Effect of excitatory amino acid, dopamine, and oxytocin receptor antagonists on noncontact penile erections and paraventricular nitric oxide production in male rats.

In male rats, noncontact erections occur concomitantly with an increase in NO?- and NO?- in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). In the present study, both responses were reduced by the blockade of PVN excitatory amino acid receptors by dizocilpine, (+)-MK-801(1 and 5 μg), but not by 6-cyano-7-nitro-quinoxaline-2,3-dione (5 μg) or (±)-2-amino-4-phosphono-butanoic acid (5 μg). Also ineffective when injected into the PVN were the dopamine antagonists SCH 23390 (5 μg), S(+)-raclopride (10 μg), and cis-flupenthixol (10 μg), and the oxytocin antagonist d(CH?)?Tyr(Me)2-Orn?-vasotocin (1 μg). However, when the last was given into the lateral ventricles, it reduced noncontact erections without modifying NO?- and NO?- increases. These results suggest that excitatory amino acid transmission increases in the PVN during noncontact erections. This may contribute to increased NO production in the PVN, and it may activate oxytocin neurons mediating this sexual response. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Apoptotic DNA fragmentation can be revealed in situ: An ultrastructural approach

A common pattern of apoptotic death is DNA cleavage, initially producing large fragments (50 kbp), followed by the production of nucleosomic/oligonucleosomic fragments. Nevertheless, apoptosis without DNA fragmentation, at least of the nucleosomic type, has been reported. To investigate the spatial relationship between DNA cleavage and chromatin condensation, we applied the TUNEL technique to the ultrastructural analysis of apoptotic cells. A modified method, utilizing a gold‐conjugated antidigoxigenin antibody, was carried out on U937 versus Molt‐4 cells, both exposed to UVB radiation or staurosporine treatment. Gold particle density in the different domains of apoptotic cells was evaluated by a four‐way ANOVA test. Gold labelling was more strongly localised in condensed chromatin than in the diffuse chromatin. U937 cells, which evidenced in vitro oligonucleosomic fragmentation after both UVB and staurosporine treatments, revealed a significantly higher gold particle density, when compared with Molt‐4, which did not show, on the other hand, oligonucleosomic cleavage even in the presence of ≤50 kbp cleavage. Thus, a correlation between DNA fragment sizes and gold particle density appears. TUNEL applied to electron microscopy is an effective approach to study the relationship between apoptotic chromatin condensation and DNA cleavage. Both these events indeed appear in the apoptotic nucleus, but their reciprocal correlation is still greatly unknown. Microsc. Res. Tech. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Carbamazepine reduces dopamine-mediated behavior in chronic neuroleptic-treated and untreated rats: Implications for treatment of tardive dyskinesia and hyperdopaminergic states.

Chronic treatment with neuroleptic drugs such as haloperidol (HAL) can result in a syndrome of abnormal involuntary movements known as tardive dyskinesia (TD). The authors have obtained evidence that TD in humans is reduced in patients also taking anticonvulsant drugs, primarily carbamazepine (CBZ). To test for a causal role of CBZ in this effect, the authors quantified abnormal movements elicited by dopamine (DA) receptor stimulation in rats (Rattus norvegicus) withdrawn from chronic treatment with HAL or CBZ alone or in combination. The expected increased behavioral responsiveness to combined D1/D2 stimulation in rats treated with HAL for 8 weeks was significantly attenuated by chronic CBZ, which also attenuated behavioral responsiveness in otherwise untreated rats. Striatal D2 DA receptor density was elevated in rats treated chronically with HAL but unaffected by CBZ. Striatal D1 DA receptor density was elevated by chronic CBZ but unaffected by HAL. These findings suggest that by reducing DA supersensitivity, CBZ may be useful in treating TD and other hyperdopaminergic states. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Controlled filling and external cleaning of multi-wall carbon nanotubes using a wet chemical method

A controlled, material-independent and adaptable cold wet chemical procedure is described. It allows organic and inorganic compounds to be confined inside multi-wall carbon nanotubes. The procedure mainly consists of a lyophilization process to fill multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and a washing method to clean their outer surface without removing the encapsulated material. The technique was tested by synthesizing CdS crystals inside the nanotubes. Morphological and structural studies of the CdS crystals demonstrated a complete control of the synthesis process, and the possibility of maximizing the crystal size and the filling efficiency that approached 70% of open-ended nanotubes.     

Probiotic potential and sensory properties of coconut flan supplemented with Lactobacillus paracasei and Bifidobacterium lactis

The effect of probiotic cultures on sensory performance of coconut flan during storage at 5 °C and the viability of these micro organisms for up to 28 days were investigated. Sensory analyses of the product were performed after 7, 14 and 21 days of storage. Coconut flans were produced with no addition of cultures (T1, control), or supplemented with Bifidobacterium lactis (T2), Lactobacillus paracasei (T3) and B. lactis  +  L. paracasei (T4). Populations of L. paracasei and B. lactis as single or in co-culture remained above 7 log CFU g⁻¹ during the entire storage period. Viability of L. paracasei was higher for T3. All products were well accepted and no significant differences ( P  > 0.05) were detected between the coconut flans studied. The addition of L. paracasei and B. lactis to coconut flan resulted in its having great potential as a functional food, which has high sensory acceptability.     

The impact of climate change on the distribution of rural income in Ethiopia

Recent evidence suggests that global climate change is likely to increase the incidence of environmental disasters, as well as the frequency of extreme weather events. As a result, it is generally recognized that climate and weather variability has negative impacts on households’ welfare relying mainly on agriculture. In Ethiopia, 95% of the population depends on rain-fed agriculture and consequently the economic impact of climate change is crucial for small-scale farmers’ food security and welfare. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of climate change on rural households’ welfare in Ethiopia by using a Quantile Regression (QR) analysis. The main econometric results show that the elasticity of crop income with respect to rainfall varies across quantiles. It is confirmed that there is a non-linear relationship between climatic variables and income.     

Concentrations and determinants of organochlorine levels among pregnant women in Eastern Spain

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) comprise a large variety of toxic substances with ample distribution. While exposure to these toxins occurs mainly through diet, maternal POP levels may be influenced by certain sociodemographic, environmental, or lifestyle factors. This is important given that these substances may have adverse effects on fetal development. The aim of this study is to examine the sociodemographic, environmental, lifestyle, and dietary determinants of the levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), b-hexachlorocyclohexane (b-HCH), 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane (4,4′-DDT), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene (4,4′-DDE), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB congeners 118, 138, 153, 180) measured in the blood of pregnant women participating in a mother-child cohort study conducted in Valencia (Spain).The study population consisted of 541 pregnant women who formed part of the INMA (Childhood and the Environment) cohort (2004-2006). POP levels were determined in blood taken during the 12th week of pregnancy with the aid of gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Sociodemographic, environmental, and dietary information was obtained from a questionnaire. Multivariate Tobit regression models were constructed in order to assess the association between POP levels and selected covariates.The results showed that all the women had detectable levels of at least one of these compounds while in 43% of the subjects, all eight compounds were detected. The compounds found in the greatest number of women were 4,4′-DDE (100%) and PCBs 153 and 180 (95%). The most important determinants of high POP levels were the mother's age, country of origin, increased body mass index, and number of weeks of breastfeeding after previous pregnancies. With regard to diet, 4,4′-DDT and 4,4′-DDE levels increased with the intake of meat, fruit, and cereal. PCB 153 levels increased with the intake of seafood. The levels of HCB, b-HCH, 4,4′-DDT, and 4,4′-DDE observed in this study were slightly higher than in other studies, whereas the PCB levels were similar.