Agents In Animals Research Articles

Melatonin Attenuates Oxidative Damage Induced by Acrylamide In Vitro and In Vivo.

Acrylamide (ACR) has been classified as a neurotoxic agent in animals and humans. Melatonin (MT) has been shown to be potentially effective in preventing oxidative stress related neurodegenerative disorders. In this study, whether MT exerted a protective effect against ACR-induced oxidative damage was investigated. Results in cells showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly increased after ACR treatment for 24 h. MT preconditioning or cotreatment with ACR reduced ROS and MDA products, whereas the inhibitory effect of MT on oxidant generation was attenuated by blocking the MT receptor. Increased DNA fragmentation caused by ACR was significantly decreased by MT coadministration. In vivo, rats at 40 mg/kg/day ACR by gavage for 12 days showed weight loss and gait abnormality, Purkinje cell nuclear condensation, and DNA damage in rat cerebellum. MT (i.p) cotreatment with ACR not only recovered weight and gait of rats, but also decreased nuclear condensation and DNA damage in rat cerebellum. Using MDA generation, glutathione (GSH) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities in rat cerebellum as indicators, MT alleviated ACR-induced lipid peroxidation and depressed antioxidant capacity. Our results suggest that MT effectively prevents oxidative damage induced by ACR.

薬剤耐性菌問題に対する国際機関（FAO/OIE/WHO）の取組

Within the framework of the Tripartite Alliance, FAO, OIE and WHO recognise their respective responsibilities in fighting diseases, including zoonoses, that can have a serious health and economic impact. They have been working together for numerous years to prevent, detect, control and eliminate disease risks to humans originating directly or indirectly from animals. In 2010, the FAO/OIE/WHO Tripartite Concept Note (April 2010) officially recognised this close collaboration, with joint strategies at the human-animal-environment interface, to support their Member Countries. Three priority areas of work were defined : zoonotic influenzas, rabies and the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The OIE recently made a strong contribution to the WHO’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, adopted in 2015, which seeks to ensure, for as long as possible, the treatment of infectious diseases with effective, quality antimicrobial agents. By proposing key actions to be implemented in the next five to ten years, the Plan emphasises the importance of the OIE’s intergovernmental standards and supports the implementation by the OIE of a global database on the use of antimicrobial agents in animals.

The Concept of Free Will as an Infinite Metatheoretic Recursion

It is argued that the concept of will, like the concept of truth in formal languages, requires a separation between an object level and a meta-level for being consistently defined. The Jamesian two stage model, which deconstructs into the causally open free stage with its closure in the will stage, is implicitly a move in this direction. However, to avoid the dilemma of determinism, additionally requires an infinite regress of causal meta-stages, making choice a hypertask. We use this model to define of the rationalist-compatibilist type. This is shown to provide a natural three-way distinction between quantum indeterminism, freedom and will, applicable respectively to artificial intelligence (AI), animal agents and human agents. We propose that the causal hierarchy in our model corresponds to a hierarchy of Turing uncomputability. Possible neurobiological and behavioral tests to demonstrate experimentally are suggested. Ramifications of the model for physics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, neuropathological medicine and moral philosophy are briefly outlined.

Effect of Mesua ferrea flower and Carica papaya seed extracts on estrous Cycle of female albino rats for Fertility and Anti fertility activity

