Archaeorhynchus preserving significant soft tissue including probable fossilized lungs.

We describe a specimen of the basal ornithuromorph Archaeorhynchus spathula from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation with extensive soft tissue preservation. Although it is the fifth specimen to be described, unlike the others it preserves significant traces of the plumage, revealing a pintail morphology previously unrecognized among Mesozoic birds, but common in extant neornithines. In addition, this specimen preserves the probable remnants of the paired lungs, an identification supported by topographical and macro- and microscopic anatomical observations. The preserved morphology reveals a lung very similar to that of living birds. It indicates that pulmonary specializations such as exceedingly subdivided parenchyma that allow birds to achieve the oxygen acquisition capacity necessary to support powered flight were present in ornithuromorph birds 120 Mya. Among extant air breathing vertebrates, birds have structurally the most complex and functionally the most efficient respiratory system, which facilitates their highly energetically demanding form of locomotion, even in extremely oxygen-poor environments. Archaeorhynchus is commonly resolved as the most basal known ornithuromorph bird, capturing a stage of avian evolution in which skeletal indicators of respiration remain primitive yet the lung microstructure appears modern. This adds to growing evidence that many physiological modifications of soft tissue systems (e.g., digestive system and respiratory system) that characterize living birds and are key to their current success may have preceded the evolution of obvious skeletal adaptations traditionally tracked through the fossil record.

Comparative safety evaluation of riot control agents of synthetic and natural origin.

Riot control agents (RCA) are lachrymatory, irritating compounds which temporarily incapacitate the uncontainable crowd. Ortho-Chlorobenzylidene-malononitrile (CS), 2-chloroacetophenone (CN), dibenz[b,f]1:4-oxazepine (CR), and nonivamide (PAVA) are synthetic RCAs, while oleoresin extract of chili known as oleoresin capsicum (OC) a natural irritant has been in use by various law enforcement agencies. Though efficacy of these agents is beyond doubt, they suffer from certain drawbacks including toxicity, production cost, and ecological compatibility. Presently, we have evaluated the safety of CR, OC, and PAVA on inhalation variables along with oral lethality. Additionally, the liver function test (LFT) in serum and lungs function was evaluated in broncho-alveolar-lavage fluid (BALF), both collected on the 14th day after RCA exposure. Animals then sacrificed and histopathology of liver and lungs was carried out. Results showed OC and PAVA to be more toxic than CR with an oral LD50 of 150 and 200 mg/kg body weight, respectively, while CR was safe at >3 g/kg body weight. All three agents caused severe impairment of respiratory variables bringing down normal respiration by >80% with rise in sensory irritation. Recovery from the irritating effect of CR was more rapid than OC and PAVA. LFT and BALF variables were not significantly different from that of control. There were no remarkable histopathological changes in liver and lungs. Hence, as per results, CR is safest among all synthetic and natural origin RCAs and can be safely used for effective dispersion of disobedient mob.

Overview of Respiratory Studies to Support ICH S7A.

Tests of pulmonary function are useful tools for evaluating the potential for compounds to produce toxicity affecting the pulmonary system. Insults to the pulmonary system (i.e., due to drugs, biologics, toxins) can cause detectable dysfunction through multiple mechanisms. Manifestation of the response to insults will depend on the component(s) involved and the compensatory mechanism(s) initiated. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the concepts of pulmonary testing as it is applied to the preclinical evaluation of pharmaceutical test articles. The topics will include the techniques and methods that have been developed for use in nonclinical (animal) subjects and the parameters that are routinely measured.

The 4D hyperspherical diffusion wavelet: A new method for the detection of localized anatomical variation.

Recently, the HyperSPHARM algorithm was proposed to parameterize multiple disjoint objects in a holistic manner using the 4D hyperspherical harmonics. The HyperSPHARM coefficients are global; they cannot be used to directly infer localized variations in signal. In this paper, we present a unified wavelet framework that links Hyper-SPHARM to the diffusion wavelet transform. Specifically, we will show that the HyperSPHARM basis forms a subset of a wavelet-based multiscale representation of surface-based signals. This wavelet, termed the hyperspherical diffusion wavelet, is a consequence of the equivalence of isotropic heat diffusion smoothing and the diffusion wavelet transform on the hypersphere. Our framework allows for the statistical inference of highly localized anatomical changes, which we demonstrate in the first-ever developmental study on the hyoid bone investigating gender and age effects. We also show that the hyperspherical wavelet successfully picks up group-wise differences that are barely detectable using SPHARM.

