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Greater Activity (greater + activity)
Selected AbstractsTransformation of haematite and Al-poor goethite to Al-rich goethite and associated yellowing in a ferralitic clay soil profile of the middle Amazon Basin (Manaus, Brazil)EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 5 2005E. Fritsch Summary The red and yellow colours of ferralitic soils in the tropics have for long intrigued pedologists. We have investigated the upward yellowing in a 10-m thick profile representative of the Ferralsols of the plateaux of the Manaus region of Brazil. We determined changes in the nature and crystal chemistry of their Fe oxides by optical and Mössbauer spectroscopy as well as Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction patterns. We attribute the upward yellowing of the soil to a progressive transformation of the Fe oxides at nearly invariant iron contents. Aluminium in contrast is strongly mobilized in the uppermost clay-depleted topsoil where there is preferential dissolution of kaolinite and crystallization of gibbsite. Haematite decreases from 35 to 10% of the Fe oxides from the bottom to the top of the profile and the particles become smaller (75,10 nm). Its Al for Fe-substitution remains almost unchanged (10,15 mol %). The average Al-substitution rate of goethite increases from 25 to 33 mol %, and its mean crystal diameter remains in the range 20,40 nm. The proportion of Al-rich goethite (33 mol %) increases at the expense of less Al-substituted Fe oxides (haematite and goethite). This conversion with restricted transfer of iron means that the amount of Al stored in Fe oxides gradually increases. Kaolinite, haematite and Al-poor goethite are thus witnesses of earlier stages of ferralitization of the soil. In contrast, Al-rich goethite and gibbsite initiate the alitization (or bauxitization) of the soil. They correspond to the last generation of soil minerals, which most likely reflects the present-day weathering conditions. The progressive replacement of kaolinite, haematite and Al-poor goethite by new generations of Al-rich goethite and gibbsite attests to greater activities of water and aluminium and smaller activity of aqueous silica in the topsoil than in the subsoil. We interpret this as a consequence of longer periods of wetting in the topsoil that could result from soil aging, more humid climate or both. [source] Artificial rearing alters the response of rats to natural and drug-mediated rewardsDEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2006Anna M. Lomanowska Abstract Artificial rearing (AR) of infant rats permits precise control over key features of the early environment without maternal influence. The present study examined the behavioral response of AR rats towards natural and drug-mediated rewards, as well as their exploratory and affective behaviors. Adolescent AR rats showed increased preference for sucrose consumption relative to chow and demonstrated greater activity in the open field and in the elevated plus-maze compared to maternally reared (MR) rats. With respect to measures of emotionality, AR rats showed enhanced avoidance of the open arms of the plus-maze, indicating increased anxiety, but they did not differ from MR rats in exploring the center of the open field. Adult AR rats displayed a stronger conditioned response to morphine in a place preference test. These findings support the potential of the AR model to contribute to understanding the role of early experience in the development of behavioral motivation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psyshobiol 48: 301,314, 2006. [source] Aquatic herbicide exposure increases salamander desiccation risk eight months later in a terrestrial environmentENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005Jason R. Rohr Abstract Contaminants and climate change may be factors in amphibian declines. However, few studies have explored their joint impacts on postmetamorphic amphibians, a life stage of great importance to amphibian population dynamics. Here, we examine the effects of premetamorphic exposure (mean exposure of 64 d) to ecologically relevant concentrations of the globally common herbicide atrazine (0, 4, 40, 400 ,g/L) on the behavior and water retention of lone and grouped postmetamorphic, streamside salamanders, Ambystoma barbouri. Salamanders exposed to ,40 ,g/L of atrazine exhibited greater activity, fewer water-conserving behaviors, and accelerated water loss four and eight months after exposure compared to controls. No recovery from atrazine exposure was detected and its effects were independent of the presence of conspecifics. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that adverse climatic conditions and contaminants can interact to harm post-metamorphic amphibians; however, they suggest that these two stressors need not be experienced simultaneously to do so. These results emphasize the importance of considering both latent and cumulative effects of temporally linked stressors in ecotoxicology. [source] Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and CO2 extracts of the oriental tobacco, PrilepFLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2002Radosav Palic Abstract A study of the chemical composition of essential oil and CO2 extracts of the middle and upper leaf positions of the oriental tobacco Prilep was performed using GC and GC,MS. The major constituents were: in the essential oil, neophytadiene and solanone; in CO2 extract I, neophytadiene; and in CO2 extract II, nicotine, nonacosane and solanesol. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and CO2 extracts were investigated against the microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The results showed that oil from the middle leaves showed greater activity than the oil of the upper leaves. Both leaf oils mainly showed greater activity than CO2 extracts. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Individual differences in socioaffective skills influence the neural bases of fear processing: The case of alexithymiaHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 10 2010Lydia Pouga Abstract Being exposed to fear signals makes us feel threatened and prompts us to prepare an adaptive response. In our previous studies, we suggested that amygdala (AMG) and premotor cortex (PM) play a role in the preparation of the observers' motor response required by the situation. The present experiment aimed at assessing how interindividual differences in alexithymia,a personality trait associated with deficits in emotional reactivity and regulation,influence the neural network associated with the perception of fear. Using fMRI, we scanned 34 healthy subjects while they were passively observing fearful body expressions. Applying a dimensional approach, we performed correlation analyses between fear-related brain areas and alexithymia scores among all participants. Using a categorical approach, we conducted a between-group comparison (13 high vs. 12 low-alexithymia subjects). Our results were threefold. First, the right AMG activity in response to fearful stimuli was negatively correlated with the level of difficulty to identify emotions. Second, PM activity was linked to reduced subjective emotional reactivity. Third, the between-group comparison revealed greater activity in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for high than low-alexithymia scorers. Moreover, the relationship between ACC and PM was in opposite direction in individuals with high (negative link) and low (positive link) alexithymia. Therefore, compared to our previous findings, we hereby further reveal how ACC interacts with PM to sustain self-regulation of one's own emotional state in response to threatening social signals. Moreover, this neural mechanism could account for the description of the "cold-blooded" personality of individuals with alexithymia. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Brain network dynamics during error commissionHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 1 2009Michael C. Stevens Abstract Previous studies suggest that the anterior cingulate and other prefrontal brain regions might form a functionally-integrated error detection network in the human brain. This study examined whole brain functional connectivity to both correct and incorrect button presses using independent component analysis (ICA) of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data collected from 25 adolescent and 25 adult healthy participants (ages 11,37) performing a visual Go/No-Go task. Correct responses engaged a network comprising left lateral prefrontal cortex, left postcentral gyrus/inferior parietal lobule, striatum, and left cerebellum. In contrast, a similar network was uniquely engaged during errors, but this network was not integrated with activity in regions believed to be engaged for higher-order cognitive control over behavior. A medial/dorsolateral prefrontal-parietal neural network responded to all No-Go stimuli, but with significantly greater activity to errors. ICA analyses also identified a third error-related circuit comprised of anterior temporal lobe, limbic, and pregenual cingulate cortices, possibly representing an affective response to errors. There were developmental differences in error-processing activity within many of these neural circuits, typically reflecting greater hemodynamic activation in adults. These findings characterize the spatial structure of neural networks underlying error commission and identify neurobiological differences between adolescents and adults. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Feature uncertainty activates anterior cingulate cortex,HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 1 2004Szabolcs Kéri Abstract In visual discrimination tasks, the relevant feature to discriminate is defined before stimulus presentation. In feature uncertainty tasks, a cue about the relevant feature is provided after stimulus offset. We used 15O-butanol positron emission tomography (PET) in order to investigate brain activation during a feature uncertainty task. There was greater activity during the feature uncertainty task, compared with stimulus detection and discrimination of orientation and spatial frequency, in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex, the cuneus, superior temporal and inferior parietal cortex, cortical motor areas, and the cerebellum. The most robust and consistent activation was observed in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 32; x = 0 y = 16, z = 40). The insula, located near the claustrum (x = ,38, y = 8, z = 4), was activated during the discrimination tasks compared with the feature uncertainty condition. These results suggest that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex is important in feature uncertainty conditions, which include divided attention, expectancy under uncertainty, and cognitive monitoring. Hum. Brain Mapp. 21:26,33, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effects of extracts of miswak and derum on proliferation of Balb/C 3T3 fibroblasts and viability of cariogenic bacteriaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DENTAL HYGIENE, Issue 2 2006H Darmani Abstract:,Objectives:,This study examined the effects of extracts of two chewing sticks on proliferation of fibroblasts and viability of cariogenic bacteria. Methods:,Aqueous extracts of miswak (Salvadora persica; Arak tree) and derum (Juglans regia; walnut tree) were prepared and their effects investigated on growth of Balb/C 3T3 mouse fibroblasts by measuring the mitochondrial succinic dehydrogenase activity. Furthermore, the effects on the viability of various cariogenic bacteria (Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Lactobacillus casei and Actinomyces viscosus) was also determined. Results:,The data revealed that Balb/C 3T3 fibroblasts exposed to aqueous extracts of miswak or derum showed an increase in cell proliferation by 156% and 255%, respectively, in comparison with controls (p<0.0001). Furthermore, extracts from both miswak and derum had adverse effects on the growth of the cariogenic microorganisms, with derum having significantly greater antimicrobial effects than miswak and at much lower concentrations against all the bacteria tested. The most sensitive organisms were A. viscosus, followed by S. mutans, S. salivarius, with L. casei being the most resistant. Conclusion:,The results show that aqueous extracts of miswak and derum enhance the growth of fibroblasts and inhibit the growth of cariogenic bacteria, with the derum extract showing greater activity than miswak. [source] Explaining trading volume in the euroINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FINANCE & ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2006Janusz Brzeszczynski Abstract Following the introduction of the euro in 1999, daily trade volume began a downward trend until early 2002, after which daily volume started to trend upward. A model of weekly trades suggests that changes in momentum as well as the carry trade motives of interest differentials are significant explanatory factors. Daily data examination reveals that Fridays have lower activity, and Tuesdays greater activity than average. At the intradaily level, trading is very low before and after London business hours. Within the London business day, trade activity is higher in 5-min intervals when a ,big figure' is breached. This is consistent with stop-loss or take-profit motives for trading. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Asymmetric Ring Opening of Benzo-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptadienes with Cationic Rhodium ComplexesADVANCED SYNTHESIS & CATALYSIS (PREVIOUSLY: JOURNAL FUER PRAKTISCHE CHEMIE), Issue 11-12 2010Angelika Preetz Abstract The efficient design of stereochemically challenging ring systems by ring opening of heterobicyclic alkenes has become a very important reaction in the chemistry of CC and CX bond formation. By using the hitherto applied in situ technique for the generation of the ,2 -bridged, dimeric neutral rhodium complexes, however, the catalytically active species and its concentration remained unidentified. Furthermore, the reaction temperature is at least 80,°C. The application of cationic rhodium(I) solvate complexes (that no longer contain blocking diolefins) shows that a much greater activity and enantioselectivity for the synthesis of 1,2-dihydro-1-naphthols can be reached than was described so far, even at ambient temperature. NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis show that a product inhibition during the ring opening reaction takes place that is independent of the nucleophile. [source] Density-dependent mortality is mediated by foraging activity for prey fish in whole-lake experimentsJOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Peter A. Biro Summary 1Whereas the effects of density-dependent growth and survival on population dynamics are well-known, mechanisms that give rise to density dependence in animal populations are not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that the trade-off between growth and mortality rates is mediated by foraging activity and habitat use. Thus, if depletion of food by prey is density-dependent, and leads to greater foraging activity and risky habitat use, then visibility and encounter rates with predators must also increase. 