scholarly journals Evaluation of Potential Sustainable Bedding Substrates Focusing on Preference, Behavior, and Stress Physiology in Rats—A Pilot Study

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1375
Author(s):  
Miriam Annika Vogt ◽  
Lisa Marie Joy Geiger ◽  
Talia Härtel ◽  
Philipp Follert ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Stress Physiology ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Scientific Validity ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Comprehensive Management ◽  
Experimental Protocols

Ensuring optimal housing conditions for laboratory animals is a crucial prerequisite for high-quality and ethically justifiable in vivo science. In addition to guaranteeing animal welfare and promoting scientific validity, environmental sustainability is also increasingly gaining attention in laboratory animal facilities. Consequently, comprehensive management of such aspects is one of the core tasks of any research vivarium. Hygienic monitoring and adhering to standardized experimental protocols have been highlighted in the past; nevertheless, various environmental aspects of housing animals still need to be evaluated in greater depth. In this pilot study, we aimed at assessing the suitability of spelt and corncob as economical and ecologically friendly bedding substrates as compared with commonly used aspen wood chips. Therefore, following a descriptive study design, we examined the preferences of male and female Wistar rats for corncob and spelt under specific conditions. In addition, we evaluated potential effects on behavior, metabolism, and stress physiology. The type of bedding did not seem to influence behavior in the observed parameters but did have time- and sex-dependent effects on blood glucose. Furthermore, housing animals on spelt led to a significant reduction in food consumption, probably compensated for by the intake of spelt, and although it did not influence glucose levels, it may have certainly impacted the nutrient supply. Our descriptive pilot study, therefore, highlights the importance of a thorough condition-associated evaluation of even seemingly marginal environmental factors, when balancing potential cost-benefit advances in sustainability and questions of standardization and reproducibility of experimental protocols.

Neurotoxicity of Pesticides: The Roadmap for the Cubic Mode of Action

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogdan Bumbăcilă ◽  
Mihai V. Putz
Keyword(s):  
Biological Activity ◽  
Wiener Index ◽  
Laboratory Animals ◽  
Covalent Bonds ◽  
Organophosphate Compounds ◽  
Sar Studies ◽  
Structure Activity ◽  
Cubic Structure

Pesticides are used today on a planetary-wide scale. The rising need for substances with this biological activity due to an increasing consumption of agricultural and animal products and to the development of urban areas makes the chemical industry to constantly investigate new molecules or to improve the physicochemical characteristics, increase the biological activities and improve the toxicity profiles of the already known ones. Molecular databases are increasingly accessible for in vitro and in vivo bioavailability studies. In this context, structure-activity studies, by their in silico - in cerebro methods, are used to precede in vitro and in vivo studies in plants and experimental animals because they can indicate trends by statistical methods or biological activity models expressed as mathematical equations or graphical correlations, so a direction of study can be developed or another can be abandoned, saving financial resources, time and laboratory animals. Following this line of research the present paper reviews the Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies and proposes a correlation between a topological connectivity index and the biological activity or toxicity made as a result of a study performed on 11 molecules of organophosphate compounds, randomly chosen, with a basic structure including a Phosphorus atom double bounded to an Oxygen atom or to a Sulfur one and having three other simple covalent bonds with two alkoxy (-methoxy or -ethoxy) groups and to another functional group different from the alkoxy groups. The molecules were packed on a cubic structure consisting of three adjacent cubes, respecting a principle of topological efficiency, that of occupying a minimal space in that cubic structure, a method that was called the Clef Method. The central topological index selected for correlation was the Wiener index, since it was possible this way to discuss different adjacencies between the nodes in the graphs corresponding to the organophosphate compounds molecules packed on the cubic structure; accordingly, "three dimensional" variants of these connectivity indices could be considered and further used for studying the qualitative-quantitative relationships for the specific molecule-enzyme interaction complexes, including correlation between the Wiener weights (nodal specific contributions to the total Wiener index of the molecular graph) and the biochemical reactivity of some of the atoms. Finally, when passing from SAR to Q(uantitative)-SAR studies, especially by the present advanced method of the cubic molecule (Clef Method) and its good assessment of the (neuro)toxicity of the studied molecules and of their inhibitory effect on the target enzyme - acetylcholinesterase, it can be seen that a predictability of the toxicity and activity of different analogue compounds can be ensured, facilitating the in vivo experiments or improving the usage of pesticides.

