Groups DD Research Articles

Persistent exposure to artificial light at night (ALAN) accelerates metamorphosis and colonization in larvae of marine shellfish

The ongoing course of urbanization has led to excessive use of artificial light at night (ALAN), which has rapidly become an important source of pollution in many cities. The Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) Larvae were kept under a 12/12 h light/dark photoperiod (DD) in order to determine the effects of ALAN on embryonic development. To simulate the street lighting conditions at night, the artificial light was switched on from 18:00 until midnight (AD) or until 06:00 the next day (ND). Moreover, Groups AD and ND had a considerably greater hatching success rate and metamorphosis rate than Group DD (P < 0.05), whereas Group DD had a significantly longer hatching period and course to complete the metamorphosis of the larvae (P < 0.05). Transcriptomic analyses showed that members of Groups AD and DD had considerably higher expression levels of genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, spliceosome function, and the mRNA surveillance pathway. Prostaglandin B2, L-palmitoylcarnitine, stearic acid, palmitic acid, leukotriene C4, and arachidonic acid were screened by non-targeted metabolomics as differential metabolic markers that played a vital role in the response of larvae to different ALAN conditions. Multi-omics correlation analysis suggested that five pathways related to fatty acid synthesis, catabolism, and metabolism, such as biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids and arachidonic acid metabolism, were enriched in each comparison. Further quantitative analysis showed that compared to Group DD, 33 out of 50 fatty acids were upregulated in Group AD, and the levels of almost all fatty acids were increased in Group ND, which in turn suggested that fatty acids played a vital role in the physiological response of larvae to illumination changes. The findings of this work were significant for the unbiased and full-scale assessment of the ecological effects of ALAN, as well as the structural stability of the marine benthic community.

The Pathology of Vaccination of Chickens with Varying Doses of Lentogenic LaSota Strain of Newcastle Disease Virus

Recently, it was demonstrated under laboratory conditions that increased doses of LaSota vaccine increased ND antibody response significantly in chickens. In this study, we have used the same model to investigate whether vaccination with increased doses of lentogenic LaSota strain of Newcastle disease virus are associated with pathological changes in chickens. Four-week-old broiler chickens (n=100) were randomly assigned into four groups of 25 each: ZD, each drenched with phosphate-buffered saline, SD, DD and TD broilers were each drenched with single, double and triple dose of LaSota vaccine, respectively. The chickens were observed for clinical signs and lesions. Serum samples were collected from the chickens in all the groups at weekly intervals post inoculation (PV) and assayed for haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies. The vaccinated broilers showed no morbidity and mortality. Only the bursa of all the vaccinated groups appeared slightly reduced in size on day 10 PV. The histopathological changes were lymphoid hyperplasia and formation of germinal centres in the spleen and caecal tonsils from days 3 to 6 PV and mild depletion of bursal lymphocytes on day 10 PV. Generally, the integrity of the lymphoid organs was intact. Groups DD and TD antibody titres were significantly (P &lt; 0.05) higher than that of the SD on day 21 PV. This suggests that increased doses of LaSota vaccine does not cause pathologic impairment and may be considered in improving the performance of the vaccine in the control of velogenic ND.&#x0D; Key words: Newcastle disease, LaSota vaccine, pathology, broiler chickens

Effects of Dexmedetomidine and ACE Genotype on Cardiovascular Response During the Decannulation Period of General Anesthesia in Patients With Essential Hypertension

