Neurons in the dorso-central division of zebrafish pallium respond to change in visual numerosity

AbstractNon-symbolic number cognition based on an approximate sense of magnitude has been documented in zebrafish. Here we investigated for the first time its neural bases. Zebrafish were habituated to a set of three or nine small dots associated with food reward. During habituation trials, the dots changed in their individual size, position and density maintaining their numerousness and overall surface area. In the dishabituation test, zebrafish faced a change (i) in number (from three to nine or vice versa with the same overall surface), (ii) in shape (with the same overall surface and number), or (iii) in size (with the same shape and number); in a control group (iv) zebrafish faced the same familiar stimuli as during the habituation. Using qPCR to measure modulation of the expression of the immediate early genes c-fos and egr-1 and in-situ hybridization to count egr1-positive cells we found a specific and selective activation of the caudal part of the dorso-central (Dc) division of the zebrafish pallium upon change in numerosity. As pallial regions are implicated in number cognition in mammals and birds, these findings support the existence of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for approximate magnitude and provide an avenue for exploring the underlying molecular correlates.

Download Full-text

Langerhans Cells Express IL-17A in the Epidermis of Chromoblastomycosis Lesions

Biomedicine Hub ◽

10.1159/000477954 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Aline Alves de Lima Silva ◽

Paulo Ricardo Criado ◽

Ricardo Spina Nunes ◽

Luciane Kanashiro-Galo ◽

Maria Irma Seixas Duarte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Langerhans Cells ◽

Subcutaneous Tissue ◽

Innate Immune ◽

Lesion Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Histopathological Diagnosis ◽

Immunofluorescence Technique ◽

Double Immunostaining ◽

First Time

Chromoblastomycosis (CBM) is a chronic fungal infection that affects skin and subcutaneous tissue, and little is known about the immunological aspects of such lesions. We have previously described the high expression of IL-17 in this group. Understanding the innate immune response of patients with CBM would improve the knowledge of its immunopathogenesis and contribute to the most appropriate therapies. Nineteen biopsies of verrucous form were obtained from patients with clinical and histopathological diagnosis of CBM, without treatment. This was done with a double immunostaining with conventional immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence technique as well as confocal microscopy to detect Langerin and IL-17 expression. All of the specimens that were analyzed showed expression of Langerin in the epidermis - the same as the control group. However, only the CBM group presented cells expressing CD207 in the dermis. Interestingly, the coexpression of IL-17 and Langerin was visualized along the epidermis and dermis in 100% of the lesion group. We demonstrated for the first time in situ coexpression of IL-17 and Langerin (CD207) in epidermal cells of patients with CBM and speculated on their role as IL-17-producing cells or whether they could be a new subpopulation of dendritic cells distinct from Langerhans cells.

Download Full-text

Intravenous glycine improves survival in rat liver transplantation

AJP Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpgi.1999.276.4.g924 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 276 (4) ◽

pp. G924-G932 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Peter Schemmer ◽

Blair U. Bradford ◽

Michelle L. Rose ◽

Hartwig Bunzendahl ◽

James A. Raleigh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Transplantation ◽

