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Cataract and retinopathy remain the preventable cause of blindness worldwide, and many pharmacological strategies have been proposed for the treatment of these eye diseases. Animal models play an important role in understanding the pathophysiological features of eye disease and developing for a new therapy. In this study, we investigated the development of cataract and retinal lesion with diabetes using an obese type 2 diabetic models SDT fatty rat. Macroscopic analysis in eyes was performed from 16 to 24 weeks of age and histological analysis was performed at 24 weeks of age. As a result, the lens cloudiness was observed from 19 weeks of age and the degree of the cloudiness was more progressed until 24 weeks of age. Histopathological findings, such as degeneration of lens fiber and shortening and irregular arrangement of cone and rod in retinal tissue, were observed at 24 weeks of age. In conclusion, SDT fatty rats may be useful to understand the pathological features in diabetic cataract and retinopathy develop a new therapy for the disease.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus represents an international health concern with its growing number of patients worldwide. At the same time, excessive salt consumption is also seen as a major cause of diseases such as hypertension and may expedite renal complications in diabetic patients. In this study, we investigated the effects of excessive sodium chloride supplementation on the kidney of the Spontaneously Diabetic Torii-Leprfa (SDT fatty) rat, an obese type 2 diabetes model. Male and female SDT fatty rats and normal Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at 5 weeks of age were loaded with 0.3% sodium chloride (NaCl) in drinking water for 13 weeks. Blood serum and urinary parameters were observed throughout the experiment and kidney samples were examined in histopathological and genetical analyses. Significant changes on the body weight, blood pressure, urine volume, creatinine clearance, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), relative gene expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were observed in the salt-loaded male SDT fatty rats. Urinary L-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) and albumin levels were higher observed in the salt-loaded male SDT fatty rats throughout the period, but urinary albumin levels in the female SDT fatty rats remain unchanged. In the kidney, slight Armani-Ebstein changes, tubular degeneration, hyaline cast, and inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in female SDT fatty rats while the levels of some changes were higher in the salt-loaded group. The kidney of the salt-loaded male SDT fatty rats demonstrated a higher degree of lesions compared to the female group and the male unloaded group. Histopathological changes in salt-loaded SDT fatty rats show that excessive salt consumption may act as a diabetic pathology exacerbation factor, but the pathology may be influenced by gender difference. Urinary L-FABP levels may act as a useful biomarker to detect slight tubular damages in the kidney. Excessive salt loading was shown to exacerbate the renal injury in SDT fatty rats.

An increasing number of patients worldwide are being diagnosed with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) because of the growing prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders. The incidence of NAFLD is higher in postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women. The decline in the level of female hormones might have an effect on the deterioration of metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the potential of Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats as a new animal model for NAFLD. We created a menopausal model by ovariectomy (OVX) in female rats. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, SDT rats, and SDT-fatty rats were divided into sham and OVX groups and maintained until 40 weeks of age. The results showed that OVX-induced weight gain was observed in SD and SDT rats. In addition, OVX-induced hepatic triglyceride accumulation was increased in all strains, and there was a significant increase in hepatic triglyceride levels in OVX-SDT fatty rats compared to those in Sham-SD rats. Furthermore, liver fibrosis was worsened in the OVX-SDT fatty rats. In addition, OVX-induced increase in blood ALT level was observed in SDT-fatty rats. Gene expression analysis showed OVX-induced upregulation of Srebp1 expression and downregulation of Pemt and Mttp in OVX rats. These results indicate that OVX-SDT fatty rats exhibit NASH with more severe hepatic fibrosis than untreated animals, suggesting that OVX-induced estrogen reduction may have enhanced lipid synthesis in the liver. It is also possible, although hypothetical, that OVX may decrease VLDL secretion, which may more strongly induce NASH.