PurposeThis study investigated the effects of dexmedetomidine on cardiovascular response during the decannulation period of general anesthesia in patients with different genotypes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and essential hypertension. MethodsThe present study enrolled patients with essential hypertension and American Society of Anesthesiologists class II or III who were scheduled to undergo abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were assigned to 1 of 6 groups according to ACE genotype, as detected by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism, as follows: DD; ID; II; and DD, ID, and II each with dexmedetomidine (Dex). Dexmedetomidine was intravenously infused at 0.5 μg/kg/h for 30 min before the end of surgery in groups DD (Dex), ID (Dex), and II(Dex). Anesthesia was induced and maintained by the same anesthetics in all patients. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate (HR), ECG, and rate-pressure product were recorded before anesthesia induction; at 30 min before the end of surgery; at the end of surgery; and at 0, 1.5, 5, and 10 min after extubation. FindingsA total of 210 patients were enrolled (n = 35 per genotype). After extubation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HR, and RPP were increased markedly from baseline in groups DD, ID, and II; the increases were greater in groups DD and ID than in group II. No significant changes in blood pressure, HR, or RPP were found, and proper sedative was achieved in groups DD (Dex), ID (Dex), and II(Dex). The prevalences of cardiac arrhythmia were higher in groups DD and ID than in groups II, DD (Dex), ID (Dex), and II(Dex). ImplicationsPatients essential hypertension and the ACE D allele had a strong hemodynamic response to tracheal extubation, on which dexmedetomidine was found to have both a prevention and treatment effect

Transient effect of single or repeated acute deoxynivalenol and zearalenone dietary challenge on fecal microbiota composition in female finishing pigs

Mycotoxins are a major contaminant of pig feed and have negative effects on health and performance. The present study investigated the impact of single or repeated acute challenges with a diet naturally contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN) on growth performances of finishing pigs and their fecal microbiota composition. A total of 160 pigs (castrated males and females) in two successive batches were randomly divided into four experimental groups of 40 pigs each. The control group received a control finisher diet from 99 to 154 days of age. Challenged groups were subjected to a 7-day acute challenge by being fed a DON- and ZEN-contaminated diet (3.02 mg DON/kg feed and 0.76 mg ZEN/kg feed) at 113 days (group DC), 134 days (group CD) or both 113 and 134 days (group DD). Microbiota composition was analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing from fecal samples collected from the 80 females at 99, 119, 140 and 154 days. Challenged pigs (i.e. groups DC, CD and DD) reduced their average daily feed intake by 25% and 27% (P < 0.001) and feed efficiency by 34% and 28% (P < 0.05) during the first and second mycotoxin exposure, respectively. Microbiota composition was affected by mycotoxin exposure (P = 0.07 during the first exposure and P = 0.01 during the second exposure). At the family level, mycotoxin exposure significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae, Streptococcaceae and Veillonellaceae and increased that of Erysipelotrichaceae at both 119 and 140 days of age. After the 7-day DON/ZEN challenge, the relative abundance of 6 to 148 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) differed among the treatment groups. However, none of these OTUs changed in all treatment groups. Using 27 functional pathways, pigs exposed to DON/ZEN challenges could be distinguished from control pigs using sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis, with a 15% misclassification rate. Regarding the functionality of these predictors, two pathways were involved in detoxifying mycotoxins: drug metabolism and xenobiotic metabolism by cytochrome P450. In challenged pigs, microbiota composition returned to the initial state within 3 weeks after the end of a single or repeated DON/ZEN challenge, highlighting the resilience of the gut microbiome. The feeding and growth performances of the pigs during challenge periods were significantly correlated with biological pathways related to health problems and modifications in host metabolism. To conclude, short-term DON/ZEN challenges resulted in transient modifications in the composition and functions of fecal microbiota.

PSXIII-8 Acute challenge with a DON-contaminated diet induce transient changes on microbiota composition in finishing pigs

Abstract The present study aimed at describing the impact of a deoxynivalenol (DON) - contaminated diet on microbiota composition. A total of 147 (Large White x Landrace) x Piétrain pigs from two replicates were affected to four different experimental treatments. Pigs in the control group (CC) received a control diet from 99 to 154 days of age. Groups DC, CD, and DD were given the DON-contaminated diet (3.02 mg DON/kg feed) for 7 days at 113, at 134, and at 113 and 134 days of age, respectively. The DON-contaminated diet was formulated with a naturally contaminated corn. The body weight gain and the feed intake were daily recorded from day 99 to 154. Fecal samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment (d99), immediately after the end of the 7-days DON challenges (d119 and 140), and at the end of the experiment (d154) for further 16S rRNA sequencing. During challenge periods, ADFI was decreased by 26% to 32% (P &amp;lt; 0.05) and ADG by 40% to 60% (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Short-term DON challenges induced transient changes in microbiota composition. Two weeks after the end of the DON challenges, this composition went back to control state. Whatever the age, DON challenged pigs could be discriminated from controls in a sparse PLS discriminant analysis based on 88 operational taxonomic units or 27 functional pathways with 16% error-rate. The main predictors raised by this discrimination belonged to Streptococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Clostridiaceae families. In our experimental conditions, changes in microbiota composition observed during DON challenges were poorly correlated to changes in ADG and ADFI. This experiment revealed a transient modification of the microbiota composition following the exposition to DON-contaminated diet, with no long-term impact on pigs’ performance. This study is part of the Feed-a-Gene Project funded from the European Union’s H2020 Program (grant 633531).