Ethanol and Distilled Water extracts of Mesua ferrea (M.ferrea) flowers and Carica papaya (C.papaya) seeds were evaluated for fertility and anti-fertility activity in adult female albino rats. Fertility and anti-fertility activity were evaluated by observing estrous cycle.The effect of M.ferrea flower & C.papaya seed extracts on female reproductive cycle were studied in twenty four sexually matured female albino rats with regular estrous cycle. Rats were randomly divided into four groups of six rats per each group. Experimental groups were treated as follows: Group I (Control), Group II treated with 100 mg/kg, Group III with 200 mg/kg, Group IV with 300 mg/kg of M.ferrea flower & C.papaya seed extract. The estrous cycle changes were determined by daily observation of vaginal smear. There was an increase in the percentage of rats going into prolong estrous, pro-estrous, met-estrous and di-estrous phases of the estrous cycle in all treated groups. The increase in the duration of the four phases of the cycle has a dose dependent response. Treatment with the highest dose of the extract resulted in a significant increase in the duration of the four phases of estrus cycle compared with the control group. Results showed that M.ferrea has the potential for use as a fertility agent for animals in future. Similar experimentation was conducted same for anti-fertility activity by C.papaya seed extract. The decrease in the duration of the four phases of the cycle has a dose dependent response. Treatment with the highest dose of the extract resulted in a significant decrease in the duration of the four phases of estrous cycle compared with the control group.

Possibility of application primary cell culture of kidney newborn rabbits in vaccines production

Possibility of application of primary cell cultures in production of vaccines for domestic animals has been presented in this paper. Also the comparative description of application of organ cultures, cell lines and strains in virology has been provided. We have analyzed the different methods of receiving primary cultures. Also we presented our own data of primary cell cultures sensitivity to various virus agents of domestic animals on the example of the cell culture of kidney newborn rabbits.

On the need for imagistic modeling in story understanding

Abstract There is ample evidence that human understanding of ordinary language relies in part on a rich capacity for imagistic mental modeling. We argue that genuine language understanding in machines will similarly require an imagistic modeling capacity enabling fast construction of instances of prototypical physical situations and events, whose participants are drawn from a wide variety of entity types, including animate agents. By allowing fast evaluation of predicates such as ‘can-see’, ‘under’, and ‘inside’, these model instances support coherent text interpretation. Imagistic modeling is thus a crucial – and not very broadly appreciated – aspect of the long-standing knowledge acquisition bottleneck in AI. We will illustrate how the need for imagistic modeling arises even in the simplest first-reader stories for children, and provide an initial feasibility study to indicate what the architecture of a system combining symbolic with imagistic understanding might look like.

Synthesis of fluorine-18 radio-labeled serum albumins for PET blood pool imaging

We sought to develop a practical, reproducible and clinically translatable method of radiolabeling serum albumins with fluorine-18 for use as a PET blood pool imaging agent in animals and man. Fluorine-18 radiolabeled fluoronicotinic acid-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl ester, [18F]F-Py-TFP was prepared first by the reaction of its quaternary ammonium triflate precursor with [18F]tetrabutylammonium fluoride ([18F]TBAF) according to a previously published method for peptides, with minor modifications. The incubation of [18F]F-Py-TFP with rat serum albumin (RSA) in phosphate buffer (pH9) for 15min at 37–40°C produced fluorine-18-radiolabeled RSA and the product was purified using a mini-PD MiniTrap G-25 column. The overall radiochemical yield of the reaction was 18–35% (n=30, uncorrected) in a 90-min synthesis. This procedure, repeated with human serum albumin (HSA), yielded similar results.Fluorine-18-radiolabeled RSA demonstrated prolonged blood retention (biological half-life of 4.8hours) in healthy awake rats. The distribution of major organ radioactivity remained relatively unchanged during the 4hour observation periods either by direct tissue counting or by dynamic PET whole-body imaging except for a gradual accumulation of labeled metabolic products in the bladder.This manual method for synthesizing radiolabeled serum albumins uses fluorine-18, a widely available PET radionuclide, and natural protein available in both pure and recombinant forms which could be scaled up for widespread clinical applications. These preclinical biodistribution and PET imaging results indicate that [18F]RSA is an effective blood pool imaging agent in rats and might, as [18F]HSA, prove similarly useful as a clinical imaging agent.

Sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents for therapeutic use in food-producing animal species in Japan between 2005 and 2010.

