Lithium attenuated the depressant and anxiogenic effect of juvenile social stress through mitigating the negative impact of interlukin-1β and nitric oxide on hypothala...

Abstract—The neuroimmune-endocrine dysfunction has been accepted as one of fundamental mechanisms contributing to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders including depression and anxiety. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the involvement of hypothalamic–pituitary–adre nal (HPA) axis, interleukin-1b, and nitrergic system in mediating the negative behavioral impacts of juvenile social isolation stress (SIS) in male mice. We also investigated the possible protective effects of lithium on behavioral and neurochemical changes in socially isolated animals. Results showed that experiencing 4-weeks of juvenile SIS provoked depressive and anxiety-like behaviors that were associated with hyper responsiveness of HPA axis, upregulation of interleukin-1b, and nitric oxide (NO) overproduction in the pre-frontal cortex and hippocampus. Administration of lithium (10 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the depressant and anxiogenic effects of SIS in behavioral tests. Lithium also restored the negative effects of SIS on cortical and hippocampal interleukin-1b and NO as well as HPA axis deregulation. Unlike the neutralizing effects of L-arginine (NO precursor), administration of L-NAME (3 mg/kg) and aminoguanidine (20 mg/kg) potentiated the positive effects of lithium on the behavioral and neurochemical profile of isolated mice. In conclusion, our results revealed that juvenile SIS-induced behavioral deficits are associated with abnormalities in HPA-immune function. Also, we suggest that alleviating effects of lithium on behavioral profile of isolated mice may be partly mediated by mitigating the negative impact of NO on HPA-immune function. � 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserve

Detecção de anticorpos para Anaplasma sp. em pequenos ruminantes no semi-árido do estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

Neste trabalho é descrita a detecção de anticorpos para Anaplasma sp. em caprinos e ovinos da região do semi-árido do Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, utilizando-se um ensaio de imunoadsorção enzimática baseado em MSP5 recombinante de Anaplasma marginale. Foram analisados soros de 243 caprinos e 68 ovinos provenientes do município de Ibimirim, e observadas freqüências de anticorpos de 11,93% (29/243) e 16,17% (11/68) para caprinos e ovinos, respectivamente. A importância epidemiológica dos achados foi discutida.This paper reports the detection of antibodies against Anaplasma sp. in goats and sheep from the semi-arid region from Pernambuco State, Brazil, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant MSP5 of Anaplasma marginale. Sera from 243 goats and 68 sheep from Ibimirim municipality were analyzed and frequencies of antibodies of 11.93% (29/243) and 16.17% (11/68) were found for goats and sheep, respectively. The epidemiological relevance of the findings was discussed

Simultaneous Impact of the Presence of Foreign MNEs on Indigenous Firms’ Exports and Domestic Sales

YesIncorporating the global production network approach and competitor analysis, this paper establishes an analytical framework with two hypotheses for the role of foreign multinational enterprises (FMNEs) in indigenous firms’ exports and domestic sales. First, the presence of FMNEs as a whole is likely to have a negative impact on indigenous firms’ domestic sales but a simultaneous positive impact on their exports in an emerging economy like China. Second, the presence of MNEs from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (HMT MNEs) is more likely to generate this pattern of impact than MNEs from other countries (Other FMNEs). The FDI-led export strategy contributed to the dominance of the scenario described by the first hypothesis in China, while a higher degree of market commonality and resource similarity of HMT MNEs with that of indigenous Chinese firms than Other FMNEs leads to the second hypothesis. These novel hypotheses are tested and supported by a very large and recent firm-level panel dataset from Chinese manufacturing

Effect of Aegle Marmelos Fruit Juice Concentrate on Serum Glucose and Lipid Level and ALT/AST Activities in Diabetic Rats

Abstract: Introduction: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of bael (Aegle marmelos) on glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, creatinine levels and the activity of ALT and AST in the serum of diabetic rats. Method: 45 Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were selected. The rats were divided into three groups. The first group was considered as negative control (non-diabetic rats) and diabetes mellitus was induced in the remained rats by I.V. injection of alloxan (50 mg/kg BW). Following induction of diabetes mellitus 15 diabetic rats were considered as positive control and 15 ones as treatment group. Treatment group was fed with homogenous mixture of ordinary rat food and Bael concentrate (2gr/kg food)for three weeks and the remaining groups were fed with ordinary rat food. Results: Following induction of diabetes mellitus, concentration of serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and the activity of ALT increased significantly (P<0.01), but AST activity and creatinine concentration not varied. Food and water intake was increased and body weight of rats was decreased (p<0.01). Consumption of bael concentrate caused a significant decrease in serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and the activity of ALT (P<0.01), and also food and water intake was decreased (p<0.01). Conclusion: The results of this study show that Aegle marmelos concentrate exhibit hypoglycemic and hypolipidaemic effects in diabetic rats. Keywords: Aegle marmelos, Gucose, Lipid, ALT, AST, Diabetes mellitus, Ra

Distribution Map and Community Characteristics of Weeds in Barley Fields of Ardabil Province

Surveying weeds of irrigated barley fields is one of the most important practices in weed management. Based on cultivated areas irrigated barley in all counties of Ardabil province during six years (2000-2005), 46 sample barley fields were selected and weed species were counted in each sampling point and population indices were calculated with Thomas method. By using specific furmula the density, frequency and uniformity of each weed species in fields were calculated. In each field longitude, latitude and altitude were recorded by using GPS. These data were used for producing weed maps using GIS. Results showed that Galium tricurnatum, Fumaria vaillantiand Raphanus raphanistrum were dominante broadleaf species in irrigated barley fields of Ardabil province. The dominant grassy weed species in these fields were Avena fatua and Secale cereal. Convolvulus arvensis and Cirsium arvense were the most important troublesome plants prior to harvesting in irrigated barley fields of this province