Altered gut microbiota ameliorates bone pathology in the mandible of obese–insulin-resistant rats

The chronic consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) induces obese–insulin resistance and impairs jawbone health via gut dysbiosis-stimulated inflammator     

Development of an in vitro method for the evaluation of candidate repellents against Leptotrombidium (Acari: Trombiculidae) chiggers

We developed a rapid and economical in vitro procedure with which to evaluate the efficacy of candidate repellents against chiggers. The procedure requires only 5 min and a small number of chiggers to obtain a valid estimate of the median effective dose. We used this procedure to evaluate the repellent activity of 11 compounds against the chigger, Leptotrombidium imphalum Vercammen-Grandjean and Langston. Median effective doses were determined for 10 of the 11 compounds. DM-165-2 (N,N-diethyl-3-flurobenzamide) was the only compound that was significantly more effective than deet.     

Association and surface properties of diblock copolymers of ethylene oxide and DL-lactide in aqueous solution

Diblock copolymers of ethylene oxide and DL -lactide (E_mL_n copolymers) were prepared by sequential anionic polymerisation and characterised by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and ¹³C NMR. Their association and surface properties in aqueous solution were studied by surface tension and dynamic and static light scattering. Comparison of the critical micelle concentrations (cmc) and micelle association numbers (N_w) of the E_mL_n copolymers with published values for oxyethylene/oxybutylene (E_mB_n) copolymers indicated a slightly lower hydrophobicity for a lactide unit: i.e. L ? 0.75B. The temperature dependence of the cmc of copolymer E₄₂L₁₂ was analysed to obtain a standard enthalpy of micellisation Δ_micH⁰ ≈ 40 kJ · mol^?1.     

Role of microglia under cardiac and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury

Both cerebral and cardiac ischemia causes loss of cerebral blood flow, which may lead to neuronal cell damage, neurocognitive impairment, learning and memory difficulties, neurological deficits, and brain death. Although reperfusion is required immediately to restore the blood supply to the brain, it could lead to several detrimental effects on the brain. Several studies demonstrate that microglia activity increases following cerebral and cardiac ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the effects of microglial activation in the brain following I/R remains unclear. Some reports demonstrated that microglia were involved in neurodegeneration and oxidative stress generation, whilst others showed that microglia did not respond to I/R injury. Moreover, microglia are activated in a time-dependent manner, and in a specific brain region following I/R. Recently, several therapeutic approaches including pharmacological interventions and electroacupuncture showed the beneficial effects, while some interventions such as hyperthermia and hyperoxic resuscitation, demonstrated the deteriorated effects on the microglial activity after I/R. Therefore, the present review summarized and discussed those studies regarding the effects of global and focal cerebral as well as cardiac I/R injury on microglia activation, and the therapeutic interventions.     

Mosquito cells accommodate balanced, persistent co-infections with a densovirus and Dengue virus

To study persistent viral co-infections in arthropods, we first produced stable, persistently infected C6/36 mosquito cell cultures by serial passage of exponentially growing whole cells infected with either a densovirus (AalDNV) or Dengue virus (DEN-2). We then obtained stable, persistent co-infections by reciprocal super-challenge and similar passaging. Persistently infected cultures did not differ from naïve-cell cultures in growth rate and cell morphology. Nor did they differ in high production of both viruses with high infection rates for naïve C6/36 cells. Immunocytochemistry revealed that 99–100% of the cells were coinfected but that super-infection order had some effect on antigen distribution for the two viruses. Our results combined with existing field information and previously published experimental work suggest that the capacity to support stable, viral co-infections may be a general phenomenon for arthropod cells, and that they may be achieved easily and rapidly by serial passaging of whole cultured cells. Such persistent infections would facilitate studies on interactions between co-infecting viruses.     

Development of acellular dermis from porcine skin using periodic pressurized technique

In this work, a new method for producing acellular dermis (ADM), a natural scaffold used for dermal replacement, from porcine skin was developed. Fresh porcine skin from local slaughterhouse was dehaired by sodium sulphide following by epidermis removal using glycerol. After fat removal by chloroform/methanol (2/1 v/v) solvent, cellular components were removed using enzymatic treatment incorporated with a periodic pressurized technique. The effects of enzyme type (trypsin and dispase II) and periodic pressurized conditions on the efficiency of cell removal were investigated. When periodic pressure was applied, enzymatic treatment time could be shorten since the enzyme solution was able to penetrate into tight dermis. As a result, cells could be easily removed from porcine skin as noticed quantitatively by DNA assay and qualitatively by H&E staining. When enzyme refreshment was introduced into the decellularized process, the percentage of cell removal was further enhanced. This ensured that no inhibitions effect from the removed cells on enzyme-substrate interaction. Moreover, short-time enzymatic treatment with periodic pressurized technique could prevent the disruption of dermal structure, as observed by SEM. Dispase II can be used to remove cell better than trypsin in the periodic pressurized technique. However, in vivo study indicated that numerous fibroblast from the host tissue infiltrated into ADM prepared using both enzymes. Neo-collagen and neo-capillaries were produced in both implanted ADMs. The result elucidated that the use of periodic pressurized technique with enzymatic treatment has a high potential to be a new method to produce ADM for skin tissue engineering.     

