Abnormal Motor Activity and Thermoregulation in a Schizophrenia Rat Model for Translational Science

Schizophrenia is accompanied by altered motor activity and abnormal thermoregulation; therefore, the presence of these symptoms can enhance the face validity of a schizophrenia animal model. The goal was to characterize these parameters in freely moving condition of a new substrain of rats showing several schizophrenia-related alterations.Male Wistar rats were used: the new substrain housed individually (for four weeks) and treated subchronically with ketamine, and naive animals without any manipulations. Adult animals were implanted with E-Mitter transponders intraabdominally to record body temperature and locomotor activity continuously. The circadian rhythm of these parameters and the acute effects of changes in light conditions were analyzed under undisturbed circumstances, and the effects of different interventions (handling, bed changing or intraperitoneal vehicle injection) were also determined.Decreased motor activity with fragmented pattern was observed in the new substrain. However, these animals had higher body temperature during the active phase, and they showed wider range of its alterations, too. The changes in light conditions and different interventions produced blunted hyperactivity and altered body temperature responses in the new substrain. Poincaré plot analysis of body temperature revealed enhanced short- and long-term variabilities during the active phase compared to the inactive phase in both groups. Furthermore, the new substrain showed increased short- and long-term variabilities with lower degree of asymmetry suggesting autonomic dysregulation.In summary, the new substrain with schizophrenia-related phenomena showed disturbed motor activity and thermoregulation suggesting that these objectively determined parameters can be biomarkers in translational research

Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and anatomic dead space influence electronic nose ability to detect lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Electronic noses are composites of nanosensor arrays. Numerous studies showed their potential to detect lung cancer from breath samples by analysing exhaled volatile compound pattern ("breathprint"). Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and inclusion of anatomic dead space may influence the exhaled levels of some volatile compounds; however it has not been fully addressed how these factors affect electronic nose data. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate these effects. METHODS: 37 healthy subjects (44 +/- 14 years) and 27 patients with lung cancer (60 +/- 10 years) participated in the study. After deep inhalation through a volatile organic compound filter, subjects exhaled at two different flow rates (50 ml/sec and 75 ml/sec) into Teflon-coated bags. The effect of breath hold was analysed after 10 seconds of deep inhalation. We also studied the effect of anatomic dead space by excluding this fraction and comparing alveolar air to mixed (alveolar + anatomic dead space) air samples. Exhaled air samples were processed with Cyranose 320 electronic nose. RESULTS: Expiratory flow rate, breath hold and the inclusion of anatomic dead space significantly altered "breathprints" in healthy individuals (p 0.05). These factors also influenced the discrimination ability of the electronic nose to detect lung cancer significantly. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that expiratory flow, breath hold and dead space influence exhaled volatile compound pattern assessed with electronic nose. These findings suggest critical methodological recommendations to standardise sample collections for electronic nose measurements

Badanie czynników mających wpływ na świadomość środowiskową konsumentów

In recent years the intensified consumer-consciousness has clearly determined the decisions of the consumers. A primary research was carried out among students in Hungary in the spring of 2010, which focused on a special segment, the attitude of the environment-conscious consumers and the demographic features affecting them. The decisions of the environment-conscious consumers, who keep in mind the interest of others, are clearly determined by the factors such as which lifecycle they are in, social status, marital status, gender and qualifications. According to research result the female members (in relationship, with children and high qualifications) of the elder generation group are significantly more environment-conscious than those with other demographic features. The research also pointed out that from the environment-consciousness point of view not all the demographic features are influencing factors. The role of income and place of residence is not relevant from this point of view. However, the significance of the attitudes from the research point of view are very important as there is a medium, and positive correlation between the actual behaviour and attitudes.Świadomość konsumenta w widoczny sposób określała jego decyzje zakupowe. W 2010 r. przeprowadzono badania wśród węgierskich studentów, które obejmowały zachowania konsumentów traktujących środowisko w świadomy sposób i cechy demograficzne mające na nich wpływ. Decyzje konsumentów traktujących środowisko w świadomy sposób, mających na uwadze dobro innych, były wyraźnie uwarunkowane czynnikami, takimi jak okres życia, w którym się znajdują, status społeczny, status materialny, płeć i wykształcenie

Motor activity parameters in undisturbed circumstances during light and dark phases.

<p>Mean AL (activity level; A), MI (movement index; B), RMI (relative movement index; C), PN (phase number; D), PL (phase length; E) with duration of uninterrupted immobility (DI) or active (DA) period. * p<0.05 between groups; # <0.05 between the day cycles; x p <0.05 between the DI and DA. Data are presented as means ± SEM.</p

Schedule of the experimental protocol for selective breeding and behavioral testing.

<p>Abbreviations: TF: tail-flick test, PPI: prepulse inhibition test, HB: hole-board test.</p><p>Schedule of the experimental protocol for selective breeding and behavioral testing.</p

Body temperature parameters in undisturbed circumstances during light and dark phases.

<p>The mean values of BT minimum (A), BT maximum (B), BT amplitudes (C), and the mean of changes in BT between two consecutive data points (D). * p <0.05 between groups; # p <0.05 between the day cycles; x p <0.05 between the BT decreases and increases. Data are presented as means ± SEM.</p

The short- and long-term asymmetries of body temperature.

<p>The number of cases (N) have C1d > C1i, or C2d < C2i, and the degree of the relative contribution of decreases (C1d) or increases (C2i) to short- and long-term asymmetry, respectively.</p><p>* Significant degree of asymmetry;</p><p>^# p<0.05 compared to control group;</p><p>⁺ p<0.05 compared to light phase.</p><p>The short- and long-term asymmetries of body temperature.</p

A sample Poincaré plot analysis of temperature time series derived from a 12-h recording during dark phase from a control rat.

<p>The dashed line is the identity line; all points on this line correspond to two neighboring temperatures with equal values; all points above this line correspond to BT increases (BT_n+1>BT_n); all points below this line correspond to BT reductions (BT_n+1n). BT_n: BT of the current value, BT_n+1: BT of the next value. SD1: the standard deviation quantifying the dispersion of points in the Poincaré plot across the identity line. SD2 represents the dispersion along the identity line.</p

Poincaré plot analysis of body temperature in undisturbed circumstances during light and dark phases.

<p>Changes in SD1 (A) and SD2 (B). * p <0.05 between groups; # p <0.05 between the day cycles. Data are presented as means ± SEM.</p