Opioid Dependence and Health Care Utilization After Decompression and Fusion in Patients With Adult Degenerative Scoliosis.

Retrospective study. To identify factors associated with opioid dependence after surgery for adult degenerative scoliosis (ADSc). Opioid epidemic is of prodigious concern throughout the United States. Data was extracted using national MarketScan database (2000-2016). Opioid dependence was defined as continued opioid use or >10 opioid prescriptions for 1 year either before or 3 to 15 months after the procedure. Patients were segregated into four groups based on opioid dependence before and postsurgery: NDND (before nondependent who remain non-dependent), NDD (before nondependent who become dependent), DND (before dependent who become non-dependent) and DD (before dependent who remain dependent). Outcomes were discharge disposition, length of stay, complications, and healthcare resource utilization. Approximately, 35.82% (n = 268) of patients were identified to have opioid dependence before surgery and 28.34% (n = 212) were identified to have opioid dependence after surgery for ADSc. After surgical fusion for ADSc, patients were twice likely to become opioid independent than they were to become dependent (13.77% vs. 6.28%, OR: 2.191, 95% CI: 21.552-3.094; P < 0.0001). Before opioid dependence (RR: 14.841; 95% CI: 9.867, 22.323; P < 0.0001) was identified as a significant predictor of opioid dependence after surgery for ADSc. In our study, 57.9%, 6.28%, 13.77%, and 22.06% of patients were in groups NDND, NDD, DND, and DD respectively. DD and NDD were likely to incur 3.03 and 2.28 times respectively the overall costs compared with patients' ingroup NDND (P < 0.0001), at 3 to 15 months postsurgery (median $21648 for NDD; $40,975 for DD; and $ 13571 for NDND groups). Surgery for ADSc was not associated with increased likelihood of opioid dependence, especially in opioid naïve patients. Patients on regular opiate treatment before surgery were likely to remain on opiates after surgery. Patients who continued to be opioid dependent or become dependent after surgery incur significantly higher healthcare utilization at 3 and 3 to 15 months. 4.

Increased doses of La Sota vaccine increased Newcastle disease antibody response significantly in broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus)

ABSTRACT This study investigated if increased doses of La Sota vaccine can increase antibody response to Newcastle disease without any serious adverse effect on the bursa. One hundred broilers aged four weeks were randomly assigned into four groups of 25 each: ZD, each drenched with phosphate-buffered saline, SS, DD and TD broilers were each drenched with single, double and triple dose of La Sota vaccine, respectively. The broilers were examined for signs and lesions. At weekly intervals, serum samples were collected post-vaccination (PV) and assayed for haemagglutination inhibition antibody. Groups DD and TD antibody titres were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the SD on day 21 PV. But there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference between titres of DD and TD groups. Groups DD and TD geometrical mean titres were more than two times higher than that of SD group on day 21 PV. The bursa of all the vaccinated groups appeared reduced in size, with mild depletion of lymphocytes on day 10 PV. Generally, the integrity of the bursa was intact. This suggests that doubling the dose of La Sota vaccine may be considered in improving the performance of the vaccine in the control of velogenic Newcastle disease.

An acute challenge with a deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet has short- and long-term effects on performance and feeding behavior in finishing pigs.