Kupffer Cells ◽

Earth Metal ◽

Control Group ◽

Hepatic Microcirculation ◽

Rat Liver Transplantation ◽

Serum Transaminases ◽

Factor Α ◽

First Time

In situ manipulation by touching, retracting, and moving liver lobes gently during harvest dramatically reduces survival after transplantation (P. Schemmer, R. Schoonhoven, J. A. Swenberg, H. Bunzendahl, and R. G. Thurman. Transplantation 65: 1015–1020, 1998). The development of harvest-dependent graft injury upon reperfusion can be prevented with GdCl3, a rare earth metal and Kupffer cell toxicant, but it cannot be used in clinical liver transplantation because of its potential toxicity. Thus the effect of glycine, which prevents activation of Kupffer cells, was assessed here. Minimal dissection of the liver for 12 min plus 13 min without manipulation had no effect on survival (100%). However, gentle manipulation decreased survival to 46% in the control group. Furthermore, serum transaminases and liver necrosis were elevated 4- to 12-fold 8 h after transplantation. After organ harvest, the rate of entry and exit of fluorescein dextran, a dye confined to the vascular space, was decreased about twofold, indicating disturbances in the hepatic microcirculation. Pimonidazole binding, which detects hypoxia, increased about twofold after organ manipulation, and Kupffer cells isolated from manipulated livers produced threefold more tumor necrosis factor-α after lipopolysaccharide than controls. Glycine given intravenously to the donor increased the serum glycine concentration about sevenfold and largely prevented the effect of gentle organ manipulation on all parameters studied. These data indicate for the first time that pretreatment of donors with intravenous glycine minimizes reperfusion injury due to organ manipulation during harvest and after liver transplantation.

Download Full-text

The Embittered Mind

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000208 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (4) ◽

pp. 213-222 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Hansjörg Znoj ◽

Sandra Abegglen ◽

Ulrike Buchkremer ◽

Michael Linden

Keyword(s):

Emotional Reaction ◽

Control Group ◽

Systematic Research ◽

Roc Curve Analysis ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves ◽

Confirmatory Factor ◽

Different Dimensions ◽

First Time ◽

Common Understanding

Abstract. There is a growing interest in embitterment as psychological concept. However, little systematic research has been conducted to characterize this emotional reaction. Still, there is an ongoing debate about the distinctiveness of embitterment and its dimensions. Additionally, a categorical and a dimensional perspective on embitterment have been developed independently over the last decade. The present study investigates the dimensions of embitterment by bringing these two different approaches together, for the first time. The Bern Embitterment Inventory (BEI) was given to 49 patients diagnosed with “Posttraumatic Embitterment Disorder (PTED)” and a matched control group of 49 patients with psychological disorders with other dominant emotional dysregulations. The ability to discriminate between the two groups was assessed by t-tests and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC curve analysis). PTED patients scored significantly higher on the BEI than the patients of the control group. ROC analyses indicated diagnostic accuracy of the inventory. Further, we conducted Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) to examine the different dimensions of embitterment and their relations. As a result, we found four characteristic dimensions of embitterment, namely disappointment, lack of acknowledge, pessimism, and misanthropy. In general, our findings showed a common understanding of embitterment as a unique but multidimensional emotional reaction to distressful life-events.

Download Full-text

Probing the Dynamic Self-Assembly Behaviour of Photoswitchable Wormlike Micelles in Real Time

10.26434/chemrxiv.7098695 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Elaine A. Kelly ◽

Judith E. Houston ◽

Rachel Evans

Keyword(s):

Real Time ◽

Absorption Spectroscopy ◽

Self Assembly ◽

Uv Light ◽

Wormlike Micelles ◽

Tetraethylene Glycol ◽

Light Illumination ◽

First Time ◽

Dependent Processes

Understanding the dynamic self-assembly behaviour of azobenzene photosurfactants (AzoPS) is crucial to advance their use in controlled release applications such asdrug delivery and micellar catalysis. Currently, their behaviour in the equilibrium cis-and trans-photostationary states is more widely understood than during the photoisomerisation process itself. Here, we investigate the time-dependent self-assembly of the different photoisomers of a model neutral AzoPS, <a>tetraethylene glycol mono(4′,4-octyloxy,octyl-azobenzene) </a>(C8AzoOC8E4) using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We show that the incorporation of in-situUV-Vis absorption spectroscopy with SANS allows the scattering profile, and hence micelle shape, to be correlated with the extent of photoisomerisation in real-time. It was observed that C8AzoOC8E4could switch between wormlike micelles (transnative state) and fractal aggregates (under UV light), with changes in the self-assembled structure arising concurrently with changes in the absorption spectrum. Wormlike micelles could be recovered within 60 seconds of blue light illumination. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the degree of AzoPS photoisomerisation has been tracked in-situthrough combined UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy-SANS measurements. This technique could be widely used to gain mechanistic and kinetic insights into light-dependent processes that are reliant on self-assembly.

