Total Number Of Entries Research Articles

Пространственное обучение крыс линии DAT-HET в 8-рукавном радиальном лабиринте

We conducted a study of the behavior of DAT-HET rats, which are heterozygous carriers of the knockout gene SLC6A3, encoding the dopamine transporter, in the “Eight-arm radial maze” setup. This device is a platform with branches, or “sleeves”, extending from it. The maze is designed to assess the spatial memory of rodents, in particular rats. The present study assessed the ability of animals of the above strain to remember sleeves that have food reinforcement in the first phase of the test, and to avoid them in the second phase, when there is no food reinforcement there. The expected behavior is to explore new arms. Entering a previously visited branch during the second phase of the experiment is an “error.” We analyzed a number of parameters. First of all, this is a “memory score”, which is based on counting “erroneous” inputs. In addition to the memory score, the total number of entries into the arms of the maze was calculated, as well as the number of repeated entries into the arms during a particular phase of the experiment. According to the results, DAT-HET rats did not tend to increase memory scores over a twelve-day period, unlike the control group. We also assessed the motor activity of DAT-HET rats, expressed in a greater number of entries into the arms, as increased. Analysis of the data suggests that at a certain stage of the experiment, the rats of the experimental group were characterized by an increased number of repeated entries into the arms, however, there is a large scatter of values for this characteristic.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a segmented alternating shift pattern based on wearable vital signs monitoring devices during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study

AimTo explore the feasibility and effectiveness of an alternating shift pattern in two-hour segments in the state of emergency management of public health events.MethodsA cross-sectional research design was conducted in our study. The nursing staff working in the admission ward of suspected or confirmed patients with COVID-19 in December 2022 were selected as subjects by the whole-group sampling method. We adopted a shift pattern of alternating shifts every two-hour in the isolation wards. The vital signs parameters were captured by uniformly wearing the multi-signs sensing devices, and the questionnaires collected the symptoms.ResultsSixty-seven female participants, with a mean age of 33.09 ± 5.96 years, were included in this study. Measurements of body temperature (T), blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), respiratory rate (RR), and heart rate (HR) while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) all remained within normal limits. None of the nurses reported sweating, dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations, or dyspnea. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the critical care group and the non-critical care group in terms of age (P = 0.041), working duration (P = 0.036), and the total number of entries into isolation areas for nursing care (rounds) (P = 0.007). However, there were no statistically significant differences in vital signs based on age, work duration, or body mass index (BMI). The data indicated a notable increase in body temperature compared to other vital sign parameters with increasing work time while wearing PPE. Body temperature approached the upper limit when working close to 2 h long.ConclusionsThe alternating shift pattern in two-hour segments can effectively maintain the physical well-being of nurses wearing PPE without increasing the burden on nursing staff or the wastage of protective materials. This approach is recommended for addressing similar public health events in the future.

Unsupervised and Self-Supervised Tensor Train for Change Detection in Multitemporal Hyperspectral Images

Remote sensing change detection (CD) using multitemporal hyperspectral images (HSIs) provides detailed information on spectral–spatial changes and is useful in a variety of applications such as environmental monitoring, urban planning, and disaster detection. However, the high dimensionality and low spatial resolution of HSIs do not only lead to expensive computation but also bring about inter-class homogeneity and inner-class heterogeneity. Meanwhile, labeled samples are difficult to obtain in reality as field investigation is expensive, which limits the application of supervised CD methods. In this paper, two algorithms for CD based on the tensor train (TT) decomposition are proposed and are called the unsupervised tensor train (UTT) and self-supervised tensor train (STT). TT uses a well-balanced matricization strategy to capture global correlations from tensors and can therefore effectively extract low-rank discriminative features, so the curse of the dimensionality and spectral variability of HSIs can be overcome. In addition, the two proposed methods are based on unsupervised and self-supervised learning, where no manual annotations are needed. Meanwhile, the ket-augmentation (KA) scheme is used to transform the low-order tensor into a high-order tensor while keeping the total number of entries the same. Therefore, high-order features with richer texture can be extracted without increasing computational complexity. Experimental results on four benchmark datasets show that the proposed methods outperformed their tensor counterpart, the tucker decomposition (TD), the higher-order singular value decomposition (HOSVD), and some other state-of-the-art approaches. For the Yancheng dataset, OA and KAPPA of UTT reached as high as 98.11% and 0.9536, respectively, while OA and KAPPA of STT were at 98.20% and 0.9561, respectively.

