Prenatal hypoxia–ischemia decreases spatial memory and increases aggression during adolescence

Prenatal hypoxia–ischemia (HI) is a major cause of mortality and chronic neurological diseases in newborns. HI contributes to the emergence of several neurological disorders such as cognitive and behavioral deficits due to the atypical brain development. This study aimed at assessing the effects of prenatal HI on the spatial memory and aggression of rats during adolescence. Pregnant rats were divided into treatment and control groups. The rats of the treatment groups underwent unilateral ligation of the uterine artery on pregnancy day 7, 12, or 17. The offspring of these rats were tested for spatial memory and aggression when they reached 33 days of age. It has been found that the percentages of alternations in the Y-maze and the number of crossings in the Morris water maze tests of the HI groups were lower than those of the control groups. The total offense and defense aggression scores of the HI groups were higher than those of the control groups. In conclusion, the longer the duration of HI, the more deficits it causes in the spatial memory and aggression of rats during adolescence

Pre-weaning undernutrition alters the expression levels of reactive oxygen species enzymes but not their activity levels or lipid peroxidation in the rat brain

It has been hypothesised that the increased life span commonly observed in rodents that have had their diet restricted after weaning may be related to its effects on the anti-oxidant defence systems. However, undernutrition during the gestation and pre-weaning period is known to have long-term deleterious effects on a rodent's growth and development, and it has been suggested that this may reduce their life span. We have now examined some of the anti-oxidant defence system in rats that have been undernourished from conception until 21 postnatal days-of-age, followed in some cases by a period of nutritional rehabilitation until 62 days of age. We found that such undernutrition could modulate the mRNA expression of Cu/ZnSOD and catalase in some brain regions. However, only catalase showed any undernutrition-induced change of enzyme activity level. There was some evidence that undernourished (but not control) rats had an age-related increase in the level of lipid peroxidation between 21 and 62 days of age, although the groupxage interaction was not statistically significant. There was no significant change in the level of reduced glutathione induced by the pre-weaning period of undernutrition. If ROS and the extent of oxidative damage are truly implicated in the determination of life span, our results indicate that this is unlikely to be markedly affected by the relatively small changes we have observed in the anti-oxidant defence systems induced by undernutrition of rats from conception until weaning

Isolation and typing of canine parvovirus from dogs fecal in some area in Indonesia

Canine parvovirus (CPV) has supopsedly been in Indonesia since 1981, but the isolation of aetiological agent has never been reported. In the present study, isolation and typing of CPV in Indonesia is presented. Out of 180 fecal samples collected from unvaccinated dogs were detected 12 isolated virus by using haemagglutination test after growing the virus in CRFK cell line. Typing the isolates were done with monoclonal antibodies. The results showed that all of the isolates are of "new type"

Isolation and Typing of Canine Parvovirus From Dogs Fecal in Some Area in Indonesia

Canine parvovirus (CPV) has supopsedly been in Indonesia since 1981, but the isolation of aetiological agent has never been reported. In the present study, isolation and typing of CPV in Indonesia is presented. Out of 180 fecal samples collected from unvaccinated dogs were detected 12 isolated virus by using haemagglutination test after growing the virus in CRFK cell line. Typing the isolates were done with monoclonal antibodies. The results showed that all of the isolates are of "new type"

The effects of pre-weaning undernutrition on the expression levels of free radical deactivating enzymes in the mouse brain

A mild degree of undernutrition brought about by restricting the amount of food in the diet is known to alter the life span of an animal. It has been hypothesised that this may be related to the effects of undernutrition on an animals anti-oxidant defense system. We have therefore, used real-time PCR (rt-PCR) techniques to determine the levels of mRNA expression for manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx 1) and catalase in the brains of Quackenbush mice undernourished from conception until 21-post-natal days of age. It was found that 21- and 61-day-old undernourished mice had a deficit in the expression of Cu/ZnSOD in both the cerebellum and forebrain regions compared to age-matched controls. The expression of MnSOD was found to be greater in the cerebellum, but not the forebrain region, of 21-day-old undernourished mice. There were no significant differences in the expression of GPx 1 and catalase between control and undernourished or previously undernourished mice. Our results confirm that undernutrition during the early life of a mouse may disrupt some of the enzymes involved in the anti-oxidant defense systems