scholarly journals Potential for Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) in South Bihar, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3502
Author(s):  
Somnath Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Aviram Sharma ◽  
Satiprasad Sahoo ◽  
Kishore Dhavala ◽  
Prabhakar Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Hard Rock ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Aquifer Storage And Recovery ◽  
Aquifer Recharge ◽  
Aquifer Storage ◽  
Cropping Season ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Surface Technique

Among the several options of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) techniques, the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a well-known sub-surface technique to replenish depleted aquifers, which is contingent upon the selection of appropriate sites. This paper explores the potential of ASR for groundwater recharge in the hydrological, hydrogeological, social, and economic context of South Bihar in India. Based on the water samples from more than 137 wells and socio-economic surveys, ASR installations were piloted through seven selected entrepreneurial farmers in two villages of South Bihar. The feasibility of ASR in both hard rock and deep alluvial aquifers was demonstrated for the prominent aquifer types in the marginal alluvial plains of South Bihar and elsewhere. It was postulated through this pilot study that a successful spread of ASR in South Bihar can augment usable water resources for agriculture during the winter cropping season. More importantly, ASR can adapt to local circumstances and challenges under changing climatic conditions. The flexible and participatory approach in this pilot study also allowed the farmers to creatively engage with the design and governance aspects of the recharge pit. The entrepreneurial farmers-led model builds local accountability, creates avenues for private investments, and opens up the space for continued innovation in technology and management, while also committing to resource distributive justice and environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals Application of Microextraction-Based Techniques for Screening-Controlled Drugs in Forensic Context—A Review

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 2168
Author(s):  
Samir M. Ahmad ◽  
Oriana C. Gonçalves ◽  
Mariana N. Oliveira ◽  
Nuno R. Neng ◽  
José M. F. Nogueira
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Future Trends ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Controlled Drugs ◽  
Related Compounds ◽  
Innovative Techniques ◽  
Great Simplicity

The analysis of controlled drugs in forensic matrices, i.e., urine, blood, plasma, saliva, and hair, is one of the current hot topics in the clinical and toxicological context. The use of microextraction-based approaches has gained considerable notoriety, mainly due to the great simplicity, cost-benefit, and environmental sustainability. For this reason, the application of these innovative techniques has become more relevant than ever in programs for monitoring priority substances such as the main illicit drugs, e.g., opioids, stimulants, cannabinoids, hallucinogens, dissociative drugs, and related compounds. The present contribution aims to make a comprehensive review on the state-of-the art advantages and future trends on the application of microextraction-based techniques for screening-controlled drugs in the forensic context.

scholarly journals Creatine Supplementation for Patients with Inflammatory Bowl Diseases: A Scientific Rationale for a Clinical Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1429
Author(s):  
Theo Wallimann ◽  
Caroline H. T. Hall ◽  
Sean P. Colgan ◽  
Louise E. Glover
Keyword(s):  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Creatine Supplementation

Based on theoretical considerations, experimental data with cells in vitro, animal studies in vivo, as well as a single case pilot study with one colitis patient, a consolidated hypothesis can be put forward, stating that “oral supplementation with creatine monohydrate (Cr), a pleiotropic cellular energy precursor, is likely to be effective in inducing a favorable response and/or remission in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), like ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn’s disease”. A current pilot clinical trial that incorporates the use of oral Cr at a dose of 2 × 7 g per day, over an initial period of 2 months in conjunction with ongoing therapies (NCT02463305) will be informative for the proposed larger, more long-term Cr supplementation study of 2 × 3–5 g of Cr per day for a time of 3–6 months. This strategy should be insightful to the potential for Cr in reducing or alleviating the symptoms of IBD. Supplementation with chemically pure Cr, a natural nutritional supplement, is well tolerated not only by healthy subjects, but also by patients with diverse neuromuscular diseases. If the outcome of such a clinical pilot study with Cr as monotherapy or in conjunction with metformin were positive, oral Cr supplementation could then be used in the future as potentially useful adjuvant therapeutic intervention for patients with IBD, preferably together with standard medication used for treating patients with chronic ulcerative colitis and/or Crohn’s disease.

scholarly journals Pilot Study: Quantitative Photoacoustic Evaluation of Peripheral Vascular Dynamics Induced by Carfilzomib In Vivo

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 836
Author(s):  
Thi Thao Mai ◽  
Manh-Cuong Vo ◽  
Tan-Huy Chu ◽  
Jin Young Kim ◽  
Chulhong Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Cardiovascular Events ◽  
Evaluation Method ◽  
Vascular System ◽  
Maximum Amplitude ◽  
Peripheral Vascular ◽  
Peripheral Vasculature ◽  
Mouse Ear

