Differential Effects of Psychological and Physical Stress on the Sleep Pattern in Rats

In the present study, we investigated the acute effects of 2 different kinds of stress, namely physical stress (foot shock) and psychological stress (non-foot shock) induced by the communication box method, on the sleep patterns of rats. The sleep patterns were recorded for 6 h immediately after 1 h of stress. Physical and psychological stress had almost opposite effects on the sleep patterns: In the physical stress group, hourly total rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and total non-REM sleep were significantly inhibited, whereas psychological stress enhanced hourly total REM sleep but not total non-REM sleep. Further results showed that total REM sleep, total non-REM sleep, total sleep and the total number of REM sleep episodes in 5 h were reduced, and that sleep latency was prolonged compared to the control group. On the other hand, in the psychological stress group, the total REM sleep in 5 h was increased significantly due to the prolongation of the average duration of REM sleep episodes and reduced REM sleep latency. In addition, the plasma of corticosterone increased significantly after physical stress but not after psychological stress. These results suggested that the sleep patterns, particularly the patterns of REM sleep following physical and psychological stress, are probably regulated by 2 different pathways.</p

Surface Fluorescence Studies of Tissue Mitochondrial Redox State in Isolated Perfused Rat Lungs

We designed a fiber-optic-based optoelectronic fluorometer to measure emitted fluorescence from the auto-fluorescent electron carriers NADH and FAD of the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC). The ratio of NADH to FAD is called the redox ratio (RR = NADH/FAD) and is an indicator of the oxidoreductive state of tissue. We evaluated the fluorometer by measuring the fluorescence intensities of NADH and FAD at the surface of isolated, perfused rat lungs. Alterations of lung mitochondrial metabolic state were achieved by the addition of rotenone (complex I inhibitor), potassium cyanide (KCN, complex IV inhibitor) and/or pentachlorophenol (PCP, uncoupler) into the perfusate recirculating through the lung. Rotenone- or KCN-containing perfusate increased RR by 21 and 30%, respectively. In contrast, PCP-containing perfusate decreased RR by 27%. These changes are consistent with the established effects of rotenone, KCN, and PCP on the redox status of the ETC. Addition of blood to perfusate quenched NADH and FAD signal, but had no effect on RR. This study demonstrates the capacity of fluorometry to detect a change in mitochondrial redox state in isolated perfused lungs, and suggests the potential of fluorometry for use in in vivo experiments to extract a sensitive measure of lung tissue health in real-time

A Comparison of Several Algorithms and Models for Analyzing Multivariate Normal Data with Missing Responses

In this paper we compare some modern algorithms i.e. Direct Maximization of the Likelihood (DML), the EM algorithm, and Multiple Imputation (MI) for analyzing multivariate normal data with missing responses. We also compare two approaches for modeling incomplete data (1) ignoring missing data and (2) joint modeling of response and non-response mechanisms. Several types of Software which can be used to implement the above algorithms are also mentioned. We used these algorithms for a simulation study and to analyze a data set where outliers affect the parameter estimates and final conclusion. As the variance of the estimates cannot be obtained using the available software for some of the algorithms, a bootstrap method is used to find them

Method for manufacturing lightning strike mitigation composites

A method for manufacturing a composite material utilizes a tooling material having a desired shape. The surface of the tooling material is coated with a composite film that includes a conductive filler material. A composite composition is introduced into contact with the surface of the tooling material to form a desired shape. The composite composition is processed to produce the composite material, and the composite material has a conductive composite surface layer that includes the conductive filler material

Putting Women's Health Care Disparities on the Map: Examining Racial and Ethnic Disparities at the State Level

Assesses the racial/ethnic disparities in women's health status, access to and utilization of health care, and social factors such as poverty and gender wage gap by state. Examines how healthcare payment and worker shortages affect access to care

Species Diversity of Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) and Coccinellids in Apple Orchards of Urmia, Northwest of Iran

Abundance and diversity of aphid and coccinellid species were monitored in apple orchards in Urmia during 2010 and 2011. In this study, eight aphid species were collected and identified in 2010 and nine were found in 2011, while only two coccinellid species were found in both years. In 2010, Aphis pomi (De. Geer) was the most abundant aphid (55.5%) followed by Dysaphis plantaginea (Passerini) (34%). However, in 2011, Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) had the largest population (57%) in apple orchards followed by D. plantaginea (21.5%) and A. pomi (18%). Generally, more aphids were collected in June and July of 2010. However, aphid’s population in 2011 was high from mid-May until early October. Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were measured. The Shannon and Simpson indices of aphids and coccinellids in 2011 were more than those in 2010. Simpson index of aphids in 2010 and 2011 were 0.573 and 0.594, respectively, indicating that the possibility of selecting two different species of aphids was 57% in 2010 and 59% for 2011

Optical Imaging of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Oxidative Stress in Acute Lung Injury from Hyperoxia and Sepsis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many acute and chronic pulmonary disorders such as acute lung injury (ALI) in adults and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in premature infants. Bacterial infection and oxygen toxicity, which result in pulmonary vascular endothelial injury, contribute to impaired vascular growth and alveolar simplification seen in the lungs of premature infants with BPD. Hyperoxia induces ALI, reduces cell proliferation, causes DNA damage and promotes cell death by causing mitochondrial dysfunction. The objective of this study was to use an optical imaging technique to evaluate the variations in fluorescence intensities of the auto-fluorescent mitochondrial metabolic coenzymes, NADH and FAD in four different groups of rats. The ratio of these fluorescence signals (NADH/FAD), referred to as NADH redox ratio (NADH RR) has been used as an indicator of tissue metabolism in injuries. Here, we investigated whether the changes in metabolic state can be used as a marker of oxidative stress caused by hyperoxia and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in neonatal rat lungs. We examined the tissue redox states of lungs from four groups of rat pups: normoxic (21% O2) pups, hyperoxic (90% O2) pups, pups treated with LPS (normoxic + LPS), and pups treated with LPS and hyperoxia (hyperoxic + LPS). Our results show that hyperoxia oxidized the respiratory chain as reflected by a ~ 31% decrease in lung tissue NADH RR as compared to that for normoxic lungs. LPS treatment alone or with hyperoxia had no significant effect on lung tissue NADH RR as compared to that for normoxic or hyperoxic lungs, respectively. Thus, NADH RR serves as a quantitative marker of oxidative stress level in lung injury caused by two clinically important conditions: hyperoxia and LPS exposure