Summary Gpr52 is an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor of unknown physiological function. We found that Gpr52-deficient (Gpr52−/−) mice exhibit leanness associated with reduced liver weight, decreased hepatic de novo lipogenesis, and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Treatment of the hepatoma cell line HepG2 cells with c11, the synthetic GPR52 agonist, increased fatty acid biosynthesis, and GPR52 knockdown (KD) abolished the lipogenic action of c11. In addition, c11 induced the expressions of lipogenic enzymes (SCD1 and ELOVL6), whereas these inductions were attenuated by GPR52-KD. In contrast, cholesterol biosynthesis was not increased by c11, but its basal level was significantly suppressed by GPR52-KD. High-fat diet (HFD)-induced increase in hepatic expression of Pparg2 and its targets (Scd1 and Elovl6) was absent in Gpr52−/− mice with alleviated hepatosteatosis. Our present study showed that hepatic GPR52 promotes the biosynthesis of fatty acid and cholesterol in a ligand-dependent and a constitutive manner, respectively, and Gpr52 participates in HFD-induced fatty acid synthesis in liver., Graphical abstract, Highlights • Hepatosteatosis is inherently an adaptive response to overnutrition to store energy • On the other hand, it can be a pathological condition causing insulin resistance • High-fat diet increases PPARγ2 expression and lipogenesis in liver via GPR52 • Gpr52 ablation protects mice from developing hepatosteatosis and insulin resistance, Human Metabolism; Molecular Biology

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric diseases and is commonly comorbid with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the pathophysiology underlying the depressive state in DM remains poorly understood. Animal models are useful tools to investigate the association between depression and DM. In the present study we investigated whether the Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rat, a novel animal model of type 2 DM, shows depression-related features. We assessed depression-like behaviour, hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and neurotransmitter levels in the brain. Behaviour was evaluated using a forced swimming test, and the HPA axis was evaluated with changes in plasma corticosterone levels after a swimming stress exposure or dexamethasone challenge. In addition, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), noradrenaline, glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations in the frontal cortex, hippocampus and brain stem were measured. In the forced swimming test, SDT fatty rats exhibited increased duration of immobility compared with control Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Moreover, basal corticosterone levels were significantly elevated in SDT fatty compared with control SD rats. However, there were no stress-induced increases or changes in dexamethasone-induced suppression of corticosterone in SDT fatty compared with control SD rats. Furthermore, there were significant changes in 5-HT concentrations in the prefrontal cortex, and in GABA and glutamate concentrations in the hippocampus in SDT fatty compared with controls. The results of the present study suggest that the SDT fatty rat may be an appropriate model for diabetes with comorbid depression associated with neurotransmitter impairments and aberrant basal HPA hyperactivity.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a progressive liver disease, and some patients develop hepatic cirrhosis/carcinoma. Animal models play key roles in the development of new therapies for NASH. In this study, the pharmacological effects of metformin and pioglitazone were investigated in female Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats to verify the utility of this model. The anti-diabetic drugs were administered to SDT fatty rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet from 4 to 25 weeks, and changes in food intake, body weight, and blood chemistry parameters were evaluated every 4 weeks. The hepatic lipid content, mRNA expression in relation to lipid synthesis, inflammation, and fibrosis, and histopathological analyses were performed at 25 weeks. Pioglitazone improved hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and abnormalities in hepatic parameters. The insulin levels were lower than those in the control rats before 16 weeks. Plasma glucose levels in the metformin-treated rats were lower than those in the control rats, and plasma alanine aminotransferase levels temporarily decreased. The lipid content and some mRNA expression in relation to fibrosis in the liver decreased with pioglitazone treatment, and the mRNA expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein increased. Hepatic fibrosis observed in the SDT fatty rats improved with pioglitazone treatment; however, the effect with metformin treatment was partial. These results in both drugs are in line with results in the human study, suggesting that the SDT fatty rat is useful for developing new anti-NASH drugs that show potential to regulate glucose/lipid metabolism.

In recent years, a relationship between diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer disease or depression, has been proposed. In this study, pathophysiological changes in the brain, especially in the hippocampus, of male SDT fatty rats with obesity and hyperglycemia were investigated. Brains of SD rats and SDT fatty rats were collected at 32 and 58 weeks of age, and parietal cortical thickness and number of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 and 3 (CA1 and CA3) regions were measured. At 58 weeks of age, the parietal cortical thickness and number of pyramidal cells in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions were lower in SDT fatty rats than in age-matched SD rats. Measurements of mRNA in rat brains at 58 weeks of age showed that the expression of genes related to inflammatory responses (S100a9, TNFα, NF-κB) was elevated in SDT fatty rats. From the aforementioned results, changes suggestive of brain atrophy and impairment in cognitive function were observed in male SDT fatty rat brains.