Sukkari dates seed improves type-2 diabetes mellitus-induced memory impairment by reducing blood glucose levels and enhancing brain cholinergic transmission: In vivo and molecular modeling studies

Cognitive decline is one of the serious complications associated with diabetes mellitus (T2DM) of type-2. In this reported work, the effect of aqueous sukkari dates seed extract (ASSE) was evaluated in T2DM-induced rats. T2DM was induced using intraperitoneal injection of nicotinamide and streptozocin (STZ) administration. The diabetic rats were then treated orally with 200 mg/kg and 400 mg/kg of dates seed extract for 30 days and results were compared with metformin-treated groups. The memory functions were assessed using three maze models. Glucose and insulin levels in the blood and acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase brain homogenates were estimated. The results showed a significant reduction in transfer latency (TL) (p < 0.001) during the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. The novel object recognition (NOR) test revealed a longer exploration time (p > 0.05) with novel objects and a higher discrimination index (p > 0.05). The Y-maze test also showed a significant increase in the number of entries to the novel arm (p > 0.05) and the total number of entries in the trial (p > 0.01) as well as in test (p > 0.05) sessions. Reduction in blood glucose (p > 0.05) and improvement in blood insulin (p > 0.05) levels were also noted. Improvement in ACh levels (p > 0.001) with 400 mg/kg of ASSE and reduction in AChE (p > 0.001) with both doses of ASSE were also observed in the brain homogenates. The results of ASSE were found comparable with the metformin-treated rats. The estimation of phytochemical constituents displayed a significant presence of phenolic content. Further, molecular modeling studies showed ellagic acid, catechin, and epicatechin as the potential molecule interacting with GSK-3β, α-amylase, and AChE and may be responsible for observed bioactivity. In conclusion, ASSE has the ability to alleviate T2DM-related cognitive impairments.

Block Row Kronecker-Structured Linear Systems With a Low-Rank Tensor Solution

Several problems in compressed sensing and randomized tensor decomposition can be formulated as a structured linear system with a constrained tensor as the solution. In particular, we consider block row Kronecker-structured linear systems with a low multilinear rank multilinear singular value decomposition, a low-rank canonical polyadic decomposition or a low tensor train rank tensor train constrained solution. In this paper, we provide algorithms that serve as tools for finding such solutions for a large, higher-order data tensor, given Kronecker-structured linear combinations of its entries. Consistent with the literature on compressed sensing, the number of linear combinations of entries needed to find a constrained solution is far smaller than the corresponding total number of entries in the original tensor. We derive conditions under which a multilinear singular value decomposition, canonical polyadic decomposition or tensor train solution can be retrieved from this type of structured linear systems and also derive the corresponding generic conditions. Finally, we validate our algorithms by comparing them to related randomized tensor decomposition algorithms and by reconstructing a hyperspectral image from compressed measurements.

Effects of prolonged night-time light exposure and traffic noise on the behavior and body temperature rhythmicity of the wild desert rodent, Gerbillus tarabuli

