Nesfatin-1/NUCB2 as a Potential New Element of Sleep Regulation in Rats.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Millions suffer from sleep disorders that often accompany severe illnesses such as major depression; a leading psychiatric disorder characterized by appetite and rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) abnormalities. Melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) and nesfatin-1/NUCB2 (nesfatin) are strongly co - expressed in the hypothalamus and are involved both in food intake regulation and depression. Since MCH was recognized earlier as a hypnogenic factor, we analyzed the potential role of nesfatin on vigilance. DESIGN: We subjected rats to a 72 h-long REMS deprivation using the classic flower pot method, followed by a 3 h-long 'rebound sleep'. Nesfatin mRNA and protein expressions as well as neuronal activity (Fos) were measured by quantitative in situ hybridization technique, ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively, in 'deprived' and 'rebound' groups, relative to controls sacrificed at the same time. We also analyzed electroencephalogram of rats treated by intracerebroventricularly administered nesfatin-1, or saline. RESULTS: REMS deprivation downregulated the expression of nesfatin (mRNA and protein), however, enhanced REMS during 'rebound' reversed this to control levels. Additionally, increased transcriptional activity (Fos) was demonstrated in nesfatin neurons during 'rebound'. Centrally administered nesfatin-1 at light on reduced REMS and intermediate stage of sleep, while increased passive wake for several hours and also caused a short-term increase in light slow wave sleep. CONCLUSIONS: The data designate nesfatin as a potential new factor in sleep regulation, which fact can also be relevant in the better understanding of the role of nesfatin in the pathomechanism of depression

Absolute measurement of very low gas flow velocity by means of thermal wave technique

Przedstawiono metodę absolutnego pomiaru prędkości przepływu gazu za pomocą fal cieplnych, w zakresie bardzo małych prędkości. Na podstawie rozwiązania analitycznego zjawiska propagacji fali cieplnej w płynącym gazie, prędkość przepływu wyznaczono metodą estymacji nieliniowej uprzednio zmierzonych przesunięć fazowych składowych harmonicznych fali w funkcji częstotliwości. Metoda umożliwia pomiar prędkości przepływu gazu rzędu kilku cm/s, bez uprzedniego wzorcowania czujnika.The phenomenon of thermal wave propagation in a flowing gas is described by the equation of energy conservation (Eq. 1). Kiełbasa [1] solved this equation using the Green's function technique and he obtained the phase shift for a linear periodic heat source (Eq. 9). This formula expresses that the wave velocity depends not only on the gas velocity but also on the thermal diffusion. If the condition of Eq. 11 is fulfilled, Eq. 10 becomes Eq. 12., so the thermal wave velocity is equal to the flow velocity, and the method can be considered as absolute. Otherwise, the probe needs to be calibrated. As can be seen from Eq. 10, the less flow velocity, the bigger difference between the flow velocity and the wave velocity. Fig. 2 shows that the lower limit of the flow velocity is about 30cm/s for air flow. Instead of a sinusoidal wave we apply a complex signal described by Eq. 12. After decomposing detectors signal into harmonics, we obtain the phase shift related to each harmonic. The phase shift obeys the system of equations (Eq. 14), where flow velocity VG and thermal diffusivity are unknown parameters. The system can be solved by means of nonlinear estimation. Fig. 3 shows exemplary signals from the first and second detector. The results of estimation are presented in Fig. 4 and Tab. 1. The estimated values of both velocity and diffusivity are correct for the velocity equal to 7cm/s, while for the velocity of 50cm/s only the velocity value is correct. It is obvious that for this velocity the expression of Eq. 10 is insensitive to the thermal diffusivity, so the estimating procedure cannot find a proper value of the parameter. The presented method enables measurements of the gas flow velocity in the range of several cm/s without previous calibration of the probe. Further investigations will include searching an objective criterion of proper determination of the thermal diffusivity and improvement of the method accuracy

Differential gene expression in mutant mice overexpressing or deficient in the serotonin transporter: a focus on urocortin 1.

Transcriptome analyses were performed in the anterior raphe area of mutant mice deficient in the serotonin transporter (5-HTT KO) or overexpressing this protein (5-HTT TG), which exhibit opposite changes in anxiety-related behavior. Among genes with altered expression, the gene encoding the neuropeptide urocortin 1 was down-regulated in 5-HTT KO and up-regulated in 5-HTT TG mice. Expression of the gene encoding cocaine-and-amphetamine-related-peptide, which colocalizes with urocortin 1, was also increased in 5-HTT TG mutants. Real-time RT-PCR confirmed these data and immunoautoradiographic labeling showed that parallel changes in neuropeptide levels were confined to the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus. Thus, 5-HTT expression correlates with that of urocortin 1, suggesting that this peptide can be involved in the behavioral changes observed in 5-HTT mutant mice