Standard Pellet Research Articles

Chemical-looping combustion of raw syngas from biomass steam gasification – Coupled operation of two dual fluidized bed pilot plants

Product gas from a 100kW fuel power dual fluidized bed (DFB) steam gasifier for solid biomass was used as fuel for chemical looping combustion in a continuously operated dual circulating fluidized bed (DCFB) 120kW chemical looping combustion (CLC) pilot plant. The two pilot units were coupled through a hot product gas fan. Olivine was used as bed material in the gasifier and a synthetic oxygen carrier containing 9wt% CuO was used as oxygen carrier in the CLC unit. Standard wood pellets with a water content of 6wt% were used as primary fuel. In the gasifier, conditions were kept constant at 850°C and a steam/fuel ratio of 1.6kg/kg dry biomass. Two operating conditions were employed at 850°C and 900°C in the fuel reactor of the CLC unit. The composition was monitored with respect to CO, CO2, H2, and CH4 for product gas, fuel reactor exhaust gas and air reactor exhaust gas. Also, H2S and SO2 were measured in the product gas and CLC off gas streams. A product gas with 41.9vol% (db) H2, 31.2vol% (db) CO, 17vol% (db) CO2, and 7.8vol% (db) CH4 was obtained from the gasifier. While CH4 conversion in CLC was between 53% and 64%, almost full conversion of the CO and H2 contained in the product gas were achieved. The effect of temperature was significant only with respect to CH4 conversion. Analysis of particulate matter in product gas and CLC off gas streams indicate that fines contained in the product gas tend to pass through the CLC unit. No performance drop was evident during the experiment, which lasted for 10h. It can be concluded that it is possible to couple two DFB systems in a robust way when using a high temperature fan and that biomass gasifier product gas can be effectively converted to CO2 and H2O in CLC using copper-based oxygen carriers.

Brain, Liver, and Serum Salusin-Alpha and -Beta Alterations in Sprague-Dawley Rats with or Without Metabolic Syndrome

BackgroundThis metabolic syndrome (MetS) study was designed to investigate changes in expression of the neuropeptides salusin-α (Sal-α) and salusin-β (Sal-β) in brain and liver tissue in response to obesity and related changes induced by high-fructose diet and explored how these changes were reflected in the circulating levels of Sal-α and Sal-β, as well as revealing how the lipid profile and concentrations of glucose and uric acid were altered.Material/MethodsThe study included 14 Sprague-Dawley rats. The control group was fed ad libitum on standard rat pellets, while the intervention group was given water with 10% fructose in addition to the standard rat pellet for 3 months. Sal-α and Sal-β concentrations in the serum and tissue supernatants were measured by ELISA, and immunohistochemical staining was used to demonstrate expression of the hormones in brain and liver.ResultsSal-α and Sal-β levels in both the serum and the brain and liver tissue supernatants were lower in the MetS group than the control group. Sal-α and Sal-β were shown by immunohistochemistry to be produced in the brain epithelium, the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the liver hepatocytes.ConclusionsThe decrease in Sal-α and Sal-β might be involved in the etiopathology of the metabolic syndrome induced by fructose.

Evaluation of the Effect of Andrographolide on Atherosclerotic Rabbits Induced byPorphyromonas gingivalis

Epidemiologic evidence has demonstrated significant associations between atherosclerosis and Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg). We had investigated the effect of andrographolide (AND) on atherosclerosis induced by Pg in rabbits. For experimental purpose, we separated thirty male white New Zealand rabbits into 5 groups. Group 1 received standard food pellets; Groups 2–5 were orally challenged with Pg; Group 3 received atorvastatin (AV, 5 mg/kg), and Groups 4-5 received 10 and 20 mg/kg of AND, respectively, over 12 weeks. Groups treated with AND showed significant decrease in TC, TG, and LDL levels (P < 0.05) and significant increase in HDL level in the serum of rabbits. Furthermore, the treated groups (G3–G5) exhibited reductions in interleukins (IL-1β and IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) as compared to atherogenicgroup (G2). The histological results showed that the thickening of atherosclerotic plaques were less significant in treated groups (G3–G5) compared with atherogenicgroup (G2). Also, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) staining decreased within the plaques of atherogenicgroup (G2), while it was increased in treated groups (G3–G5). Lastly, groups treated with AV and AND (G3–G5) showed significant reduction of CD36 expression (P < 0.05) compared to atherogenicgroup (G2). These results substantially proved that AND contain antiatherogenic activity.

