BACKGROUND Oxytocin (OT) is considered to be a stress-buffering hormone, dampening the physiologic effects of stress. However, OT can also be anxiogenic. We examined acute and long-lasting effects of social defeat on OT neurons in male and female California mice. METHODS We used immunohistochemistry for OT and c-fos cells to examine OT neuron activity immediately after defeat (n = 6-9) and 2 ...

Type 2 diabetes in humans is associated with increased de novo lipogenesis (DNL), increased fatty acid (FA) fluxes, decreased FA oxidation, and hepatic steatosis. In this condition, VLDL production is increased and resistant to suppressive effects of insulin. The relationships between hepatic FA metabolism, steatosis, and VLDL production are incompletely understood. We investigated VLDL-triglyc...

Hemophilia B is a leading target for gene therapy because current therapy is not optimal. Hence, a murine model of factor IX (F. IX) deficiency was generated to develop gene therapy strategies for hemophilia B. A targeting vector was created by replacing a 3.2-kb segment of the gene encompassing the catalytic domain with a phosphoglycerokinase promoter-driven neomycin resistant (neor) gene cass...

A bioassay of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol for possible carcinogenicity was conducted by administering the test chemical in feed to F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice. Groups of 50 rats of each sex were administered 2,4,6-trichlorophenol at one of two doses, either 5,000 or 10,000 ppm, for 106 or 107 weeks. Matched controls consisted of 20 untreated rats of each sex. All surviving rats were killed at the end o...

The present study was performed to determine the protective role of dietary selenium (Se) yeast supplementation in porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infected mice. Forty-eight Kun Ming female mice were randomly assigned to Se yeast group (0.3%Se +basal diet, n = 24) and control group (basal diet, n = 24). After 3 days of adaptive feeding and 15 days treatment with the experimental feed, mice wer...

Background Methylphenidate (MPH) is commonly prescribed for children who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, the action mechanisms of methylphenidate have not been fully elucidated. Studies have shown a relationship between apoptosis signaling pathways and psychiatric disorders, as well as therapeutic targets for such disorders. So, we examined the...

The production of 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) in the kidney is thought to be involved in the control of renal vascular tone and tubular sodium and chloride reabsorption. 20-HETE production in the kidney has been extensively studied in rats and humans and occurs primarily via the actions of P-450 enzymes of the CYP4A and -4F families. Recent advancements in molecular genetics of th...

Abstract Study question To explore the role of Mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) in female fertility and oocyte development using a Mff knockout mouse model. Summary answer deficiency influences mitochondrial dynamics oocytes at germinal vesicle stage (GV), results premature ovarian failure (POF) infertility. What is known already regulates quality control (MQC) by influencing dynamics. MQC ha...

in order to do in vitro fertilization (ivf), 435 oocytes were collected from 20 super ovulated nmri female mice, in m2 media with 4% bsa. 85% (n=370) of collected oocytes were in mii phase. epididymal sperms were added to 332 oocytes in t6 media drops with 4% bsa and incubated. fertilization rate was 79.8% (n=265) out of which 27.5% (n=73) grew to morula and 20.8% (n=55) achieved blastocyst sta...