Introduction To establish an animal model for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) at an earlier stage, we performed functional and pathophysiological evaluations in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats before 16 weeks of age. Methods Male SDT fatty rats were treated with vehicle or phlorizin (100 to 150 mg/kg/day) from 5 to 16 weeks. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used as age-matched controls. Body weights and biochemical parameters were measured over time. During the treatment period, the sensory and motor nerve conduction velocity (SNCV and MNCV) of the sciatic nerve, blood pressure, pupil size, and electrocardiograms were measured. At 16 weeks, the rats were sacrificed and sural nerves and intraepidermal nerves were sampled for histological studies, electron microscopic analysis and assessments of nerve fiber density. Results Functional abnormalities, such as delays of SNCV, increase of blood pressure, reduced pupillary reactivity, and decrease of the coefficient of variance of R-R intervals were observed in SDT fatty rats. Histopathologically, decreased intraepidermal nerve fiber density, mitochondrial abnormalities of small myelinated fibers, and vacuolation and mitochondrial swelling of unmyelinated fibers were found in SDT fatty rats. These changes were prevented by well-controlled blood glucose with phlorizin treatment. Discussion Male SDT fatty rats can help future work on DPN in diabetes with obesity, since this rat exhibited functional and pathological abnormalities in somatic and autonomic nerve from an early stage of diabetes.

The proposed architecture estimates the pre-emphasis weighting of the transmitter from the waveform monitor in the receiver. This weighting data is stored on the memory, and it makes a quick response to packet data. We evaluated the proposed circuit with a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and it achieved good eye openings with high-speed response for wide degradation conditions.

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a major factor contributing to visual disabilities in diabetic patients, and the number of patients is increasing. Animal models play a key role in the development of novel therapies. In this study, pathophysiological analyses of ocular lesions in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats were performed. First, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in vitreous humor, retinal vascular permeability and retinal thickness were measured in SDT fatty rats (Experiment 1). Furthermore, the pharmacological effects of two anti-diabetic drugs, phlorizin and pioglitazone, on retinal lesions were evaluated (Experiment 2). As results, the SDT fatty rats exhibited VEGF increase in vitreous humor at 8 and 16 weeks of age, and both retinal vascular hyperpermeability and retinal thickening at 16 weeks of age. In particular, the layers between the retinal internal limiting membrane and the outer nuclear layer were thickened. Phlorizin treatment from 4 to 16 weeks of age improved hyperglycemia and normalized retinal thickness; however, the effect of pioglitazone on retinal thickness was not strong despite the normalization of hyperglycemia. These data demonstrate that the male SDT fatty rat is a useful model for developing new therapeutic approaches in DME.

In patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), impairments of circadian rhythms, including the sleep–wake cycle, blood pressure, and plasma melatonin concentrations, are frequently observed. Animal models of DM are also reported to show aberrant circadian rhythms. However, the changes in the circadian rhythms of plasma soluble substances, including melatonin, in diabetic animals are controversial. In the present study, we investigated the circadian rhythms of spontaneous locomotor activity, metabolic parameters (plasma glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol), and plasma melatonin concentrations in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii (SDT) fatty rats, a novel animal model of type 2 DM. Although SDT fatty rats exhibited low locomotor activity in the dark phase, no phase shifts were observed. The circadian variations of plasma metabolic parameters were more apparent in the SDT fatty rats compared with control Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. The circadian rhythms of plasma melatonin concentrations were significantly impaired in SDT fatty rats. To get an insight into the mechanism underlying the impaired melatonin secretion in SDT fatty rats, the expression of arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (Aanat) and acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (Asmt) mRNA, which encode the rate-limiting enzymes for melatonin synthesis, was investigated in the pineal gland. There were no significant differences in Aanat and Asmt expression between the control SD and SDT fatty rats. These results suggest that SDT fatty rats show impaired circadian rhythms and dysregulated melatonin secretion.

