Acrylamide(AA)is a harmful substance widely found in infant and child biscuits;however,the health hazards of AA,especially endogenous AA,in the biscuit matrix is poorly understood.This study aimed to determine the eff...Acrylamide(AA)is a harmful substance widely found in infant and child biscuits;however,the health hazards of AA,especially endogenous AA,in the biscuit matrix is poorly understood.This study aimed to determine the effects of endogenous(0.11 mg/(kg bw·day))and exogenous(1.31,5.23,and 10.13 mg/(kg bw·day))AA exposure from biscuit diet on the hematology,hormone levels,immune function,and liver and kidney damage in growing female rat pups.For the hematological indices,a quadratic reduction was observed in percentage of neutrophils(Neu%)and percentage of eosinophils(Eos%)in the leukograms and in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and platelet in the erythrograms in all the AA-exposed groups.In terms of hormones,extremely remarkably elevations in estradiol(E_(2))and growth hormone(GH)levels were associated with exogenous AA,and a significant increase in GH levels was noted in the endogenous AA group.Regarding immune function,endogenous and exogenous AA showed a dose-dependent immunotoxic effect on lysozyme(LYSO),nitric oxide(NO),immunoglobulin(Ig)G,and IgM.In particular,the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activity was significantly high in the exogenous medium dose(Exo-M)and exogenous high dose(Exo-H)groups,and the percentage of CD3^(+)T cells in the blood and CD8^(+)expression levels in the spleen were significantly elevated in the Exo-H group.For liver and kidney function,exogenous AA had a dose-dependent effect on alanine aminotransferases(ALT),aspartate transferases(AST),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),urea nitrogen(UREA),and creatinine(CREA-S).In addition to the dose-dependent effect on the pathological changes in the liver and kidneys,the endogenous AA group presented with hepatocellular steatosis,kidney inflammatory infiltrates,and glomerular and tubular atrophy.Overall,our findings suggested the dose-dependent harmful effect of endogenous and exogenous AA.Special attention should be paid to the damage caused by exposure to endogenous AA.Stringent AA intake guidelines and measures are required to minimize AA levels in the food matrix.展开更多
Early mother-litter bonds alterations elicited by pre- and neonatal undernutrition are a source of long-lasting brain and functional disorders such as exploratory and emotional deficits and maternal unresponsiveness t...Early mother-litter bonds alterations elicited by pre- and neonatal undernutrition are a source of long-lasting brain and functional disorders such as exploratory and emotional deficits and maternal unresponsiveness to the newborn. Here, we examined the prolonged effects of gestational and neonatal food restriction on the retrieval of pups and nest building activity by primiparous adult Wistar rats on postnatal days (PDs) 4, 8, and 12. In early undernourished dams, the latency to retrieve the first or the fifth pups in the litter was extended;and nest building activity was significantly reduced. Additionally, early underfed dams retrieved the pups in a rough manner, eliciting distress cries and grasping the pups by unusual body areas. The current findings suggest that pre- and neonatal food restriction may affect the anatomical and functional forebrain structures, modulating the cognitive and motor components underlying maternal responsiveness.展开更多
Lead exposure is a known potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease （AD）. Exposure to lead during the critical phase of brain development has been linked with mental retardatio...Lead exposure is a known potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease （AD）. Exposure to lead during the critical phase of brain development has been linked with mental retardation and hypophrenia in later life.展开更多
It is common sense that mammals reproduce sexually, whereby a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell. And at some point later in reproduction, a baby with the genetic mixtures from the both parents pops out. However, this ...It is common sense that mammals reproduce sexually, whereby a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell. And at some point later in reproduction, a baby with the genetic mixtures from the both parents pops out. However, this common perception was shattered by a recent study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS). Jointly led by Prof. HU Baoyang, CAS Member Prof. ZHOU Qi and Prof.展开更多
