The role of neurochemical factors in the chronic mercury intoxication development

The search of pathogenetic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of mercury intoxication is an actual problem. The aim of the investigation was to study the dynamics of changes in neurochemical parameters in workers in contact with mercury and in persons in the early and distant period of intoxication. A prospective cohort examination included 69 men, exposed to mercury vapors in the workplace (1) and 36 patients in the distant (2) and 18 – in initial period of chronic mercury intoxication (3). Serotonin, histamine, catecholamines and their metabolites were determined in blood plasma. The maximum number of indicators that changed in the dynamics of the survey was registered in the group 2. Dopamine level increased by a maximum value - 284%, noradrenaline - 124%. Only the noradrenaline content changed in 3.2 times in patients in the group 3 and in 1.4 times in experienced workers without pathology. This changes in experienced workers was partially offset by its transition to inactive metabolite normetanephrine. The increase of noradrenaline concentration was not accompanied by increase of its metabolite level in the group 3. But the increase of the dopamine, serotonin and histamine joined in the distant period of chronic mercury intoxication.

Metabolic Response in Rats following Electroacupuncture or Moxibustion Stimulation

Electroacupuncture and moxibustion are traditional Chinese medicine practices that exert therapeutic effects through stimulation of specific meridian acupoints. However, the biological basis of the therapies has been difficult to establish; thus the current practices still rely on ancient TCM references. Here, we used a rat model to study perturbations in cortex, liver, and stomach metabolome and plasma hormones following electroacupuncture or moxibustion treatment on either stomach meridian or gallbladder meridian acupoints. All treatment groups, regardless of meridian and mode of treatment, showed perturbation in cortex metabolome and increased phenylalanine, tyrosine, and branched-chain amino acids in liver. In addition, electroacupuncture was found to increase ATP in cortex, creatine, and dimethylglycine in stomach and GABA in liver. On the other hand, moxibustion increased plasma enkephalin concentration, as well as betaine and fumarate concentrations in stomach. Furthermore, we had observed meridian-specific changes including increased N-acetyl-aspartate in liver and 3-hydroxybutyrate in stomach for gallbladder meridian stimulation and increased noradrenaline concentration in blood plasma following stimulation on stomach meridian. In summary, the current findings may provide insight into the metabolic basis of electroacupuncture and moxibustion, which may contribute towards new application of acupoint stimulation.

The effect of mixed herb extract on selected stress parameters in broiler chickens of three genetic lines

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of adding a mixture of anti-stress herbs to drinking water on stress hormone levels and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio in the blood of intensively reared broiler chickens of three genetic lines. The experiment was performed with ‘Ross 308’, ‘Cobb 500’ and ‘Hubbard Flex’ broiler chickens, which were divided into three experimental groups. Birds were maintained on litter for 42 days at a stocking density less than 33 kg/m2. All the groups were provided with the same environmental and feeding conditions. In each group from 21 to 35 days of rearing, water drinkers were supplemented for 5 h/day (08:00–13:00 hours) with an alcoholic extract from mixed herbs (30% chamomile, 10% oregano, 10% yarrow, 10% knotgrass, 10% valerian, 20% inflorescence of large-leaved lime) at 2 ml/l water. At 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of rearing, blood was collected from 10 birds per group to determine corticosterone, noradrenaline and adrenaline levels. The heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H:L) was also calculated. On day 42 of the study, 500 broiler chickens were characterised by the lowest noradrenaline concentration and a lower H:L ratio compared to ‘Ross 308’ and ‘Hubbard Flex’ (p ≤ 0.05) and ‘Ross 308’ chickens (p ≤ 0.01), respectively. It was concluded from the study that the herb extract had the most favourable effect on relieving the body’s physiological response to stress, and thus on improving welfare in ‘Cobb 500’ compared to ‘Ross 308’ and ‘Hubbard Flex’ broilers. It can therefore be considered that active substances in herbs have varying effects on the body of broiler chickens of different origin.

Changes in blood parameters and electroencephalogram of cattle as affected by different stunning and slaughter methods in cattle

The present study aimed to provide a comparative analysis of the effects of penetrative stunning, non-penetrative stunning and post-slaughter stunning on biochemical parameters and electroencephalogram (EEG) associated with stress in heifers and steers. Ten animals were assigned to each of the following four treatment groups: (1) animals were subjected to conventional halal slaughter (a clean incision through the structures on the ventral neck at the approximate level of vertebrae C2–C3 – the trachea, oesophagus, carotid arteries and jugular veins) and post-cut penetrating mechanical stun within 10–20 s of the halal cut (U); (2) high-power non-penetrating mechanical stunning using a mushroom-headed humane killer, followed by conventional halal slaughter (HPNP); (3) low-power non-penetrating mechanical percussive stunning using a mushroom-headed humane killer, followed by conventional halal slaughter (LPNP); and (4) penetrative stunning using a captive-bolt pistol humane killer, followed by conventional halal slaughter (P). For each animal, blood samples and electroencephalogram recordings were taken before stunning, post-stunning (if applicable) and post-slaughter, and plasma concentrations of cortisol, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), adrenaline, noradrenaline and β-endorphin were determined. Irrespective of the stunning method, except for percentage change in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, the values of blood parameters attained before and after stunning were not significantly different. The plasma noradrenaline concentration of the HPNP animals was significantly elevated following stunning. Following slaughter, the percentage change of plasma ACTH concentration in the P animals was significantly elevated. Neither stunning method nor sampling time had a significant effect on plasma β-endorphin concentration. On the basis of the EEG results, penetrative stunning seemed to be better in maximising the possibility of post-stunning insensibility, whereas U animals appeared to demonstrate an evident increase in EEG activity which is consistent with the presence of post-slaughter noxious stimuli associated with tissue cut and injury. The U animals had consistently higher, if not the highest, RMS values than did other stunned animals. This indicates a degree of EEG changes associated with stress and pain. On the basis of EEG data, our results suggested that penetrative stunning would be the most reliable method of ensuring insensibility and minimising pain. However, at slaughter, the P animals showed a dramatic elevation in the percentage change of circulating ACTH, suggesting physiological stress response. On a cautionary note, the results are not unequivocal, and it may be that the range of analyses available to researchers at this point of time are not sufficiently specific to allow definitive conclusions to be drawn.