2We tested this hypothesis by experimentally manipulating the density of young rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at risk of cannibalism, in a replicated single-factor experiment using eight small lakes, during an entire growing season. 3We found no evidence for density-dependent depletion of daphnid food in the nearshore refuge where most age-0 trout resided. Nonetheless, the proportion of time spent moving by individual age-0 trout, the proportion of individuals continuously active, and use of deeper habitats was greater in high density populations than in low density populations. Differences in food abundance among lakes had no effect on measures of activity or habitat use. 4Mortality of age-0 trout over the growing season was higher in high density populations, and in lakes with lower daphnid food abundance. Therefore, population-level mortality of age-0 trout is linked to greater activity and use of risky habitats by individuals at high densities. We suspect that food resources were depleted at small spatial and temporal scales not detected by our plankton sampling in the high density treatment, because food-dependent activity and habitat use by age-0 trout occurs in our lakes when food abundance is experimentally manipulated (Biro, Post & Parkinson, in press). [source] Physical Activity and Social Physique Anxiety in Older Women: The Moderating Effects of Self-Presentation EfficacyJOURNAL OF APPLIED BIOBEHAVIORAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003Jennifer Woodgate Given the inconsistent relationships observed between social physique anxiety (SPA) and physical activity, it is possible that other variables moderate this relationship. This study examined self-presentation efficacy (SPE) as a potential moderator. Participants were 81 older women. Multiple regression analysis revealed that SPA, SPE, and the SPA x SPE interaction significantly predicted physical activity, with the SPA x SPE interaction explaining 6% of the variance in activity. Evaluation of this interaction indicated that SPA was negatively correlated with activity only for women with high and mean SPE and was unrelated to activity for women with low SPE. These findings suggest that, for older women, lower levels of SPA are not always related to greater activity. Rather, SPE is an important moderator of the SPA-physical activity relationship. [source] CYP3A4 is a Human Microsomal Vitamin D 25-Hydroxylase,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2004Ram P Gupta Abstract The human hepatic microsomal vitamin D 25-hydroxylase protein and gene have not been identified with certainty. Sixteen hepatic recombinant microsomal enzymes were screened for 25-hydroxylase activity; 11 had some 25-hydroxylase activity, but CYP3A4 had the highest activity. In characterized liver microsomes, 25-hydroxylase activity correlated significantly with CYP3A4 testosterone 6,-hydroxylase activity. Activity in pooled liver microsomes was inhibited by known inhibitors of CYP3A4 and by an antibody to CYP3A2. Thus, CYP3A4 is a hepatic microsomal vitamin D 25-hydroxylase. Introduction: Studies were performed to identify human microsomal vitamin D-25 hydroxylase. Materials and Methods: Sixteen major hepatic microsomal recombinant enzymes derived from cytochrome P450 cDNAs expressed in baculovirus-infected insect cells were screened for 25-hydroxylase activity with 1,-hydroxyvitamin D2 [1,(OH)D2], 1,-hydroxyvitamin D3 [1,(OH)D3], vitamin D2, and vitamin D3 as substrates. Activity was correlated with known biological activities of enzymes in a panel of 12 characterized human liver microsomes. The effects of known inhibitors and specific antibodies on activity also were determined. Results: CYP3A4, the most abundant cytochrome P450 enzyme in human liver and intestine, had 7-fold greater activity than that of any of the other enzymes with 1,(OH)D2 as substrate. CYP3A4 25-hydroxylase activity was four times higher with 1,(OH)D2 than with 1,(OH)D3 as substrate, was much less with vitamin D2, and was not detected with vitamin D3. 