Download Full-text

The Total Synthesis of Rhabdastrellic Acid A

10.26434/chemrxiv.7479944 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Yaroslav Boyko ◽

Christopher Huck ◽

David Sarlah

Keyword(s):

Total Synthesis ◽

Late Stage ◽

Cross Coupling ◽

Side Chains ◽

General Strategy ◽

Modular Approach ◽

Linear Sequence ◽

Generating Sequence ◽

First Time

<div>The first total synthesis of rhabdastrellic acid A, a highly cytotoxic isomalabaricane triterpenoid, has been accomplished in a linear sequence of 14 steps from commercial geranylacetone. The prominently strained trans-syn-trans-perhydrobenz[e]indene core characteristic of the isomalabaricanes is efficiently accessed in a selective manner for the first time through a rapid, complexity-generating sequence incorporating a reductive radical polyene cyclization, an unprecedented oxidative Rautenstrauch cycloisomerization, and umpolung 𝛼-substitution of a p-toluenesulfonylhydrazone with in situ reductive transposition. A late-stage cross-coupling in concert with a modular approach to polyunsaturated side chains renders this a general strategy for the synthesis of numerous family members of these synthetically challenging and hitherto inaccessible marine triterpenoids.</div>

Download Full-text

Anti-diabetic activity of diphenhydramine in diabetic rats

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v11i4.3102 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 5067-5070

Author(s):

Pang Jyh Chayng ◽

Nurul Ain ◽

Kaswandi Md Ambia ◽

Rahim Md Noah

Keyword(s):

Blood Glucose ◽

Blood Glucose Level ◽

Glucose Level ◽

Fasting Blood Glucose ◽

Insulin Level ◽

Diabetic Rats ◽

Group Iv ◽

Diabetic Rat ◽

Control Group ◽

Group I

The purpose of this project is to study the anti-diabetic effect of on a diabetic rat model. A total of Twenty male Sprague rats were used and it randomly distributed into four groups which are Group I: , Group II: negative control, Group III: and Group IV: and . In diabetic model were induced with via injection at the dosage of 65mg/kg. and FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose) level of diabetic rats were assessed every three days. Blood was collected via cardiac puncture at day 21 after the induction of treatment. Insulin level of the rats was assessed with the Mercodia Rat Insulin ELISA kit. FBG level of group I (12.16 ±3.96, p<0.05) and group IV (11.34 ±3.67, p<0.05) were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the for all rats did not show any significant increase. However, the insulin level was escalated in group IV (0.74+0.25, p<0.05) significantly. The present study shows that the and the combination of and lowered blood glucose level and enhanced insulin secretion.

Download Full-text

Faktor-Faktor Determinan yang melatar belakangi Kehamilan Remaja di Desa Pandansari Kecamatan Poncokusumo Kabupaten Malang

Jurnal Ners dan Kebidanan (Journal of Ners and Midwifery) ◽

10.26699/jnk.v7i2.art.p247-255 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 247-255

Author(s):

Maria Magdalena Setyaningsih ◽

Emy Sutiyarsih

Keyword(s):