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to demonstrate for the first time in Tarabul’s gerbils (Gerbillus tarabuli), the effects of simultaneous exposure to two major environmental stressors – light and noise pollutions – on the body temperature rhythm and anxious behavior. Seven groups, each consisting of 6 adult male gerbils, were subjected to a standard LD cycle (12 L:12D) with lights on at 08:00 h and off at 20:00 h, constant conditions (total darkness, DD), prolonged nighttime exposure to light (PEL: 18 L:6D) with lights on at 08:00 h and off at 02:00 h, mimicking prolonged exposure to light pollution in peri-urban areas, exposure to auditory stress (TNS) of 80 dB, and conditions combining PEL&TNS. The body temperature circadian rhythm was recorded, and behavioral tests were performed at the end of experimental phases. The results revealed the existence, for the first time in Gerbilus tarabuli, of an endogenous circadian rhythm of body temperature with a period of 23.8 ± 0.04 h. Prolonged exposure to light at night (PEL) induced a significant phase delay (02 h 09 min ± 0.16 h) of the rhythm, with an acrophase (peak time) occurring at 04:42 ± 0.13 h instead of 02:33 ± 0.21 h. Exposure to TNS for 4 hours per night induced a significant increase of the amplitude of the rhythm and a decrease of the rhythm regularity (robustness of 73.26% in TNS vs. 82.32 in control condition). While combining TNS and PEL significantly delayed the phase of the Tb rhythm by 3 h 10 min (acrophase at 06:39 ± 0.37 h instead of 02:33 ± 0.21 h), increased the amplitude, and significantly reduced the stability of the rhythm (robustness of 67.25% in PEL&TNS vs. 82.32 in control condition). PEL&TNS and TNS environments induce an important stress in gerbils highlighted by a significant decrease of the number of line crossings and time spent in the center area of the open field test. Furthermore, elevated plus maze test revealed gerbils of the PEL&TNS and TNS conditions significantly visited the lowest number of open arms and spent a shorter amount of time in it. In addition, these conditions were responsible for less activity (total number of entries in arms) than in the control and PEL conditions. These results indicate clearly that in the desert area, peri-urban light and noise pollutions disturb the circadian rhythm components and alter the behavior of Tarabul’s gerbils inducing an anxious state.

Efficiency of microvascular free flap reconstructive surgery: An observational study.

We aimed to assess operative workflow and efficiency in microvascular free flaps via a direct observational study based on Lean principles of quality improvement (QI). Observers monitored the workflow of twenty-three free flaps. Pre-operative preparation and surgical duration was recorded with supplemental data provided from our institution's surgical tracking database. Traffic patterns of operating room (OR) staff were documented as "entries" and "exits" from the OR and classified by role and the reason that the entry or exit was required. Patient data was obtained via chart review. The mean surgical time was 9.0h. Approximately 20% of OR time was dedicated to the pre-incision process, averaging 1.6h per case. One third of entries and exits occurred during this period. In total, 180.2 surgical hours were observed during which 6215 "entries" and "exits" occurred. The mean number of entries and exits per case was 270; the most common reasons were supplies and communication. No association was observed between elapsed surgical time or total number of entries and exits with post-operative infection rates. Comprehensive observational workflow studies of free flaps are challenging to execute due to lengthy procedure times. At our high-volume institution, a significant portion of OR time is devoted to the pre-incision period, largely due to inadequate supply availability and pre-operative communication. These findings will serve as a foundation for QI interventions at our institution, while our observational model provides a broadly applicable framework for assessing surgical efficiency.

Preventive Effects of Different Aerobic Exercise Intensities on the Decline of Cognitive Function in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Growing Mice.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of different exercise intensities in preventing the decline of cognitive function and lipolysis associated with a high-fat diet-induced obesity in growing mice. Material and Methods: Forty male C57BL/6 mice, aged 4 weeks, were divided into the normal diet (CO, n = 10) and high-fat diet (HF, n = 30) groups to induce obesity for 8 weeks. Subsequently, the HF group was subdivided equally into the HF, HF + low-intensity training (HFLT), and HF + high-intensity training (HFHT) groups, and mice were subjected to treadmill training for 8 weeks. Results: Following the 8-week training intervention, body weight and fat mass were significantly lower in the training groups than in the HF group (p < 0.05). Adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), and monoglyceride lipase levels were significantly higher in the training groups than in the HF group (p < 0.05), and the ATGL and HSL levels were significantly higher in the HFHT group than in the HFLT group (p < 0.05). The Y-maze test showed that the training groups had a higher number of total entries and percent alternation than the HF group (p < 0.05). Hippocampal nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and neurotrophin-3 levels were significantly higher in the training group than in the HF group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference according to the exercise intensity among the groups. Conclusions: The results of this study suggested that low-intensity exercise is as effective as a high-intensity exercise in preventing the decline of cognitive function and lipolysis, and far more effective in terms of an expected efficiency of workload and prevention of side effects.

Does social thermal regulation constrain individual thermal tolerance in an ant species?

