(Pheo)melanin photosensitizes UVA-induced DNA damage in cultured human melanocytes

The question of whether melanins are photoprotecting and/or photosensitizing in human skin cells continues to be debated. To evaluate the role of melanin upon UVA irradiation, DNA single-strand breaks (ssb) were measured in human melanocytes differing only in the amount of pigment produced by culturing at two different concentrations, basic (0.01 mM) or high (0.2 mM), of L-tyrosine, the main precursor of melanin. In parallel, pheo- and total melanin contents of the cells were determined. Identical experiments were performed with two melanocyte cultures derived from a skin type I and a skin type VI individual. For the first time the correlation between UVA-induced genotoxicity and pheo-/total melanin content has been investigated. We observed that cultured in basic medium, the skin type VI melanocytes contained 10 times more total melanin and about seven times more pheomelanin than the skin type I melanocytes. Elevation of tyrosine level in the culture medium resulted in an increase of both pheo- and total melanin levels in both melanocyte cultures; however, the melanin composition of skin type I melanocytes became more pheomelanogenic, whereas that of skin type VI melanocytes remained the same. The skin type VI melanocytes cultured in basic medium demonstrated a very high sensitivity (1.18 ssb per 10(10) Da per kJ per m2) toward UVA that is probably related to their high pheo- and total melanin content. Their UVA sensitivity, however, did not change after increasing their melanin content by culturing at high tyrosine concentration. In contrast, the skin type I melanocytes demonstrated a low sensitivity (0.04 ssb per 10(10) Da per kJ per m2) toward UVA when cultured in basic medium, but increasing their melanin content resulted in a 3-fold increase in their UVA sensitivity (0.13 ssb per 10(10) Da per kJ per m2). These results demonstrate that UVA-irradiated cultured human melanocytes are photosensitized by their own synthesized chromophores, most likely pheomelanin and/or melanin intermediates.     

Differential Effects of Nicotine and Complex Housing on Subsequent Experience-Dependent Structural Plasticity in the Nucleus Accumbens.

Drugs and other forms of experience (e.g., complex housing) share the ability to alter the dendritic fields of cortical and subcortical neurons. Although such modifications are typically considered advantageous, recent research has demonstrated that psychomotor stimulants (cocaine and amphetamine) block subsequent experience-dependent structural plasticity in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and parietal neocortex. The authors investigated whether these findings generalize to another commonly used stimulant (nicotine) and further asked whether prior experience blocks subsequent nicotine-related structural plasticity. Rats were given daily injections of nicotine (or saline) for 14 days either before (Experiment 1) or after (Experiment 2) 2.5-3.0 months of complex (or standard) housing. Nicotine blocked housing-related increases in dendritic branching, length, spine density, and total spines in NAcc; however, complex housing did not block the effects of nicotine. The findings indicate that there are important differences in the capacity of drugs and experience to influence subsequent modifications in dendritic structure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Blockade of basic fibroblast growth factor retards recovery from motor cortex injury in rats

The endogenous expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was blocked by neutralizing antibodies following unilateral suction lesions of the motor cortex. Rats with control treatment (saline, goat IgG) after motor cortex lesions showed slow recovery of forelimb manipulatory abilities. Rats with blockade of bFGF expression showed little recovery. Anatomically, the control-treated lesioned rats showed an acute increase in bFGF and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) reactivity, and chronically they had normal dendritic arborization and spine density in layer V pyramidal cells in the remaining motor cortex. In contrast, rats treated with antibodies to bFGF showed little bFGF reactivity, normal GFAP reactivity, and atrophy of dendritic arbor and decreased spine density in layer V pyramidal cells. These results demonstrate the importance of endogenous bFGF release in processes related to functional recovery after cortical injury.     