Effect of imidacloprid on hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in male albino mice

Imidacloprid (IC) is a systemic insecticide related to the tobacco toxin nicotine. IC is a toxic substance frequently used into combat insects, rodents and plants pests and other creatures that can pose problems for agriculture. We, therefore, planned this study to assess risk factors, biochemical and histological alterations associated with hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity. Forty-eight adult male albino mice were divided into four groups of 12 animals each. All the animals were given standard synthetic pellet diet. One group served as control, and the other three were served as experimental groups. Decrease in the body weight of the high dose group was observed at 15 mg/kg/day, and no mortality occurred during the treatment period. High dose of imidacloprid caused a significant elevation of serum clinical chemistry parameters, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvate kinase (SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TBIL). Histology of liver and kidney indicates hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity at a high dose of imidacloprid. Based on the morphological, biochemical and histopathological analysis, it is evident that imidacloprid induced toxicological effects at 15 mg/kg/day to mice. The results of the present study demonstrate that IC had significant effects on body weight, liver functions and kidney (p < 0.05) at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight. IC treatment 5 and 10 mg/kg/day may be considered as no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for mice. It was concluded that IC can cause hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity at a dose much lower than the LD50 (131 mg/kg body weight) in mice.

Xenotransplantation of human cultured parathyroid progenitor cells into mouse peritoneum does not induce rejection reaction.

IntroductionParathyroid progenitor cells devoid of immunogenic antigens were used for human allotransplantation. Although there were many potential reasons for the expiry of transplant activity in humans, we decided to exclude a subclinical form of rejection reaction, and test the rejection reaction in an animal model.Material and methodsExperiments were carried out on 40 conventional male mice in their third month of life. The animals were housed in groups of 10 per cage in 4 cages with fitted water dispensers and fed a conventional diet based on standard pellet food. They were divided into four groups of 10 animals each, three experimental groups and one control group. Identified progenitor cells were stored in a cell bank. After testing the phenotype, viability, and absence of immunogenic properties, the cells were transplanted into mouse peritoneum cavity.ResultsAnimals were observed for 9 weeks. At 9 weeks of observation, the mean serum PTH concentration in the experimental groups was 2.0-2.5 pg/ml, while in the control group it did not exceed 1.5 pg/ml. The immunohistochemical assays demonstrated that millions of viable cells with a phenotype identical to the endocrine cells had survived in the peritoneum. Histologic specimens from different internal organs stained for PTH revealed positive cells labelled with anti-PTH Ab in the intestinal lamina, brain, liver, and spleen.ConclusionsIn the present paper we have demonstrated that xenotransplantation may be used as a model for an explanation of the immunogenic properties of cells generated from postnatal organs for regenerative therapy.

Blackberry (Rubus sp. var. Loch Ness) Extract Reduces Obesity Induced by a Cafeteria Diet and Affects the Lipophilic Metabolomic Profile in Rats

Blackberry (Rubus sp. var. Loch Ness) Extract Reduces Obesity Induced by a Cafeteria Diet and Affects the Lipophilic Metabolomic Profile in Rats Blackberries (Rubus sp. var. Loch Ness) contain large amounts of anthocyanins and flavonols, which have several health benefits. The present study was designed to determine the effects of a methanolic blackberry extract in rats fed a cafeteria diet. Weaned female rats were assigned to one of three dietary groups: standard pellet diet (SD), cafeteria diet (CD) and cafeteria diet supplemented with Rubus extract (CRD) for 90 days. Plasma metabolites and insulin were analyzed with commercial kits and fatty acid profile was measured by gas chromatography whereas other aliquots were subjected to metabolomics fingerprinting analysis using ultra high efficiency liquid chromatography. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity was determined in fat depots by a radiochemical method. In comparison to the SD group, rats of the CD and CRD groups had increased plasma myristic, palmitic and oleic acids and those of the CD group had increased liver and different adipose tissue weights; t .