The Fiber Optic Biosensor for Noradrenaline Concentration Detection Based on CuPc Catalysis

To detect noradrenaline (NA) concentration, a fiber optic biosensor based on CuPc catalysis and fluorescence quenching was fabricated and studied. The dissolved oxygen and NA content were evaluated by the phase delay φ. A linear relationship between φ and NA concentration was observed in the range from 2.4×106 to 9.2×105 M, and the detection limit was 4.6×107 M. The results indicated that the fiber optic biosensor exhibited good reproducibility and stability

Abstract 4439: Insular Cortex Atrophy as an Independent Determinant of Disrupted Diurnal Rhythm of Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Elderly Hypertension

Recently, insular cortex (Ic) is suggested to be a key site in limbic-autonomic integration. Association of Ic damage with diurnal blood pressure (BP) variation disruption, higher level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and catecholamine were reported. We examined the relationship of Ic volume with ambulatory BP measures and these biomarkers. Amubulatory BP monitoring and brain MRI were performed in 55 elderly hypertensives. Right and left Ic volumes were measured using Intensity Contour-Mapping Algorithm. BNP, adrenaline and noradrenaline concentration were evaluated. Subjects were classified into Ic-atrophy group (n=14) and non-atrophy group (n=41) based on total Ic volume (right and left side) of 12.6 cm 3 (lowest quartile). In Ic-atrophy group, 24hr (144.5 vs 134.2 mmHg, p=0.032), sleep (143.4 vs 127.2 mmHg, p=0.002) systolic BP (SBP), nocturnal SBP dipping (1.30 vs 8.54 %, p=0.027) and BNP (60.6 vs 28.1 pg/ml, p=0.008) were significantly, and noradrenaline (373.5 vs 296.5 pg/ml, p=0.084) was marginally different from those in non-atrophy group. Right Ic volume was significantly correlated with 24hr (r=−0.271, p=0.046), sleep (r=−0.420, p=0.001) SBP, nocturnal SBP dipping (r=0.311, p=0.021) and noradrenaline (r=−0.334, p=0.013), while left Ic volume with 24hr (r=−0.279, p=0.039), sleep (r=−0.498, p=0.0001) SBP, nocturnal SBP dipping (r=0.409, p=0.002) and BNP (r=−0.363, p=0.006). In multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, gender and body mass index, left Ic volume was significantly negatively associated with sleep SBP (p=0.008) and BNP (p=0.001), and positively with nocturnal SBP dipping (p=0.044). In elderly hypertensives, predominant left Ic atrophy was significantly associated with sleep SBP measures and BNP. Ic damage, specifically in the left side, may partly contribute to disruption of diurnal ambulatory BP rhythm as well as cardiac function via central autonomic dysregulation.

Salt intake and insulin sensitivity in healthy human volunteers

The literature on salt intake and insulin sensitivity presents a mixed picture, as some studies have shown an increase, whereas others have shown a decrease, in insulin action as sodium intake is enhanced. In some cases, this may relate to the study of salt intake in patients with co-morbidities such as hypertension or diabetes. In the present study, we selected healthy normotensive lean volunteers who underwent a euglycaemic clamp following 6 days of a low-salt diet (20 mmol sodium daily) and, subsequently, 6 days of a high-salt diet (200 mmol sodium daily). Our results show an increase in insulin-mediated glucose disposal during euglycaemic clamp conditions that was significantly higher following the high-salt diet compared with the low-salt diet (7.41±0.41 compared with 6.11±0.40 mg·kg−1 of body weight·min−1 respectively; P=0.03). We measured calf blood flow before and during insulin infusion (no significant change after the two dietary salt interventions was detected) and plasma non-esterified fatty acids (also no significant differences were detected). We observed the expected increases in renin concentration and aldosterone activity in subjects on the low-salt diet, and also observed a significantly less increase in plasma noradrenaline concentration during euglycaemic insulin infusion following the high-salt compared with the low-salt diet. We propose that the 4–5-fold increase in serum aldosterone and the greater increase in plasma noradrenaline concentration following the low-salt intervention compared with the high-salt period may have contributed to the differences in insulin sensitivity following the adjustment in dietary sodium intake.