le(x):Gal beta 1-->4(Fuc alpha 1-->3)GlcNAc] and Lewis a [Le(a): Gal beta 1-->3(Fuc alpha 1-->4)GlcNAc] trisaccharide cores with affinities in the millimolar range, and it is believed that variants of these structures are the carbohydrate determinants of selectin recognition. Recently it was shown that the mucin GlyCAM-1, a secreted physiological ligand for L-selectin, is capped with sulfated derivatives of sialyl Lewis x [sLe(x): Sia alpha 2-->3Gal beta 1-->4(Fuc alpha 1-->3)GlcNAc] and that sulfation is required for the high-affinity interaction between GlyCAM-1 and L-selectin. To elucidate the important sites of sulfation on Le(x) with respect to L-selectin recognition, we have synthesized six sulfated Le(x) analogs and determined their abilities to block binding of a recombinant L-selectin-Ig chimera to immobilized GlyCAM-1. Our results suggest that 6-sulfo sLe(x) binds to L-selectin with higher affinity than does sLe(x) or 6'-sulfo sLe(x) and that sulfation of sLe(x) capping groups on GlyCAM-1 at the 6-position is important for L-selectin recognition.

  7. CP-25, a novel compound, protects against autoimmune arthritis by modulating immune mediators of inflammation and bone damage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yan; Jia, Xiaoyi; Wei, Fang; Wang, Chun; Sun, Xiaojing; Xu, Shu; Yang, Xuezhi; Zhao, Yingjie; Chen, Jingyu; Wu, Huaxun; Zhang, Lingling; Wei, Wei

    2016-05-17

    Paeoniflorin-6'-O-benzene sulfonate (code: CP-25), a novel ester derivative of paeoniflorin (Pae), was evaluated in rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA) to study its potential anti-arthritic activity. AA rats were treated with CP-25 (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg) from days 17 to 29 after immunization. CP-25 effectively reduced clinical and histopathological scores compared with the AA groups. CP-25-treated rats exhibited decreases in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α) coupled with an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-β1 in the serum. CP-25 treatment inhibited M1 macrophage activation and enhanced M2 macrophage activation by influencing cytokine production. Decreases in Th17-IL-17 and the Th17-associated transcription factor RAR-related orphan receptor gamma (ROR-γt) dramatically demonstrated the immunomodulatory effects of CP-25 on abnormal immune dysfunction. In addition, CP-25 suppressed the production of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9, which supported its anti-osteoclastic effects. The data presented here demonstrated that CP-25 significantly inhibited the progression of rat AA by reducing inflammation, immunity and bone damage. The protective effects of CP-25 in AA highlight its potential as an ideal new anti-arthritic agent for human RA.

  8. Lewis Acid-Base Properties of a Low Carbon Aluminium Killed Steel ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An important factor in achieving maximum adhesion of a particular coating system to the substrate lies in the proper preparation of the substrate prior to the application of paint. The Lewis acid-base properties of the outer metal surface play a determinant role in many of these applications, and the chemical reactions involved ...

  9. Exercise for Individuals with Lewy Body Dementia: A Systematic Review.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Inskip

    Full Text Available Individuals with Lewy body Dementia (LBD, which encompasses both Parkinson disease dementia (PDD and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB experience functional decline through Parkinsonism and sedentariness exacerbated by motor, psychiatric and cognitive symptoms. Exercise may improve functional outcomes in Parkinson's disease (PD, and Alzheimer's disease (AD. However, the multi-domain nature of the LBD cluster of symptoms (physical, cognitive, psychiatric, autonomic results in vulnerable individuals often being excluded from exercise studies evaluating physical function in PD or cognitive function in dementia to avoid confounding results. This review evaluated existing literature reporting the effects of exercise interventions or physical activity (PA exposure on cluster symptoms in LBD.A high-sensitivity search was executed across 19 databases. Full-length articles of any language and quality, published or unpublished, that analysed effects of isolated exercise/physical activity on indicative Dementia with Lewy Bodies or PD-dementia cohorts were evaluated for outcomes inclusive of physical, cognitive, psychiatric, physiological and quality of life measures. The protocol for this review (Reg. #: CRD42015019002 is accessible at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.111,485 articles were initially retrieved; 288 full articles were reviewed and 89.6% subsequently deemed ineligible due to exclusion of participants with co-existence of dementia and Parkinsonism. Five studies (1 uncontrolled trial, 1 randomized controlled trial and 3 case reports evaluating 16 participants were included. Interventions were diverse and outcome homogeneity was low. Habitual gait speed outcomes were measured in 13 participants and increased (0.18m/s, 95% CI -0.02, 0.38m/s, exceeding moderate important change (0.14m/s for PD cohorts. Other outcomes appeared to improve modestly in most participants.Scarce research investigating exercise in LBD exists. This review confirms