Assessment of red onion on antioxidant activity in rat.

Oxidative stress related to the aging process can increase the risk of degenerative disease. Red onions contain antioxidative compounds. This study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary red onion peel and/or flesh on antioxidative activity in rats. Twenty Sprague-Dawley male rats (18 weeks old) were divided into four groups. Each group was raised for 4 weeks on a red onion free control diet (ND), red onion diet containing 5% red onion peel (RP), 5% red onion flesh (RF), or 5% red onion peel+flesh (RPF). The results demonstrated that serum SOD activity was significantly increased in the RP and RPF groups, whereas glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was significantly higher in the RF group than in the ND group. Catalase activity and ORAC activity in liver showed upward tendency in the RP, RF, and RPF groups although the differences were not statistically significant. Liver malondialdehyde levels in the RPF group were significantly lower than those in the ND group were. In conclusion, red onion may enhance antioxidant defense mechanism through the induction of plasma SOD and GPx activities and inhibited liver lipid peroxidation. Therefore, red onion may exert important protective effects against oxidative stress related diseases.

Toxicity of apolar and polar Lantana camara L. crude extracts in mice.

Lantana camara L, widely used in folk medicine, presents toxicity for farm animals. The acute poisoning effects of the apolar and polar L. camara L. extracts in mice were done. The percentage of death during 7 days after treatment, the acute signs of toxicity as well as the general activity observed in open field were assessed. The extracts were administered by i.p. route at 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0 g/kg. Animals were evaluated during the first 2 h after the treatments to assess the acute signs of toxicity and daily observations were done for the presence of death. In the end of the experiment, at day 7, or immediately after death the animals had their organs removed, weighted and observed for macroscopic alterations. (1)H NMR and TLC analysis suggest the presence of triterpenoids in the apolar phase but not in the polar phase. Results showed also that both extracts produced similar percentage of death, mainly after 2 days of treatment; only the apolar extract presented a dose-dependent increased lethality. At necropsy, mice treated by both apolar and polar extracts were severely icteric, dehydrated and constipated, with hepatosis, showed congested heart and lung, and nephrosis; no skin lesions were shown. The main signs of toxicity revealed a decreased spontaneous general activity. In addition, it was observed a decreased duration of locomotion and animal rearing parallel to an increased immobility in the open field. The similarity of the signs related to the acute toxicity for both apolar and polar extracts suggested that the extracts have some of the active toxic principles in common. Data from open field behavior and spontaneous signs of toxicity suggest that the toxic principles have depressive properties on central nervous system.

Effects of Cecropia pachystachya and Larrea divaricata aqueous extracts in mice.

Our studies were performed to investigate the effects of the aqueous extracts of Cecropia pachystachya and Larrea divaricata. These plants are used in folkloric medicine in infusion and were administered orally (0.76 g/kg) to male Albino Swiss mice for 16 days, on drink intake, organ weight/body weight (OW/BW x 100) ratio, histology, broqueoalveolar fluid (BALF) and elevated plus-maze (EPM). Feeding as well as body weight were unaffected by the consumption of these extracts. There were no signs of toxicity in BALF, morbidity or mortality during the study. C. pachystachya caused an increase in relative kidney OW/BW (p

Peroxiredoxin I is a negative regulator of Th2-dominant allergic asthma.

Peroxiredoxin (Prx) I, a ubiquitous antioxidant enzyme, is known to protect against inflammation; however, its role in the allergic inflammation remains unidentified. We determined whether intristic Prx I protects against allergic asthma traits using Prx-I knockout (-/-) mice. Prx I (-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were immunized with ovalbumin (OVA) plus aluminum potassium sulfate (Alum: Th2 adjuvant) and subsequently challenged with OVA. Twenty-four hours after the last OVA challenge, leukocyte influx including eosinophils into bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was significantly greater in Prx I (-/-) mice compared to that in WT mice. On the other hand, when these mice were immunized with OVA+complete Freund's adjuvant (Th1 adjuvant), opposite phenomenon was observed. In the presence of OVA/Alum, peribronchial inflammatory leukocyte infiltration, cholinergic airway resistance, and the lung expression of interleukin (IL)-2 were significantly greater and that of interferon-gamma was significantly lesser in Prx I (-/-) than in WT mice. In vitro, OVA/Alum-sensitized Prx I (-/-) T cells proliferated more profoundly than WT T cells when they were cocultured with syngeneic bone marrow-generated dendritic cells. These results indicate that endogenous Prx I protects against allergen-related Th2-type airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, at least partly, via the suppression of the lung expression of IL-2 and regulation of the Th1/Th2 balance in addition to its antioxidative properties. Furthermore, Prx I can inhibit allergen-specific T-cell proliferation through immunological synapse. Our findings implicate an alternative therapeutic value of Prx I in the treatment of Th2-skewed allergic airway inflammatory diseases such as atopic asthma.

