Indicator Of Physiological Changes Research Articles

Toxic Effects of Imidacloprid, Copper Sulfate, and Their Combinations on Biomolecular and Oxidative/Antioxidant Biomarkers in the Tissues of Oreochromis niloticus.

The wide-ranging use of heavy metals and pesticides worldwide and their irreversible accumulation in aquatic ecosystems is a major concern. As the range of household and agricultural chemicals increases, water pollution is trending from the toxic effects of a single agent to complex agent pollution that threatens aquatic ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pesticides (imidacloprid, IMI) and metals (copper sulfate, CuSO4) on oxidative stress biomarkers, antioxidant enzymes, and biomolecular parameters. The present study on the individual and combined effects of Oreochromis niloticus copper sulfate (CuSO4; 1ppm), imidacloprid (IMI; 10 and 50ppm), and IMI + CuSO4 (IMI10 + CuSO4, IMI50 + CuSO4) groups for 14days. In this context, oxidative stress/antioxidant markers (SOD, CAT, GST, and GSH) and biomolecular markers including HSP70, 8-OHdG, PC, and TBARS levels were examined in fish liver and kidney tissues, which are detoxification organs. The results indicated that IMI and CuSO4 toxicity alone and in combination altered oxidative stress/antioxidant markers and biomolecular parameters; moreover, 14days of exposure to the combination of CuSO4 and imidacloprid in particular exhibited a synergistic effect and caused oxidative toxicity. These findings highlighted the importance of evaluating mixtures of pesticides and metals and that the results show a remarkably synergistic effect. It can be concluded that these biomarkers are important indicators of physiological changes in living organisms.

Cardiac autonomic modulation in children with severe liver disease, before and after liver transplantation.

The cardiovascular system is directly influenced by the autonomic nervous system (ANS); its changes affect heart rate variability (HRV) and are sensitive indicators of physiological changes. Autonomic dysfunction (AD) is manifested in up to 60% of patients with cirrhosis. Therefore, we aim to analyze the indexes of HRV pre- and post-surgery of children submitted for liver transplantation (LT). HRV, in children of both genders from 6 months of age to 10 years, that attended at the pediatric surgery clinic in the queue for LT at the Children's Institute were analyzed. To access HRV we analyzed indexes such as standard deviation of the RR intervals (SDNN), root-mean-square of the successive normal sinus RR interval difference (RMSSD), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF/HF. The analysis of the behavior of cardiac autonomic modulation, in the period prior to LT and after surgery, showed an increase in HRV linear parameters SDNN, TINN (triangular interpolation of NN interval histogram), HFms2. In the time domain, there was also an increase in the HFms2 index. The analysis of the period preceding LT and two months after surgery showed an increase in the HRV linear parameters representing a global HRV improvement. In the time domain, there was also an increase in the HFms2 index, parasympathetic tone of the HRV.

Wrist-Worn Electrodermal Activity as a Novel Neurophysiological Biomarker of Autonomic Symptoms in Spatial Disorientation.

Background: Spatial disorientation is one of the most frequent causes of aircraft accidents, and is thus a major problem affecting air safety. Although a number of studies have examined spatial disorientation, the precise physiological changes occurring as a direct result of spatial disorientation and motion sickness remain unclear. The present study sought to investigate electrodermal activity (EDA) and subjective autonomic symptoms during spatial disorientation training, and to develop an indicator of physiological changes for pilot candidates.Methods: In the current study, we investigated changes in EDA measured using a wrist-worn device, and subjective autonomic nervous system symptoms during spatial disorientation training for pilot candidates. We then used the Graybiel diagnostic criteria to develop a novel physiological biomarker.Results: We found that maximum EDA change and peak amplitude were significantly increased in participants with a Graybiel score of ≥3 points compared with those who scored < 2 points. Furthermore, for symptoms of cold sweating and saliva secretion (from the seven Graybiel diagnostic criteria), the maximum EDA change in participants with scores ≥1 point was significantly higher than that of participants scoring 0 points.Conclusion: Our results indicate that EDA data measured with a wrist-worn device could provide a useful method for objective evaluation of the severity of spatial disorientation and motion sickness.