Effect ofMyristica fragranson Lipid Profile in Experimentally Induced Hyperlipidemia in Rabbits

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract from fruit of Myristica fragrans (MF) on lipid profile and lipid peroxidation in rabbits. Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted on four groups of rabbits with six animals in each group. Group I received standard pellet diet, Group II aqueous extract of MF only, Group III received high fat diet (HFD), Group IV received HFD supplemented with MF. After 14 weeks of the experimental period, animals were fasted overnight and blood was taken for estimation of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density cholesterol (HDL-C) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Results: MF significantly lowered the TC, TG and MDA levels in Group II rabbits as compared to Group I. In rabbits fed on HFD, MDA and TC were significantly increased. However, in rabbits of Group IV MF supplementation led to increase in levels of HDL-C but plasma MDA and TC were reduced as compared to Group III. Conclusion: This study suggests that some active ingredient in MF may have an antioxidant action which can protect against cardiovascular diseases by altering lipid profile.

Inactivation ofE. coliO157:H7 in Cultivable Soil by Fast and Slow Pyrolysis-Generated Biochar

An exploratory study was performed to determine the influence of fast pyrolysis (FP) and slow pyrolysis (SP) biochars on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 (EHEC) in soil. Soil + EHEC (inoculated at 7 log colony-forming units [CFU]/g of soil) + 1 of 12 types of biochar (10% total weight:weight in soil) was stored at 22°C and sampled for 8 weeks. FP switchgrass and FP horse litter biochars inactivated 2.8 and 2.1 log CFU/g more EHEC than no-biochar soils by day 14. EHEC was undetectable by surface plating at weeks 4 and 5 in standard FP switchgrass, FP oak, and FP switchgrass pellet biochars. Conversely, EHEC populations in no-biochar control samples remained as high as 5.8 and 4.0 log CFU/g at weeks 4 and 5, respectively. Additionally, three more SP hardwood pellet biochars (generated at 500°C for 1 h, or 2 h, or generated at 700°C for 30 min) inactivated greater numbers of EHEC than did the no-biochar control samples during weeks 4 and 5. These results suggest that biochar can inactivate E. coli O157:H7 in cultivable soil, which might mitigate risks associated with EHEC contamination on fresh produce.

Performance of broilers fed during 21 days on mash or pellet diets containing whole or ground pearl millet grain

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of 20% whole-grain or ground pearl millet (PM) in mash and pelleted diets on the performance, carcass traits, and organ weights of broilers reared until 21 days of age. A randomized block experimental design in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (diets containing corn and soybean meal, whole-grain PM, or ground PM x mash or pelleted diets), with five replicates per treatment and 10 birds per experimental unit, was applied. Diets were analyzed for mean geometric diameter, geometric standard deviation, pellet hardness, and density. Broiler performance, carcass yield, and organ weights were evaluated. On day 21, one bird with the average weight of each experimental unit was sacrificed for carcass evaluation. It was concluded that both as whole-grain and ground PM can be added to the diet of broilers up to 21 days of age. The dietary inclusion of PM results in higher abdominal fat deposition. Broilers fed the pelleted diets presented lower feed intake, better feed conversion ratio, lower gizzard and heart percentages, and higher carcass weight.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) consumption is associated with urolithiasis and urinary tract obstruction in rats.

BackgroundThe peritoneal injection of monosodium glutamate (MSG) can induce kidney injury in adult rats but the effects of long-term oral intake have not been determined.MethodsWe investigated the kidney histology and function in adult male Wistar rats that were fed ad libitum with a standard rat chow pellet and water with or without the addition of 2 mg/g body weight MSG/day in drinking water (n=10 per group). Both MSG-treated and control animals were sacrificed after 9 months when renal function parameters, blood and urine electrolytes, and tissue histopathology were determined.ResultsMSG-treated rats were more prone to kidney stone formation, as represented by the alkaline urine and significantly higher activity product of calcium phosphate. Accordingly, 3/10 MSG-treated rats developed kidney stones over 9 months versus none of the control animals. Further, 2/10 MSG-treated rats but none (0/10) of the controls manifested hydronephrosis. MSG-treated rats had significantly higher levels of serum creatinine and potassium including urine output volume, urinary excretion sodium and citrate compared to controls. In contrast, MSG-treated rats had significantly lower ammonium and magnesium urinary excretion.ConclusionOral MSG consumption appears to cause alkaline urine and may increase the risks of kidney stones with hydronephrosis in rats. Similar effects in humans must be verified by dedicated studies.