Investigating lung remodeling in Modul8-treated BALB/c asthmatic animals.

Animal models of bronchial hyperresponsiveness have been successfully used to investigate the pathophysiology of asthma. When mice are sensitized and challenged with an allergen, such as OVA, they experience symptoms and processes similar to that of humans, and are therefore widely used as asthmatic animal models. In the current study the BALB/c murine asthmatic animal model was used to investigate the histological and ultrastructural changes that occur in the lungs of asthmatic animals that received no treatment, compared to two groups of asthmatic animals that were treated with a homeopathic immunodulator Modul8 and hydrocortisone as positive control, respectively. Eosinophil counts in the bronchial lavage of the animals were also analyzed, since it is known that eosinophil counts are increased in the bronchial lavage in asthma. Results indicated that eosinophil counts were elevated in asthmatic animals compared to the controls, but were found to be significantly decreased in the treatment groups. Also, in the asthmatic, untreated animals, histological and ultrastructural changes, typically associated with the inflammatory process were found. Both treatment groups compared well to that of the control animals, indicating that the homeopathic product might be successfully used in the treatment of asthma.

Retrospective analysis of 4-week inhalation studies in rats with focus on fate and pulmonary toxicity of two nanosized aluminum oxyhydroxides (boehmite) and pigment-grade iron oxide (magnetite): the key metric of dose is particle mass and not particle surface area.

This paper compares the pulmonary toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics of three different types of poorly soluble dusts examined in repeated rat inhalation bioassays (6h/day, 5 days/week, 4 weeks). In these studies the fate of particles was studied during a 3-6-month postexposure period. This retrospective analysis included two types of aluminum oxyhydroxides (AlOOH, boehmite), high purity calcined, and agglomerated nanosized aluminas of very low solubility with primary isometric particles of 10 or 40nm, and synthetic iron oxide black (Fe(3)O(4) pigment grade). Three metrics of dose (actual mass concentration, surface area concentration, mass-based lung burden) were compared with pulmonary toxicity characterized by bronchoalveolar lavage. The results of this analysis provide strong evidence that pulmonary toxicity (inflammation) corresponds best with the mass-based cumulative lung exposure dose. The inhalation study with a MMAD of approximately 0.5microm yielded a higher pulmonary dose than MMADs in the range of 1-2microm, a range most commonly used in repeated exposure inhalation studies. Hence, a key premise for the dosimetric adjustment across species is that comparable lung tissue doses should cause comparable effects. From that perspective, the determination of mass-based pulmonary lung burdens appears to be amongst the most important and critical nominator of dose and dose-related pulmonary toxicity.

[Study on the visualization of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin].

OBJECTIVE: To display the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin at the body surface in a virtual human. METHODS: After defining the acupoints as the control points, chose suitable function interpolation to compose skeleton curve, actualize surface rendering and to rebuild a tube-like meridian model. RESULTS: The rebuilt tubular meridian model had a good visual effect, and clearly showed different anatomic structures of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin. CONCLUSION: We primarily and successfully accomplish the visualization display of the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin in a virtual human, which affords a data carrier for building a meridian research platform.

Temporal variation and interaction between nutritional and developmental instability in prehistoric Japanese populations.

