Overlapping stimulation of subthalamic nucleus and dentato-rubro-thalamic tract in Parkinson's disease after deep brain stimulation.

BACKGROUND: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) reduces tremor, rigidity, and akinesia. According to the literature, the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTt) is verified target for DBS in essential tremor; however, its role in the treatment of Parkinson's disease is only vaguely described. The aim of our study was to identify the relationship between symptom alleviation in PD patients and the distance of the DBS electrode electric field (EF) to the DRTt. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis of patients (N = 30) with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) who underwent DBS between November 2018 and January 2020 was performed. DRTt and STN were visualized using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and tractography protocol of magnetic resonance (MR). The EF was calculated and compared with STN and course of DRTt. Evaluation of patients before and after surgery was performed with use of UPDRS-III scale. The association between distance from EF to DRTt and clinical outcomes was examined. To confirm the anatomical variation between DRTt and STN observed in tractography, white matter dissection was performed with the Klingler technique on ten human brains. RESULTS: Patients with EF overlapping STN and DRTt benefited from significant motor symptoms improvement. Anatomical findings confirmed the presence of population differences in variability of the DRTt course and were consistent with the DRTt visualized by MR. CONCLUSIONS: DRTt proximity to STN, the main target in PD DBS surgery, confirmed by DWI with tractography protocol of MR combined with proper predefined stimulation parameters may improve efficacy of DBS-STN.

The applicability of the Migratest® kit for evaluating the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats on the example of animals supplemented with ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB).

The objective of this study was to determine the applicability of the Migratest® kit for evaluating the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The experiment was performed on 14 goat kids aged 30±2 days, divided into two groups of 7 animals each: C - control group, and E - experimental group, supplemented with ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), a typical immunostimulant which influences the phagocytic activity of peripheral neutrophils. The feed administered to experimental goat kids was supplemented with HMB at 40 mg/kg BW, whereas control goat kids were administered standard farm-made feed without supplementation. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein immediately before the experiment (day 0) and on experimental days 15, 30 and 60 to determine the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The results of the study indicate that the Migratest® kit can be used to evaluate the influence of immunomodulators on the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood neutrophils in goats. The results of the assay are most effectively presented by calculating the chemotactic index which accounts for the chemotaxis or migration of neutrophils in the presence or absence of a chemotactic factor, respectively, and the percentage of granulocytes that migrate towards fMLP. The results of both presentation methods appear to be identical.

Effect of feed supplementation with kynurenic acid on the morphology of the liver, kidney and gills in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum, 1792), healthy and experimentally infected with Yersinia ruckeri.

Kynurenic acid (KYNA) is an endogenous substance produced on the kynurenine pathway which is primarily known for its neuroactive properties. Recently, it has been proven that KYNA is a selective ligand for G protein-coupled receptor (GPR 35), presented on immunocompetent cells such as T lymphocytes. This opens up new possibilities of its application as an immunostimulating substance in aquaculture. Thus far, no histopathological investigations in fish have been completed to evaluate influence of KYNA supplementation in feed. This study has been undertaken to determine the effect of feed supplementation with KYNA (2.5, 25, 250 mg kg-1 of feed) for 28 days on the liver, gills and kidney in healthy fish and experimentally infected with Yersinia ruckeri. In a control group were observed a fatty liver, which is natural for this fish species in the autumn and winter season. As the dose of the supplement was increased, the fat liver changed, it decreased or completely disappeared. Additionally, inflammatory changes occurred in all the analysed organs, and their intensification was dose dependent. In the fish experimentally infected, KYNA caused aggravation of the signs in the liver, kidneys and gills, and the effect was dose dependent. The results implicate that KYNA may be a stressor for fish.

The effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on selected parameters of humoral immunity in calves.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of HMB on selected parameters of the humoral immunity in calves. The experiment was performed on 14 calves aged 30 +/- 2 days, divided into two equal groups of control (group K) and experimental (group H) animals. The feed administered to the experimental calves was supplemented with HMB at 40 mg/kg BW, whereas the control calves were administered standard farm-made feed without supplementation. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein immediately before the experiment (day 0) and on experimental days 15, 30 and 60 to determine the following immunological parameters: total protein levels, gammaglobulin levels, lysozyme activity and ceruloplasmin activity. An analysis of the results obtained revealed a significant increase (p < 0.05; p < 0.01; p < 0.001 respectively) in gammaglobulin levels and lysozyme activity throughout the entire experimental period, an increase (p < 0.05; p < 0.01 respectively) in ceruloplasmin activity on experimental days 15 and 30, but no changes in serum total protein levels of calves administered HMB as compared to those found in the control group.

The effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on the proliferative response of blood lymphocytes and the phagocytic activity of blood monocytes and granulocytes in calves.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of HMB on selected indicators of immunity in calves. The experiment was performed on 14 calves aged 30 +/- 2 days, divided into two equal groups of control (group I) and experimental (group II) animals. The feed administered to experimental group calves was supplemented with HMB at 40 mg/kg BW, whereas control calves were administered standard farm-made feed without supplementation. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein immediately before the experiment (day 0) and on experimental days 15, 30 and 60 to determine the following parameters of immunity: proliferative response of LPS- and ConA-stimulated lymphocytes (MTT), respiratory burst activity (RBA) and potential killing activity (PKA) of phagocytes. The results revealed a significant increase in RBA and MTT values in calves administered HMB in comparison with the control group throughout the experiment. In the group of animals receiving HMB, an increase in PKA values was noted only on day 30.

The effect of Chinese medicinal herb Rhodiola kirilowii extracts on cellular immunity in mice and rats.

UNLABELLED: Rhodiola kirilowii (RK) roots and rhizomes are traditionally used in China as a tonic, adaptogen, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drug. The aim of this work was to study the in vivo and in vitro effects of aqueous and 50% hydro-alcoholic extracts of RK rhizomes on some parameters of cellular immunity in H-2d mice and rats. We show for the first time that in vitro both extracts stimulated granulocyte activity and increased lymphocyte response to mitogens, and in vivo they enhanced the ability of lymphocytes derived from parental strain mice fed R. kirilowii aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts, to induce local cutaneous graft-versus-host reaction (GVH) in F1 hybrids. CONCLUSION: Rhodiola kirilowii extracts are cellular immunity enhancers.

The effect of Rhodiola quadrifida extracts on cellular immunity in mice and rats.

Rhodiola quadrifida (Rq) roots and rhizomes are traditionally used in Asia as a tonic, adaptogen, antidepressant and anti-inflammatory drug. The aim of this work was to study the in vivo effect of aqueous and 50% hydro-alcoholic extracts of Rq rhizomes on some parameters of cellular immunity in mice and rats. The metabolic activity of blood phagocyting cells was determined based on the measurement of intracellular respiratory burst after stimulation by PMA in RBA test. Potential bactericidal activity of phagocyting cells was determined in isolated blood leukocytes stimulated with killed microorganisms, according to the PKA test. Proliferative response of lymphocytes stimulated by mitogen concanavaline A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined by MTT assay. Both extracts stimulated granulocytes activity in vitro and increased lymphocyte response to mitogens. The ability of parental strain mice lymphocytes to induce local cutaneous graft-versus-host reaction (GVH) in F1 hybrids was stimulated by 50% hydro-alcoholic extract only.