Effects of Beta; 1-adrenoceptors in the Basolateral Amygdala on Spatial Memory, Passive Avoidance, Long-term Potentiation and Neuronal Arborization in the Hippocampal CA1 Region in Response to Unavoidable Stress

Abstract Norepinephrine in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a pivotal role in mediating the effects of stress on memory functions in the hippocampus, however, the functional contribution of β1-adrenergic receptors on the BLA inputs to the CA1 region of hippocampus and memory function are not well understood. In the present study the role of β1-adrenoreceptor in the BLA on memory, neuronal arborization and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 region of hippocampus was examined by infusion the β1-adrenoreceptor agonist (Dobutamine; 0.5µl/side) or antagonist (Atenolol; 0.25µL/side) bilaterally into the BLA before foot-shock stress. Passive avoidance test results showed that Step-through latency time was significantly decreased in the stress group rats one, four and seven days after the stress, which intra-BLA injection of Atenolol or Dobutamine before stress couldn't attenuate this reduction. Barnes-maze results revealed that infusion of Dobutamine and Atenolol significantly reduced spatial memory indicators such as increased latency time, the number of errors and the distance traveling to achieve the target hole in the stress group. These learning impairments in stress rats correlated with a reduction of LTP in hippocampal CA1 synapses in-vivo, which infusion of Dobutamine and Atenolol couldn't attenuate the population spike amplitude and mean-field excitatory postsynaptic potentials (fEPSP) slope reduction induced by stress. Also, the Golgi-Cox staining demonstrated that infusion of Atenolol attenuated stress decreased CA1 region dendritic and axonal arborization. These results suggest that β1-adrenergic receptors activation or block seem to exacerbate stress-induced hippocampal memory deficits and this effect is independent of CA1 LTP modulation.

Neither polyphenol-rich red wine nor fenofibrate affects the onset of type-1 diabetes mellitus in the BB rat / 한국실험동물학회지

Serum levels of the pro-inflammatory apolipoprotein CIII (apoCIII) are increased in type-1 diabetic (T1D) patients and when β-cells are exposed to apoCIII they undergo apoptosis, which can be prevented by an antibody against apoCIII. We have previously investigated the BB rat, an animal model that develops a human-like T1D at the age of around 60 days, and found that apoCIII was also increased in sera from pre-diabetic rats and this promoted β-cell death. Lowering apoCIII with an oligonucleotide antisense during a phase of the pre-diabetic period prolonged the time to onset of T1D. In order to find other ways to lower apoCIII we in this study tested non-alcoholic red wine with medium and high concentrations of polyphenols and the lipid-lowering drug, fenofibrate, both reported to decrease the expression of apoCIII by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. Pre-diabetic BB-rats were treated orally for one month prior to the expected onset of diabetes with the two different wines or fenofibrate. None of the treatments prevented or prolonged the time to onset of diabetes and the expression of apoCIII was unaffected in this animal model for T1D. However, it must be emphasized that this does not exclude that other species can show a response to these substances.

Gastrointestinal Motility Changes and Myenteric Plexus Alterations in Spontaneously Diabetic Biobreeding Rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Type 1 diabetes is often accompanied by gastrointestinal motility disturbances. Vagal neuropathy, hyperglycemia, and alterations in the myenteric plexus have been proposed as underlying mechanism. We therefore studied the relationship between vagal function, gastrointestinal motiliy and characteristics of the enteric nervous system in the biobreeding (BB) rat known as model for spontaneous type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Gastric emptying breath test, small intestinal electromyography, relative risk-interval variability, histology and immunohistochemistry on antral and jejunal segments were performed at 1, 8 and 16 weeks after diabetes onset and on age-matched controls. RESULTS: We observed no consistent changes in relative risk-interval variability and gastric emptying rate. There was however, a loss of phases 3 with longer duration of diabetes on small intestinal electromyography. We found a progressive decrease of nitrergic neurons in the myenteric plexus of antrum and jejunum, while numbers of cholinergic nerve were not altered. In addition, a transient inflammatory infiltrate in jejunal wall was found in spontaneous diabetic BB rats at 8 weeks of diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: In diabetic BB rats, altered small intestinal motor control associated with a loss of myenteric nitric oxide synthase expression occurs, which does not depend on hyperglycemia or vagal dysfunction, and which is preceded by transient intestinal inflammation.