The use of veterinary antimicrobial agents in animals can result in the emergence and selection of resistant bacteria in food-producing animals. This study elucidated the use of veterinary antimicrobial agents in Japan in terms of milligrams of active ingredient sold per kilogram of biomass between 2005 and 2010. Data on sales of antimicrobial agents and on the biomass of the target animal species were compiled from statistics published bythe Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. The quantities of antimicrobials used varied between animal species: the highest usage was observed in pigs (392 to 423 mg/ kg), followed by beef cattle (45 to 67 mg/kg), broiler chickens (44 to 63 mg/kg) and dairy cattle (33 to 49 mg/kg). For the animal species combined, usage of third- and fourth-generation cefalosporins, fluoroquinolones and macrolides ranged from 0.10 to 0.14 mg/kg biomass, 1.1 to 1.3 mg/kg biomass and 7.8 to 10.6 mg/kg biomass, respectively.

AROMA PROFILE AND ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES OF ALCOHOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS FROM ROOT, LEAF AND STALK OF NETTLE (Urtica dioica L.)

Medicinal plant can be considered as a great source of new antimicrobial agents due to their enormous therapeutic potential and limited side effects. Nettle (Urtica dioica L.) is a widespread and common medicinal plant widely used in traditional medicine. The present study investigates the antimicrobial potency of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Urtica dioica on some gram positive and negative bacteria and also a particular type of fungi and analyzes the extracts to find the active ingredients by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) method. Results from disc diffusion assay indicated that water extract of root, leaf and stalk had the highest antimicrobial activity respectively and caused significant inhibition zones in P. vulgaris, L. monocytogenes and K. pneumoniae cultures. Antimicrobial efficacy of ethanol extracts was higher in root extract which caused high growth inhibition zones in P. vulgaris, K. pneumoniae and S. aureus cultures. MBC and MIC experiments of the ethanol extract illustrated that the most powerful antimicrobial effect was related to the stem organ extract on K. pnuomonae and S. aureus bacteria. Highest level of antibacterial effects in root can be due to its higher concentration of contents compared to other organs. Based on these results it can be suggested that Urtica dioica and its water and ethanol extracts have noticeable antimicrobial effects against gram negative, positive and Candida albicans fungi that may be applicable as a prophylactic or therpeutic antimicrobial agent in both human and animals.

Exploring the contribution of prosody and gesture to the perception of focus using an animated agent☆

Speech prosody has traditionally been analyzed in terms of acoustic features. Although visual features have been shown to enhance linguistic processing, the conventional view is that facial and body gesture information in oral (non-signed) languages tends to be redundant and has the role of helping the hearer recover the meaning of an utterance. Though prosodic information in face-to-face communication is produced with concurrent visual information, little is known about their audiovisual multisensory interactions. We conducted two perception experiments modeled after the McGurk paradigm with a 3D animated character, in which varying degrees of discordance between auditory and visual information were created to investigate two related questions regarding the detection of contrastive-corrective focus: (a) how important are gestural cues with respect to auditory cues and (b) what is the relevance of the different gestural movements involved (i.e., head nodding, eyebrow raising)? Participants were presented with combinations of auditory and visual cues for both information and Contrastive Focus Statements (Experiment 1, with the corresponding unimodal control experiments) or combinations of two visual cues (namely combinations of competing eyebrow and head movements) without auditory information (Experiment 2), and were asked to identify whether the utterance presented was a statement or a correction. Results of Experiment 1 showed that (a) the presence of either acoustic or gestural features of contrastive focus were key in guiding the listener towards one interpretation or another, and (b) listeners were more sensitive to one of the modalities when the other was weaker. Results of Experiment 2 showed that (a) both types of visual cues (head and eyebrow movements) contributed individually to the perception of contrastive focus, and (b) head nods were more informative than eyebrow movements for focus identification. Overall, our findings suggest that prosodic and visual information work in a complementary fashion and are not integrated in the same way as auditory and visual information during segmental perception.

Perception of social interactions for spatially scrambled biological motion.