We examined nutritional and developmental instability in prehistoric Japan, using data from 49 individuals across 13 archaeological sites. Hypoplasia incidence was used as a measure of nutritional stress, and fluctuating asymmetry (of upper facial breath, orbital breadth, and orbital height) as an indirect assessment of developmental instability. Abundant resources due to a stable climate during the Middle Jomon (5,000-3,000 BP) encouraged population growth, which led to regional cultural homogeneity and complexity. A population crash on Honshu in the Late/Final Jomon (roughly 4,000-2,000 BP) led to regionally divergent subsistence economies and settlement patterns. We find that the nutritional stress was consistent between periods, but developmental instability (DI) decreased in the Late/Final Jomon. While the DI values were not statistically significant, the higher values for Middle Jomon may result from sedentism, social stratification, and differential access to resources. On Hokkaido, Jomon culture persisted until the Okhotsk period (1,000-600 BP), marked by the arrival of immigrants from Sakhalin. Nutritional stress was consistent between Middle and Late/Final Jomon, but DI increased in the Late/Final. Nutritional and developmental instability decreased from Late/Final to Okhotsk, suggesting a positive immigrant effect. We expected to find an association between stress markers due to the synergistic relationship between nutrition and pathology. The data support this hypothesis, but only one finding was statistically significant. While high critical values from small sample sizes place limits on the significance of our results, we find that the impact of environmental and cultural change to prehistoric Japanese populations was minimal.

Thymulin inhibits monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension modulating interleukin-6 expression and suppressing p38 pathway.

The pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) includes an inflammatory response. Thymulin, a zinc-dependent thymic hormone, has important immunobiological effects by inhibiting various proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. We investigated morphological and hemodynamic effects of thymulin administration in a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PH, as well as the pattern of proinflammatory cytokine gene expression and the intracellular pathways involved. Adult Wistar rats received an injection of MCT (60 mg/kg, sc) or an equal volume of saline. One day after, the animals randomly received during 3 wk an injection of saline, vehicle (zinc plus carboxymethyl cellulose), or thymulin (100 ng/kg, sc, daily). At d 23-25, the animals were anesthetized for hemodynamic recordings, whereas heart and lungs were collected for morphometric and molecular analysis. Thymulin prevented morphological, hemodynamic, and inflammatory cardiopulmonary profile characteristic of MCT-induced PH, whereas part of these effects were also observed in MCT-treated animals injected with the thymulin's vehicle containing zinc. The pulmonary thymulin effect was likely mediated through suppression of p38 pathway.

The influence of folic acid, vitamins B(2) and B(6) supplementation on feed intake, body and organs weight, and liver fatty acids composition of rats subjected to 3 months moderate protein deprivation.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of a 3-month dietary protein restriction - protein provided 9% of energy (20% in control group). In this dietary restriction folic acid, vitamins B(2) and B(6) were delivered in amount three times above the standard level. It was observed that animals fed a protein restricted (PR) diet weighed about 5% less than animals consuming adequate diet, but the difference was not statistically significant. Enrichment of PR diet with vitamin B or folic acid caused tendency to further suppression of weight gain, and in case of vitamin B(6) these differences were statistically significant. However, such body weight (BW) suppression was not observed when all studied vitamins were used together. Significant reductions in relative liver weight (vitamin B(2) addition), the heart (folic acid) and the lungs (vitamin B(6)) were observed. The PR diet, when all vitamins were added together, caused a decrease in weights of the lungs, heart and liver scaled to BW of rats, simultaneously with a significant increase in testis weight. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were higher in animals given PR diet without a significant influence of vitamin supplementation (except vitamin B(6) causing further increase in feed conversion ratio). Hepatic fatty acids composition of rats was not affected by protein restriction, as well as by single vitamin supplementation. However, dietary supplementation of all examined vitamins together caused a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids followed by an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids participation in total fatty acids pool. It seems that enrichment of PR diet with a mixture of folic acid, vitamins B(2) and B(6) resulted in a partial reverse of growth suppression and reduction in testis size in rats.

Influence of folic acid, vitamin B2 and B6 supplementation on feed intake, body and organs weight, and liver fatty acids composition in rats subjected to severe protein deprivation.

Growing rats fed for 3 months a low-protein (LP) diet (4.5% of energy from protein), possessed about 29% lower body weight than animals consuming adequate-protein diet (20% energy from protein). The LP diet feeding caused an increase in daily feed intake followed by a decrease in feed conversion efficiency. The enrichment of LP diet with folic acid, vitamin B2 and B6 (3 times above the level applied in the control diet) did not have any impact on rats BW and supplementation with these vitamins minimize the effect of LP diet on feed intake. The use of examined vitamins had a tendency to diminish an increase in feed conversion ratio caused by the LP nutrition. This effect was significant when all vitamins were added together. Rats fed the LP diet had higher relative weights of lungs, heart, liver and testis. Vitamins enriching the LP diet were observed to decrease a relative weight of lungs (folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin mixture), and liver (vitamin B6 and vitamin mixture). A tendency of increasing relative testis weight was also revealed in rats given the LP diet enriched with vitamins. The lower content of hepatic polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) and a tendency for monounsaturated FA content to be higher were found in rats fed the LP diet. The LP diet enrichment with folic acid caused that these changes were more pronounced and statistically significant. Enrichment of LP diet with vitamins tested may cause a partial reverse of changes observed in the hepatic FA composition.