In ants, social thermal regulation is the collective maintenance of a nest temperature that is optimal for individual colony members. In the thermophilic ant Aphaenogaster iberica, two key behaviours regulate nest temperature: seasonal nest relocation and variable nest depth. Outside the nest, foragers must adapt their activity to avoid temperatures that exceed their thermal limits. It has been suggested that social thermal regulation constrains physiological and morphological thermal adaptations at the individual level. We tested this hypothesis by examining the foraging rhythms of six populations of A. iberica, which were found at different elevations (from 100 to 2,000m) in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of southern Spain. We tested the thermal resistance of individuals from these populations under controlled conditions. Janzen's climatic variability hypothesis (CVH) states that greater climatic variability should select for organisms with broader temperature tolerances. We found that the A. iberica population at 1,300m experienced the most extreme temperatures and that ants from this population had the highest heat tolerance (LT50=57.55°C). These results support CVH's validity at microclimatic scales, such as the one represented by the elevational gradient in this study. Aphaenogaster iberica maintains colony food intake levels across different elevations and mean daily temperatures by shifting its rhythm of activity. This efficient colony-level thermal regulation and the significant differences in individual heat tolerance that we observed among the populations suggest that behaviourally controlled thermal regulation does not constrain individual physiological adaptations for coping with extreme temperatures.

Role of DNA methylation in sepsis-associated encephalopathy in mice

Objective To evaluate the role of DNA methylation in sepsis-associated encephalopathy in mice. Methods A total of 144 clean-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 6-8 weeks, weighing 20-25 g, were divided into 4 groups (n=36 each) using a random number table method: sham operation group (group Sham), sepsis group (group Sepsis), sham operation plus S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) group (group Sham+ SAM) and sepsis plus SAM group (group Sepsis+ SAM). Sepsis was produced by cecum ligation and puncture (CLP). In Sham+ SAM and Sepsis+ SAM groups, DNA methylated methyl donor SAM 100 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected at 1 h before operation and 12 h after operation, while the equal volume of normal saline was given instead in Sham and Sepsis groups.The cognitive function was assessed using Y-maze and contextual fear conditioning test at 1, 3 and 7 days after CLP.Mice were sacrificed at 1, 3 and 7 days after CLP, and the hippocampal tissues were taken for determination of genome-wide DNA methylation (by colorimetric assay) and expression of DNA methyltransferase enzymes (DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b), ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzymes (TET1, TET2 and TET3) and thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) mRNA (by fluorescent quantitative real-time). Results Compared with group Sham, the time of staying at the novel arm was significantly shortened, the percentage of time spent freezing and the total number of entries into each arm were reduced, genome-wide DNA methylation in hippocampal tissues was decreased at 1, 3 and 7 days after CLP, the expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, TET1, TET2, TET3 and TDG was up-regulated, and the expression of DNMT3b was down-regulated in group Sepsis (P<0.05). Compared with group Sepsis, the time of staying at the novel arm was significantly prolonged, the percentage of time spent freezing and the total number of entries into each arm were increased, the expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, TET1, TET2, TET3 and TDG mRNA was down-regulated, and the expression of DNMT3b was up-regulated in group Sepsis+ SAM(P<0.05). Conclusion DNA methylation is involved in the development of sepsis-associated encephalopathy in mice. Key words: DNA methylation; Sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Four decades of research on quality: summarising, Trendspotting and looking ahead

The purpose of this paper is to identify and depict the key areas around which research on quality has orbited during the past 37 years. Additionally, this paper aims to explore longitudinal patterns and trends in the identified key areas. Thereby, this study aims to present new perspectives on the foundational elements and evolutionary patterns of research on quality as well as future directions. The paper applies data- and text modelling methodology to a chronological dataset covering 37 years and consisting of scientific journals specialising in research on quality; it also includes scientific journals with a broader spectrum of operations management (OM) research. The study identifies seven central topics around which research on quality has centred during this time period: Service Quality & Customer Satisfaction; Process design & Control; ISO Certification & Standards; TQM - Implementation, Performance & Culture; QM - Practices & Performance; Reliability, Costs, Failure & Problems and Excellence - BEMs, Quality Awards & Excellence in Higher Education. The results also show that the total number of entries has risen constantly since 1980; however, there was a period of decline between 2000 and 2012, indicating that after almost four decades, research on quality is still vibrant and relevant.

ProGlycProt V2.0, a repository of experimentally validated glycoproteins and protein glycosyltransferases of prokaryotes.