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by various fungi and are known to contaminate animal feed ingredients especially cereals. One of the most common mycotoxins in swine diets is deoxynivalenol (DON) which is known to decrease growth performance. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of single or repeated short-term DON challenges on growth performance, and feeding behavior in finishing pigs. A total of 160 pigs were distributed to four experimental groups in two successive replicates with each pig individually measured for live BW and individually fed using an electronic feeding station. The pigs in control group CC were fed with a standard finisher diet during the whole duration of the experimental period. Groups DC, CD, and DD were given the DON-contaminated diet (3.02 mg DON/kg feed) for 7 d at 113 d, at 134 d, and at 113 and 134 d of age, respectively. The DON-contaminated diet was formulated with a naturally contaminated corn. During challenge periods, ADFI was decreased by 26% to 32% (P < 0.05) and ADG by 40% to 60% (P < 0.05). The drop in ADFI during DON challenges was associated with changes in the feeding behavior: when compared to the nonchallenged pigs, pigs fed with DON-contaminated diet had lower number of meals per day (9.6 versus 8.2 meals per day on average; P < 0.05) and slower feeding rate (42.0 g/min versus 39.9 g/min on average; P < 0.05). For the whole trial period, pigs submitted to the DON challenge at the end of the experiment (i.e., first time for CD group and second time for DD group) had a lower (P < 0.05) ADFI (2.67 and 2.59 kg/d, respectively) when compared to the control CC group of pigs (2.87 kg/d). An intermediate value was reported for the DC groups (2.79 kg/d). All challenged groups, i.e., DC, CD, and DD pigs, had lower (P < 0.05) overall ADG (970, 940, and 900 g/day, respectively) than CC (1,050 g/day) for the whole trial period. Pigs challenged early in the trial, i.e., DC and DD groups, had a higher (P < 0.05) FCR than CC group (3.00 and 3.06 versus 2.80, respectively) while group CD showed intermediate results (2.92). This study demonstrates that the severity of DON toxicity in pig performance can be related to the age of exposure (113 or 134 d) and the number of exposures to the toxin (one or two). Exposure to DON also resulted to long-term effects because challenged pigs showed limited ability to recover after the DON-induced reduction of feed intake.

Health care utilization and overall costs based on opioid dependence in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis.

OBJECTIVE Opioid abuse is highly prevalent in patients with back pain. The aim of this study was to identify health care utilization and overall costs associated with opioid dependence in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS). METHODS The authors queried the MarketScan database using ICD-9 and CPT-4 codes from 2000 to 2012. Opioid dependency was defined as having a diagnosis of opioid use disorder, having a prescription for opioid use disorder, or having 10 or more opioid prescriptions. Opioid dependency was evaluated in 12-month period leading to surgery and in the period 3-15 months following the procedure. Patients were segregated into 4 groups based on opioid dependence before and after surgery: group NDND (prior nondependent who remain nondependent), group NDD (prior nondependent who become dependent), group DND (prior dependent who become nondependent), and group DD (prior dependent who remain dependent). The outcomes of interest were discharge disposition, hospital length of stay (LOS), complications, and health care resource costs. The 4 groups were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test and linear contrasts built from generalized regression models. RESULTS A total of 10,708 patients were identified, with 81.57%, 3.58%, 8.54%, and 6.32% of patients in groups NDND, NDD, DND, and DD, respectively. In group DD, 96.31% of patients had decompression with fusion, compared with 93.59% in group NDND. Patients in group NDD, DND, and DD had longer hospital LOS compared with those in group NDND. Patients in group DD were less likely to be discharged home compared with those in group NDND (odds ratio 0.639, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.785). At 3-15 months postdischarge, patients in group DD incurred 21% higher hospital readmission costs compared with those in group NDND. However, patients in groups NDD and DD were likely to incur 2.8 times the overall costs compared with patients in group NDND (p < 0.001) at 3-15 months after surgery (median overall payments: group NDD $20,033 and group DD $19,654, vs group NDND $7994). CONCLUSIONS Patients who continued to be opioid dependent or became opioid dependent following surgery for DS incurred significantly higher health care utilization and costs within 3 months and in the period 3-15 months after discharge from surgery.