Rabies, a zoonotic disease, kills 55,000 persons every year globally and 20,000 persons in India. Two years back, we learnt of two deaths due to Rabies in remote village Shiv Shankar Garh of Arki block of District Sol...Rabies, a zoonotic disease, kills 55,000 persons every year globally and 20,000 persons in India. Two years back, we learnt of two deaths due to Rabies in remote village Shiv Shankar Garh of Arki block of District Solan and decided to investigate the deaths. Method: A rapid response team was constituted to investigate the deaths. We interviewed the villagers & family to conduct verbal autopsy. A line list of entire population of village and household contacts of the patients, who died, were made along with the line list of dogs and cattle. Results & Discussion: A-month-old stray pup brought home by the family and had caused an abrasion with its toes on the hands of both the deceased on June 2, 2011 while playing. The lady developed paralysis of the arm on July 3, 2011 and 3 days later developed symptoms of hydrophobia. She died on July 9, 2011. Her son had developed hydrophobia 10 days after that and died on July 19, 2011. Assumption that bite or abrasion by a small pup of one month cannot be fatal proved otherwise. Lack of awareness regarding the fatality of even a scratch and lack of knowledge regarding local treatment of the wound & vaccination of both human and pups, were the main reasons for the deaths. While such incidents keep on happening, and the veterinarians in India are refusing to vaccinate pups before three months of age, as pups may not develop immunity before that age, leaving unsuspecting people to the risk of rabies. Conclusions: Humans can be exposed to rabies even by pups below 3 months of age. Recommendation: Pup vaccination schedule in rabies endemic countries like India need revision. Veterinarians and public health experts need to strongly consider vaccinating pups at first contact with humans even if they are less than 3 months of age. A booster to the pup can be given at three months of age with subsequent yearly boosters.展开更多
Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup is...Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup isolation calls in 4–5-day-old Mongolian hamsters Allocricetulus curtatus.We analyzed the acoustic structure of 5,010 isolation calls emitted in the broad range of frequencies(sonic,below 20 kHz,and ultrasonic,from 20 to 128 kHz)by 23 pups during 2-min isolation test trials,1 trial per pup.In addition,we measured 5 body size parameters and the body weight of each pup.The calls could contain up to 3 independent fundamental frequencies in their spectra,the low(f0),the medium(g0),and the high(h0),or purely consisted of chaos in which the fundamental frequency could not be tracked.By presence/absence of the 3 fundamental frequencies or their combinations and chaos,we classifed calls into 6 distinctive categories(low-frequency[LF]-f0,LF-chaos,high-frequency[HF]-g0,HF-h0,HF-g0+h0,and HF-chaos)and estimated the relative abundance of calls in each category.Between categories,we compared acoustic parameters and estimated their relationship with pup body size index.We discuss the results of this study with data on the acoustics of pup isolation calls reported for other species of rodents.We conclude that such high complexity of Mongolian hamster pup isolation calls is unusual for rodents.Decreased acoustic complexity serves as a good indicator of autism spectrum disorders in knockout mouse models,which makes knockout hamster models prospective new wild animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.展开更多
大气中的风切变严重威胁飞机安全,尤其低空风切变是影响飞机起降的重要因素。利用多普勒雷达速度资料计算一维切向、一维径向与二维合成风切变,准确判断风切变的危险区域,能够及时为飞行及起降提供告警。针对多普勒雷达业务应用的主用...大气中的风切变严重威胁飞机安全,尤其低空风切变是影响飞机起降的重要因素。利用多普勒雷达速度资料计算一维切向、一维径向与二维合成风切变,准确判断风切变的危险区域,能够及时为飞行及起降提供告警。针对多普勒雷达业务应用的主用户处理器PUP(Principal User Processor)上风切变自动识别产品存在的边缘识别较弱及定位误差较大等问题,根据多普勒雷达速度资料径向分布的特点,利用最小二乘法线性拟合优势,选择适于机载雷达参数的拟合窗口,对多个实例进行了识别分析。对比结果表明最小二乘法在识别效果、定位精度、边缘识别等方面优于PUP风切变自动识别产品,提高了风切变识别能力,有助于为机载雷达风切变识别及预警提供更好的依据。展开更多
Objective: To investigate effects of developmental lead exposure on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in different brain regions and on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rat...Objective: To investigate effects of developmental lead exposure on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in different brain regions and on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. On the basis of these observations, we explored possible mechanisms by which lead exposure leads to impaired learning and memorizing abilities in children. Methods: A series of rat animal models exposed to low levels of lead during the developing period was established (drinking water containing 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.075% lead acetate). NOS activities in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum and the brain stem were determined with fluorescence measurement and levels of mRNA expression of the NMDA receptor 2A (NR2A) subunit and NMDA receptor 2B (NR2B) subunit in the rat hippocampus were measured with Retro-translation (RT-PCR). Results: There were no differences in the body weight of rat pups between any of the groups at any given time (P>0.05). The blood lead level of Pb-exposed rat pups showed a systematic pattern of change: at 14 d of age, it was lower than that at 7 d of age, then rising to the peak level at 21 d and finally falling to lower levels at 28 d. The hippocampal NOS activities of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21 st and 28th day (P<0.01). NOS activities in the cerebellum of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21 st and 28th day (P<0.001) and the NOS activity of the 0.025% group was significantly lower than that of the 0.05% and 0.075% groups on the 28th day (P<0.05).NOS activity in the cerebral cortex of the 0.075% group was significantly lower than that of the control, 0.025% and 0.05% groups on the four day spans (P<0.001). There was no significant difference of NOS activity in the brain stem between any lead-exposed group and the control group on the four day spans. In the 0.05% and the 0.075% groups, the level of NR2A mRNA expression was higher than that in the control group at 7 d and 14 d of age (P<0.05). In the 0.025% group, the level of NR2A was found to be higher than that in the control group at 7 d of age only (P<0.05). No significant differences were found for the levels of NR2B mRNA expression between any of the groups at any given time. Conclusions: NOS activity in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum are inhibited by lead exposure. The degree of the inhibitory effect depends on the time span of exposure and the lead concentration. Developmental low-level lead exposure was found to raise the level of NR2A mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. Developmental low-level lead exposure does not affect the level of NR2B mRNA expression in the hippocampus.展开更多
Undernutrition produces morphological brain alterations and cognitive deficiencies in children of underdeveloped countries. The central nervous system (CNS) alterations mainly interfere with the anatomical organizatio...Undernutrition produces morphological brain alterations and cognitive deficiencies in children of underdeveloped countries. The central nervous system (CNS) alterations mainly interfere with the anatomical organization of areas undergoing a phase of intense postnatal cell proliferation, disrupting plastic processes like learning, memory, and phonation. In the rat pup, prenatal malnutrition interferes with the elaboration of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) by poorly understood mechanisms. The neuronal caudal portion of the nucleus ambiguus (Ambc) innervates the laryngeal intrinsic muscles to produce phonation, a basic USV communication system. During postnatal development, enhanced plasticity phenomena play a fundamental role in improving brain function. Thus, the massage stimulation (MS) may accelerate growth and induce neurogenesis in different areas of the brain. The current study analyzed the effects of a daily 10-min MS on the dendritic tree and perikarya measurements of Ambc multipolar motoneurons (Golgi-Cox) of perinatally underfed (U), control (C), control massage-stimulated (CMS), and underfed massage-stimulated (UMS) groups at postnatal days (PDs) 8, 12, and 15. The data indicated that the dendritic scores were reduced (p < 0.05) in both number and density at PD8 and PD15 in the U subjects and that MS increased the values of these parameters (p < 0.05). In addition, MS induced body weight gain in both U and CMS groups, and it enhanced the dendritic density in CMS subjects. These results show that MS during the pre-weaning period restores the plastic properties of the Ambc over the hypoplastic multipolar motoneuron after the alterations caused by perinatal undernutrition.展开更多
文摘Acrylamide(AA)is a harmful substance widely found in infant and child biscuits;however,the health hazards of AA,especially endogenous AA,in the biscuit matrix is poorly understood.This study aimed to determine the effects of endogenous(0.11 mg/(kg bw·day))and exogenous(1.31,5.23,and 10.13 mg/(kg bw·day))AA exposure from biscuit diet on the hematology,hormone levels,immune function,and liver and kidney damage in growing female rat pups.For the hematological indices,a quadratic reduction was observed in percentage of neutrophils(Neu%)and percentage of eosinophils(Eos%)in the leukograms and in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and platelet in the erythrograms in all the AA-exposed groups.In terms of hormones,extremely remarkably elevations in estradiol(E_(2))and growth hormone(GH)levels were associated with exogenous AA,and a significant increase in GH levels was noted in the endogenous AA group.Regarding immune function,endogenous and exogenous AA showed a dose-dependent immunotoxic effect on lysozyme(LYSO),nitric oxide(NO),immunoglobulin(Ig)G,and IgM.In particular,the lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)activity was significantly high in the exogenous medium dose(Exo-M)and exogenous high dose(Exo-H)groups,and the percentage of CD3^(+)T cells in the blood and CD8^(+)expression levels in the spleen were significantly elevated in the Exo-H group.For liver and kidney function,exogenous AA had a dose-dependent effect on alanine aminotransferases(ALT),aspartate transferases(AST),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),urea nitrogen(UREA),and creatinine(CREA-S).In addition to the dose-dependent effect on the pathological changes in the liver and kidneys,the endogenous AA group presented with hepatocellular steatosis,kidney inflammatory infiltrates,and glomerular and tubular atrophy.Overall,our findings suggested the dose-dependent harmful effect of endogenous and exogenous AA.Special attention should be paid to the damage caused by exposure to endogenous AA.Stringent AA intake guidelines and measures are required to minimize AA levels in the food matrix.