Initial stages of Pt deposition on Au(111) and Au(100)

The deposition of Pt onto unreconstructed Au(111) and Au(100) was studied with cyclic voltammetry and in-situ STM. The latter revealed that in [PtCl₄]²⁻ containing electrolytes, both surfaces are covered by an ordered adlayer of the complex. For the adsorbed [PtCl₄]²⁻ a slightly compressed (√7×√7) R19.1°-structure was assumed for Au(111) and a (3×√10) for Au(100). In both cases, a rather high overpotential for Pt deposition was observed, most probably due to the high stability of the [PtCl₄]²⁻ complex. Nucleation of Pt starts mainly at defects like step edges for low deposition rates and three-dimensional clusters are formed. Due to the high overpotential, some nuclei appear also on terraces at random sites. Higher coverages of Pt lead to a cauliflower like appearance. It is not possible to dissolve the platinum clusters at positive potentials without severely roughening the gold surface. The [PtCl₄]²⁻ complex is oxidized to the [PtCl₆]²⁻ complex at about 0.7 V, when metallic Pt is on the surface.     

Behavior of the rat after removal of the neocortex and hippocampal formation.

A study with 55 adult male hooded rats showed that after surgical removal of the neocortex and hippocampal formation, Ss retained most of the movement patterns of locomotion, climbing, grooming, feeding, and fighting. However, forepaw immobility during swimming was abolished. Feeding behavior was suppressed temporarily but recovered partially. The distinctive postures of sleep and waking and a circadian rhythm of motor activity were retained. However, behaviors were often not performed at the appropriate time and place. The normal sequence of grooming behavior was disrupted; food hoarding and social behavior were essentially abolished. Removal of the neocortex alone had much the same effect as removal of neocortex and hippocampus together. Removal of hippocampus alone produced only a mild disruption of behavior. It is suggested that ascending nonspecific projections to the cerebral cortex play an important role in the moment-to-moment control of behavior but are not essential for the sleep–waking cycle. (1? p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Deactivation kinetics and modelling of coke removal under supercritical conditions for the example of ethylbenzene disproportionation

Deactivation kinetics and coke removal kinetics were derived from experimental studies on the disproportionation of ethylbenzene with a protonated Y-faujasite (Z-14) in a loop reactor under supercritical conditions. Derivation of the steady state kinetics of ethylbenzene disproportionation permitted determination of the catalyst activity. At small educt mole fractions of ethylbenzene, owing to the modest removal of coke the deactivation kinetics can be described by a power relationship. The rate of coke removal can be correlated with the activity and the deactivation rate of the catalyst.     

Effects of subchronic administration of metrifonate on cholinergic neurotransmission in rats

The effects of subchronic oral administration of metrifonate, a long-acting cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor, on cholinergic neurotransmission were assessed in young adult male Wistar rats. Animals were treated twice daily with metrifonate. In a pilot study testing a 100 mg/kg dose of metrifonate for up to 14 days, ChE activity was found to steadily decrease to reach maximum inhibition levels of about 55%, 80% and 35% in brain, erythrocytes and plasma. Steady-state inhibition levels were attained by the 10th day of treatment. When metrifonate-treatment was discontinued, ChE activity in plasma returned to control levels within another day, while erythrocyte and brain ChE activity took more than 2 weeks to recover. In subsequent dose-response studies, metrifonate treatment was given for 3 and 4.5 weeks at doses of 0, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, to different groups of animals, respectively. Correlation analysis indicted that brain ChE inhibition was more accurately reflected by erythrocyte than by plasma ChE inhibition, although all effects were highly correlated. The changes in ChE activity were not paralleled by changes in other parameters of the cholinergic neurotransmission, such as acetylcholine synthesis rate or acetylcholine receptor binding. It is therefore concluded that repeated administration of metrifonate to rats induces a long-lasting inhibition of ChE activity in a dose-related and predictable manner, which is neither subject to desensitization nor paralleled by counterregulatory downregulation of muscarinic or nicotinic receptor binding sites in brain.     

Can male decorticate rats copulate?

28 hooded sexually experienced or naive male rats, subjected to neocortex removal or neocortex plus hippocampus removal, were paired with female rats for up to 180 days and compared with 14 control rats with respect to success and latency to impregnate the female. All of the controls and half of the brain-damaged Ss successfully impregnated females at least once. Success was not correlated with lesion type or presurgical experience. The brain-damaged Ss took longer to impregnate the females than did controls. Since the ablations were extensive, more than 95% of the neocortex in many Ss, results show that decorticate rats can copulate. Presumably the intact subcortical structures are sufficient for male copulation, but cortical structures in some way facilitate rapid female impregnation. (28 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)