Data on electroconvulsive seizure in mice, effects of anesthesia on immediate early gene expression

Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the most effective treatments for severe mood and psychotic disorders, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unknown. Electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS), the animal model for ECT, can be used to investigate the potential therapeutic mechanisms of ECT in rodents. ECS produces numerous effects in the brain, such as increasing levels of growth factors, inducing dendritic sprouting, and stimulating neurogenesis. It also induces high-level expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, such as early growth response 3 (Egr3) and activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc), a validated downstream target of Egr3 [1-3]. However, the effect of isoflurane anesthesia preceding ECS on IEG response in mice has not been well characterized. This article provides immunofluorescent data of the activity responsive IEG ARC in the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus of wildtype (WT) mice following ECS with or without anesthesia, as well as following sham ECS. The data in this article relate to a published article that employed serial ECS in mice to investigate the requirement of Egr3 in the neurobiological effects of this model of ECT [4]. The ability to study the effects of serial ECS has been limited in mice due to high rates of mortality during seizure. Administration of isoflurane anesthesia prior to ECS significantly reduces rodent mortality, irrespective of the number of times ECS is applied [5]. Since general anesthesia is administered to patients prior to ECT, use of isoflurane prior to ECS also more closely models the clinical use of ECT [6].

The damping effect of cement as a potential mitigation factor of squeaking in ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty

Objectives

Studies reporting specifically on squeaking in total hip arthroplasty have focused on cementless, and not on hybrid, fixation. We hypothesised that the cement mantle of the femur might have a damping effect on the sound transmitted through the metal stem. The objective of this study was to test the effect of cement on sound propagation along different stem designs and under different fixation conditions.

Methods

An in vitro model for sound detection, composed of a mechanical suspension structure and a sound-registering electronic assembly, was designed. A pulse of sound in the audible range was propagated along bare stems and stems implanted in cadaveric bone femurs with and without cement. Two stems of different alloy and geometry were compared.

Results

The magnitudes of the maximum amplitudes of the bare stem were in the range of 10.8 V to 11.8 V, whereas the amplitudes for the same stems with a cement mantle in a cadaveric bone decreased to 0.3 V to 0.7 V, implying a pulse-attenuation efficiency of greater than 97%. The same magnitude is close to 40% when the comparison is made against stems implanted in cadaveric bone femurs without cement.

Conclusion

The in vitro model presented here has shown that the cement had a remarkable effect on sound attenuation and a strong energy absorption in cement mantle and bone. The visco-elastic properties of cement can contribute to the dissipation of vibro-acoustic energy, thus preventing hip prostheses from squeaking. This could explain, at least in part, the lack of reports of squeaking when hybrid fixation is used.

Cite this article: F. J. Burgo, D. E. Mengelle, A. Ozols, C. Fernandez, C. M. Autorino. The damping effect of cement as a potential mitigation factor of squeaking in ceramic-on-ceramic total hip arthroplasty. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:531–537. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.511.BJR-2016-0058.R1.

Raman Scattering with Nanosecond Resolution During Pulsed Laser Heating of Silicon

We present time-resolved measurements of spontaneous anti-Stokes and Stokes Raman scattering during pulsed laser heating of crystalline silicon. The time-evolution of the lattice temperature is determined from the measured anti-Stokes/Stokes intensity ratio. In a separate calibration experiment we measure the temperature dependence of the anti-Stokes/Stokes ratio of an oven-heated silicon crystal from 300 K up to 900 K. The phase transition occuring during laser heating is detected by monitoring the changes of the optical reflectivity during laser irradiation. Our data suggest that the phase transition occurs at a lattice temperature of ∼600 K.

Investigating the cellular effects of isolated radiation tracks using microbeam techniques

Studies of the effects of radiation at the cellular level have generally been carried out by exposing cells randomly to the charged-particle tracks of a radiation beam. Recently, a number of laboratories have developed techniques for microbeam irradiation of individual cells. These approaches are designed to remove much of the randomness of conventional methods and allow the nature of the targets and pathways involved in a range of radiation effects to be studied with greater selectivity. Another advantage is that the responses of individual cells can be followed in a time-lapse fashion and, for example, processes such as "bystander" effects can be studied clearly. The microbeam approach is of particular importance in mechanistic studies related to the risks associated with exposure to low fluences of charged particles. This is because it is now possible to determine the actions of strictly single particle tracks and thereby mimic, under in vitro conditions, exposures at low radiation dose that are significant for protection levels, especially those involving medium- to high-LET radiations. Overall, microbeam methods provide a new dimension in exploring mechanisms of radiation effect at the cellular level. Microbeam methods and their application to the study of the cellular effects of single charged-particle traversals are described.