文摘Early mother-litter bonds alterations elicited by pre- and neonatal undernutrition are a source of long-lasting brain and functional disorders such as exploratory and emotional deficits and maternal unresponsiveness to the newborn. Here, we examined the prolonged effects of gestational and neonatal food restriction on the retrieval of pups and nest building activity by primiparous adult Wistar rats on postnatal days (PDs) 4, 8, and 12. In early undernourished dams, the latency to retrieve the first or the fifth pups in the litter was extended;and nest building activity was significantly reduced. Additionally, early underfed dams retrieved the pups in a rough manner, eliciting distress cries and grasping the pups by unusual body areas. The current findings suggest that pre- and neonatal food restriction may affect the anatomical and functional forebrain structures, modulating the cognitive and motor components underlying maternal responsiveness.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC),No.31201878,81172716,and U1204804Post Doctoral Foundation of China,No.2015M572109Post Doctoral Fund of Henan province,No.2014049
文摘Lead exposure is a known potential risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease （AD）. Exposure to lead during the critical phase of brain development has been linked with mental retardation and hypophrenia in later life.
文摘It is common sense that mammals reproduce sexually, whereby a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell. And at some point later in reproduction, a baby with the genetic mixtures from the both parents pops out. However, this common perception was shattered by a recent study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS). Jointly led by Prof. HU Baoyang, CAS Member Prof. ZHOU Qi and Prof.
文摘Rabies, a zoonotic disease, kills 55,000 persons every year globally and 20,000 persons in India. Two years back, we learnt of two deaths due to Rabies in remote village Shiv Shankar Garh of Arki block of District Solan and decided to investigate the deaths. Method: A rapid response team was constituted to investigate the deaths. We interviewed the villagers & family to conduct verbal autopsy. A line list of entire population of village and household contacts of the patients, who died, were made along with the line list of dogs and cattle. Results & Discussion: A-month-old stray pup brought home by the family and had caused an abrasion with its toes on the hands of both the deceased on June 2, 2011 while playing. The lady developed paralysis of the arm on July 3, 2011 and 3 days later developed symptoms of hydrophobia. She died on July 9, 2011. Her son had developed hydrophobia 10 days after that and died on July 19, 2011. Assumption that bite or abrasion by a small pup of one month cannot be fatal proved otherwise. Lack of awareness regarding the fatality of even a scratch and lack of knowledge regarding local treatment of the wound & vaccination of both human and pups, were the main reasons for the deaths. While such incidents keep on happening, and the veterinarians in India are refusing to vaccinate pups before three months of age, as pups may not develop immunity before that age, leaving unsuspecting people to the risk of rabies. Conclusions: Humans can be exposed to rabies even by pups below 3 months of age. Recommendation: Pup vaccination schedule in rabies endemic countries like India need revision. Veterinarians and public health experts need to strongly consider vaccinating pups at first contact with humans even if they are less than 3 months of age. A booster to the pup can be given at three months of age with subsequent yearly boosters.
文摘Studying pup isolation calls of wild rodents provides background for developing new early-life animal models for biomedical research and drug testing.This study discovered a highly complex acoustic phenotype of pup isolation calls in 4–5-day-old Mongolian hamsters Allocricetulus curtatus.We analyzed the acoustic structure of 5,010 isolation calls emitted in the broad range of frequencies(sonic,below 20 kHz,and ultrasonic,from 20 to 128 kHz)by 23 pups during 2-min isolation test trials,1 trial per pup.In addition,we measured 5 body size parameters and the body weight of each pup.The calls could contain up to 3 independent fundamental frequencies in their spectra,the low(f0),the medium(g0),and the high(h0),or purely consisted of chaos in which the fundamental frequency could not be tracked.By presence/absence of the 3 fundamental frequencies or their combinations and chaos,we classifed calls into 6 distinctive categories(low-frequency[LF]-f0,LF-chaos,high-frequency[HF]-g0,HF-h0,HF-g0+h0,and HF-chaos)and estimated the relative abundance of calls in each category.Between categories,we compared acoustic parameters and estimated their relationship with pup body size index.We discuss the results of this study with data on the acoustics of pup isolation calls reported for other species of rodents.We conclude that such high complexity of Mongolian hamster pup isolation calls is unusual for rodents.Decreased acoustic complexity serves as a good indicator of autism spectrum disorders in knockout mouse models,which makes knockout hamster models prospective new wild animal model of neurodevelopmental disorders.