Effects of stocking densities in blood chemistry and biochemical body composition of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and the prawn Macrobrachium americanum in polyculture

An assay on tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and freshwater prawn Macrobrachium americanum in polyculture was conducted during 112 days to study the effect on their blood chemistry and biochemical body composition to determine the feasibility of this polyculture in high density. Six densities were evaluated [T4/5, T9/5, T14/5, T0/5, T9/0, and T14/0; Ttilapia/prawn (ind m-2)]. In tilapia were evaluated hemoglobin, red cells albumin, globulin, cholesterol, glucose, and triglycerides composition in blood. In M. americanum were evaluated hemocyanin, cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose and total protein in hemolymph. The total content of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates in muscle and liver of tilapia, and muscle and hepatopancreas on prawns were also studied. Both animals presented significant differences (P 0.05) appeared in the concentration of lipids and proteins in any tilapia group and proximal composition of muscle and hepatopancreas in prawn. The present study indicates that polyculture in a density T14/5 is similar than monoculture with no effect in blood or hemolymph chemistry and proximal composition of tilapia and prawn. The blood glucose concentration can be considered an indicator of physiological changes for tilapia and prawn when cultured together.

Glycine and succinic acid are effective indicators of the suppression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition by fucoxanthinol in colorectal cancer stem-like cells.

Fucoxanthinol (FxOH) is a strong anticancer metabolite of fucoxanthin that accumulates in abundance in edible brown algae and promises human health benefits. FxOH has been shown to suppress tumorigenicity and sphere formation in human colorectal cancer stem cell (CCSC)-like spheroids (colonospheres, Csps). In the present study, we aimed to clarify the inhibitory activity of FxOH on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is essential for cancer recurrence and distant metastasis, and to identify intracellular low-molecular-weight metabolites that may be useful for evaluating the cellular effects of FxOH on CCSCs. FxOH significantly suppressed sphere-forming activity, migration and invasion in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, treatment with 50µmol/l FxOH suppressed N-cadherin and vimentin expression and the activation of integrin signaling linked to EMT suppression by western blot analysis. MAPK signaling and STAT signaling related to cell growth and apoptosis in Csps derived from human CRC HT-29 and HCT116 cells were also altered. According to our metabolite profiling by GC-MS analysis, reduced glycine and succinic acid levels were correlated with EMT suppression and apoptosis induction in Csps. Our data indicate that simple amino acids such as glycine and succinic acid may be good prognostic indicators of physiological changes to CCSCs induced by FxOH treatment.

Wavelet-derived features as indicators of physiological changes induced by bed rest

Abstract Objective: Bed rest studies are employed to simulate microgravity situations as encountered in spaceflight. Current methods of assessing muscle function impairment due to microgravity exposure include techniques such as maximum voluntary contraction assessments using force measurements. Such techniques involve impractical long-feedback loops for applications involving rehabilitation or otherwise detecting physiological changes. Recent studies have made use of the discrete wavelet transform in combination with machine learning methods to classify hand gestures and detect pathologies. In this paper, we demonstrate models capable of discriminating between the before and after bed rest states by extracting features from surface electromyography measurements. Methods: A previously conducted and studied bed rest experiment is examined by discrete wavelet transform for tractable feature sets for the purpose of k-nearest neighbor and Support Vector Machine classification. Forward feature selection is used with k-nearest neighbor or Support Vector Machine selection criteria. Classifiers are evaluated on non-wavelet-derived features for sake of comparison. Results: Wavelet-derived features perform well for both classifiers with classification accuracies as high as 95%. Models without wavelet-derived features do not perform as well overall. Conclusion: These high-accuracy results are promising for future efforts in neuromuscular monitoring and further investigations with larger sample sizes. Significance: Classification algorithms utilizing features derived by wavelet transforms provide a method toward development of short-feedback loop measurements of the physiological effects of prolonged disuse.

Acute Psychophysiological Relationships Between Mood, Inflammatory and Cortisol Changes in Response to Simulated Physical Firefighting Work and Sleep Restriction.