Knowledge of glycosylation status and glycan-pattern of proteins are of considerable medical, academic and application interest. ProGlycProt V2.0 (www.proglycprot.org) therefore, is conceived and maintained as an exclusive web-resource providing comprehensive information on experimentally validated glycoproteins and protein glycosyltransferases (GTs) of prokaryotic origin. The second release of ProGlycProt features a major update with a 191% increase in the total number of entries, manually collected and curated from 607 peer-reviewed publications, on the subject. Protein GTs from prokaryotes that catalyze a varied range of glycan linkages are amenable glycoengineering tools. Therefore, the second release presents content that is greatly expanded and reorganized in two sub-databases: ProGPdb and ProGTdb. While ProGPdb provides information about validated glycoproteins (222 entries), ProGTdb catalogs enzymes/proteins that are instrumental in protein glycosylation, directly (122) or as accessory proteins (182). ProGlycProt V2.0 remains highly cross-referenced yet exclusive and complementary in content to other related databases. The second release further features enhanced search capability, a "compare" entries option and an innovative geoanalytical tool (MapView) facilitating location-assisted search-cum filtering of the entries using geo-positioning information of researchers/groups cited in the ProGlycProt V2.0 databases. Thus, ProGlycProt V2.0 continues to serve as a useful one-point web-resource on various evidence-based information on protein glycosylation in prokaryotes.

Palliative and end of life care content within common pharmacy textbooks

IntroductionThis study compared the end-of-life care (EOLC) content in pharmacy-related textbooks to textbooks evaluated in a comparable 2003 study. MethodsSix common pharmacy-related textbooks were reviewed for content relating to EOLC. Five of the textbooks were the newest editions of the same texts reviewed in a similar 2003 study, and one focused primarily on clinical ethics, a topic that was underrepresented in the previous study. The six texts were searched for a list of 33 keywords or phrases pertaining to EOLC. Entries containing any of these 33 keywords were assigned a domain and scored using a simple scoring system of one if minimally helpful content was present or two if helpful content was present. The total number of entries and their average scores were compared to the results of the previous study. ResultsThe average number of entries per textbook was 154, which represents an increase from the 110.1 average number of entries in the 2003 study. However, one of the textbooks had a total of 470 entries alone. Of a total number of 78 possible domains, 40 had either zero or one entries. The average ratings for each book ranged from 0.5 to 1.6, whereas they ranged from 0.9 to 1.6 in 2003. Four of six books in this study had average rating of less than 0.9. ConclusionAlthough certain texts have made strides to include more EOLC content, overall, EOLC content in pharmacy textbooks may still be improved.

Los indigenismos iberoamericanos en eslovaco

El objetivo de este artículo es presentar la influencia que han tenido las lenguas amerindias en el léxico eslovaco. Para cumplir tal objetivo tuvimos que establecer criterios de inclusión en el corpus, recopilar y analizar los indigenismos en la lengua eslovaca. Aparte de presentar las voces amerindias, quisimos resumir también las tendencias en el proceso de adaptación al eslovaco (haciendo hincapié en los contrastes entre el español como lengua intermediaria y el eslovaco) y también analizar la cronología de la aparición de los indigenismos, centrándonos en los préstamos pioneros (desde los primeros del siglo XVII) y clasificar las entradas del glosario según las áreas temáticas y la lengua amerindia de origen.

Regulatory experience of TOPS: an internet-based system to prevent healthy subjects from over-volunteering for UK clinical trials.

The aim was to review the use of The Over-volunteering Prevention System (TOPS) since the HRA began hosting it in 2013, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) experience of monitoring its use by UK clinical research units. The HRA searched the TOPS database for the number, type and location of units and the number of entries. The MHRA inspectors reviewed their findings from routine inspections. Twenty-two additional UK units registered to use TOPS during 2013-2016, making a total of 84 units since TOPS was established in 2002. Use of TOPS is now a condition of research ethics committee approval of a phase 1 study and fulfils MHRA accreditation requirements for preventing over-volunteering. The total number of entries by all active units during 2013-2016 was 89,335, of which 84% were UK citizens and 16% non-UK citizens. The total number of entries during 2002-2016 was 249,612. Only 15 of 24,531 subjects (1/1600) and 18 of 18,745 subjects (1/1040) entered in 2015 and 2016, respectively, were deemed potential over-volunteers. The findings continue to support the concept that TOPS not only helps to prevent over-volunteering, but also deters subjects from trying to do so. Regulation of TOPS by the HRA and MHRA has enhanced its effectiveness, benefited all users and helped to improve the safety of volunteers who participate in non-therapeutic trials in the UK. The UK is still the only country with a national database to prevent over-volunteering that has published data on its widespread use and effectiveness.