1,(OH)D2 was the substrate in subsequent experiments. In a panel of characterized human liver microsomes, 25-hydroxylase activity correlated with CYP3A4 testosterone 6,-hydroxylase activity (r = 0.93, p < 0.001) and CYP2C91 diclofenac 4,-hydroxylase activity (r = 0.65, p < 0.05), but not with activity of any of the other enzymes. Activity in recombinant CYP3A4 and pooled liver microsomes was dose-dependently inhibited by ketoconazole, troleandomycin, isoniazid, and ,-naphthoflavone, known inhibitors of CYP3A4. Activity in pooled liver microsomes was inhibited by antibodies to CYP3A2 that are known to inhibit CYP3A4 activity. Conclusion: CYP3A4 is a vitamin D 25-hydroxylase for vitamin D2 in human hepatic microsomes and hydroxylates both 1,(OH)D2 and 1,(OH)D3. [source] Variations of sperm release in three batches of zebrafishJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004J. R. Kemadjou Njiwa By collecting and counting the number of sperm released during separate matings in three batches of zebrafish Danio rerio, aged 3,4, 4,5 and 5,6 months, males were observed to release sperm before the female started laying their eggs. After the female left the nest, the number and motility of sperm and life span of sperm of younger fish were higher than those of older fish in water samples collected under the nest and at the surface of the tank. Sperm were released in the form of sperm trails laid on the nest surface, subsequently active spermatozoa left the trails and moved in the water for several minutes. Sperm trails consisted of bands of viscous material in which the sperm were embedded. In most cases eggs were not laid directly over the sperm trail, suggesting that sperm may contact the eggs after the latter are released into the water. In all the three tested groups there was no significant difference (P > 0·05) between the number of sperm collected on some portions of the acetate sheets which lined the nest ceiling. This result demonstrated that the greater activity of younger fish accelerated the sperm dispersal in water. Male sperm duct glands, seminal vesicles, known to secrete mucosubstances are probably involved in the production of sperm trails. The possible influence of insemination on the mating style of zebrafish is discussed. [source] Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Working Memory among Multiple Sclerosis PatientsJOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 2 2004Lawrence H. Sweet PhD ABSTRACT Background and Purpose. Verbal working memory (VWM) deficits have been a well-replicated finding among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) studies have described a VWM system in healthy samples; however, functional neuroimaging of this system among MS patients is just beginning to appear. Methods. Fifteen MS patients and 15 sex-, age-, education-, and IQ-matched healthy control (HC) participants completed a 2-Back VWM task as whole-brain FMRI was conducted. Results. Each group exhibited increased brain activity compared to the 0-Back control task in regions associated with the 2-Back in previous neuroimaging studies. These included Broca's area, supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor cortices (PMC), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC). MS patients exhibited greater cortical activity than did HC participants in left primary motor and somatosensory cortices, PMC, DLPFC, anterior cingulate, and bilateral SMA. MS patients exhibited relatively less activation in Broca's area, bilateral cerebellum, and other regions not typically associated with the 2-Back (eg, right fusiform gyrus, left lingual gyrus, right hippocampus). Performance accuracy and reaction time did not differ between groups. Conclusions. Normal performance of a challenging VWM task among high-functioning MS patients is associated with a shift toward greater activity in regions related to sensorimotor functions and anterior attentional/executive components of the VWM system. Posterior memory storage systems appeared unaffected, while portions of the visual processing and subvocal rehearsal systems were less active. Although a shift in neural activity was noted relative toHC participants, deviation from regions normally involved in VWM function was not observed in this patient sample. [source] Cytotoxic activity and effect on nitric oxide production of tirucallane-type triterpenesJOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 9 2005Ibeth Oviedo Chávez Hexane extract from the bark of Amphipterygium adstringens, as well as its principal constituents, masticadienonic acid (1) and 3,-hydroxymasticadienolic acid (2), inhibited the growth of five human cancer cell lines. Derivatives of 1, namely 24,25S -dihydromasticadienonic acid (3) and masticadienolic acid (4), were also evaluated. The results showed that both 3 and 4 had greater activity than 1 on colon cancer cell lines. The effects of 1,4 on the production of nitric oxide (NO) from both resting and lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages were determined. It was found that 1, 2 and 4 caused an increase in NO release from resting macrophages; in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages, only 2 and 4 caused an increase in NO production. [source] Altered Impulse Control in Alcohol Dependence: Neural Measures of Stop Signal PerformanceALCOHOLISM, Issue 4 2009Chiang-shan Ray Li Background:, Altered impulse control has been implicated in the shaping of habitual alcohol use and eventual alcohol dependence. We sought to identify the neural correlates of altered impulse control in 24 abstinent patients with alcohol dependence (PAD), as compared to 24 demographics matched healthy control subjects (HC). In particular, we examined the processes of risk taking