Some probiotic properties of yeast isolates from infant faeces and Feta cheese

The use of modified atmospheres to prevent fungal growth and mycotoxin production in cheese was evaluated. Eight fungal species: Mucor plumbeus, Fusarium oxysporum, Byssochlamys fulva, B. nivea, Penicillium commune, P. roqueforti, Aspergillus flatus and Eurotium chevalieri were inoculated onto cheese and incubated under conditions of decreasing concentrations of O2 (5% to < 0.5%) and increasing concentrations of CO2 (20-40%). Fungal growth was measured by colony diameter and ergosterol content. All fungi examined grew in atmospheres containing 20% and 40% CO2 with 1% or 5% O2, but growth was reduced by 20-80%, depending on species, compared with growth in air. The formation of aflatoxins B1 and B2, roquerfortine C and cyclopiazonic acid was greatly decreased but not totally inhibited in these atmospheres. At 20% or 40% CO2 with < 0.5% O2, only B. nivea exhibited growth, which was very slow. Growth of F. oxysporum, B. fulca, P. commune and A. flavus showed good correlations between colony diameter and ergosterol content. However, for the other species correlations were inconsistent.     

Effect of oestrogen receptor status and time on the intra-tumoural accumulation of tamoxifen and N-desmethyltamoxifen following short-term therapy in human primary breast cancer

Chronic in utero methamphetamine treatment, throughout gestation in rats, resulted in alterations in both behavior and brain monoamine function in the adult offspring. The higher dose of methamphetamine (10 mg/kg/b.i.d.) caused a significant decrease in square crossing and rearing in an open field, as well as a regional increase of serotonin and dopamine uptake sites. In contrast, the lower dose of in utero methamphetamine (2 mg/kg/b.i.d.) resulted in a significant decrease in regional densities of serotonin and dopamine uptake sites, and only decreased rearing behavior. Across treatment groups, there were significant correlations between open-field square crossing activity and the number of uptake sites in specific brain areas. Other measured behaviors, such as the neonate righting reflex and the adult Morris water maze performance, were unaffected by either in utero drug regimen. These results are discussed in terms of the known neurotoxicity of amphetamines and the ability of the immature nervous system to compensate for fetal exposure to methamphetamine.     

Pharmacological characterization of endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 in mouse brain

The recently isolated peptides endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 have been suggested to be the endogenous ligands for the mu receptor. In traditional opioid receptor binding assays in mouse brain homogenates, both endomorphin-1 and endomorphin-2 competed both mu1 and mu2 receptor sites quite potently. Neither compound had appreciable affinity for either delta or kappa1 receptors, confirming an earlier report. However, the two endomorphins displayed reasonable affinities for kappa3 binding sites, with Ki values between 20 and 30 nM. Both endomorphins competed 3H-[D-Ala2, MePhe4,Gly(ol)5] enkephalin binding to MOR-1 receptors expressed in CHO cells with high affinity. In mouse brain homogenates 125I-endomorphin-1 and 125I-endomorphin-2 binding was selectively competed by mu ligands. 125I-Endomorphin-1 and 125I-endomorphin-2 also labeled MOR-1 receptors expressed in CHO cells with high affinity. Autoradiography of the two 125I-labeled endomorphins demonstrated regional patterns in the brain similar to those previously observed for mu drugs. Pharmacologically, the endomorphins were potent analgesics. Although they were equipotent supraspinally, endomorphin-1 was more potent spinally. Endomorphin analgesia was effectively blocked by naloxone, as well as the mu-selective antagonists beta-funaltrexamine and naloxonazine. In CXBK mice, which are insensitive to supraspinal morphine, neither endomorphin was active, consistent with a mu mechanism of action. Finally, the endomorphins inhibited gastrointestinal transit. In conclusion, these results support the mu selectivity of these agents.