Use of bovine somatotropin for increased skeletal and lean tissue growth of Holstein steers.

One hundred-sixty Holstein growing-finishing steers (initial BW of 185 kg) were blocked by BW to determine the effectiveness of long-term bovine somatotropin (bST) administration on lean, skeletal, and carcass measurements. Steers were randomly allocated to 4 treatments (10 steers/treatment) within a block (n = 4 blocks). Treatments were control, no bST (C-C); bST from d 0 to 182 (bST-C); bST from d 183 to slaughter (C-bST); and bST from d 0 to slaughter (bST-bST). Steers received a s.c. injection of placebo or bST at 14-d intervals. Doses were 320 mg of bST/injection from d 0 to 112 and 640 mg of bST/injection from d 113 to slaughter. The last treatment was administered 31 d before slaughter. Steers received a 14% CP (DM basis) diet from d 0 to 182 and 11.5% CP from d 183 to slaughter that consisted of dry, whole-shelled corn and a pelleted protein-mineral supplement. Steers were slaughtered when BW per block averaged 615 kg (d 325, 353, 367, and 381 for the 4 blocks, respectively). Thirty steers were removed from the study because of poor performance with respect to their pen mates, illness, lameness, death, incomplete castration, and incorrect treatment. Serum IGF-I concentrations increased 151% (P < 0.01) from d 7 through 35 in bST-treated steers compared with control steers. During the first 182 d, bST-C and bST-bST steers were heavier (P < 0.01) and had greater (P < 0.01) ADG, G:F, hip height, and hip height gain compared with C-C and C-bST steers. From d 183 to slaughter, C-bST steers had reduced (P < 0.05) daily DMI and greater G:F than bST-C steers. At final slaughter, C-bST and bST-bST steers had greater (P < 0.05) hip height than C-C steers. Noncarcass weight was increased and dressing percent reduced (P < 0.05) in C-bST and bST-bST steers compared with C-C steers. Quality grade was least (P < 0.05) in bST-bST carcasses compared with C-C, whereas bST-C and C-bST carcasses were intermediate. At final slaughter, steers receiving bST had greater (P < 0.05) carcass protein and water composition and lower (P < 0.05) carcass lipid and lipid accretion than C-C steers. Bovine somatotropin was effective in reducing carcass fat and increasing edible lean. Administering bST to young, lightweight steers increased skeletal growth and noncarcass weight without an increase in total carcass weight, but decreased carcass quality.

Interspecies scaling of inhalational anesthetic potency minimum alveolar concentration (MAC): application of a correction factor for the prediction of MAC in humans.

The objective of this study was to predict minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of inhalational anesthetics in humans from animal data. The MAC of 10 anesthetics was obtained from the literature. At least three animal species (excluding humans) were used in the scaling. Interspecies scaling of MAC was performed in two ways: (1) using the traditional allometric approach, the MAC of each drug was plotted against the body weight of the species on a log-log scale, and MAC in humans was predicted from the resultant equation; and (2) MAC in each species was multiplied by a correction factor obtained by adjusting the lung weight of the species based on per kg body weight. The product of the correction factor and the MAC was then plotted against body weight as described in the traditional approach. Predicted MAC values in humans from animal data using simple allometry produced comparatively more error than the prediction made by incorporating the correction factor into the scaling. The results of this study indicate that MAC may not be predicted in humans from animal data using simple allometry; however, applying a correction factor may significantly improve the prediction of MAC in humans from animal data.

Lung morphometry after repetitive antenatal glucocorticoid treatment in preterm sheep.