and cognitive control as the neural endophenotypes of alcohol dependence. Methods:, To this end, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was conducted during a stop signal task (SST), in which a procedure was used to elicit errors in the participants. The paradigm allowed trial-by-trial evaluation of response inhibition, error processing, and post-error behavioral adjustment. Furthermore, by imposing on the subjects to be both fast and accurate, the SST also introduced a distinct element of risk, which participants may or may not avert during the task. Brain imaging data were analyzed with Statistical Parametric Mapping in covariance analyses accounting for group disparity in general performance. Results:, The results showed that, compared to HC, PAD demonstrated longer go trial reaction time (RT) and higher stop success rate (SS%). HC and PAD were indistinguishable in stop signal reaction time (SSRT) and post-error slowing (PES). In a covariance analysis accounting for go trial RT and SS%, HC showed greater activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex than PAD, when subjects with short and long SSRT were contrasted. By comparing PAD and HC directly during stop errors (SE), as contrasted with SS, we observed greater activity in PAD in bilateral visual and frontal cortices. Compared to HC, PAD showed less activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during PES, an index of post-error behavioral adjustment. Furthermore, PAD who showed higher alcohol urge at the time of the fMRI were particularly impaired in dorsolateral prefrontal activation, as compared to those with lower alcohol urge. Finally, compared to HC subjects, PAD showed less activity in cortical and subcortical structures including putamen, insula, and amygdala during risk-taking decisions in the SST. Conclusion:, These preliminary results provided evidence for altered neural processing during impulse control in PAD. These findings may provide a useful neural signature in the evaluation of treatment outcomes and development of novel pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence. [source] Circadian rest-activity rhythm is altered in Parkinson's disease patients with hallucinationsMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 8 2008Daisy L. Whitehead PhD Abstract The sleep-wake cycle in Parkinson's Disease (PD) is profoundly disrupted, but less is known about circadian rhythm in PD and its relationship to other important clinical features. This study compared rest-activity rhythms in healthy older adults and PD patients with and without hallucinations. Twenty-nine older adults and 50 PD patients (27 with hallucinations, 23 without) were assessed using wrist-worn actigraphy for 5 days. Disease-related and cognitive data were also collected. PD patients demonstrated reduced amplitude of activity (F = 12.719, P < 0.01) and increased intradaily variability (F = 22.005, P < 0.001), compared to healthy older adults, independently of age, and cognitive status. Hallucinators showed lower interdaily stability (F = 7.493, P < 0.01) significantly greater activity during "night-time" (F = 6.080, P < 0.05) and significantly reduced relative amplitude of activity (F = 5.804, P < 0.05) compared to nonhallucinators, independently of clinical factors including motor fluctuations. PD patients with hallucinations display altered rest-activity rhythm characterized by an unpredictable circadian pattern across days, likely arising from damage to brainstem and hypothalamic sleep centers. Treatment of sleep and rest-activity rhythm disturbance is an important target in Parkinson's Disease. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society. [source] In Vitro Toxicity towards Kiwifruit Pollen of the Antimicrobial Peptides Magainins 1 and 2PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007A. M. Speranza Abstract: In vitro toxicity of the antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) magainin 1 and 2 to a higher plant organism, i.e., the bicellular male gametophyte of Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit), is investigated. Heavy damage to the plasma membrane, the primary cellular target of the peptides, was rapidly induced: in as few as 15 min, from 70 to nearly 100 % of pollen grains were rendered unviable by 20 ,M magainin 1 or 2, respectively. Therefore, kiwifruit pollen sensitivity to natural magainins seemed to be higher if compared to the sensitivity of other pollen species towards magainin 2 amide or synthetic magainin analogues. Strong dose-dependent inhibitory effects on kiwifruit pollen performance were registered: as for magainin 1, the EC50 at 120 min varied from 14.0 (germination) to 15.8 ,M (tube elongation). The inhibitory effect was much greater when administering magainin 1 to elongating tubes rather than to ungerminated pollen grains. The two peptides differentially affected kiwifruit pollen, in line with the previously documented greater activity of magainin 2 in other cell systems. Furthermore, 20 ,M magainin 1-treated pollen