Prenatal developmental toxicity study of n-heneicosane in Wistar rats

n-Heneicosane (C21) is one of the vital pheromone for attracting mosquitoes of Aedes spp to lay their eggs in areas of stagnant fresh water, for their subsequent destruction, thus controlling spread of dangerous disease transmission by the vectors. As part of a safety evaluation, we have investigated embryo toxic and teratogenic potential, if any, of C21 following OECD Test Guideline 414. C21 was offered at a dose of 1 g/kg body weight mixed in the standard rat pellet diet to treated rats, whereas the control group received only standard rat pellet diet. There were no mortalities and animals did not show any clinical signs of toxicity. A similar pattern of body weight gain, feed and water intake was observed in treated and control groups. Analysis of maternal toxic response, maternal end points of development of the foetus and developmental end points for litters did not show any gross structural abnormality in dams or foetus of treated group compared to that of the control group. Thus, it was concluded that C21 at a dose of 1 g/kg was neither embryo toxic nor teratogenic in Wister rats. Furthermore, the no observed adverse effect level for teratogenicity for C21 in rats may be considered as 1 g/kg body weight under the present experimental conditions.

On the importance of food

In this issue several articles are published with relevance to diets and animal experimentation. One needs to realize that feeding laboratory animals has become important and questions arise on the content of chow pellets, the consistency or variations in food pellet formulae according to specific diets, or research objectives. It has long been known that diets may affect health and longevity, or influence a variety of diseases, including many types of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, behavioral or age-related changes and cognition. Therefore, studies that investigate differences in diets and behavior may only help to improve animal welfare. The review of Dr Jensen and colleagues addressed the effect of fasting of mice to facilitate optimization procedures and maximize scientific outcome, but at the same time minimize discomfort of mice and ensure high-quality animal welfare. The report of Dr Korou and colleagues investigated the question of whether the age of experimental animals plays a role when a highfat diet is applied to younger or to older animals. Interestingly, younger animals showed a slower weight gain. Therefore, the starting age needs to be considered as a confounding factor with diets. Dr Laaksonen and colleagues presented a study design of an aspen wood board with grooves filled with fitting food pellets as the only food source, while the animals in the control group had the same boards but without pellets and were fed in the regular fashion. The dashboard feeding with integrated food pellets reduced body weight and fatty tissue moderately but significantly in males, as animals which grind out food pellets have to seek food more actively. The original article of Dr Chaudhry and colleagues used a well known toxin, streptozotocin, that is selective in studying the induction of diabetes in pancreatic s-cells. This compound was found to be equally effective whether mice were fed or fasted prior to its administration. Dr Carpenter and colleagues optimized fat mass gain in a murine obesity model by testing different formulae and ratios of fat macronutrients. The optimal composition allowed a substantial weight gain over the same period and the use of fewer animals. This is a good example of refinement and reduction. The short report of Dr PritchettCorning and colleagues looked at the phenomenon of some laboratory mice gnawing food pellets without ingesting them; and producing more waste material than others, also called orts. By increasing enrichment the production of orts was reduced significantly. However, this result should not be surprising since mice are of the order of rodentia, characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws that must be kept short by gnawing. Yet, the authors concluded that a simple need to gnaw cannot on its own explain food grinding, and that a nutritional motivation may also be involved. Given the importance of food for the survival of any species, it seems also appropriate in Laboratory Animals to reflect on standard food pellet composition. One wonders whether different food pellet formulae may have an influence on experiments and reproducibility of experimental results. How far should one go to indicate the composition of food chows or consider whether storage conditions and date of exemption may affect results? Is it really necessary to mention all details? It seems more important to mention critical points that will allow others to repeat the experiments. Another point is the publication of data on fasting and food restriction. When it comes to publishing, it seems essential to mention cases where interruption criteria were applied to avoid excessive weight loss and premature death. With excessive weight gain one should also fix an upper limit. The feeding of animals is not just a routine thing: it is a very important aspect of animal experimentation and noting it is essential for the reproduction of data and for good animal welfare.

