Variations In Biochemical Parameters Research Articles

Hepatoprotective potentials of aqueous extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis against thioacetamide induced liver damage in rats

The study was conducted to evaluate the hepatoprotective potentials of aqueous extracts of Convolvulus pluricaulis leaves against thiocetamide induced liver damage in rats. The acute oral toxicity study was conducted as per OECD guidelines 420 and the extract was proved to be safe up to the dose of 2000mg/kg. The total duration of the study was 21 days and animals were divided into six groups. Hepatotoxicity was induced in the animals of all groups except normal control by single dose administration of thioacetamide (100mg/kg) at first day of the study followed by animals were treated daily with standard drug sylimarine and aqueous extract of Convovulus pluricaulis (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 600mg/kg) to respective groups for 21 days. Variations in biochemical parameters like alanine transferase (ALT), aspartate transferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilurubin, direct bilirubin, albumin, total protein, ions and others parameters like clotting time and weight of the liver were considered to determine beneficial effect of the extract. At the end of the study liver samples were collected and subjected to histopathological evaluation. In control animals treated with Thioacetamide alone there were variations in the above-mentioned parameters. But in the animals treated with aqueous extract and standard drug silymarine, all the parameters were normal possibly due to their beneficial property in protecting the liver against thioacetamde induced hepatotoxicity. The results obtained in the above study suggesting that, the aqueous extract of Convolvulus pluricaulis posses significant hepatoprotective activity.

Circadian-rhythmic variations of biochemical parameters in the yearlings of indigenous perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) and nonindigenous tyulka (Clupeonella cultriventris Nordmann) from the Rybinsk Reservoir (Russia)

Diurnal variations of some parameters of protein, lipid, and water metabolisms in the underyearlings of indigenous (perch, Perca fluviatilis L.) and nonindigenous (tyulka, Clupeonella cultriventris Nordmann) fish species have been analyzed. These species form the basis of feeding aggregations of young fish in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial. No significant daily fluctuations in the values of protein content, water, and lipids in the studied fish species were revealed. Stable interspecific differences in mean daily and hourly values of the above-mentioned components, as well as in the contents of three lipid fractions—phospholipids (PLs), free cholesterol (FC), and triacylglycerols (TAGs)—have been determined at the level of whole organism. It is shown that the level of adipose reserves and the content of TAG in the tyulka are higher than in perch, while the contents of proteins, PL, and FC are lower. Diurnal variations of the level of each of the three fractions in both fish species are similar, but the ranges of variations are wider in tyulka than in perch. Possible mechanisms for the regulation of lipid metabolism and their similarity in young fish of different species upon adaptation to short-term changes in the environment are discussed. It is suggested that the modern state of the zooplankton community in the Rybinsk Reservoir pelagial negatively affects the feeding of perch underyearlings and parameters of lipid metabolism in their organisms.

Biochemical indices to monitor health status with respect to reproductive cycle of Melanochelys trijuga

Blood analysis can provide information regarding the physiological condition of an individual animal or population health as a whole. The present investigation analyzed clinical laboratory data of soluble organic substances of plasma namely triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT/ aspartate amionotransferase) and albumin of Asian pond turtle Melanochelys trijuga. Using multiple samples measures of analysis and variance was determined. M. trijuga exhibited variation in biochemical parameters with respect to reproductive cycle. Biochemical profiles of cholesterol, HDL, LDL, SGPT and albumin values found to be high in preparative period and minimum in recrudescent period of the reproductive cycle. This indicates that the preparative period is the stage where the animals prepare for the forth coming reproductive period. The level of triglycerides and cholesterol varied independently. All the parameters fluctuated with in normal range. The data may be useful to evaluate the health status of the turtle for veterinary care and conservation.