  10. Transplantation of β-endorphin neurons into the hypothalamus promotes immune function and restricts the growth and metastasis of mammary carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Dipak K; Zhang, Changqing; Murugan, Sengottuvelan; Dokur, Madhavi; Boyadjieva, Nadka I; Ortigüela, Maria; Reuhl, Kenneth R; Mojtehedzadeh, Sepide

    2011-10-01

    Neurobehavioral stress has been shown to promote tumor growth and progression and dampen the immune system. In this study, we investigated whether inhibiting stress hormone production could inhibit the development of mammary carcinoma and metastasis in a rat model of breast carcinogenesis. To enhance β-endorphin (BEP), the endogenous opioid polypeptide that boosts immune activity and decreases stress, we generated BEP neurons by in vitro differentiation from fetal neuronal stem cells and transplanted them into the hypothalami of rats subjected to breast carcinogenesis. BEP-transplanted rats displayed a reduction in mammary tumor incidence, growth, malignancy rate, and metastasis compared with cortical cells-transplanted rats. BEP neuron transplants also reduced inflammation and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in the tumor tissues. In addition, BEP neuron transplants increased peripheral natural killer (NK) cell and macrophage activities, elevated plasma levels of antiinflammatory cytokines, and reduced plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. Antimetastatic effects along with stimulation of NK cells and macrophages could be reversed by treatment with the opiate antagonist naloxone, the β-receptor agonist metaproterenol, or the nicotine acetylcholine receptor antagonist methyllycaconitine. Together, our findings establish a protective role for BEP against the growth and metastasis of mammary tumor cells by altering autonomic nervous system activities that enhance innate immune function.

  11. Treatment of experimental myasthenia gravis with total lymphoid irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de Silva, S.; Blum, J.E.; McIntosh, K.R.; Order, S.; Drachman, D.B.

    1988-01-01

    Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) has been reported to be effective in the immunosuppressive treatment of certain human and experimental autoimmune disorders. We have investigated the effects of TLI in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) produced by immunization with purified torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The radiation is given in 17 divided fractions of 200 rad each, and nonlymphoid tissues are protected by lead shielding. This technique suppresses the immune system, while minimizing side effects, and permits the repopulation of the immune system by the patient's own bone marrow cells. Our results show that TLI treatment completely prevented the primary antibody response to immunization with torpedo AChR, it rapidly abolished the ongoing antibody response in established EAMG, and it suppressed the secondary (anamnestic) response to a boost of AChR. No EAMG animals died during TLI treatment, compared with six control animals that died of EAMG. TLI produces powerful and prompt immunosuppression and may eventually prove useful in the treatment of refractory human myasthenia gravis

  12. Treatment of experimental myasthenia gravis with total lymphoid irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    de Silva, S.; Blum, J.E.; McIntosh, K.R.; Order, S.; Drachman, D.B.

    1988-07-01

    Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) has been reported to be effective in the immunosuppressive treatment of certain human and experimental autoimmune disorders. We have investigated the effects of TLI in Lewis rats with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) produced by immunization with purified torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The radiation is given in 17 divided fractions of 200 rad each, and nonlymphoid tissues are protected by lead shielding. This technique suppresses the immune system, while minimizing side effects, and permits the repopulation of the immune system by the patient's own bone marrow cells. Our results show that TLI treatment completely prevented the primary antibody response to immunization with torpedo AChR, it rapidly abolished the ongoing antibody response in established EAMG, and it suppressed the secondary (anamnestic) response to a boost of AChR. No EAMG animals died during TLI treatment, compared with six control animals that died of EAMG. TLI produces powerful and prompt immunosuppression and may eventually prove useful in the treatment of refractory human myasthenia gravis.

  13. Lewis-acid catalyzed depolymerization of Protobind lignin in supercritical water and ethanol

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Güvenatam, B.; Heeres, E.H.J.; Pidko, E.A.; Hensen, E.J.M.