It is vitally important for humans to detect living creatures in the environment and to analyze their behavior to facilitate action understanding and high-level social inference. The current study employed naturalistic point-light animations to examine the ability of human observers to spontaneously identify and discriminate socially interactive behaviors between two human agents. Specifically, we investigated the importance of global body form, intrinsic joint movements, extrinsic whole-body movements, and critically, the congruency between intrinsic and extrinsic motions. Motion congruency is hypothesized to be particularly important because of the constraint it imposes on naturalistic action due to the inherent causal relationship between limb movements and whole body motion. Using a free response paradigm in Experiment 1, we discovered that many naïve observers (55%) spontaneously attributed animate and/or social traits to spatially-scrambled displays of interpersonal interaction. Total stimulus motion energy was strongly correlated with the likelihood that an observer would attribute animate/social traits, as opposed to physical/mechanical traits, to the scrambled dot stimuli. In Experiment 2, we found that participants could identify interactions between spatially-scrambled displays of human dance as long as congruency was maintained between intrinsic/extrinsic movements. Violating the motion congruency constraint resulted in chance discrimination performance for the spatially-scrambled displays. Finally, Experiment 3 showed that scrambled point-light dancing animations violating this constraint were also rated as significantly less interactive than animations with congruent intrinsic/extrinsic motion. These results demonstrate the importance of intrinsic/extrinsic motion congruency for biological motion analysis, and support a theoretical framework in which early visual filters help to detect animate agents in the environment based on several fundamental constraints. Only after satisfying these basic constraints could stimuli be evaluated for high-level social content. In this way, we posit that perceptual animacy may serve as a gateway to higher-level processes that support action understanding and social inference.

Abstract 2054: Patient relevant preclinical in vivo models using image-guided small animal irradiation for drug discovery

Abstract BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy is a primary, adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment for a number of different cancers such as glioblastoma, breast, lung and prostate. Image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT) is widely used to treat cancer patients providing more accurate treatment plans and reduced side effects. However in the preclinical setting the use of IGRT is less common with traditional irradiation studies utilising whole body irradiation with lead shielding attempting to focus the radiation to specific area on the animal or simple single beam techniques. The development of the image-guided small animal radiation research platform (SARRP) allows the treatment of animal models of cancer more accurately and importantly, with planned protocols similar to those utilised in the clinic. In addition the high precision beam geometry allows the platform to be used in vitro in multi-well assays providing a more high-throughput system for screening. METHODS: We have established multiple cancer models which incorporate bioluminescence to track primary orthotopic and metastatic lesions in real-time using the Spectrum CT imaging system. Tumor growth was monitored longitudinally through quantification of the bioluminescent signal. Bioluminescence from established tumor was correlated to CT and co-registered with the integrated CT on the SARRP platform to allow estimation of tumor dimensions and position in order to deliver a more accurate dose of irradiation specifically to tumors whilst sparing the surrounding normal tissue. In addition we have established Caucasian non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models which are admixed with human stroma and evaluated SARRP in these. Tumor specific protocols and dose calculation for irradiation were designed to deliver appropriate irradiation dose to immuno-deficient mice bearing xenografted tumor either alone or in combination with targeted agent or chemotherapeutic. RESULTS: Mice treated with SARRP tolerated irradiation doses in a range of different models either alone or in combination. Validation of different protocols will be reported as well as intrinsic resistant profiles for different models and outcome of any combination treatments to re-sensitize resistant cancer to radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The SARRP platform allows the use of irradiation alone or in combination with anti-cancer agents in small animals with reduced side effects and improved clinical outcome allowing these novel preclinical models to be used effectively for drug discovery programmes to ultimately improve efficacy and treatment options for cancer patients using radiotherapy. Citation Format: Rajendra Kumari, Andrew McKenzie, Nektaria Papadopoulou, Yinfei Yin, Martin Page, Henry Li, Ian Wilson. Patient relevant preclinical in vivo models using image-guided small animal irradiation for drug discovery. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2054. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2054