Carfilzomib is mainly used to treat multiple myeloma. Several side effects have been reported in patients treated with carfilzomib, especially those associated with cardiovascular events, such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. However, the side effects, especially the manifestation of cardiovascular events through capillaries, have not been fully investigated. Here, we performed a pilot experiment to monitor peripheral vascular dynamics in a mouse ear under the effects of carfilzomib using a quantitative photoacoustic vascular evaluation method. Before and after injecting the carfilzomib, bortezomib, and PBS solutions, we acquired high-resolution three-dimensional PAM data of the peripheral vasculature of the mouse ear during each experiment for 10 h. Then, the PAM maximum amplitude projection (MAP) images and five quantitative vascular parameters, i.e., photoacoustic (PA) signal, diameter, density, length fraction, and fractal dimension, were estimated. Quantitative results showed that carfilzomib induces a strong effect on the peripheral vascular system through a significant increase in all vascular parameters up to 50%, especially during the first 30 min after injection. Meanwhile, bortezomib and PBS do not have much impact on the peripheral vascular system. This pilot study verified PAM as a comprehensive method to investigate peripheral vasculature, along with the effects of carfilzomib. Therefore, we expect that PAM may be useful to predict cardiovascular events caused by carfilzomib.

Resizable Ventricular Patch Plasty in the Porcine Left Ventricle a Pilot Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willemijn H. F. Huijgen ◽  
Paul F. Gründeman ◽  
Tycho van der Spoel ◽  
Maarten-Jan Cramer ◽  
Paul Steendijk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Ventricular Volume ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Aneurysm ◽  
Patch Shape ◽  
End Diastolic Volume ◽  
Patch Plasty

Objective Endoventricular circular patch plasty is a method used to reconstruct the ventricular cavity in patients with (post) ischemic left ventricular aneurysm or global dilatation. However, late redilatation with mitral regurgitation has been reported, in which postoperative apex shape seems to play an important role. We studied the feasibility of ventricular volume downsizing with a variably shaped patch in porcine hearts. Methods In five in vitro and two acute animal experiments, a dyskinetic aneurysm was simulated with a pericardial insert. Reducing patch surface by changing patch shape diminished end-diastolic volume. In vitro, static end-diastolic volume was determined for each patch shape using volumetry and echocardiography. In the acute animal experiments, preliminary observations of patch behavior in live material were made, and pressure/time relationship, dPdTmax, was registered. Results In vitro, bringing the convex patch into a flat plane reduced LV volume from 66 ± 7 mL (aneurysm) to 49 ± 5 mL. Four of 5 patch shapes further reduced volume to a mean of 38 ± 7 mL (P = 0.03). The in vitro echocardiographic measurements correlated with volumetry findings (r = 0.81). In the acute animal experiments, dPdTmax varied with patch shape, independent of volume changes. Conclusions In this pilot study, in vitro shape configuration of the resizable ventricular patch resulted in a calibrated end-diastolic volume reduction. The data of the two in vivo pilot experiments clearly indicate that change in patch configuration in the situation of more or less unchanged end-diastolic volume had impact on cardiac performance. Future studies must substantiate the results of this observation.

Diagnostic imaging of the larynx: autofluorescence of laryngeal tumours using the helium-cadmium laser

1995 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredydd Lloyd Harries ◽  
Stephen Lam ◽  
Calum MacAulay ◽  
Jianan Qu ◽  
Branko Palcic
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Diagnostic Imaging ◽  
Vocal Folds ◽  
Tumour Tissue ◽  
Laryngeal Tumours ◽  
Bronchial Tissue ◽  
Fluorescence Images ◽  
Detection And Localization

AbstractThe use of tissue autofluorescence for the detection and localization of cancer of the larynx is described. In this pilot study, eight patients with probable carcinoma of the vocal folds underwent laryngoscopy in which the tissue autofluorescence spectra of normal and pathologically confirmed tumour tissue were acquiredin vivo. Fluorescence images of the suspect areas were also acquired using the LIFE system (Xillix Technologies Corp.). The results suggest that the autofluorescence properties of laryngeal tissue, under 442 nm illumination, are similar to those of bronchial tissue and that the LIFE system has the potential to increase the accuracy of staging of cancer of the larynx and also to allow earlier diagnosis of tumours and theirrecurrence

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