Earthworm toxicity tests are useful tools for terrestrial risk assessment but require a hierarchy of test designs that differ in effect levels （behavior, sublethal, lethal）. In this study, the toxicity of chlorpyrif...Earthworm toxicity tests are useful tools for terrestrial risk assessment but require a hierarchy of test designs that differ in effect levels （behavior, sublethal, lethal）. In this study, the toxicity of chlorpyrifos contaminated soil on earthworms was assessed. In addition to the acute and chronic tests, an avoidance response test was applied. Earthworms were exposed to sublethal and lethal concentration of chlorpyrifos, and evaluated for acute toxicity, growth, fecundity and avoidance response after a certain exposure period. The test methods covered all important ecological relevant endpoints （acute, chronic, behavioral）. Concentration of 78.91 mg/kg, chlorpyrifos caused significant toxic effects in all test methods, but at lower test concentrations, only significant chronic toxic effects could be observed. In present study, chlorpyrifos had adverse effect on growth and fecundity in earthworm exposed to 5 mg/kg chlorpyrifos after eight weeks. The avoidance response test, however, showed significant repellent effects at concentration of 40 mg/kg chlorpyrifos. For chlorpyrifos, concentration affecting avoidance response was far greater than growth and fecundity, it seemed likely that earthworms were not able to escape from pesticide-contaminated soil into the clean soil in field and hence were exposed continuously to elevated concentrations of pesticides.展开更多
Adult male tree shrews vigorously defend against intruding male conspecifics. However, the characteristics of social behavior have not been entirely explored in these males. In this study, male wild-type tree shrews(T...Adult male tree shrews vigorously defend against intruding male conspecifics. However, the characteristics of social behavior have not been entirely explored in these males. In this study, male wild-type tree shrews(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)and C57 BL/6 J mice were first allowed to familiarize themselves with an open-field apparatus. The tree shrews exhibited a short duration of movement(moving) in the novel environment, whereas the mice exhibited a long duration of movement. In the 30 min social preference-avoidance test, target animals significantly decreased the time spent by the experimental tree shrews in the social interaction(SI)zone, whereas experimental male mice exhibited the opposite. In addition, experimental tree shrews displayed a significantly longer latency to enter the SI zone in the second 15 min session(targetpresent) than in the first 15 min session(targetabsent), which was different from that found in mice.Distinct behavioral patterns in response to a conspecific male were also observed in male tree shrews and mice in the first, second, and third 5 min periods. Thus, social behaviors in tree shrews and mice appeared to be time dependent. In summary,our study provides results of a modified social preference-avoidance test designed for the assessment of social behavior in tree shrews. Our findings demonstrate the existence of social avoidance behavior in male tree shrews and prosocial behavior in male mice toward unfamiliar conspecifics. The tree shrew may be a new animal model, which differs from mice, for the study of social avoidance and prosocial behaviors.展开更多
Walnut oil(WO),known for abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids and an array of bioactive substances such as tocopherols,phytosterols,squalene,melatonin,and polyphenols,which is endowed with numerous health advantages.T...Walnut oil(WO),known for abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids and an array of bioactive substances such as tocopherols,phytosterols,squalene,melatonin,and polyphenols,which is endowed with numerous health advantages.The primary objective of this research was to ascertain the impact of WO on cognitive deficits in learning and memory impairment mice caused by scopolamine(SCOP).The Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance test were utilized to assess the memory and learning capabilities.WO notably counteracted the detrimental effects of SCOP on learning and memory in the Morris water maze,as indicated by a reduction in escape latency and swimming distance.Likewise,WO administration led to a notably reduced number of errors in training trial and an increased latency in testing trial when compared to the SCOP group in the step-down avoidance test.Moreover,WO activated the cholinergic system of the brain by upregulating choline acetyltransferase activity and reducing acetylcholinesterase activity.These results suggest that WO has the potential to protect against memory decline in mice,offering a promising strategy for the prevention of memory-related disorders.展开更多
The epileptic mouse model BALB/cByJ-Kv1.1mceph/mceph (mceph/mceph) is homozygous for a spontaneous mutation truncating the Shaker-like voltage gated potassium channel, Kv1.1 (Kcna1). The mceph/mceph mice are asymptoma...The epileptic mouse model BALB/cByJ-Kv1.1mceph/mceph (mceph/mceph) is homozygous for a spontaneous mutation truncating the Shaker-like voltage gated potassium channel, Kv1.1 (Kcna1). The mceph/mceph mice are asymptomatic at birth, but develop from 3 weeks of age epileptic seizures, overgrowth and neuronal hyperplasia of the hippocampus. Hippocampal cognitive function of the mice was examined by investigating emotional memory using the aversive Passive Avoidance (PA) task combined with studies of explorative behavior using the non-aversive Novel Cage test (NCT). The behavioural results were examined by multivariate analysis. Compared to wild type and heterozygous mice, the mceph/mceph mice displayed lower exploratory and safety assessment behavior in the NCT and impairment in PA retention 24 hours after training, indicating an impairment in cognitive functions. In conclusion, the epileptic mouse model BALB/cByJ-Kv1.1mceph/mceph, with chronic epilepsy related to potassium-channelopathy, display a behavioural phenotype characterized by impairments in emotional memory and defensive motivational responses probably related to hippocampal dysfunctions.展开更多
基金Preject supported by the New Century Excellent Talents in Chinese Uni-versity (No. NCET-04-0914)the National Natural Science Foundationof China (No. 30640022)Yunnan Natural Sciences Foundations (No.2002C0001Z, 2005C0004Q).