文摘大气中的风切变严重威胁飞机安全,尤其低空风切变是影响飞机起降的重要因素。利用多普勒雷达速度资料计算一维切向、一维径向与二维合成风切变,准确判断风切变的危险区域,能够及时为飞行及起降提供告警。针对多普勒雷达业务应用的主用户处理器PUP(Principal User Processor)上风切变自动识别产品存在的边缘识别较弱及定位误差较大等问题,根据多普勒雷达速度资料径向分布的特点,利用最小二乘法线性拟合优势,选择适于机载雷达参数的拟合窗口,对多个实例进行了识别分析。对比结果表明最小二乘法在识别效果、定位精度、边缘识别等方面优于PUP风切变自动识别产品,提高了风切变识别能力,有助于为机载雷达风切变识别及预警提供更好的依据。
基金Project (No. 021103009) supported by the Science and Technology Bureau of Zhejiang Province, China
文摘Objective: To investigate effects of developmental lead exposure on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity in different brain regions and on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. On the basis of these observations, we explored possible mechanisms by which lead exposure leads to impaired learning and memorizing abilities in children. Methods: A series of rat animal models exposed to low levels of lead during the developing period was established (drinking water containing 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.075% lead acetate). NOS activities in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum and the brain stem were determined with fluorescence measurement and levels of mRNA expression of the NMDA receptor 2A (NR2A) subunit and NMDA receptor 2B (NR2B) subunit in the rat hippocampus were measured with Retro-translation (RT-PCR). Results: There were no differences in the body weight of rat pups between any of the groups at any given time (P>0.05). The blood lead level of Pb-exposed rat pups showed a systematic pattern of change: at 14 d of age, it was lower than that at 7 d of age, then rising to the peak level at 21 d and finally falling to lower levels at 28 d. The hippocampal NOS activities of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21 st and 28th day (P<0.01). NOS activities in the cerebellum of lead-exposed groups were all lower than that of the control group on the 21 st and 28th day (P<0.001) and the NOS activity of the 0.025% group was significantly lower than that of the 0.05% and 0.075% groups on the 28th day (P<0.05).NOS activity in the cerebral cortex of the 0.075% group was significantly lower than that of the control, 0.025% and 0.05% groups on the four day spans (P<0.001). There was no significant difference of NOS activity in the brain stem between any lead-exposed group and the control group on the four day spans. In the 0.05% and the 0.075% groups, the level of NR2A mRNA expression was higher than that in the control group at 7 d and 14 d of age (P<0.05). In the 0.025% group, the level of NR2A was found to be higher than that in the control group at 7 d of age only (P<0.05). No significant differences were found for the levels of NR2B mRNA expression between any of the groups at any given time. Conclusions: NOS activity in the hippocampus, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum are inhibited by lead exposure. The degree of the inhibitory effect depends on the time span of exposure and the lead concentration. Developmental low-level lead exposure was found to raise the level of NR2A mRNA expression in the hippocampus of rats. Developmental low-level lead exposure does not affect the level of NR2B mRNA expression in the hippocampus.
文摘Undernutrition produces morphological brain alterations and cognitive deficiencies in children of underdeveloped countries. The central nervous system (CNS) alterations mainly interfere with the anatomical organization of areas undergoing a phase of intense postnatal cell proliferation, disrupting plastic processes like learning, memory, and phonation. In the rat pup, prenatal malnutrition interferes with the elaboration of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) by poorly understood mechanisms. The neuronal caudal portion of the nucleus ambiguus (Ambc) innervates the laryngeal intrinsic muscles to produce phonation, a basic USV communication system. During postnatal development, enhanced plasticity phenomena play a fundamental role in improving brain function. Thus, the massage stimulation (MS) may accelerate growth and induce neurogenesis in different areas of the brain. The current study analyzed the effects of a daily 10-min MS on the dendritic tree and perikarya measurements of Ambc multipolar motoneurons (Golgi-Cox) of perinatally underfed (U), control (C), control massage-stimulated (CMS), and underfed massage-stimulated (UMS) groups at postnatal days (PDs) 8, 12, and 15. The data indicated that the dendritic scores were reduced (p < 0.05) in both number and density at PD8 and PD15 in the U subjects and that MS increased the values of these parameters (p < 0.05). In addition, MS induced body weight gain in both U and CMS groups, and it enhanced the dendritic density in CMS subjects. These results show that MS during the pre-weaning period restores the plastic properties of the Ambc over the hypoplastic multipolar motoneuron after the alterations caused by perinatal undernutrition.