The effects of methamphetamine and buprenorphine, and their interaction on anxiety-like behavior and locomotion in male rats.

Methamphetamine (Meth) abuse and dependence are major global problems. Most of previous studies showed that Meth is anxiogenic. While buprenorphine (Bup) is used to treat anxiety-related behaviors, the effects of Meth in combination with Bup on anxiety-like behavior are unclear. In this study, we examined the effects of these drugs on anxiety-like behavior with the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field (OF) tests, which are widely used to assess anxiety-like behavior in small rodents. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: sham, Meth, Bup, and Bup+Meth. The groups were administered their assigned treatments for 7days. The time spent in the open arms, and number of total entries into the arms (total activity) in the EPM were recorded. In addition, locomotor activity and number of entrances into the center area in the OF were recorded. The 7-day administration of Meth or Bup increased open arm exploration in the EPM. In contrast, the combined administration of Bup and Meth had the opposite effects. In addition, Meth and Bup had no effects on total and locomotor activity. Furthermore, the rats in the Meth and Bup groups spent more time in the center of the OF, while the group given both Bup and Meth spent less time in the center of the OF. The administration of Meth and Bup alone was anxiolytic in rats, whereas the coadministration of Bup and Meth was anxiogenic.

Effects of different ratios of medicine dosage for sevoflurane and propofol on postoperative cognitive function in aged rats

Objective To evaluate the effects of different ratios of medicine dosage for sevoflurane and propofol on postoperative cognitive function in aged rats. Methods Sixty healthy male Wistar rats, aged 18-20 months, weighing 600-650 g, were divided into 6 groups(n=10 each)using a random number table: control group(group C), sevoflurane anesthesia group(group S), propofol anesthesia group(group P)and different ratios of medicine dosage for sevoflurane and propofol groups(group SP1, group SP2 and group SP3). Normal saline 10 ml was infused intravenously in group C. Group S inhaled 3.1% sevoflurane.Propofol was infused intravenously at a rate of 40 mg·kg-1·h-1 in group P. In group SP1, 2.4% sevoflurane was inhaled, and propofol was intravenously infused at a rate of 10 mg·kg-1·h-1.In group SP2, 1.8% sevoflurane was inhaled, and propofol was intravenously infused at a rate of 20 mg·kg-1·h-1.In group SP3, 1.2% sevoflurane was inhaled, and propofol was intravenously infused at a rate of 30 mg·kg-1·h-1.Duration of anesthesia was 2 h in all the groups.After loss of righting reflex, open reduction and internal fixation was performed after tibial fracture was induced in the other five groups except group C. At 1 day after anesthesia, Y-maze test was performed, and the time spent on the novel arm and total number of entries into each arm were recorded, and fear conditioning test was carried out for determination of the rate of freezing time to reflect the cognitive function.The rats were sacrificed after behavioral testing, and the hippocampus was removed for determination of occludin, matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2)and MMP-9 expression by Western blot. Results Compared with group C, the time spent on the novel arm was significantly shortened, the total number of entries into each arm and rate of freezing time were decreased, the expression of occludin was down-regulated, the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was up-regulated in the other five groups, and the most unmarked change in the indices mentioned above was found in group SP2(P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion Different ratios of medicine dosage for sevoflurane and propofol can induce postoperative cognitive decline, and inhaling 1.8% sevoflurane and infusing propofol 20 mg·kg-1·h-1 produce little influence on postoperative cognitive function in aged rats. Key words: Anesthetics, inhalation; Propofol; Cognition disorders; Postoperative complications; Aged

Interaction Between the Cannabinoid and Vanilloid Systems on Anxiety in Male Rats.