AutoTutor and Family: A Review of 17 Years of Natural Language Tutoring

AutoTutor is a natural language tutoring system that has produced learning gains across multiple domains (e.g., computer literacy, physics, critical thinking). In this paper, we review the development, key research findings, and systems that have evolved from AutoTutor. First, the rationale for developing AutoTutor is outlined and the advantages of natural language tutoring are presented. Next, we review three central themes in AutoTutor’s development: human-inspired tutoring strategies, pedagogical agents, and technologies that support natural-language tutoring. Research on early versions of AutoTutor documented the impact on deep learning by co-constructed explanations, feedback, conversational scaffolding, and subject matter content. Systems that evolved from AutoTutor added additional components that have been evaluated with respect to learning and motivation. The latter findings include the effectiveness of deep reasoning questions for tutoring multiple domains, of adapting to the affect of low-knowledge learners, of content over surface features such as voices and persona of animated agents, and of alternative tutoring strategies such as collaborative lecturing and vicarious tutoring demonstrations. The paper also considers advances in pedagogical agent roles (such as trialogs) and in tutoring technologies, such semantic processing and tutoring delivery platforms. This paper summarizes and integrates significant findings produced by studies using AutoTutor and related systems.

Balantidium coli and other gastrointestinal parasites in captives non-human primates of the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Parasites are agents of diarrhea in captive non-human primates (NHP). To broaden information about those etiological agents in captive animals in Brazil, gastrointestinal parasites in captive NHP were researched in nurturing Centers of Rio de Janeiro State. Fecal samples were collected from primates, of which 960 came from the Research Center (Cecal/Fiocruz) and 115 from the Primate Center (CPRJ/Inea). The study involved species of the New World (NW) primates and of the Old World (OW). The estimated prevalence was 56.7%, of which 91.3% presented protozoans and 7.4% presented helminths. Statistical difference between the nurturing centers occurred in the overall value of parasitosis and in the isolated frequency of Balantidium coli and Entamoeba sp., especially in the samples of OW primates living in Cecal. These results demonstrated the need for implements of sanitation programs in the sites for captive primates nurturing.

Biologically inspired navigation primitives

Because of their apparent simplicity, Braitenberg vehicles have been extensively used in robotics on an empirical basis. However, the lack of a backing up formal theory turns their application into an educated guess of parameter tunning. This paper provides a mathematical model of Braitenberg vehicles 2 and 3 as non-linear dynamical systems, which serves as a theoretical ground to fully exploit them for robotic applications and to create animated agents in artificial life or computer games. The behaviour of the vehicles is analysed using theory of dynamical systems under general conditions, and hints on how to generate desired behaviours are given. Results show that vehicles 2 and 3 can be used to implement bio-inspired navigation like; target reaching and stimulus avoidance, which constitute a set of navigation primitives or basis for navigation behaviour. Through a new theoretical approach, this work paves the way to a proper understanding of Braitenberg vehicles and to an extension of their applicability.

Pollen Aggregation in Relation to Pollination Vector

Premise of research. Angiosperms possess pollen dispersal units (PDUs) of varying size, from monads (single grains) to aggregates containing thousands of grains. It has been suggested that the degree of aggregation is related to the dispersal agent (in particular, animals vs. wind), but aggregation has rarely been measured, and its correlation with pollination vectors has been examined for only a few species.Methodology. Assuming a lognormal distribution, the expected distribution for a random disaggregation process, we tested the hypothesis that the distribution of PDU sizes depends on the pollination vector, using 32 anemophilous and zoophilous species. We also examined intraspecific variation in the lognormal parameter values, using 30 different individuals of the common weed Plantago lanceolata.Pivotal results. The mean and standard deviation of the lognormal distribution of PDUs and a third parameter, the proportion of solitary monads, all separated the species by pollination vector, with the mean sl...

