Histological Observation of Islet Hemorrhage Induced by Diagnostic Ultrasound with Contrast Agent in Rat Pancreas

Contrast enhanced diagnostic ultrasound CEDUS has been shown to induce capillary hemorrhage in heart and kidney. This study characterized the capillary hemorrhage induced in rat pancreas. The pancreata of anesthetized hairless rats were accessed by laparotomy. A 1.5 MHz diagnostic ultrasound probe with 2.3 MPa peak rarefactional pressure amplitude and 1 s intermittent trigger was used to scan the pancreas, located at the focus (3.8 cm), through saline coupling. The probe was swept to expose the entire organ in 5 min during infusion of Definity® contrast agent at 10 µL/kg/min, and this was repeated in a reverse sweep. The entire pancreas was removed, spread flat for fixation and histological slides were prepared from the mid-plane. Slides were scored blind for islet hemorrhage over the entire area of the organ. Intra-islet microlesions were evident and hemorrhage surrounded many islets. The hemorrhage often impacted nearby acini, and expanded into inter-lobular septa. In CEDUS pancreata removed soon after scanning, 76.2±11.8% (n = 6) of islets had evidence of hemorrhage and/or islet microlesions compared to 1.1±2.5% (n = 5) for sham CEDUS (P<0.001). In pancreata removed after 4 hr, fibrin formation was detected by immunohistology in the hemorrhage and intra-islet microlesions. Diagnostic ultrasound with contrast agent induced substantial capillary hemorrhage in rat pancreas, concentrated particularly in the islets

Effects of retinoic acid on compensatory lung growth

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the effect of Retinoic acid in the growth of contralateral lung after pneumonectomy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twentyone adult male Wistar albino rats from the same colony were used. They were divided into three groups (Group A, B and C). Group A undergone only left posterolateral thoracotomy. In Group B and C, the rats were subjected to left posterolateral thoracotomy and left pneumonectomy. In Group C, rats were given intraperitoneal Retinoic acid during the operation and continued to be given everyday postoperatively. Rats were sacrificed on the 10^thday and their total body, right lung weights and right lung volumes were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The volume and weight indices of the lung were found to be higher in Group C. In histopathological examination, there was a reduction in the mean number of alveoli in Group B and C. A significant rise in the mean dimension and average wall thickness of the alveolar structure were determined in Group C.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Retinoic acid contributes to the compensatory growth of the residual lung tissue.</p

Cloning and Characterization of the Antiviral Activity of Feline Tetherin/BST-2

Human Tetherin/BST-2 has recently been identified as a cellular antiviral factor that blocks the release of various enveloped viruses. In this study, we cloned a cDNA fragment encoding a feline homolog of Tetherin/BST-2 and characterized the protein product. The degree of amino acid sequence identity between human Tetherin/BST-2 and the feline homolog was 44.4%. Similar to human Tetherin/BST-2, the expression of feline Tetherin/BST-2 mRNA was inducible by type I interferon (IFN). Exogenous expression of feline Tetherin/BST-2 efficiently inhibited the release of feline endogenous retrovirus RD-114. The extracellular domain of feline Tetherin/BST-2 has two putative N-linked glycosylation sites, N79 and N119. Complete loss of N-linked glycosylation by introduction of mutations into both sites resulted in almost complete abolition of its antiviral activity. In addition, feline Tetherin/BST-2 was insensitive to antagonism by HIV-1 Vpu, although the antiviral activity of human Tetherin/BST-2 was antagonized by HIV-1 Vpu. Our data suggest that feline Tetherin/BST-2 functions as a part of IFN-induced innate immunity against virus infection and that the induction of feline Tetherin/BST-2 in vivo may be effective as a novel antiviral strategy for viral infection

Sensitivity of PCR Assays for Murine Gammaretroviruses and Mouse Contamination in Human Blood Samples

Gammaretroviruses related to murine leukemia virus (MLV) have variously been reported to be present or absent in blood from chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) patients and healthy controls. Using subjects from New York State, we have investigated by PCR methods whether MLV-related sequences can be identified in nucleic acids isolated from whole blood or from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or following PBMC culture. We have also passaged the prostate cancer cell line LNCaP following incubation with plasma from patients and controls and assayed nucleic acids for viral sequences. We have used 15 sets of primers that can effectively amplify conserved regions of murine endogenous and exogenous retrovirus sequences. We demonstrate that our PCR assays for MLV-related gag sequences and for mouse DNA contamination are extremely sensitive. While we have identified MLV-like gag sequences following PCR on human DNA preparations, we are unable to conclude that these sequences originated in the blood samples

A Selective, Efficient and Environmentally Friendly Method for the Oxidative Cleavage of Glycols

A catalytic methodology for the oxidative cleavage of vicinal diols is described as an advantageous alternative in terms of the environmental impact on classical methods involving toxic oxidants. The novel strategy is based on the use of dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes as catalysts and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as an oxidant and displays high selectivity and a broad scope for glycol cleavage. In addition, the developed system is also useful for the oxidation of acyloins to diketones.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and FEDER (CTQ2013-48937-C2-1-P) and Junta de Castilla y León (BU237U13