Basal Ti level in the human placenta and meconium and evidence of a materno-foetal transfer of food-grade TiO nanoparticles in an ex vivo placental perfusion model.

Background: Titanium dioxide (TiO) is broadly used in common consumer goods, including as a food additive (E171 in Europe) for colouring and opacifying properties. The E171 additive contains TiO nanoparticles (NPs), part of them being absorbed in the intestine and accumulated in several systemic organs. Exposure to TiO-NPs in rodents during pregnancy resulted in alteration of placental functions and a materno-foetal transfer of NPs, both with toxic effects on the foetus.

Disposition of plasma creatinine in non-azotaemic and moderately azotaemic cats.

The objectives of this study were to compare assay methods for plasma creatinine (Pl-creat) in cats and to describe the disposition of creatinine and iohexol in 12 healthy and moderately azotaemic cats. Exogenous creatinine and iohexol were injected simultaneously by intravenous bolus, and repeated blood samples were taken to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of each marker. Pl-creat was assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Jaffé and enzymatic methods.

Quantitative evaluation of renal function in healthy Beagle puppies and mature dogs.

Daily urinary collection and assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow were performed in ten 2-month-old Beagle puppies and ten 6-9 year-old Beagle dogs to identify age-associated differences in renal function. The most striking differences in puppies compared to mature dogs were a higher daily urinary volume (+65%), GFR (+87%), free water reabsorption (+159%), a lower daily protein excretion (-88%), and fractional excretion of phosphorus (-35%). Renal function in Beagle puppies, but not mature dogs, was also quite different compared to data published in younger adult dogs.

Effects of the repeated distribution of sainfoin hay on the resistance and the resilience of goats naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes.

Due to the high prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in goats, the need to explore novel approaches to control nematodes and to reduce the exclusive reliance on chemotherapy is strongly demanded in this host species. In sheep, several studies have shown that the consumption of tannin-rich legume forages was associated with positive effects on host resilience and resistance to parasite infection. In goats, studies on such interactions between tanniferous plants and nematode infections remain few.

Involvement of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor in the oxidative stress, death-signaling pathways, and renal injury induced by ischemia-reperfusion.

The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is a critical component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, which is involved in the regulation of cell death. In the present study we investigated the role of PBR in the regulation of signaling pathways leading to apoptotic and necrotic damage and renal dysfunction in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion. Renal ischemia-reperfusion led to extended tubular apoptosis and necrosis that were associated with peroxidative damage, high levels of proapoptotic Bax expression, and low levels of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression, cleavage of death substrate, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), and activation of a key effector of apoptosis, caspase-3.

Effects of condensed tannins on established populations and on incoming larvae of Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Teladorsagia circumcincta in goats.

The use of tanniferous plants or tannins represents one alternative approach to the control of gastrointestinal parasites in ruminants but most data have been obtained in sheep. The current study was therefore performed in goats with two objectives: firstly, to investigate the effects of condensed tannins (CT) on adult populations of Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Teladorsagia circumcincta; secondly, to examine their effects on the establishment of infective larvae of these two species. In experiment 1, two groups of kids were infected with 6 000 L3 of T.

Prevention of apoptotic and necrotic cell death, caspase-3 activation, and renal dysfunction by melatonin after ischemia/reperfusion.

The pineal hormone melatonin has been reported to protect tissue from oxidative damage. This study was designed to determine whether melatonin could prevent cell events leading to tissue injury and renal dysfunction after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Using an in vivo rat model of I/R, we show a significant increase in kidney malondialdehyde concentrations, reflecting lipid peroxidation, and cell apoptosis measured by TUNEL staining.

The accuracy of the i-STAT portable analyser for measuring blood gases and pH in whole-blood samples from dogs.

To assess the suitability of the i-STAT portable analyser for use by non-laboratory personnel, we measured blood gases and pH in venous blood samples from 100 dogs. Deming's regression and bias plots were used to compare i-STAT results with those obtained by laboratory professionals using two different autocalibrated benchtop analysers. Overall accuracy of the portable analyser proved excellent for pH, pO(2), and pCO(2) (r=0.

Maternal serum urea resistant alkaline phosphatase in Down syndrome pregnancy.

