Evaluation of Urinary Tryptophan Metabolite Levels in Non-diabetic Compared to Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic disorders in animals. Thus, currently, it is imperative to introduce non-invasive, economical and rapid methods for the investigation of diabetes in animals. In this study, the urine samples collected from 10 non-diabetic and 10 streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were investigated by the spectrofluorimetric technique. Emission spectra for the urine samples were obtained following an excitation wavelength of 280 and 400 nm. The investigated fluorophores were mainly tryptophan metabolites, and significant differences resulted between the mean heights of the emission bands attributed to these fluorophore compounds in diabetic compared to non-diabetic rats. The shape of the spectral windings after the utilization of these two excitation wavelengths was almost similar for diabetic and non-diabetic rats; however, there were some discriminatory elements between the two types of investigated samples. In conclusion, the obtained urine fluorescence spectra allow a clear differentiation between diabetic and non-diabetic rats

Results obtained by investigating saffron ussing FT-IR spectroscopy

The biological activity and the pharmaceutical properties of plants are strongly dependent on their structure.The FT-IR spectra of saffron (commercial) have been obtained. The vibrational fundamentals from the IR spectrum, were analyzed  and assigned acoording to the available literature. In the present research work the genus saffron is selected because it is famous in wold as foods and also as medicine

Characterization and Evaluation of Natural Bearing and Iron-Enriched Montmorillonitic Clay as Catalysts for Wet Oxidation of Dye-Containing Wastewaters

Natural bearing (raw and calcined at 500 °C) and iron-enriched (impregnation and pillaring) montmorillonitic clay samples were prepared. The obtained samples were characterized (X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) and evaluated as catalysts in catalytic wet oxidation of Brilliant Green and Crystal Violet. Experiments were conducted in the same conditions (0.5 g catalysts, 300 mL air/min or 0.5 mL H2O2, 25 mL of dye solution, 25 °C, initial solution pH = 6.0, for 3 h) in thermostated batch reaction tubes. Process evolution was followed using UV-Vis spectrometry (200–1100 cm−1) and total organic carbon. Dye removal efficiencies (decolorization) between 98 and 99% were determined, while total organic carbon removal efficiencies were calculated to be in the 53–98% range. Iron leakage investigation showed that iron is lost in higher amounts for the catalysts prepared using the impregnation method by comparison with the pillared sample

Paraclinical Investigations in the Pathology of the Urinary System in Dogs

In the pathology of the urinary system, given its structural and functional complexity, the clinician must correlate the data obtained from the clinical and paraclinical examination. The aim of the study was to identify and apply the most relevant paraclinical methods for establishing the diagnosis of renal disease in dogs and to develop a reliable and easy to use working protocol. The biological material consisted of 25 dogs of different ages and sexes. The conventional and contrast-enhanced radiological examination together with the ecography, spectrofluorimetric analysis, urinary sediment examination, renal biopsy, cytological examination completed the disease information in order to establish a certitude diagnosis. In the management of patients with urinary disorders, the working protocol should include not only the animal anamnesis and a complete clinical examination but also a paraclinical examination which should be used depending on the patient’s clinical manifestations

THE STUDY OF PRIMATES BEHAVIOUR IN A ZOO IN TARGU-MURES

The aim of this study was to determine the normal and pathological behavior of captive primates in a zoo in Tirgu-Mures. The biological material consisted of 59 monkeys belonging to 11 species. The ethological research involved the following instruments: observation, experimentation, ethogram, spectrum analyzer, video, respectively the causal analysis. The obtained results revealed that the captive monkeys sheltered in isolated cages, with a similar development to what is found in their natural environment and placed at a tolerable distance away from visitors’ activity show no behavioral changes. On the other hand, in the case of those primates sheltered in cages which are exposed to visitors’ noise, we observed the presence of oral and motor stereotypies but also an attitude of lethargic disappointment and preoccupation. The collected data allow to define the investigated primates’ needs and also to get an idea of their welfare in zoo in Tirgu-Mures

Assessment of Genetic Relationships between Streptocarpus x hybridus V. Parents and F1 Progenies Using SRAP Markers and FT-IR Spectroscopy

The genetic relationship among three Streptocarpus parents and twelve F1 hybrids was assessed using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) molecular markers and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Both methods were able to discriminate F1 hybrids and parents as revealed by cluster analysis. For hybrid identification, the type III SRAP marker was the most effective due to the presence of male-specific bands in the hybrids. Different behaviors in the biochemical variability of DNA samples have been observed by FT-IR spectral analysis, which might be attributed to the inherent nature of the genomic DNA from parents and their F1 progenies. Mantel test was also carried out to compare morphological, SRAP, and FT-IR results based on genetic distances. The highest correlation coefficient was found between morphological and SRAP marker distances (R = 0.607; p ≤ 0.022). A lower correlation was observed between the morphological and FT-IR distance matrix (R = 0.231; p ≤0.008). Moreover, a positive correlation was found between the distances generated with SRAP and FT-IR analyses (R = 0.026) but was not statistically significant. These findings show that both SRAP and FT-IR techniques combined with morphological descriptions can be used effectively for nonconventional breeding programs for Streptocarpus to obtain new and valuable varieties

In Vivo Distribution of Poly(ethylene glycol) Functionalized Iron Oxide Nanoclusters: An Ultrastructural Study

The in vivo distribution of 50 nm clusters of polyethylene glycol-conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs-PEG) was conducted in this study. SPIONs-PEG were synthesized de novo, and their structure and paramagnetic behaviors were analyzed by specific methods (TEM, DLS, XRD, VSM). Wistar rats were treated with 10 mg Fe/kg body weight SPIONs-PEG and their organs and blood were examined at two intervals for short-term (15, 30, 60, 180 min) and long-term (6, 12, 24 h) exposure evaluation. Most exposed organs were investigated through light and transmission electron microscopy, and blood and urine samples were examined through fluorescence spectrophotometry. SPIONs-PEG clusters entered the bloodstream after intraperitoneal and intravenous administrations and ended up in the urine, with the highest clearance at 12 h. The skin and spleen were within normal histological parameters, while the liver, kidney, brain, and lungs showed signs of transient local anoxia or other transient pathological affections. This study shows that once internalized, the synthesized SPIONs-PEG disperse well through the bloodstream with minor to nil induced tissue damage, are biocompatible, have good clearance, and are suited for biomedical applications