These results suggest that Gln administered either before or after the colitis mitigated inflammation of colitis that was not observed in group without Gln injection. Prophylactic treatment with Gln had more-beneficial effects on reducing inflammatory markers and enhancing the recovery of mucosa in DSS-induced colitis.

According to the usual description in most anatomy texts, the median nerve in the forearm passes between the 2 heads of pronator teres. It continues distally between flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus almost to the retinaculum. Muscular branches leave the nerve near the elbow and supply all superficial muscles of the anterior part of the forearm except flexor carpi ulnaris. Many variations of the median nerve in the forearm have been reported (Urban & Krosman, 1992). The palmaris profundus is also a rare anomaly of the forearm (Dyreby & Engber, 1982). It originates from the radial side of the common flexor tendon in the proximal forearm and inserts into the undersurface of the palmar aponeurosis. The origin of palmaris profundus may be close to the median nerve and its branches, and may be involved in compressive neuropathy of the anterior interosseous nerve. Its tendon crossing through the carpal canal has been implicated in the carpal tunnel syndrome (reviewed by Lahey & Aulicino, 1986). In some cases, palmaris profundus was found enclosed in a common fascial sheath with the median nerve (Stark, 1992; Sahinoglu et al. 1994). To indicate its close association with the median nerve, the palmaris profundus was also named ‘musculus comitans nervi mediani’ (Sahinoglu et al. 1994). This article reports an unusual loop of the median nerve encircling an anomalous palmaris profundus in the forearm, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously described.

The mammalian pineal gland contains pinealocytes, interstitial glial cells, perivascular macrophages, neurons and neuron-like cells. The neuronal identity of neurons and neuron-like cells was an enigma. alpha-Internexin and peripherin are specific neuronal intermediate filament proteins and are expressed differentially in the CNS and PNS. We investigated the development of immunoreactivity and expression patterns of mRNAs for alpha-internexin and peripherin in the mouse pineal gland to determine the neuronal identity of these cells. Both alpha-internexin- and peripherin-immunoreactive cells were readily visualized only after birth. Both proteins were at the highest level on the postnatal day 7 (P7), rapidly declined at P14, and obtained their adult level at P21. Both protein and mRNA of alpha-internexin are expressed in some cells and nerve processes, but not all, of adult mouse pineal gland. Less number of peripherin immunoreactive or RNA-expressing cells and nerve processes were identified. Accumulations of alpha-internexin and peripherin proteins were also found in the cells from the aged pineal gland (P360). We concluded that some cells in the developing mouse pineal gland may differentiated into neurons and neuron-like cells expressing both alpha-internexin and/or peripherin only postnatally, and these cells possess dual properties of CNS and PNS neurons in nature. We suggested that they may act as interneurons between the pinealocyte and the distal neurons innervating the pinealocytes, or form a local circuitry with pinealocytes to play a role of paracrine regulatory function on the pinealocytes.

No abstract

Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and immunomodulation activities. It is estimated that hundreds of metric tons of AC extraction waste (ACEW) are produced per year in Taiwan. This study aims to assess the feasibility of applying ACEW as feed supplement in the aquaculture industry. ACEW significantly inhibited the growth of microorganisms in the water tank, by around 39.4% reduction on the fifth day with feed supplemented of 10% ACEW. The feed conversion efficiency of zebrafish with 10% ACEW supplementation for 30 days was 1.22-fold compared to that of the control. ACEW dramatically improved the tolerances of zebrafish under the heat and cold stresses. When at water temperature extremes of 38 °C or 11 °C, compared to the 100% mortality rate in the control group, the 10% ACEW diet group still had 91.7% and 83.3% survival rates, respectively. In a caudal fin amputation test, the fin recovery of zebrafish was increased from 68.4% to 93% with 10% ACEW diet after 3-week regeneration. ACEW effectively down-regulated the gene expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10, and up-regulated the gene expression of IL-4/13A. Additionally, the supplement of ACEW in the feed can maintain and prevent the fish’s body weight from dropping too much under enteritis. Taken together, ACEW has beneficial potential in aquaculture.