grains took on a shrivelled shape within 30 min of incubation, an increasingly widespread effect with higher peptide concentration. At the ultrastructural level, both protoplast shrinkage and striking organelle alterations were evident, including chromatin condensation, swelling and loss of mitochondrial cristae, dilation of rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, and vacuolization of cytoplasm. To our knowledge, similar alterations in animal or plant cells treated with AMPs have not been described yet. [source] Engineering of enhanced glycine betaine synthesis improves drought tolerance in maizePLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 6 2004Ruidang Quan Summary Glycine betaine plays an important role in some plants, including maize, in conditions of abiotic stress, but different maize varieties vary in their capacity to accumulate glycine betaine. An elite maize inbred line DH4866 was transformed with the betA gene from Escherichia coli encoding choline dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.99.1), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of glycine betaine from choline. The transgenic maize plants accumulated higher levels of glycine betaine and were more tolerant to drought stress than wild-type plants (non-transgenic) at germination and the young seedling stage. Most importantly, the grain yield of transgenic plants was significantly higher than that of wild-type plants after drought treatment. The enhanced glycine betaine accumulation in transgenic maize provides greater protection of the integrity of the cell membrane and greater activity of enzymes compared with wild-type plants in conditions of drought stress. [source] Modulation of protein aggregation by polyethylene glycol conjugation: GCSF as a case studyPROTEIN SCIENCE, Issue 5 2006Rahul S. Rajan Abstract Polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugation to proteins has emerged as an important technology to produce drug molecules with sustained duration in the body. However, the implications of PEG conjugation to protein aggregation have not been well understood. In this study, conducted under physiological pH and temperature, N-terminal attachment of a 20 kDa PEG moiety to GCSF had the ability to (1) prevent protein precipitation by rendering the aggregates soluble, and (2) slow the rate of aggregation relative to GCSF. Our data suggest that PEG-GCSF solubility was mediated by favorable solvation of water molecules around the PEG group. PEG-GCSF appeared to aggregate on the same pathway as that of GCSF, as evidenced by (a) almost identical secondary structural transitions accompanying aggregation, (b) almost identical covalent character in the aggregates, and (c) the ability of PEG-GCSF to rescue GCSF precipitation. To understand the role of PEG length, the aggregation properties of free GCSF were compared to 5kPEG-GCSF and 20kPEG-GCSF. It was observed that even 5kPEG-GCSF avoided precipitation by forming soluble aggregates, and the stability toward aggregation was vastly improved compared to GCSF, but only marginally less stable than the 20kPEG-GCSF. Biological activity measurements demonstrated that both 5kPEG-GCSF and 20kPEG-GCSF retained greater activity after incubation at physiological conditions than free GCSF, consistent with the stability measurements. The data is most compatible with a model where PEG conjugation preserves the mechanism underlying protein aggregation in GCSF, steric hindrance by PEG influences aggregation rate, while aqueous solubility is mediated by polar PEG groups on the aggregate surface. [source] Excitability of human muscle afferents studied using threshold tracking of the H reflexTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Cindy S.-Y. In human peripheral nerves, physiological evidence has been presented for a number of biophysical differences between cutaneous afferents and , motor axons. The differences in strength-duration properties for cutaneous afferents and motor axons in the median nerve have been attributed to greater expression of a persistent Na+ conductance (INa,P) on cutaneous afferents. However, it is unclear whether the biophysical properties of human group Ia afferents differ from those of cutaneous afferents. The present studies were undertaken to determine whether the properties of human group Ia afferents can be studied indirectly using ,threshold tracking' to measure the excitability changes in the H reflex, and to determine whether the excitability of group Ia afferents differs from that of cutaneous afferents. The strength-duration properties of the soleus H reflex and soleus motor axons were measured at rest and during sustained voluntary contractions. Similar experiments were performed on the median nerve at the wrist to study the strength-duration properties of cutaneous afferents, , motor axons and H reflex of the thenar muscles. In addition, the technique of ,latent addition' was used to determine whether there was a difference in a low-threshold conductance on soleus Ia afferent and