Protein Logic: A Statistical Mechanical Study of Signal Integration at the Single-Molecule Level

Information processing and decision-making is based upon logic operations, which in cellular networks has been well characterized at the level of transcription. In recent years, however, both experimentalists and theorists have begun to appreciate that cellular decision-making can also be performed at the level of a single protein, giving rise to the notion of protein logic. Here we systematically explore protein logic using a well-known statistical mechanical model. As an example system, we focus on receptors that bind either one or two ligands, and their associated dimers. Notably, we find that a single heterodimer can realize any of the 16 possible logic gates, including the XOR gate, by variation of biochemical parameters. We then introduce what to our knowledge is a novel idea: that a set of receptors with fixed parameters can encode functionally unique logic gates simply by forming different dimeric combinations. An exhaustive search reveals that the simplest set of receptors (two single-ligand receptors and one double-ligand receptor) can realize several different groups of three unique gates, a result for which the parametric analysis of single receptors and dimers provides a clear interpretation. Both results underscore the surprising functional freedom readily available to cells at the single-protein level.

In SilicoEvolution of Gene Cooption in Pattern-Forming Gene Networks

Gene recruitment or cooption occurs when a gene, which may be part of an existing gene regulatory network (GRN), comes under the control of a new regulatory system. Such re-arrangement of pre-existing networks is likely more common for increasing genomic complexity than the creation of new genes. Using evolutionary computations (EC), we investigate how cooption affects the evolvability, outgrowth and robustness of GRNs. We use a data-driven model of insect segmentation, for the fruit fly Drosophila, and evaluate fitness by robustness to maternal variability—a major constraint in biological development. We compare two mechanisms of gene cooption: a simpler one with gene Introduction and Withdrawal operators; and one in which GRN elements can be altered by transposon infection. Starting from a minimal 2-gene network, insufficient for fitting the Drosophila gene expression patterns, we find a general trend of coopting available genes into the GRN, in order to better fit the data. With the transposon mechanism, we find co-evolutionary oscillations between genes and their transposons. These oscillations may offer a new technique in EC for overcoming premature convergence. Finally, we comment on how a differential equations (in contrast to Boolean) approach is necessary for addressing realistic continuous variation in biochemical parameters.

Diurnal variations in serum biochemical parameters and their correlations with thyroid hormones in ostrich chicks (Struthio camelus)

The present study aimed to examine variations in serum biochemical parameters to provide data about the diurnal variation of biochemical parameters in ostriches. This study was performed using blood samples from eight healthy male ostriches, (3 months old), which were in good condition and clinically normal. Diurnal variation of serum biochemical parameters was determined by daily blood collections over 9 days in summer at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University. In serum samples nonelectrolytes (total protein, albumin, glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol, creatinine, urea nitrogen, and uric acid), electrolytes (calcium, inorganic phosphorus, sodium, and potassium), enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and creatin kinase (CK)), and hormones (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)) were measured by validated standard methods. Most of the study variables showed no significant variations during the study period. However, for blood urea nitrogen, glucose, ALT, K, HDL cholesterol, and CK, significant changes were observed. Correlation coefficients showed significant association of T4 with Na (r = 0.38, P = 0.001), glucose (r = −0.25, P = 0.03), calcium (r = −0.28, P = 0.02), uric acid (r = 0.26, P = 0.03), and creatinine (r = −0.25, P = 0.03). Regarding T3, significant correlation with Na (−0.27, P = 0.02) was observed.

Assessment of association of estrogen receptor-α gene polymorphism with physical activity and bone metabolism

Genetic and environmental factors have long been suspected to influence on athletic performance and bone metabolism. We have therefore investigated a population-based association study of Korean elite athletes relative to the general population with PvuII polymorphism of the ER-α gene. In addition, interactions between the ER-a genotype distribution and variation of biochemical parameters for bone metabolism during short-duration aerobic performance development were analyzed in a Korean middle-aged women population. The ER-a gene locus was found to be deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p<0.05), but not in the female athlete group. The most common ER-α genotype wasPp in elite athletes (44/72) and controls (74/109), with higher than expected number of heterozygotes (p<0.05). No statistically significant difference in the distribution of ER-a genotype frequency was observed between the elite athletes and control groups. In contrast, almost all biochemical markers studied here appeared to be significantly higher levels after 12-week exercise training compared with baseline in both groups of Korean women, although there was no genotype effect on the change of levels of the bone metabolic parameters. Thus, our data imply that regularly exercise training may affect bone metabolism, but the genetic marker of ER-a gene polymorphism may not be valuable indicator for the development of elite athletes and physical therapy educational program.