Single-Cell Quantitative HER2 Measurement Identifies Heterogeneity and Distinct Subgroups within Traditionally Defined HER2-Positive Patients

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is an important biomarker for breast and gastric cancer prognosis and patient treatment decisions. HER2 positivity, as defined by IHC or fluorescent in situ hybridization testing, remains an imprecise predictor of patient response to HER2-targeted therapies. Challenges to correct HER2 assessment and patient stratification include intratumoral heterogeneity, lack of quantitative and/or objective assays, and differences between measuring HER2 amplification at the protein versus gene level. We developed a novel immunofluorescence method for quantitation of HER2 protein expression at the single-cell level on FFPE patient samples. Our assay uses automated image analysis to identify and classify tumor versus non-tumor cells, as well as quantitate the HER2 staining for each tumor cell. The HER2 staining level is converted to HER2 protein expression using a standard cell pellet array stained in parallel with the tissue sample. This approach allows assessment of HER2 expression and heterogeneity within a tissue section at the single-cell level. By using this assay, we identified distinct subgroups of HER2 heterogeneity within traditional definitions of HER2 positivity in both breast and gastric cancers. Quantitative assessment of intratumoral HER2 heterogeneity may offer an opportunity to improve the identification of patients likely to respond to HER2-targeted therapies. The broad applicability of the assay was demonstrated by measuring HER2 expression profiles on multiple tumor types, and on normal and diseased heart tissues.

Immunohistochemical expressions of adropin and ınducible nitric oxide synthase in renal tissues of rats with streptozotocin-ınduced experimental diabetes

Diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels; it occurs in 30–35% of the population. Elevated glucose levels can damage a number of organs, including the kidneys. Several peptide hormones participate in maintaining glucose homeostasis including the recently discovered “adropin,” a 42 amino acid peptide hormone. Adropin also alters inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. Therefore, we studied how adropin and iNOS expression is altered in the renal tissues of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Seven sham, seven control and seven Wistar albino male rats were fed standard rat pellets and water ad libitum for 10 weeks. The rats in the diabetic group were injected i.p. with a single dose of 60 mg/kg STZ dissolved in 0.1 M phosphate-citrate buffer, pH 4.5. After the 10-week experimental period, the rats in both groups were anesthetized and decapitated. Kidney tissues were excised and placed in 10% formaldehyde solution, taken through routine histological procedures, and embedded in paraffin. Sections 5–6 μm thick were stained immunohistochemically using the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method. Adropin and iNOS immunoreactivity were co-localized in the glomeruli, peritubular interstitial cells and peritubular capillary endothelium of the cortex; the thin limb of the loop of Henle in the medulla; and medullary peritubular interstitial cells and endothelium of the peritubular capillaries in both the control and diabetic groups. The intensities of adropin and iNOS immunoreactivity increased with the severity of the diabetes. Intense adropin immunoreactivity was detected in both the smooth muscle and human small intestine Paneth cells that were used as positive controls. The elevated levels of adropin and iNOS in the kidney indicates that these substances are involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes; this constitutes a compensatory mechanism against the damage inflicted by the disease.

Effects of umbelliferone on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents a major source of global mortality, still rising in worldwide. The present study aims at elucidating the antioxidant efficiency of umbelliferone (UMB) in N-Nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) induced rat liver carcinogenesis. Rats were randomly divided into six groups of six rats each as follows. Rats are in group I received standard pellet diet and served as control, group II rats were induced with hepatocellular carcinoma by providing 0.01 % DEN through drinking water 15 weeks. Group III rats received umbelliferone via intragastric intubation at a daily dose of 30 mg/kg body weight for 16 weeks every day. Groups IV–VI rats received 0.01% of DEN as in group II along with umbelliferone via intragastric intubation at a daily dose of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg body weight for throughout the experimental period of 16 weeks. DEN induction in experimental animals resulted in increased activities of liver marker enzymes and lipid peroxidation levels and decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes. Umbelliferone treatment restored the elevated activities of liver marker enzymes and antioxidant status to near-normal with decreased lipid peroxidation levels. Histological observations of liver tissue too correlated with the above biochemical findings. These results clearly suggest that umbelliferone treatment prevents liver damage, lipid peroxidation and protects the antioxidant defense system in DEN-induced liver carcinogenesis in rats.