motor axons. The present findings indicate that the strength-duration time constant (,SD) for the H reflex is longer than that for , motor axons, but similar to that for cutaneous afferents. There were no differences in ,SD for the soleus H reflex at rest and during contractions, suggesting that ,SD for the H reflex is largely unaffected by changes in synaptic or motoneurone properties. Finally, the difference in latent addition suggests that the longer ,SD of the soleus H reflex may indeed be due to greater activity of a persistent Na+ conductance on Ia afferents than on soleus , motor axons. [source] A functional magnetic resonance imaging study of cortical asymmetry in bipolar disorderBIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 3 2004Michael P Caligiuri Objectives:, Individuals with bipolar disorder (BPD) exhibit motor, perceptual, and cognitive disturbances involving predominantly right hemisphere dysfunction. This asymmetry has been used to advance the hypothesis that the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder may be related to disturbances of the right cerebral hemisphere. We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine hemispheric asymmetries in manic and depressed BPD. A secondary goal of the study was to examine effects of psychotropic medications on blood volume changes in the motor cortices. Methods:, We studied 18 right-handed BPD and 13 right-handed normal healthy comparison subjects. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses in the primary motor area (M1) and supplementary motor area (SMA) of both hemispheres were elicited during reaction time (RT) tasks. Results:, Healthy subjects activated the SMA in a reciprocal fashion with significantly greater activity in the left SMA for right hand trials and the right SMA for left hand trials. Depressed BPD subjects failed to show this normal reciprocity indicating a failure to suppress unwanted activity in the ipsilateral right SMA, whereas manic BPD subjects failed to suppress unwanted ipsilateral SMA activity in both hemispheres. Manic and depressed BPD subjects exhibited greater activity in the left primary motor area suggesting increased cortical excitability. BPD subjects treated with antipsychotics or mood-stabilizing medications exhibited longer RTs, lower BOLD responses in M1 and SMA, and a loss of normal hemispheric asymmetry in the SMA than untreated subjects. Conclusions:, The presence of a right hemisphere disturbance in BPD is consistent with the hypothesis that the right hemisphere may be dominant in mood regulation. The presence of both left and right hemisphere disturbances in mania may explain the coexisting psychotic and affective symptoms observed in this condition. [source] MOUSE STRAIN-SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN CARDIAC METABOLIC ENZYME ACTIVITIES OBSERVED IN A MODEL OF ISOPROTERENOL-INDUCED CARDIAC HYPERTROPHYCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 1-2 2007Michael D Faulx SUMMARY 1Alterations in myocardial energy metabolism accompany pressure overload-induced hypertrophy. We previously described a novel model of catecholamine-induced hypertrophy in which A/J mice exhibit more robust cardiac hypertrophy than B6 mice. Accordingly, we assessed the influence of mouse strain on the activities of key myocardial metabolic enzymes and whether there are strain-related metabolic adaptations to short-term, high-dose isoproterenol (ISO) administration. 2Thirty-nine male mice (19 A/J mice, 20 B6 mice), aged 12,15 weeks, were randomly assigned to receive either ISO (100 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle (sterile water) daily for 5 days. On Day 6, all hearts were excised, weighed, freeze clamped and assayed for pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase I and citrate synthase activities. Plasma fatty acids (FA) were also measured. 3The ISO-treated A/J mice demonstrated greater percentage increases in gravimetric heart weight/bodyweight ratio than ISO-treated B6 mice (24 vs 3%, respectively; P < 0.001). All enzyme activities were significantly greater in vehicle-treated B6 mice than in A/J mice, illustrating a greater capacity for aerobic metabolism in B6 mice. Administration of ISO reduced PDHa (active form) activity in B6 mice by 47% (P < 0.001), with no significant change seen in A/J mice. Free FA levels were not significantly different between groups; thus, the differences in PDHa were not due to changes in FA. 4The basal activity of myocardial metabolic enzymes is greater in B6 mice than in A/J mice and ISO alters myocardial PDH activity in a mouse strain-dependent manner. Compared with A/J mice, B6 mice demonstrate less ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy, but greater activity of key enzymes regulating FA and carbohydrate oxidation, which may protect against the development of hypertrophy. The metabolic adaptations associated with ISO-induced hypertrophy differ from those reported with pressure overload hypertrophy. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||