&lt;b&gt;Isolation of &lt;i&gt;Saprolegnia aenigmatica&lt;/i&gt; oomycetes and protocol for experimental infection of pacu (&lt;i&gt;Piaractus mesopotamicus&lt;/i&gt;)

Successful disease treatment depends on molecular studies under indoor conditions with experimental infection protocols that facilitate understanding the disease and the drug`s efficacy. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced from three isolates, which were identified as Saprolegnia aenigmatica . Subsequently, healthy fish were immunosuppressed with dexamethasone (1.2 mg kg -1 ) and descaled to the skin using a sharp scalpel. These individuals were isolated in individual aquariums maintained at 22°C. Individuals in one group were subcutaneously inoculated with 9,000 zoospores (DDZ treatment), a second group was exposed to oomycetes in water with three colonized baits (DDB), a third group was maintained in water without zoospores (DD), and a control group (C) consisted of healthy animals. After 48 and 96 hours, two animals from each group were euthanized for fungal re-isolation. The fish from groups DD and C did not show clinical signs, and no oomycetes were isolated. The animals from the DDZ and DDB groups showed cotton-wool-like masses on the skin, and S . aenigmatica was re-isolated. Thus, for infection using zoospores or baits parasitized by S. aenigmatica , an immunosuppressor (dexamethasone) and a sharp scalpel can be used effectively to establish an experimental infection in P. mesopotamicus.

MİGRENDE ANJİOTENSİN DÖNÜŞTÜREN ENZİM (ACE) İNSERSİYON/DELESYON (I/D) GEN POLİMORFİZMİNİN ANALİZİ

Migraine is a neurovascular disorder with a prevalence of around 12%, the women being more frequently affected than men. Some studies have shown that migraine may have a major genetic component. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), a key part of the renin-angiotensin system, is expressed in vascular endothelial cells and can regulate blood pressure by mediating potent vasoconstrictors and dilators. This makes angiotensin converting enzyme a plausible candidate gene for involvement in migraine pathophysiology. We aimed to study the relationship between the ACE gene and migraine pathophysiology in the study. In this study, we studied the frequency of the angiotensin converting enzyme insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphisms genotypes and allelic variants in 200 patients with migraine and 199 healthy non-migrainous controls using a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). In patient groups DD genotype frequency was 35.0%, ID genotype frequency was 45.5% and II genotype frequency 19.5% (0.322). Allelic frequencies was detected 57.75% for D allele, 42.25% for I allele in patients. There were no significant differences in genotype/allele frequencies of angiotensin converting enzyme gene polymorphism between patients with migraine and controls (p=0.474). Our results show that I/D polymorphism of angiotensin converting enzyme gene is not a risk factor for migraine.

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme genetic polymorphism on cardiovascular response to endotracheal intubation in patients with hypertension

Objective To investigate the effect of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) genetic polymorphism on the cardiovascular response to endotracheal intubation in patients with hypertension.Methods The patients with primary hypertension,ASA Ⅱ or Ⅲ,aged 54-64 yr,weighing 50-70 kg,scheduled for elective operation under general anesthesia,were enrolled in this study.Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to detect the polymorphism of ACE gene.The patients were assigned into 3 groups according to their genotypes:homozygote DD group (group DD),heterozygote ID group (group ID),and homozygote Ⅱ group (group Ⅱ).Systolic blood pressure (SBP),diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded before and after induction of anesthesia,and at 0,1.5 and 5.0 min after intubation (T0-4).The rate-pressure product (RPP) was calculated.The cardiovascular events were recorded.Results In groups DD,ID and Ⅱ,40,39 and 40 cases were included in the analysis respectively.Compared with group ID,there was no significant difference in SBP,DBP,HR and RPP at T0-4 in group DD (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with groups DD and ID,SBP,DBP,HR and RPP were significantly deceased at T2,3,and SBP,HR and RPP were significantly deceased at T4 in group Ⅱ (P ＜ 0.05).The incidences of the myocardial ischemia during intubation and cardiovascular response to intubation were significantly lower in group C than in groups DD and ID (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion ACE genetic polymorphism exerts an effect on the cardiovascular response to endotracheal intubation in patients with hypertension,and homozygote DD and heterozygote ID have the most influence. Key words: Angiotensin converting enzyme 2; Genotype; Hypertention; Intubation, intratracheal; Intraoperative complications

Progesterone-Treated Mares Ovulate in Presence of Low Systemic Concentrations of LH.