Variations of biochemical parameters along a transect in the Southern Ocean, with special emphasis on volatile halogenated organic compounds

A number of parameters of biogeochemical interest were monitored along a north-southerly transect (S 43-S 63degrees) in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean from the 8th to the 20th of December 1997. Changes in total dissolved inorganic carbon (C-T) and total alkalinity (A(T)) were mostly dependent on temperature and salinity until the ice edge was reached. After this point only a weak correlation was seen between these. Highest mean values of C-T and A(T) were observed in the Winter Ice Edge (WIE) (2195 and 2319 mumol kg(-1), respectively). Lowest mean AT (2277 mumol kg(-1)) was observed in the Sub-Antarctic Front (SAF), whereas lowest mean CT concentration (2068 mumol kg(-1)) was associated with the Sub-Tropical Front (STF). The pH in situ varied between 8.060 and 8.156 where the highest values were observed in the southern part of the Antarctic Polar Front (APF) and in the Summer Ice Edge (SIE) Region. These peaks were associated with areas of high chlorophyll a (chl a) and tribromomethane values. In the other areas the pH in situ was mainly dependent on hydrography. Bacterial abundance decreased more than one order of magnitude when going from north to south. The decrease appeared to be strongly related to water temperature and there were no elevated abundances at frontal zones. Microphytoplankton dominated in the SAF and APF, whereas the nano- and picoplankton dominated outside these regions. Volatile halogenated compounds were found to vary both with regions, and with daylight. For the iodinated compounds, the highest concentrations were found north of the STF. Brominated hydrocarbons had high concentrations in the STF, but elevated concentrations were also found in the APF and SIE regions. No obvious correlation could be found between the occurrence of individual halocarbons and chl a. On some occasions trichloroethene and tribromomethane related to the presence of nano- and microplankton, respectively.

Seasonal changes in some blood chemistry parameters and in relative liver and gonad weights of pike (Esox lucius L.) from the River Danube

Samples from a natural population of pike (Esox lucius L.) from the River Danube were used in a 12‐month study to determine seasonal variations in biochemical parameters of pike blood sera, hepatosomatic index (HSI) and gonadosomatic index (GSI). The ranges of enzyme activities for sample means were: aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) 252.0–583.8 U 1−1, alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) 4.9–11 ‐2 U1 and alkaline phosphatase (AP) 39.5–91.8 U1−1. The ranges of other parameters analysed in serum were total protein 27.7–40.1 g 1 1, urea 0.57–l.52 mmol 1 1 and creatinine 21.2–118.6 μmol 1 1. The range of sample means for HSI and GSI were 1.28–4.16 and 0.07–20.2 respectively. Temperature ranged from 4.5 to 23.5°C. The activity of serum AP was positively correlated to water temperature in males only, while urea and creatinine showed a positive correlation to water temperature in individuals of both sexes. GSI was correlated significantly with HSI in females. Total protein reached the lowest values during the spawning period, while creatinine levels depended on both the sex and season.

Loss of an adrenergic effect in swiss mice

The effect of adrenaline on the amount of blood eosinophils (eosinophilia) which had been found in Swiss mice in earlier experiments was lost after a few generations. The hyperglycermic response to adrenaline had not been changed. Sensitivities to noradrenaline and adrenaline were as found earlier, but the sensitivity to isoprenaline was reduced. The reduction of β-adrenergic responsiveness suggests variations in biochemical parameters of mice or the appearance of mice genetically less responsive to β-adrenergic drugs in only a few generations.