INVESTIGATION ON THE COUNTERACTING EFFECT OF SPIRULINA AGAINST POTENTATED SULFONAMIDE’S (COTRIM DS®) SIDE EFFECTS IN RAT

An experiment was conducted to investigate the counteracting effects of spirulina in Long Evans rats exposed to oral potentiated sulfonamide administration. 20 rats were randomly assigned into four equal groups (A, B, C and D) and were fed with standard broiler pellet (25g/rat/day) throughout the experimental period of 60 days. Rats of Group A were fed only with pellet without any experimental diet and were defined as control. Rats of Group B were treated with potentiated sulfonamide @ 96 mg/rat/day orally whereas Group C was treated with potentiated sulfonamide @ 96 mg/rat/day plus spirulina (Spirulina maxima) @ 50 mg/rat/day orally (low dose spirulina). In Group D, potentiated sulfonamide and spirulina (Spirulina maxima) were given through feed @ 96 mg/rat/day and @ 100 mg/rat/day (high dose spirulina) respectively. Hematological parameters (TEC, Hb and absolute count of lymphocyte, neutrophil and eosinophil) and hispathological profile of liver and kidney were recorded. The investigation revealed that the oral administration of sulfonamide significantly (p&lt;0.01) decreased the TEC (5.93±0.24) value, number of lymphocyte (581.76±3.70) and neutrophil (581.76±3.70) compared to other treated groups and control group. On the other hand significant (p&lt;0.01) increase (422.86±2.34) in eosinophil population has been found in rats fed on sulfonamide irrespective of spirulina supplementation on the final day of experiment compared to other treated group and control group. From this experiment it is evidenced that spirulina has a potential counteracting effect against sulfonamide. Histopathology of kidney and liver was done at the end of experiment (60 days) and no significant change was found except in the kidney of Group B and C.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v10i1-2.15650

Ameliorative Potentials of Ginger (Z. officinale Roscoe) on Relative Organ Weights in Streptozotocin induced Diabetic Rats

The ameliorating potentials of ginger incorporated feed (10%) on the relative organ weights of Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats was investigated. The experiment lasted for three weeks. Results show that administration of 10% ginger feed to the diabetic rats of group 3, resulted in a 29.81% decrease in their resulting hyperglycemia with a corresponding amelioration of elevated urinary protein, sugars, specific gravity as well as renal growth. In addition, administration of the ginger incorporated feeds to the diabetic rats of group 3, resulted in 9.88% increase in body weight with a corresponding 60.24% increase in growth compared with the non-diabetic rats administered standard rat pellets that had 6.21% increase in weight with a corresponding 60.14% increase in growth unlike the diabetic control rats that recorded 28.62% decrease in body weight with a corresponding 239.9% decrease in growth rates. Analysis of the chemical composition of the flour of the ginger incorporated feed indicated that it contained low quantities of moisture but significant quantities of crude fibre, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, ash, alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, phosphorous in addition to considerable amount of energy. There was no significant difference (P&gt;0.05) in the liver and relative liver weights of the diabetic control rats and the diabetic -ginger treated rats. In addition, there were no significant differences in the kidney weights of the non-diabetic, diabetic control and diabetic treated rats (P&gt;0.05) and there was also no significant difference in the relative kidney weight of the non-diabetic rats and the diabetic rats treated with ginger feeds (P&gt;0.05). Results show that the use of ginger in the dietary management of diabetes mellitus could be a breakthrough in the search for novel plants that could prevent the development of diabetic glomerular hypertrophy.

AB0108 Effects of cholic acid and its derivatives in experimental arthritis.