Introduction:Previous studies have shown that the cannabinoid system is involved in anxiety. In addition, transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels are new targets for the development of anxiolytics. The present study investigated the possible interaction between the cannabinoid and vanilloid systems on anxiety-like behavior in rats.Methods:Four different groups of male Wistar rats received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of (1) vehicle (DMSO+saline), (2) cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212-2 (WIN) (1 mg/kg), (3) TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine (CPZ) (5 mg/kg), or (4) combined WIN (1 mg/kg) and CPZ (5 mg/kg) treatment 30 minutes before testing in the elevated plus maze.Results:The results showed that compared to the control (vehicle), both WIN and CPZ increased the time spent and number of entries on the open arms. Co-administration of WIN and CPZ had a synergistic effect, i.e., the number of entries and time spent on the open arms was greater than that in the groups administered the two compounds alone. The total distance travelled by rats and total number of entries on to the arms did not significantly differ between groups.Conclusion:Acute neuropharmacological blockade of the TRPV1 receptor or stimulation of the CB1 receptor produced an anxiolytic effect. It seems that antagonism of the vanilloid system modulates cannabinoid gain that rises the anxiolytic effect. TRPV1 antagonism may amend generation of endocannabinoids, which in turn increases anxiolytic impact. These results suggest that two systems could act on or share a common signaling pathway affecting the expression of anxiety.

Dynamic with Dictionary Technique for Arabic Text Compression

In this research paper we build a new, reliable, and sufficient algorithm for Arabic text language. The proposed algorithm should combine the features of the Huffman and Lempel Ziv algorithms, and is expected be able to reduce the general compression ratio . Our approach is different from Huffman algorithm in the sense that it assigns codes to n-gram symbols where n is a positive integer that is greater than or equal to one. Compared to Huffman algorithm, which assigns a code to each symbol individually, our approach is expected to assign codes to symbols in average. Our approach is different from Lempel Ziv algorithm in the sense that the size of dictionary that we build does not grow in an uncontrolled manner. The size of the dictionary is fixed and its size can be expected prior to process the text files that are to be compressed. This is because the size of each word in the dictionary we build is fixed and is equal to n. So for example, given that the number of different symbols in the text file at hand is m and that n is 2, the total number of entries in the dictionary that we propose to build will be m*m in the worst case.

Neurotransmitter-mediated anxiogenic action of PACAP-38 in rats

The action of PACAP-38 was studied by measuring the anxiogenic–anxiolytic behavior of rats in an elevated plus maze. PACAP-38 was administered into the lateral brain ventricle and the behavior of the animals was measured 3h later. The possible involvement of transmitters was measured by pretreating the animals with receptor blockers which alone did not influence the task, but in the doses used were effective with other neuropeptides. The receptor antagonist PACAP 6-38 (a PAC 1/VPAC2 receptor antagonist of PACAP-38 receptor), haloperidol (a non-selective dopamine receptor antagonist), phenoxybenzamine (an α1/α2β-adrenergic receptor antagonist), propranolol(a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist), bicuculline (a gamma-aminobutyric acid subunit A receptor antagonist), methysergide (a nonselective 5-HT2 serotonergic receptor antagonist), atropine (a nonselective muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist), naloxone (a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist) and nitro-l-arginine which acts by blocking the enzyme nitric oxide synthase, thereby blocking the nitric oxide synthesis, were tested. The following parameters were measured: the time spent in open arms/the time spent in total entries. PACAP-38 decreased the ratio of time spent in open arms to the time spent in total entries, indicating anxiogenic action. The total number of entries was not altered significantly either by PACAP-38 or by the receptor blockers. The following receptor blockers diminished the action of PACAP-38: PACAP 6-38,haloperidol, methysergide, naloxone and nitro-l-arginine. Pretreatment with atropine, phenoxybenzamine, propranolol and bicuculline did not influence the action of PACAP-38 on the time spent in open arms.The results demonstrate that PACAP-38 administered into the lateral brain ventricle exerted anxiogenic action at 3h following treatment. Pretreatment of the animals with various receptor blockers indicated that a nonselective dopaminergic receptor antagonist, 5HT2 serotonergic and opioid receptors, nitric oxide and PAC1 receptors are involved in the anxiogenic action induced by PACAP-38.