Porównanie treści etykiet wybranych karm pełnoporcjowych dla psów i kotów w 2011 i 2013 roku

The objective of this study was to compare the content of selected complete dry feed labels for adult, healthy dogs and cats, emphasizing the accordance with the relevant EU requirements which have recently came into force. Additionally, simple calculations of the energy content were made to enhance the characteristics of the products available to the customer. The level of accordance reached in average 87% and 82% in dog and cat food respectively. It should be stated that the improvement of the labels content, as compared with 2011, was not significant. The key elements of the label information were either not improved or decreased (the statement of the necessity of constant access to water or daily dosage per animal). All evaluated products were typical maintenance foods, but their energy density was quite differentiated which may have some deleterious nutritional consequences associated with their long time supply.Celem prezentowanych badań była ocena treści wybranych etykiet pełnoporcjowych suchych karm dla dorosłych, zdrowych psów i kotów, z podkreśleniem zgodności z aktualnymi wymaganiami unijnymi. Średni poziom zgodności wyniósł 87 i 82%, odpowiednio dla psów i kotów. Warto podkreślić, że między 2011 a 2013 rokiem nie nastąpiła istotna poprawa treści etykiet karm. Kluczowe elementy informacyjne etykiet nie zostały poprawione, a nawet uległy pogorszeniu (np. zdanie o konieczności zapewnienia wody pitnej czy informacja o zalecanej dziennej dawce na zwierzę). Wszystkie oceniane produkty należały do grupy typowych karm bytowych, jednak ich gęstość energetyczna była dość zróżnicowana, co w perspektywie ich długookresowego podawania może mieć niekorzystne konsekwencje żywieniowe

Inactivation and tachyphylaxis of heat-evoked inward currents in nociceptive primary sensory neurones of rats

Membrane currents evoked by repeated noxious heat stimuli (43–47 °C) of 3 s duration were investigated in acutely dissociated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurones of adult rats. The heat stimuli generated by a fast solution exchanger had a rise time of 114 ± 6 ms and a fall time of 146 ± 13 ms.When heat stimuli were applied to heat-sensitive small (≤ 32·5 μm) DRG neurones, an inward membrane current (Iheat) with a mean peak of 2430 ± 550 pA was observed (n = 19). This current started to activate and deactivate with no significant latency with respect to the heat stimulus. The peak of Iheat was reached with a rise time of 625 ± 115 ms. When the heat stimulus was switched off Iheat deactivated with a fall time of 263 ± 17 ms.During constant heat stimulation Iheat decreased with time constants of 4–5 s (inactivation). At the end of a 3 s heat stimulus the peak current was reduced by 44 ± 5 % (n = 19).Current-voltage curves revealed outward rectifying properties of Iheat and a reversal potential of −6·3 ± 2·2 mV (n = 6). Inactivation was observed at all membrane potentials investigated (−80 to 60 mV); however, inactivation was more pronounced for inward currents (37 ± 5 %) than for outward currents (23 ± 6 %, P < 0·05).When neurones were investigated with repeated heat stimuli (3 to 5 times) of the same temperature, the peak current relative to the first Iheat declined by 48 ± 6 % at the 3rd stimulus (n = 19) and by 54 ± 18 % at the 5th stimulus (n = 4; tachyphylaxis).In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ (buffered with 10 mm EGTA) inactivation (by 53 ± 6 %) and tachyphylaxis (by 42 ± 7 % across three stimuli) were still observed (n = 8). The same was true when intracellular Ca2+ was buffered by 10 mm BAPTA (inactivation by 49 ± 4 %, tachyphylaxis by 52 ± 7 % across three stimuli; n = 13). Thus, inactivation and tachyphylaxis were mainly independent of intra- and extracellular Ca2+.These results indicate that inactivation and tachyphylaxis of heat-evoked inward currents can be observed in vitro, similar to adaptation and suppression of action potential discharges elicited by comparably fast heat stimuli in vivo. Whereas the voltage dependence of Iheat resembles that of capsaicin-induced membrane currents (ICaps), the independence of inactivation and tachyphylaxis of Iheat from calcium is in clear contrast to ICaps. A similar difference in calcium dependence of inactivation has been reported between heat-evoked and capsaicin-induced currents through the cloned capsaicin receptor channel VR1. Thus, the properties of Iheat and of VR1 largely account for the adaptation and suppression of heat-evoked nociceptor discharges

Effects of Speed-Dependent Treadmill training and Rhythmic Auditory-Cued Overground Walking on Gait and Balance Function and Fall Risk in Individuals with idiopathic Parkinson\u27s Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: This single-blinded, randomized controlled study examined the immediate effects of interval-based and progressive speed-dependent treadmill training (SDTT) and rhythmic auditory-cued (RAC) overground training protocols on gait and balance function and fall risk in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). SUBJECTS: Twenty participants with idiopathic PD were randomly assigned into either SDTT (n=10) or RAC (n=10). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Training consisted of 30-minute sessions, 3x/week for 6 weeks. Dependent measures included comfortable and fast gait speed (CGS, FGS), Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Rapid Step-Up Test (RST), and NeuroCom Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Motor Control Test (MCT), and Limits of Stability (LOS). ANALYSES: Paired t-test and independent t-tests analyzed within and between group training effects. RESULTS: The within-group training effects revealed statistically significant gains in CGS (p = 0.013), 6MWT (p = 0.007) and FGA (p = 0.003) for the RAC group, and in FGS (p = 0.012), 6MWT (p = 0.027) and FGA (p =0.000) for the SDTT group. Within-group training effects revealed statistically significant improvements in BBS (p = 0.017), RST (p = 0.037) and SOT Composite score (p = 0.049) for the RAC group, and in RST (p = 0.045), LOS Composite- EPE (p =0.046), and SOT Composite score (p =0.019) for the SDTT group. No statistically significant differences in training effects were found between-groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence that SDTT and RAC protocols produced significant short-term improvements in gait and balance function in a PD cohort of community ambulators

Identification of Caspase Cleavage Sites in KSHV Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen and Their Effects on Caspase-Related Host Defense Responses.

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus-8, is the causative agent of three hyperproliferative disorders: Kaposi's sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and multicentric Castleman's disease. During viral latency a small subset of viral genes are produced, including KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA), which help the virus thwart cellular defense responses. We found that exposure of KSHV-infected cells to oxidative stress, or other inducers of apoptosis and caspase activation, led to processing of LANA and that this processing could be inhibited with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK. Using sequence, peptide, and mutational analysis, two caspase cleavage sites within LANA were identified: a site for caspase-3 type caspases at the N-terminus and a site for caspase-1 and-3 type caspases at the C-terminus. Using LANA expression plasmids, we demonstrated that mutation of these cleavage sites prevents caspase-1 and caspase-3 processing of LANA. This indicates that these are the principal sites that are susceptible to caspase cleavage. Using peptides spanning the identified LANA cleavage sites, we show that caspase activity can be inhibited in vitro and that a cell-permeable peptide spanning the C-terminal cleavage site could inhibit cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and increase viability in cells undergoing etoposide-induced apoptosis. The C-terminal peptide of LANA also inhibited interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) production from lipopolysaccharide-treated THP-1 cells by more than 50%. Furthermore, mutation of the two cleavage sites in LANA led to a significant increase in IL-1β production in transfected THP-1 cells; this provides evidence that these sites function to blunt the inflammasome, which is known to be activated in latently infected PEL cells. These results suggest that specific caspase cleavage sites in KSHV LANA function to blunt apoptosis as well as interfere with the caspase-1-mediated inflammasome, thus thwarting key cellular defense mechanisms