Mares are useful comparative research models for studying ovarian dynamics in women because of similarities in the number and nature of follicular waves and a constant relative diameter of the largest follicle between the two species at definable events throughout the ovulatory wave. Recent (2005 to 2009) temporal and mechanistic studies have contributed to the understanding of the hormonal changes during the periovulatory period in mares. However, regulatory mechanisms of ovulation in mares are not well known, especially, the role of the long secretory pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) during the periovulatory period. Progesterone (P4) treatment for several days during the estrous cycle may depress gonadotropins concentrations, block follicular development, and induce persistent anovulatory follicles in several species. The goals of this study were: (1) to test if a high dose of exogenous progesterone (P4) given during the preovulatory period reduces the LH surge concentrations and blocks ovulation in mares with single or double dominant follicles; and (2) to study the effect of P4 treatment on follicle blood flow. Mares with a growing ≥25-mm follicle 15 days after ovulation were scanned daily by ultrasonography. When the largest follicle reached ≥30 mm and the endometrial echotexture score was indicative of preovulatory period, mares were randomly assigned to one of the following four groups (n=8-10 mares/group): single dominant control (SD); single dominant+progesterone (SD+P4); double dominant control (DD); and double dominant+progesterone (DD+P4). The treatments involved the vehicle (3 ml of safflower oil) for the control groups and P4 (150 mg in 3 ml of safflower oil) for the P4-treated groups. Treatment was given every 12 h for 7 days. Ovulation of the largest follicle occurred in 100, 38, 100, and 56% of the mares in the groups SD, SD+P4, DD, and DD+P4, respectively. Ovulation of the second largest follicle occurred in 44 and 11% in the groups DD and DD+P4. Follicle atresia or formation of a hemorrhagic anovulatory follicle was the outcome for follicles that did not ovulate. Plasma LH concentrations but not FSH were significantly (P<0.0001) inhibited by P4 treatment. Mares in the P4-treated groups ovulated in presence of very low (7-fold less) concentrations of LH when compared with the controls. Diameter of the largest ovulatory follicle and estradiol concentration did not differ among groups. Blood flow in the wall of the largest follicle was less (P<0.04) in P4-treated groups 3 days after beginning of treatment. In conclusion, the preovulatory LH surge does not seem to be crucial for ovulation to occur in mares. From a clinical standpoint, attention should be given to progesterone-based synchronization or protocols for inhibition of estrous behavior since progesterone-treated mares may ovulate with very low systemic concentrations of LH. The present findings may also have implications in human reproductive medicine due to the striking similarities between mares and women in several aspects of folliculogenesis. (poster)

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Gene (I/D) Polymorphism and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Aim: Fibrosis is a finding showing that the process can be progressive in the spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Activated hepatic stellate cells cause fibrosis induced by angiotensin II. In this study the relation between ACE gene (I/D) polymorphism and steatosis, necroinflammation and fibrosis in liver were investigated. Method: 29 females and 30 males (mean age: 53±10) whose necroinflammatorty activity and fibrosis scoring in liver biopsies were made according to Brunt classification were included in the study. According to the histopathological findings in liver biopsies patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were determined and ACE gene (I/D) polymorphism was studied by using genomic DNA isolated from peripheral blood samples. Result: In patient groups DD genotype frequency was 86.4%, ID genotype frequency was 5.1% and genotype II frequency 8.5%. In patient there was no significant relation between ACE gene (I/D) polymorphism, and necroinflammatory activity and fibrosis. Conclusion: In patients the high frequency of D/D genotype but no association between necroinflammatory activity and fibrosis suggest that ACE gene had no role in the development of fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, however it is a component of general metabolic disorder.