BackgroundBile acids play an important role in cholesterol metabolism and act as intestinal detergents for digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins. Disruption of bile flow causes cholestatic liver...

Application of terahertz pulsed imaging to analyse film coating characteristics of sustained-release coated pellets

Terahertz pulsed imaging (TPI) was employed to explore its suitability for detecting differences in the film coating thickness and drug layer uniformity of multilayered, sustained-release coated, standard size pellets (approximately 1mm in diameter). Pellets consisting of a sugar starter core and a metoprolol succinate layer were coated with a Kollicoat(®) SR:Kollicoat(®) IR polymer blend for different times giving three groups of pellets (batches I, II and III), each with a different coating thickness according to weight gain. Ten pellets from each batch were mapped individually to evaluate the coating thickness and drug layer thickness between batches, between pellets within each batch, and across individual pellets (uniformity). From the terahertz waveform the terahertz electric field peak strength (TEFPS) was used to define a circular area (approximately 0.13 mm(2)) in the TPI maps, where no signal distortion was found due to pellet curvature in the measurement set-up used. The average coating thicknesses were 46 μm, 71 μm and 114 μm, for batches I, II and III respectively, whilst no drug layer thickness difference between batches was observed. No statistically significant differences in the average coating thickness and drug layer thickness within batches (between pellets) but high thickness variability across individual pellets was observed. These results were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The coating thickness results correlated with the subsequent drug release behaviour. The fastest drug release was obtained from batch I with the lowest coating thickness and the slowest from batch III with the highest coating thickness. In conclusion, TPI is suitable for detailed, non-destructive evaluation of film coating and drug layer thicknesses in multilayered standard size pellets.

Long-term aspirin pretreatment in the prevention of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats

To investigate the effects of long term pretreatment with low-, medium- and high-dose aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) on a model of acute pancreatitis (AP) induced in rats. Forty male Wistar rats were used. Three experimental groups, each consisting of eight animals, received low- (5 mg/kg per day), medium- (150 mg/kg per day) and high-dose (350 mg/kg per day) ASA in supplemented pellet chow for 100 d. Eight animals, serving as the AP-control group, and another eight, serving as reference value (RV) group, were fed with standard pellet chow for the same period. After pretreatment, AP was induced in the experimental animals by intraperitoneal administration of cerulein (2 × 50 μg/kg), while the RV group received saline in the same way. Twelve hours after the second injection, the animals were sacrificed. Pancreatic tissue and plasma samples were collected. One part of the collected pancreatic tissues was used for histopathological evaluation, and the remaining portion was homogenized. Cytokine levels [tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6], hemogram parameters, biochemical parameters (amylase and lipase), nuclear factor-κB, aspirin triggered lipoxins and parameters related to the antioxidant system (malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, hemeoxygenase-1, catalase and superoxide dismutase) were measured. Cerulein administration induced mild pancreatitis, characterized by interstitial edema (total histopathological score of 5.88 ± 0.44 vs 0.25 ± 0.16, P < 0.001). Subsequent pancreatic tissue damage resulted in an increase in amylase (2829.71 ± 772.48 vs 984.57 ± 49.22 U/L, P = 0.001) and lipase (110.14 ± 75.84 U/L vs 4.71 ± 0.78 U/L, P < 0.001) in plasma, and leucocytes (6.89 ± 0.48 vs 4.36 ± 0.23, P = 0.001) in peripheral blood. Cytokines, IL-1β (18.81 ± 2.55 pg/μg vs 6.65 ± 0.24 pg/μg, P = 0.002) and IL-6 (14.62 ± 1.98 pg/μg vs 9.09 ± 1.36 pg/μg, P = 0.04) in pancreatic tissue also increased. Aspirin pretreatment reduced the increase in the aforementioned parameters to a certain degree and partially improved the histopathological alterations caused by cerulein. No evidence of side effects related to chronic ASA administration (e.g., inflammation or bleeding) was observed in the gastrointestinal tract in macroscopic and histopathological examination. Long term ASA pretreatment could prevent and/or ameliorate certain hematological, serological and histological alterations caused by cerulein-induced AP.