In addition to photoperiod, thermoperiod (or thermocycle) might be an important Zeitgeber for entraining the circadian oscillator controlling adult eclosion rhythm in the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). This is confirmed by exposing larvae receiving diapause-preventing treatments to various thermocycles with different means and amplitudes of temperature. The thermocycles investigated in the present study are TC 8 : 16 h, TC 12 : 12 h, TC 16 : 8 h and TC 20 : 4 h, where T and C represent thermophase (30 °C) and cryophase (20 °C), respectively. For all thermocycles, the peak of adult eclosion rhythm occurs at around the mid-thermophase. This indicates that the larvae use both ‘temperature-rise’ and ‘temperature-fall’ signals to adjust the eclosion phase in each thermocycle. The absence (DD) or presence (LL) of light affects this time-keeping system slightly under the given thermocycle. The rhythmic adult eclosion noted after exposure of larvae to 30 °C DD for 14 days is recorded in the thermocycles (TC 12 : 12 h, DD; mean temperature = 25 °C) with different amplitudes of 27.5/22.5 °C, 26.5/23.5 °C and 25.5/24.5 °C. The peak in adult eclosion advances in time as the amplitude of the temperature cycle decreases. In the temperature cycle of 25.5/24.5 °C, a peak occurs at the end of the cryophase, 2 h before the temperature-rise. The adult eclosion rhythm is also observed under various thermocycles (TC 12 : 12 h, DD) consisting of different temperature levels (30 to 20 °C) with different amplitudes. It is found that the temporal position of the peak advances significantly when the amplitude of the thermocycle becomes lower.

The rhythm of adult eclosion in the Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella Hubner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is investigated under various photoperiods and temperatures aiming to determine the nature of the temperature compensation and the free-running period. Insects that are committed to a nondiapause larval development show diel rhythms of adult eclosion at 30, 25 and 20 °C. At 30 °C, the eclosion peak (i.e. the mean time of eclosion) occurs approximately 20 h after lights off under an LD 4 : 20 h photocycle, and at approximately 15 h under an LD 20 : 4 h photocycle. At 25 °C, the peak of eclosion occurs approximately 19 h after lights off under an LD 2 : 20 h photocycle and at approximately 16 h under an LD 20 : 4 h photocycle. At 20 °C, the eclosion peak is significantly advanced under long days of >12 h (i.e. approximately 20 h after lights off under an LD 4 : 20 h photocycle and approximately 9 h under an LD 20 : 4 h photocycle), indicating an effect of both lights-off and lights-on signals on the timing of the adult eclosion. To determine the involvement of a self-sustained oscillator, the rhythm of adult eclosion is examined under darkness at different temperatures (30 to 21 °C). The mean free-running periods are 22.4, 22.8, 22.0 and 22.5 h at 30, 24, 23 and 22 °C, respectively, indicating that the eclosion rhythm is temperature-compensated. However, this rhythm does not free-run under constant darkness at 21 °C. Because a clear diel rhythm is observed under 24-h photocycles at 20 °C, the oscillator might be damped out within 24 h at the lower temperature.

In solidification theory, with a slow cooling rate such as sand mold casting, it is easy to segregate the solute aluminum near the grain boundary of primary α-Mg phase under the solidification in Mg-Al system alloys. Thus, volume fraction of none-equilibrium crystallized β-Mg17Al12 phase showed the higher value compared with metal mold casting with faster cooling rate. However, in our microstructure observation results, the volume fraction of β phase in permanent mold castings was larger than that of sand mold castings. In the present study, these contradictory behavior was investigated by observation of as-solidified microstructure obtained from rapid cooling castings at the just below the solidus temperature of 723, 773 and 823K.

In order to verify the nutritional aspect of alterations of the plasma and tissue transaminase activities, rats were fed 4 hr per day for 35 days (the spaced-fed (SF) rats) and the time course of the alterations in plasma and tissue transaminase activity was compared with those in the ad libitum fed (ALF) rats. Plasma transaminase activities were stable throughout the experiment period in the ALF rats. In the SF rats there were alterations in the plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, the direction of which was different between the early phase and late phase of the experiment period; plasma ALT activities decreased in the early phase and gradually increased in the late phase. Plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were stable in the SF rats throughout the experiment period as well as the ALF rats. The decreases in plasma ALT activities in the early phase were considered to be related to decreases in ALT activities in the small intestinal mucosa (SI mucosa). On the other hand, the increases in plasma ALT activities in the late phase were considered to be related to increases in ALT activities in the liver. Multiple regression analyses (MRAs) revealed that plasma ALT activities in the SF rats could be estimated by the ALT activities in the SI mucosa and liver. From these results, the alterations of the plasma ALT activities in the SF rats could be explained by those in the SI mucosa and liver under the conditions in our study.

In this paper, novel methods of making standard sin/cos signals for PWM converters, and novel PLL systems for STATCOM will be proposed. The single-phase utility voltage is transformed to pseudo-three-phase signals, and these three-phase signals are used for the phase detection. Standard sin/cos signals composed by these methods suffer little influence from the voltage unbalance and the distortion of utility voltages. Therefore these methods can be used for the STATCOM to reduce the influence of unbalanced system voltage disturbances such as 2LS.