    2014-01-01

    The use of metal acetates, metal chlorides and metal triflates as Lewis acid catalysts for the depolymerization of soda lignin under supercritical conditions was investigated. The reactions were carried out at 400°C in water and ethanol. Lignin conversion in supercritical water led to formation of

  14. Protective Effect of Nigella Sativa (Black Caraway (Oil on Oral Dichlorvos Induced Hematological, Renal and Nonspecific Immune System Toxicity in Wistar Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moyosore Salihu Ajao

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Exposure to environmental toxins such as organophosphates poses a great threat to the health of the public. In this work, we investigated the effects of continuous exposure to dichlorvos (DDVP on kidney function and hematological parameters, and the possible antidote activity of Nigella sativa oil (NSO. Methods: This research was conducted in 2016, at The Animal Holding and Research Laboratory of Faculty Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups, six rats each. The four groups received: 1. phosphate buffer solution as controls, 2. DDVP, 3. DDVP+NSO and 4. NSO alone. After 2 wk of treatment, blood samples were collected and hematological profile (RBC, Hb, erythrocyte indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC, and Plt, renal function parameters (albumin, urea, total protein, chloride, sodium, and potassium ions and nonspecific immune response (WBC were measured. Results: Rat exposed to DDVP showed red blood cell count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, albumin, and total protein levels was reduced from control, while white blood cell count and urea significantly increased as compared to controls, the change in K+ level was not significant. NSO maintained optimal levels of red blood cell count, hemoglobin, packed cell volume, albumin, white blood cell count, and urea, indicative of its protective effect against hemo-, immuno- and nephrotoxicity of DDVP. Conclusion: N. sativa (Black Caraway oil might be a potential antidote in hematotoxicity, immunosuppression and renal dysfunction in organophosphate poisoning, especially dichlorvos. The protective effect of NSO against dichlorvos toxicity can be attributed to its antioxidant capacity.

  15. Tailoring the Synergistic Bronsted-Lewis acidic effects in Heteropolyacid catalysts: Applied in Esterification and Transesterification Reactions

    OpenAIRE

    Tao, Meilin; Xue, Lifang; Sun, Zhong; Wang, Shengtian; Wang, Xiaohong; Shi, Junyou

    2015-01-01

    In order to investigate the influences of Lewis metals on acidic properties and catalytic activities, a series of Keggin heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts, HnPW11MO39 (M = TiIV, CuII, AlIII, SnIV, FeIII, CrIII, ZrIV and ZnII; for Ti and Zr, the number of oxygen is 40), were prepared and applied in the esterification and transesterification reactions. Only those cations with moderate Lewis acidity had a higher impact. Ti Substituted HPA, H5PW11TiO40, posse lower acid content compared with TixH3−4...

  16. Immunomodulatory potential of Anacyclus pyrethrum (L.) and Mucuna pruriens (L.) In male albino rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousaf, F; Shahid, M; Riaz, M; Atta, A; Fatima, H

    2017-01-01

    The present study was designed to investigate the immunomodulatory potential of Anacyclus pyrethrum roots and Mucuna pruriens seeds in male albino rats. The roots of A. pyrethrum and seeds of M. pruriens were extracted with methanolic solvent (70:30) and administered at dose concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 mg/Kg body weight to healthy male rats. The immune system of rats was suppressed by injecting carbon tetrachloride to animals in the toxic control group and test group animals. Cell-mediated immune response of animals was examined by performing neutrophil adhesion test and the humoral immune response was evaluated by determining serum immunoglobulin levels of the animals under study. The administration of methanolic extracts of A. pyrethrum roots and M. pruriens seeds significantly (p less than 0.05) increased the neutrophil adhesion to the nylon fiber. Increase in % neutrophil adhesion was observed in animals treated with 200 mg of each plant extract. Significant (p less than 0.05) improvement in immunoglobulin levels was recorded in the extract treated group animals, showing that the root extract of A. pyrethrum and seed extract of M. pruriens have immunomodulatory potential. We therefore conclude that the tested extracts can be used as immunomodulatory agents to stimulate the immune system.

  17. Effect of induced hyperglycemia on metastatic spreading in Lewis lung carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shmakova, N.L.; Fomenkova, T.E.; Fadeeva, T.A.