The effects of noxious dental heating on the jaw-opening reflex and trigeminal Fos expression in the ferret

Previous studies have established that the activation of peripheral nociceptors alters the central processing of nociceptive stimuli. In this study, we examined whether noxious heating of the dental pulp enhances the nociceptive jaw-opening reflex (JOR) and the expression of the immediate early gene c-fos in chloral hydrate/pentobarbital-anesthetized ferrets. We hypothesized that the application of noxious heat to the dental pulp, a procedure that evokes a preferential activation of pulpal C-fibers, will enhance JOR responses to electrical stimulation of the tooth pulp and that this enhanced response will be associated with the expression of Fos protein in discrete regions of the trigeminal nucleus. Consistent with our predictions, we observed that noxious heat conditioning enhanced the JOR as indicated by an increase in the magnitude of the signal averaged digastric electromyogram response evoked by electrical stimuli applied to either a heat-conditioned maxillary canine or the contralateral nonconditioned canine. The enhancement in JOR responses was independent of temporal summation of the electrical stimulus for test stimuli delivered at either 1.0 or 0.1 Hz. Sensitization of the JOR was associated with an increase in the number of immunohistochemically identified Fos-positive nuclei in trigeminal caudalis (Vc) and the transition zone between trigeminal interpolaris and caudalis (Vi/Vc) ipsilateral to the site of stimulation compared with sham stimulated animals. These findings suggest that neuronal populations in Vc and Vi/Vc play a role in the enhanced reflex responses to tooth pulp stimulation and may contribute to the pain and hyperalgesia associated with a symptomatic pulpitis.     

Perilla Seed Oil Alleviates Gut Dysbiosis,Intestinal Inflammation and Metabolic Disturbance in Obese-Insulin-Resistant Rats

Background: High-fat diet (HFD) consumption induced gut dysbiosis, inflammation, obese-insulin resistance. Perilla seed oil (PSO) is a rich source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with health promotional effects. However, the effects of PSO on gut microbiota/inflammation and metabolic disturbance in HFD-induced obesity have not been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to compare the effects of different doses of PSO and metformin on gut microbiota/inflammation, and metabolic parameters in HFD-fed rats. Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats were fed either a normal diet or an HFD for 24 weeks. At week 13, HFD-fed rats received either 50, 100, and 500 mg/kg/day of PSO or 300 mg/kg/day metformin for 12 weeks. After 24 weeks, the metabolic parameters, gut microbiota, gut barrier, inflammation, and oxidative stress were determined. Results: HFD-fed rats showed gut dysbiosis, gut barrier disruption with inflammation, increased oxidative stress, metabolic endotoxemia, and insulin resistance. Treatment with PSO and metformin not only effectively attenuated gut dysbiosis, but also improved gut barrier integrity and decreased gut inflammation. PSO also decreased oxidative stress, metabolic endotoxemia, and insulin resistance in HFD-fed rats. Metformin had greater benefits than PSO. Conclusion: PSO and metformin had the beneficial effect on attenuating gut inflammation and metabolic disturbance in obese-insulin resistance.     

Suppressive effects of Moringa oleifera Lam pod against mouse colon carcinogenesis induced by azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate

Moringa oleifera Lam (horseradish tree; tender pod or fruits) is a major ingredient in Thai cuisine and has some medicinal properties. Previous studies have shown potentially antioxidant, antitumor promoter, anticlastogen and anticarcinogen activities both in vitro and in vivo. The present study was conducted to investigate chemopreventive effects on azoxymethane (AOM)-initiated and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-promoted colon carcinogenesis in mice. Male ICR mice were divided into 8 groups: Group 1 served as a negative control; Group 2 received AOM/DSS as a positive control; Groups 3-5 were fed boiled freeze-dried M. oleifera (bMO) at 1.5%, 3.0% and 6.0%, respectively supplemented in basal diets for 5 weeks; Groups 6-8 were fed with bMO diets at the designed doses above for 2 weeks prior to AOM, during and 1 week after DSS administration. At the end of the study, colon samples were processed for histopathological examination. PCNA indices, and iNOS and COX-2 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry. The results demonstrated the incidences and multiplicities of tumors in Groups 6-8 to be decreased when compared to Group 2 in a dose dependent manner, but this was significant only in Group 8. The PCNA index was also significantly decreased in Group 8 whereas iNOS and COX-2 protein expression were significantly decreased in Groups 7 and 8. The findings suggest that M. oleifera Lam pod exerts suppressive effects in a colitis-related colon carcinogenesis model induced by AOM/DSS and could serve as a chemopreventive agent.     

C-LETZ versus large loop excision of the transformation zone for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a randomized controlled trial

Objective

To compare large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) with contour-loop excision of the transformation zone (C-LETZ) in management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) with respect to number of specimens obtained, weight of specimen, surgical margin, treatment time, and morbidity associated with those procedures.

Method

Women were randomly allocated to receive LLETZ or C-LETZ. Inclusion criteria were the following circumstances: (1) presence of biopsy-proved CIN 2/3, (2) persistent biopsy-proved CIN 1, (3) discrepancy between cytology and histology, or 4) an endocervical curettage was positive.

Results

Ninety-eight women were eligible for the study. Mean weight of specimens in C-LETZ group was significantly more than LLETZ group (4.35?±?1.39 vs. 3.55?±?1.48?g, p?=?0.007). Duration of treatment were similar in both groups (p?=?0.39). After multiple logistic regressions were analyzed, C-LETZ was more likely to result in a single pathologic specimen (76 vs. 29.16?%, p?<?0.001; adjusted RR 8.33, CI 3.23–21.47). There was no statistical significant difference in the frequency of positive margins between the groups (40 vs. 39.5?%, p?=?0.64; adjusted RR 1.27, CI 0.46–3.50). The morbidity associated with those procedures was not different between the two groups.

Conclusion

C-LETZ has a clear clinical benefit in term of a higher rate of a single pathologic specimen. It removes more cervical tissue than LLETZ. The incidence of incomplete excision and complication seem to be similar in both groups.