This study examined how changes in wildland firefighters' mood relate to cytokine and cortisol levels in response to simulated physical firefighting work and sleep restriction. Firefighters completed 3days of simulated wildfire suppression work separated by an 8-h (control condition; n=18) or 4-h sleep opportunity (sleep restriction condition; n=17) each night. Firefighters' mood was assessed daily using the Mood Scale II and Samn-Perelli fatigue scale. Participants also provided samples for the determination of salivary cortisol and pro- (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) cytokine levels. An increase in the positive mood dimension Happiness was related to a rise in IL-8 and TNF-α in the sleep restriction condition. A rise in the positive mood dimension Activation among sleep restricted firefighters was also related to higher IL-6 levels. An increase in the negative mood dimension Fatigue in the sleep restriction condition was associated with increased IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10 and cortisol levels. In addition, an increase in Fear among sleep restricted firefighters was associated with a rise in TNF-α. Elevated positive mood and immune activation may reflect an appropriate response by the firefighters to these stressors. To further understand this relationship, subsequent firefighting-based research is needed that investigates whether immune changes are a function of affective arousal linked to the expression of positive moods. Positive associations between negative mood and inflammatory and cortisol levels to physical work and restricted sleep provide useful information to fire agencies about subjective fire-ground indicators of physiological changes.

Influence of a pre-harvest reflective orchard mulching film on lipid peroxidation and anti-oxidant activity in apple fruit during post-harvest storage

SummaryStudies have shown that applying a reflective film to the floor of an orchard enhances fruit colouration. Here we assessed whether this practice also prolonged the post-harvest storage life of apple (Malus domestica Borkh cv. Fuji and Malus prunifolia [Willd.]) fruit. Strips of reflective mulching film (RMF) were placed beneath the apple trees and RMF-treated fruit were compared with those from untreated control (CK) trees. Enzymes involved in reducing lipid peroxidation such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) are associated with delaying fruit senescence. Their activities, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, were quantified as indicators of physiological changes related to lipid peroxidation and membrane damage in the peel and flesh of RMF-treated or control apple fruit during 50 d of post-harvest storage at 4ºC. SOD activities increased in the peel and flesh from RMF-treated fruit during the first 40 d post-harvest, but declined significantly during the final 10 d of storage. RMF treatment resulted in increases in CAT activities of 5 – 14% and 16 – 29% in the peel and flesh of RMF-treated apples, respectively, compared with untreated CK fruit. Conversely, MDA concentrations were 7 – 23% and 14 – 30% lower in the peel and flesh, respectively, of RMF-treated fruit than in CK fruit over the 50 d storage period. Similarly, RMF treatment resulted in reductions of 7 – 20% and 3 – 10% in saturated fatty acid (SFA) concentrations in the peel and flesh, respectively, compared to CK fruit, while the corresponding polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations increased by 2 – 10% and 3 – 7%. In conclusion, the use of RMF in apple orchards appears to be an effective technique to delay post-harvest senescence in apple fruit.

Responses of carbon and oxygen stable isotopes in rice grain (Oryza sativa L.) to an increase in air temperature during grain filling in the Japanese archipelago

AbstractStable isotopic compositions of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) in plants reflect growth conditions. Therefore, these isotopes might be good indicators of changes in environmental factors, such as variations in air temperature caused by climate change. It is predicted that climate change will lead to a greater increase in minimum air temperatures (primarily during the night) than in maximum air temperatures (primarily during the day) in many parts of Japan. In the present study, we investigated whether the δ13C and δ18O of the rice grain Koshihikari (Oryza sativa L.) from the northern latitudes (30.49°–37.14°) of Japan reflect variations in air temperature during grain filling and are related to the yield and proportion of first‐grade rice (&lt;15 % transparency, roundness, and cracking) as an indicator of quality. We revealed that rice δ13C was not correlated with mean maximum or minimum air temperatures for each prefecture. By contrast, rice δ18O was positively correlated with mean minimum air temperature, suggesting that rice δ18O reflects changes in night air temperature. We further showed that an increase in the mean minimum air temperature during grain filling had a negative effect on rice yield and quality. Our findings indicate that the δ18O of rice grain may be a good indicator of physiological changes in response to minimum air temperatures during grain filling.