Comparison of pulmonary autopsy findings of the rats drowned at surface and 50 ft depth

Introduction: When a body is recovered from the water after a fatal SCUBA diving accident, it is useful to know if the diver was under pressure or not when he/she took his/her last breath, in order to determine the cause and manner of the death. If the victim was under pressure, the air remained in the lungs of the diver will be equal to the environmental pressure. If the body comes to the surface, the air in the lung will expand according to the Boyle's Gas Law and give mechanical damage to the surrounding tissues, due to decreases in environmental pressure. We designed an experimental study to see the difference in pulmonary autopsy findings of the rats that drowned under normobaric and hyperbaric conditions. Method: Forty five male, 250–300 g, Sprague Downey adult rats were divided into three groups. Two groups of rats were drowned under normobaric conditions (Groups DS Group DSS) and the third group at 50 ft pressure (Group DD). The pulmonary autopsy findings of the groups were compared. In the light microscopy, the number of the microscopic fields (×10) containing at least one emphysematous area with longitudinal dimension greater than 300 μm were compared among the groups. Results: The gross examination revealed a prominent swelling of the lungs in all rats in the Group DD, in comparison to that of the Groups DS and DSS. The number of the microscopic fields, which included at least one emphysematous area with longitudinal dimension greater than 300 μm out of 150 fields from each of the groups DS, DSS and DD, were 88, 101 and 115 respectively. The difference between the group DS and DD was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: We conclude that in investigating the fatal diving accidents, pulmonary autopsy findings give valuable information whether the death occurred at the surface or at the depth.

Serological response of sheep to live and killed Staphylococcus aureus vaccines

Adult sheep were immunized intramuscularly with a killed, in vivo-grown Staphylococcus aureus vaccine combined either with dextran sulphate (group DD) or with Freund's incomplete adjuvant (group FF). Another group (LL) received an attenuated live S. aureus vaccine intracutaneously. The animals were given a primary vaccination followed two weeks later by a booster vaccination. A fourth group of sheep (group LD) was primed with the live vaccine and given a booster vaccination with the killed vaccine combined with dextran sulphate. ELISA was used to quantify blood serum levels of IgM, IgG 1 and IgG 2 antibody directed against the pseudocapsular antigens of S. aureus grown under in vivo conditions. Groups LD, DD, and FF had sharp increases in mean levels of IgM antibody in the first few weeks after vaccination with another large increase in mean values for group FF at 12 weeks after primary vaccination. Group LL showed virtually no increase in levels of IgG 1 antibody; the other three groups had maximum mean values for IgG 1 antibody at 5 weeks (FF) and 8 weeks (LD and DD) after primary vaccination. All groups had large IgG 2 antibody responses (the largest for group LD), but the response for this isotype had waned by 14 weeks after primary vaccination. Examination of the ratios of IgG 2 antibody to IgG 1 antibody suggested that dextran sulphate may be a useful adjuvant for preferentially stimulating synthesis of IgG 2 antibody against staphylococcal pseudocapsular antigens.

Constant lighting conditions affect sexual behaviour and hormone levels in adult male rats.

Adult male Long-Evans rats (90 days of age) were housed in 12 h light: 12 h dark (Group LD), constant white light (Group LL), or constant dark (dim red light) (Group DD) for 60-90 days. The first of two sexual behaviour tests revealed that more (P less than 0.05) rats in Group LD achieved intromission than did those in Groups LL and DD. Only 33% of Group LL and 32% of Group DD rats ejaculated. In contrast, all Group LD rats that mounted eventually ejaculated. Males in Group LD achieved more (P less than 0.05) ejaculations (mean of both tests combined, 3.4) than did males in Groups LL (1.5) or DD (1.2). Although there were no notable differences amongst the groups in the weights of the accessory sex organs, males in Group DD had higher (P less than 0.05) serum androgen levels than did those in Groups LL and LD while Group LL males had higher (P less than 0.05) serum prolactin levels than did those in Groups LD and DD. There were no differences in LH or FSH levels. In addition, more rats in Group LL had disrupted activity rhythms than did Group DD rats. These results indicate that housing in constant white or dim red light disrupts sexual behaviour in male rats and may do so through different neuroendocrine mechanisms.