With increasing chip sizes and shrinking device dimensions, on-chip semiconductor process variation can no longer be ignored in the design and signoff static timing analysis of integrated circuits. An important parameter affecting CMOS technologies is the gate length (Lgate) of a transistor. In modern technologies, significant spatial intra-chip variability of transistor gate lengths, which is systematic as opposed to random, can lead to relatively large variations in circuit path delays. Spatial variations in Lgate affect circuit timing properties, which can lead to timing errors and performance loss. To maximize performance and process utilization in microprocessor designs, we have developed and validated a timing analysis methodology based on accurate silicon contour prediction from drawn layout and contour-based extraction of our designs. This allows for signoff timing without unnecessarily large margins, thereby reducing chip area and maximizing performance while ensuring chip functionality, improved process utilization and yield. In this paper, we describe the chip timing methodology, its validation and implementation in microprocessor design.

JTE-907, N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-ylmethyl)-7-methoxy-2-oxo-8-pentyloxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxamide, is a selective cannabinoid CB2 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist. The anti-pruritic activity of JTE-907 was studied in NC mice with chronic dermatitis, a model of atopic dermatitis. The oral dose of JTE-907 (1 and 10 mg/kg/day), an immunosuppressant agent tacrolimus (1 mg/kg/day) and a glucocorticoid betamethasone 17-valerate (1 mg/kg/day) for 20 days suppressed the spontaneous scratching and cutaneous nerve activity of NC mice. JTE-907 (10, but not 1, mg/kg) and tacrolimus, but not betamethasone, tended to alleviate the dermatitis. Betamethasone inhibited the body weight gain. These results suggest that JTE-907 suppresses spontaneous itch-associated responses of NC mice without adverse effects such as weight loss.

The effects of the opioid antagonist naltrexone on spontaneous itch-associated behaviors and cutaneous nerve activities were examined to determine whether it inhibits pruritus through peripheral action in NC mice with chronic dermatitis. Their rostral-back scratching and caudal-back biting were 19 and 3.4 times more, respectively, than those of control mice. The activities of cutaneous nerves innervating the rostral and caudal back were 9.5 and 5.4 times more, respectively, in affected mice than in control mice. Subcutaneous injections of naltrexone significantly inhibited the scratching and biting, without effects on the nerve activities. The results suggest that the peripheral action does not play a central role in inhibiting chronic itch-associated behaviors.

To assess the itch-associated response of primary afferents innervating the murine skin in vivo, dose-response curves and time-courses for itch-scratching and cutaneous nerve firing responses to intradermal injections of pruritogens (histamine and serotonin) were compared in ICR and ddY mice. Serotonin increased the itch-scratch response and cutaneous nerve firing in either ICR or ddY mice. Histamine increased these two responses in ICR, but not ddY, mice. The dose-response curves and time-courses for serotonin- and histamine-induced nerve firing were similar to those for the itch-scratch response. The results suggest that cutaneous nerve firing evoked by peripherally given pruritogens includes the itch-associated response.

To clarify the behavioral and pathological features of spontaneous scratching of NC mice with mite-induced chronic dermatitis, we investigated the spontaneous and pruritogen-evoked scratching of NC mice. Although the frequency of scratching of NC mouse did not increase under specific pathogen-free environment, it gradually and markedly increased from 3 to 6 weeks after transfer to conventional environment. The onset of increase in spontaneous scratching was similar to that of dermatitis development and the elevation of plasma concentration of immunoglobulin E. At chronic stage (16 weeks after environment change), the frequency of spontaneous scratching was roughly parallel to the degree of dermatitis, but not to the plasma concentration of immunoglobulin E. The spontaneous scratching of NC mice with dermatitis was inhibited by distraction and the opioid antagonist naltrexone, suggesting that the scratching is itch-associated response. An intradermal injection of serotonin, but not histamine and substance P, elicited scratching of the injected site. Methysergide and cyproheptadine inhibited the serotonin-induced scratching but not spontaneous scratching. The results suggest that marked elevation of plasma immunoglobulin E is not always the cause of spontaneous itch-associated response of NC mice with dermatitis. Serotonin, histamine and substance P may not play an important role in spontaneous itch-scratch response at a chronic stage.