Reconstructing marine life-history strategies of wild Atlantic salmon from the stable isotope composition of otoliths

Long-term declines in abundance of wild Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, L. have been linked to reductions in marine survivorship, and recent reductions in growth condition (a measure of fish quality) have been correlated to increased mid-winter sea-surface temperature anomalies in the eastern North Atlantic. Establishing a causal link between marine climate and salmon somatic condition is difficult without at-sea measurements of environmental and biological parameters, but electronically tagging these animals to obtain this information is also difficult and costly. The stable isotope composition of oxygen and carbon in the sequential layers of salmon otoliths can provide a basis for retrospective studies of the thermal, metabolic and dietary histories of individual fish. We used high resolution δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C profiles obtained using secondary ion mass spectrometry to compare the marine thermal and metabolic behaviour of 1 sea-winter return-migrant adult salmon. Seasonal and ontogenetic patterns in δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values dominated isotope variation, although there were marked differences between individual profiles, indicating the potential for large differences in individual migration routes. There was no significant relationship between isotope variation and adult condition. Constructed thermal profiles provided plausible data, but the present uncertainty in otolith thermometry parameters for an open-ocean fish such as Atlantic salmon preclude firm conclusions based on these estimates. Marine life-history variation in otolith δ¹³C is likely driven by ontogenetic changes, both in diet and metabolism with size. A marked and rapid decrease in the δ¹³C values of some fish in the last month(s) of the marine migration could be an indicator of physiological changes occurring during the homing migration.

Evaluation of seedling cold tolerance in rice cultivars: a comparison of visual ratings and quantitative indicators of physiological changes

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is sensitive to prolonged exposure to low temperature, which at the seedling stage can result in significant chilling injury and mortality. The objective of this study was to quantify physiological and biochemical changes in rice seedlings undergoing chilling stress and compare those changes with visual evaluation of tolerance. Seedlings from the cultivars M-202 (tolerant) and IR50 (sensitive) were subjected to 9°C for 14 days in a controlled environment chamber. Leaf tissues were harvested at various time points for determination of electrolyte leakage, proline, malondialdehyde, ascorbic acid and reduced glutathione. Significant differences between M-202 and IR50 were detected in electrolyte leakage, proline, and ascorbic acid starting at 7 days with IR50 exhibiting higher levels of these indicators. Most IR50 seedlings were dead at 14 days. A set of fifty rice accessions including M-202 and IR50 was evaluated at 10 days of cold treatment to examine the correlation of visual ratings with the physiological indices. Visual ratings were most highly correlated with electrolyte leakage and least correlated with proline content. Based on visual ratings and the physiological indices, we identified several cultivars that outperformed M-202 in cold tolerance while IR50 had the lowest tolerance of the cultivars tested.

Chlorophyll Fluorescence as an Indicator of Physiological Changes in Cold‐Stored Broccoli After Transfer to Room Temperature

ABSTRACTOur objective was to determine if chlorophyll fluorescence could be used as an indicator of physiological changes in cold‐stored broccoli after transfer to room temperature. Mass loss, respiration, and ammonia content increased when the broccoli were held at 18°C for 72h, whereas the chlorophyll fluorescence measurements (Fv/Fm, T½ and Fmd) decreased. Broccoli color began to change after 24h, as hue decreased rapidly and chroma increased. Fv/Fm decreased markedly only after the first 24h when the color changes began, whereas T½ and Fmd decreased continuously as the broccoli aged. Both T½ and Fmd correlated negatively with mass loss and respiration.

The Reliability of the pH of Human Mixed Saliva as an Indicator of Physiological Changes. (Amer. Journ. Psychol., vol. xlvii, p. 222, April, 1935.) Baker, K. H., and Eye, M. G.

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The Reliability of the pH of Human Mixed Saliva as an Indicator of Physiological Changes Accompanying Behavior

Among the most common measurements used in the past have been the galvanic technique, determinations of muscular tension in a given response, various changes in the respiratory process, and blood analyses. Such measurements are based on the assumption that the response of the organism is dependent not only upon the stimulating situation, but also upon certain physico-chemical processes going on within the organism. Various investigations, including so-called fatigue studies,' have shown that a measured efficiency is affected by the fatigue and that also the speed of recovery of the organism is an important problem.