Antenatal glucocorticoids are thought to be less effective when delivery occurs more than 7 d after initiation of treatment; therefore, repeat courses are often administered. We examined lung structure after single or repetitive antenatal glucocorticoid injections in fetal sheep. Pregnant ewes received single or repetitive doses of 0.5 mg/kg betamethasone at 7-d intervals by maternal or fetal injection, beginning at D104 or D114 with delivery at D125, D135, or D146 gestation (term = 150 d). Changes in lung structure were more pronounced after repetitive versus single injections. Repetitive fetal or maternal injections beginning at D104 (delivery at D125) resulted in comparable structural changes: alveolar volume increased by 50 to 80%, alveolar numerical density decreased by 30 to 40%, and pleural and interlobular septal volumes decreased by as much as 70%. Similar changes were seen in animals delivered at D135 after repetitive maternal injections beginning at D114. There were no structural differences between control and repetitive betamethasone animals when delivery was delayed until D146, indicating that betamethasone induced structural changes were reversible.

Arginine-supplemented diet decreases expression of inflammatory cytokines and improves survival in burned rats.

BACKGROUND: We examined whether the expression of inflammatory cytokines in organs was influenced by the enteral diet supplemented with arginine in burned rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats weighing about 200 g underwent catheter jejunostomy and received scald burns covering 30% of the whole-body surface area. Animals were divided into two groups: a control group (no supplemental arginine, n = 12) and an arginine group (supplemental arginine: 7.7 g/L, n = 10), which continuously received total enteral nutrition for 7 days (250 kcal/kg/d, 1.72 gN/kg/d). The following were measured after the experiment: (1) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and IL-6 in the spleen, thymus, lung, and liver by a semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method, (2) inflammatory cytokines in the plasma and supernatant of cultured splenic lymphocytes by enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, (3) nitric oxide (NO) product, NO2-/NO3-, in the plasma and supernatant of cultured splenic lymphocytes by the Griess method, and (4) survival rate by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of TNF-alpha was significantly decreased in the spleen and lung (p < .01, p < .05), IFN-gamma in the lung (p < .05), IL-1beta in the spleen (p < .05), and IL-6 in the thymus and liver (p < .05, p < .05) in the arginine group when compared with the control group. The production of TNF-alpha by splenic lymphocytes was suppressed in the arginine group in both concanavalin A (Con A)-treated and -untreated cultures (p < .01, p < .05). The production of IFN-gamma by splenic lymphocytes treated with Con A was suppressed in the arginine group (p < .05). The NO product in the supernatant without Con A was increased in the arginine group (p < .05). The mortality rate of the arginine group (0%) was lower than that in the control group (33.3%) on day 7 after the burn injury (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that dietary arginine supplementation decreases the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in organs and improves the survival rate after thermal injury.

Lipid and lipid-free total parenteral nutrition: differential effects on macrophage phagocytosis in rats.

Lipid emulsions provided with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) have been associated with mononuclear phagocytic system functional changes. The aim of the present investigation was to assess the influence of TPN with added lipid emulsions on macrophage (M phi) phagocytosis. Wistar rats (n = 70) with external jugular vein cannulation were randomized into seven groups. The rats received an oral diet or six different isocaloric (1.16 kcal/mL), isonitrogenous (1.5 g/mL), and isolipidic (30% non-protein calories) TPN regimens: (a) an oral diet with intravenous infusion of saline (OS); (b) non-lipid TPN (glucose); (c) TPN with 10% long chain triacylglycerol emulsions (LCT); (d) TPN with 90% LCT and 10% fish oil (FO) emulsion; (e) TPN with 50% LCT and 50% FO; (f) TPN with 10% lipid emulsion with 50% medium chain triacylglycerol (MCT) and 50% LCT; and (g) TPN with 45% MCT, 45% LCT, and 10% FO. After 96 h of TPN or saline infusion, colloidal carbon (Pelikan, Germany) was injected intravenously at 1.0 mL/kg body weight, and the rats were killed after 3 h. Liver, spleen, and lung were weighed and prepared by immunohistochemistry analyses with the HAM-56 anti-M phi antibody. Under light microscopy, the total M phi number (MT) and the colloidal carbon phagocytic M phi number (MP) were established, and the phagocytic index was calculated as MP/MT x 100. There were no statistical (P < 0.05) differences in liver, spleen, or lung weights among the seven groups in comparison with the OS group. Non-lipid TPN inhibited spleen and lung M phi phagocytosis when compared with the OS and lipid-TPN groups. Lipid TPN supplemented with fish oil emulsion increased total liver and lung M phi number and phagocytosis. These results indicate that TPN supplemented with fish oil increases M phi phagocytosis in rats.