文摘Earthworm toxicity tests are useful tools for terrestrial risk assessment but require a hierarchy of test designs that differ in effect levels （behavior, sublethal, lethal）. In this study, the toxicity of chlorpyrifos contaminated soil on earthworms was assessed. In addition to the acute and chronic tests, an avoidance response test was applied. Earthworms were exposed to sublethal and lethal concentration of chlorpyrifos, and evaluated for acute toxicity, growth, fecundity and avoidance response after a certain exposure period. The test methods covered all important ecological relevant endpoints （acute, chronic, behavioral）. Concentration of 78.91 mg/kg, chlorpyrifos caused significant toxic effects in all test methods, but at lower test concentrations, only significant chronic toxic effects could be observed. In present study, chlorpyrifos had adverse effect on growth and fecundity in earthworm exposed to 5 mg/kg chlorpyrifos after eight weeks. The avoidance response test, however, showed significant repellent effects at concentration of 40 mg/kg chlorpyrifos. For chlorpyrifos, concentration affecting avoidance response was far greater than growth and fecundity, it seemed likely that earthworms were not able to escape from pesticide-contaminated soil into the clean soil in field and hence were exposed continuously to elevated concentrations of pesticides.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81671344,31500859)Major International(Regional)Joint Research Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(81920108018)+1 种基金1.3.5 Project for Disciplines of Excellence,Special Foundation for Brain Research from the Science and Technology Program of Guangdong(2018B030334001)West China Hospital of Sichuan University(ZY2016103,ZY2016203)。
文摘Adult male tree shrews vigorously defend against intruding male conspecifics. However, the characteristics of social behavior have not been entirely explored in these males. In this study, male wild-type tree shrews(Tupaia belangeri chinensis)and C57 BL/6 J mice were first allowed to familiarize themselves with an open-field apparatus. The tree shrews exhibited a short duration of movement(moving) in the novel environment, whereas the mice exhibited a long duration of movement. In the 30 min social preference-avoidance test, target animals significantly decreased the time spent by the experimental tree shrews in the social interaction(SI)zone, whereas experimental male mice exhibited the opposite. In addition, experimental tree shrews displayed a significantly longer latency to enter the SI zone in the second 15 min session(targetpresent) than in the first 15 min session(targetabsent), which was different from that found in mice.Distinct behavioral patterns in response to a conspecific male were also observed in male tree shrews and mice in the first, second, and third 5 min periods. Thus, social behaviors in tree shrews and mice appeared to be time dependent. In summary,our study provides results of a modified social preference-avoidance test designed for the assessment of social behavior in tree shrews. Our findings demonstrate the existence of social avoidance behavior in male tree shrews and prosocial behavior in male mice toward unfamiliar conspecifics. The tree shrew may be a new animal model, which differs from mice, for the study of social avoidance and prosocial behaviors.
基金supported by the Key Technology R&D Program of Shandong Province(2023TZXD069)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC-U21A20274)+2 种基金the innovation group project of Hubei Province(2023AFA042)the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System(CARS-14)by Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS-ASTIP-2016-OCRI).
文摘Walnut oil(WO),known for abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids and an array of bioactive substances such as tocopherols,phytosterols,squalene,melatonin,and polyphenols,which is endowed with numerous health advantages.The primary objective of this research was to ascertain the impact of WO on cognitive deficits in learning and memory impairment mice caused by scopolamine(SCOP).The Morris water maze and the step-down avoidance test were utilized to assess the memory and learning capabilities.WO notably counteracted the detrimental effects of SCOP on learning and memory in the Morris water maze,as indicated by a reduction in escape latency and swimming distance.Likewise,WO administration led to a notably reduced number of errors in training trial and an increased latency in testing trial when compared to the SCOP group in the step-down avoidance test.Moreover,WO activated the cholinergic system of the brain by upregulating choline acetyltransferase activity and reducing acetylcholinesterase activity.These results suggest that WO has the potential to protect against memory decline in mice,offering a promising strategy for the prevention of memory-related disorders.
基金supported by The Swedish Research Council,Karolinska Institutet Foundations and Thuring Foundations.
文摘The epileptic mouse model BALB/cByJ-Kv1.1mceph/mceph (mceph/mceph) is homozygous for a spontaneous mutation truncating the Shaker-like voltage gated potassium channel, Kv1.1 (Kcna1). The mceph/mceph mice are asymptomatic at birth, but develop from 3 weeks of age epileptic seizures, overgrowth and neuronal hyperplasia of the hippocampus. Hippocampal cognitive function of the mice was examined by investigating emotional memory using the aversive Passive Avoidance (PA) task combined with studies of explorative behavior using the non-aversive Novel Cage test (NCT). The behavioural results were examined by multivariate analysis. Compared to wild type and heterozygous mice, the mceph/mceph mice displayed lower exploratory and safety assessment behavior in the NCT and impairment in PA retention 24 hours after training, indicating an impairment in cognitive functions. In conclusion, the epileptic mouse model BALB/cByJ-Kv1.1mceph/mceph, with chronic epilepsy related to potassium-channelopathy, display a behavioural phenotype characterized by impairments in emotional memory and defensive motivational responses probably related to hippocampal dysfunctions.