    1991-01-01

    The effect of induced hyperglycemia on the intensity of metastatic dissemination of Lewis lung carcinoma was investigated in experiments on mice. Neither long-, nor short-term hyperglycemia, induced at different phases of dissemination, influenced the intensity of metastatic spreading, primary tumor growth, the time of appearance of metastases, and the average life duration of tumor-bearing animals

  18. Controlled and Efficient Polymerization of Conjugated Polar Alkenes by Lewis Pairs Based on Sterically Hindered Aryloxide-Substituted Alkylaluminum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojun Wang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Reported herein is the development of an effective strategy for controlled and efficient Lewis pair polymerization of conjugated polar alkenes, including methyl methacrylate (MMA, n-butyl methacrylate (nBuMA, and γ-methyl-α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone (γMMBL, by the utilization of sterically encumbered Al(BHT2Me (BHT: 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol as a Lewis acid that shuts down intramolecular backbiting termination. In combination with a selected N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC as a Lewis base, the polymerization of MMA exhibited activity up to 3000 h−1 TOF and an acceptable initiation efficiency of 60.6%, producing polymers with high molecular weight (Mn up to 130 kg/mol and extremely narrow dispersity (Đ = 1.06~1.13. This controlled polymerization with a living characteristic has been evidenced by chain-extension experiments and chain-end analysis, and enabled the synthesis of well-defined diblock copolymers.

  19. Computational Elucidation of a Role That Brønsted Acidification of the Lewis Acid-Bound Water Might Play in the Hydrogenation of Carbonyl Compounds with H2 in Lewis Basic Solvents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heshmat, Mojgan; Privalov, Timofei

    2017-08-25

    Brønsted acidification of water by Lewis acid (LA) complexation is one of the fundamental principles in chemistry. Using transition-state calculations (TS), herein we investigate the role that Brønsted acidification of the LA-bound water might play in the mechanism of the hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds in Lewis basic solvents under non-anhydrous conditions. The potential energy scans and TS calculations were carried out with a series of eight borane LAs as well as the commonly known strong LA AlCl 3 in 1,4-dioxane or THF as Lewis basic solvents. Our molecular model consists of the dative LA-water adduct with hydrogen bonds to acetone and a solvent molecule plus one additional solvent molecule that participates is the TS structure describing the cleavage of H 2 at acetone's carbonyl carbon atom. In all the molecular models applied here, acetone (O=CMe 2 ) is the archetypical carbonyl substrate. We demonstrate that Brønsted acidification of the LA-bound water can indeed lower the barrier height of the solvent-involving H 2 -cleavage at the acetone's carbonyl carbon atom. This is significant because at present it is believed that the mechanism of the herein considered reaction is described by the same mechanism regardless of whether the reaction conditions are strictly anhydrous or non-anhydrous. Our results offer an alternative to this belief that warrants consideration and further study. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Neonatal immune challenge does not affect body weight regulation in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Sarah J; Mouihate, Abdeslam; Galic, Michael A; Ellis, Shaun L; Pittman, Quentin J

    2007-08-01

    The perinatal environment plays a crucial role in programming many aspects of adult physiology. Myriad stressors during pregnancy, from maternal immune challenge to nutritional deficiency, can alter long-term body weight set points of the offspring. In light of the increasing concern over body weight issues, such as obesity and anorexia, in modern societies and accumulating evidence that developmental stressors have long-lasting effects on other aspects of physiology (e.g., fever, pain), we explored the role of immune system activation during neonatal development and its impact on body weight regulation in adulthood. Here we present a thorough evaluation of the effects of immune system activation (LPS, 100 microg/kg ip) at postnatal days 3, 7, or 14 on long-term body weight, adiposity, and body weight regulation after a further LPS injection (50 microg/kg ip) or fasting and basal and LPS-induced circulating levels of the appetite-regulating proinflammatory cytokine leptin. We show that neonatal exposure to LPS at various times during the neonatal period has no long-term effects on growth, body weight, or adiposity. We also observed no effects on body weight regulation in response to a short fasting period or a further exposure to LPS. Despite reductions in circulating leptin levels in response to LPS during the neonatal period, no long-term effects on leptin were seen. These results convincingly demonstrate that adult body weight and weight regulation are, unlike many other aspects of adult physiology, resistant to programming by a febrile-dose neonatal immune challenge.