Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on sleep structure and quality in children with autism.

Introduction: Sleep disorders are common in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can influence the excitability of neuronal cells in stimulated areas, leading to improvements in sleep and other autistic symptoms. However, studies on clinical mechanisms of TMS in treating sleep disorders associated with ASD are limited.

A novel 3-dimensional micro-ultrasound approach to automated measurement of carotid arterial plaque volume as a biomarker for experimental atherosclerosis.

Improved methods for non-invasive in vivo assessment are needed to guide development of animal models of atherosclerosis and to evaluate target engagement and in vivo efficacy of new drugs. Using novel 3D-micro-ultrasound technology, we developed and validated a novel protocol for 3D acquisition and analysis of imaging to follow lesion progression in atherosclerotic mice. The carotid arteries of ApoE receptor knockout mice and normal control mice were imaged within the proximal 2mm from the aortic branch point.

Effect of particulate and gaseous pollutants on spontaneous arrhythmias in aged rats.

Epidemiology studies suggest that exposure to air pollution increases the frequency of cardiac arrhythmias. A limitation of these studies is that it is difficult to link an increased risk of arrhythmias to a specific air pollutant. Animal exposure studies offer the opportunity to examine the effects of concentrated ambient fine particulate matter (PM), ultrafine PM, and copollutant gases separately.

Immediate effects of particulate air pollutants on heart rate and respiratory rate in hypertensive rats.

Time-series studies have shown that the lag time between elevated particulate air pollution (PM) and increases in cardiovascular-related hospital admissions and death is very short 1 d or less. If PM does cause serious cardiovascular effects shortly after exposure, one would expect to see some physiological change during exposure. In this study, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) with surgically implanted blood pressure transmitters were exposed to concentrated ambient PM (CAPS) for 4 h to determine whether CAPS inhalation causes immediate effects.

Quantitative analysis of cardiac data from rats monitored by telemetry: reducing within- and between-animal variability.

Few studies have examined the sources of variability in cardiac function measurements in unrestrained animals and the impact of this variability on detection of treatment effects. The heart rate was monitored with implanted ECG transmitters in two groups of male rats, age 7 and 23 mo. Animals were monitored in their cages to determine optimal heart rate sampling frequency and sources of variability in heart rate, including whether there were persistent animal-to-animal differences.

Effects of inhaled ambient particulate matter on pulmonary antimicrobial immune defense.

Respiratory-tract infection, specifically pneumonia, contributes substantially to the increased morbidity and mortality among elderly individuals exposed to airborne particulate matter of <10 microm diameter (PM(10)). These epidemiological findings suggest that PM(10) may act as an immunosuppressive factor that can undermine normal pulmonary antimicrobial defense mechanisms. To investigate whether, and how, compromised pulmonary immunocompetence might contribute to increased mortality, two sets of laboratory studies were performed.

Effect of concentrated ambient particulate matter on blood coagulation parameters in rats.

Epidemiologic studies have shown that exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with short-term increases in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. These adverse effects of inhaled particulate matter (PM*) may be the indirect result of a PM-induced increase in blood coagulability. This explanation is biologically plausible because prospective studies have shown that increases in blood coagulation parameters are significantly associated with risk of adverse cardiovascular events.

A role for associated transition metals in the immunotoxicity of inhaled ambient particulate matter.

Epidemiologic studies demonstrate that infection, specifically pneumonia, contributes substantially to the increased morbidity and mortality among elderly individuals following exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM). This laboratory has previously demonstrated that a single inhalation exposure of Streptococcus pneumoniae-infected rats to concentrated ambient PM(2.5) (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < or =2.