Focusing of a tabletop soft-x-ray laser beam and laser ablation

We focused the beam of a high-repetition-rate capillary-discharge tabletop laser operating at a wavelength of 46.9 nm, using a spherical Si/Sc multilayer mirror. The energy densities significantly exceeded the thresholds for the ablation of metals. Single-shot laser ablation patterns were used in combination with ray-tracing computations to characterize the focused beam. The radiation intensity within the 2-mum -diameter central region of the focal spot was estimated to be approximately 10(11)W/cm(2), with a corresponding energy density of ~100 J/cm(2).

A comparison of the radiosensitivity of relaxed and supercoiled plasmid DNA

PURPOSE

The aim of the work was to compare critically the radiosensitivity of the supercoiled and relaxed forms of a plasmid DNA system commonly used in DNA damage assays.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The yields of single- (ssb) and double-strand breaks (dsb) in pBR322 DNA over a range of scavenging capacities were measured in the presence of Tris after irradiation with a single pulse of 400 keV electrons. The response was compared with DNA that had been given a preliminary dose of gamma-rays such that an average of one ssb per molecule was present.

RESULTS

The yields of dsb were found to be enhanced in the pre-irradiated DNA when Tris was present during irradiation at concentrations varying between 10 and 100 mmol dm(-3) with a maximal enhancement ratio of 1.6 at 80 mmol x dm(-3) Tris. This increased yield was not observed when both the pre-irradiation and the experimental doses were given by gamma-irradiation. The increased response was not found in DNA that had been enzymatically relaxed by the introduction of a nick in each molecule using the enzyme gpII.

CONCLUSIONS

The observations suggest that the conformation per se does not influence the radiosensitivity. The enhanced yields observed in the gamma-ray pre-irradiated DNA with pulsed irradiation appear to be a consequence of the high dose rate used. A proposed explanation is that the combination of high dose levels (< or =1500 Gy) and short irradiation times (approximately 5 ns) would allow some 'spurs' to overlap and it is proposed that the enhanced yields of dsb are related to this.

[The regulatory mechanism of the activity of the saccharase-isomaltase complex of the brush border in rat enterocytes]

The data obtained suggests a possibility of regulation of the brush borders sucrase-isomaltase complex activity of the enterocytes. This ability seems to be a general biological phenomenon as it has been found both in birds and in mammals. The findings corroborate the theory of the functional blocks.

Efficient nonlinear amplitude recording of holographic gratings in electrolytically colored potassium bromide crystals

The nonlinear amplitude recording of volume holographic gratings is theoretically and experimentally studied in electrolytically colored potassium bromide crystals. A maximum diffraction efficiency of 10.8% is obtained, which substantially exceeds the 3.7% maximum diffraction efficiency for linear recording.

Some non-traditional aspects on the regulation of glucose assimilation in the small intestine

1. The aim of this work was to give a new interpretation on the participation of several food factors in carbohydrate assimilation and metabolism regulation in the organism. 2. The main attention is paid to the probable role of vitamins A and D in these processes in enterocytes. 3. The importance of vitamins A and D and the minerals Zn and Ca has been considered in the regulation of insulin activity and glucose transport in these cells. 4. The views expressed in this paper are based on our own research results and analysis of data in the present literature.

[The adaptation of the digestive system to carbohydrates in experimental A hypervitaminosis]

High doses of vitamin A exerted no significant effect of the ability of the rat digestive system to adapt to food. The A hypervitaminosis increased the activity of sucrase and eliminated the ability to regulate the activity of this enzyme by the duodenum in the chicken small intestine.

The role of the duodenum in adaptive changes in sucrose digestion in the small intestine of chicks

In two experimental series in situ applying perfusion technique, and in vitro, the role of the duodenum in adaptation of sucrose digestion was investigated in the proximal, medial and distal parts of the chick small intestine. No adaptive changes occurred in hydrolysis and carbohydrate transport if the pancreo-duodenal complex was isolated from the lower parts. It is suggested that on feeding with sucrose, factors arise in the duodenal mucosa causing adaptive changes in sucrase activity of the small intestine.

Adaptation of the activity of membrane carbohydrases of chick small intestine to various carbohydrates

Adaptation changes in membrane carbohydrases and those localized in the apical glycocalyx of enterocytes have been studied in chicks under the impact of carbohydrates. The investigated enzymes were not equally adapted to the carbohydrates of various degrees of polymerization. The response character of membrane carbohydrases depends on proximo-distal localization of enzymes in the small intestine and it is not specific to carbohydrates.