Highlights • Short- and long-term spatial memory deficits are present in prediabetic rats. • Memory deficits are concurrent with increases of GluA1 and GLUN1 hippocampal levels. • Prediabetic rats ...display decreased hippocampal IR-β density. • Memory deficits are concurrent with decreased GR hippocampal levels.
In this prospective cohort study, Holstein cows considered to be at high risk of developing metritis (dystocia, twins, stillbirth, retained placenta, or their combination) were matched with herdmates ...at low risk of developing metritis (normal calving) and monitored daily for rectal temperature and uterine discharge during the first 12 d in milk (DIM). Blood was sampled on d 0, 1, and 3 postpartum for assessment of neutrophil phagocytic and oxidative burst activities. Blood was also sampled at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 12 DIM for determination of serum concentrations of Ca, K, Mg, nonesterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, and glucose. On the basis of receiver operator characteristic curves, subclinical hypocalcemia (SCH) was defined as a serum Ca concentration ≤8.59mg/dL in at least 1 sample in the first 3 DIM. The overall incidences of metritis and puerperal metritis were 47.3 and 30%, respectively. Concentration in blood and percentages of neutrophils undergoing phagocytosis and oxidative burst were all reduced in cows with SCH compared with normocalcemic cows. Cows with SCH were at a greater risk of developing fever, metritis, and puerperal metritis compared with normocalcemic cows. Among cows at low risk of developing metritis, those with SCH had a greater incidence of metritis (40.7%) compared with normocalcemic cows (14.3%). Similarly, among cows at high risk of developing metritis, cows with SCH had a greater incidence of metritis (77.8%) compared with normocalcemic cows (20.0%). Cows with SCH had elevated concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate compared with normocalcemic cows. The relative risk of developing metritis decreased by 22% for every 1mg/dL increase in serum Ca. Neither metritis nor SCH influenced the resumption of estrous cyclicity by 38 DIM, but cows with SCH had a reduced pregnancy rate and a longer interval to pregnancy compared with normocalcemic cows. Finally, the population risk to develop uterine diseases attributable to SCH was 66.6% for metritis and 91.3% for puerperal metritis in the present study.
The present article focuses on the current status of research and development concerning corrosion resistance of Fe-Cr-based amorphous alloys and gives suggestions for further investigations aimed at ...improving the performance of these alloys and recommendations of possible new applications. These materials, which are usually obtained either as glassy bulk material or in coating and ribbon form, show high corrosion resistance and high wear resistance and are also relatively inexpensive compared to other amorphous metallic alloys. These characteristics can lead to promising applications of these alloys in which corrosion resistance and erosion-corrosion resistance are important. This review presents the results obtained in recent years, including the effect of amorphous structure, partial crystallization and composition on corrosion resistance, as well as applications of these alloys. Although advances have been made in studies concerning Fe-Cr-based amorphous alloys, there is an important limitation in terms of using them, which is the issue related to the high Mo content needed to achieve sufficient glass-forming ability and high corrosion resistance, which significantly increases the cost of these alloys. Therefore, the cost/benefit relation of these alloys needs to be improved by studying the effect of composition and structure on corrosion resistance and finding new applications of these alloys. Based on this literature review, possible applications and further investigations of these alloys are suggested.
•The current status of research and development on the corrosion resistance of Fe-Cr-based amorphous alloys is presented•Suggestions for further investigations aimed at improving the performance of these alloys are presented•Indications of possible new applications are discussed and results obtained in recent years are presented•Applications of these alloys are suggested.
Chronic oral diseases are rarely studied together, especially with an emphasis on their common risk factors. This study examined the association of added sugar consumption on “chronic oral disease ...burden” among adolescents, with consideration of obesity and systemic inflammation pathways through structural equation modeling. A cross-sectional study was conducted of a complex random sample of adolescent students enrolled at public schools in São Luís, Brazil (n = 405). The outcome was chronic oral disease burden, a latent variable based on the presence of probing depth ≥4 mm, bleeding on probing, caries, and clinical consequences of untreated caries. The following hypotheses were tested: 1) caries and periodontal diseases among adolescents are correlated with each other; 2) added sugar consumption and obesity are associated with chronic oral disease burden; and 3) chronic oral disease burden is linked to systemic inflammation. Models were adjusted for socioeconomic status, added sugar consumption, oral hygiene behaviors, obesity, and serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6). All estimators of the latent variable chronic oral disease burden involved factor loadings ≥0.5 and P values <0.001, indicating good fit. Added sugar consumption (standardized coefficient SC = 0.212, P = 0.005), high IL-6 levels (SC = 0.130, P = 0.036), and low socioeconomic status (SC = −0.279, P = 0.001) were associated with increased chronic oral disease burden values. Obesity was associated with high IL-6 levels (SC = 0.232, P = 0.001). Visible plaque index was correlated with chronic oral disease burden (SC = 0.381, P < 0.001). Our finding that caries and periodontal diseases are associated with each other and with added sugar consumption, obesity, and systemic inflammation reinforces the guidance of the World Health Organization that any approach intended to prevent noncommunicable diseases should be directed toward common risk factors.