[Effects of laptop computers' electromagnetic field on sperm quality]

Laptop computers are known sources of electromagnetic field and as the name implies a number of people use these computers frequently on their laps. To date, there seems to be only reports on the thermal effects of these devices on spermatogenesis in a laptop position. This study aimed to investigate the bioeffects of electromagnetic fields induced by laptop computers on rat spermatogenesis after blocking its thermal effects. Thirty inbred Wistar rats [200-250 g] were randomly divided into a control and three experiment groups. The magnetic field strength of the lap-side of a computer was measured [in an upside down position] at different areas by using a TES 1390 EMF tester and marked it with an appropriate marker. The maximum magnetic field strength was 1.15 microT. Animals in the test groups [21] were kept on the marked area on a thermal shield 7 hours a day for one week. The controls [9] were kept on a switched-off laptop for the same period. Subsequently, the animals were sacrificed and sperm parameters such as count, motility and morphology were analyzed. Non-parametric tests such as Mann Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the results between the experimental groups and the controls. A significant and correlated decrease was seen in sperm motility parallel to the increase in the magnetic field. Sperm motility was divided into four groups [A to D], A exhibiting the highest and D the lowest motility. The relative frequency of group D sperms [immotile sperms] exposed to background, moderate, high and very high magnetic fields were 17%, 31%, 29%, and 68% and the relative frequency of sperm in class C sperms [non-progressive sperms] exposed to background, moderate, high and very high magnetic fields were 52%, 43%, 51% and 16%, respectively. After merging sperms in classes C and D, the relative frequencies of sperms in animals exposed to the background, moderate, high and very high magnetic fields were 69%, 74%, 80% and 84%, respectively. Although, the lowest sperm count was observed in animals exposed to the highest magnetic field but this difference was not significant. There seems that sperm count and motility decrease as the magnetic field strength increases. In this light, magnetic fields induced by laptop computers may decrease sperm count and sperm motility, ultimately affecting male reproductive capabilities. It is advisable to limit the time these devices are used in a laptop position

Changes of serum neuron specific enolase in rats with septic shock / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of serum neuron specific enolase in rats with septic shock.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The model of septic shock was set up by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, from Escherichia coil O55: B5) at a dose of 25 mg/kg through femoral vein. Twenty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: normal control group (LPS was substituted by same volume of normal saline solution) and septic shock group. Six hours after the septic shock model formed, whole blood was taken for measuring the serum neuron specific enolase (NSE). The brains of the rats were taken for histopathological examination.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum NSE of septic shock group was significantly higher than that of control group [(10.0781 +/- 0.526) microg/L vs. (3.7188 +/- 0.602) microg/L, P < 0.05]. Neurons were severely damaged 6 hours after injection of LPS. Neuronal necrosis and the damage of blood-brain barrier were seen by light and electron microscope in septic shock group but not in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NSE in serum increased when septic encephalopathy occurred, which indicated that NSE might become a marker of neural damage in septic shock.</p>

Effects of parathyroid hormone on urinary acidification in the rat

To evaluate the effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) on urinary acidification parameters, thyroparathyroidectomy was performed in normal (TPTX) and in calcium-supplemented rats (TPTX+Ca2**). Both groups were supplemented with thyroxin. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) fell from 7.79 ñ 0.33 in the control group (C) to 4.88 ñ 0.26 ml min**-1Kg**-1 in TPTX, while net acid excretion fell from 5.65 ñ 0.22 in C to 3.76 ñ 0.26 µmol min**1Kg in TPTX. Kinetic dat of urinary acidification obtained by microperfusion techniques in proximal tubules showed that the half-time of acidification (t/2) rose from 4.75 ñ 0.24 s in C to 8.97 ñ 0.64s in TPTX and persisted elevated in TPTx +Ca**2+ (7.40 ñ 0.43s); in the latter group, stationary pH was not significantly different from that of the control group. Bicarbonate reabsorption (J**HCO3) fell from 2.18 ñ 0.15 in C to 0.823 ñ 0.082 in TPTX and was 1.53 ñ 0.073 nmol s**-1 cm**-2 in TPTX+Ca**2+. These suggest that normal pH gradients depend on normal calcium levels, but acidification half-times are dependent on PTH, which also contributes keeping glomerular hemodynamics and acidification rates at normal levels

Efectos del tratamiento con polivinilpirrolidona (PVP) sobre la calidad nutricional del sorgo / Effects of the treatment with polyvinylpyrrolidone on nutritional quality of the sorghum

En este trabajo los autores se propusieron comprobar que el elevado contenido de compuestos polifenólicos en el grano de sorgo (Sorghum saccharatum, var. sugar drip) ejerce una influencia desfavorable sobre la absorción nitrogenada. Para arribar a esta conclusión, se disminuyó el contenido de taninos de la harina de sorgo mediante tratamiento con polivinilpirrolidona (PVP), como complejante. Se realizaron experiencias biológicas con harina sin tratamiento (S), y tratada con PVP (S + PVP). El tratamiento mejoró la digestibilidad verdadera (D), obteniéndose los valores P < 0.01). La valoración de taninos arrojó estos resultados: S = 1.90g/100g, y S + PVP = 0.85g/100g, informados como ácido tánico. El aumento de digestibilidad se tradujo en un mejor aprovechamiento nitrogenado, siendo los valores de utilización proteínica neta (NPU) para S y S + PVP de 19 ñ 1.58 y 37 + 3.36, respectivamente (significación P < 0.001)