Background: The normal levels of alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in maternal serum are virtually the same as those observed in Down syndrome (DS) pregnancies at 14-20 weeks' gestation. Using urea inhibition of AP, we observed an atypical AP isoenzyme in the neutrophils of mothers with trisomy 21 fetuses.

Aim: To assess the use of urea as a selective inhibitor of serum AP in order to seek a possible diagnostic difference between normal and DS pregnancies.

Susceptibility of high and low producer dairy goats to single experimental infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis.

Culled dry dairy goats, which differed in their level of production in previous lactations, received a single infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. The objectives of the study were twofold. First, the study aimed at examining the ability of dairy goats to develop an immune response to trichostrongyle infection and the associated cellular changes developing within the intestinal mucosa.

Lower alkaline phosphatase activity and occurrence of an abnormal hybrid intestinal/tissue non-specific isoform in Down's syndrome amniotic fluids.

Quantitative and qualitative analysis of alkaline phosphatases (AP) was performed on amniotic fluid in 59 normal pregnancies and 14 Down's syndrome (DS) pregnancies at 16, 18 and 19 weeks of gestation. In DS cases, intestinal and placental isoenzyme levels were significantly reduced (P<0.001) and the AP electrophoretic pattern was seen to be modified on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Water restriction and bone metabolism in camels.

'Krafft disease', occurring in camels living in the very arid areas of North Africa, is characterized by spontaneous fractures of costal and/or appendicular bones. To better understand the mechanisms of this, we studied the influence of water restriction on plasma and urinary markers of bone metabolism in camels. Eight 2-year-old nonpregnant, nonlactating camels were studied at the research station of Laâyoune (Morocco).

Serum chemistry values for Arabian sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica).

Values for urea, creatinine, glucose, total bilirubin, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphates, magnesium, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate deshydrogenase, and creatine-kinase are reported for the first time for 32 sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) in Saudi Arabia. Comparisons were made between two groups: one sampled before a trip and the other sampled after a 14 hr trip. Only aspartate aminotransferase was higher in the second group; magnesium and phosphates were lower in that group.

Hormonal control of water and sodium in plasma and urine of camels during dehydration and rehydration.

Eight dromedary camels were studied for 24 days under control conditions (3 days), and during water deprivation (14 days) and rehydration (7 days) in Tadla (Morocco), during the summer. During dehydration, food intake gradually fell and was zero on the last day and animals lost about 30% of their body weight. However, most of this reduction in weight was attributed to water loss, since body weight of the animals returned to control values following rehydration.

Serum reference values of the Cynomolgus monkey, a model for the study of atherosclerosis.

The usual biochemical parameters were evaluated in 19 Cynomolgus monkeys (male and female), receiving a normal balanced diet. The values were near those reported in man, although certain differences were observed.

The influence of phthalate esters on human plasma lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase.

The effect of various phthalate esters on the lecithin/cholesterol acyltransferase activity in man was studied in vitro. The enzymatic activity was strongly reduced with all phthalates except for the dimethyl phthalate. The inhibition rate depends on the phthalate concentration and also on the carbon number of the alkyl groups of phthalates.

[Effect of phthalic esters on lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase].

The in vitro effects of different esters of phthalic acid at increasing levels on the activity of LCAT have been studied using three currently known methods (Mickel and Foulds, Stokke and Norum, Alcindor). Inhibition from phthalates is high. It is proportional to the amounts used and in inverse ratio to the length of the carbon chains.

[Localization of dioctyl-phthalate on normal immunoglobulins G and on those of Kahler's disease (author's transl)].

After having identified as dioctyl-phthalate (DOP), a plasticizer that comes out with fatty acids of normal immunoglobulins G (IgG) and of those of Kahler's disease, we found out that DOP is preferentially bound to the heavy chains of IgG and is either missing from myeloma proteins or more abundant in them than in normal ones.

[Fatty acids from papain fragments of normal and myeloma immunoglobulins G].

Studying the lipids bound on normal and myelomatous IgG, we have compared, using gas-liquid chromatography, the fatty acids extracted from untreated proteins, from papain hydrolysis and from Fab and Fc fragments. These last have been purified with affinity chromatography. We have been able, using mass spectrometry, to identify one of the various unknown compounds: it is di-octyl-phthlate.