The exposure to a world-wide used herbicide atrazine (ATZ) (96h exposure to 2, 10, and 100μgL−1), was investigated on the freshwater fish Rhamdia quelen through a multi biomarker approach. Liver ...histopathology revealed leukocyte infiltration, hepatocyte vacuolization like steatosis and necrosis areas, leading to raised lesion index levels in all tested concentrations. The increase of free melanomacrophage numbers was observed. Gill filaments revealed considerable loss of the microridges on pavement cells at 10 and 100μgL−1 of ATZ, and a significantly increased of chloride cell (CC) number and density on apical surface area at 100μgL−1 of ATZ. CAT, GST, GPx, and GR activities were inhibited by all tested concentrations. GSH levels were reduced in individuals exposed to 100µgL−1. Osmoregulatory function was also disturbed. We observed an increase of plasma magnesium concentrations at 10µgL−1. Additionally the inhibition of branchial carbonic anhydrase activity was observed at 100µgL−1. In the kidney, carbonic anhydrase activity decreased only in the group exposed to 2µgL−1. These results suggest that ATZ, represents a potential ecotoxicological hazard and can be hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic even low concentrations. The current study was the first to show the nephrotoxic effect of ATZ in fish. Besides, in Brazil, the environmental protection agency (CONAMA) establishes that the maximum allowed level of dissolved ATZ in water is 2μgL−1, but the present results showed that this concentration may cause histopathological, biochemical and physiological changes in R. quelen.
•Silver catfish health can be compromised on atrazine contaminated water.•Atrazine can be hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic.•The liver showed relevant biochemical, histopathological and physiological changes.•Gills showed changes in pavement cells and chloride cells.•The limit of 2μgL−1 allowed by Brazilian legislation is not safe to R. quelen.
Forest edges influence more than half of the world's forests and contribute to worldwide declines in biodiversity and ecosystem functions. However, predicting these declines is challenging in ...heterogeneous fragmented landscapes. Here we assembled a global dataset on species responses to fragmentation and developed a statistical approach for quantifying edge impacts in heterogeneous landscapes to quantify edge-determined changes in abundance of 1,673 vertebrate species. We show that the abundances of 85% of species are affected, either positively or negatively, by forest edges. Species that live in the centre of the forest (forest core), that were more likely to be listed as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), reached peak abundances only at sites farther than 200-400 m from sharp high-contrast forest edges. Smaller-bodied amphibians, larger reptiles and medium-sized non-volant mammals experienced a larger reduction in suitable habitat than other forest-core species. Our results highlight the pervasive ability of forest edges to restructure ecological communities on a global scale.
Hepatic and pulmonary lesions are common in cetaceans, despite their poorly understood viral etiology. Herpesviruses (HV), adenoviruses (AdV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are emerging agents in ...cetaceans, associated with liver and/or pulmonary damage in mammals. We isolated and molecularly tested DNA for HV and AdV (n = 218 individuals; 187 liver and 108 lung samples) and RNA for HEV (n = 147 animals; 147 liver samples) from six cetacean families. All animals stranded or were bycaught in Brazil between 2001 and 2021. Positive-animals were analyzed by histopathology. Statistical analyses assessed if the prevalence of viral infection could be associated with the variables: species, family, habitat, region, sex, and age group. All samples were negative for AdV and HEV. Overall, 8.7% (19/218) of the cetaceans were HV-positive (4.8% 9/187 liver and 11.1% 12/108 lung), without HV-associated lesions. HV-prevalence was statistically significant higher in Pontoporiidae (19.2%, 10/52) when compared to Delphinidae (4.1%, 5/121), and in southeastern (17.1%, 13/76)-the most industrialized Brazilian region-when compared to the northeastern region (2.4%, 3/126). This study broadens the herpesvirus host range in cetaceans, including its description in pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Further studies must elucidate herpesvirus drivers in cetaceans.
Blood-feeding behavior has independently evolved in arthropods multiple times. Unlike hard ticks, soft ticks employ a rapid-feeding strategy for hematophagy, and there are comparatively limited ...studies on the transcriptomes of these organisms. This study investigates the soft tick Ornithodoros hermsi, conducting histopathological examinations at bitten skin sites and tick whole-body transcriptomic analyses across various developmental and feeding stages, including larvae, 1st-nymphal, and 2nd-nymphal stages. The results revealed the ability of O. hermsi to induce skin hemorrhage at the bite sites. Transcriptomic analyses identified three consistent transcriptional profiles: unfed, early-fed (6 h, 12 h, 24 h), and late-fed (5 days). The unfed profile exhibited high transcriptional activity across most of the functional classes annotated. In contrast, early-fed stages exhibited decreased expression of most functional classes, except for the unknown, which is highly expressed. Finally, transcriptional expression of most functional classes increased in the late-fed groups, resembling the baseline expression observed in the unfed groups. These findings highlight intense pre-feeding transcriptional activity in O. hermsi ticks, aligning with their rapid-feeding strategy. Moreover, besides shedding light on the temporal dynamics of key pathways during blood meal processing and tick development, this study contributes significantly to the transcriptome repertoire of a medically relevant soft tick species with relatively limited prior knowledge.
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