Global urine fingerprinting by LC-ESI(+)-HRMS for better characterization of metabolic pathway disruption upon anabolic practices in bovine

The use of anabolic agents in meat producing animals is forbidden in Europe since 1988. Nevertheless, the possibility of widespread abuse of hormonal substances still exists, mainly due to economical benefits. The use of “omics” approach is a promising strategy to highlight anabolic hormone abuse by indirectly detecting their physiological action. In this context, the aim of this work was to set up a liquid chromatography – high resolution mass spectrometry based metabolomics workflow for the screening of a combined trenbolone acetate/estradiol implant abuse in cattle urine. Therefore, an untargeted metabolomics approach combining the information provided by reverse-phase liquid chromatography and hydrophilic interaction chromatography both coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry was developed and applied to characterize and compare cattle urinary metabolic profiles from non-implanted and implanted animals. The combination of both separation modes improved the metabolite information richness. Discrimination between treated and untreated animals was observed by application of multivariate statistical analysis. Moreover, OPLS models permitted to highlight the candidate biomarkers appearing as the ions which contribute the most in the observed discrimination. From the results obtained, metabolomics approaches can be considered as a powerful strategy for the detection of fraudulent anabolic treatments in cattle since global urinary metabolic response provides helpful discrimination.

Perceived animacy influences the processing of human-like surface features in the fusiform gyrus

While decades of research have demonstrated that a region of the right fusiform gyrus (FG) responds selectively to faces, a second line of research suggests that the FG responds to a range of animacy cues, including biological motion and goal-directed actions, even in the absence of faces or other human-like surface features. These findings raise the question of whether the FG is indeed sensitive to faces or to the more abstract category of animate agents. The current study uses fMRI to examine whether the FG responds to all faces in a category-specific way or whether the FG is especially sensitive to the faces of animate agents. Animate agents are defined here as intentional agents with the capacity for rational goal-directed actions. Specifically, we examine how the FG responds to an entity that looks like an animate agent but that lacks the capacity for goal-directed rational action. Region-of-interest analyses reveal that the FG activates more strongly to the animate compared with the inanimate entity, even though the surface features of both animate and inanimate entities were identical. These results suggest that the FG does not respond to all faces in a category-specific way, and is instead especially sensitive to whether an entity is animate.

Natural Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in ticks from a forest area of Selenge province, Mongolia.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a zoonotic agent of public health importance, infecting both humans and animals. An investigation of the presence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum as well as Anaplasma platys was conducted in a forest area of Selenge province, Mongolia, where ticks are widely distributed and tick-borne diseases are highly endemic. Ticks were collected and tested using polymerase chain reaction based ongroELmethodology. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in 14 (6%) of Ixodes persulcatus ticks and four (1%) Dermacentor nuttalli ticks; infection of Anaplasma platys was detected in 1% of Ixodes persulcatus ticks and 10% of Dermacentor nuttalli ticks. The phylogenetic tree showed that the Anaplasma phagocytophilum clustered with the Russian group, most likely due to similar geographical locations. This finding is significant for both veterinary and public health officials given that these agents can cause both animal and human illness.

Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) dux (Diptera: Sarcophagidae): A flesh fly species of medical importance.

BackgroundAlthough tropical climate of Thailand is suitably endowed with biodiversity of insects, flies of medical importance is not well investigated. Using information from literature search, fly survey approach and specialist’s experience, we review database of Sarcophaga (Liosarcophaga) dux Thomson (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), one of the priorities flesh fly species of medical importance in Thailand.ResultsThis review deals with morphology, bionomics and medical involvement. Important morphological characteristics of egg, larva, puparia and adult were highlighted with illustration and/or micrographs. Search pertaining to molecular analysis used for fly identification and developmental rate of larvae were included. Medical involvement of larvae was not only myiasis-producing agent in humans and animals, but associated with human death investigations.ConclusionsThis information will enable us to accurate identify this species and to emphasis the increase medically important scene in Thailand.