Sex Education ◽

Teen Pregnancy ◽

Teenage Pregnancy ◽

Well Being ◽

Case Control ◽

Control Group ◽

Case Group ◽

The Family ◽

History Of ◽

First Time

Kehamilan remaja adalah kehamilan yang terjadi pada remaja berusia kurang dari 20 tahunan. Kehamilan remaja memberikan banyak kerugian bagi kesehatan, mental dan psikologis, kesejahteraan ekonomi dan peluang karier, kemiskinan dan prospek kehidupan masa depan remaja. Tujuan penelitian mengidentifikasi faktor determinan yang melatarbelakangi terjadinya kehamilan remaja. Jenis penelitian adalah penelitian analitik kategorik jenis survei kuantitatif dengan desain case control. Populasi semua perempuan yang bertempat tinggal di wilayah dusun Wonosari, Sukosari, dan Krajan Pandansari dan pernah/sedang hamil pertama kali pada usia kurang dari 20 tahun. Teknik pengambilan sampel cluster random sampling besar sampel 73. Berdasarkan hasil model akhir analisis multivariat, diketahui bahwa variabel pendidikan, riwayat kehamilan remaja pada keluarga dan usia menikah merupakan variabel yang berhubungan dengan kejadian kehamilan remaja setelah dikontrol oleh variabel akses informasi, responden berpendidikan rendah memiliki peluang 20,8 kali lebih tinggi, responden yang memiliki riwayat kehamilan remaja pada keluarga memiliki peluang 14,9 kali lebih tinggi, responden yang menikah pada usia <20 tahun memiliki peluang 12,1 kali lebih tinggi, responden dengan pemahaman yang kurang baik terkait penggunaan kondom memiliki peluang 5,9 kali lebih tinggi untuk terjadi kehamilan remaja. Oleh karena itu perlu dibangun karakter buiding, sosial karakter suport untuk para ibu remaja dan keluarga sehingga terbangun interaksi yang baik dalam keluarga yang dilandasi dengan pendidikan dan pemahaman yang baik tentang Pendidikan seksualitas. Teen pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs in adolescents aged less than 20 years old. Teen pregnancy provides many disadvantages for health, mental, psychological, economic well-being, career opportunities, poverty, and the future life. The aim of the study was to identify the determinants underlying teen pregnancy incidence. This study was a quantitative study with categorical analytic method. The study design used a case control with two comparison groups. The groups were control group and case group. The population in this study was all women who lived in the Wonosari, Sukosari, and Krajan Pandansari district and had or were pregnant for the first time at the age of less than 20 years old. Seventy three respondents were recruited using cluster sampling technique. The case group consists of women who were or had pregnant for the first time at the age of less than 20 years old and their children are currently aged ≤ 1 years old. The control group consists of women who were pregnant for the first time at the age of > 20 years old. The data was collected using a questionnaire. The findings showed that education, history of teen pregnancy in family and the age of marriage were related to the incidence of teen pregnancy after being controlled by information access. Low-educated respondents had 20.8 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents with a history of teen pregnancy in the family had 4.9 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents who were married at the age of < 20 years old had 12.1 times higher chance of experiencing teen pregnancy; respondents with poor understanding of condom use had 5.9 times higher chance of teenage pregnancy. In conclusion, the findings suggest to build good interactions in the family based on education and a good understanding of sex education.

Download Full-text

Individual and Combined Assessment of Ser680Asn FSH Receptor and FSHβ -211 G>T Gene Polymorphisms in Ovarian Response in IVF/ICSI Program

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201021666201029153518 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 ◽

Author(s):

Elli Anagnostou ◽

Alexia Kafkoutsou ◽

Despina Mavrogianni ◽

Ekaterini Domali ◽

Evangelia Dimitroulia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Polymorphism ◽

Gene Polymorphisms ◽

Ovarian Response ◽

Greek Population ◽

Control Group ◽

Genotype Distribution ◽

Β Subunit ◽

Molecular Genetic Study ◽

The Impact ◽

First Time

Background: Molecular biology tools, such as the detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), have been considered to assist to the management of the ovarian stimulation protocols. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of two polymorphisms, the Asn680Ser polymorphism of the FSHR gene, and the FSH β subunit (FSHβ) gene polymorphism -211 G>T, in a Greek population of women undergoing IVF/ICSI program in our center. In addition, a control group of fertile women was studied, to verify whether there are differences in the genotype distribution between fertile and infertile population for both polymorphisms, as the FSHβ gene polymorphism -211 G>T is studied for the first time in the Greek population. Results : The FSH β-211 G>T polymorphism, studied for the first time in the Greek infertile population, appears to be quite rare. When studying the two polymorphisms separately, statistically significant differences were obtained that concerned the LH levels. Discussion: According to the combination analysis of the two polymorphisms by the number of alleles, women with 2-3 polymorphic alleles needed more days of stimulation, but there were no differences in pregnancy rates. Conclusion: This molecular genetic study helps to elucidate whether the polygenic combination of the Asn680Ser and FSH β subunit -211 G>T gene polymorphisms is of additive value in the prediction of ovarian response to exogenous gonadotropins.

Download Full-text

Nanodroplet-mediated catheter-directed sonothrombolysis of retracted blood clots

Microsystems & Nanoengineering ◽

10.1038/s41378-020-00228-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Leela Goel ◽

Huaiyu Wu ◽

Bohua Zhang ◽

Jinwook Kim ◽

Paul A. Dayton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Drug Delivery ◽

Negative Pressure ◽

Boiling Point ◽

Clot Lysis ◽

Control Group ◽

Peak Negative Pressure ◽

Blood Clots ◽

Tissue Plasminogen ◽

First Time

AbstractOne major challenge in current microbubble (MB) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)-mediated sonothrombolysis techniques is effectively treating retracted blood clots, owing to the high density and low porosity of retracted clots. Nanodroplets (NDs) have the potential to enhance retracted clot lysis owing to their small size and ability to penetrate into retracted clots to enhance drug delivery. For the first time, we demonstrate that a sub-megahertz, forward-viewing intravascular (FVI) transducer can be used for ND-mediated sonothrombolysis, in vitro. In this study, we determined the minimum peak negative pressure to induce cavitation with low-boiling point phase change nanodroplets and clot lysis. We then compared nanodroplet mediated sonothrombolysis to MB and tPA mediate techniques. The clot lysis as a percent mass decrease in retracted clots was 9 ± 8%, 9 ± 5%, 16 ± 5%, 14 ± 9%, 17 ± 9%, 30 ± 8%, and 40 ± 9% for the control group, tPA alone, tPA + US, MB + US, MB + tPA + US, ND + US, and ND + tPA + US groups, respectively. In retracted blood clots, combined ND- and tPA-mediated sonothrombolysis was able to significantly enhance retracted clot lysis compared with traditional MB and tPA-mediated sonothrombolysis techniques. Combined nanodroplet with tPA-mediated sonothrombolysis may provide a feasible strategy for safely treating retracted clots.

Download Full-text

Engineered Phage Endolysin Eliminates Gardnerella Biofilm without Damaging Beneficial Bacteria in Bacterial Vaginosis Ex Vivo

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10010054 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 54

Author(s):

Christine Landlinger ◽

Lenka Tisakova ◽

Vera Oberbauer ◽

Timo Schwebs ◽

Abbas Muhammad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Vaginosis ◽

Bactericidal Activity ◽

High Selectivity ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Vaginal Microbiome ◽

Wild Type ◽

Wild Type Enzyme ◽

Promising Alternative ◽

First Time

Bacterial vaginosis is characterized by an imbalance of the vaginal microbiome and a characteristic biofilm formed on the vaginal epithelium, which is initiated and dominated by Gardnerella bacteria, and is frequently refractory to antibiotic treatment. We investigated endolysins of the type 1,4-beta-N-acetylmuramidase encoded on Gardnerella prophages as an alternative treatment. When recombinantly expressed, these proteins demonstrated strong bactericidal activity against four different Gardnerella species. By domain shuffling, we generated several engineered endolysins with 10-fold higher bactericidal activity than any wild-type enzyme. When tested against a panel of 20 Gardnerella strains, the most active endolysin, called PM-477, showed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.13–8 µg/mL. PM-477 had no effect on beneficial lactobacilli or other species of vaginal bacteria. Furthermore, the efficacy of PM-477 was tested by fluorescence in situ hybridization on vaginal samples of fifteen patients with either first time or recurring bacterial vaginosis. In thirteen cases, PM-477 killed the Gardnerella bacteria and physically dissolved the biofilms without affecting the remaining vaginal microbiome. The high selectivity and effectiveness in eliminating Gardnerella, both in cultures of isolated strains as well as in clinically derived samples of natural polymicrobial biofilms, makes PM-477 a promising alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis, especially in patients with frequent recurrence.

Download Full-text